RFA 20529 Increasing Training Capacity

The New York State Department of Health, through its Office of Healthcare Workforce Innovation within the Center for Health Care Policy and Resource Development, has announced the Increasing Training Capacity in Statewide Healthcare Facilities program. This initiative, established in response to the state’s multi-year $10 billion investment in healthcare, seeks to address critical workforce shortages across New York. Specifically, it targets shortages in registered nurses, licensed practical nurses, entry-level aides, and other licensed or certified healthcare professions. The program will provide funding to Article 28 not-for-profit facilities to expand their capacity to train healthcare workers, with a focus on both current employees and new entrants into the field. The anticipated contract period is from October 1, 2026, to September 30, 2031. The total anticipated funding is $32.5 million annually over five years, totaling $162.5 million statewide. Awards will be distributed competitively with at least three awards per region as defined by Empire State Development. Annual award amounts will range from $500,000 to $1,000,000 per facility. Eligible facilities include general hospitals, diagnostic and treatment centers, skilled nursing facilities, and facility consortia, all licensed or certified under Article 28. Funds may be used for eligible expenses such as tuition and fees, certification costs, wage subsidies for participants, training staff salaries proportional to time spent on the program, virtual training resources, recruitment costs, and equipment directly linked to increasing training capacity. Funding may not supplant existing funds, cover unaccredited programs, or be used for facility improvements exceeding 10% of the annual budget. Applicants must be legally existing New York State not-for-profit Article 28 facilities prequalified in the Statewide Financial System by the application due date. A signed Checklist and Commitment Form from the executive director or CEO is required. Only one application per facility will be accepted, with disqualification for additional submissions. Applications should identify local or regional workforce needs, target populations, and a strategy to meet those needs. Proposals must detail assessment methods, administrative structures, timelines, staffing plans, and collaborative partnerships, particularly with educational institutions, while meeting Department of Health reporting requirements. The application process is managed entirely through the Statewide Financial System. The release date is August 14, 2025, with questions due by September 12, 2025, and answers posted on or about September 30, 2025. Applications are due October 14, 2025, by 4:00 PM. The Department will score applications on mission fit, project design, administrative capacity, work plan, and budget, with a minimum passing score of 75 out of 100. Awards will be granted to the highest-scoring applicants per region, with additional awards made based on scores if funds remain. Questions regarding the RFA should be directed to Carrie Roseamelia, PhD, Office of Healthcare Workforce Innovation, ESP Corning Tower, Room 1696, Albany, NY 12237, via email at IncreasingTrainingCapacity@health.ny.gov. Successful grantees must comply with program evaluation activities, quarterly and annual reporting, and data entry into the One-Stop Operating System to track training progress. They must also meet minority- and women-owned business enterprise (M/WBE) participation goals of 15% each for minority- and women-owned enterprises or demonstrate good faith efforts to do so.