California Community Economic Revitalization Team
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California Community Economic Revitalization Team |
Distance Learning and Telemedicine |
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Agency: USDA Rural Development - Rural Utilities Service
Program: Distance Learning and Telemedicine
Program Description: The Distance Learning and Telemedicine (DLT) Program provides grants and loans to rural schools and health care providers to help them invest in telecommunications facilities and equipment to bring educational and medical resources that otherwise might be unavailable to rural areas. The program is intended to fund projects that are primarily "dynamic"; i.e., those systems which deliver critically needed educational and medical services in rural areas through structured interactive educational training and/or medical professional presence over distances. Intermittent services which cannot readily show usage or tangible results such as community bulletin boards, or Internet Home pages, may be considered as adjuncts to dynamic systems, but would not be suitable as a primary purpose under the DLT.
The program facilitates "networking" of multiple dispersed sites over a geographic area, rather than a single stand alone entity. Applicants must submit proposals which, to the extent possible, maximize the number of geographically dispersed sites. Applicants must document significant local community involvement and input in designing projects.
The DLT funds capital costs of acquiring and installing telecommunications hardware located at schools, hospitals, and other eligible sites. It also funds other non-recurring capital costs of establishing a distance learning and telemedicine system. System operating expenses, including salaries, are not eligible.
Eligibility: Rural schools, libraries, hospitals, health care clinics, and related organizations which operate rural educational or health care facilities. Indian tribes, consortiums or partnerships, and other incorporated organizations that operate educational or medical facilities in rural areas. The DLT is an exclusively rural program. Urban institutions are encouraged to participate as network partners; however, grant funding will be provided only to facilitate educational and/or medical services to rural areas. Funds will not be provided to State or Local governments; however, State supported institutions that provide educational and/or medical services to rural areas are eligible.
Funding Information: Projects funded are required to be self-sustaining without the need for further grant or loan funding. Ongoing costs for sustaining the proposed system, through user fees, tax assessments, school budgets, or other funding, should, to the extent possible, originate locally. The DLT is "hardware intensive", but other costs, limited to the capital costs of establishing the project, such as software, training, and technical assistance, may be considered. RUS will fund up to 90% of the costs of acquiring eligible equipment for requested loans. RUS will fund up to 70% of the costs of acquiring eligible equipment for grants, combination grant and loans, and all applications not specifically requesting loans.
Timelines: Applications are accepted year round.
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