National Rural Health Information Clearinghouse Program

Contract for services to USA public, private, and nonprofit entities, and tribal, faith-based, and community-based organizations to manage a national bank of information related to rural healthcare. Applicants are advised that completing required registrations may take up to one month. The goal of this program is to develop and operate a nation-wide information clearinghouse on rural health that supports access to healthcare and improves population health in rural communities. A successful program will continue to build upon the federally funded resources that currently exist and serve as a primary resource for information, opportunities, and tools related to rural health.

The cooperative agreement recipient’s responsibilities will include:

• Collecting, analyzing, synthesizing, and disseminating promising practices in rural health and the key findings of leading rural researchers.
• Responding to FORHP requests, comments, and questions on a timely basis.
• Responding to a wide range of information requests on rural issues through operation of a toll-free phone service and via email. Examples of topics covered in such requests could include recruitment and retention of health care personnel, funding of rural health clinics or projects and use of non-physician providers in rural settings.
• Systematically seeking out resources on a range of issues relevant to rural health and providing access to them via the web, email, social media, and other channels appropriate to rural stakeholders.
• Development and maintenance of a Section 508-compliant web site that includes, but is not limited to, issues identified in the NOFO.
• Assisting rural residents in navigating the complex web of federal agencies, foundations and TA providers that support rural health care. This includes being able to assist with inquiries on funding by identifying the most appropriate public and private sources of funding for specific types of rural projects such as, but not limited to, telemedicine, construction or rehabilitation of clinical sites, or new health education programs.
• Making human and technical resources available, as necessary, either directly or contractually to operate the clearinghouse including assistance with public dissemination of HRSA grantee information and access to an academic library that includes at least a focus or concentration in the health sciences.
• Producing and electronically distributing email updates including a newsletter on rural health distributed by email and available on the website.
• Attending and exhibiting at key national, regional or state meetings identified by FORHP and the applicant.
• Maintaining a web-based directory of federal, state, foundation, and other funding available to support rural health.
• Tracking, posting, or linking to policy documents and federal regulations that affect rural health care.
• Developing online toolkits relevant to the recipients of FORHPs  community- based grants.
• Tracking and working with philanthropic organizations involved or potentially involved with funding rural health initiatives.
• Producing an annual report listing accomplishments of the clearinghouse, identifying topics frequently requested by users, and outlining future activities.

HRSA program involvement will include:

• Assisting the recipient in identifying new and emerging rural health issues.
• Collaborating in the planning and development of publications and web resources on rural health issues.
• Assisting with the process for providing individualized information to public requests.
• Assisting the recipient in the identifying key contacts including rural health stakeholders at the national, state, and local level; researchers; technical assistance providers; and policy experts.
• Assisting the recipient in identifying key national, regional and state meetings on rural health.
• Assisting the recipient in identifying associations with an interest in rural health.
• Assisting the recipient in identifying promising practices in provision of rural health care.
• Assisting the recipient in identifying funding sources for rural health projects.