Telehealth Equipment Expansion Grant

The Telehealth Equipment Expansion grant is offered by the Tennessee Rural Health Care Center of Excellence at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center to strengthen healthcare delivery across rural and underserved areas of Tennessee. This initiative is rooted in the recognition that geographic barriers, provider shortages, and transportation limitations continue to limit access to care in many parts of the state. By investing in telehealth infrastructure, the program seeks to expand the availability of primary care, behavioral health, and specialty services while improving continuity of care and patient engagement. The primary purpose of this funding opportunity is to equip eligible Tennessee-based organizations with telehealth technology that supports remote healthcare delivery. The program emphasizes flexibility, allowing applicants to propose equipment packages tailored to their organizational needs and patient populations. This may include telehealth carts, video conferencing systems, diagnostic tools such as digital stethoscopes and otoscopes, remote patient monitoring devices, and HIPAA-compliant software. The initiative is designed not only to improve access but also to support sustainable and innovative care delivery models that can be integrated into existing clinical workflows. Funding is provided in the form of equipment awards valued at up to 25000 dollars per organization. Rather than direct cash disbursements, the program will purchase and ship approved equipment to awardees. The performance period is 12 months, during which recipients must implement the equipment, integrate it into service delivery, and provide outcome data. The grant explicitly prohibits indirect costs and does not cover ongoing operational expenses, though limited implementation support, technical assistance, and telehealth training may be provided if requested in the application. Eligibility is limited to legally recognized organizations operating in Tennessee that demonstrate the capacity to effectively utilize telehealth equipment and serve populations facing healthcare access barriers. Eligible applicants include federally qualified health centers, rural health clinics, hospitals, community mental health centers, local health departments, nonprofit organizations, school-based providers, academic institutions, and tribal health entities. The program prioritizes applicants serving rural counties, particularly those designated as Health Professional Shortage Areas, and those demonstrating broadband readiness, strong partnerships, and clear sustainability plans. A majority of Tennessee counties are considered rural for this program, with several urban counties excluded. The application process requires submission through the InfoReady portal, with access coordinated through program contacts when necessary. Applicants must provide a comprehensive proposal including an organizational overview, statement of need, detailed equipment justification, current telehealth capacity assessment, sustainability plan, data and evaluation plan, and a budget narrative. Each section is scored according to defined evaluation criteria emphasizing community need, implementation feasibility, and long-term impact. A detailed narrative is required to explain how the proposed equipment aligns with the needs of the target population and supports planned services. The application deadline is July 3, 2026, at 5 PM Central Time, with questions accepted via email until shortly before June 24, 2026. Award announcements are tentatively scheduled for July 31, 2026. The program anticipates awarding at least four equipment packages through a competitive review process. During the implementation period, awardees must track utilization metrics, maintain HIPAA compliance, and participate in evaluation activities to demonstrate program outcomes. This funding opportunity does not explicitly indicate recurring cycles, suggesting it may be a one-time or limited-cycle initiative. The focus on equipment acquisition and implementation underscores the program’s goal of rapidly expanding telehealth capacity across rural Tennessee while laying the groundwork for sustainable, technology-enabled healthcare delivery systems.

Align equipment requests clearly with community need; demonstrate broadband readiness and workflow integration; provide strong sustainability and evaluation plans; emphasize service to rural and high-need populations