| Read this in your browser April 3, 2025 What's New NIH Study: Social Factors Explain Worse Cardiovascular Health for Rural Adults. With funding from the National Institutes of Health (NIH), researchers looked at data from more than 27,000 adults to understand what contributes to substantially higher rates of cardiovascular mortality among the nearly 60 million U.S. adults living in rural areas compared to their urban counterparts. The study found substantial rural-urban disparities in cardiometabolic risk factors and cardiovascular diseases, which were largest among younger adults (aged 20-39 years) and almost entirely explained by social risk factors. Funding and Opportunities HRSA Nurse Corps Scholarship Program – April 24. Eligible nursing students can apply for scholarships that cover tuition, fees, and other educational costs in exchange for a minimum two-year, full-time service commitment (or part-time equivalent) at an eligible health care facility with a critical shortage of nurses. Application closes April 24 at 7:30 p.m. ET. National Health Service Corps Scholarship Program – May 1. Medical, dental, and nursing students interested in practicing in high-need communities are eligible to receive payment for tuition, fees and other educational costs as well as a stipend for living costs. After completion of their health professions program and any approved postgraduate training, providers serve at least two years at NHSC-approved sites in high-need rural, urban, and tribal communities. Funding is available for up to four years. Application closes May 1 at 7:30 p.m. ET. Policy Updates Send questions to ruralpolicy@hrsa.gov. CMS Updates their Hospital Price Transparency Fact Sheet. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) updated their Hospital Price Transparency Fact Sheet with information on compliance and enforcement. Under Hospital Price Transparency, all hospitals, including Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) and Rural Emergency Hospitals (REHs), and hospital-based departments – which may include some Rural Health Clinics – are required to post pricing information about the items and services they provide on a publicly available website. CMS audits hospitals and investigates complaints from the public to ensure compliance. They also leverage automation to perform over 200 comprehensive hospital reviews per month. Consistent with standing policies, CMS will address non-compliance with swift enforcement, and they are planning a more systematic monitoring and enforcement approach, per the Executive Order. A variety of resources are available to help hospitals, CAHs, and REHs comply with these requirements. Webinar on Hospital Payment in the AHEAD Model – Tuesday, April 8 at 2:00 pm Eastern. During this webinar, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) will provide more information about the hospital global budget payment – which is a pre-determined, fixed annual budget – under the CMS Innovation Center model States Advancing All-Payer Health Equity Approaches and Development (AHEAD). The webinar will review key concepts about the AHEAD hospital global budget, operational considerations, and how payments will be calculated. Approaching Deadlines U.S. Department of Transportation Rural and Tribal Assistance Pilot Program – April 3 HRSA Rural Residency Planning and Development Program – April 10 CMS Proposes Updates to ACA Marketplace Rules – Comment by April 11 HRSA Rural Communities Opioid Response Program – Northern Border Rural Workforce – April 11 HRSA National Telehealth Resource Center Program – April 14 HRSA Rural Communities Opioid Response Program - Pathways – April 14 HRSA Regional Telehealth Resource Center Program – April 14 HRSA Telehealth Rapid Response Center – April 15 HRSA Telehealth Research Center – April 15 HRSA Nurse Corps Loan Repayment Program – April 17 USDA Rural Development: Community Connect Grants – April 21 HRSA Rural Maternity and Obstetrics Management Strategies Program – April 22 HRSA Nurse Corps Scholarship Program – April 24 HRSA National Health Service Corps: Three Loan Repayment Programs – May 1 HRSA National Health Service Corps Scholarship Program – May 1 Ongoing Opportunities - Updated April 2025 Bold indicates HRSA- and/or FORHP-funded opportunities. Administration for Children & Families: Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency – Technical Assistance for Rural EMS Communications Delta Regional Authority: Community Infrastructure Fund Delta Region Community Health Systems Development Program General Services Administration: Federal Surplus Property Available for Public Use HRSA Needs Rural Reviewers for Grant Applications HRSA National Health Service Corps/SAMHSA: Medications for Opioid Use Disorder Training HRSA Technical Assistance for Look-Alike Initial Designation for the Health Center Program Indian Health Service SOAR Health Training on Human Trafficking Indian Health Service/Department of Defense: Medical Supplies and Equipment for Tribes (Project TRANSAM) Licensure Portability: the Multi-Discipline Licensure Resource Project National Rural Health Resource Center: Rural Hospital Stabilization Program ProviderBridge: Mobilizing Health Care Workforce via Telehealth Rural Graduate Medical Education Planning and Development Small Business Administration Guaranteed Loans for Small Business Small Business Administration Rural Initiative Pilot Program Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration/Federal Emergency Management Agency/: Post-Disaster Crisis Counseling Assistance and Training Program Targeted Technical Assistance for Rural Hospitals Program USDA: America's Healthy Food Financing Initiative USDA: National School Lunch Afterschool Snack Program USDA: Summer Food Service Program USDA/National Rural Health Association: Rural Hospital Technical Assistance USDA Rural Development: Circuit Rider Program – Technical Assistance for Rural Water Systems USDA Rural Development: Community Facilities Program USDA Rural Development: Economic Development Loans & Grants – Ongoing with deadlines every quarter USDA Rural Development: Emergency Community Water Assistance Grants USDA Rural Development: Grants for Rural and Native Alaskan Villages USDA Rural Development: Intermediary Relending Program – Ongoing with deadlines every quarter USDA Rural Development: Multifamily Housing Loan Guarantees USDA Rural Development: Rural Business Investment Program USDA Rural Development: Economic Development Loan & Grants Programs – Ongoing with deadlines every quarter USDA Rural Development: Rural Energy Savings Program USDA Rural Development: SEARCH – Special Evaluation Assistance for Rural Communities and Households (for Water/Waste Projects) USDA Rural Development: Telecommunications Infrastructure Loans and Loan Guarantees U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development: Office of Hospital Facilities Funding U.S. Department of Justice: Jail-Based Medication-Assisted Treatment Mentoring Initiative U.S. Department of Transportation: Rural Opportunities to Use Transportation for Economic Success (R.O.U.T.E.S) U.S. Environmental Protection Agency: Drinking Water State Revolving Fund | 
