Rural Diabetes Intervention Program Funders

Rural diabetes prevention and management programs are supported by a variety of public and private sources of funding or more time-limited grants and contracts. Potential funders for rural communities include entities at the national, regional, and state level. This may include government agencies, foundations, associations, and organizations that offer resources and funding for diabetes prevention and management programs. Awareness of available funding opportunities is critical for successful sustainability planning.

To review potential funders, see Funders of Rural Programs in the Rural Community Health Toolkit. RHIhub's Online Library also provides a list of active and inactive diabetes funding opportunities. More information about building relationships with philanthropies can be found in A Guide to Working with Rural Philanthropy.

Examples of Federal Agencies that Support Rural Diabetes Programs

• Multiple grant programs of the Federal Office of Rural Health Policy (FORHP) within the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) provide funding for rural programs focused on diabetes. For example, many federal grantees of the Delta States Rural Development Grant Program and the Rural Health Outreach Grant Program are addressing risk factors of and treatment for diabetes.
• The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases within the National Institutes of Health (NIH) is a key funder of diabetes research.
• The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) offers funding for diabetes prevention and management programs through the National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, including the Division of Diabetes Translation.
• The Indian Health Service (IHS) funds IHS, Tribal, and Urban Indian Health Programs to support diabetes prevention and management programs among American Indian and Alaska Native populations through the Special Diabetes Program for Indians.

National Associations that Support Rural Diabetes Programs

• The American Diabetes Association funds research programs, community-based programs, and interventions focused on specific topic areas, such as cardiovascular disease comorbidities.
• The National Recreation and Park Association funds chronic disease management programs that focus on promoting physical activity.

Examples of State Agencies that Support Rural Diabetes Programs

State agencies, including departments of health and public health, have funded rural diabetes programs. Rural communities may investigate agencies at the local, county, regional, and state level for available opportunities, such as grant programs focused on chronic disease management or disparities. Examples of state agencies that have funded rural diabetes programs include:

• The Colorado Department of Public Health & Environment's Health Disparities Grant Program
• The Minnesota Department of Health's Eliminating Health Disparities Initiative
• The Tennessee Department of Health's Project Diabetes

Examples of Foundations that Support Rural Diabetes Programs

• The Foundation for the Mid South helps address diabetes in rural Arkansas, Louisiana, and Mississippi.
• The Elevance Health Foundation supports diverse community health programs, such as diabetes self-management programs in rural Kentucky.
• The Helmsley Charitable Trust funds programs focused on improving outcomes for people with type 1 diabetes and preventing and delaying type 1 diabetes.