RAIN is a Rural Technology Network established in 1989 as a Community Economic Development, Education and
Health Organization. RAIN Network's main office is located in Santa Barbara, California.
RAIN Network is now in its 23rd year of service as a Santa Barbara based health organization dedicated to
bringing Education, Health and Community Development Resources to children, women, low income families, and seniors.
The core goal of RAIN Network has been to find new and innovative ways to make education and health information
technology available to parts of our Community who often do not have access to or help in accessing these important
resources.
RAIN Network has always worked to bring multiple Agencies together to create new programs which can be made
available to the Community. Since 1989 the Network has focused on the use of new Technologies to improve health and
education in the community. Through National Science Foundation and USDA funding RAIN established the California
Distance Learning and Telemedicine Network in 1991.
The roots of the Network are deeply woven into the soil of "Community Networking". One of the original purposes of
the Network was to help the City of Santa Barbara, California develop a bi-lingual Community Health and Education
Network.
In the years since that beginning RAIN has helped begin "Community" level distance learning and telemedicine
programs and helped establish Internet connectivity in 150 rural communities in California and the Southwest as
well as helping start Public Health and Education programs in Belize and Costa Rica.
RAIN Network operates one of the leading Rural Development services in the United States. We have received 2 AOL
community technology awards and a Smithsonian Institution Technology Innovation Award.
In all of our projects RAIN has worked to build local involvement, expand local resources and create new jobs in the rural communities
served.
RAIN Network represents a very well designed, comprehensive regional Internet System which, through funding from
USDA and other Federal and State Agencies, has developed the resources to provide essential Job Training,
Telemedicine, Distance Learning, and Rural Development services where they are most needed. The Network is able to
provide a significant range of technology applications including Direct Secure Messaging, Health Information Exchange, live and streaming Internet video, secure
telemedicine data and image transfer, classroom and community level distance learning programs, Small Farm and Ranch
economic development, land, water and crop management training and GIS mapping.
Project Experience:
2011-2012 - CalHIPSO Platinum Service Partner - California EHR Incentive Program
2010 - California State Rural Health Association Rural Hospital Technology Assessment
2008-2009 - California Council for the Humanities - Rural California Local History video and web development grant. This project will develop video and web based resources for a series of local history videos which will tell the story of life in Rural California today. The focus of the Local History Project is on work with youth, seniors and rural community families.
2007- 2009 - Ventura County First 5 and the Ventura Pediatric Diagnostic Center - telemedicine and family wellness, Continuing Medical Education and telemedicine video development grant.
2001-2004 - US Department of Agriculture distance learning and telemedicine
grant linking 150 rural communities in California, Arizona, New Mexico and
Colorado.
2002-2003 - US Geological Survey - Southern California GIS metadata grant for development of telemedicine and community resource GIS maps.
2000-2001 - US Department of Defense Electronic Commerce Resource Center, California. Small business and rural area e-commerce training.
1999 - 2000 - U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development and University of California, Santa Barbara, CYFAR (Children, Youth and Families at Risk) Project.
2001- 2002 - Albertsons Corporation Health Neighborhood grant providing Community Wellness and Telehealth services in Santa Barbara, Ventura and
San Luis Obispo Counties.
2001-2003 - California Consumer Protection Foundation "My Future" education and community wellness grant working with Hispanic youth and families in Santa Barbara County.
2000-2001 - US Department of Agriculture distance learning and telemedicine
grant linking 24 rural communities in California. Providing school, health clinic
and library connectivity, technology literacy training for teachers, physicians and
regional health care professionals. Development of new GIS interface tools and
rural clinic GIS data maps.
1998-1999- US Department of Agriculture distance learning and Telemedicine
award linking 16 rural communities and health clinics in Central California with
new education web, GIS and telemedicine resources.
1998-2002 - California Department of Education Technology Literacy grant, in
partnership with Oro Grande and Los Angeles School Districts, curriculum
development for K-12 schools in California and Teacher Technology Skills
training program development.
1997-1998 - US Department of Agriculture distance learning and Telemedicine
grant linking 9 rural communities & clinics in Central California with new
education web, GIS and telemedicine resources. Working in partnerships with
the Cities of Nipomo, Guadalupe, Oak View, New Cuyama, Shandon, Oro
Grande, Los Angeles, Palm Springs and San Bernardino.
1993-1996 - National Science Foundation - Pacific Rim Education and
Telemedicine Technology Development grant Program.
Awards:
1999 - Smithsonian Institution Technology Innovation Award - Technology in Schools