Competitive Grant for Nursing Schools (Illinois)

Competitive Grant for Nursing Schools (Illinois) is sponsored by Illinois Board of Higher Education (IBHE). This initiative provides competitive grants to nursing schools in Illinois to increase the number of nurses graduating from their programs.

Euna Grants - Board of Higher Education - FY26 Nursing School Grant FY26 Nursing School Grant FY26 Nursing School Grant This grant program seeks to increase the number of registered professional nurses with high quality post-secondary credentials to meet the demands of the Illinois economy.

Eligible nursing programs include Associate Degrees in Nursing (ADN), Registered Nursing to Baccalaureate Degree Completion Programs (RN-BSN), and Baccalaureate Degrees in Nursing (BSN). Programs must meet accreditation requirements and other eligibility criteria. Nursing schools that meet the eligibility criteria will be able to compete for grant awards.

Grant proposals must improve or expand existing nursing programs using strategies that are supported by current research and best practices. Also, proposals must relate to institutional performance measures and goals.

Additionally, the Board will be looking for evidence of proposals that will help to close equity gaps in enrollment, course completion, graduation, and/or licensure by student who are African American, Latino, low-income, first-generation college, from rural communities, working adults or students with disabilities. Board Of Higher Education Funding Opportunity Number Agency Opportunity Number Assistance Listings Number https://il.

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com/Public/Opportunities/Details/f788632f-a159-42ae-ab77-332f3618e487 Funding Source Description Expected Number of Awards In-Kind Match Requirement Other Funding Requirement Submission Timeline Additional Information Allow Multiple Applications Application Review Start Date / Pre-Qualification Deadline Other Submission Requirements Question Submission Information Question Submission Open Date Question Submission Close Date Question Submission Email Address Question Submission Additional Information ATTACHMENT D - Nursing School Grants Administrative Rules How to Apply - FY26 Nursing School Grant Technical Assistance Session Technical Assistance Session Applicant Eligibility Information Illinois institutions offering registered professional nursing programs at the associate, baccalaureate, and master level.

Beneficiary Eligibility Information Credentials Documentation Eligibility Information Additional Eligibility Information Grant awards may be used for the following DIRECT COSTS: • Expand or enhance student services offered for student success in Nursing programs. • Implementation of the Next Generation NCLEX (NGN) exam.

• Training, a pilot program, and/or adoption of competency-based education and assessment methods for nursing education. • Strategies to improve clinical partnerships and/or students’ clinical experiences . • Special recruitment strategies focused on nursing students.

• Hire additional qualified nursing faculty and staff. • Develop or expand instructional programs (e.g., online, weekend, evening). • Improve or increase space for nursing classrooms or laboratories.

• Purchase equipment and other program-related instructional materials. Two or more eligible institutions may submit a cooperative project and identify one institution to be the grantee and fiscal agent. Additional Information URL Additional Information URL Description Award Administration Information Grants are awarded on a competitive basis.

The appropriation to the program for Fiscal Year 2026 is $1,500,000, which remains level from Fiscal Year 2025. It is anticipated that there will be multiple grantees with a range of awards up to $150,000, according to the quality of the proposals. The grant period is from the date of last signature to the agreement in 2025 through June 30, 2026.

Funds are to be expended or encumbered prior to July 1, 2026. Awards will be released in two parts: • Fifty percent upon execution of the grant agreement between IBHE and the grantee; and • Fifty percent upon submission of the Deliverable outlined in Exhibit B (financial reporting).

Administrative and National Policy Requirements Nursing schools that meet the eligibility criteria will be able to compete for grant awards by submitting grant proposals. These proposals must improve or expand existing nursing programs using strategies that are supported by current research and best practices. Also, proposals must relate to institutional performance measures and goals.

The grant awards for eligible nursing programs shall be determined using a competitive process to review applications. The Board's standards for approval include, but are not limited to, the following criteria, considerations, and weightings: 25% Evidence of effective project objectives and performance goals, including evidence of current research and best practices.

25% Proposed use of funds and budget justification demonstrating an effective use of program resources. 25% Evidence of how an institution will use grant funding to help close equity gaps in enrollment, course completion, graduation, or licensure by students who are African American, Latino, low-income, first-generation college, from rural communities, working adults, or students with disabilities.

Proposals may address more than one of the equity gaps and student populations. 15% Evidence of an effective assessment and evaluation plan for outcomes and related progress achieved through the grant. 10% Evidence of institutional support and sustainability plans for grant-funded activities.

Priority for funding will be given to the following which are listed in order starting with the top priority: 1. Funding for baccalaureate-completion programs to facilitate student articulation from an ADN program offered by a community college to a BSN or RN-BSN program offered by a 4-year institution. 2.

Funding for continuation of a Nursing School Grant previously awarded. 3. Funding for a new grant to expand or improve an eligible nursing program.

Grantee agrees to submit reports as requested. The first of such reports shall cover the first three months after the Grantee receives notice of the award. Reports must be submitted no later than 30 calendar days following the period covered by the report.

Failure to submit the reports may cause a delay or suspension of funding and may impact the assessment of institution risk for future grant awards.

Report #1 Period - Date of Last Signature thru February 27, 2026 - Due on or before March 31, 2026 Report #2 Period - March 1 thru June 30, 2026 - Due on or before July 31, 2026 Close-Out - Date of Last Signature thru June 30, 2026 - Due on or before August 31, 2026 As required, the Grantee shall agree to provide an adjusted budget to the Grantor (IBHE) no later than 30 days after execution of the agreement.

State Awarding Agency Contacts * A copy of a current articulation agreement must be included with the application when the proposal is for an Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) program. How well is the proposal supported by evidence of current research and best practices?

To what extent do the Institutional Performance Measures and Goals , i.e., number of degrees conferred, first-year retention rate, job placement rate, and NCLEX-RN pass rate align with the goals of the grant proposal? The Institutional Performance Measures and Goals are in the application form submitted by each applicant, starting on page 2 of the application.

To what degree does the proposal articulate how the nursing program will be expanded or improved by achieving the goals of the grant proposal? To what extent does the budget support the narrative in addressing one or more of these areas? Expand or enhance student services offered for student success in Nursing programs.

Implementation of the Next Generation NCLEX (NGN) exam. Training, a pilot program, and/or adoption of competency-based education and assessment methods for nursing education. Strategies to improve clinical partnerships and/or students’ clinical experiences.

Special recruitment strategies focused on nursing students. Hire additional qualified nursing faculty and staff. Develop or expand instructional programs (e.g., online, weekend, evening).

Improve or increase space for nursing classrooms or laboratories. Purchase equipment and other program-related instructional materials. How well does the proposed budget align with the implementation of the comprehensive proposal?

To what degree does the grant proposal address ways to improve equity gaps in nursing enrollment, course completion, graduation, or licensure by underrepresented student populations? To what extent do the proposed strategies address the equity gaps shown in the institutional data?

(e.g., students who are African American, Latino, low-income, first-generation college, from rural communities, working adults, or students with disabilities). Are the expected outcomes to be assessed clearly identified and within the time frame of the grant?

Does the assessment and evaluation plan include assessment strategies that will be used to determine the effectiveness and achievements realized through the proposed grant activities? Is there evidence of institutional support during the grant period? Is there an institutional commitment to sustain grant-funded activities after the grant period?

Review and Selection Process Nursing schools that meet the eligibility criteria will be able to compete for grant awards by submitting grant proposals. These proposals must improve or expand existing nursing programs using strategies that are supported by current research and best practices. Also, proposals must relate to institutional performance measures and goals.

The grant awards for eligible nursing programs shall be determined using a competitive process to review applications. The Board's standards for approval include, but are not limited to, the following criteria, considerations, and weightings: 25% Evidence of effective project objectives and performance goals, including evidence of current research and best practices.

25% Proposed use of funds and budget justification demonstrating an effective use of program resources. 25% Evidence of how an institution will use grant funding to help close equity gaps in enrollment, course completion, graduation, or licensure by students who are African American, Latino, low-income, first-generation college, from rural communities, working adults, or students with disabilities.

Proposals may address more than one of the equity gaps and student populations. 15% Evidence of an effective assessment and evaluation plan for outcomes and related progress achieved through the grant. 10% Evidence of institutional support and sustainability plans for grant-funded activities.

Priority for funding will be given to the following which are listed in order starting with the top priority: Funding for baccalaureate-completion programs to facilitate student articulation from an ADN program offered by a community college to a BSN or RN-BSN program offered by a 4-year institution. Funding for continuation of a Nursing School Grant previously awarded.

Funding for a new grant to expand or improve an eligible nursing program. Anticipated Announcement Dates IBHE will score/review and select awardees as quickly as possible upon close of application deadline. Notifications will be provided to selected and non-selected applicants.