Opportunity Information: Apply for CMS 2V2 26 001
Apply for CMS 2V2 26 001
- The Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services in the health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Nursing Home Staffing Campaign" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.693.
- This funding opportunity was created on 2026-02-09.
- Applicants must submit their applications by 2026-03-27. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $20,000,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 15 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, Nonprofits having a 501 (c) (3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Nonprofits that do not have a 501 (c) (3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Private institutions of higher education.
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Opportunity Summary:
The Nursing Home Staffing Campaign (NHSC) is a Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) funding opportunity designed to strengthen nurse staffing in the nursing home sector and improve resident safety and quality of care. CMS is responding to a persistent workforce gap affecting two connected areas: (1) nursing homes that struggle to hire enough nurses to meet resident needs, and (2) state survey agencies that have difficulty recruiting nurses to perform required inspections for compliance with federal nursing home regulations. The overall goal is to increase the supply of nurses willing to work in nursing homes or in nursing home oversight roles, recognizing that staffing levels and staffing stability are closely tied to care outcomes.
This Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) centers on recruiting registered nurses (RNs) and licensed practical nurses or licensed vocational nurses (LPNs/LVNs) by using financial incentives. Rather than paying incentives directly to individual nurses, CMS plans to award cooperative agreements to eligible organizations that will run incentive programs. These organizations would be responsible for administering benefits such as loan repayment and stipends to participating RNs and LPNs/LVNs. In exchange, nurses receiving the incentives would commit to a three-year service period working either in a qualifying nursing home setting or in an oversight capacity with a state inspection (survey) agency. The structure is meant to both attract nurses into these roles and keep them there long enough to make a sustained difference in staffing capacity and continuity.
The funding mechanism is a discretionary cooperative agreement, which typically means CMS expects substantial involvement in guiding or partnering on implementation compared to a standard grant. The opportunity falls under the health funding activity category and is listed under CFDA number 93.693. CMS expects to make around 15 awards, with an award ceiling of up to $20,000,000 per award, indicating the program is intended to operate at meaningful scale and potentially support large numbers of nurse participants depending on the applicant's proposed model.
Eligible applicants include public and state-controlled institutions of higher education, private institutions of higher education, and nonprofit organizations (both 501(c)(3) and non-501(c)(3), excluding institutions of higher education in the nonprofit category as specified). The description also highlights examples of organizations CMS anticipates could be strong applicants if they meet eligibility requirements, including small nonprofit businesses, faith-based organizations, and national associations connected to nursing education and the nursing workforce (such as associations for nursing schools, nurses, and nursing students). These types of entities are well-positioned to recruit participants nationally or regionally, coordinate with nursing homes or state agencies, and administer financial assistance programs with appropriate tracking and accountability.
Key logistics from the posting include the funding opportunity number CMS-2V2-26-001, with an application closing date of 2026-03-27 and a creation date of 2026-02-09. In practical terms, an applicant organization would be proposing how it will recruit nurses, structure and distribute incentives (for example, the size and timing of stipends or loan repayment), verify and monitor the three-year service commitments, and coordinate placements in qualifying nursing homes or with state survey agencies. The intended result is a larger, more stable nursing workforce in long-term care and strengthened oversight capacity, both aimed at improving the day-to-day quality and safety of care for nursing home residents.
FAQs: Nursing Home Staffing Campaign (NHSC) - CMS Funding Opportunity
What is the Nursing Home Staffing Campaign (NHSC)?
The Nursing Home Staffing Campaign (NHSC) is a Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) funding opportunity intended to strengthen nurse staffing in the nursing home sector and improve resident safety and quality of care.
Why is CMS offering this funding opportunity?
CMS is responding to a persistent workforce gap that affects two connected areas: (1) nursing homes that struggle to hire enough nurses to meet resident needs, and (2) state survey agencies that have difficulty recruiting nurses to perform required inspections for compliance with federal nursing home regulations.
What is the overall goal of the NHSC program?
The overall goal is to increase the supply of nurses willing to work in nursing homes or in nursing home oversight roles, recognizing that staffing levels and staffing stability are closely tied to care outcomes.
What types of nurses are targeted for recruitment under this NOFO?
This NOFO centers on recruiting registered nurses (RNs) and licensed practical nurses/licensed vocational nurses (LPNs/LVNs).
How does the program use financial incentives?
The program uses financial incentives such as loan repayment and stipends to encourage nurses to enter and remain in nursing home roles or nursing home oversight roles.
Does CMS pay incentives directly to individual nurses?
No. CMS does not plan to pay incentives directly to individual nurses. Instead, CMS plans to award cooperative agreements to eligible organizations that will run incentive programs and administer benefits (such as loan repayment and stipends) to participating nurses.
What does a nurse have to do in exchange for receiving incentives?
Nurses receiving incentives would commit to a three-year service period working either in a qualifying nursing home setting or in an oversight capacity with a state inspection (survey) agency.
How long is the required service commitment for participating nurses?
The required service commitment is three years.
Where can nurses fulfill their three-year service commitment?
Nurses can fulfill the commitment by working either (1) in a qualifying nursing home setting or (2) in an oversight capacity with a state inspection (survey) agency.
What is meant by an "oversight capacity" role in this context?
In this NOFO, "oversight capacity" refers to nursing roles with a state inspection (survey) agency that performs required inspections for compliance with federal nursing home regulations.
What type of funding instrument is being used?
The funding mechanism is a discretionary cooperative agreement.
What does "cooperative agreement" imply compared to a standard grant?
A cooperative agreement typically means CMS expects substantial involvement in guiding or partnering on implementation compared to a standard grant.
What is the funding activity category?
The opportunity falls under the health funding activity category.
What is the CFDA number for this opportunity?
The CFDA number listed is 93.693.
How many awards does CMS expect to make?
CMS expects to make around 15 awards.
What is the maximum award amount (award ceiling)?
The award ceiling is up to $20,000,000 per award.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligible applicants include public and state-controlled institutions of higher education, private institutions of higher education, and nonprofit organizations (both 501(c)(3) and non-501(c)(3), excluding institutions of higher education in the nonprofit category as specified).
Are nonprofit organizations eligible?
Yes. Nonprofit organizations are eligible, including both 501(c)(3) and non-501(c)(3) nonprofits, with the noted exclusion in the NOFO description regarding institutions of higher education within the nonprofit category.
Are colleges and universities eligible to apply?
Yes. Public and state-controlled institutions of higher education and private institutions of higher education are listed as eligible applicants.
What kinds of organizations does CMS anticipate could be strong applicants?
The description highlights examples of organizations CMS anticipates could be strong applicants if they meet eligibility requirements, including small nonprofit businesses, faith-based organizations, and national associations connected to nursing education and the nursing workforce (such as associations for nursing schools, nurses, and nursing students).
Why might associations and similar organizations be well-positioned for this program?
These types of entities may be well-positioned to recruit participants nationally or regionally, coordinate with nursing homes or state agencies, and administer financial assistance programs with appropriate tracking and accountability.
What is the funding opportunity number?
The funding opportunity number is CMS-2V2-26-001.
What is the application closing date?
The application closing date is 2026-03-27.
What is the posting creation date?
The creation date is 2026-02-09.
What is an applicant organization expected to propose in its application?
An applicant organization would be proposing how it will recruit nurses, structure and distribute incentives (for example, the size and timing of stipends or loan repayment), verify and monitor the three-year service commitments, and coordinate placements in qualifying nursing homes or with state survey agencies.
What are examples of incentives that may be offered to nurses?
Examples mentioned include loan repayment and stipends.
Who administers and distributes the incentives to nurses?
The organizations that receive CMS cooperative agreements would be responsible for administering and distributing incentives such as loan repayment and stipends to participating nurses.
What is the intended workforce impact of the program?
The intended workforce impact is to attract nurses into nursing home and oversight roles and keep them there long enough to make a sustained difference in staffing capacity and continuity.
How is the NHSC expected to improve nursing home care?
The intended result is a larger, more stable nursing workforce in long-term care and strengthened oversight capacity, both aimed at improving the day-to-day quality and safety of care for nursing home residents.
What staffing problems is this program trying to address?
The program is designed to address (1) nursing homes struggling to hire enough nurses to meet resident needs and (2) state survey agencies struggling to recruit nurses to perform required compliance inspections.
Is the program focused only on staffing nursing homes, or also on inspection and oversight staffing?
It is focused on both. The three-year service commitment can be fulfilled either in a nursing home setting or in an oversight capacity with a state inspection (survey) agency.
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