On Wednesday, the U.S. Department of Agriculture announced the establishment of a program under the American Rescue Plan it said would expand rural hospitals and providers’ access to COVID-19 vaccines, testing, and supplies, while helping rural health care providers stay financially solvent in the long-term.

The initial awards of the Emergency Rural Health Care grants total $43 million and will benefit 2.2 million people who live and work in rural America.

Awardees include 93 rural health care organizations and community groups across 22 states.

This announcement is part of the Biden administration’s Rural Infrastructure Tour, a multi-faceted outreach effort involving cabinet and sub-cabinet officials across federal agencies as they travel to and learn from rural communities across the country.

“USDA used an all-hands-on-deck approach to create the Emergency Rural Health Care grants program to address a variety of immediate health care needs and services in rural communities,” said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. “The American Rescue Plan Act and this program are examples of the government’s ability to respond quickly to ensure every person and family has access to high-quality health care no matter their zip code.”

In total, the program will use up to $475 million in grants provided by President Biden’s American Rescue Plan to expand rural hospitals and providers. Additional awards will be announced in the coming months.

The grants USDA is awarding will help rural hospitals and health care providers implement telehealth and nutrition assistance programs, increase staffing to administer COVID-19 vaccines and testing, build or renovate facilities and purchase medical supplies. In Minnesota, Appleton Area Health will use a $174,300 grant to upgrade telehealth and telemedicine capabilities and replace hospital equipment.

The investments announced today will expand health care services in Minnesota, Florida, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Michigan, Missouri, Montana, North Carolina, New Hampshire, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Texas, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia and Wyoming.