Distance Learning & Telemedicine Grants from the U.S. Department of Agriculture support projects that connect rural communitities to each other and the world using telecommunications technology.
Applications for $50,000 – $1 million over 3 years are due by April 29, 2024 at 11:59 PM ET. There is a required 15% match of non-federal funds.
Eligibility
This grant is open to:
- Nonprofit organizations
- For profit businesses
- State and local governments
- Federally recognized Native American tribes
- Consorita of eligible applicants
Applicants must operate in an area with a population of 20,000 or fewer.
Eligible Grant Purposes
Applicants may request grant funding for the purpose of:
- Acquiring and installing, by lease or purchase, eligible equipment
- Purchases of extended warranties, site licenses, and maintenance contracts
- Acquiring or developing instructional programming that is a capital asset
- Providing technical assistance and instruction for using eligible equipment (up to 10% of grant funding)
- Purchasing and installing broadband facilities (up to 20% of grant funding)
Allowable Expenses
Grant funds may be used for:
- Computer hardware, software, and network components
- Audio and video equipment
- Cyber security software
- Training simulators
- Video conferencing platform licenses
- Instructional programming
Scoring Criteria
All applications will be scored based on:
- Rurality (40 points) – Census population data
- Economic Need (30 points) – Poverty data from the U.S. Census Bureau’s Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates Program
- Special Considerations (10 points) – Considerations may include Tribal lands, Distressed communities, Socially vulnerable communities
- Need for Services and Project Benefits (30 points) – How will the grant meet the communities needs and what benefits will it provide?