The purpose of the Rural Access to Emergency Devices (RAED) Grant Program is to provide funding to rural community partnerships to purchase automated external defibrillators (AEDs) that have been approved, or cleared for marketing by the Food and Drug Administration; and provide defibrillator and basic life support training in AED usage through the American Heart Association, the American Red Cross, or other nationally recognized training courses. A community partnership is composed of local emergency response entities such as  ommunity training facilities, local emergency responders, fire and rescue departments, police, community hospitals, and local non-profit entities and for-profit entities.

In the past, AEDs have been placed in colleges, universities, community centers, local businesses, law enforcement and ambulance vehicles, fire trucks, 911 dispatch centers, and offices. The grant creates opportunities to educate the public on AEDs via advertisements, news media, schools, churches, shopping malls, restaurants, home owner associations, businesses, local government bodies, security firms, etc. The deadline for Applications is February 28, 2011. Read the announcement here.