Opportunity Information: Apply for HRSA 13 251

  • The Health Resources and Services Administration in the health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Rural Health Information Technology (HIT) Workforce Program" and is now available to receive applicants.
  • Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.912 Rural Health Care Services Outreach, Rural Health Network Development and Small Health Care Provider Quality Improvemen.
  • This funding opportunity was created on Feb 21, 2013 and posted on Feb 15, 2013.
  • Applicants must submit their applications by Apr 15, 2013. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
  • Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $300,000.00 in funding.
  • The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 15 candidate(s).
  • Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).
  • For the purposes of this grant, a rural health network consists of at least three health care providers that are separately owned entities involved in a formal organizational arrangement, which is supported by signed and dated by laws, and have collaborat
Apply for HRSA 13 251

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Opportunity Summary:

The Rural Health Information Technology (HIT) Workforce Program (Funding Opportunity Number HRSA-13-251) was a discretionary grant opportunity from the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) designed to strengthen the health IT workforce in rural America. The main idea was to fund formal rural health networks so they could build a reliable pipeline of people who can support and sustain health information technology in rural clinical settings. In practice, that means helping rural communities recruit, educate, train, and retain HIT specialists who can keep modern health systems running and useful over the long term, rather than relying on short-term contractors or overloading existing clinical staff with technical responsibilities.

A key focus of the program was the development or expansion of structured training programs using existing HIT training resources. HRSA aimed to support rural health networks that could take already-available training materials and improve or adapt them into more formal programs suited to local needs. The intent was not just general instruction, but practical workforce development that translates into real staffing capacity for rural hospitals and clinics. The training was meant to create instructional opportunities for multiple groups, including current health care staff who need upskilling, local displaced workers seeking new career paths, rural residents who want to enter the field, veterans transitioning to civilian employment, and other potential students who could realistically fill HIT roles in rural areas.

The workforce outcomes were directly tied to the growing set of technologies rural providers were expected to implement and maintain. Trainees were expected to become capable of supporting systems such as electronic health records (EHR), telehealth platforms, home monitoring tools, and mobile health technologies. Another explicit objective was to help rural providers meet EHR "meaningful use" standards, reflecting the policy environment at the time when providers were working to adopt certified EHR technology and demonstrate effective use to improve care, reporting, and coordination.

Eligibility centered on the concept of a "formal rural health network." For this grant, a rural health network was defined as at least three health care providers that are separately owned entities participating in a formal organizational arrangement. The network structure needed to be documented and supported by signed and dated bylaws, indicating the program was targeting organized collaborations rather than informal partnerships. The eligible applicant category is listed as "Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification)," which signals that HRSA intended eligibility to hinge on meeting the formal network requirements described in the full announcement rather than fitting neatly into a single standard applicant type.

Funding details show this was a grant (Funding Instrument Type: Grant) within the health activity category. HRSA anticipated making about 15 awards, with an award ceiling of $300,000 per award and no required cost sharing or matching. The CFDA number associated with the opportunity is 93.912, tied to Rural Health Care Services Outreach, Rural Health Network Development, and Small Health Care Provider Quality Improvement activities. The opportunity was posted on February 15, 2013, with an application closing date of April 15, 2013, and it was archived on May 14, 2013, indicating it was a time-limited competition from that period rather than an ongoing open announcement.

For applicants or stakeholders who needed the full announcement text and technical submission details, HRSA provided an additional information link through its grants portal and offered help through the HRSA Call Center (CallCenter@HRSA.GOV, 877-464-4772). Overall, the opportunity was structured to address a practical rural problem: rural facilities increasingly depended on complex digital systems, but often lacked a stable local workforce trained to implement, troubleshoot, optimize, and sustain those systems. By investing in network-based training and retention strategies, the program aimed to create a durable cadre of rural HIT workers who could support day-to-day operations and longer-term modernization in rural health care.

FAQs: Rural Health Information Technology (HIT) Workforce Program (HRSA-13-251)

What is the Rural Health Information Technology (HIT) Workforce Program (HRSA-13-251)?

The Rural Health Information Technology (HIT) Workforce Program (Funding Opportunity Number HRSA-13-251) was a discretionary grant opportunity from the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA). It was designed to strengthen the health IT workforce in rural America by funding formal rural health networks to build a reliable pipeline of workers who can support and sustain health information technology in rural clinical settings.

What was the main goal of this grant program?

The main goal was to help rural communities recruit, educate, train, and retain HIT specialists who can keep modern health systems running over the long term. The program emphasized building lasting staffing capacity in rural facilities rather than relying on short-term contractors or shifting technical responsibilities onto already-busy clinical staff.

Who ran and funded this opportunity?

This opportunity was offered by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), a federal agency that supports health programs and workforce initiatives.

Was this a grant or a contract?

This was a grant opportunity. The Funding Instrument Type listed for HRSA-13-251 is "Grant."

How many awards were expected to be made?

HRSA anticipated making about 15 awards under this opportunity.

What was the maximum award amount?

The award ceiling was $300,000 per award.

Was cost sharing or matching required?

No. The opportunity indicated that no cost sharing or matching was required.

What types of applicants were eligible?

Eligibility centered on being a "formal rural health network." The eligible applicant category is listed as "Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification)," which suggests eligibility depended on meeting the specific network definition and documentation requirements in the announcement rather than fitting a single standard organizational category.

What is HRSA's definition of a "formal rural health network" for this program?

For this grant, a rural health network was defined as at least three health care providers that are separately owned entities participating in a formal organizational arrangement.

What documentation was required to show a network was "formal"?

The network structure needed to be documented and supported by signed and dated bylaws. This indicates the program was aimed at organized collaborations rather than informal partnerships.

What problem was this program trying to solve in rural communities?

The program addressed a practical rural challenge: rural facilities were increasingly dependent on complex digital systems but often lacked a stable local workforce trained to implement, troubleshoot, optimize, and sustain those systems. The grant aimed to create a durable cadre of rural HIT workers to support both day-to-day operations and longer-term modernization.

What kinds of activities or projects did HRSA want to fund?

HRSA focused on developing or expanding structured training programs using existing HIT training resources. The intent was for rural health networks to take already-available training materials and improve or adapt them into more formal programs suited to local needs, with an emphasis on practical workforce development that results in real staffing capacity.

Did the program require creating brand-new training content?

The program emphasized using existing HIT training resources and adapting or improving them into structured programs. The description points to building on what already existed rather than starting from scratch.

Who were the intended trainees or participant groups?

The training was meant to create instructional opportunities for multiple groups, including current health care staff who need upskilling, local displaced workers seeking new career paths, rural residents who want to enter the field, veterans transitioning to civilian employment, and other potential students who could realistically fill HIT roles in rural areas.

What skills or workforce outcomes were trainees expected to gain?

Trainees were expected to become capable of supporting key technologies rural providers were implementing and maintaining, including electronic health records (EHR), telehealth platforms, home monitoring tools, and mobile health technologies.

How did "meaningful use" relate to this opportunity?

An explicit objective was to help rural providers meet EHR "meaningful use" standards. This reflects the policy environment at the time, when providers were working to adopt certified EHR technology and demonstrate effective use to improve care, reporting, and coordination.

What health activity category did this fall under?

The opportunity was listed within the health activity category.

What CFDA number was associated with this funding opportunity?

The CFDA number associated with the opportunity is 93.912, tied to Rural Health Care Services Outreach, Rural Health Network Development, and Small Health Care Provider Quality Improvement activities.

When was the opportunity posted?

The opportunity was posted on February 15, 2013.

What was the application due date?

The application closing date was April 15, 2013.

Is this opportunity still open?

No. The opportunity was archived on May 14, 2013, indicating it was a time-limited competition from that period rather than an ongoing open announcement.

Where could applicants find the full announcement and submission details?

HRSA provided an additional information link through its grants portal for the full announcement text and technical submission details.

Who could be contacted for help with the opportunity?

HRSA offered assistance through the HRSA Call Center at CallCenter@HRSA.GOV and 877-464-4772.

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