• Grants can help rural EMS programs survive.paramedic image by Byron Moore from Fotolia.com
  
  Emergency medical services are essential for rural areas, where people can be miles from the nearest hospital when an injury or sudden illness strikes. Providing those services, though, can be a funding challenge. There are grant programs available to help.
  
  

Medicare Rural Hospital Flexibility Program

• The Medicare Rural Hospital Flexibility Program exists to improve quality and performance of rural hospitals, help stabilize their finances and better integrate emergency medical services into the hospital's program. The program encourages states to develop rural health plans. It funds implementation of community-level outreach and technical assistance to boost quality of care, improvement of EMS, and development of rural health networks. It works with the Critical Access Hospital network system--the state must have a CAH system in place to receive the grant. Application is through the Health Resources and Services Administration's Office of Rural Health Policy.
  
  

USDA Community Facilities Loan and Grant Program

• The Community Facilities Loan and Grant Program is for the development of essential community facilities in rural areas. These can include hospitals, fire and rescue stations, police stations, medical clinics, assisted living facilities, and the like. The program is a combination of grants and loans. Application is through U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development field offices.
  
  

Community Facilities Fire and Rescue Loan and Grant Program

• Community Facilities Fire and Rescue Loan and Grant Program, part of the USDA Community Facilities Loan and Grant Program, provides funding for fire and rescue facilities and equipment. Loans and grants are for fire trucks, fire department or multiple-service buildings, dispatch communications centers, rescue and ambulance buildings or equipment, architectural and engineering fees and such purposes. Like the parent program, USDA Rural Development field offices handle the applications.