The USDA is making up to $17.5 million in grant funding available to support distance learning and telemedicine efforts serving rural America. The Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA) for the USDA’s Distance Learning and Telemedicine (DLT) Grant Program was published in the Federal Register on June 28, 2013. Applications for this program must be received by Monday, August 12, 2013. The DLT Grant Program is designed to assist community facilities serving rural areas acquire distance learning and telemedicine technologies to link with other professionals to improve the services delivered to rural Americans. Each award will be between $50,000 and $500,000. Applicants must be 1) a legally incorporated organization operating a rural community facility directly or serving an organization that operates a rural community facility and 2) must currently deliver or propose to deliver distance learning or telemedicine services through and beyond the three-year grant period. Applications will be scored based on the community’s rurality and economic need, as well as efficiency and innovativeness of the use of funds, and must show that the applicant can supply at least a 15 percent funding match.

For further information, please contact Norberto Esteves by email at: norberto.esteves@wdc.usda.gov or phone: (202) 720-0665.