The Illinois Board of Higher Education (IBHE) has awarded 11 nursing school grants, totaling $750,000, and 40 nurse educator fellowships, totaling $400,000, for fiscal year 2023 across the state. The grants awarded to institutions of higher education will help increase the number of registered professional nurses with high-quality postsecondary credentials to meet the demands of the Illinois economy, and the awarded fellowships will help retain well-qualified nursing faculty at institutions of higher education that award degrees that lead to a registered nurse licensure. Compared to the previous year, seven more grants and 20 more fellowships were awarded thanks to an increase in funds in Governor J.B. Pritzker’s FY23 budget supported by the General Assembly.
“Nurses are on the front lines of every public health issue our state faces, and the past three years have only reinforced how absolutely vital and lifesaving their work is,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “I’m proud that the Illinois Board of Higher Education is making it easier for health professionals to enter the field by combatting equity gaps in enrollment and training. These important steps increase health care access throughout the state so that all Illinoisans can receive the top-level care they deserve.”
“These nursing grants and fellowships help us make progress toward the equity and growth goals set out in A Thriving Illinois, the state’s strategic plan for higher education,” said IBHE Executive Director Ginger Ostro. “We are committed to keep working to close equity gaps and meet the demands of the healthcare workforce in Illinois. We applaud the commitment of the nurse educators to prepare the next generation of nurses from diverse backgrounds and are pleased to partner with the nursing programs in implementing innovative practices to close equity gaps.”
Nursing school grants will be used to enhance institution programs and efforts to close equity gaps in their nursing programs. Funds may be used for hiring additional nursing faculty and staff, developing and expanding instructional programs and modalities, expanding academic support services, improving classroom and lab spaces, and purchasing equipment and instructional materials, and more.
Fellowships were awarded to nurse educators with strong commitments to use fellowship funds to enhance their professional practice in their area of specialty as well as remain in higher education. Additionally, fellows’ institutions have shown success in reducing equity gaps in nursing student enrollment and graduation. Each fellowship is $10,000, and the funds are salary supplements that may be used for expenses related to professional development and continuing education to enhance the fellow’s practice as a nurse educator, as well as the fellow’s nursing program.
Illinois Eastern Community Colleges, District 529, has been awarded $66,642 to bridge the gap for rural community students and improve student exposure to specialized clinical placements through the purchase of AV equipment to facilitate simulation use. IECC colleges offer an ADN degree.