Song Brown Family Nurse Practitioner and Physician Assistant (FNP & PA)

The Song-Brown Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) and Primary Care Physician Assistant (PA) Training Programs Grant is administered by the California Department of Health Care Access and Information (HCAI). HCAI operates under the authority of the Song-Brown Health Care Workforce Training Act and aims to enhance the accessibility of primary care in underserved communities by supporting a well-trained and diverse health workforce. This initiative provides a one-time funding opportunity for accredited FNP and PA programs across California to increase the number of practitioners who are committed to serving in areas of unmet need, such as communities with a high proportion of Medi-Cal recipients or limited access to healthcare services. The grant targets institutions that operate accredited or approved FNP and PA programs. Specifically, eligible FNP programs must be operated by an accredited California School of Nursing, approved by the Regents of the University of California or the Trustees of the California State University Colleges, and must be approved by the California Board of Registered Nursing. For PA programs, eligibility requires approval by the Medical Board of California and compliance with relevant codes and regulations. All applicants must agree to the program’s strict terms and conditions and be prepared to enroll at least one first-year student into an eligible training slot by the specified start date. Grant funding will support strategies that encourage trainees to work in underserved areas. Funded programs must implement targeted recruitment and counseling efforts to attract students predisposed to serve in areas of unmet need. The programs are also expected to provide preceptorships and placements that reinforce this objective. The funding available under this opportunity totals up to $3,931,000 for the fiscal year, with eligible programs receiving $13,000 per filled first-year student slot, up to a maximum of 14 slots and $182,000 per program. Awardees are reimbursed based on a capitated per-student rate and may not use funds to supplant existing federal, state, or local support for primary care services. The application process for the 2025–26 cycle involves several components, including a web-based submission through HCAI’s electronic application (eApp) portal. Applicants must submit a complete application by the deadline, including sections such as Program Information, Contract Administration, Program Description, Program and Graduate Data, Training Sites, and Assurances. For those submitting before the early review deadline, Song-Brown staff will provide one opportunity to correct incomplete or inaccurate information. Final applications are due by September 24, 2025, and awards will be announced in January 2026. The review and scoring process evaluates applications on their alignment with Song-Brown priorities: specifically, the percentage of graduates placed in areas of unmet need, the location of training sites in such areas, and the payer mix at those sites. Each of these three criteria contributes up to 25 points, for a maximum possible score of 75. Preference may be given to programs serving geographic regions underrepresented in other applications. The performance period for the grant is from June 30, 2026, to August 30, 2027. All awarded programs must submit a final report within 60 days of the payment term’s end and comply with reporting, auditing, and fiscal documentation requirements outlined in the grant agreement. Contact with the media regarding grant awards must be coordinated with HCAI, and press materials must be submitted for review at least two weeks in advance of publication. For additional support, applicants are encouraged to consult the Technical Assistance Guide, attend the informational webinars, or contact Song-Brown program staff directly at [email protected] or (916) 326-3700.