Monday, Gov. Kay Ivey announced the awarding of $30 million in COVID-19 relief recovery funds to Alabama’s rural hospitals.

The funding is derived from the state’s portion of American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) dollars that the Alabama Legislature appropriated in January.

In a statement announcing the grant award, Ivey touched on the critical role rural hospitals play in meeting the citizenry’s health care needs.

“Being someone who calls the Black Belt home, it is important for me to ensure the folks in our state’s rural areas have the resources they need,” stated Ivey. “Rural hospitals are the primary health care for so many of our citizens, and I know this funding will go a long way.”

According to the governor’s office, the state of Alabama will offer grants in an amount based on bed count for providers that meet eligibility requirements. The application period for the Rural Hospitals COVID Recovery Grant program will be open from noon, March 14 through noon, April 1, 2022.

Last week, Ivey announced that she had allocated $40 million to the Alabama Hospital Association for the state’s hospitals.

Dylan Smith is a staff writer for Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on Twitter @DylanSmithAL