Opportunity Information: Apply for HRSA 11 041
Apply for HRSA 11 041
- The Health Resources and Services Administration in the health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Affordable Care Act (ACA) Nurse Education, Practice, Quality and Retention (NEPQR) Program" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.359 Nurse Education, Practice Quality and Retention Grants.
- This funding opportunity was created on Dec 6, 2010 and posted on Dec 6, 2010.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Jan 21, 2011. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- The funding agency has allocated a total of $10,310,909.00 to eligible and selected applicants.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 36 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).
- Eligible applicants are accredited schools of nursing, health care facilities, or a partnership of such a school and facility. The term health care facility means an Indian Health Service health center, a Native Hawaiian health center, a hospital, a Federally qualified health center, a rural health clinic, a nursing home, a home health agency, a hospice program, a public health clinic, a State or local department of public health, a skilled nursing facility, an ambulatory surgical center, or any other facility designated by the Secretary. The eligible applicant must be capable of carrying out the legislative purpose of the NEPQR program.
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Opportunity Summary:
The Affordable Care Act (ACA) Nurse Education, Practice, Quality and Retention (NEPQR) Program (Funding Opportunity Number HRSA 11-041) is a discretionary grant program run by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) to help address the nursing shortage by strengthening nurse education, improving nursing practice, and boosting nurse retention. Through these awards, HRSA funds projects that expand the capacity of nursing pipelines and support practice models that better meet community needs, especially in settings and populations where access to care is limited. The program is designed so that applicants do not try to cover everything at once; instead, each applicant must choose one specific purpose out of nine total and build the entire proposal around that selected purpose, with activities, partnerships, and outcomes aligned to that single focus area.
The grant’s purposes are organized into three priority areas: Education, Practice, and Retention. Under the Education priority area, the program supports efforts to (E1) expand enrollment in baccalaureate nursing programs, which typically means increasing the number of BSN-prepared nurses by growing class sizes, adding faculty capacity, strengthening clinical placements, or removing bottlenecks that prevent qualified students from enrolling or progressing. It also supports (E2) the development and implementation of internship and residency programs, emphasizing structured mentoring and the intentional development of nursing specialties, which can help new graduates transition more safely and confidently into complex roles. The third education purpose (E3) focuses on training in new technologies, including distance learning methodologies, reflecting the need for nurses to learn with and through modern tools such as simulation, telehealth-related competencies, online/hybrid course delivery, and other technology-enabled training approaches that can broaden access to education and keep curricula current.
Under the Practice priority area, NEPQR funds projects that improve how and where nursing care is delivered, particularly outside traditional institutional environments. Purpose (P1) supports establishing or expanding nursing practice arrangements in non-institutional settings to demonstrate ways to improve access to primary health care in medically underserved communities. In practical terms, this can include nurse-led or nurse-integrated care models in community clinics, public health settings, rural sites, and other outpatient or community-based environments that bring care closer to patients. Purpose (P2) targets the delivery of care for underserved populations and other high-risk groups, signaling an emphasis on equity and health outcomes for communities that often face barriers such as geography, income, insurance status, or disproportionate disease burden. Purpose (P3) supports preparing nurses with managed care, quality improvement, and other system-level skills needed to function effectively in existing and emerging organized health care systems, which ties nursing practice to patient safety, performance measurement, care coordination, and value-based delivery. Purpose (P4) emphasizes developing cultural competencies among nurses, recognizing that effective care increasingly requires skills in culturally responsive communication, reducing bias, and understanding how social and cultural factors affect health behaviors and outcomes.
Under the Retention priority area, the program supports initiatives meant to keep nurses in the workforce and improve care delivery stability. Purpose (R1) focuses on career ladder bridge programs that promote career advancement for registered nurses and nursing personnel. These projects typically aim to create clearer advancement pathways, reduce educational barriers for working professionals, and help nursing staff move into higher responsibility roles through structured academic and clinical progression. Purpose (R2) supports enhancing patient care delivery systems by improving retention of registered nurses and enhancing patient care, linking workforce stability to quality, continuity, and better patient experiences. In many environments, retention is closely tied to workload, professional development opportunities, transition-to-practice support, and organizational systems that allow nurses to practice effectively and safely.
Eligibility is limited to organizations positioned to deliver nursing education or clinical training at scale: accredited schools of nursing, health care facilities, or partnerships between an accredited nursing school and a health care facility. The funding notice defines "health care facility" broadly, and includes organizations such as Indian Health Service health centers, Native Hawaiian health centers, hospitals, Federally Qualified Health Centers, rural health clinics, nursing homes, home health agencies, hospice programs, public health clinics, state or local departments of public health, skilled nursing facilities, ambulatory surgical centers, and other facilities designated by the Secretary. Regardless of the organizational type, the applicant must be able to carry out the legislative purpose of NEPQR, meaning it must have the operational and programmatic capacity to implement the proposed activities and produce measurable results tied to the selected purpose.
From the opportunity details provided, HRSA anticipated making 36 awards with an estimated total funding amount of $10,310,909 under CFDA 93.359 (Nurse Education, Practice, Quality and Retention Grants). The program did not require cost sharing or matching funds, which can reduce barriers for institutions that have limited ability to provide non-federal contributions. The opportunity was posted on December 6, 2010, and closed on January 21, 2011, with an archive date of March 22, 2011, indicating this specific announcement is historical, though similarly named NEPQR competitions may appear in other years under updated notices.
Overall, this NEPQR grant opportunity is best understood as a targeted capacity-building investment: it funds nursing schools and health care delivery organizations (or their partnerships) to pursue one clearly defined purpose that either expands the education pipeline, improves practice models and competencies (especially for underserved settings and populations), or strengthens retention and career advancement structures. The program’s structure pushes applicants toward focus and accountability by requiring a single-purpose approach, while still offering multiple pathways to address the broader nursing shortage problem from education, practice transformation, or retention strategies.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs): ACA Nurse Education, Practice, Quality and Retention (NEPQR) Program (HRSA 11-041)
What is the NEPQR Program (HRSA 11-041)?
The Affordable Care Act (ACA) Nurse Education, Practice, Quality and Retention (NEPQR) Program (Funding Opportunity Number HRSA 11-041) is a discretionary grant program run by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA). It is designed to help address the nursing shortage by strengthening nurse education, improving nursing practice, and boosting nurse retention.
What problem is this grant intended to address?
This opportunity is intended to address the nursing shortage by funding projects that expand the capacity of nursing pipelines and support nursing practice models that better meet community needs, particularly in settings and populations where access to care is limited.
How is the program structured (single-purpose vs. multiple-purpose proposals)?
The program is structured to promote focus. Each applicant must choose one specific purpose out of nine total and build the entire proposal around that single purpose. Activities, partnerships, and outcomes are expected to align to the selected purpose rather than trying to address multiple purposes at once.
What are the three priority areas in NEPQR?
The nine purposes are organized into three priority areas: Education, Practice, and Retention.
What purposes are included under the Education priority area?
The Education priority area includes three purposes:
- E1: Expand enrollment in baccalaureate nursing programs (for example, increasing BSN enrollment by expanding class sizes, faculty capacity, clinical placements, or removing progression bottlenecks).
- E2: Develop and implement internship and residency programs with structured mentoring and intentional specialty development to help new graduates transition into complex roles.
- E3: Train nurses in new technologies, including distance learning methodologies (such as simulation, telehealth-related competencies, online/hybrid course delivery, and other technology-enabled training approaches).
What does purpose E1 (expand enrollment in baccalaureate nursing programs) generally support?
E1 generally supports efforts that increase the number of BSN-prepared nurses by growing program capacity. Examples described include increasing class sizes, adding faculty capacity, strengthening clinical placements, and removing bottlenecks that prevent qualified students from enrolling or progressing.
What does purpose E2 (internship and residency programs) emphasize?
E2 emphasizes structured mentoring and the intentional development of nursing specialties. The goal is to help new graduates transition more safely and confidently into complex roles.
What does purpose E3 (training in new technologies and distance learning) cover?
E3 focuses on training that uses or teaches new technologies, including distance learning methodologies. Examples mentioned include simulation, telehealth-related competencies, online/hybrid course delivery, and other technology-enabled training approaches that broaden access and keep curricula current.
What purposes are included under the Practice priority area?
The Practice priority area includes four purposes:
- P1: Establish or expand nursing practice arrangements in non-institutional settings to demonstrate improved access to primary health care in medically underserved communities.
- P2: Support the delivery of care for underserved populations and other high-risk groups.
- P3: Prepare nurses with managed care, quality improvement, and other system-level skills needed in organized health care systems.
- P4: Develop cultural competencies among nurses to support culturally responsive care.
What is meant by P1 (non-institutional practice arrangements)?
P1 supports establishing or expanding nursing practice arrangements in non-institutional settings to improve access to primary health care in medically underserved communities. The description highlights nurse-led or nurse-integrated care models in community clinics, public health settings, rural sites, and other outpatient or community-based environments.
What is the focus of P2 (care for underserved and high-risk groups)?
P2 targets the delivery of care for underserved populations and other high-risk groups, reflecting an emphasis on equity and improving outcomes for communities that often face barriers such as geography, income, insurance status, or disproportionate disease burden.
What kinds of skills are emphasized under P3 (managed care and quality improvement)?
P3 emphasizes preparing nurses with managed care, quality improvement, and other system-level skills needed to function effectively in existing and emerging organized health care systems. The description connects this to patient safety, performance measurement, care coordination, and value-based delivery.
What does P4 (cultural competencies) aim to develop?
P4 emphasizes developing cultural competencies among nurses. The description highlights culturally responsive communication, reducing bias, and understanding how social and cultural factors influence health behaviors and outcomes.
What purposes are included under the Retention priority area?
The Retention priority area includes two purposes:
- R1: Career ladder bridge programs that promote career advancement for registered nurses and nursing personnel.
- R2: Enhance patient care delivery systems by improving retention of registered nurses and enhancing patient care.
What is R1 (career ladder bridge programs) intended to do?
R1 focuses on career ladder bridge programs that promote career advancement for registered nurses and nursing personnel. These projects typically aim to create clearer advancement pathways, reduce educational barriers for working professionals, and support progression into higher-responsibility roles through structured academic and clinical progression.
What is R2 (improving retention and patient care) intended to do?
R2 supports enhancing patient care delivery systems by improving retention of registered nurses and enhancing patient care. The description links workforce stability to quality, continuity, and better patient experiences, and notes that retention is often connected to workload, professional development opportunities, transition-to-practice support, and organizational systems that enable safe and effective practice.
Who is eligible to apply for HRSA 11-041?
Eligibility is limited to accredited schools of nursing, health care facilities, or partnerships between an accredited nursing school and a health care facility. Applicants must also have the operational and programmatic capacity to implement the proposed activities and produce measurable results tied to the selected purpose.
What types of organizations count as a "health care facility" for eligibility?
The funding notice defines "health care facility" broadly. Examples listed include Indian Health Service health centers, Native Hawaiian health centers, hospitals, Federally Qualified Health Centers, rural health clinics, nursing homes, home health agencies, hospice programs, public health clinics, state or local departments of public health, skilled nursing facilities, ambulatory surgical centers, and other facilities designated by the Secretary.
Can a partnership apply, and what kind of partnership is allowed?
Yes. A partnership between an accredited nursing school and a health care facility is explicitly listed as an eligible applicant type.
How many awards were anticipated under this opportunity?
HRSA anticipated making 36 awards under this funding opportunity.
What was the estimated total funding amount for this opportunity?
The estimated total funding amount was $10,310,909.
What is the CFDA number associated with this NEPQR opportunity?
The opportunity is associated with CFDA 93.359 (Nurse Education, Practice, Quality and Retention Grants).
Was cost sharing or matching required?
No. The opportunity did not require cost sharing or matching funds.
When was this funding opportunity posted and when did it close?
The opportunity was posted on December 6, 2010, and closed on January 21, 2011.
Is HRSA 11-041 still open for applications?
No. Based on the dates provided (including an archive date of March 22, 2011), this specific announcement is historical.
Does the existence of this historical notice mean NEPQR funding is never available again?
No. The information provided indicates that similarly named NEPQR competitions may appear in other years under updated notices, even though this specific HRSA 11-041 announcement is archived.
What is the overall goal of NEPQR projects funded under this opportunity?
Overall, this opportunity is described as a targeted capacity-building investment. It supports nursing schools and health care delivery organizations (or partnerships) in pursuing one clearly defined purpose that expands the education pipeline, improves practice models and competencies (especially for underserved settings and populations), or strengthens retention and career advancement structures.
Why does the program require selecting only one purpose?
The structure is intended to push applicants toward focus and accountability. By requiring a single-purpose approach, the program expects activities and outcomes to be tightly aligned to that chosen purpose and to produce measurable results tied to it.
What kinds of settings and populations does the program emphasize?
The description emphasizes community needs, especially in settings and populations where access to care is limited. It also highlights medically underserved communities, underserved populations, and other high-risk groups.
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