Rural Health Clinic Vaccine Confidence Program

This notice announces the opportunity to apply for funding under the Rural Health Clinic Vaccine Confidence (RHCVC) Program. The RHCVC Program is a Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) initiative to improve vaccine confidence, counter vaccine hesitancy, and help with access to vaccination in rural communities that are medically underserved and/or experiencing low COVID-19 vaccination rates.1 The RHCVC Program will allow Rural Health Clinics (RHCs) to use funding for a broad range of efforts to improve health care in rural areas and reinforce basic messages about prevention and treatment of COVID-19 and other infectious diseases. Implementation efforts in rural communities may include, but are not limited to: vaccine promotion, information dissemination to rural residents about how and where to get vaccinated, coordinating with existing vaccination sites and public health partners to identify isolated and/or vaccine hesitate populations, and increased rural community and individual patient literacy on benefits of broad vaccination and the safety of vaccines. Because RHCs are trusted messengers in rural communities and provide consistent, fact-based public health messaging, the RHCVC Program will help rural communities make informed decisions about their health and COVID-19, including steps to protect themselves and their communities. People living in rural communities will be provided with vaccine education and help with access to vaccination, towards increasing vaccine uptake. This will improve health care in rural areas and reinforce basic messages about prevention of COVID-19 and other infectious diseases.

Eligible applicants include Medicare-certified Rural Health Clinics and organizations that own and operate Medicare-certified Rural Health Clinics. Organizations that own and operate multiple RHCs may apply for up to $50,000 per RHC (e.g., an organization that owns and operates three RHCs can apply for a total of up to $150,000 on one application). Award amounts may be higher or lower than $50,000 per RHC depending on the number of RHCs that apply for the RHCVC Program. Applicant organizations with multiple RHC sites may choose to distribute funds equally to RHC sites or pool funds to achieve program goals. HRSA will confirm applicant Employer Identification Number (EIN) and Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Certification Number (CCN) to verify eligibility.

HRSA will use the number of verified CCNs included in your application to calculate the number of RHCs and the total award amount for your application. A CCN may only be included on one application. If HRSA receives multiple applications that include the same CCN, HRSA may disqualify one or more applications as duplicates. Eligible applicants include public, nonprofit, or for-profit Medicare-certified RHCs or organizations that own and operate public, nonprofit, or for-profit Medicare-certified RHCs.

Lindsey Nienstedt

(301)443-0835