NRHA https://www.RuralHealthWeb.org has received a one-time unrestricted donation in the amount of $7 million from philanthropist and author MacKenzie Scott.
“The funds will be utilized in the priority areas of rural leadership development, health equity, state capacity building, and educational and policy programing,” said NRHA CEO Alan Morgan.
NRHA staff will work directly with the association’s elected member leaders to complete a rural health environmental scan and establish a process to ensure these funds are allocated to projects that will demonstrate a clear outcome and provide a direct benefit in the health of rural communities.
NRHA has a strong grassroots network that helped secure more than $21 billion in emergency funding for rural healthcare providers, worked directly with federal agencies to boost rural COVID-19 vaccine confidence and uptake, and ensured vital legislative and regulatory changes to allow rural patients to receive healthcare via telehealth during the pandemic.
NRHA has also worked directly with rural hospitals, rural health clinics, and FQHCs across the country to ensure they have the resources to care for their communities.
Backed by longstanding support from private and public partners, NRHA and members have initiated and implemented critical rural programming that comprises three fourths of the association’s overall revenue.
This includes developing and supporting 43 state rural health associations across the country, training and creating a network of more than 2,000 community health workers, developing rural medical education programming, and convening and establishing border health and oral health initiatives. Additionally for 27 years, NRHA has convened the Health Equity Council and Health Equity Conference.