Nurse Education, Practice, Quality, and Retention - Transition to Practice Program (NEPQR-TPP)

The Nurse Education, Practice, Quality, and Retention - Transition to Practice Program (NEPQR-TPP) is a federally funded grant initiative led by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services through the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA). As part of its broader mission to improve access to quality healthcare and address workforce shortages, HRSA’s NEPQR-TPP program focuses on the nursing profession, particularly the development and retention of newly licensed registered nurses in rural and medically underserved communities. The program is designed to respond to the ongoing nursing shortage by supporting education and practical training that smooth the transition from academic settings to clinical practice for new nurses. The core objective of the NEPQR-TPP program is to establish and expand comprehensive, evidence-based transition-to-practice (TTP) programs. These programs are targeted at recent nursing graduates entering practice, equipping them with the competencies necessary to provide safe, high-quality care. The program is especially attuned to the needs of rural and underserved populations, thereby strengthening the nursing infrastructure in areas with the greatest need. By enhancing workforce readiness and retention in these areas, the program aligns with national priorities to address healthcare disparities and strengthen primary care delivery. Funding under the NEPQR-TPP program supports a variety of eligible educational and clinical initiatives, including the development of structured mentorship and residency models, competency-based training, and partnerships between academic institutions and clinical practice sites. The funding does not require cost sharing or matching, and up to 33 awards may be made with an award ceiling of $750,000. The total estimated program funding is $24,262,837. Institutions eligible to apply include accredited schools of nursing offering baccalaureate, associate, or diploma programs where graduates are eligible to sit for the NCLEX-RN or are licensed RNs pursuing advanced nursing degrees. Community colleges training associate-degree nurses are also eligible. The program’s anticipated timeline begins with a forecast issue date of March 10, 2026. The full notice of funding opportunity is expected to post on March 31, 2026, with applications due by May 21, 2026. Successful applicants will be notified by August 1, 2026, with funded projects starting on September 1, 2026. Applications must be submitted electronically via Grants.gov by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on the due date. There is no indication of a pre-application or concept paper requirement. While the program does not specify evaluation criteria in this forecast, past HRSA funding opportunities typically assess applications based on project relevance, organizational capacity, quality of training models, and measurable impact. Applicants are encouraged to consult the official opportunity page regularly for updates and should direct program-specific inquiries to Michelle Osborne, who can be contacted by phone at 301-594-3803 or via email at [email protected]. The opportunity falls under CFDA 93.359, related to Nursing Research. As a forecasted opportunity, interested applicants should begin preparations but await the formal posting for complete application guidance and required forms. This opportunity is forecasted to recur annually, based on the phrasing of its timeline and typical HRSA grant cycles. The next anticipated application cycle following this round is expected to open in May 2027, and the internal check date for preparing the next application cycle is March 1, 2027. No official PDF of the NOFO is currently available, as this is a forecast notice; applicants will need to check the official posting once available.