From our colleagues at USDA-Rural Development. Particular focus this week on rural health care, with targeted funding for native American health facilities.
PUBLICATIONS
Cultivating a Competitive Advantage: How Rural Counties Are Growing Economies with Local Assets and Regional Partners
Case studies of rural counties using creative methods to improve their economies. Includes examples that involve the healthcare sector and address issues that impact health.
Organization: National Association of Counties. Date: 11 / 2014
Rural America at a Glance, 2014 Edition
Highlights indicators of social and economic conditions in rural areas. Focuses on employment trends, poverty, population trends and educational attainment in rural versus urban areas.
Organization: USDA Economic Research Service. Date: 11 / 2014
Encourage Community College Innovation To Promote Middle-Skill Career Pathways, According to Report
A more innovative economy does not have to lead to greater inequality, as long as educational pathways exist for middle-skill workers, according to a new report from Jobs for the Future and Achieving the Dream. The groups’ Middle-Skill STEM State Policy Framework provides a set of strategic goals for states to link the community college experience with the needs of employers. States should better align community college programs with state economic development strategies, encourage engagement and apprenticeships with the private sector and implement incentives for schools to design more innovative STEM learning opportunities. Download the report…
Rural Remedies - Nov 9, 2014 -- This article suggests that social dynamics may have more to do with America’s rural doctor shortage than the number of medical schools or curriculum. It discusses this unique consideration when recruiting workforce and the need to build an established medical community and a vibrant rural lifestyle, which could help alleviate feelings of professional isolation to lure more physicians. Source: Yakima Herald
A New Effort to Ease the Doctor Shortage
Nov 4, 2014 -- The Federation of State Medical Boards is gearing up to promote an interstate compact aimed to ease licensing requirements for physicians who practice in 2 or more states. Discusses how this compact, in conjunction with telehealth technology, can help ease a doctor shortage around the country, especially in rural areas. Source: Governing
The New Heroin Epidemic - Oct 30, 2014 -- This article discusses the growing heroine epidemic throughout the United States with note of the drugs severe impact in rural communities. Source: The Atlantic
An aging rural veteran population declined over the last 20 years - Nearly 4 million veterans resided in rural (nonmetropolitan) America in 2012. They are a rapidly aging and increasingly diverse group of men and women who comprise over 10 percent of the rural adult population despite their persistently declining numbers; the number of veterans living in rural areas declined from 6.6 million in 1992 to 3.8 million in 2012. A drop in the size of the active military population since 1990, from 3 million to roughly 1.4 million, and natural decrease due to aging (over half of rural veterans were age 65 or older in 2012, compared to 18 percent of the nonveteran rural population) means the downward trend in the number of rural veterans will likely continue for many years. Whether due to their military service or because of their age profile, over 20 percent of rural, working-age veterans report disability status compared with 11 percent of nonveterans. Taken together, their older age and higher incidence of disabilities make the well-being of rural veterans, as a group, increasingly dependent on access to medical care in rural areas. A chart appears in Rural Veterans at a Glance, EB-25, November 2013.
Wage Growth of Part-Time versus Full-Time Workers: Evidence from the SIPP
The growth in part-time workers in the wake of the Great Recession has been well documented. But how have hourly wages grown for part-timers compared with full-time workers, and what role does educational attainment play? A macroblog post delves into the data to find out.
Beginning farmers differ demographically from established farmers - In 1982, the Census of Agriculture reported 38 percent of principal operators had operated their farm for less than 10 years, but by 2007, this number had declined to 26 percent. In 2012, beginning farms—those headed and completely operated by farmers with 10 or fewer years of experience—made up just 17 percent of family farms. Although beginning farmers are more likely to be younger than established farmers—17 percent are under age 35, and their average age is 11 years younger (49 versus 60)—nearly 13 percent of beginning farmers are 65 or older. Beginning farmers are also more likely to be female than established farmers; nearly one in five principal operators of a beginning farm is female. Beginning farmers are also more likely than established farmers to have at least a 4-year college degree. The differing demographic profiles of beginning and established farmers may signal change for the sector as older farmers retire. This chart is from the ERS topic page on Beginning & Disadvantaged Farmers, updated October 2014.
LEARNING
CONFERENCE CALL: Civic Health Thursday, November 20, 2014, 4-5 p.m. EST
We all know the importance of physical health—regular exercise, eating well and good habits help us keep on track with that (most of the time). But how do we exercise our civic health? How do we supercharge participation in our community? Mike Stout, Ph.D., associate professor, Missouri State University, and Evan Weissman, executive director, Warm Cookies of the Revolution join CommunityMatters on November 20 for an hour-long talk about promoting healthy civic life. They'll share both fun and data-driven approaches to exercising civic health and, in turn, maintaining strong communities. Register here: http://www.eventbrite.ca/e/civic-health-registration-13968118017?aff=mcivte&mc_eid=332ff2b438&mc_cid=1f75eb5845
“TAKE OUT MENU” WEBINAR: How the University of Minnesota Tourism Center contributes to Event Management Education: Introducing the Online Festival & Event Management (FEM) Course
November 20, 2014 (2:00 PM – ET) Free - http://connect.msu.edu/ncrcrd
During this webinar, Dr. Qian will introduce the online Festival and Event Management (FEM) course. She will talk about the key topics the course covers and the ongoing effort to develop special topic sessions. She will also introduce the team of instructors and the online interactions they engage in with students. Dr. Qian will finish the webinar by talking about the option of obtaining the certificate of completion for the course and plans to continuously improve the course.
Presenters:
Dr. Xinyi Qian is a Tourism Specialist in the Tourism Center at University of Minnesota. As the lead instructor of the online Festival and Event Management course, Dr. Qian leads a team of instructors to deliver and continuously improve the online course. She also collaborates with colleagues from different units within the University to develop special topic sessions for the course. Besides managing and teaching the FEM course, Dr. Qian leads a variety of applied tourism research projects, ranging from visitor profile projects in different destination areas in Minnesota to sustainable tourism, from the economic impact and health effects of biking to profiling festivals and events in Minnesota.
Tribal Grant Writing Training Series
A series of grant training videos designed to assist American Indian and Alaska Native physicians, tribal health clinics and tribal grant writers in applying for grant opportunities. Modules include writing statement of needs; writing goals and objectives; preparing budgets; planning and submitting for federal grants; and challenges that tribes may experience when applying for
Organization: University of Washington
FUNDING
American Indian and Alaska Native Medical Equipment Grants - Application deadline: Dec 1, 2014
Awards funding for medical equipment purchases for clinics and hospitals that serve American Indian and Alaska Native populations. Sponsor: Association of American Indian Physicians
NURSE Corps Facility Site Review Application - Application deadline: Dec 2, 2014
Gives applicants the opportunity to have their facility reviewed for participation in the NURSE Corps Loan Repayment list of eligible sites. Sponsor: Bureau of Health Workforce
Service Area Competition Funding for Health Center Program (Areas Served with a Project Period Start Date of June 1, 2015) - Application deadline: Dec 3, 2014
Funding to provide comprehensive primary health care services to an underserved area or population. Sponsor: Bureau of Primary Health Care
Healthy, Active Native Communities Capacity Building Funding Opportunity - Application deadline: Dec 15, 2014
Supports innovative, culturally sensitive approaches to prevent obesity and improve nutrition and physical activity in American Indian communities. Sponsor: Association of American Indian Physicians
Request for Proposals: 2015 Brownfields Assessment and Cleanup Grants
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is seeking proposals for their Brownfields Assessment and Cleanup grants. EPA’s Brownfields Assessment and Cleanup grants may be used to address sites contaminated by petroleum and hazardous substances, pollutants, or contaminants (including hazardous substances co-mingled with petroleum). Opportunities for funding include Brownfields Assessment Grants (each funded up to $200,000 over three years; Assessment Coalitions are funded up to $600,000 over three years) and Brownfields Cleanup Grants (each funded up to $200,000 over three years). The proposal submission deadline is December 19. Click here for proposal and funding information and here for frequently asked questions.
Rural Health Network Development Planning Grant Program - Application deadline: Jan 9, 2015
Funding for needs related to planning and establishing integrated healthcare networks with the goal of strengthening or expanding access to essential healthcare services. Sponsor: Office of Rural Health Policy
Youth Service America, Sodexo Foundation Offer Grants for Hunger Service Projects - DEADLINE: January 15, 2015
Grants of up to $400 will be awarded for youth-led projects that bring together young people, families, and other community members to address childhood hunger on Global Youth Service Day, April 17-19, 2015....
Community Access to Child Health (CATCH) Implementation Funds Program - Application deadline: Jan 30, 2015
Funding to support pediatricians in the initial and/or pilot stage of implementing a community-based child health projects related to medical home access, health services to uninsured/underinsured, secondhand smoke exposure, immunization programs, and Native American child health. Sponsor: American Academy of Pediatrics
Mary Byron Foundation: Roth Award for Underserved Populations - Application deadline: Jan 31, 2015
Awards to honor programs that demonstrate promise in ending the cycle of domestic violence in underserved populations. Sponsor: Mary Byron Project
Scholastic Art & Writing Awards Invites Entries From Creative Teens - DEADLINE: Various
Scholarships of up to $10,000 are available to talented teen artists and writers in the United States and Canada in twenty-eight categories....
Harpo Foundation Accepting Applications for Native American Artists Fellowships - DEADLINE: February 15, 2015
One-month fellowships will be awarded to Native American artists who demonstrate strong artistic ability and a practice that engages a dialogue between the indigenous world and the surrounding culture....
GANNETT FOUNDATION is offering Community Action Grants to nonprofit organizations, with funding priority given to programs that focus on education and neighborhood improvement, economic development, youth development, community problem-solving, assistance to disadvantaged people, environmental conservation, and cultural enrichment. Deadline: 2/28/2015. Geographic coverage is limited to certain areas of 35 states and U.S. territories. Click here to visit the Foundation’s Website for details.
U.S. RURAL INFRASTRUTURAL OPPORTUNITY FUND
The Rural Infrastructure Opportunity Fund is a collaborative effort between USDA, CoBank and Capitol Peak Asset Management. Capitol Peak Asset Management (CPAM) will manage the fund’s operation and recruit other investors. CoBank has pledged up to $10 billion of its balance sheet capacity to make loans inconjunction with the fund. USDA is helping to identify and prioritize projects that improve rural infrastructure. The program explicitly targets broadband projects along with other rural infrastructure programs. All applications are confidential.
The purpose of the Rural Infrastructure Opportunity Fund is to serve as a new source of capital for rural infrastructure projects, promoting financing for critical infrastructure projects in rural America and the resulting creation of jobs in rural communities. The Fund is supported entirely by private sector dollars and offers a sustainable platform for new kinds of investors that traditionally have not participated in financing projects in these markets. The Fund is designed to complement existing government loan and grant programs by investing in a wide range of projects in America’s rural communities. Its activities will include:
- Recruiting new sources of private capital to support rural infrastructure projects, including pension funds, endowments, foundations, and sovereign wealth funds;
- Serving as a co-lender for borrowers financing projects where government program limits or resource constraints warrant the fund’s involvement; and
- Promoting private lending in support of projects capable of meeting market terms.
Eligible Projects: Loans include a range of vital infrastructure programs to improve rural communities.
Target investments will include rural community facilities (especially health care and educational facilities), rural water and wastewater systems, rural energy projects, rural broadband expansion efforts, local and regional food systems, and other rural infrastructure. Loans will only be provided for commercially available technology, with a preference for proven technology (e.g., it will be advantageous to point to other examples of similar projects to demonstrate low risk). While USDA may help identify projects, projects need not be vetted by USDA to secure a loan.
The fund was launched in July 2014 and is currently accepting applications. Interested parties can apply through CPAM at http://www.capitol-peak.com look under contact us. Program staff emphasize that this is not a time-limited program. Project funding inquiries may be submitted at any time as the program is designed to operate as a sustainable investment platform.
COMMENTS SOUGHT:
VA: Expanded Access to Non-VA Care Through the Veterans Choice Program
Nov 5, 2014 -- The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is accepting comments on the Veterans Access, Choice, and Accountability Act of 2014 interim final rule until March 5, 2015. The rule dictates the creation of the Veterans Choice program which allows veterans who cannot be seen by a VA healthcare provider within the wait-time goals of the VHA, or who qualify based on their place of residence, to be seen by non-VA healthcare providers.
Source: Federal Register
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Newsletters and email from where I gather this information include:
v Foundation Center RFP Service - To subscribe or unsubscribe, or to change your e-mail address, visit: http://foundationcenter.org/newsletters/
v To subscribe to the RAC Health Listserv - click here to go to the subscription form.
v Electronic newsletter of the RUPRI Center for Rural Entrepreneurship, Rural Entrepreneurship News. To subscribe, http://team.energizingentrepreneurs.org/news2/public_html/lists/?p=subscribe
v Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City newsletter: http://www.kansascityfed.org/alert/’
v Blue Avocado Nonprofit Magazine - They have a newsletter on boards and nonprofit management, down-to-earth and useful. http://www.blueavocado.org/
v Rural LISC e-newsletter - http://www.lisc.org/rural
v National Association for Development Organizations (NADO) – www.nado.org
v ERS - A notification service is provided by USDA's Economic Research Service for Charts of Note and other research to keep you informed of the latest and most relevant research on the topics that interest you. You can subscribe at http://www.ers.usda.gov/Updates/
v Department of Labor – Email Subscription Service - https://public.govdelivery.com/accounts/USDOL/subscriber/new?topic_id=USDOL_167
v Orton Family Foundation – email sign-up - http://www.orton.org/sign_up
This is the bulk of them, a few others are random.
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