Baton Rouge – Louisiana communities now can access all health related grant funding available in state through an online searchable database launched in mid-May by the Department of Health and Hospital’s Bureau of Primary Care and Rural Health (the Bureau). The Grants Clearinghouse, available through the Bureau’s Web site at www.dhh.state.la.us/pcrh, catalogues all health-related funding opportunities available from state and federal agencies as well as private foundations.
The project was undertaken due to requests from organizations throughout the state for a source of grant funding specific to health care service delivery and Louisiana applicants. With the grants clearinghouse, communities who are seeking funding for health care service expansion projects will be able to search for funding and technical assistance opportunities catalogued according to the type of project in which they are interested.
The goal of the clearinghouse is to provide users with information on federal, state and foundation funding opportunities that may benefit Louisiana’s residents by improving health care quality and access. The database is updated monthly in order to offer the latest grant announcements compiled from a number of sources. State funding opportunities are posted in the clearinghouse as state agencies release their grant guidance in the Louisiana Register. Federal funding opportunities are posted in the clearinghouse as federal agencies post their grant guidance in the federal register. Foundations are included in the clearinghouse only if they have given substantial money to Louisiana grantees for health care projects within the last three years.
In addition to the grants clearinghouse, the Bureau’s Resource Development Staff offer workshops throughout the year for priority grants such as the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Health Resources and Services Administration’s Rural Health Network Development, Rural Health Network Planning and Rural Health Outreach grants as well as the Section 330 grant for federally qualified health center designations. The Bureau also offers on-site technical assistance for communities that are preparing grant applications for health-related projects. The grants clearinghouse will compliment these services by offering communities easy access to more than 100 up-to-date, viable funding opportunities.
The Bureau began its Resource Development Program in June 2003. The goals of the program included the development of the Grants Clearinghouse, a series of technical assistance workshops and a list-serve for all health-related funding notices for rural and underserved communities in Louisiana. Less than one year later, the Resource Development program has accomplished all of its objectives, the clearinghouse being the final piece of the puzzle. For information about any of the Bureau’s resource development services, contact Beth Millet at 225.342.1889 or bmillet@dhh.la.gov.
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