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February 20, 2025
What's New
Northern Border Regional Commission Catalyst Program Funding – Pre-application due March 7. The Federal Northern Border Regional Commission (NBRC) provides funding to projects that will improve health outcomes in the rural NBRC service area. NBRC service area includes counties in Maine, New Hampshire, New York and Vermont. Eligible applicants include state and local government and nonprofit organizations. Two types of awards given: 1) Up to $500,000 can be awarded under the non-infrastructure category, and 2) up to $3,000,000 can be awarded under the infrastructure category.
HHS Poverty Guidelines for 2025. Recently, the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services published the guidelines on household income that determine eligibility for Medicaid and a number of other Federal programs.
Funding and Opportunities
U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs: Health Professional Scholarship Program – March 15. The Health Professional Scholarship Program (HPSP) provides financial assistance to students receiving education or training in a direct or indirect health-care services discipline and assists in providing an adequate supply of such personnel for the Department of Veterans Affairs. HPSP helps the Veterans Health Administration meet its need for qualified health care professionals for which recruitment or retention is difficult.
U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development: Economic Development Loan & Grants Programs – March 31. The program provides funding to promote economic development and job creation projects.
Federal Communications Commission via Universal Service Administrative Company: Rural Health Care Program – Health Care Connect Fund – April 1. The Universal Service Administrative Company is an independent not-for-profit designated by the FCC. The program provides assistance to healthcare providers for eligible expenses related to broadband connectivity at a flat discounted rate of 65 percent. Participants can apply as a member of a consortium or a stand-alone entity.
U.S. Department of Transportation Rural and Tribal Assistance Pilot Program – April 3. The Department’s Build America Bureau will award up to $27 million in no-match grants on a first-come, first-served basis, with applications accepted beginning March 2 at 2:00 pm Eastern. The funding supports legal, technical, and financial advisors to help advance infrastructure projects.
Policy Updates
Send questions to ruralpolicy@hrsa.gov.
Updated CMS Payment for Medicare Part B Preventive Vaccines & Their Administration for Rural Health Clinics & Federally Qualified Health Centers. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released updated information on vaccine payment policies for Rural Health Clinics (RHCs) and Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs). Effective January 1, 2025, CMS Hepatitis B vaccines are paid like other Part B preventive vaccines. New claim-based payments for Part B preventive vaccines and their administration are effective July 1, 2025. RHCs and FQHCs will need to annually reconcile payments with the facilities’ actual vaccine and vaccine administration costs on their cost reports. Get more information from CMS.gov.
Approaching Deadlines
CMS Proposed Collection for Updated PACE Audit Protocol – Comment by February 21
HRSA Nurse Faculty Loan Program – February 24
HRSA Maternal and Child Health Secondary Data Analysis Research – February 25
U.S. Department of Energy Demonstration Funding for Energy Improvement in Rural/Remote Areas – Letters of Intent February 27
HRSA Addiction Medicine Fellowship Program – February 28
USDA Rural Business Development Grants – February 28
USDA Rural Utilities Service High Energy Cost Grants – February 28
CMS Rural Community Hospital Demonstration – Apply by March 1
CMS Connecting Kids to Coverage – March 7
HIPAA Security Rule Notice of Proposed Rulemaking to Strengthen Cybersecurity for Electronic Protected Health Information – Comment by March 7
HRSA Rural Communities Opioid Response Program-Overdose Response – March 10
U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs: Health Professional Scholarship Program – March 15
HRSA Behavioral Health Workforce Education and Training Program for Paraprofessionals – March 18
U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development: Economic Development Loans & Grants – March 31
Federal Communications Commission via Universal Service Administrative Company: Rural Health Care Program – Health Care Connect Fund – April 1
U.S. Department of Transportation Rural and Tribal Assistance Pilot Program – April 3
HRSA Rural Residency Planning and Development Program – April 10
HRSA Rural Communities Opioid Response Program – Northern Border Rural Workforce – April 11
HRSA Rural Communities Opioid Response Program - Pathways – April 14
HRSA Telehealth Rapid Response Center – April 15
HRSA Telehealth Research Center – April 15
Ongoing Opportunities - Updated February 2025
Bold indicates HRSA- and/or FORHP-funded opportunities.
Administration for Children & Families: Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program
Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency – Technical Assistance for Rural EMS Communications
Delta Regional Authority: Community Infrastructure Fund
Delta Region Community Health Systems Development Program
Federal Emergency Management Agency/Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration: Post-Disaster Crisis Counseling Assistance and Training Program
General Services Administration: Federal Surplus Property Available for Public Use
HRSA Needs Rural Reviewers for Grant Applications
HRSA National Health Service Corps/SAMHSA Medications for Opioid Use Disorder Training and Mentoring
HRSA RCORP Rural Center of Excellence on SUD Prevention: Developing a Rural Community Approach to Overcoming Stigma
HRSA Technical Assistance for Look-Alike Initial Designation for the Health Center Program
Indian Health Service SOAR Health Training on Human Trafficking
Indian Health Service/Department of Defense: Medical Supplies and Equipment for Tribes (Project TRANSAM)
Licensure Portability: the Multi-Discipline Licensure Resource Project
National Rural Health Resource Center: Rural Hospital Stabilization Program
ProviderBridge: Mobilizing Health Care Workforce via Telehealth
Rural Graduate Medical Education Planning and Development
Small Business Administration Guaranteed Loans for Small Business
Small Business Administration Rural Initiative Pilot Program
Targeted Technical Assistance for Rural Hospitals Program
USDA: America’s Healthy Food Financing Initiative
USDA: National School Lunch Afterschool Snack Program
USDA: Summer Food Service Program
USDA/National Rural Health Association: Rural Hospital Technical Assistance
USDA Rural Development: Circuit Rider Program – Technical Assistance for Rural Water Systems
USDA Rural Development: Community Facilities Program
USDA Rural Development: Economic Development Loans & Grants
USDA Rural Development: Grants for Rural and Native Alaskan Villages
USDA Rural Development: Emergency Community Water Assistance Grants
USDA Rural Development: Intermediary Relending Program – Ongoing with deadlines every quarter
USDA Rural Development: Multifamily Housing Loan Guarantees
USDA Rural Development: Rural Business Development Grants
USDA Rural Development: Rural Business Investment Program
USDA Rural Development: Economic Development Loan & Grants Programs – Ongoing with deadlines every quarter
USDA Rural Development: Rural Energy Savings Program
USDA Rural Development: SEARCH – Special Evaluation Assistance for Rural Communities and Households (for Water/Waste Projects)
USDA Rural Development: Telecommunications Infrastructure Loans and Loan Guarantees
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development: Office of Hospital Facilities Funding
U.S. Department of Justice: Jail-Based Medication-Assisted Treatment Mentoring Initiative
U.S. Department of Transportation: Rural Opportunities to Use Transportation for Economic Success (R.O.U.T.E.S)
U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs: Health Professional Scholarship Program
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency: Drinking Water State Revolving Fund
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