U.S. Department of Health and Human Services: Rural Health Network Development Planning Program

The purpose of the Rural Health Network Development Planning Grant Program (Network Planning program) is to assist in the development of an integrated health care network, specifically for entities that do not have a history of formal collaborative efforts. Health care networks can be an effective strategy to help smaller rural health care providers and health care service organizations align resources and strategies, achieve economies of scale and efficiency, and address challenges more effectively as a group than as single providers. The Network Planning program promotes the planning and development of healthcare networks in order to: (a) achieve efficiencies; (b) expand access to, coordinate, and improve the quality of essential health care services; and (c) strengthen the rural health care system as a whole. The health care system is undergoing a significant amount of change and this can be particularly challenging for small rural providers.

The goals of the Network Planning program are centered around approaches that will aid providers in better serving their communities given the changes taking place in health care, as providers move from focusing on the volume of services to focusing on the value of services. The program will support one year of planning with the primary goal of helping networks create a foundation for their infrastructure and focusing member efforts to address important regional or local community health needs.

Amount: $2,400,000 is available for 24 grants of up to $100,000 each.

Eligibility: An applicant: (A) shall be a rural public or rural nonprofit private entity; (B) shall represent a network composed of participants that (i) include three or more health care providers; and (ii) may be nonprofit or for-profit entities; and (C) shall not previously have received a grant under this subsection (other than a grant for planning activities) for the same or a similar project.

To ascertain rural eligibility, refer to http://datawarehouse.hrsa.gov/RuralAdvisor/RuralHealthAdvisor.aspx.

Link: http://www.hrsa.gov/grants/index.html

Note: A technical assistance webinar will be held December 13, 2016 at 12:00 pm-1:00 pm MST. See the RFP for registration information.

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