Grants

USDA Grants to Support Distance Learning and Telemedicine

• By David Nagel
• 05/10/21

The United States Department of Agriculture is awarding grants ranging from $50,000 to $1 million to institutions supporting distance learning and telemedicine in rural communities. The deadline for this competitive grant program is June 4.

The USDA Distance Learning & Telemedicine Grant Program (DLT) is designed to serve communities of 20,000 residents or fewer. In addition, the agency is encouraging applicants "to consider projects that will promote equity and economic opportunity in rural America, specifically those that advance the following key priorities:

• Containing the COVID-19 pandemic;

• Ensuring racial equity;

• Rebuilding our rural economy; and

• Addressing the climate crisis."

Funds are to be used for broadband, networking hardware, computers/devices, AV equipment, software, instructional programming and support related to installing and procuring the tools to support distance learning and telemedicine. A 15 percent match is required.

Eligible organizations include most state and local governmental entities, federally recognized Tribes, nonprofits, for-profit businesses and consortia of eligible entities. A PDF fact sheet can be found here. Further details can be found at rd.usda.gov.