HRSA’s Office of Rural Health Policy on August 16, 2012 issued their “Rural Health Network Development Planning Program” (HRSA-13-912) Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA). This Network Planning Program promotes the development of integrated healthcare networks.
The program brings together key parts of a rural healthcare delivery system particularly those entities that may not have collaborated in the past and were not able to work together. There is a need for these entities to work together to establish or improve local capacity and coordination of care.
For the purposes of this grant program, a rural health network is defined as an organizational arrangement among at least three separately owned healthcare providers that come together to develop strategies for improving health services delivery systems in a community.
The grant program supports one year of planning to develop and assist healthcare networks to become operational. These networks can include a wide range of community partners including social service agencies, faith-based organizations, mental health agencies, charitable organizations, educational institutions, employers, local government agencies or other entities with an interest in a community’s healthcare system.
The lead applicant organization must be a rural, non-profit, or public entity representing a consortium/network of three or more healthcare providers.
This grant program will be funded during FY 2013. Approximately $1,275,000 is expected to be available annually to fund fifteen grantees. Applicants can apply for up to $85,000 per year.
To view the Funding Opportunity Announcement, go to www.grants.gov. For more information, email Sheila Warren at swarren@hrsa.gov.
