The Rural Assistance Center: Free Resource for Information on Rural Issues

Do you live in a small community? Ever look for research or statistics on a rural topic? Could you use some leads on funding opportunities to support rural health and human services? The Rural Assistance Center (RAC) is a free resource that can help.

RAC is a federally-funded information resource with a range of products and services addressing rural health and human services issues. Here are a few resources available to you and your customers:

Funding Information

The RAC web site (http://www.raconline.org) has a searchable database of funding opportunities. Anyone who has a project in mind to benefit a rural community can request an in-depth search for funding specific to their project and location.

Guides on Rural Topics

The RAC web site has information guides on over 70 topics such as dental health, domestic violence, tribal health, and grantwriting. Guides include frequently asked questions on the topic, links to publications and online tools, organizations and contacts for more information.

Online Clearinghouse

The RAC web site includes news on rural issues taken daily from the Federal Register, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services press releases, and other sources. The web site also provides a calendar of events, a directory of experts and organizations interested in rural topics, access to key rural publications and maps, and a compilation of success stories that can serve as model projects for rural communities.

Research and statistics

Librarians staff the RAC toll-free phone (1-800-270-1898) and email reference service (info@raconline.org) and offer free search services to support rural health and human services. RAC can do literature searches, funding searches, help find statistics, and connect users to experts within the federal government and research communities.

State Resources

Each State Resource page features an overview of the state and its rural health and human services environment. The pages are designed to help rural communities find information and resources that can assist them in important activities such as locating and competing for funding opportunities and networking within their state. The pages also feature tools, such as websites with demographic and statistical information; documents and resources; state-level contacts and organizations and groups involved in rural health; funding programs available in your state; news and upcoming events of interest to rural health; and examples of successful projects in your state that can serve as model projects in rural communities.

Other RAC Projects

The USA-Mexico Border Health web site was developed to provide assistance on funding and information resources to U.S. – Mexico Border health grantees and interested parties. Specifically, the project has been established to assist individuals with locating and competing for funding opportunities in order to address health care needs in their communities. The Health Resources and Services Administration’s Border Health Project is managed through the Office of Rural Health Policy (ORHP).

The Delta Resource Project was established to assist ORHP's Delta States Rural Development Network grantees with locating and competing for funding opportunities in order to address health care needs in their communities. The Delta region is defined as 209 rural counties in Alabama, Arkansas, Illinois, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, and Tennessee.

How to take advantage of RAC services:

• Visit the RAC web site at http://www.raconline.org
• Contact RAC at 1-800-270-1898 or info@raconline.org
• Sign up on the RAC web site for twice-monthly email notices of rural news, funding opportunities, events and publications

Please use the Rural Assistance Center yourself and help spread the word about RAC in your organization and your community.