Opportunity Information: Apply for HRSA 16 016
Apply for HRSA 16 016
- The HHS-HRSA in the health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "State Offices of Rural Health Grant Program (SORH)" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.913.
- This funding opportunity was created on Nov 12, 2015 and posted on Nov 12, 2015.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Jan 15, 2016. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 50 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).
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Opportunity Summary:
The State Offices of Rural Health Grant Program (SORH) is a federal grant opportunity from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Health Resources and Services Administration (HHS-HRSA) designed to strengthen rural health care delivery systems in every state. The program has been federally funded since 1991 and is built around the idea that each state should have a dedicated, visible hub for rural health work. Through this grant, HRSA supports an institutional framework that connects small rural communities with state and federal resources, with the goal of developing practical, long-term solutions to persistent rural health challenges. This particular announcement (HRSA-16-016) is a competing continuation that provides guidance for applying for a new five-year project period.
At its core, the SORH program funds and reinforces the role of a State Office of Rural Health as the state-level focal point for rural health. Rather than funding a single direct service project, the grant emphasizes statewide coordination, information-sharing, and capacity-building that can help rural providers, communities, and partner organizations navigate programs and resources more effectively. The approach recognizes that rural health problems often require system-level solutions, such as better coordination among agencies, better dissemination of evidence and best practices, and stronger linkages between local communities and larger public systems.
The authorizing legislation requires each funded SORH to carry out three main functions. First, the office must establish and maintain a statewide clearinghouse that collects and shares information related to rural health care. This includes information on rural health care issues, research findings relevant to rural health care, and innovative approaches to delivering health care in rural areas. In practice, this means the SORH is expected to serve as a go-to source for current rural health data, proven strategies, emerging models of care, and lessons learned that can be used by clinics, hospitals, community groups, and policymakers.
Second, each SORH must coordinate rural health-related activities happening across the state. A key emphasis here is avoiding unnecessary duplication or redundancy. Rural health efforts often involve multiple players (state agencies, local health departments, nonprofits, academic partners, hospital associations, and federal initiatives), and the SORH is intended to help align these efforts so they reinforce one another. This coordination role can include convening partners, facilitating planning, and ensuring that statewide rural health priorities are communicated consistently across programs.
Third, the SORH must identify relevant federal and state rural health programs and provide technical assistance to public and nonprofit private entities to help them participate in those programs. This requirement focuses on helping rural communities and organizations successfully access opportunities they may otherwise miss due to limited administrative capacity, lack of awareness, or complicated eligibility and application processes. Technical assistance can include helping organizations understand program requirements, connect with the right contacts, prepare for applications, and implement or comply with program expectations after awards are made.
Beyond the required functions, the legislation also allows SORHs to engage in additional activities that are commonly essential to rural health system stability. Two highlighted optional areas are workforce recruitment and retention for rural communities and the ability to make sub-awards or contracts to public and nonprofit organizations to carry out SORH-related activities. Workforce work can involve supporting strategies to attract and keep clinicians and other health professionals in rural areas, which is a major driver of access issues. Sub-awards and contracts allow the SORH to extend its reach by funding partners that can deliver pieces of the work more locally or with specialized expertise.
Administratively, the opportunity is a discretionary grant under CFDA 93.913. It anticipated approximately 50 awards, reflecting an intention to support SORHs broadly across states and jurisdictions. The opportunity was posted on November 12, 2015, with a closing date of January 15, 2016. The listing shows an award ceiling of 0, which typically indicates that the specific maximum per award was not stated in that summary field and would normally be detailed in the full funding announcement or related guidance. Eligibility is listed as "Others" with additional clarification referenced in the full announcement, which commonly signals that eligible applicants are defined by program-specific statute or HRSA guidance (often the designated state rural health office or an eligible entity serving that official function).
Overall, the SORH grant program is best understood as infrastructure funding for statewide rural health leadership. Its main value is in building and sustaining the organizing capacity that helps rural communities and providers find information, coordinate efforts, access state and federal programs, and adopt effective delivery models. By maintaining a central rural health hub in each state, HRSA aims to create a stronger pipeline between rural needs on the ground and the resources, evidence, and programs that can address those needs over the long term.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs): State Offices of Rural Health Grant Program (SORH)
What is the State Offices of Rural Health Grant Program (SORH)?
The State Offices of Rural Health Grant Program (SORH) is a federal grant opportunity from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Health Resources and Services Administration (HHS-HRSA). It is designed to strengthen rural health care delivery systems in every state by supporting a dedicated, visible hub for rural health work at the state level.
What is the main purpose of the SORH program?
The program’s purpose is to reinforce and fund statewide rural health leadership and coordination. Instead of funding a single direct service project, SORH emphasizes statewide coordination, information-sharing, and capacity-building so rural providers and communities can better navigate programs, resources, and proven approaches to rural health challenges.
Who is the federal sponsor for this opportunity?
The sponsor is the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA).
How long has the SORH program been funded?
The SORH program has been federally funded since 1991.
What is HRSA-16-016?
HRSA-16-016 is the identifier for this particular funding announcement. It is described as a competing continuation and provides guidance for applying for a new five-year project period.
Is this grant meant to fund direct health care services?
No. Based on the description provided, the grant is best understood as infrastructure funding for statewide rural health leadership. It focuses on system-level coordination, clearinghouse functions, and technical assistance rather than supporting one specific direct service project.
What is the role of a State Office of Rural Health (SORH) under this program?
The program funds and reinforces a State Office of Rural Health as the state-level focal point for rural health. The office is expected to act as a central hub that connects small rural communities with state and federal resources and helps develop practical, long-term solutions to rural health challenges.
What are the three required functions that each funded SORH must carry out?
The authorizing legislation requires each funded SORH to perform three main functions: (1) establish and maintain a statewide rural health clearinghouse, (2) coordinate rural health-related activities across the state to reduce duplication, and (3) identify relevant federal and state rural health programs and provide technical assistance to public and nonprofit private entities so they can participate in those programs.
What does it mean to establish and maintain a statewide rural health clearinghouse?
A statewide clearinghouse is a central source that collects and shares information related to rural health care. This includes information on rural health issues, research findings relevant to rural health care, and innovative approaches to delivering health care in rural areas. In practice, it means the SORH serves as a go-to place for current rural health data, proven strategies, emerging models of care, and lessons learned.
What does statewide coordination involve under the SORH program?
Statewide coordination means aligning rural health-related activities across the state and reducing unnecessary duplication. Because rural health efforts may involve state agencies, local health departments, nonprofits, academic partners, hospital associations, and federal initiatives, the SORH is intended to help these efforts reinforce one another. This can include convening partners, facilitating planning, and communicating statewide rural health priorities consistently across programs.
What kind of technical assistance is the SORH expected to provide?
The SORH must identify relevant federal and state rural health programs and provide technical assistance to public and nonprofit private entities to help them participate. Examples described include helping organizations understand requirements, connect with the right contacts, prepare applications, and implement or comply with expectations after awards are made.
Who benefits from the SORH program?
The program is intended to benefit rural providers, rural communities, and partner organizations by improving access to information, strengthening coordination among rural health efforts, and increasing the ability of local entities to access and participate in state and federal rural health programs.
What optional activities are SORHs allowed to do under the legislation?
Beyond the required functions, the legislation allows additional activities commonly essential to rural health system stability. Two highlighted optional areas are workforce recruitment and retention for rural communities and making sub-awards or contracts to public and nonprofit organizations to carry out SORH-related activities.
How does the SORH program address workforce challenges in rural areas?
The opportunity notes that workforce recruitment and retention can be part of SORH work. This can involve supporting strategies to attract and keep clinicians and other health professionals in rural communities, which is described as a major driver of access issues in rural health care.
Can SORH funds be used for sub-awards or contracts?
Yes. The information provided states that SORHs may make sub-awards or contracts to public and nonprofit organizations to carry out SORH-related activities. This is described as a way to extend reach by funding partners that can deliver pieces of the work locally or with specialized expertise.
What type of grant is this, administratively?
This opportunity is described as a discretionary grant under CFDA 93.913.
How many awards were anticipated?
The opportunity anticipated approximately 50 awards, reflecting an intent to support SORHs broadly across states and jurisdictions.
When was the opportunity posted and when did it close?
The opportunity was posted on November 12, 2015, and had a closing date of January 15, 2016.
What is the project period mentioned in this announcement?
This announcement is described as providing guidance for applying for a new five-year project period.
What does "competing continuation" mean in the context provided?
Based on the wording provided, this announcement is a competing continuation, meaning it is a competitive funding opportunity connected to continued support, and it guides applicants seeking a new five-year project period.
What is the CFDA number for this program?
The program is listed under CFDA 93.913.
What does it mean that the award ceiling is listed as 0?
The listing shows an award ceiling of 0, which typically indicates that a specific maximum per award was not stated in that summary field. The description notes that the maximum would normally be detailed in the full funding announcement or related guidance.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is listed as "Others," with additional clarification referenced in the full announcement. The description explains that this commonly signals eligible applicants are defined by program-specific statute or HRSA guidance, often the designated state rural health office or an eligible entity serving that official function.
Why does the program emphasize a state-level hub for rural health work?
The program is built around the idea that each state should have a dedicated, visible hub for rural health work. HRSA’s approach is to build an institutional framework that links small rural communities to state and federal resources and supports long-term, practical solutions to persistent rural health challenges.
What kinds of rural health challenges is the program trying to address?
The information provided frames rural health challenges as persistent issues that often require system-level solutions. Examples of system-level needs mentioned include better coordination among agencies, better dissemination of evidence and best practices, and stronger linkages between local communities and larger public systems.
What is the overall value of the SORH program for rural communities and providers?
The program’s value is described as building and sustaining organizing capacity. By maintaining a central rural health hub in each state, HRSA aims to strengthen the pipeline between rural needs and the resources, evidence, and programs that can address those needs over the long term.
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