[Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services](https://www.cms.gov)

February 20, 2026 (Optional letter of intent) | March 27, 2026 (Full application, due by 11:59 p.m. ET)

$1,760,000–$20,000,000 per award over 5 years; total program funding up to $80,000,000; expected 15 awards.

Cooperative agreements to administer financial incentives that recruit and retain nurses in nursing homes and state survey agencies.

--- ## Description This opportunity from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) aims to address critical nurse staffing shortages in U.S. nursing homes and state survey agencies by funding organizations to administer financial incentives—such as loan repayment and stipends—to registered nurses (RNs) and licensed practical/vocational nurses (LPNs). Awardees will serve as Financial Incentive Administrators (FIAs), recruiting nurses to work for three years in qualifying nursing homes or in oversight roles with state agencies, focusing on areas with the greatest staffing needs. The program is structured by region and seeks national coverage, with substantial CMS involvement throughout the five-year cooperative agreement. --- ## Due Dates - **Optional Letter of Intent:** February 20, 2026 (Not required but encouraged for planning and webinar participation) - **Informational Webinar:** February 25, 2026 (For eligible applicants; RSVP by February 20, 2026) - **Full Application Deadline:** March 27, 2026 (by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time) --- ## Funding Amount - **Estimated Total Program Funding:** $80,000,000 - **Award Range:** $1,760,000 to $20,000,000 per awardee (per region) over five years - **Expected Number of Awards:** Up to 15 - **Project Duration:** 5 years (with funding contingent on annual progress and availability) - **Allowable Costs:** Financial incentives for nurses (loan repayment up to $40,000, stipends up to $10,000), administrative costs (targeted at 15% or less of total funding), and program operations. --- ## Eligibility Eligible applicants include: - Public and state-controlled institutions of higher education - Private (nonprofit) institutions of higher education - Nonprofits with or without 501(c)(3) status (other than institutions of higher education) - National associations for nursing schools, nurses, or nursing students - Small nonprofit businesses - Faith-based organizations that meet the above criteria **Key additional requirements:** - Applicants must demonstrate experience working with large numbers of nursing schools (hundreds) and nurses (thousands) across multiple states. - Institutions of higher education may partner with other entities as subrecipients. - Ineligible: Individual nursing homes, nursing home chains/associations, state agencies (except higher ed), CMS Quality Improvement Networks/Organizations. --- ## Application Process - **Registration:** Applicants must have active SAM.gov and Grants.gov registrations (UEI required). - **Letter of Intent:** Optional, but recommended to help CMS plan for review and webinar participation. Email to NHSC@cms.hhs.gov by February 20, 2026. - **Application Submission:** Submit via Grants.gov by March 27, 2026, 11:59 p.m. ET. - **Application Components:** - Project summary (1 page) - Project narrative (15 pages) - Budget narrative (10 pages) - Attachments: proof of nonprofit status, resumes/job descriptions, business assessment (12 pages), indirect cost rate agreement (if applicable) - Required federal forms (SF-424, SF-424A, SF-LLL, Project/Performance Site Location) - **Review Criteria:** Experience/competency, operational proposal, timeline/milestones, communications plan, budget/administrative costs. --- ## Additional Information - **Regional Structure:** Awards will be made by region (six defined U.S. regions), with up to three awardees per region, each possibly focusing on a specific nurse type (LPNs, two-year RNs, four-year RNs). - **Program Requirements:** Recipients must set up infrastructure, recruit and place nurses, administer funds, coordinate with states and stakeholders, and maintain rigorous reporting and compliance. - **Financial Incentives:** Loan repayment (up to $40,000) and/or stipends (up to $10,000) for a three-year work commitment in a qualifying setting. - **Administrative Costs:** Should be 15% or less of total funding. - **Reporting:** Frequent (monthly, quarterly, annual, and final) reports to CMS required. - **No Cost Sharing:** Cost sharing is not required or considered in review. --- ## External Links - [Full Grants.gov Listing (CMS-2V2-26-001)](https://www.grants.gov/search-results-detail/361025) - [Notice of Funding Opportunity (PDF)](https://api.atomgrants.com/storage/v1/object/public/grants3-sources/cms-2v2-26-001_rev2.pdf) - [CMS Grants Page](https://www.cms.gov/Outreach-and-Education/Outreach/FFSProvPartProg/Grants) - [SAM.gov Entity Registration](https://sam.gov/content/entity-registration) - [Grants.gov Applicant Resources](https://www.grants.gov/applicants/applicant-faqs.html) --- ## Contact Information | Topic | Contact Name | Email | |----------------------------------|----------------------|-------------------------| | Program and eligibility | Donna Williamson | NHSC@cms.hhs.gov | | Financial and budget | Monica B. Anderson | NHSC@cms.hhs.gov | | Review process/application status| Monica B. Anderson | NHSC@cms.hhs.gov | | Grants.gov support | Grants.gov | support@grants.gov | | SAM.gov support | Federal Service Desk | 866-606-8220 | ---

Nursing Home Staffing Campaign

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