Find Rural Health Programs and Resources
The USDA has many programs and resources that can support rural communities improve their health and quality of life, but many programs do not have “health” in the title or description. To help rural community leaders and others to identify which USDA programs and resources can help improve a rural community’s health, a USDA Rural Health Inventory tool has been developed.
This tool is a curated library of active USDA’s programs and resources that support rural health. You can use the filters at the top to simplify your search in finding the programs and resources available by Sub-Agency, Program Type, or Assistance Type. Select the Rurality Requirement box to show programs and resources eligible for rural communities only.
Rural health programs are the emphasis, but this library is inclusive of all health programs.
The purpose of the Veterinary Services Grant Program (VSGP) is to relieve veterinarian shortage situations and support veterinary services. There are two types of grants for VSGP: Education, Extension, and Training (EET) and Rural Practice Enhancement (RPE). The Education, Extension, and Training (EET) grants will be made available on a competitive basis to qualified entities to develop, implement, and sustain veterinary services through education, training, recruitment, placement, and retention of veterinarians, veterinary technicians, and students of veterinary medicine and veterinary technology. The Rural Practice Enhancement (RPE) grants will also be made to establish or expand veterinary practices in rural areas.
The Secondary Education, Two-Year Postsecondary Education, and Agriculture in the K-12 Classroom Challenge Grants (SPECA) program seeks to: (a) promote and strengthen secondary education and two-year postsecondary education in the food, agriculture, natural resources and human (FANH) sciences in order to help ensure the existence in the United States of a qualified workforce to serve the FANH sciences system; and (b) promote complementary and synergistic linkages among secondary, two-year postsecondary, and higher education programs in the FANH sciences in order to advance excellence in education and encourage more young Americans to pursue and complete a baccalaureate or higher degree in the FANH sciences.
NIFA funds research that examines the nature of interactions between individual and contextual factors and the impact those interactions have on health and behavior. This research then informs education and outreach focused on health promotion, positive behavioral practices, and reduction of risk factors.
Applications may be submitted by 1862 and 1890 Land-Grant colleges and universities that are eligible to receive funds under the Act of July 2, 1862 (7 U.S.C. 301 et seq.), and the Act of August 30, 1890 (7 U.S.C. 321 et seq.), including Central State University, Tuskegee University, West Virginia State University. Applications also may be submitted by any of the Tribal colleges and universities designated as 1994 Land-Grant Institutions under the Educational Land-Grant Status Act of 1994, as amended.
The goal of 4-H Health and Well-Being programming is to provide developmentally appropriate learning opportunities that promote positive health and well-being for youth and their families. The Division of Youth and 4-H contributes to this goal through two primary efforts.
Co-develop and/or promote learning opportunities that provide youth development professionals the resources to empower youth to take personal responsibility in making positive decisions about their own health.
Co-develop and/or promote learning opportunities that provide youth development professionals the resources to motive youth to be involved in positive and pro-active family and community health efforts.
This grant program helps rural communities acquire the technology and training necessary to connect educational and medical professionals with students, teachers, and patients in rural areas.
The grant program offers financial assistance to eligible applicants that will construct broadband networks that provide service on a community-oriented connectivity basis in rural areas.
On an annual basis, USDA awards competitive Farm to School grants that support planning, developing, and implementing farm to school programs.
The USDA Foods in Schools / Child Nutrition USDA Foods Program supports domestic nutrition programs and American agricultural producers through purchases of domestic agricultural products for use in schools and institutions.
SNAP-Ed teaches people how to make their SNAP dollars stretch, how to shop for and cook healthy meals, and how to stay physically active. SNAP-Ed partners with state and local organizations to meet people where they are. SNAP-Ed initiatives include nutrition education classes, social marketing campaigns, and efforts to improve policies, systems, and the environment of communities.