Frequently Asked Questions

Include all subrecipient costs, such as personnel, travel, equipment, and training, in the Consultants/Contractual Services category of the budget, and break out the individual costs in the Budget Narrative. If it is easier, you may also break out subrecipient costs on a separate tab of the budget workbook.

An organization is not limited to one application. All applications will be graded by the same criteria.

Applicants must be legal entities operating in, or directly serving, one or more of Utah's rural counties as defined by the Utah Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS). Eligible applicants may include healthcare providers, health systems, community health centers, local health departments, educational institutions, and other organizations partnering to expand telehealth access in rural Utah. Refer to the RFA for the complete eligibility criteria.

We do not want to deter any organization from applying based on location. An out-of-state organization with committed partnerships serving rural Utah communities may lead the application process, particularly if it is best positioned to prepare the application. However, grant funding may need to be channeled through the Utah-based partner. Before applying, confirm that your Utah-based partner understands and agrees to that funding arrangement.

Yes. An organization that represents member entities may apply on their behalf, provided the application clearly identifies which member organizations will deliver services and how the project supports LIFT goals in rural Utah.

Yes. Participation in another RHTP initiative does not disqualify an organization from applying for LIFT funding. The application asks you to list other funding you are receiving so we can ensure projects are not double-funded. Project scope may overlap across initiatives, but the same equipment or activities cannot be funded by more than one source.

Eligibility follows the DHHS definition of rural, which excludes Salt Lake, Davis, Utah, and Weber counties. Projects must serve one or more of Utah's rural counties. See the RFA for the full county list.

Yes. An organization is not limited to a single application. All applications will be evaluated using the same scoring criteria. A single submitter account can only have one application in process at a time. To start a second application before the first is submitted, it must be initiated from a different individual account. The second account holder can add you as a collaborator to enter information, but the person who starts the application must submit it and will serve as the contact for correspondence on that application.

No. This is not an annual competitive process for existing subgrantees. Awards are renewed each year over the life of the program, provided the organization remains compliant with all reporting and programmatic requirements, which will be provided at the time of award.

If known, all planned or potential partners should be listed in your initial application, even those expected to join in later years or cohorts. The more detail provided at the outset, the better we can plan funding allocations across the life of the program. We hope early success supports expansion, and identifying anticipated partners up front helps make that possible. However, all known partners or developments might not be known at the time of application. We ask that potential partners or types of partnerships that could develop be listed in the initial application to the best of your ability.

Statements or letters of intent and letters of commitment are acceptable at the application stage. Formal agreements such as executed Memoranda of Understanding are not required to apply; additional documentation may be requested before funds are awarded. This approach is intended to keep the application process moving quickly.

Yes. Equipment that pairs with telehealth or remote patient monitoring technology is eligible, as long as the application demonstrates how it supports the initiatives of the program. If the equipment helps telehealth services reach and treat rural patients, include that justification in your application.

Yes. Projects that package equipment with associated training courses or clinician education are eligible, provided the combined project supports virtual care delivery and the goals of the LIFT Initiative in rural areas.

Yes, funds may be used to grow or scale an existing telehealth program, but funding must support new elements of the program, such as expanded reach, new sites, new services, or new capacity. RHTP funds cannot duplicate or supplant existing funding for activities already underway.

Yes. Projects should be implementation-ready and include a plan for sustainability. RHTP funding is time-limited, and projects cannot create ongoing financial obligations for the state after the program ends. Applications should describe how the project will continue or transition once grant funding concludes.

Minor renovations or facility upgrades needed to support a telehealth project may be allowable. If the renovation is for a subrecipient, list it under the Consultants/Contractual Services category and clarify what the funding is for in the Budget Narrative. Note that federal RHTP rules place limits on capital and construction spending, so clearly describe the purpose and scope of any facility-related costs.

Yes, to an extent. Fees paid for clinical telehealth services can be an allowable use of funds. However, CMS caps provider payments at 15% of the state's total RHTP funds, so requests of this type are evaluated across all projects and RHTP initiatives statewide to remain under the cap. See the CMS Provider Payments Fact Sheet for the federal definition of provider payments.

LIFT is federally funded through CMS and administered under a subrecipient agreement with DHHS. Funded organizations must comply with applicable federal requirements, including 2 CFR Part 200 (Uniform Guidance), and will be subject to reporting, subrecipient monitoring, and audit requirements. Detailed reporting expectations will be provided at the time of award, and continued annual funding is contingent on compliance.