Rural Health and Safety Education Competitive Grants Program (United States)

The RHSE program supports quality of life in rural communities across the United States by addressing the relationship between rural prosperity and rural health and safety in the context of food, agriculture, natural resources, and human sciences (including, but not limited to, Traditional Ecological Knowledge).

RHSE program addresses the health and well-being of rural America through supporting the development and/or implementation of projects focused on:

• Individual and family health education programs with specified contents;
• Rural health leadership development education programs to assist rural communities in developing health care services and facilities and assist community leaders and public officials in understanding their roles and responsibilities; and
• Farm safety education programs to provide information and training to farm workers, timber harvesters, and farm families.

Strategic Goal and Priorities

• The RHSE program is aligned with the following:
  • USDA Strategic Plan for FY 2022-2026 goals:
    • Strategic Goal 5: Expand Opportunities for Economic Development and Improve Quality of Life in Rural and Tribal Communities.
  • USDA Science and Research Strategy, 2023–2026 priorities:
    • Priority 3: Bolstering Nutrition Security & Health and
    • Priority 5: Translating Research into Action

Funding Information

• The amount available for the Rural Health and Safety Education (RHSE) program in FY 2024 is approximately $5,000,000. USDA is not committed to fund any particular application or to make a specific number of awards.
• Award Ceiling: $350,000
• Award Floor: $0

Eligibility Criteria

• Applications may be submitted by 1862 and 1890 Land Grant colleges and universities that are eligible to receive funds under the Act of July 2, 1862 (7 U.S.C. 301 et seq.), and the Act of August 30, 1890 (7 U.S.C. 321 et seq.), including Central State University, Tuskegee University, and West Virginia State University. Applications also may be submitted by any of the Tribal colleges and universities designated as 1994 Land Grant Institutions under the Educational Land-Grant Status Act of 1994, as amended.
• Award recipients may subcontract to organizations not eligible to apply provided such organizations are necessary for the conduct of the project.
• Cost Sharing or Matching
  • No Match Required – The RHSE has NO matching requirement. NIFA will not factor matching resources into the review process as an evaluation criterion.
• Centers of Excellence
  • NIFA will recognize and prioritize COE applicants that carry out research, extension, and education activities that relate to the food and agricultural sciences. A COE is composed of one or more of the following entities that provide financial or in-kind support to the COE.
    • State agricultural experiment stations;
    • Colleges and universities;
    • University research foundations;
    • Other research institutions and organizations;
    • Federal agencies;
    • National laboratories;
    • Private organizations, foundations, or corporations;
    • Individuals.

For more information, visit Grants.gov.