Grant Programs forTelemedicine &

Distance Learning

Kent Brooks & Associates

December 15, 2004

Public Telecommunications Facilities Program (PTFP) –National Telecommunications and Information Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce - Focus = Equipment

Distance Learning and Telemedicine Grant Program (DLT) –Rural Utilities Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture - Focus = Equipment

Public Telecommunications Facilities Program (PTFP)

Distance Learning Grants

Distance Learning Grants• Activate Telecommunications Facility

• Extend Telecommunications Facility

• NOT “IMPROVE” (replace equipment)

• Must have television (video) component

• Videoconferencing equipment supported

• NOT JUST INTERNET TEXT-BASED LEARNING

Variety of Technologies

• Satellite Interconnection

• ITFS; Microwave

• Fiber; DS3; Telephone Lines

• Internet; ATM/SONET

• Cable channel

• Portion of Digital Broadcast Signal

Distance Learning & Telemedicine

Grant and Loan Programs

Telecommunications Program

Rural Utilities Service

U. S. Department of Agriculture

Program Purpose

The Distance Learning & Telemedicine

Program is designed to encourage and

improve distance learning and telemedicine

services in rural areas through the use of

telecommunications, computer networks,

and related advanced technologies.

Applicant Eligibility

• Deliver or proposing to deliver distance learning or telemedicine services

• Be an incorporated organization or partnership

• An Indian tribe or tribal organization;• A state or local unit of government, a

consortium; or

Applicant Eligibility• Other legal entity such as a private

corporation either not-for-profit or for profit

• Be operating a rural community facility

• Be delivering distance learning or telemedicine services to entities at rates that ensure that the economic value and benefits of the DLT grant are passed on to other entities or to residents of rural areas

• NOTE: RUS electric and telecommunications borrowers are eligible for loans only

Rurality Requirement

Rurality is significant in two ways . . .

1. For project eligibility to qualify for the DLT Program

2. As a scoring criterion to rank eligible projects

Rurality Requirement

To Qualify for the DLT Program . . .

A project must meet a minimum eligibility

of 20 points based on a rurality calculation

that determines the extent to which a

project serves rural areas.

Rurality Requirement

As a Scoring Criterion . . .

Once it is determined that a project serves a

rural area, the project may be awarded points

based on the relative rurality of a project’s

service area.

Rurality Requirement Calculation & Considerations

• Each end-user site will receive points. The final score is the average score for all end-user sites included in the project.

• If the hub is utilized as an end-user site & hub – the hub must be included as one of the end-user sites for the rurality calculation

• A project’s rurality calculation must be based on the 2000 U.S. Census data

Rurality Calculation Table• Exceptionally Rural 45 points

(population 5,000 or less)

• Rural Area 30 points

(population: 5,001 - 10,000)

• Mid-Rural Area 15 points

(population: 10,001 - 20,000)

• Urban Area 0 points

DLT Grant Program

• Seven Scoring Criteria 4 Objective & 3 Subjective

• Competitive process based on points scored

• Total possible points - 225

Grant Program• Objective Scoring Criteria

– Comparative Rurality of the Project Service Area (Up to 45 Points)

– Ability to Leverage Resources(15 % minimum match) (Up to 35 Points)

NOTE: Although 15% makes you eligible it will take 50% to be competitive

– Economic Need of the Applicant’s Service Area as estimated by the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) (Up to 35 Points)

– Project Participation in Enterprise Zone/Empowerment communities (EZ/ECs) and Champion Communities(Up to 15 Points).

Grant Program

• Subjective Scoring Criteria:

– Innovativeness (Up to 15 Points)

– Cost Effectiveness of the System(Up to 35 Points)

– Need for Services and Benefits Derived from Services (Up to 55 Points)

Grant Eligible Purposes

- Acquiring (lease or purchase) eligible equipment. Eligible equipment means:• computer hardware and software• audio or video equipment• computer network components• telecommunications terminal equipment• data terminal equipment• inside wiring• interactive video equipment

Grant Eligible Purposes

- Acquiring instructional programming.

• Educational material, including computer software, which would be used for educational purposes in connection with eligible equipment but does not include salaries, benefits, and overhead of medical or educational personnel.

Grant Eligible Purposes Limited to 10% of the Grant

− Technical Assistance

• Assistance in learning to manage, operate, or use equipment or systems

• Studies, analyses, designs, reports, manuals, guides, literature, or other forms of creating, acquiring, or disseminating information.

• Instruction for using eligible equipment, including any related software

Grant Eligible Purposes Limited to 10% of the Grant

- Developing instructional programming

- Providing engineering or environmental studies relating to the establishment or expansion of the phase of the project being financed with the grant.

Ineligible Grant Purposes Include

• Salaries, wages, or employee benefits to medical or educational personnel

• Salaries or administrative expenses of the applicant or the project

• Acquisition, installation, or construction of telecommunications transmission facilities

• Site development and the destruction or alteration of buildings

• The purchase land or buildings or for building construction

DLT Grant ProgramFY 2005

• Application Window Closes February 1

• Competitive Application Process

• 15% Required Matching Contribution 50% needed to be competitive

• $50,000 Minimum/$500,000 Maximum

Grant ProgramFY 2003

• 266 Applications received

• 234 Eligible for review

• 84 Grant Recipients - $32.5 million

• 57 Educational & 27 Medical Projects

• 42 States Benefit

Grant ProgramFY 2004

• 329 Applications received

• 274 Eligible for review

• 66 Awards $24 million

KBA 2003 Grant Cycle Successes

• 3 out of 5 Oklahoma USDA Awards

• All of Arkansas USDA Awards

• 2 Additional Department of Commerce Educational Projects

KBA 2004 Grant Cycle Successes

• 10 RUS projects were funded1. 3 Arkansas

2. 2 New Mexico

3. 2 Texas

4. 1 Missouri

5. 1 Iowa (Teleradiology)

6. 1 Oklahoma

All RUS awards can be viewed at: http://www.usda.gov/rus/telecom/dlt/awards_index.htm

KBA 2004 Grant Cycle Successes

• 2 Additional Department of Commerce Educational Projects announced Sept 23, 2004

• 2004 Commerce awards can be viewed at:

– http://www.ntia.doc.gov/ptfp/Projects/2004/ptfpfactsheet_2004.htm

My/Our History?1. Kent Brooks background is in IT management at the community college

with a special interest in video conferencing/ distance learning2. Began writing institutional grants in 1993 (contract work in 1997)3. Began writing USDA grants in 1998 (contract USDA work in 2002)4. Vendors and other institutions noticed my budget coffers were always full

and began to ask why (simply grants changed that job for me forever). 5. Contract work requests began prior to 2001 funding cycle, however, many

issues converged the largest of which was being furloughed 1 day per week during difficult state budget times following 9/11. Although I still had a great job the ‘furlough factor’ more than any other item encouraged me to start Kent Brooks & Associates to take greater advantage of opportunities for grant consulting and training.

6. Until 2003 success rate with USDA was 100% 7. In 2003 success rate was 50% (We chose a few risky projects) 8. In 2004 success rate was 50% (Competition was tougher than ever)9. Our success rate with Dept of Commerce PTFP is still 100%10. We write mostly telecom related grants, but occasionally try something

else such as our 2003 Aline-Cleo (OK) Foreign Language Grant which was funded

Why us? or Why are we successful?

1. Providing opportunity for rural America through telecommunications technologies is my passion and thus the passion of this company

2. We don’t take projects which we don’t think have a chance3. We have a formula and we stick to it

• Position project as best as you can through demographics• Make a case for the need of a project• Make the narrative simple and yet interesting

4. Grant Experience. We are very familiar with this grant.• Trends and past history for funding• Political trends

5. Technical Experience I can do the telecom part6. We are motivated to look for ways to put you in the best possible

position to be funded because we don’t get paid much unless you get funded.

Where From Here?

• What is your vision• Survey info• Commitment and Support Letters• Equipment Specs and pricing• Budget• Government Obligation Documents• USDA = paper application • Commerce = paper + electronic

Kent Brooks & Associates1509 N Main #177Altus, OK 73521

kentbrooks@kentbrooks.comcelianippert@kentbrooks.com

chadwiginton@kentbrooks.com