Rural Grant Technical Assistance and Capacity Building Program
Program Overview
The Rural Grant Technical Assistance and Capacity Building (TA/CB) program, funded by HRSA's Federal Office of Rural Health Policy (FORHP), provides comprehensive support to organizations in the Northern Border Region. As part of the Northern Border Region Technical Assistance Center (NBR-TAC) program, we assist the Northern Border Regions in Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, and northern New York by offering specialized grant support to enhance rural health and wellness initiatives.
We empower non-profit and community-based organizations to enhance rural healthcare delivery through targeted technical assistance, resource development, and sustainable program implementation. Our work focuses on building lasting capacity for rural health initiatives while ensuring long-term program sustainability.
Core Program Goals
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We can help rural organizations identify and pursue relevant funding opportunities, connecting them with federal, state, and private funding sources aligned with their mission and capabilities.
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Our program strengthens organizations' ability to compete effectively for grants through targeted technical assistance, resource provision, and application development support.
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We provide comprehensive support for successful grant administration, ensuring organizations can effectively manage their awards and meet all compliance requirements.
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Our approach emphasizes developing sustainable programming strategies, helping organizations build long-term operational capacity beyond initial grant funding.
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We assist in creating and maintaining resources that support continued program operations, focusing on both immediate and long-term organizational needs.
Access Services & Support Through…
Direct Technical Assistance (TA)
One-on-one technical consultation and assistance tailored to your organization's needs
Personalized guidance through grant applications and management
Program design and budget development support
Network Development
Partner connection facilitation
Professional network building
Collaboration opportunity identification
Access to rural health experts and practitioners
Curated Resources
Curated resource library (linked below)
Grant application templates and tools
Best practices documentation
Curated Resources
Grant Writing Support
We maintain an extensive collection of grant writing resources, including:
Federal grant writing manuals and guides
Application templates and examples
Budget development tools
Compliance requirement documentation
Funding Research Support
Support with navigating comprehensive funding databases and search tools:
Federal grant opportunity listings
State-specific funding resources
Private foundation directories
Rural-focused funding programs
Upcoming Grant Opportunities
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Rural Health Network Development Planning Program
Due 02/19/2025
HRSA Funded
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Rural Maternity and Obstetrics Management Strategies Program
Due 04/22/2025
HRSA Funded
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New England Environmental Justice Thriving Communities
First Round Due 03/07/2025
EPA Funded
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Catalyst Program
Pre-Application Due 03/07/2025
Contact and Next Steps
For program support and inquiries, connect with us!
Ashley Mills brings extensive expertise in rural healthcare development and grant implementation to the New England Rural Health Association's TA/CB Program. With over 15 years of experience in healthcare and nonprofit management, she offers a unique perspective that combines hands-on rural healthcare experience with comprehensive grant management expertise.
Ashley's approach to TA draws from her multifaceted experience in the grant lifecycle - as an applicant, recipient, reviewer, and federal site visitor. Her expertise spans the full spectrum of grant management, from initial program design through evaluation and reporting. She has successfully led multiple federal grant initiatives focused on rural health, managing complex multi-year projects and partnerships. Her work has directly supported rural healthcare organizations in developing sustainable programs addressing critical areas such as behavioral health integration, care coordination, and social determinants of health.
As a reviewer for federal programs, Ashley brings unique insight into what makes applications successful. She has evaluated proposals for multiple federal agencies and understands both the technical requirements and narrative elements that strengthen applications. This perspective, combined with her experience in program implementation, allows her to guide organizations in developing proposals that are both compelling and practically achievable.
Ashley's dedication to community health is grounded in her early career as a Behavioral Health Professional and Case Manager in Maine's rural communities, where she experienced firsthand the challenges of healthcare access and delivery in rural settings. This foundation, coupled with her Master's in Health Administration from St. Joseph's College of Maine, and continued work with community health centers and community-based organizations nationally, she provides practical, results-oriented guidance to organizations seeking to enhance their rural health services and create sustainable programs.
Liz Urbanski-Farrell is a healthcare leader with 15+ years of experience driving impact in rural health. She has managed over $17M in association member benefit projects, secured millions in grants for rural New York organizations, and led successful site certifications for school-based mental health clinics.
As a New York State Public Health Corps Senior Fellow, Liz supported grant management, site certification, chronic disease management support and public health data analysis and reporting for the Rural Outreach Center and the Erie County Department of Health. She previously served as a corporate executive overseeing homecare, hospice, and rural PACE program, and led a statewide rural health organization. For a dozen years, Liz served as an association executive with a regional affiliate of the Healthcare Association of New York State, where she represented and supported outpatient care and acute community and rural facilities along with large healthcare systems and nursing homes. She serves on the Board of Directors for Healthy Community Alliance rural health network in Gowanda, NY, and is a member of the public policy committee of the New York State Association for Rural Health.
Liz holds an MBA in Healthcare Leadership from Cornell’s SC Johnson Graduate School of Business, an MS in Health Research & Policy from Weill Cornell Graduate School of Medical Sciences, and a BA in Communications & Journalism from Buffalo State University. In an early career as an award-winning journalist, she researched and wrote about health and social services, technology, business, farming and outdoor environment, and public policy across Upstate and Western New York. She has lived in Albany and the Southern Tier and currently resides in Western New York.