August 18, 2020
The Health Resources and Services Administration’s (HRSA) Federal Office of Rural Health Policy has released the Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) for the Rural Health Network Development Planning Program (Network Planning) (HRSA-21-021). HRSA plans to award 20 grants to rural communities as part of this funding opportunity.
Review the NOFO at: https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/view-opportunity.html?oppId=326598
Successful Network Planning award recipients will receive up to $100,000 for a one-year period of performance to promote the development of integrated health care networks in order to (i) achieve efficiencies; (ii) expand access to, coordinate, and improve the quality of basic health care services; and (iii) strengthen the rural health care system as a whole. This program brings together key parts of a rural health care delivery system, particularly those entities that may not have collaborated in the past, to work together to establish or improve local capacity and coordination of care.
NOTE: The eligibility criteria for this program has been reauthorized to include all domestic public and private, nonprofit and for-profit entities with demonstrated experience serving, or the capacity to serve, rural underserved populations. Urban-based organizations applying as the lead applicant should ensure there is a high degree of rural control in the project. The applicant organization must represent a network that includes at least three or more health care provider organizations and, at least 66% (or two-thirds) of network members must be located in a HRSA-designated rural area.
Tribes and tribal organizations under the same tribal governance must still meet the consortium criteria of three or more entities, but are only required to have a single Employer Identification Number (EIN) located in a HRSA-designated rural area to be eligible. Applicant organizations that share the same EIN as its parent organization, or organizations with the same network who are proposing different projects, are eligible to apply by requesting an exception request.
Current FY 20 Network Planning grant recipients may not apply for this funding opportunity if they have previously received a Network Planning grant for the same or similar project unless the entity is proposing to expand the scope of the project or the area that will be served through the project.
Visit www.grants.gov to review the Network Planning NOFO and apply. Learn about the Network Planning Program.
A webinar for applicants is scheduled on Wednesday October 7, from 3-4 p.m., EST. A recording will be made available for those who cannot attend.
For more information about this funding opportunity contact the Program Coordinator, Jillian Causey, at JCausey@hrsa.gov.