FOA Content HRSA-26-079.pdf

Bureau of Health Workforce

Notice of Funding Opportunity

Application due 07/10/2026

Nurse Faculty Loan Program (NFLP) Opportunity number: HRSA-26-079

Contents Before you begin 3

Basic information 5

Eligibility 6

Program description 10

Award information 14

Get registered 17

Find the application package 17

Application writing help 18

Application checklist 20

Application contents and format 22

Application review 33

Award formula 34

Award notices 35

Application submission and deadlines 37

Other submissions 37

Post-award requirements and administration 39

Reporting 43

Appendix 47

Before you begin If you believe you are a good candidate for this funding opportunity, secure your SAM.gov and Grants.gov registrations now. If you are already registered, make sure your registrations are active and up-to-date.

SAM.gov registration (this can take several weeks) You must have an active account with SAM.gov. This includes having a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI).

See Step 2: Get Ready to Apply

Grants.gov registration (this can take several days) You must have an active Grants.gov registration. Doing so requires a Login.gov registration as well.

See Step 2: Get Ready to Apply

Apply by the application due date Applications are due by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on 07/10/2026.

All activities proposed in your application and budget narrative must align with applicable law, including but not limited to statutes, executive orders, federal regulations and applicable judicial holdings. Accordingly, discretionary awards shall not be used to fund, promote, encourage, subsidize, or facilitate: racial preferences or other forms of racial discrimination by the recipient, including activities where race or intentional proxies for race will be used as a selection criterion for employment or program participation; denial by the recipient of the sex binary in humans, or the belief that sex is a chosen or mutable characteristic; illegal immigration;

or any other initiatives that compromise public safety. If an application does not align, the application will not receive funding to the extent permitted by law and applicable court orders.

To help you find what you need, this NOFO uses internal links. In Adobe Reader, you can go back to where you were by pressing Alt + Left Arrow (Windows) or Command + Left Arrow (Mac) on your keyboard.

https://sam.gov/ https://grants.gov/

1. Review 2. Get Ready 3. Build 4. Understand 5. Submit 6. Award Contacts

Step 1:

Review the Opportunity

In this step

Basic information 5

Eligibility 6

Program description 10

Award information 14

Basic information Health Resources and Services Administration

Bureau of Health Workforce

Providing low-interest loans and loan cancellation for qualifying students who become nurse faculty.

Summary This program aims to increase the number of qualified nursing faculty nationwide by providing:

• Low-interest loans for students studying to be nurse faculty.

• Loan cancellation for graduates who go on to work as nurse faculty.

Funding details Application types: Competing continuation, New

Expected total available funding in FY 2026: $25,600,000

Expected number and type of awards: 80 grants

Funding range per award: Up to $2,000,000

We plan to fund awards fully in Year 1 for use of over period of performance from 09/01/2026 to 06/30/2027.

Key facts

Nurse Faculty Loan Program (NFLP) number:

HRSA-26-079

version:

Initial

93.264

Key dates

06/08/2026 deadline:

07/10/2026

09/01/2026

09/01/2026

See other submissions for other time frames that may apply to this NOFO.

Have questions?

Go to Contacts and Support.

Eligibility You can apply if you are an accredited school of nursing.

Any domestic schools of nursing affiliated with this application must be:

• Accredited at the time of application and for the duration of the award.

• Accredited by a national or state agency recognized by the Secretary of Education for the purposes of nursing education.

You must submit official documentation of accreditation in Attachment 1 for all affiliated nursing programs.

Tribes and tribal organizations may be eligible if they own and operate an accredited school of nursing.

Individuals are not eligible applicants under this NOFO.

Types of eligible organizations These types of domestic organizations may apply if they otherwise meet the eligibility criteria:

• State governments.

• County governments.

• City or township governments.

• Special district governments.

• Public and State controlled institutions of higher education.

• Native American tribal governments (federally-recognized)

• Native American tribal organizations (other than federally-recognized tribal governments).

• Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education.

• Nonprofits without 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education.

• Private institutions of higher education.

• For profit organizations other than small businesses.

“Domestic” means the 50 states, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the Northern Mariana Islands, American Samoa, Guam, the U.S. Virgin Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, and the Republic of Palau.

Other eligibility criteria

Student borrower eligibility To receive support under this program, student borrowers must:

• Be enrolled in an advanced nursing education degree program (including post-master’s nursing certificate and Clinical Nurse Leader programs).

• Maintain an acceptable level of academic standing (as determined by the academic institution).

A student borrower must be one of the following:

• A U.S. citizen or non-citizen national.

• An individual lawfully admitted for permanent residence to the United States.

• Any other person defined as a “qualified alien” under section 431(b) of the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996, Pub. L.

104-193, as amended.

Qualifications for principal investigator or project director The project director is the primary contact for the project and works with HRSA staff, project staff, and partners. This person is responsible for the project and all deliverables. They must have these qualifications:

• Master’s degree (doctorate degree preferred).

• Experience as an educator.

• Administrative expertise, including:

◦ Fiduciary oversight of loan funds.

◦ Preparation and submission of Annual Performance Reports.

Note: If the project director is not a nurse educator or nurse administrator, then they must have direct affiliation with the accredited school of nursing at the institution.

There may only be one project director for the NFLP project.

Financial management staff

• Provides oversight of the fiduciary components of the NFLP funds.

• Responsible for data collection and ensuring timely reporting of data to HRSA.

• Responsible for coordinating activities related to:

◦ Loan fund account establishment and maintenance.

◦ Loan provision to students.

◦ Loan cancellation and write-off.

◦ Loan repayment and collection.

◦ Financial record keeping.

Note: You may use NFLP funds to cover the reasonable costs for personnel, third-party servicers, or other designated institutional structures responsible for NFLP loan collection.

Completeness and responsive criteria We will review your application to make sure it meets these basic requirements to move forward in the competition.

We will not consider an application that:

• Is from an organization that does not meet all eligibility criteria.

• Is submitted after the deadline.

• Incomplete or missing data, HRSA may deem the application nonresponsive and not consider it for funding.

• Fails to submit accreditation or approval documentation.

Note: PhD and Post Doctorate Certificate programs must have appropriate approval documentation recognized by the institutional boards/committees, regional associations of higher education accreditation, e.g., Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools, North Central Association of Colleges and Schools and the University’s Provost Office.

Application limits You may not submit more than one application. If you submit more than one application, we will only accept the last on-time submission.

Cost sharing Federal share This program requires you to contribute 11% of the federal share.

Cost sharing or matching is required for this program. If you receive an award, you must deposit an Institutional Capital Contribution (ICC). Your ICC is equal to not less than one-ninth of the FY 2026 federal award amount, known as the Federal Capital Contribution (FCC). You must deposit your ICC in the NFLP loan fund account at the time you draw down the FCC.

You can meet your match requirement through any combination of:

• Cash contributed by your organization, partners, or other third parties.

Maintenance of effort Federal funds add to any existing non-federal funds for your proposed activities. If you receive an award, you must spend at least as much as you spent in the last fiscal year before the award. Statutory authority 42 U.S.C. § 296b(b)[Public Health Service Act section 803(b)] requires this.

We will enforce these statutory requirements through all available mechanisms. You must provide supporting documentation of your maintenance of effort in your Attachments.

Post-award requirements Before you apply, make sure you understand the requirements that come with an award.

See Step 6: Learn What Happens After Award for information on regulations that apply, reporting, and more.

Program description Purpose The NFLP seeks to increase the number of qualified nursing faculty nationwide by providing:

• Low-interest loans for students studying to be nurse faculty.

• Loan cancellation for graduates who go on to work as faculty.

NFLP graduates can have up to 85 percent of their student loan and interest canceled if they work full-time as nurse faculty for up to four years at an accredited nursing school.

This includes Advanced Practice Registered Nurses (APRNs) who work full-time as preceptors in academic-practice partnerships.

Background Strengthening the nation’s supply of nurse faculty is critical to meeting workforce needs and educating the next generation of nurses. The American Association of Colleges of Nursing 2024 Faculty Vacancy Survey reported a total of 1,693 faculty vacancies. Of these positions:

• 49% required an earned doctorate.

• 35% required a master’s in nursing but preferred a doctorate.

• 15% required a master’s in nursing.

HRSA projections [PDF] show maldistribution of the registered nurse workforce across the U.S., as well as shortages in many states. Maldistributions and shortages are partly caused by nursing school faculty shortages, which affect nursing program enrollments.

The NFLP supports institutions committed to preparing advanced degree nursing students to serve as nurse faculty.

Partnerships between NFLP recipients and academic or practice institutions help to address nurse faculty shortages and the limited supply of APRN preceptors. These partnerships provide an avenue for shared resources, increase opportunities for recruitment, and support post-graduation employment.

https://www.aacnnursing.org/news-data/fact-sheets/nursing-shortage https://www.aacnnursing.org/news-data/fact-sheets/nursing-shortage https://bhw.hrsa.gov/sites/default/files/bureau-health-workforce/data-research/nursing-projections-factsheet.pdf

Program goals and objectives The goals of NFLP are to:

• Goal 1: Increase the number of qualified nurse faculty nationwide.

• Goal 2: Reduce the financial barriers for nurse faculty with loan cancellation.

To achieve these goals, NFLP recipients will implement the following objectives during the project period:

• Objective 1: Create and maintain a distinct NFLP loan fund account and ensure ongoing fiscal management and oversight in full compliance with all NFLP requirements.

• Objective 2: Recruit, select, and disburse loans to eligible students enrolled in accredited nursing schools who commit to full-time employment as nurse faculty upon graduation.

• Objective 3: Administer and manage the NFLP loan fund in accordance with program requirements, including loan servicing, collections, loan cancellation processing, compliance monitoring, and the timely submission of complete and accurate programmatic and financial reports demonstrating successful implementation.

Program requirements and expectations Award recipients are required to participate in federally designed evaluations to assess program effectiveness and efficiency upon request.

If you receive an award, you must:

• Establish, operate, and maintain a student loan program that provides loans to advanced nursing education students.

• Conduct a training program to prepare students to become nurse faculty or preceptors.

Student loan program You must meet these expectations for the student loan program:

• Establish and maintain an interest-bearing NFLP student loan fund (or maintain a NFLP fund you’ve already established).

• Within 60 days of receiving the FCC (federal award amount):

◦ Withdraw the entire FCC amount and deposit both the FCC and your ICC (equal to not less than one-ninth of the FCC) into your interest-bearing NFLP student loan fund account.

• Continue to deposit into this account:

◦ Collections of principal and interest on loans made from the fund.

◦ Any other earnings on the loan fund, such as interest borne on the account.

• Develop a standard operating procedure to guide project administration.

• Disburse NFLP loan funds to advanced nursing education students. See program-specific statutory and regulatory limitations section for more information.

• Collect principal and interest on all loans from the NFLP student loan fund and deposit them back into the fund.

• Provide cancellation of up to 85 percent of the loan principal and interest for graduates who complete up to four years of post-graduation full-time nurse faculty employment:

◦ Cancel 20 percent of the unpaid principal and interest on the amount of the unpaid loan balance upon completion of each of the first, second, and third year of full-time faculty employment.

◦ Cancel 25 percent of the unpaid principal and interest on the amount of the unpaid loan balance upon completion of the fourth year of full-time faculty employment.

Training program You must meet these expectations for the training program:

• Conduct a training program to prepare students to become nurse faculty or preceptors.

• Include training on how to deliver didactic and clinical curricula that reflects best practices in teaching and care delivery.

Awardees may use NFLP award funds to cover the costs of student nurse educator development activities as a reasonable educational expense. These activities should be incorporated as part of the course of study. Activities may include:

• Completion of nurse educator courses.

• Mentorship.

• Teaching practicum.

• Teaching assistantships.

• Nurse education focused workshops.

• Certification.

We encourage you to:

• Establish collaborative partnerships to recruit students.

• Provide access to training resources.

• Connect graduates with employment opportunities.

• Promote a culture of wellness through evidence-based strategies that support mental health and reduce burnout in the nursing workforce.

Statutory authority 42 U.S.C. § 297n-1 (Section 846A of the Public Health Service Act).

Award information Funding policies and limitations Changes in HHS regulations As of October 1, 2025, HHS has adopted 2 CFR Part 200, with some modifications included in 2 CFR Part 300. These regulations replace those in 45 CFR Part 75.

Policies

• To make an award, funding must be available and allocated for this program and purpose, at which point we will move forward with the review and award process.

• Have clear policies and good financial practices to avoid spending HRSA funds on unallowable activities. Like other award rules, we may audit your policies, procedures, and controls.

• If we receive more funding for this program, we may:

◦ Extend the period of performance.

◦ Award supplemental funding.

General limitations

• For guidance on some types of costs we do not allow or restrict, see:

◦ Project Budget Information in the R&R Application Guide [PDF].

◦ 2 CFR Part 200 Subpart E - General Provisions for Selected Items of Cost.

◦ Allowable and Unallowable Costs and Activities in the HHS Grants Policy Statement.

• All costs must be reasonable, necessary, allocable to the award, and adequately documented (2 CFR 200.403).

• You cannot earn profit from the federal award. See 2 CFR § 200.400(g).

https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/part-200 https://www.hrsa.gov/sites/default/files/hrsa/grants/research-related-application-guide.pdf#page%3D15 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/part-200/subject-group-ECFRed1f39f9b3d4e72 https://www.hhs.gov/grants-contracts/grants/grants-policies-regulations/index.html https://www.hhs.gov/grants-contracts/grants/grants-policies-regulations/index.html https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-A/chapter-II/part-200/subpart-E/subject-group-ECFRea20080eff2ea53/section-200.404 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/section-200.405 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-A/chapter-II/part-200/subpart-E/subject-group-ECFRea20080eff2ea53/section-200.403 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/part-200#p-200.400(g)

Program-specific statutory or regulatory limitations You cannot use award funds for indirect costs. You may use a reasonable amount of funds to cover loan collection costs, such as personnel and third-party servicers.

• You can only make NFLP loans to eligible students to cover these costs for the duration of their course of study:

◦ Tuition.

◦ Fees.

◦ Books.

◦ Lab expenses.

◦ Other reasonable education expenses (including student nurse educator development activities).

• NFLP loan support cannot exceed $50,000 per student for any academic year.

See Manage Your Grant for other information on costs and financial management.

Indirect costs Indirect costs are costs you charge across more than one project that cannot be easily separated by project. For example, this could include utilities for a building that supports multiple projects.

You cannot use award funds for indirect costs.

Program income Program income is money earned as a result of your award-supported project activities. You must use any program income you generate from awarded funds for approved project-related activities. Find more about program income at 2 CFR 200.307.

https://www.hrsa.gov/grants/manage-your-grant https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/section-200.307

Step 2:

Get Ready to Apply

Get registered 17

Find the application package 17

Application writing help 18

Get registered SAM.gov You must have an active account with SAM.gov to apply. SAM.gov registration can take several weeks. Begin that process today.

To register:

• Go to SAM.gov Entity Registration and select Get Started. From the same page, you can also select the Entity Registration Checklist for the information you will need to register.

• You must agree to the financial assistance general certifications and representations [PDF] specifically. Those for contracts are different.

When you register, you will also receive your required Unique Entity Identifier (UEI).

Once you register:

• You will have to maintain your registration throughout the life of any award.

• If your organization has multiple UEIs, use the one associated with your physical location.

If you need additional information about user roles in SAM.gov, see “Get registered:

SAM.gov user roles” in the R&R Application Guide [PDF].

Grants.gov You must also have an active account with Grants.gov. You can see step-by-step instructions at the Grants.gov Quick Start Guide for Applicants and How to Apply for Grants.

Find the application package The application package has all the forms you need to apply. You can find it online. Go to Grants Search at Grants.gov and search for opportunity number HRSA-26-079.

After you select the opportunity, we recommend that you click the Subscribe button to get updates.

https://sam.gov/content/entity-registration https://www.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/financial-assistance-general-certification-representations.pdf https://www.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/financial-assistance-general-certification-representations.pdf https://www.hrsa.gov/sites/default/files/hrsa/grants/research-related-application-guide.pdf#page%3D4 https://grants.gov/applicants/applicant-registration http://www.grants.gov/quick-start-guide/applicants https://www.grants.gov/applicants/grant-applications/how-to-apply-for-grants https://www.grants.gov/applicants/grant-applications/how-to-apply-for-grants https://www.grants.gov/search-grants

Application writing help Visit HHS Tips for Preparing Grant Proposals.

Visit HRSA’s How to Prepare Your Application page for more guidance.

See Apply for a Grant for other help and resources.

Join the webinar For more information about this opportunity, Visit the Bureau of Health Workforce’s open opportunities website. The webinar will be recorded.

FAQs will be posted on Bureau of Health Workforce’s open opportunities .

Have questions? Go to Contacts and Support.

https://www.hhs.gov/grants-contracts/grants/get-ready-for-grants-management/tips-for-preparing-grant-proposals/index.html https://www.hrsa.gov/grants/apply-for-a-grant/prepare-your-application https://www.hrsa.gov/grants/apply-for-a-grant https://bhw.hrsa.gov/programs https://bhw.hrsa.gov/programs

Step 3:

Build Your Application

Application checklist 20

Application contents and format 22

Application checklist There are two types of forms in Grants.gov.

• Some forms allow you to upload components of your application to the form.

These include components like your project narrative, budget and budget narrative, and attachments, as applicable.

• Other forms are more typical, fill-in-the-blank forms.

Make sure that you have everything you need to apply.

For items with an asterisk (*), unless otherwise indicated, only what you attach to a form counts toward the page limit. The form itself does not count.

Narratives See the instructions for the project narrative.

Attachments See instructions for attachments.

Form Included in

Yes*

Included in

1. Accreditation documentation Yes

2. Maintenance of effort Yes

3. Loan disbursement plan Yes

4. Default rate corrective action plan Yes

5. Statement of collaborative academic/academic-practice partnerships Yes

6.– 15. Other relevant documents Yes

Other required forms See form instructions.

Form Included in

SF-424 R&R (application for federal assistance) No

Project abstract summary No

Research & related other project information Yes

Project/performance site location(s) No

Disclosure of lobbying activities (SF-LLL) No

NFLP program specific form No

Application contents and format This section includes guidance on each component found in the application checklist.

Application page limit: 50 pages

Submit your information in English and express whole number budget figures using U.S. dollars.

Required format Required format for project summary, project narrative, budget narrative, and attachments.

Font: Use a readable font like Arial, Courier, CG Times, or Times New Roman.

File format: We only accept the following document formats:

• .PDF - Adobe Portable Document Format

• .DOC/.DOCX - Microsoft Word

• .RTF - Rich Text Format

• .TXT - Text

• .WPD - Word Perfect Document

• .XLS/.XLSX - Microsoft Excel

• .VSD - Microsoft Visio

Size: 12-point font Footnotes, charts, graphics, and budget tables may be 10-point or higher.

Ink color: Black

Spacing: Single-spaced, including all text and tables

Alignment: Left

Headings: Bold all headings and align left.

Size: 8.5 x 11 (Make sure the print area is set and allows printing to 8.5 x 11.)

Margins: 1-inch on all sides

Footer: On each page as the footer, include your organization’s name and page numbers. If a competing continuation or competing supplement, also include your 10-digit award number.

Page numbering:

• Do not number the standard OMB-approved forms.

• Number each attachment page sequentially (that is, 1, 2, 3).

• Reset the numbering for each attachment.

• Treat each attachment as a separate section.

File names: You can find guidance for naming our files in the R&R Application Guide.

Project narrative Use the Research & Related Other Project Information form to attach the project narrative. In the project narrative, you will describe all aspects of your project.

Use the section headers and the order as listed.

Introduction Briefly describe:

• The purpose of the proposed project.

• The need for nurse faculty.

• How the project will increase the number of qualified nursing faculty nationwide.

Need

• Describe the impact of your graduates on this need.

• Discuss how your students will benefit from this program.

• Use and cite data as part of the descriptions and explanations above, as applicable.

Approach

• Describe methods and activities that you will implement to address the stated needs, purpose, and program goals.

• Explain how you will meet this program’s requirements and expectations.

High-level work plan

• Describe how you will achieve each of the objectives during the period of performance.

• Describe the timeframes, deliverables, and key partners required during the grant period of performance to address the needs detailed in the Introduction section.

https://www.hrsa.gov/sites/default/files/hrsa/grants/research-related-application-guide.pdf#page%3D36

• If applicable, describe any existing or planned collaborative academic or academic-practice partnerships to support training, student nurse educator development, and post-graduation faculty employment.

Resolving challenges

• Discuss challenges that you may encounter in designing and carrying out the activities in the work plan. Explain approaches that you will use to resolve them, including:

◦ How you will ensure students understand the commitment to work as full-time nurse faculty to receive loan cancellation.

◦ How you will manage borrower records and the loan fund account. Include how you will prevent high default rates.

◦ How you will manage loan cancellation, repayment, and collection. Include how you will coordinate with third-party loan servicing and collection entities.

◦ How you will track and support NFLP graduates with meeting their obligation to work as full-time nursing faculty.

Performance management

• Outcomes. Describe the expected outcomes (desired results) of the funded activities.

• Performance Measurement and Reporting. See Report on Your Grant for performance measure requirements and examples of reporting forms.

◦ Describe how you will collect and report required performance data accurately and on time.

◦ Describe how you will manage and securely store data.

◦ Describe how you will monitor and track NFLP-supported students and graduates from enrollment to graduation, loan cancellation, repayment, and collection. Include your process to track graduates after program completion.

for up to 1 year.

◦ Describe how you will monitor and analyze performance data to support continuous quality improvement.

• Program Evaluation. The evaluation should examine processes and progress towards program goals, program objectives, and expected outcomes. Evaluations must follow the HHS Evaluation Policy and the standards and best practices described in OMB Memorandum M-20-12. Describe your plan to evaluate the project. Include:

https://bhw.hrsa.gov/funding/report-on-your-grant https://gcc02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.whitehouse.gov%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2020%2F03%2FM-20-12.pdf&data=05%7C01%7CSLevant%40hrsa.gov%7C4da63050dfbf4d87051308db18eb40c0%7C14b77578977342d58507251ca2dc2b06%7C0%7C0%7C638131170900241838%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&sdata=JN8M4caEcCscyj3As0acTWMkdTnvuPa2P6Pg0ANItf0%3D&reserved=0

◦ The evaluation questions, methods, data you will collect, and timeline for implementation.

◦ The evaluation barriers and your plan to address them.

◦ The evaluation capacity of your organization and staff. Include experience, skills, and knowledge.

◦ How you will disseminate results and how you will assess whether your dissemination plan is effective. For example, how you will assess whether the results are national in scope and the potential for replication.

See the reporting section for more information.

Sustainability We expect you to sustain key project elements that improve practices and outcomes for the target population. Propose a plan for project sustainability after the period of federal funding ends.

• Describe how you will continue supporting and training students to become qualified nursing faculty.

• Describe how you will find future sources of funding to maintain your training efforts.

• Discuss how long it will take to become self-sufficient.

• Discuss challenges that you will likely encounter in sustaining the program.

Include how you will resolve these challenges.

Organizational information

• Briefly describe your mission, structure, and the scope of your current activities.

Explain how they support your ability to carry out the program requirements.

• Discuss how you will follow the approved plan, account for federal funds, and record all costs to avoid audit findings.

• If applicable describe the organizations you will partner with to fulfill the program goals and meet the training objectives. Include copies of Statement of Collaborative Academic/Academic-Practice Partnership (Attachment 5) with key organizations.

• Include biographical sketches for key staff using the Research & related senior/key person profile form.

Attachments See section 3.2 of the HRSA R&R Application Guide [PDF].

Place your PDF attachments in order in the Attachments form. See application checklist to determine if they count toward the page limit.

Unless the instructions below require it, do not submit organizational brochures or other promotional materials (for example, slides, films, clips).

Attachment 1: Accreditation documentation Required

You must attach documentation of accreditation for all schools of nursing and nursing programs affiliated with your application. Do not provide a web link to the accreditation body’s website. HRSA will not open any links included in the application.

You must be accredited by a national or state agency recognized by the Secretary of Education for the purposes of nursing education. More information about recognized accrediting agencies is available on the U.S. Department of Education’s accreditation website.

You must submit appropriate accreditation documentation to be deemed eligible. If we can’t verify your accreditation status, you will be considered nonresponsive and deemed ineligible.

You must submit an official letter of accreditation that includes the following:

• Proof of continuing accreditation from the relevant accrediting body, confirming you are not on probation.

• The name of the accrediting body.

• The date of initial accreditation.

• The date of the next expected review or the expiration date of the current accreditation.

• Proof of status if you are on a provisional accreditation.

• The period covered by the accreditation.

Substantive change notification If your nursing program modifies or adds a nursing specialty that requires substantive change notification to the national nursing accrediting body, you must include documentation of approval of this change. For example, a change to a BSN-DNP program.

https://www.hrsa.gov/sites/default/files/hrsa/grants/research-related-application-guide.pdf#page%3D25 https://ope.ed.gov/dapip/%23/home https://ope.ed.gov/dapip/%23/home

Newly established programs If your nursing program is new and not yet accredited, but will likely be accredited in the future, you may still be eligible. The Secretary of Education may deem your program accredited if it meets accreditation standards before the second entering class begins their academic year.

If your program is new, provide a Letter of Reasonable Assurance from the U.S.

Department of Education as Attachment 1.

Attachment 2: Maintenance of effort documentation Required

You will include non-federal funds that support proposed activities. These include cash, in-kind, or other contributions. Do not include any federal funds. See Maintenance of effort requirement.

For NFLP, the maintenance of effort is based on the ICC contributed to the prior fiscal year and the estimated ICC amount for the next fiscal year.

Use this sample format to provide the Maintenance of Effort documentation:

FY before application:

Actual nonfederal expenditures

First FY of award:

Estimated nonfederal expenditures

Attachment 3: Loan disbursement plan Required

Upload a disbursement plan for the new NFLP funds requested in this application, in a table format. You must include a detailed schedule of the disbursements planned for students who will receive loan support during the funded period of performance.

The detailed schedule must document the following in Section A:

• Number of students you plan to support, listed by full-time or part-time status.

• The date of the disbursements for the full academic year period (for example, fall/ spring/summer).

• The estimated loan amount for each student (eligible costs including tuition, fees, books, lab expenses, and other reasonable education expenses).

• The estimated collection cost.

For competing continuation applicants with unused NFLP funds from previous grant awards:

In addition to the information collected in Section A, you must provide as Section B, a supplementary disbursement plan for unused NFLP funds. Include the same types of information you included in Section A.

Attachment 4: Default rate corrective action plan (for competing continuation applicants) As applicable

If you are applying as an NFLP competing continuation with a loan default rates greater than 5 percent, you must submit a corrective action plan. The plan must demonstrate how you will reduce the default rate to whichever of these is greater:

• Less than or equal to 5 percent.

• One-half the default rate reported for the previous reporting period.

The plan must be signed by the Project Director, the Authorizing Official, or both. The plan must include:

• A description of the factors that have contributed to the default rate exceeding 5 percent.

• A work plan with specific activities and associated timelines to reduce the default rate during the period of performance.

Attachment 5: Statement of collaborative academic/academic-practice partnerships As applicable

Provide any documents that describe working relationships between your organization and other entities and programs you cite in the proposal, such as collaborative academic/academic-practice partnership. Documents that confirm actual or pending contracts or agreements should clearly describe the roles of the contractors and any deliverable. Make sure you sign and date any letters of agreement. Evidence of a collaborative academic/academic-practice partnership, may include:

• A copy of a formal partnership agreement between the applicant organization and the partner entity or entities.

OR

• A sample agreement and a clear partnership plan.

Your institution must ensure that the partner organization(s) maintain(s) accreditation throughout the period of performance, as applicable. The partnership plan must also include a description of the academic-practice partnership plan to support graduates serving as APRN preceptors to receive loan cancellation.

Attachment 6-15: Other relevant documentations Include here any other documents that are relevant to the application.

Other required forms You will need to complete some other forms. Upload the following forms at Grants.gov.

You can find them in the NOFO application package or review them and any available instructions at Grants.gov Forms.

Forms Submission requirement

SF-424 R&R (application for federal assistance) With application

Project abstract summary With application

Research & related other project information With application

Research & related senior/key person profile (expanded) With application

Project/performance site locations With application

Disclosure of lobbying activities (SF-LLL) If applicable, with the application or before award.

NFLP program specific data With application

Form instructions The following are instructions for each of the other forms required by this NOFO. See the application checklist for a full list of all application requirements.

SF-424 (R&R) application for federal assistance This is your application for federal assistance. Follow the instructions in section 3.1.1 of the R&R Application Guide [PDF].

https://grants.gov/forms/forms-repository/sf-424-family https://www.hrsa.gov/sites/default/files/hrsa/grants/research-related-application-guide.pdf#page%3D8

Project abstract summary form Complete the information in the Project Abstract Summary form. Include a short description of your proposed project. Include the needs you plan to address, the proposed services, and the population groups you plan to serve.

When writing your summary:

• Use 4,000 characters or fewer.

• Make sure it’s clear, accurate, short.

• Do not refer to other parts of the application.

• Do not include personally identifiable information (PII) in abstract form.

If you receive an award, we’ll put your project abstract on public websites and databases, including USAspending.gov.

Research & related other project information In addition to the requirements in the project narrative section, you will provide some additional information in this form.

• Complete sections 1 through 6.

• Upload a blank document in item 7: Project Summary/Abstract to avoid a cross-form error with your Project Abstract Summary Form.

• Upload your project narrative in item 8.

• Leave items 9, 10, and 11 blank.

Important: public information

When filling out your SF-424 form, pay attention to Box 15: Descriptive Title of Applicant’s Project.

We share what you put there with USAspending. This is where the public goes to learn how the federal government spends their money.

Instead of just a title, insert a short description of your project and what it will do.

See instructions and examples [PDF].

https://grants.gov/learn-grants/grant-terminology#p http://www.usaspending.gov/ https://www.usaspending.gov/ https://www.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/hhs-writing-award-descriptions.pdf

Research & related senior/key person profile (expanded) Include biographical sketches for people who will hold the key positions.

• Try to use no more than two pages per person.

• Do not include non-public personally identifiable information.

• If you include someone you have not hired yet, include a letter of commitment from that person with their biographical sketch.

• Upload sketches in the Research & Related Senior/Key Person Profile form. Include:

◦ Name and title.

◦ Education and training – for each entry include Institution and location, degree and date earned, if any, and field of study.

◦ Section A, Personal Statement. Briefly describe why the individual’s experience and qualifications make them well-suited for their role.

◦ Section B, Positions and Honors. List in chronological order previous and current positions. List any honors. Include present membership on any federal government public advisory committee.

◦ Section C, Other Support. This section is optional. List selected ongoing and completed projects during the last three years. Begin with any projects relevant to the proposed project. Briefly indicate the overall goals of the projects and responsibilities of the person.

Project/performance site location(s) Follow the form instructions in Grants.gov Forms. Use the “Next Site” option rather than “Additional Location(s)” to add more than one project/performance site location.

Disclosure of lobbying activities (SF-LLL) form Follow the form instructions in Grants.gov Forms.

NFLP program specific data forms You must complete and submit the NFLP Program Specific Data Forms (NFLP Tables) electronically by the application due date. The NFLP Tables are essential for award calculation. If your forms have incomplete or missing data, HRSA may deem the application nonresponsive and not consider it for funding.

https://grants.gov/learn-grants/grant-terminology#p https://www.grants.gov/forms https://www.grants.gov/forms

Step 4:

Understand Review, Selection, and Award

In this step

Application review 33

Award formula 34

Award notices 35

Application review Initial review We will review your application to make sure that it meets eligibility criteria, including the completeness and responsiveness criteria. If your application does not meet these criteria, we will not fund it. If this is the case, we will notify your authorized official.

We will not review any pages that exceed the page limit.

The NFLP is a formula-based program. We distribute NFLP funds among eligible entities with complete and approved applications.

Risk review Before making an award, we review your award history to assess risk. We need to ensure all prior awards were managed well and demonstrated sound business practices. We:

• Review any applicable past performance.

• Review audit reports and findings.

• Analyze the budget.

• Assess your management systems.

• Ensure you continue to be eligible.

• Make sure you comply with any public policies.

We may ask you to submit additional information.

As part of this review, we use SAM.gov Entity Information Responsibility/Qualification to check your history for all awards likely to be more than $250,000 over the period of performance. You can comment on your organization’s information in SAM.gov. We’ll consider your comments before making a decision about your level of risk.

If we find a significant risk, we may choose not to fund your application or to place specific conditions on the award.

For more details, see 2 CFR 200.206.

https://sam.gov/content/entity-information https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/section-200.206

Award formula When making funding decisions, we consider:

• The amount of available funds.

• Assessed risk.

We may:

• Consider the larger portfolio of agency-funded projects, including project type and geographic distribution.

• Consider the funding priorities, funding preferences, and special considerations listed.

• Fund applications in whole or in part.

• Fund applications at a lower amount than requested.

• Decide not to allow a recipient to subaward if they may not be able to monitor and manage subrecipients properly.

• Choose to fund no applications under this NOFO.

Additionally, we may not make an award if you are delinquent on two or more Single Audit Reports.

You cannot appeal a denial, or the amount of funds awarded.

Selection process We distribute NFLP funds among participating institutions as formula-based awards.

We use program data reported on the NFLP Program Specific Data Form and other program sources such as the annual performance reports to determine funding and administer the program. The formula uses the data you supplied in your application. It calculates FY 2026 award amounts based on the following:

• Number of terms/quarters.

• Tuition/fees/expenses amount per term/quarter.

• Total number of doctoral and master’s students requested for support.

• Total number of continuing and new students requested for support.

• Amount of loan fund disbursed and projected loan fund balance.

• Amount of federal funds requested.

• Default rate percentage Continuation applicants.

The formula calculation may allocate zero funds to a successful continuation application (for example, for high unused/unobligated account balance), which may result in no funds being awarded to an applicant under this solicitation.

We consider:

• The unused/unobligated NFLP fund balance from previous awards.

• The NFLP loans made by the institution over recent periods.

• The NFLP loan default rate.

• The formula calculation may allocate zero funds to a successful continuation application (for example, for high unused/unobligated account balance), which may result in no funds being awarded to an applicant under this solicitation.

Funding priorities This program includes one or more funding priority, based on section 847(f) of the Public Health Service Act. Qualifying for a funding priority does not guarantee that your application will be successful.

HRSA will apply a funding priority to eligible NFLP applicants that support students enrolled in doctoral nursing programs (for example, PhD, DNP, and Ed.D. in Nursing Education).

HRSA applies the doctoral funding priority through an internal formula calculation.

This allocates a larger portion of available NFLP funds to applicants who support doctoral students. To qualify for this funding priority, you must provide relevant student data on the NFLP Program Specific Data Forms.

Award notices We issue Notices of Award (NOA) on or around the start date listed in the NOFO. See “how we make awards” in the R&R Application Guide [PDF] for more information.

By drawing down funds, you accept the terms and conditions of the award.

https://www.hrsa.gov/sites/default/files/hrsa/grants/research-related-application-guide.pdf#page%3D35

Step 5:

Submit Your Application

Application submission and deadlines 37

Other submissions 37

Application submission and deadlines Your organization’s authorized official must certify your application. See the section on finding the application package to make sure you have everything you need.

Application deadline You must submit your application by 07/10/2026, at 11:59 p.m. ET.

Grants.gov creates a date and time record when it receives applications.

If you need a deadline extension, see “requesting a waiver” in the R&R Application Guide [PDF].

Submission method Grants.gov You must submit your application through Grants.gov. You may do so using Grants.gov Workspace. This is the preferred method. For alternative online methods, see Applicant System-to-System.

For instructions on how to submit in Grants.gov, see the Quick Start Guide for Applicants. Make sure that your application passes the Grants.gov validation checks, or we may not get it. Do not encrypt, zip, or password protect any files.

If Grants.gov rejects your application due to errors, you must correct and resubmit before the deadline.

If you want to know more about correcting errors or tracking your application, you can refer to the R&R Application Guide [PDF].

Other submissions Intergovernmental review This NOFO is not subject to Executive Order 12372, Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs. No action is needed.

Have questions? Go to Contacts and Support.

https://www.hrsa.gov/sites/default/files/hrsa/grants/research-related-application-guide.pdf#page%3D7 https://www.hrsa.gov/sites/default/files/hrsa/grants/research-related-application-guide.pdf#page%3D7 https://www.grants.gov/system-to-system/applicant-system-to-system/ https://www.grants.gov/system-to-system/applicant-system-to-system/ http://www.grants.gov/quick-start-guide/applicants http://www.grants.gov/quick-start-guide/applicants https://www.hrsa.gov/sites/default/files/hrsa/grants/research-related-application-guide.pdf#page%3D6 https://www.archives.gov/federal-register/codification/executive-order/12372.html

Step 6:

Learn What Happens After Award

In this step

Post-award requirements and administration 39

Reporting 43

Post-award requirements and administration Administrative and national policy requirements There are important rules you need to know if you get an award. You must follow:

• All terms and conditions in the Notice of Award (NOA). We incorporate this NOFO by reference.

• The regulations at 2 CFR Part 200, Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards, modifications at 2 CFR Part 300, and any superseding regulations.

• The HHS Grants Policy Statement. Your NOA will reference this document. If there are any exceptions to the GPS, they’ll be listed in your NOA.

• All federal statutes and regulations relevant to federal financial assistance, including those highlighted in HHS Grants Policy Statement, Appendix D: HHS Administrative and National Policy Requirements.

• The requirements for performance management in 2 CFR 200.301.

• All anti-discrimination laws: By applying for or accepting federal funds from HHS, you certify compliance with all federal antidiscrimination laws and these requirements. Complying with those laws is a material condition of receiving federal funding streams. You are responsible for ensuring subrecipients, contractors, and partners also comply.

Required alignment with HRSA mission and strategic priorities Recipients must use funds awarded under this NOFO to implement program goals or agency priorities in accordance with the HRSA vision, mission, core values, and strategic priorities, where authorized by law.

In administering programs under this and all funding announcements, HRSA prioritizes:

• Evidence-based healthcare: Funding activities supported by rigorous scientific evidence, particularly for programs serving children and adolescents, where HRSA is committed to approaches that reflect the highest standards of clinical care and child safety.

• Biological and physiological integrity: Recognizing the relevance of biological sex to health outcomes, HRSA encourages applicants to account for sex-based https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/part-200 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-B/chapter-III/part-300 https://www.hhs.gov/grants-contracts/grants/grants-policies-regulations/index.html https://www.hhs.gov/grants-contracts/grants/grants-policies-regulations/index.html https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-A/chapter-II/part-200/subpart-D/section-200.301 https://www.hrsa.gov/about/priorities https://www.hrsa.gov/about/priorities health factors in program design, data collection, and service delivery where scientifically appropriate.

HRSA will implement these priorities consistent with applicable laws, regulations, court orders, and all required administrative procedures. Applicants are encouraged to describe how their proposed programs align with these priorities in their project narratives.

Funded activities must advance HRSA’s vision of protecting and improving the health and well-being of Americans.