To
improve health care in rural areas through the establishment of
State Offices of Rural Health.
TYPES
OF ASSISTANCE:
Project Grants. Place Cursor Here for Definition
USES
AND USE RESTRICTIONS:
This
is a matching grant program with States to support the establishment
and ongoing operation of Offices of Rural Health. While a wide range
of activities can be conducted to address unique State needs, each
State Office of Rural Health must (1) Establish an information clearinghouse,
(2) coordinate State and Federal rural health programs throughout
the State, (3) provide TA that will improve participation in State
and Federal programs, and (4) work to improve availability of health
professionals in rural areas.
ELIGIBILITY
REQUIREMENTS:
Applicant
Eligibility: All fifty States may apply.
Beneficiary
Eligibility: Underserved populations in rural
areas; facilities and services in rural areas.
Credentials/Documentation:
OMB Circular No. A-87, "Cost Principles Applicable to Grants and
Contracts with State and Local Governments," applies.
Pre-application
Coordination: Preapplication coordination is
not required. This program is subject to the provisions of E.O.
12372, "Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs." An applicant
should consult the office or official designated as the single point
of contact in his or her State for more information on the process
which the State requires to be followed in applying for assistance
if the State has selected the program for review.
Application
Procedure: Application kits are obtained by
writing HRSA Grants Application Center, 901 Russell Avenue, Suite
450, Gaithersburg, MD 20879, or by calling toll free: 1-877-477-2123.
This program is subject to the provisions of 45 CFR, Part 92 for
State and local governments.
Award
Procedure: Applications are reviewed by Federal
and nonfederal experts in rural health care services development,
coordination, and delivery. Applications are evaluated for merit
and are recommended for approval or disapproval. Final decisions
are made by the Director, Office of Rural Health Policy.
Deadlines:
Contact Headquarters Office listed below for deadline dates.
Range
of Approval/Disapproval Time: From 2 to 3
months.
Appeals:
None.
Renewals:
Grantees may request funding beyond an initial project period
by submitting a competing continuation application during a regular
competing application cycle. All competitive cycles are contingent
upon availability of funds for such purposes.
ASSISTANCE
CONSIDERATIONS:
Formula
and Matching Requirements: States must match
at least $3 for each $1 of Federal funds.
Length
and Time Phasing of Assistance: Grant applications
should be submitted for a 3-year project period. Awards are normally
made in a lump sum for an entire 12-month budget period. Payments
are made annually either through a letter of credit or cash demand
system.
POST
ASSISTANCE REQUIREMENTS:
Reports:
Annual progress and financial status reports are required 90 days
from the end of the budget period and the final performance report
and final financial status report are due 90 days from the end of
the project period.
Audits:
In accordance with the provisions of OMB Circular No. A-133 (Revised,
June 24, 1997), "Audits of States, Local Governments, and Nonprofit
Organizations," nonfederal entities that expend financial assistance
of $300,000 or more in Federal awards will have a single or a
program-specific audit conducted for that year. Nonfederal entities
that expend less than $300,000 a year in Federal awards are exempt
from Federal audit requirements for that year, except as noted
in Circular No. A-133. In addition, grants and cooperative agreements
are subject to inspection and audits by DHHS and other Federal
government officials.
Records:
In accordance with 45 CFR, Part 92 and 45 CFR, Part 74, Subpart
D, grantees are required to maintain grant accounting records
for 3 years after the end of the budget period. If any litigation,
audit or other action involving the records has been started before
the expiration of the 3-year period, the records shall be retained
until completion of the action and resolution of all issues which
arise from it, or until the regular 3-year period expires, whichever
is later.
FINANCIAL
INFORMATION:
Account
Identification: 75-0350-0-1-550.
Obligations:
(Grants) FY 01 $3,817,152; FY 02 est $4,000,000; and FY 03 est
$3,000,000.
Range
and Average of Financial Assistance:
From $50,000 to $70,000. Average: $65,000.
In fiscal year 2001, 50 noncompeting continuation grants were awarded.
It is estimated that there will be 50 continuation awards made in
fiscal years 2002 and 2003.
REGULATIONS,
GUIDELINES, AND LITERATURE:
Program guidelines may be obtained by contacting the Headquarters
Office. "PHS Grants Policy Statement," DHHS Publication No. (OASH)
90-50,000, (Rev.) October 1, 1990.
INFORMATION
CONTACTS:
Regional
or Local Office: Not applicable.
Headquarters
Office: Program Contact: Jennifer Riggle,
Director, State Office of Rural Health Grant Program, Office of
Rural Health Policy, Health Resources and Services Administration,
Public Health Service, Parklawn Building, Room 9A-55, 5600 Fishers
Lane, Rockville, MD 20857. Telephone: (301) 443-0835. Grants Management
Contact: Mr. Lawrence Poole, Grants Management Officer, Grant
Management Office, Bureau of Primary Health Care, Health Resources
and Services Administration, Public Health Service, 4350 East-West
Highway, 11th Floor, Bethesda, MD 20814. Telephone: (301) 594-4235.
Web
Site Address: http://www.ruralhealth.hrsa.gov
EXAMPLES
OF FUNDED PROJECTS:
This program establishes State Offices of Rural Health in each State.
A few of the projects in State Offices of Rural Health include:
1) Providing technical assistance to rural communities seeking to
develop or improve primary health care; 2) training community leaders
and providers of health services so that they may better respond
to the needs of their rural clientele; and 3) taking lead roles
in drafting, obtaining, and implementing the rural physician loan
repayment program to increase the likelihood of recruiting physicians
to remote rural area. In general, these projects tend to address
problems and issues unique to their particular State, therefore,
projects cover a broad range of activities.
CRITERIA
FOR SELECTING PROPOSALS:
Grant applications will be evaluated on the basis of the following
criteria: (1) The extent to which the application is responsive
to the requirements and purposes of the program; (2) the extent
to which the applicant has developed measurable goals, objectives,
and an evaluation plan for the required, and any discretionary,
activities; (3) the extent to which the Office is coordinated with,
and has the cooperation of, other health entities and activities
within the State; (4) the strength of the applicant's plans for
administrative and financial management of the Office; (5) the reasonableness
of the budget proposed for the Office; and (6) the likelihood that
the Office will be continued after Federal grant support is completed.
