USDA Distance Learning & Telemedicine Grants

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?
Join my Patreon and get featured grants straight to your inbox every week!
Become a patron at Patreon!