Nurse Faculty Loan Program (NFLP)

The Nurse Faculty Loan Program (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 cancelation for those who then go on to work as faculty.

The Nurse Faculty Loan Program (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 cancelation for those who then go on to work as faculty. A robust, geographically dispersed nurse faculty workforce is essential to producing the nursing workforce needed to meet US health care needs. Successful applicants establish and operate a student loan program including maintaining a fund, providing loans to students enrolled in advanced education nursing degree programs, and monitoring compliance with program requirements. In exchange for completion of up to four years of post-graduation full-time nurse faculty employment in an accredited school of nursing, graduates receive cancellation of up to 85 percent of the original student loan amount (plus interest thereon) as authorized by the program. NFLP also encourages Advance Practice Registered Nurses (APRNs) to serve as full-time preceptors within an academic-practice partnership framework in an effort to expand clinical training opportunities for nursing students.

Eligible applicants are domestic accredited schools of nursing with advanced education nursing 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. Tribes and tribal organizations may be eligible if they own and operate accredited schools of nursing with advanced nursing programs. "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.

An eligible beneficiary receiving support from grant funds under the NFLP program must (1) be enrolled in a course of study in an advanced nursing education degree program (2) 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 or 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.

NFLP grantees must establish a distinct NFLP interest-bearing loan fund for the purpose of making NFLP loans to eligible students enrolled in advanced degree nursing programs who are committed to become qualified nurse faculty and for the costs associated with collection of these loans. Institutions may award a maximum loan amount of $40,000 per student for an academic year to support the cost of tuition, fees, books, and other reasonable education expenses (including student nurse educator development activities). NFLP funds may only be used for loan support, with the exception of covering the costs of collection of loaned principal and accrued interest and/or penalty, and the cost of student nurse educator development activities as reasonable expenses. Upon completion of the program and following graduation, an amount up to 85 percent of the loan (principal of and interest on) may be cancelled by the institution as follows: 20 percent upon completion of the first, second, and third years of full-time faculty employment in an accredited school of nursing; and 25 percent upon completion of the fourth year of full-time employment as faculty in an accredited school of nursing.

NFLP grantees must establish a distinct NFLP interest-bearing loan fund for the purpose of making NFLP loans to eligible students enrolled in advanced degree nursing programs who are committed to become qualified nurse faculty and for the costs associated with collection of these loans. Institutions may award a maximum loan amount of $40,000 per student for an academic year to support the cost of tuition, fees, books, and other reasonable education expenses (including student nurse educator development activities). NFLP funds may only be used for loan support, with the exception of covering the costs of collection of loaned principal and accrued interest and/or penalty, and the cost of student nurse educator development activities as reasonable expenses. Upon completion of the program and following graduation, an amount up to 85 percent of the loan (principal of and interest on) may be cancelled by the institution as follows: 20 percent upon completion of the first, second, and third years of full-time faculty employment in an accredited school of nursing; and 25 percent upon completion of the fourth year of full-time employment as faculty in an accredited school of nursing.

This funding opportunity provides support for a one-year project period. Recipients must draw down the full NFLP award amount from the Payment Management System (PMS), the centralized web-based payment system for HHS awards within sixty (60) days of receipt of the award and deposit the funds into an interest-bearing student loan fund established by the institution. Institutions must conduct all loan activity through the student fund.

Applications will be reviewed for completeness and eligibility, and to determine if applicant schools meet minimum program requirements. 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 and assessed risk. For continuation applicants, in determining NFLP award decisions, the application review and award determination process will consider the amount of unused/unobligated NFLP fund balance from previous awards, the NFLP loans made by the institution over recent periods and the NFLP loan default rate. Continuation applicants that are above the default rate threshold (greater than five 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.

The NFLP Program is a formula-based grant program that does not undergo a formal Objective Review Process. All eligible, qualified applications are reviewed and assessed internally. Notification is made in writing by a Notice of Award.

Approximately 120 - 180 days from receipt of application.

Applications must be submitted annually.