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Program Purpose and Mission:
Advanced telecommunications services play a
vital role in the economic development, education
and health care of rural Americans. The Distance
Learning and Telemedicine (DLT) Program is specifically
designed to meet the educational and health
care needs of rural America through the use
of advanced telecommunications technologies.
With DLT grants, loans, and loan-grant combinations,
we help rural communities enjoy enhanced educational
opportunities, improved health care services
and greater economic development.
Our partnership with rural America is long-standing.
For over 55 years, the Telecommunications Program
has been at the forefront of providing the infrastructure
financing that brought advanced telecommunications
services to the most rural areas of our country.
Today, Rural Development's Telecommunications
Program continues as an essential source of
financing and technical assistance for rural
telecommunication systems. The DLT Grant Program
strengthens that partnership and commitment
by continuing to improve the quality of life
for rural citizens.
Telemedicine technology makes it possible for
doctors to examine and direct the treatment
of patients from remote treatment centers. The
technology gives rural residents access to medical
specialists not often available in remote areas.
The distance learning program finances equipment
to expand educational resources to students
and educational institutions in isolated rural
areas.
Program Investment:
Since 2002, USDA has invested more than $166
million in its Distance Learning and Telemedicine
(DLT) Program, allowing 3,796 rural educational
facilities to expand their access to modern
telecommunications technology, and 2,226 health
care institutions to develop technologies needed
to enhance local medical care. The competitive
grant program experiences heavy demand, as the
following chart illustrates:
| Yr. |
No.
of Grant Applications Recv'd
|
Total
Grant $ Requested
|
Eligible
Grant $
|
No.
of Grant Applications Determined Eligible
|
Number
of Grants Awarded
|
Total Grant
$ Awarded |
| 2004 |
332
|
$118,279,259 |
$70,822,913 |
274
|
63
|
$24,604,673 |
| 2005 |
223
|
$79,678,209 |
$55,402,078 |
162
|
79
|
$29,410,012 |
| 2006 |
225
|
$64,520,436 |
$36,355,914 |
146
|
102
|
$25,853,991 |
Background of the Study:
A review of the performance of the DLT Grant
Program was undertaken as part of the Performance
Analysis and Rating Tool (available at www.expectmore.gov).
A statistically valid, randomly selected sample
of DLT grants was selected and grantees were
contacted. The total number of grants reviewed
for status was 84. The current status of the
project funded under the grant was recorded
and the status was rated according to a 1 to
6 scale. The rating system used distinguishes
between grant projects that are not yet completed
but meeting their deployment schedules vs. those
grant projects that are not yet completed and
not meeting their deployment schedules. Telecommunications
Program field staff are currently contacting
those grantees which are behind schedule.
Report Summary [.pdf]
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