• Small rural hospital face challenges in finding funding for equipment purchases.hospital surgery operating room image by alma_sacra from Fotolia.com
  
  Rural hospitals often serve a wide-ranging population with limited financial resources for new or upgraded equipment. According to the American Hospital Association, rural hospitals serve over 54 million people in the United States. Grant funding to purchase equipment for rural hospitals may come from federal and state government funds or grants from private or public foundations.
  
  

Office of Rural Health Policy

• The Health Resources and Services Administration makes grants available through the Office of Rural Health Policy to hospitals and health care centers that seek to improve health care for under-served populations. It offers several grant programs for rural hospitals and health care centers, including grants for equipment. The availability of these programs depends upon federal funding each fiscal year, and hospitals should apply for funding via Grants.gov.
  
  

Rural Development Housing and Community Facilities Programs

• The U.S. Department of Agriculture provides grants through the Rural Development Housing and Community Facilities Programs to develop community buildings such as hospitals and health care centers in rural areas and towns with populations of less than 20,000. The USDA awards grants for capital and equipment funds that depend on the income and population of the rural area. Interested organizations submit their applications to a local USDA Rural Development field office.
  
  

National Emergency Medicine Association

• The National Emergency Medicine Association--a public nonprofit--awards grants to organizations in the areas of emergency response and trauma, for research and equipment funds. The association awards grants each December to hospitals, health care and trauma centers in rural and urban areas.
  
  National Emergency Medicine Association
  
  Attn: Kelly A. Herzog, President
  
  P.O. Box 69
  
  Nottingham, MD 21128
  
  410-256-3474
  
  nemahealth.org
  
  

Chatlos Foundation

• The Chatlos Foundation's grants go to hospitals and medical facilities for program-related expenses, general expenses and equipment. Grants for medical concerns consist of about 26 percent of its grant awards as of 2010, and range in size from $5,000 to $25,000. The Chatlos Foundation awards grants to small rural hospitals as well as larger urban hospitals, and accepts grant proposals throughout the year.
  
  Chatlos Foundation
  
  P.O. Box 915048
  
  Longwood, FL 32791-5048
  
  407-862-5077
  
  chatlos.org
  
  

Kresge Foundation

• The Kresge Foundation seeks to foster healthy communities in under-served urban and rural areas by awarding grants for capital and major equipment expenses. The Foundation engages in several initiatives related to health, including funding for hospital and health care centers throughout the United States. The foundation awards direct grants and challenge grants, where the recipient must match a certain percentage of the grant with funds from other sources.
  
  The Kresge Foundation
  
  3215 W. Beaver Road
  
  Troy, MI 48084-2818
  
  248-643-9630
  
  kresge.org