Unlocking Funding Opportunities: Keys to Information and Resources Holly E. Russo, RN, MS November 06, 2000

Organizations involved in planning, delivering, tracking and improving health are all finding ways in which to employ technology in their processes from medical records automation, to distance education, all are participating in improving the health care system in some way for the American people.

Ideas are not lacking…. But the monies needed to implement technology into care processes are limited.

Funding Agencies/Organizations Government –Most abundant source. –A great deal of materials and information are available in a variety of formats. –Information about eligibility and review procedures is readily available. Foundations –Funding depends on matching specific interests. –Some foundations make money available to serve specific populations, or geographic area. –Tend to respond more quickly to new ideas and unique needs.

Dont overlook however, Business and Industry Identification of corporations, associations or organizations that will sponsor an activity or research project is difficult. Finding a funding source will take time, initiative, and persistence. Information about review procedures may not be readily available.

Where do you start on your quest for information? A good place is the Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Funding will vary according to what is appropriated to each of the federal agencies.

Office for the Advancement of Telehealth The goal of this program is to improve access to quality health care services for rural residents and reduce the isolation of rural practitioners and foster integrated systems of care through the use of technology. tm

Office of Rural Health Policy Funds are available for projects to support the direct delivery of health care and related services, to expanding services, or to enhance health care service delivery of specific services rather than the development of organizational capabilities.

Technology Opportunities Program, NTIA, DOC TOP promotes the widespread availability and use of advanced telecommunications technologies in the public and nonprofit sectors.

National Institute of Standards Technology, DOC, Advanced Technology Program (ATP) NISTs Advanced Technology Program supports strategic high-risk in cutting edge technologies through a government/private sector partnership program.

Office of Mental Health Research Supports research grants to study mental health problems and risk associated with rural life; ways that the incidence and prevalence can be assessed and lowered; and ways that service delivery can be made more accessible and delivered more economically in rural areas by using telecommunications.

National Library of Medicine, NIH, DHHS Four Programs –Internet Connections –Information Access –Information Systems –Small Business Innovation Research Program

National Library of Medicine Programs Internet Connection –Under this program NLM funds domestic public and private, non-profit institutions engages in health science administration, education, and research. Information Access Grant –Under this program NLM funds health institutions which have a need for short term assistance to achieve better access to and delivery of health science information through telecommunications technologies.

NLM Programs Continued Information Systems Grant Program –Provides funds to academic health science institutions and large hospitals Small Business Innovation Research Program –Provides support for research and development of new technologies, which have the potential to succeed as commercial products.

National Institutes of Health National Cancer Institute, NIH, DHHS- Multimedia Technology Grants Informatics for the National Heart Attack Alert

High Performance Computing and Communications, NII, NLM Supports projects that develop and demonstrate the use of NII in health care, clinical research and public healthI.e., supports test bed networks for linking hospitals, clinics, physician offices, health professional schools, health science libraries, universities, and/or public health authorities. See specific applications outlines on the NLM web site

HPPC-Biomedical Applications for the NGI, NLM, NIH Supports projects that demonstrate the use of the NGI capabilities in health care, pubic health and health education, and biomedical, clinical, practitioners offices, health professional schools, health sciences libraries, universities, and/or public health authorities to demonstrate revolutionary applications in health care, health education and medical research.

Agency for Health Care Policy and Research, DHHS Research projects examine the availability, quality and costs of health care services; ways to improve the effectiveness and appropriateness of clinical practice, including the prevention of disease, and other areas of health services research.

National Science Foundation NSF invests in research and education projects in science and engineering, including computers, Information science and Engineering, Social, Behavioral, and Economic Sciences.

Defense Advanced Research Projects; Dual Applications Program DUAP introduces dual use research and development approaches into the military services by developing technologies that are military useful and commercially viable for the direct benefit of military use.

Rural Utility Service (RUS), USDA Distance Learning and Telemedicine Grant Program –Supports projects to encourage, improve and make affordable for applicants the use of telecommunications, computer networks, and related technologies for rural communities to improve access to education and/or health care services. –

Foundations According to Miner & Miner (1999) there are over 43,000 private foundations in the United States. Annually they award over 8 billion dollars.

Foundations must Give away 5% of their market value assets or interest income each year, whichever is greater. Follow the 5% rule or they risk losing their tax-exempt status.

Information about Foundations can be located… First try the Foundation Center at or visit the web site tents.html tents.html Another helpful website in which to locate foundations is the Foundation Council on Foundations web site

Business and Industry Business and Industry that may be stakeholders in the problems identified may want to be part of the solution, to serve on advisory boards, and provide financial support. Dont overlook any of the possibilities.

Universal Service Fund, Universal Service Administration Company A resource that should be mentioned is funding available to aid in connectivity chargesThe Universal Services Fund. –Monies are used to support the difference between urban and rural telecommunications costs for eligible services. –Eligibility is limited to public and non-profit health care providers, post-secondary educational institutions offering health care instruction, teaching hospitals, or medical schools, community health centers of health centers providing health care to migrants, local health departments or agency's, community mental health centers, non profit hospitals, rural health clinics, consortia of health providers consisting of one or more of these entities. For more info: or

Other Resources There are many resources available that have not been discussedsome are in electronic form and others are available in paper format. Reports, Funding Guides, Handbooks are all helpful in identifying funding opportunities and developing strategies.

Next Steps Identify potential funding sources in which you meet the established eligibility criteria. Review what is included under eligible costs by these funders. Next, create a yearly calendar indicating the dates when applicant guidelines and or Requests for Proposals are to be announced, and when applications are due.

Identify What has been funded in the past, and by whom. Look at what others have done, speak to themmany times this leads to new ideas or refinement of original ideas. Speak to the program officers or lead contacts in the organizations you are interested in.

For additional Information See Telemedicine and Telehealth: Opportunities and Funding Sources article made available to you today.