NTIA/Broadband USA  wants to provide updates on the progress of the US Department of Treasury’s Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds’ Interim Final Rule (IFR). Treasury has recently issued FAQs that can be found at this link on the broadband provision of the IFR.

Per the US Department of Treasury, this FAQ update provides answers to questions raised by a number of stakeholders on eligible areas for broadband infrastructure investment. The update clarifies that states and localities may invest in areas where not all households or businesses are unserved or underserved, as long as an objective of the project is to provide service to unserved or underserved households or businesses. Further, it clarifies that the use of “reliably” in the broadband provision of the IFR provides states and localities with significant discretion to assess the actual experience of users on the ground.

Specifically, the FAQ update addresses the following questions:

• For broadband infrastructure investments, what does the requirement that infrastructure “be designed to” provide service to unserved or underserved households and businesses mean?
• For broadband infrastructure to provide service to “unserved or underserved households or businesses,” must every house or business in the service area be unserved or underserved?
• For broadband infrastructure investments, what does the requirement to “reliably” meet or exceed a broadband speed threshold mean?
• May recipients use payments from the Funds for “middle mile” broadband projects?

Treasury regularly updates FAQs to provide further clarification on the IFR, and is committed to responding expeditiously to questions and concerns. They also encourage interested stakeholders to submit comments for the record to ensure that their perspectives are reflected in the public comments during the 60-day public comment period on the IFR. These comments will be considered as part of the process for revising the rule.

As a reminder, BroadbandUSA collects information on more than 80 federal programs across 14 federal agencies, including the US Department of Treasury, whose funding can be used for broadband-related purposes. You can visit this comprehensive “one-stop shop” for broadband resources here: Federal Funding | BroadbandUSA (doc.gov).

From June 29, 2021 to August 13, 2021, eligible schools and libraries can apply for financial support to purchase connected devices like laptops and tablets, Wi-Fi hotspots, modems, routers, and broadband connectivity to meet unmet needs for off-campus use by students, school staff, and library patrons during the COVID-19 emergency period.  During this application filing window, eligible schools and libraries, in addition to consortia of schools and libraries, can submit requests for funding to purchase eligible equipment and services between July 1, 2021, and June 30, 2022.

You can view an FCC Fact Sheet on the program by visiting: https://www.fcc.gov/sites/default/files/ecf_factsheet.pdf

The Federal Office of Rural Health Policy (FORHP) awarded approximately $1.9 million to twenty awardees for the 2021 Rural Health Network Development Planning (Network Planning) Program. The Network Planning program, administered by HRSA’s Federal Office of Rural Health Policy (FORHP) focuses on the planning and development of integrated health care networks, specifically network participants who do not have a history of formal collaborative efforts in order to (i) achieve efficiencies; (ii) expand access to, coordinate, and improve the quality of essential health care services; and (iii) strengthen the rural health care system as a whole. The intent is that rural health networks, comprised of both rural and urban organizations, will expand access to care, increase the use of health information technology, explore alternative health care delivery models, and continue to achieve quality health care across the continuum of care.

Recipients from 16 states received up to $100,000 for a one-year project period that will focus on building, strengthening, and formalizing integrated health care networks and systems, coordinating service delivery, conducting community health needs assessments, and increasing service capacity.

The list of awardees can be viewed here.

With FORHP support, these organizations will work towards becoming operational and sustainable beyond the one-year project period, achieving long-term outcomes such as coordinating care, addressing behavioral health conditions, establishing services for the elderly, and managing community impacts and responses to the COVID-19 pandemic. These value-added services will ultimately create incentives to develop regional systems of care that preserve local autonomy for rural communities, while also ensuring access to the appropriate continuum of care for the local service population. These funded organizations are helping to change how health care is being delivered in rural communities.

The YMCA and Pennie are conducting a Pennsylvania Health Equity Tour in 2021. The tour is a series of in-person events throughout the 67 counties in Pennsylvania focused on access to health resources. The 12-month tour aims to promote the YMCA evidence-based chronic disease management programs. During the tour, the YMCA staff is distributing educational materials about COVID-19, oral health and water fluoridation, the harmful effects of tobacco use and vaping, and more. The PA Coalition for Oral Health and Healthy Teeth Healthy Children contributed the oral health materials including oral health story kits, drink acidity testing kits, and children’s books about oral health. Be sure to check it out when the tour comes to a YMCA near you!

Click here to see upcoming dates and stops.
Click here for more information.
Click here to see the Facebook page.

Family Medicine Cares USA, an initiative of the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) Foundation, is awarding grants of up to $25,000 to be used for the purchase of durable, sustainable equipment and instruments necessary for diagnosis and treatment related to primary care. Applicant clinics must have opened or be open within six months of the application deadline date, have completed or be in the process of completing the Volunteers in Medicine America new clinic development process, and have an AAFP member who maintains active, ongoing involvement with patient care at the clinic. The application deadline is July 15th.

Click here for more information and to apply.

United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development Rural Business-Cooperative Service Administrator Karama Neal today unveiled a new grant program to help rural communities create good-paying jobs and support new business opportunities in high-growth fields.

Rural Innovation Stronger Economy (RISE) is intended to help rural communities identify and maximize local assets and connect to networks and industry clusters within their region. The new grant encourages a regional, innovation-driven approach to economic development.

“USDA is innovating the way we do business,” Neal said. “The RISE program ensures that critical funding supports long-term and sustainable economic growth in the rural communities and regions that need it most.”

RISE provides grants of up to $2 million to consortiums of local governments, investors, industry, institutions of higher education, and other public and private entities in rural areas. The funds may be used to form job accelerator partnerships and create high-wage jobs, start or expand businesses, and support economic growth in the rural areas of their region.

Funding may also be used to establish and operate innovation centers and partnerships, such as integrating rural businesses into new supply chains, providing workforce training and identifying community assets.

To help ensure long-term and sustainable community and economic development, award recipients must support projects for at least four years.

Applicants are encouraged to contact their nearest USDA Rural Development State Office ahead of the application deadline for more information about the program or the application process.

Starting June 16, 2021, applications will be accepted electronically at Grants.gov. Applications must be submitted by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on Aug. 2, 2021. Information about the application process is available in a notice in the Federal Register. For additional information about the program, see the final rule on page 31585 of the June 15 Federal Register.

Under the Biden-Harris Administration, Rural Development provides loans and grants to help expand economic opportunities, create jobs and improve the quality of life for millions of Americans in rural areas. This assistance supports infrastructure improvements; business development; housing; community facilities such as schools, public safety and health care; and high-speed internet access in rural, tribal and high-poverty areas. For more information, visit www.rd.usda.gov. If you’d like to subscribe to USDA Rural Development updates, visit our GovDelivery subscriber page.

USDA touches the lives of all Americans each day in so many positive ways. In the Biden-Harris Administration, USDA is transforming America’s food system with a greater focus on more resilient local and regional food production, fairer markets for all producers, ensuring access to safe, healthy and nutritious food in all communities, building new markets and streams of income for farmers and producers using climate smart food and forestry practices, making historic investments in infrastructure and clean energy capabilities in rural America, and committing to equity across the Department by removing systemic barriers and building a workforce more representative of America. To learn more, visit www.usda.gov.

USDA Deputy Under Secretary for Rural Development Justin Maxson announced that the Department is accepting applications for grants to help start, expand, or improve rural cooperatives and other mutually-owned businesses in rural America.

USDA is making $5.8 million in grants available under the Rural Cooperative Development Grant (RCDG) program to help improve economic conditions in rural areas through cooperative development.

Nonprofit corporations and institutions of higher education are eligible to apply for the available funds to provide technical and cooperative development assistance to individuals and rural businesses.

For FY 2021, the maximum award is $200,000. Grants are awarded on a competitive basis through a national competition.

Electronic applications must be submitted to grants.gov by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on August 10, 2021.

Interested applicants are encouraged to contact their local USDA Rural Development State Office well in advance of the application deadline to discuss their project and ask any questions about the RCDG program or the application process. Additional information on the required materials and how to apply for the RCDG program are available on page 31266 of the June 11, 2021, Federal Register.

If you’d like to subscribe to USDA Rural Development updates, visit our GovDelivery subscriber page.