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.
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.
The Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program (EFNEP) is the nation’s first nutrition education program for low-income populations and remains at the forefront of nutrition education efforts to reduce nutrition insecurity of low-income families and youth today.
The Delta Health Care Services Grant program provides financial assistance to address the continued unmet health needs in the Delta Region. Grants are awarded to promote cooperation among health care professionals, institutions of higher education, research institutions and other entities in the Delta Region. Grants are awarded through a national competition.
Also known as the Section 504 Home Repair program, this provides loans to very-low-income homeowners to repair, improve or modernize their homes or grants to elderly very-low-income homeowners to remove health and safety hazards.
The Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program (FFVP) is a federally assisted program providing free fresh fruits and vegetables to children at eligible elementary schools during the school day.
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.
The School Breakfast Program (SBP) provides reimbursement to states to operate nonprofit breakfast programs in schools and residential childcare institutions. The Food and Nutrition Service administers the SBP at the federal level. State education agencies administer the SBP at the state level, and local school food authorities operate the program in schools.