Workforce Resource Roundup
Funding Opportunities to Recruit, Retain, and Upskill Nurses
The need for nurses in long-term care has never been greater. Whether you have an LPN aspiring to upskill to RN, an RN looking to pay off school debt, or a CNA who dreams of a nursing career, the Federal Nurse Corps offers scholarships and loan repayment opportunities in exchange for two-to-three-year work commitments in nursing homes like yours. Read on to learn more.
Eligibility:
To be eligible for Nurse Corps, your facility must be located in a Health Professional Shortage Area (HPSA) with a HPSA score of 14 points or higher. HPSA points are awarded based on access factors in either primary care or mental health including population-to-provider ratios, poverty rates, and travel time to the nearest source of care.
To check your area’s primary care and mental health HPSA scores, follow this link and enter your facility’s address: Find Shortage Areas by Address
Registration:
You must register your facility with the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) to participate in Nurse Corps. Registration opens in mid-January, at which time HRSA will begin accepting applications for new facilities. Follow these steps to register:
- Visit the HRSA Program Portal
- Make an account and designate a point of contact for your facility
- Select “Create New Site”
- Enter your facility’s information and submit
If you have any questions, call HRSA at: 1-800-221-9393.
Scholarships:
The Nurse Corps Scholarship Program offers wonderful career advancement opportunities for current and aspiring nurses in the following disciplines:
- Diploma School of Nursing,
- Associate Degree School of Nursing (ADN),
- Collegiate School of Nursing (BSN, graduate degree),
- Graduate-Level Nurse Practitioner Nursing Bridge Program (RN to BSN, RN to MSN-NP, and Direct Entry MSN-NP).
The scholarships help cover the costs of tuition, books, and other school fees, and also provide a monthly support stipend of around $1,527 before taxes. The program also provides other support to recipients, including connecting them with other nurses.
To qualify for these benefits, Nurse Corps Scholarship recipients must spend between two and four years after graduation working full-time in an eligible facility (located in a HPSA with a score of 14 points or higher in either primary care or mental health, whichever is higher). To receive service credit, the Nurse Corps Scholarship Program must approve the site prior to the acceptance of employment.
More information for applicants:
Loan Repayment:
Nurse Corps is specifically focused on helping working RNs, Advanced Practice Registered Nurses (APRNS) or employed nurse faculties with school loans. Applicants must be employed full-time, working at least 32 hours per week. Nurse Corps offers 60% loan repayment for a two-year commitment of full-time service at a Critical Shortage Facility (CSF), and an additional 25% loan repayment for an optional 3rd year. Residential nursing homes and skilled nursing facilities are eligible for CSF status if they are in a federally designated HPSA. To receive service credit, the Nurse Corps Scholarship Program must approve the site prior to the acceptance of employment.
More information for applicants:
- Nurse Corps Loan Repayment Program Fiscal Year 2023 Application and Program Guidance
- The Nurse Corps Loan Repayment Program
