Oregon Office of Rural Health

Oregon Office of Rural Health

Grant & Scholarship Funding

Columbia River

Current ORH Scholarships

ORH provides a full scholarship for a rural or frontier EMS provider to attend the National Rural EMS & Care Conference each April. Contact Sarah Andersen  | 503-444-1570 to nominate an awardee for 2023.

Additional Scholarship Opportunities

The National Association of Oregon EMS Physicians (NAEMSP) Oregon Chapter awards scholarships to help cover costs of educational events that add value and growth to your current position as an Oregon-licensed rural EMS provider. The scholarship is limited to a maximum of $500 per individual. Reimbursable expenses are limited to tuition/registration, travel (i.e. fuel or airfare) and lodging. Food and entertainment are not reimbursable.

To apply for a scholarship, complete an application and submit it at least 60 days prior to the event to Oregon NAEMSP.

Current ORH Grant Opportunities

Community Health Worker Pilot Program

The Oregon Office of Rural Health (ORH) has partnered with the Oregon Health Authority (OHA) to coordinate a CDC grant-funded program that will support the capacity of Oregon’s rural public health agencies and Critical Access Hospitals by growing the Community Health Worker (CHW) workforce in rural Oregon.

This is a pilot grant program to fund the training of community health workers (CHW) for employment at Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) and/or rural public health departments in Oregon.

To learn more, go to: Community Health Worker Pilot Program 

ORH was pleased to provide a rare opportunity to support EMS agencies with Capital Equipment Grants in 2022. The following agencies were awarded $20,000 each for EMS equipment needs:

  • Lake Health District EMS
  • Mist-Birkenfeld RFPD
  • Spray Volunteer Ambulance

Contact: Sarah Andersen | 503-444-1570.

Eligibility and Funding Restrictions: ORH provides funds to support rural and frontier EMS staff training opportunities. EMS agencies must be located in a rural or frontier area, and be recognized by the Oregon Health Authority EMS & Trauma Systems Program as an organization that participates in Oregon’s 9-1-1 response system. Funding must be used within 12 months after receipt.

Timing and Application: Applications and timing varies annually. Please see the HERO page for more information.

Contact: Joan Field | fieldj@ohsu.edu.

Eligibility and Funding Restrictions

ORH recognizes top performing Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) and their Quality Officers each year for consistently reporting MBQIP measures and demonstrating strong results. Top performers are named in the following categories: Emergency Department Transfer Communication; Outpatient; HCAHPS Overall Top Performer and Most Improved.

CAH recipients receive one scholarship for the Quality Officer to attend and present a poster at the Annual Rural Health Conference ($500 value) as well as a $5,000 grant to be used towards quality improvement efforts specific to MBQIP reporting.

Timing and Application

ORH reviews quality data in July and awards are announced at the end of August.

Contact

The Rural Population Health Incubator Program is designed to provide wrap around support for rural hospitals, clinics, public health departments and/or nonprofit organizations in implementing or sustaining population health and health equity programs.

More details are available here.

The SHIP grant is supported by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Health Resources and Services Administration's Federal Office of Rural Health Policy. Section 1820(g)(3) of the Social Security Act authorizes SHIP to assist eligible hospitals in meeting cost requirements established under the Medicare Program, including using funds to assist hospitals to participate in improvements to value and quality such as:

  • Value-Based Purchasing programs (VBP)
  • Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs)
  • Payment Bundling (PB)

Eligibility and Funding Restrictions

Eligible small rural hospitals are located in the U.S. and U.S. territories and include hospitals with 49 beds or fewer. These small rural, non-federal hospitals provide short-term, general acute care to their communities. Eligible hospitals may be for-profit, not-for-profit or tribal organizations, and include Critical Access Hospitals.

Funding may be used by eligible hospitals to purchase equipment and/or training, join or become an accountable care organization or create shared savings programs, and purchase health information technology equipment, and/or training.

States Offices of Rural Health receive a maximum of $12,000 per hospital awardee to support these efforts with an annual grant cycle of June 1 through May 31.

Timing and Application

Applications are typically submitted annually in mid-January.

Contact

For Grant Applicants

ORH provides community-level data and review of your application to strengthen the rural or frontier context presented in your grant application.

For Grant Awardees

Information about your grant project can be shared with partners and community members on our website and through our social media.

For Grant Funders

ORH can help you publicize your grants and provide a rural and frontier perspective on your grant review process. ORH will also partner with organizations to administer grant programs.

Questions?

Contact Sarah Andersen | 503-444-1570.

Contact

Each grant above has a point of contact listed within. For general information: Oregon Office of Rural Health | 503-494-4450 | toll-free 866-674-4376