The Rural Assistance Center (RAC) is a national rural health and human services "information portal." RAC helps rural communities and other rural stakeholders access the full range of available programs, funding, and research that can enable them to provide quality health and human services to rural residents. A product of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Rural Initiative, the Rural Assistance Center was established in December 2002.
Who Uses the Rural Assistance Center?
RAC users include anyone seeking to maintain and improve the access, quality, and financial viability of rural health and human service delivery systems.
RAC Services
RAC offers many services to help inform decisions affecting rural health and human services. All services are provided free of charge.
Electronic Mailing Lists
Users can subscribe to receive e-mail updates on:
Latest funding opportunities
Recent news
New documents and tools
Upcoming events
Customized Assistance
RAC maintains a clearinghouse of rural health and human services resources. Our information specialists provide free customized assistance including:
Identify potential funding opportunities
Locate appropriate federal or state agency contacts
Find print and electronic documents
Locate statistics, data sources and maps
Connect you to organizations, experts, and colleagues
RAC is a collaboration of the University of North Dakota Center for Rural Health (UND-CRH) and the Rural Policy Research Institute (RUPR) and is located at the University of North Dakota.
Funder: The Office of Rural Health Policy
The Rural Assistance Center is supported by funding from the Health Resources and Services Administration's Office of Rural Health Policy. The Office of Rural Health Policy (ORHP) promotes better health care service in rural America. Established in August 1987 by the Administration, ORHP was subsequently authorized by Congress in December 1987 and located in the Health Resources and Services Administration, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). Congress charged ORHP with informing and advising HHS on matters affecting rural hospitals and health care, coordinating activities within the Department that relate to rural health care, and maintaining a national information clearinghouse.
ORHP works with government at the federal, state and local levels, and with the private sector--associations, foundations, providers and community leaders--to seek solutions to rural health care problems.
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).
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.
