23
Grants for Rural Telehealth CHERYL HENSHAW – V.P. GRANT SERVICES, FOCAL POINT, INC.
Grants for Rural Telehealth CHERYL HENSHAW – V.P. GRANT SERVICES, FOCAL POINT, INC.
Learning Objectives
Different Sources of Rural Telehealth Funding
Where to Find Information on Grant Programs
Best Practices to Obtain Funding for Telehealth Initiatives
Single greatest funding program for rural telehealth equipment – RUS DLT Grant
Sources for Rural Healthcare Funding
Federal Agencies with Telehealth Funding
Sources for Foundation Funding… Top Maine Giving Foundations
Know What You’re Looking For…
Health Reform Primary & Research Rural Health Tribal Health Health Innovation Specialty Care Disparities
© Polycom, Inc. All rights reserved.
It’s rarely about the telehealth technologies….
It’s all about how those technologies address a need • What are the problems you face? • Quantify those problems • Explain how the technologies and other line items in your
budget address those problems • Articulate general benefits • Project specific outcomes
Most importantly… find a grant that’s the right fit for you!
Federal Register - http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/search/getfrtoc.action
or http://www.archives.gov/federal-register/the-federal-register/email-signup.html
Grants.gov http://www.grants.gov
Federal and State agency funding forecasts ◦ Ed.gov ◦ Hrsa.gov ◦ Dol.gov ◦ Usda.gov
Foundationcenter.org
Grantswatch.com or Maine.grantswatch.com
Searching for Grant Information
Grant Seeking Best Practices
Avoid Common Gotcha’s!
1. Make sure you have a SAM Registration (and make sure it’s active)
2. Check that your Grants.gov Username and Password work!
3. Have you authorized your AOR? Will this person be available on the day the grant is submitted?
4. Start gathering required documents as soon as possible – check grant guidelines to ensure you know exactly what’s required!
5. Check to see if an evaluation is required; if so, engage an evaluator at the onset of your project!
Grant Tips & Tricks
Avoid “Square Peg – Round Hole” • Find a grant that is a good fit for
what you are trying to accomplish • Contrived applications rarely fund • Never assume -- If you aren’t sure
about what the grant will or won’t prioritize, call the program officer!
Highlight your Problems, then fix them!
Cry me a river… Build me a dam!
-- Don’t be afraid to highlight problems -- Make sure you propose solutions
Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is!
• Don’t make assertions without the ability to back them up!
• Quantify, Quantify, Quantify
• If you engage an external writer,
provide them with access to your data
Get Ahead of Match Requirements! Match is not Match is not Match
◦ Read Guidelines thoroughly!
◦ Leverage and Match can be the same… or two different things!
In Kind vs Cash ◦ Depends on the grant
◦ Think through upcoming expenditures & plan accordingly
Start Looking for Matching Sources Early! ◦ Foundations
◦ Local Organizations
◦ Challenge Funds
Spread requirement across partnerships
© Polycom, Inc. All rights reserved.
Grants Span the Gamut of Telehealth
Rural Health Mental Health, Substance Abuse, Corrections
Health Professions
RUS-DLT Advancing Wellness & Resilience in Education
HRSA - NEPQR
Rural Health Network Offender Reentry Program HRSA - Nursing Workforce Diversity Grant
Rural Healthcare Services Outreach
Reentry - Adult Offenders with Co-Occurring Substance Abuse and Mental Health Disorders
Rural Network Allied Health Training Program
The #1 Federal Grant for Telehealth Equipment
USDA RUS-DLT Grant Program
When: Spring-ish posting of Guidelines
Application Window: 45 – 60 Days (varies from year to year)
Award Size: $50,000 - $500,000
Match: 15% Required; 31% - 101% based on Objective Scoring
Eligibility: Almost any org delivering or sharing telehealth or
distance learning services with rural sites
(no sole proprietors; no federal orgs)
DLT Program Purpose
• Equalizing access to healthcare or educational resources & services
• The “T” in DLT (Telemedicine) has very broad connotations Healthcare services (primary & specialty) Clinical Healthcare Education Prevention and Wellness Mental Health & Substance Abuse School based health Even For-Profit healthcare (ex: sleep disorder clinics)
RUS-DLT Scoring (Objective Scoring)
1. Rurality – Each site receiving services/benefits is given a rurality score based on RUS definition of rurality
◦ 45 Points to sites located in populations of 5000 or less ◦ 30 Points to sites located in populations of 5001 – 10,000 ◦ 15 Points to sites located in populations of 10,001 – 20,000
2. Poverty – measured by the NSLP of each participating K-12 school, or the school district serving the geography of each site
3. Leverage – your ability to provide matching funds. 15% required to apply. The more you match, the more points you receive. (Tip: sum of #1, #2, #4 will help you determine the Leverage Points needed)
4. Tribal Participation – 15 Points for the inclusion of a tribal site
DLT Subjective Scoring 1. Needs/Benefits – Up to 45 Points
◦ Demonstrate your Needs ◦ Quantify those Needs and Compare to Others ◦ Describe how your project will address these Needs ◦ Project General Benefits and Specific Outcomes ◦ Demonstrate Community Involvement and Support
2. Innovation – Up to 15 Points
3. Cost Effectiveness – Up to 35 Points ◦ Demonstrate a thorough review of technology options ◦ Document your technology decisions – Best Fit vs Best Price
DLT Minefields o This grant has a million moving parts – you must be consistent! Check and then Double Check!
o Don’t apply logic -- just follow the rules to the letter
o Start EARLY – before the guidelines come out you should Cement your partnerships
Run and Confirm demographic data
Identify and solidify match
Request letters of support
Review technology options and DOCUMENT discussions, attendance at tradeshows, request vendor demonstrations…. More is more!
The Good News… This grant is very winnable if you have a secret decoder ring!
And if not… there are telehealth vendors who have years of experience with this grant, who are happy to provide assistance – at NO CHARGE TO YOUR ORGANIZATION
Questions?
