Advanced Education Nursing Traineeships

Grants are awarded to eligible institutions to increase the number of advanced practice nurses serving as primary care nurse practitioners or nurse midwives, with an emphasis on funding applicants who are prepared to meet the primary care needs of rural and underserved communities. This goal is accomplished by providing traineeship funds to schools of nursing that prepare graduates to practice in these communities; recipient institutions in turn disburse funds to students in the form of traineeship support.

Eligible applicants are education programs that provide registered nurses with nurse practitioner and nurse-midwife education. Such programs may include schools of nursing, nursing centers, academic health centers, State or local governments, and other public or private nonprofit entities authorized by the Secretary to confer degrees to registered nurses for nurse practitioner nurse-midwife education. Federally Recognized Indian Tribal Government and Native American Organizations may apply if otherwise eligible.

The participating institutions select traineeship recipients. A recipient (student) must be enrolled in an advanced education nursing program in the recipient institution for preparation as a primary care nurse practitioner or nurse-midwife. The student/enrollee must be pursuing a master's or doctoral degree, a combined RN to master's degree, nurse-midwifery certificate in existence on November 12, 1998, or a post-graduate master's certificate. The student/enrollee must be a citizen of the United States, non-citizen national, or foreign national who possesses a visa permitting permanent residence in the United States. Individuals on temporary or student visas are not eligible to receive AENT support. The student/enrollee must maintain the predetermined academic standards of the institution and be prepared to sit for national nursing certification in the nursing specialty or field of study following graduation.

Applicants should review the individual HRSA Notice of Funding Opportunity issued under this CFDA program for any required proof or certifications which must be submitted with an application package.

Funds can be used to pay all or part of the costs of tuition, books/ebooks, and fees of the program of advanced nurse education, and reasonable living expenses in the form of stipends for the student during the period for which the traineeship is provided. Funds may not be used for the following purposes: Books for library or personal use and trainee travel are not allowed. Student support through stipends, tuition, and fees is not eligible for support. Indirect costs under training awards to organizations other than State, local or American Indian tribal governments will be budgeted and reimbursed at 8 percent of modified total direct costs rather than on the basis of a negotiated rate agreement, and are not subject to upward or downward adjustment.

This funding opportunity provides support for a one year project period.

HRSA requires all applicants to apply electronically through Grants.gov. All eligible, qualified applications will be forwarded to an objective review committee. Based on the advice of the objective review committee, the HRSA program official with delegated authority is responsible for final selection and funding decisions. Notification is made in writing by a Notice of Award.

Procedures for assessing the technical merit of grant applications have been instituted to provide an objective review of applications and to assist the applicant in understanding the standards against which each application will be judged. Critical indicators have been developed for each review criterion to assist the applicant in presenting pertinent information related to that criterion and to provide the reviewer with a standard for evaluation. Competing applications are reviewed by non-Federal expert consultant(s) for technical merit recommendations. Applications will be reviewed and evaluated against the following criteria: (1) Purpose and Need; (2) Response to Program Purpose; (3) Impact; (4) Organizational Information, Resources and Capabilities; and (5) Support Requested. See the most recent Notice of Funding Opportunity for detailed selection criteria.

Notification of award is made in writing (electronic) through a Notice of Award.

Approximately 120 -180 days after receipt of applications.