FUNDING OPPORTUNITY


The Office of Rural Health Policy is pleased to announce the release of the Rural Health Information Technology (HIT) Grant Program (HRSA-11-137). HIT is critically important for rural communities and while a lot of the early innovation in the use of electronic records and HIT networks was done in rural communities, many challenges still remain.

This pilot program was developed as a result of the President's Rural Health Initiative which identifies HIT as a priority area and the Secretary's Rural HIT Taskforce.  To address these and other HIT issues, Secretary Sebelius established an HHS Rural HIT task force.  The purpose of the taskforce is to discuss the challenges rural communities face in adopting HIT, ways to address these challenges, and how to coordinate resources from the federal level.  One of the major challenges that the taskforce has identified is access to capital and ORHP anticipates that this program will assist rural communities in addressing this challenge.

Due to the unique broadness and flexibility of the 330a authorization, ORHP had a great opportunity to develop this grant program in response to these initiatives. The rural HIT program was developed out of the Network Development Program legislation (330a authority), keeping the focus on rural networks.

All ATHS health organizations who need extra funding to implement their Electronic Health Record system should consider this grant opportunity.

*It WILL pay for hardware and software (which the Regional Extension Center funds will not)
*It is designed for Rural health care organizations and tribes
*The submission deadline is May 27, 2011

To download the funding opportunity, please visit the links below:

  Link for Funding Opportunity Synopsis
  Link to apply for Funding Opportunity


The deadline to submit an application in http://grants.gov is May 27th, 2011. ORHP strongly recommends that applicants submit their applications prior to the due date to avoid any technological problems. All applications have to be submitted electronically.


There will be a technical assistance call for this funding announcement. It will be recorded and available for playback
until June 10, 2011 11:59 PM (ET).  The phone number to hear the recorded call is: 1-866-420-5718.

For further questions on this funding opportunity, please contact the program coordinator,
Marcia Green at 301-443-3261 or mgreen@hrsa.gov

Thank you!


Kate Stenehjem, MLS
National Rural Health Resource Center
Information Specialist
600 East Superior St. Suite 404
Duluth, MN 55802
(218) 727-9390 ext. 236
kstenehjem@ruralcenter.org
www.ruralcenter.org