HRSA-25-070 Final.pdf

Notice of Funding Opportunity

Application due February 24, 2025

Nurse Faculty Loan Program (NFLP) Opportunity number: HRSA-25-070

Contents Before you begin 4

Step 1: Review the Opportunity 5

Basic information 6

Eligibility 7

Program description 9

Award information 12

Step 2: Get Ready to Apply 14

Get registered 15

Find the application package 15

Application writing help 15

Step 3: Prepare Your Application 17

Application contents and format 18

Step 4: Learn About Review & Award 29

Application review 30

Award notices 32

Step 5: Submit Your Application 33

Application submission and deadlines 34

Application checklist 35

Step 6: Learn What Happens After Award 36

Post-award requirements and administration 37

Contacts and Support 41

Appendix: Sample NFLP Terms 44

Contents 2

Endnotes 51

Contents 3

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 February 24, 2025.

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.

Before you begin 4 https://sam.gov/ https://grants.gov/

Jump to a step

1. Review 2. Get Ready 3. Prepare 4. Learn 5. Submit 6. Award Contacts

Step 1:

Review the Opportunity

In this step

Basic information 6

Eligibility 7

Program description 9

Award information 12

Basic information Division of Nursing and Public Health

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

Have questions?

Go to Contacts and Support.

Key facts

Opportunity name: Nurse Faculty Loan Program

Opportunity number:

HRSA-25-070

Announcement version:

New

Federal assistance listing:

93.264

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

Key dates

NOFO issue date: November 26, 2024

Informational webinar: See HRSA Bureau of Health Workforce’s open opportunities website for details.

Application deadline:

February 24, 2025

Expected award date is by:

July 1, 2025

Expected start date: July 1, See other submissions for other time frames that may apply to this NOFO.

Summary This program aims to increase the number of qualified nursing faculty nationwide by providing low interest loans for individuals studying to be nurse faculty and loan cancellation for those who then go on to work as faculty.

Funding details Application Types: Competing Continuation, New

Expected total available funding in FY 2025: $25,600,000.

Expected number and type of awards: 80 grants

Funding range per award: Up to $2,000,000 per award (this ceiling amount reflects the maximum requested award amount).

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

We plan to fund awards for a one-year period of performance of July 1, 2025, to June 30, 2026.

The program and estimated awards depend on the future appropriation of funds and are subject to change based on the availability and amount of appropriations.

1. Review 2. Get Ready 3. Prepare 4. Learn 5. Submit 6. Award Contacts

Step 1: Review the Opportunity 6 https://bhw.hrsa.gov/fundingopportunities/default.aspx

Eligibility Who can apply You can apply if you are an accredited school of nursing with advanced nursing education programs. Any school(s) of nursing affiliated with this application must be accredited at the time of application – and for the duration of the award – by a recognized body or bodies, or a state agency, approved by the Secretary of Education for nurse education accreditation. Applicants 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 accredited schools of nursing with an advanced nursing program.

Types of eligible organizations If otherwise eligible, these types of domestic* organizations may apply.

• Public institutions of higher education

• Private institutions of higher education

• Non-profits with or without a 501(c)(3) IRS status

• For-profit organizations

• State, county, city, township, and special district governments, including the District of Columbia, domestic territories, and freely associated states

• Native American tribal governments

• Native American tribal organizations

*“Domestic” means the 50 U.S. 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.

Individuals are not eligible applicants under this NOFO.

Other eligibility criteria Beneficiary eligibility To receive support under this program, student borrowers must:

• Be enrolled in a course of study in an advanced nursing education degree program.

Step 1: Review the Opportunity 7

◦ Post-master’s nursing certificate and Clinical Nurse Leader (CNL) students are eligible for support.

• 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.

Individuals on temporary or student visas are not eligible to participate and cannot receive NFLP support.

Completeness and responsiveness 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.

• Requests funding above the award ceiling shown in the funding range.

• Is submitted after the deadline.

• Fails to submit accreditation or approval documentation.

Application limits You can submit only one application per campus. A campus is defined as a division of a university that has the same name but has a separate Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) and is separate with its own grounds, buildings (e.g., school of nursing), and faculty.

We will only review your last validated application for each distinct project before the deadline.

Cost sharing Cost sharing or matching is required for this program. Recipient institutions are required to deposit an Institutional Capital Contribution (ICC) that is equal to not less than one-ninth of the Fiscal Year (FY) 2025 Federal award amount, hereafter referred to as the Federal Capital Contribution (FCC). The ICC must be deposited at the time the FCC is received and deposited into the loan fund account.

Step 1: Review the Opportunity 8

Program description Purpose The NFLP seeks to increase the number of qualified nursing faculty nationwide by providing low interest loans for individuals studying to be nurse faculty and loan cancellation for those who then go on to work as faculty. Successful applicants must establish, operate, and maintain a student loan program that provides loans to students enrolled in advanced nursing education degree programs. NFLP recipients must also monitor compliance with program requirements.

NFLP graduates can have up to 85 percent of their student loan, including interest, canceled if they work full-time as nurse faculty for up to four years at an accredited nursing school. Advanced Practice Registered Nurses (APRNs) who work full-time as preceptors in academic-practice partnerships are also considered faculty under the NFLP, expanding clinical training for nursing students.

Background Strengthening the nation’s supply of nurse faculty is critical to meeting workforce needs and educating the next generation of nurses. According to recent data collected through the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) 2022 Faculty Vacancy Survey, there are 2,166 unfilled nurse faculty positions in the United States, with 62 percent of schools unable to fill their full-time faculty slots. The data shows a national nurse faculty vacancy rate of 7.8 percent. Most of the vacancies (79.8 percent) were faculty positions requiring or preferring a doctoral degree.[1] HRSA projections show maldistribution of the registered nurse workforce across the United States, as well as shortages in many states. Maldistributions and shortages are partially attributable to nursing school faculty shortages, which affect nursing program enrollments.[2]

Partnerships between NFLP recipients and academic or practice institutions are beneficial in addressing nurse faculty shortages and the limited supply of APRN preceptors. These partnerships provide an avenue for shared resources, increase opportunities for recruitment of diverse student populations, and support post-graduation employment.

The NFLP supports institutions committed to preparing advanced degree nursing students to serve as nurse faculty. Evidence has shown monetary support to pursue education, including fellowships and loan forgiveness, to be effective in encouraging students to become nurse faculty.

Step 1: Review the Opportunity 9

To better understand key program-related terms in this NOFO, please visit the Health Workforce Glossary.

Program goals

• Increase the number of qualified nurse faculty nationwide by supporting training of advanced nursing education students who will serve as nurse faculty upon graduation, with a focus on doctorate preparation.

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

• Expand clinical training opportunities by increasing access to joint nurse faculty roles, such as APRN preceptors.

Program objectives NFLP recipients will:

• Establish and/or maintain a distinct NFLP loan fund account and provide fiscal oversight in accordance with NFLP requirements.

• Disburse loans to students enrolled in accredited or approved (for new programs) advanced nurse education training programs, who will serve as nurse faculty upon graduation.

• Operate a NFLP loan fund, collect on loans borrowed, manage cancellations, monitor compliance, and provide accurate programmatic and financial data to show successful project implementation.

Program requirements and expectations You must address the following in your application, and meet these expectations if you receive an award:

• Establish, if not already established, and maintain an interest-bearing student loan fund, and deposit in the student loan fund account:

◦ The FCC (the federal award made to the institution)

◦ An amount equal to not less than one-ninth of the FCC, referred to as ICC

◦ 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.

• Within 60 days of receiving the FCC, withdraw the entire FCC amount, add the ICC amount, and deposit both into a separate, interest-bearing NFLP student loan account.

1. Review 2. Get Ready 3. Prepare 4. Learn 5. Submit 6. Award Contacts

Step 1: Review the Opportunity 10 https://bhw.hrsa.gov/glossary

• Conduct a training program to prepare students to become nurse faculty/ preceptors including training on how to deliver didactic and clinical curricula that reflects best practices in teaching and care delivery. NFLP funds can cover the costs of student nurse educator development activities[3] within the course of study as a reasonable educational expense.

• Disburse NFLP loan funds to advanced nursing education students. NFLP funds can only be used to pay the cost of tuition, fees, books, laboratory expenses, other reasonable education expenses, and costs of collection of loaned principal and accrued interest.

• Encourage post-graduation employment by connecting graduates with employment resources and opportunities, including in communities of need (i.e., underserved, rural, and tribal areas).

• Collect principal and interest on all loans from the NFLP student loan fund and deposit them back into the fund. NFLP funds can cover the costs of loan collection, including reasonable costs for personnel or third-party servicers.

• Provide cancellation of up to 85 percent of the original student loans (plus interest thereon) for completion of up to four years of post-graduation full-time nurse faculty employment (see below):

◦ 20 percent of the principal and the 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; and

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

• Participate in federally designed evaluations to assess program effectiveness and efficiency upon request.

Program specific instructions You are encouraged to:

• Establish collaborative partnerships to recruit students, provide access to training resources, and connect graduates with employment opportunities.

• Enhance experiential and didactic curricula to help NFLP students address health disparities, social determinants of health (SDOH), health equity, and behavioral health integration for populations they serve upon graduation.

• Recruit, train, support, and graduate students, including those from diverse populations, such as those from disadvantaged backgrounds.

• Support an organizational culture of wellness by using evidence-based strategies aimed at promoting mental wellness and reducing burnout in the nursing workforce.

Step 1: Review the Opportunity 11

Award information Funding policies and limitations Policies We will only make awards if this program receives funding. If Congress appropriates funds for this purpose, we will move forward with the review and award process.

Maintenance of effort (MOE) Federal funds must add to any existing non-federal funds for your proposed activities. If you receive an award, you will have to spend at least as much as you spent in the last fiscal year before the award. 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 in Attachment 2.

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

General limitations

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

Budget Information in section 3.1.4 of the R&R Application Guide. You can also see 45 CFR part 75, or any superseding regulation, General Provisions for Selected Items of Cost.

• You cannot earn profit from the federal award. See 45 CFR 75.400(g).

Program-specific limitations.

Award funds cannot be used for indirect costs. Recipients may use a reasonable amount of funds toward loan collection costs for NFLP loans, including designated institutional structures, to collect costs such as personnel and third-party servicers.

• NFLP loan support is only made to eligible students to cover the cost of tuition, fees, books, lab expenses, and other reasonable education expenses (including student nurse educator development activities) for the duration of their course of study.

• NFLP loan support cannot exceed $40,000 per student for any academic period.

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

1. Review 2. Get Ready 3. Prepare 4. Learn 5. Submit 6. Award Contacts

Step 1: Review the Opportunity 12 https://www.hrsa.gov/sites/default/files/hrsa/grants/research-related-application-guide.pdf#page=15 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-45/part-75/subject-group-ECFR5d90ba314caea08 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-45/part-75/subject-group-ECFR5d90ba314caea08 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-45/part-75#p-75.216(b) https://www.hrsa.gov/grants/manage-your-grant

Program income Program income is money earned from your award-supported project activities. You must use any program income you generate from awarded funds for approved project-related activities. Find more information about program income at 45 CFR 75.307.

1. Review 2. Get Ready 3. Prepare 4. Learn 5. Submit 6. Award Contacts

Step 1: Review the Opportunity 13 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-45/subtitle-A/subchapter-A/part-75/subpart-D/subject-group-ECFR911e5e1a30bfbcb/section-75.307

Step 2:

Get Ready to Apply

In this step

Get registered 15

Find the application package 15

Application writing help 15

Get registered SAM.gov You must have an active account with SAM.gov. This includes having a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI). SAM.gov registration can take several weeks. Begin that process today.

To register, go to SAM.gov Entity Registration and click Get Started. From the same page, you can also click on the Entity Registration Checklist for the information you will need to register.

When you register or update your SAM.gov registration, you must agree to the financial assistance general certifications and representations. You must agree to those for grants specifically, as opposed to contracts, because the two sets of agreements are different. You will have to maintain your registration throughout the life of any award.

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.

Need Help? See Contacts & Support.

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-25-070.

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

Application writing help Visit HHS’s Tips for Preparing Grant Proposals.

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

1. Review 2. Get Ready 3. Prepare 4. Learn 5. Submit 6. Award Contacts

Step 2: Get Ready to Apply 15 https://sam.gov/content/entity-registration https://www.hrsa.gov/grants/apply-for-a-grant/prepare-your-application/assurances-non-construction-programs https://www.hrsa.gov/grants/apply-for-a-grant/prepare-your-application/assurances-non-construction-programs https://grants.gov/applicants/applicant-registration http://www.grants.gov/quick-start-guide/applicants https://www.grants.gov/search-grants 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

Join the webinar We will hold a pre-application technical assistance webinar. The webinar will provide an overview of pertinent information in the NOFO and an opportunity for applicants to ask questions. Visit the HRSA Bureau of Health Workforce’s open opportunities website to learn more about the resources available for this funding opportunity.

1. Review 2. Get Ready 3. Prepare 4. Learn 5. Submit 6. Award Contacts

Step 2: Get Ready to Apply 16

Step 3:

Prepare Your Application

In this step

Application contents and format 18

Application contents and format Applications include four main components. This section includes guidance on each.

Application page limit: 50 pages.

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

dollars.

Make sure you include each of these:

Components Submission Format Included in the page limit?

Project abstract Use the Project Abstract Summary form. No.

Project narrative Use the Project Narrative Attachment form. Yes.

Attachments Insert each in the Other Attachments form. Yes, unless otherwise marked below.

Other required forms Upload using each required form. Indicated in the other required forms section.

See the application checklist for a full list of all application requirements. See form instructions for more detail on completing each form.

Required format You must format your narratives and attachments using our required formats for fonts, size, color, format, and margins, etc. See the formatting guidelines in section 3.2 of the Application Guide.

Project abstract Complete the information in the Project Abstract Summary Form. Include a brief overview of the project, specific objectives that the project will accomplish, which of the clinical priorities will be addressed by the project (if applicable), and how the proposed project will be completed. For more information, see section 4.1.ix of the Application Guide.

1. Review 2. Get Ready 3. Prepare 4. Learn 5. Submit 6. Award Contacts

Step 3: Prepare Your Application 18 https://www.hrsa.gov/sites/default/files/hrsa/grants/sf-424-rr-app-guide.pdf#page=41 https://www.hrsa.gov/sites/default/files/hrsa/grants/sf424-application-guide.pdf#page=36

Project narrative In this section, you will describe all aspects of your project. Project activities must comply with the nondiscrimination requirements.

Use the section headers and the order below.

Introduction and purpose

• Briefly describe the purpose of the proposed project and the need for nurse faculty.

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

Need

• Describe the need for more qualified nurse faculty within your geographical area.

• Discuss how your students will benefit from this program.

• Describe how your graduates impact the nurse faculty workforce locally and nationally, including benefit to rural or underserved populations, as applicable.

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

Approach

• Describe methods and/or 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.

• Identify strategies, tools and/or activities to address: diversity, such as by recruiting students from disadvantaged backgrounds or rural areas; burnout; and SDOH and advancing health equity.

High-level work plan

• Describe how you’ll 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 Purpose and Need sections.

• Describe the collaborative academic or academic-practice partnerships formed to support training, student nurse educator development, and post-graduation faculty employment.

Step 3: Prepare Your Application 19

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 in order to receive cancellation of up to 85 percent of their original student loan amount (plus interest thereon).

◦ How you will manage borrower records and the institution’s loan fund account, including preventing high default rates.

◦ How you will manage loan cancellation, repayment, and collection, including coordinating 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, including in rural and underserved areas.

Performance reporting and evaluation

• 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), including plans to maintain contact after graduation.

◦ 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:

◦ The evaluation questions, methods, data to be collected, 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.

1. Review 2. Get Ready 3. Prepare 4. Learn 5. Submit 6. Award Contacts

Step 3: Prepare Your Application 20 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

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

See Reporting 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 sustainability after the period of federal funding ends.

• Describe how you will continue supporting the number of students trained to become qualified nursing faculty.

• Describe how you will obtain 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.

• 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 positions using Attachment 6. See qualifications for key positions below:

◦ Project Director:

▪ Primary contact for the project and works with HRSA staff, members of the project staff, and partners.

▪ Responsible for the project and all deliverables.

▪ Must have at a minimum a master’s or doctorate level degree.

▪ Has experience as an educator and administrative expertise (including but not limited to fiduciary oversight of loan funds, preparation, and submission of the Annual Performance Reports).

Step 3: Prepare Your Application 21

NOTE: If the Project Director is not a nurse educator/administrator, then they must have direct affiliation with the nursing education unit 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/maintenance, loan provision to students, loan cancellation and write-off, loan repayment and collection, and financial record keeping.

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

Budget and budget narrative The NFLP is formula-based and does not require submission of a budget or budget narrative.

Attachments Place your PDF attachments in order in the Attachments form.

Attachment 1: Accreditation documentation Required - Does not count toward the page limit.

You must provide documentation of your school(s) of nursing/nursing program accreditation. Please do not provide only the web link to the accreditation body’s website. HRSA will not open any links included in the application.

Schools of nursing and nursing programs affiliated with the proposed project that offer formal degree programs must be accredited by a national or state agency recognized by the Secretary of Education for the purposes of nursing education. These agencies include, but are not limited to:

• Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education

• Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing

• Accreditation Commission for Midwifery Education

You must submit appropriate accreditation or approval documentation to be deemed eligible.

Step 3: Prepare Your Application 22

If your accreditation/approval status cannot be verified, you will be considered nonresponsive and deemed ineligible.

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

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

• The name of the accrediting/approval body.

• The date of initial accreditation/approval.

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

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

• The period covered by the accreditation.

Substantive change notification

Accredited nursing programs that modify (for example, a change to a BSN-DNP program) or add a nursing specialty that requires substantive change notification to the national nursing accrediting body, must include documentation of approval of the change from the accrediting agency.

Newly established programs of nursing accreditation

If a nursing program is new and therefore not yet accredited, but will likely be accredited in the future, the Secretary of Education may deem it accredited if the program meets accreditation standards before the second entering class begins their academic year.

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

Department of Education as Attachment 1.

Attachment 2: Maintenance of effort documentation Required - Counts toward the page limit.

You must specify the 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 MOE is based on the ICC contributed to the prior fiscal year and the estimated ICC amount for the next fiscal year.

Use the sample format below to provide the Maintenance of Effort documentation.

Step 3: Prepare Your Application 23

Table: Maintenance of Effort

FY Before Application:

Actual Non-Federal Expenditures

First FY of Award:

Estimated Non-Federal Expenditures

Attachment 3: Loan disbursement plan Required – Counts toward the page limit.

Upload a disbursement plan for the new NFLP funds being requested in this application, in a tabular format. Institutions 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 (e.g., 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 continuation (competing continuation) applicants with unused past NFLP funds received under previous grant awards: In addition to the information collected in Section A, you must provide as Section B a supplementary disbursement plan for those unused NFLP funds to include the following:

• Number of students you project to support using the unused NFLP funds, listed by full-time or part-time status.

• The date of the disbursements for the full academic year period (e.g., 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.

Step 3: Prepare Your Application 24

Attachment 4: Default rate corrective action plan (for competing continuation applicants) Required (if applicable) – Counts toward the page limit.

If you are applying as competing continuation with NFLP loan default rates greater than 5 percent, you must submit a corrective action plan that demonstrates how you will reduce the default rate to:

• Less than or equal to 5 percent; or

• One-half the default rate reported for the previous reporting period, whichever is greater.

The default rate corrective action plan must be signed by the Project Director, the Authorizing Official, or both, and must include:

• A description of the factors that have contributed to the default rate exceeding the 5 percent threshold; and

• A work plan with specific activities and associated timelines to reduce the default rate to either (a) under 5 percent or (b) half the current default rate (whichever is greater) during the period of performance.

Attachment 5: Statement of collaborative academic/academic-practice partnership Required (if applicable) - Counts toward the page limit.

Provide evidence of a collaborative academic/academic-practice partnership, including:

• 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 in order to receive loan cancellation.

Attachment 6 Senior/key person Biographical Sketch Required - Does not count towards the page limit.

In addition to the requirements in Project Narrative, Organizational Information, follow these instructions.

Step 3: Prepare Your Application 25

• Include biographical sketches for people who will hold the key positions.

◦ You should complete this for the Project Director, the Financial Management, and other key roles contributing to the project.

• 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.

• Include:

◦ Name and title

◦ Education and training – for each entry listed, include:

◦ Institution and location

◦ Degree and date earned, if applicable

◦ 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 the individual’s responsibilities.

◦ Other information. If applicable, include language fluency and experience working with populations that are culturally and linguistically different from their own.

Please note, the R&R Application Guide states that biographical sketches count toward the page limit. However, per this NOFO, your biographical sketches will not count toward the page limit.

Attachments 7 - 15: Other relevant documentations As Applicable - Counts toward page limit.

Include here any other documents that are relevant to the application.

Other required standard forms You will need to complete some other forms. Upload the forms listed below at Grants.gov. You can find them in the NOFO application package or review them and any

1. Review 2. Get Ready 3. Prepare 4. Learn 5. Submit 6. Award Contacts

Step 3: Prepare Your Application 26 https://grants.gov/learn-grants/grant-terminology#p https://www.hrsa.gov/sites/default/files/hrsa/grants/research-related-application-guide.pdf#page=43 available instructions at Grants.gov Forms. See the application checklist for a full list of all application requirements.

Forms Submission Requirement

Project Abstract Summary Form Yes, with application.

SF-424 R&R (Application for Federal Assistance)

Yes, with application.

Research & Related Other Project Information

Yes, with application.

Project/Performance Site Locations Yes, with application.

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

NFLP Program Specific Data Forms Yes, with application.

Form Instructions SF-424 R&R form Does not count toward the page limit.

Follow the instructions for Application for Federal Assistance in section 3.1.1 of the R&R Application Guide.

Research and Related Other Project Information Only the project narrative counts toward the page limit

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

• Complete items 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.

• If you have more than 10 subawards, you may use item 12 to add subaward budgets that could not fit in your R&R Subaward Budget Attachment(s) Form.

Disclosure of Lobbying Activities (SF-LLL) Form Does not count toward the page limit.

1. Review 2. Get Ready 3. Prepare 4. Learn 5. Submit 6. Award Contacts

Step 3: Prepare Your Application 27 https://www.grants.gov/forms https://www.hrsa.gov/sites/default/files/hrsa/grants/research-related-application-guide.pdf#page=1

Follow the form instructions in Grants.gov.

NFLP Program-Specific Data Forms Does not count toward the page limit.

You must complete and submit the NFLP Program Specific Data Forms (NFLP Tables) in your grants.gov workspace by the application due date. The NFLP Tables are essential for award calculation. Incomplete or missing data may result in HRSA deeming the application nonresponsive, and the application may not be considered for funding.

Step 3: Prepare Your Application 28

Step 4:

Learn About Review & Award

In this step

Application review 30

Award notices 32

Application review Initial review We review each application to make sure it meets eligibility criteria, including the completeness and responsiveness criteria. If your application does not meet these criteria, it will not be funded.

Also, we will not review any pages over the page limit.

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

The formula uses the data you supplied in your application. We will calculate FY 2025 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

The doctoral funding priority required by section 847(f) of the Public Health Service Act within the NFLP formula is applied by allocating a larger portion of the funds to support doctoral students.

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.

Step 4: Learn About Review & Award 30

• Make sure you comply with any public policies.

• 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 over $250,000. 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 45 CFR 75.205.

Selection process NFLP funds are distributed among participating institutions as formula-based awards.

Program data reported on the NFLP Program Specific Data Form and other program sources such as the annual performance reports are used to determine funding and administer the program.

When making funding decisions, we also consider:

• Completeness of application

• The available funds

• Assessed risk

For continuation applicants, in determining NFLP award decisions, the application review and award determination process will 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. Continuation applicants that are above the default rate threshold (greater than 5 percent per last annual performance report) and noncompliant with loan disbursements for two years or more, will be deemed ineligible for future funding or be subject to additional penalties, up to and including, remittance of unobligated funds as well as suspension and/or termination of the NFLP award.

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.

1. Review 2. Get Ready 3. Prepare 4. Learn 5. Submit 6. Award Contacts

Step 4: Learn About Review & Award 31 https://sam.gov/content/entity-information https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-45/section-75.205

Funding priority This program includes a funding priority imposed by section 847(f) of the Public Health Service Act. A funding priority will be applied to eligible NFLP applicants that support students enrolled in doctoral nursing programs (e.g., PhD, DNP, and Ed.D. in Nursing Education).

HRSA applies the doctoral funding priority through an internal formula calculation by allocating a larger portion of available NFLP funds to applicants who support doctoral students. Relevant student data must be provided 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 Section 4 of the Application Guide for more information.

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

1. Review 2. Get Ready 3. Prepare 4. Learn 5. Submit 6. Award Contacts

Step 4: Learn About Review & Award 32 https://www.hrsa.gov/sites/default/files/hrsa/grants/research-related-application-guide.pdf#page=43

Step 5:

Submit Your Application

In this step

Application submission and deadlines 34

Application checklist 35

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

Make sure you are current with SAM.gov and UEI requirements. When you register or update your SAM.gov registration, you must agree to the financial assistance general certifications and representations, and specifically with regard to grants.

Make sure that your SAM.gov registration is accurate for both contracts and grants, as these registrations differ. See Get Registered. You will have to maintain your registration throughout the life of any award.

Deadlines You must submit your application by February 24, 2025, at 11:59 p.m. ET.

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

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.

Have Questions? Go to Contacts and Support.

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

1. Review 2. Get Ready 3. Prepare 4. Learn 5. Submit 6. Award Contacts

Step 5: Submit Your Application 34 https://www.hrsa.gov/grants/apply-for-a-grant/prepare-your-application/assurances-non-construction-programs https://www.hrsa.gov/grants/apply-for-a-grant/prepare-your-application/assurances-non-construction-programs 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.archives.gov/federal-register/codification/executive-order/12372.html

Application checklist Make sure that you have everything you need to apply:

Form See instructions Included in page limit?

Project Abstract Summary Project abstract

Form instructions

No

Research and Related Other Project Information

Project narrative

Form instructions

Only the attached project narrative

Attachments include: Attachments

Form instructions

Yes, unless otherwise noted in Attachments section

1: Accreditation Documentation

2: Maintenance of Effort documentation

3: Loan Disbursement Plan

4: Default Rate Corrective Action Plan

5: Statement of Collaborative Academic/ Academic-Practice Partnership

6: Senior/key person Biographical Sketch

7-15: Other relevant documents.

If you have additional material to submit, such as explanations of mandatory disclosures, you can use this form.

Other required forms Other required forms No

SF-424 R & R (Application for Federal Assistance)

Form instructions No

Disclosure of Lobbying Activities (SF-LLL) (If applicable)

Form instructions No

Other Program Specific forms: NFLP Program Specific Forms

Form instructions No

* Only what you attach in addition to these forms counts toward the page limit. The form itself does not count.

Step 5: Submit Your Application 35

Step 6:

Learn What Happens After Award

In this step

Post-award requirements and administration 37

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. We incorporate this NOFO by reference.

• The regulations at 45 CFR part 75, Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for HHS Awards, or any superseding regulations. Effective October 1, 2024, HHS adopted the following superseding provisions:

◦ 2 CFR 200.1, Definitions, Modified Total Direct Cost.

◦ 2 CFR 200.1, Definitions, Equipment.

◦ 2 CFR 200.1, Definitions, Supplies.

◦ 2 CFR 200.313(e), Equipment, Disposition.

◦ 2 CFR 200.314(a), Supplies.

◦ 2 CFR 200.320, Methods of procurement to be followed.

◦ 2 CFR 200.333, Fixed amount subawards.

◦ 2 CFR 200.344, Closeout.

◦ 2 CFR 200.414(f), Indirect (F&A) costs.

◦ 2 CFR 200.501, Audit requirements.

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

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

• See the requirements for performance management in 2 CFR 200.301.

• The Project Director must register promptly in the HRSA Electronic Handbook (EHB) once an award is made.

1. Review 2. Get Ready 3. Prepare 4. Learn 5. Submit 6. Award Contacts

Step 6: Learn What Happens After Award 37 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-45/part-75 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/part-200#p-200.1(Modified%20Total%20Direct%20Cost%20(MTDC)) https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/part-200#p-200.1(Equipment) https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/part-200#p-200.1(Supplies) https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/part-200#p-200.313(e) https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/part-200#p-200.314(a) https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/section-200.320 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/section-200.333 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/section-200.344 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/part-200#p-200.414(f) https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/section-200.501 https://www.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/hhs-grants-policy-statement-october-2024.pdf https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-A/chapter-II/part-200/subpart-D/section-200.301

Non-discrimination legal requirements If you receive an award, you must follow all applicable nondiscrimination laws. You agree to this when you register in SAM.gov. You must also submit an Assurance of Compliance (HHS-690). To learn more, see the Laws and Regulations Enforced by the HHS Office for Civil Rights.

Contact the HHS Office for Civil Rights for more information about obligations and prohibitions under federal civil rights laws or call 1-800-368-1019 or TDD 1-800-537-7697.

The HRSA Office of…