Record Number: 13852
 
Agriculture (Department of)
 Rural Utilities Service
  Distance Learning and Telemedicine Grant Program
 
Barbara L. Eddy
Deputy Assistant Administrator, Telecommunications Program
Rural Utilities Service
Room 4046, South Building, Stop 1590
Washington, DC  20250
Phone: (202)720-9549
Web Site: http://www.usda.gov/rus/dlt/dlml.htm
E-Forms: http://www.usda.gov/rus/dlt/GrantApplication.pdf
 
ACTIVITIES SUPPORTED:         Operating or General Support
                              Equipment or Materials Acquisition
LAST REVIEWED:                07/07/97
ACADEMIC BACKGROUND REQUIRED: Not Specified in Sponsor Literature
CITIZENSHIP REQUIRED:         Not Specified in Sponsor Literature
AGENCY TYPE:                  U.S. Federal Government
DEADLINES ANNOUNCED:          08/12/97
 
The 1990 Farm Bill authorized the Distance Learning and Telemedicine 
Grant Program to provide grants to rural schools and health care 
providers. The DLT helps rural schools and health care providers invest 
in telecommunications facilities and equipment to bring educational and 
medical resources to rural areas that otherwise might be unavailable to 
rural areas. The program is intended to fund projects which are primarily 
"dynamic"; i.e., those systems which deliver critically needed 
educational and medical services in rural areas through structured 
interactive educational training and/or medical professional presence 
over distances. Intermittent services that cannot readily show usage or 
tangible results such as community bulletin boards, or Internet Home 
pages, may be considered as adjuncts to dynamic systems but would not be 
suitable as a primary purpose under the DLT. The program facilitates 
networking of multiple dispersed sites over a geographic area rather than 
a single stand alone entity. Applicants must submit proposals which, to 
the extent possible, maximize the number of geographically dispersed 
sites. Projects must be driven from the "ground up"; i.e., applicants 
must document significant local community involvement and input in 
designing projects. Projects funded are required to be self sustaining 
without the need for further grant funding. Ongoing costs for sustaining 
the proposed system, through userfees, tax assessments, school budgets, 
or other funding, should, to the extent possible, originate locally. To 
ensure sustainable projects, RUS endeavors to fund applications that 
maximize system utilization and benefits to rural residents. For example, 
projects which serve multi-purposes, such as providing adult education 
and vocational training, while also delivering K-12 and college courses, 
are highly desirable. Telemedicine systems could endeavor to provide 
professional training as well as medical care. Systems which also combine 
educational and telemedicine services, while not required, are also 
encouraged. The DLT funds capital costs of acquiring and installing 
telecommunications hardware located at schools, hospitals, and other 
eligible sites. It also funds other non-recurring capital costs of 
establishing a distance learning and telemedicine system. System 
operating expenses, including salaries, are not eligible. Applicants 
should fund telecommunications access and usage fees for network 
transmission facilities through revenue from the project, or from sources 
other than RUS. Services should be provided through the local telephone 
telecommunications carrier or other telecommunications provider. SUPPORT 
PROVIDED: Maximum grant award for Fiscal Year 1997 is $300,000; minimum 
grant award for Fiscal Year 1997 is $50,000. APPLICANT INFORMATION: Rural 
schools, libraries, hospitals, health care clinics, and related 
organizations that operate rural educational or health care facilities 
are eligible. This also includes Indian tribes, consortiums or 
partnerships, and other incorporated organizations that operate 
educational or medical facilities in rural areas. The DLT is an 
exclusively rural program. Urban institutions are encouraged to 
participate as network partners; however, grant funding will be provided 
only to facilitate educational and/or medical services to rural areas. 
Funds will not be provided to State or local governments; however, State-
supported institutions that provide educational and/or medical services 
to rural areas are eligible. APPLICATION INFORMATION: Applications for 
funding must be submitted to: Assistant Administrator, Telecommunications 
Program, Rural Utilities Service, Stop 1590, U.S. Department of 
Agriculture, 14th and Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20250-1590. 
The closing date is August 12, 1997. For more information and an online 
application packet, go to http://www.usda.gov/rus/app_pak.htm. Potential 
applicants should contact the DLT representative for their states. (Go to 
http://www.usda.gov/rus/dlt/staff.htm.)
 
SUBJECTS: Education
          Educational Systems and Institutions
          Rural Education
          Educational Technology
          Engineering
          Electric Engineering
          Communications Engineering
          Telecommunication
          Medical Sciences
          Health Care
          Health Care Delivery
          Health Services