The famous Margaret Mitchell novel, “Gone with the Wind” was written in Georgia and Atlanta served host to the 1996 Summer Olympics. Georgia covers 57,906 square miles, with a 2011 estimated population of 9,815,210 people – with 1,843,659 people living in rural Georgia (USDA-ERS). Atlanta is the state capital. The state’s largest cities are Atlanta, Augusta and Columbus. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, 63.2% of the state’s population is white, 31.0% is Black/African-American, and 9.1% is of Hispanic/Latino origin (2011).
There are 154 hospitals in Georgia (Kaiser, 2010), 67 of which are located in rural counties (SORH, 2012). The state has 34 hospitals identified by the Flex Monitoring Team as Critical Access Hospitals (March 2013). There are 99 Rural Health Clinics in Georgia (Kaiser, 2012) and 27 Federally Qualified Health Centers provide services at 135 sites (SORH, 2012). 20.0% of Georgia residents lack health insurance (Kaiser, 2011).
According to the Economic Research Service, the average per-capita income for Georgia residents in 2009 was $34,129, although rural per-capita income lagged at $27,136. Estimates from 2010 indicate a poverty rate of 23.5% exists in rural Georgia, compared to 16.7% in urban areas of the state. 2010 ACS data reports that 24.0% of the rural population has not completed high school, compared to 14.7% of urban populations. The unemployment rate in rural Georgia is 11.2%, while in urban Georgia it is 9.5% (USDA-ERS, 2011).
For a national comparison, please see an overview of the United States.
Data Sources
U.S. Census Bureau: State & County QuickFacts; USDA Economic Research Service: State Fact Sheets; Georgia Office of Rural Health (SORH); Kaiser Family Foundation State Health Facts; Flex Monitoring Team: Critical Access Hospital List
Organizations
Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC)
Federal government
Supports economic and social development in all of West Virginia and parts of twelve other states: Alabama, Georgia, Kentucky, Maryland, Mississippi, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia.
Bright from the Start: Georgia Department of Early Care and Learning
State government
Responsible for overseeing child care and educational services for Georgia's children ages birth through four and their families and for administering nutrition program for children and adults.
Georgia Association for Primary Health Care (GAPHC)
State/regional organization
Works to improve access to comprehensive primary health care services for all medically underserved Georgians and to support the continued development and expansion of community-based health center practice systems throughout the state.
Georgia Board for Physician Workforce (GBPW)
State government
Responsible for advising the Governor and the General Assembly on physician workforce and medical education policy and issues.
Georgia Community Action Association (GCAA)
State/regional organization
Serves as the professional organization for the development and implementation of strategies to provide GCAA members the tools to be effective community action agencies in solving the
problems of poverty within the State of Georgia.
Georgia Department of Community Affairs (DCA)
State government
Created in 1977 to serve as an advocate for local governments.
Georgia Department of Human Services (DHS)
State government
Works to improve the health and social services for all Georgia residents.
Georgia Department of Human Services: Division of Child Support Services (DCSS)
State government
Assists with locating non-custodial parents, confirming paternity, establishing and enforcing child support and medical support orders, and collecting and distributing payments. Provides the Georgia Fatherhood Services Network and the Access and Visitation Program.
Georgia Department of Public Health (DPH)
State government
The lead agency entrusted by the people of the State of Georgia with the ultimate responsibility for the health of communities and the entire population.
Georgia Health Policy Center (GHPC)
State/regional organization
Works to improve the health status of all Georgians through research, policy development, and program design and evaluation.
Georgia HITREC (GA-HITREC)
State/regional organization
Georgia State Health Information Technology Regional Extension Center (REC) that helps health care providers become meaningful users of electronic health records by providing information and technical assistance.
Georgia Hospital Association (GHA)
State/regional organization
Works to promote the health and welfare of the public through the development of better hospital care for all of Georgia's citizens.
Georgia Pacific Foundation
Nonprofit/Foundation
Supports programs in education, environment, community enrichment, and entrepreneurship that enhance the quality of life where their employees live and work.
Georgia Partnership for TeleHealth, Inc. (GPT)
Nonprofit/Foundation
Educates and provides training and technical assistance to hospitals, clinics, and primary care providers to implement and achieve exchange of health information in Georgia.
Georgia Rural Health Association (GRHA)
State/regional organization
The oldest state rural health association in the country which is committed to the improvement of health and healthcare services of rural Georgians.
Georgia State Office of Rural Health (SORH)
State government
Works to improve access to health care in rural areas and reduce health status disparities. A division of the Georgia Department of Community Health.
Georgia Statewide Area Health Education Centers (AHEC) Network
State/regional organization
Responds to the problems of health professionals supply and distribution in rural and underserved areas of the state through educational support to health professionals in the field, both as students and as practitioners. Their website provides information on and contact details for each of the 6 regional AHECs in the state.
Healthcare Georgia Foundation
Nonprofit/Foundation
Works to advance the health of all Georgians and to expand access to affordable, quality healthcare for underserved individuals and communities.
HUD Community Development Block Grants: Georgia (CDBG)
Federal government
Contact information for the State CDBG program. Provides funding for community development projects.
National Network of Libraries of Medicine, Southeastern/Atlantic Region (NN/LM SE/A)
State/regional organization
Works to improve access to health information for health care providers, librarians, and the public in Alabama, the District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Maryland, Mississippi, North Carolina, Puerto Rico, South Carolina, Tennessee, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Virginia and West Virginia.
Rural Health Research Institute (RHRI)
Academic/Research
Based at Georgia Southern University in Bulloch county, this newly-formed Institute focuses on research initiatives to reduce health disparities among rural populations. It also engages community partners in collaborative research and outreach efforts, and fosters mentoring relationships among its faculty and students for rural health research purposes.
Southeast Rural Community Assistance Project (SERCAP)
State/regional organization
Helps rural communities in Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia and Florida to improve community infrastructure, including water and wastewater treatment.
Southeast Telehealth Resource Center (SETRC)
State/regional organization
One of the telehealth resource centers funded by the federal Office for the Advancement of Telehealth. Assists health care organizations, health care networks, and health care providers in the implementation of cost-effective telehealth programs to serve rural and medically underserved areas and populations. Includes Georgia, South Carolina and Florida.
Southern Rural Development Center (SRDC)
State/regional organization
One of four regional rural development centers in the nation. Works to strengthen the region's 29 land-grant institutions in addressing rural development issues. Serves a 13 state area in the Southern region which includes TX, LA, AR, OK, AL, MS, GA, FL, KY, SC, NC, VA, and TN.
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development: Georgia
Federal government
Works to increase homeownership, support community development and increase access to affordable housing. The HUD state office provides information about HUD housing programs and local contacts for the state.
USDA Rural Development Georgia State Office
Federal government
Committed to helping improve the economy and quality of life in all of rural America. Provides information about Rural Development programs and applications for financial assistance.
Volunteers of America Southeast (VOASE)
Nonprofit/Foundation
Serves people along the Alabama-Mississippi-Georgia Gulf Coast who are hungry, homeless, and otherwise in need of assistance. Offers programs for children, chronic mental illness, hard of hearing, community enhancement, elderly, housing, and substance abuse.
Funding
Aetna Foundation Regional Grants
Funds community wellness initiatives focusing on healthy food and activity that serve low-income, underserved, or minority populations.
BJ’s Charitable Foundation
Funding for hunger prevention, self-sufficiency, healthcare, and education to those who are underserved.
Dollar General Youth Literacy Grants
Funding to schools, public libraries, and nonprofit organizations to help students who are below grade level or experiencing difficulty reading.
Gannett Foundation Community Action Grants
Supports local organizations with funding priority given to programs that focus on education and neighborhood improvement, economic development, youth development, community problem-solving, assistance to disadvantaged people, environmental conservation, and cultural enrichment.
Georgia-Pacific Foundation Grants
Grants for organizations projects that focus on education, the environment, community enhancement, affordable housing, arts and culture, and entrepreneurship.
National Network of Libraries of Medicine Southeaster/Atlantic Region Funding
Provides funding for National Network of Libraries members located in the Southeaster/Atlantic region to assist them in conducting outreach and technology projects.
Southeast Rural Community Assistance Loan Fund Program
Provides low-interest loans to low-income rural communities for predevelopment costs, system upgrades and new construction of water and wastewater services and facilities.
Wells Fargo Corporate Giving Programs
Funding for nonprofit organizations in the areas of community development, education, human services, arts and culture, civic responsibility, and environmental consciousness.
Weyerhaeuser Giving Fund
Awards grants in various rural and urban areas where Weyerhaeuser does business. Funds programs that work in the areas of affordable housing and shelter; education and youth development; environmental stewardship; and human services.
Inactive Funding
Inactive Funding Opportunities -
Lists additional funding programs for this state that are not currently accepting applications. Programs that are inactive may be offered again in the future.
Documents, Reports and Other Publications
Around the Country: Local Programs Help Patients Navigate Medical Care
Author(s): Candi Helseth
Sponsoring organization: Rural Assistance Center
A look at patient navigator programs in four states: a statewide program in Georgia; a program in Kentucky for cervical cancer patients; a promotores program in Texas for chronic conditions; and a coordinated care program for cancer patients in Vermont.
Journal citation: Rural Monitor Volume 2012 Issue Spring
Date: 05 / 2012
Critical Access Hospital Financial Analyses 2011, Executive Summary
Sponsoring organization: Georgia State Office of Rural Health
Provides detailed financial reports of and comparisons between all Critical Access Hospitals (CAH) in Georgia for 2011.
Date: 02 / 2012
Demographic and Economic Profile: Georgia
Author(s): Kathleen K. Miller
Sponsoring organization: Rural Policy Research Institute
Discusses demographic and economic data including population, race, education, age, poverty, income, and more. Includes maps and graphics.
Date: 01 / 2009
Making it Work: Combating Rural Homelessness
Sponsoring organization: Housing Assistance Council
This entire issue of Rural Voices is dedicated to the topic of rural homelessness. Highlights some of the innovative ways rural homeless providers are accessing and using
resources in Michigan, Minnesota, California, Georgia, and Kentucky.
Journal citation: Rural Voices Volume 12 Issue 3
Date: 2007
Rural Dropout Problem: An Invisible Achievement Gap
Author(s): Jerry Johnson, Marty Strange, Karen Madden
Sponsoring organization: Rural School and Community Trust
Reviews high school dropout rates and related factors in rural high schools throughout 15 states: Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Texas, and West Virginia.
Date: 2010
Services and Support for Georgia Families of Children with Special Needs: Findings from a Community Outreach Effort
Author(s): Amanda Phillips Martínez, Beverly Tyler, Angela Snyder, Mei Zhou
Sponsoring organization: Georgia Health Policy Center
Details the results of a community outreach effort for families of children with special needs in Georgia. Addresses rural experiences and disparities in access to care.
Date: 06 / 2007
Small Business Profile: Georgia
Sponsoring organization: Small Business Administration
Profile of the state's economy, covering the number of firms, industry composition, small business income, banking, women and minority business ownership, and employment.
Date: 2 / 2013
Southern Rural Development Center: 2011 Annual Report: Regional Innovations, National Applications
Sponsoring organization: Southern Rural Development Center
Describes the programs and progress of the Southern Rural Development Center, one of four regional centers coordinating rural development research and extension education programs.
Date: 2012
Study of Georgia's Dental Workforce 2012
Sponsoring organization: Georgia Health Policy Center
Presents results from surveys of private dental practices, FQHCs, and public health data practices in Georgia which help display the state's dental health professional shortage areas by county.
Date: 12 / 2012
USDA Rural Development 2012 Progress Report
Sponsoring organization: USDA Rural Development
Reports on investments made by USDA Rural Development intended to have a lasting, sustainable impact on rural American by supporting economic growth, broadband implementation, housing programs, and public utility projects. Features programs implemented in Minnesota, Georgia, Montana, Oregon, Tennessee, Louisiana, Illinois, Arizona, North Carolina, North Dakota, Colorado, Florida, and Wisconsin. Reports total funds granted to each of the 50 states from 2009 - 2012.
Using Family to Fight Homelessness: The Millennium Center in Southwest Georgia
Author(s): Dean Nelson
Sponsoring organization: Housing Assistance Council
Describes how, through creative partnerships, the Southwest Georgia Housing Development Corporation has been able to create a comprehensive shelter and service program that addresses the needs of entire families.
Journal citation: Rural Voices Volume 2007 Issue Fall Pages: 11 - 14
Date: 2007
See also: State-by-State Resources: Documents Success Stories
Floyd County Dental Clinic
The Floyd County Health Department Regional Dental Health Clinic was designed to provide access to oral health services in the following areas: Preventive care, restorative care, emergent care, nursing home services, fluoride varnish care, conscious sedation, and services under general anesthesia for five counties in Northwest Georgia.
Lowndes County Partnership for Health
The Lowndes County Partnership for Health is currently involved in helping local businesses and churches implement worksite wellness programs.
Health for a Lifetime
This project was designed to combat cardiovascular disease by addressing the modifiable risk factors, as described by the American Heart Association, in three populations: hourly wage workers, the African American faith community, and middle school children.
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