High-Needs Healthcare Career Scholarship Program

The High-Need Healthcare Career Scholarship Program (HNHCSP) is administered by the Health Systems and Preparedness Administration (HSPA) under the District of Columbia Department of Health (DC Health). This initiative is authorized by D.C. Act 24-468, aligned with the FY26 Budget Support Act of 2025, and is designed to respond to the growing shortage of healthcare workers in the District. The program is focused on providing scholarships to District residents to train for careers in high-demand health professions, including home health aides, certified nurse aides, emergency medical technicians (EMTs), advanced EMTs, and paramedics. This effort supports both health workforce development and broader goals of equitable access to healthcare. The primary objective of the HNHSP is to increase the number of qualified healthcare professionals within the District, particularly in underserved communities. The scholarships will cover up to 100% of tuition, exam fees, and related certification or licensure costs. Participating individuals are expected to commit to full-time employment in the District for at least two years following certification. Program funding supports not only tuition but also student stipends, emergency funding, clinical placement, and essential training supplies. Grantees must demonstrate strong curriculum offerings, experienced instructional staff, and robust support systems for students, including job placement services. Eligible applicants include for-profit and non-profit educational institutions within the District of Columbia that offer in-person training and certification for the specified healthcare roles. Virtual training programs are not eligible. All training providers must be properly licensed, and EMS programs are required to maintain a minimum 80% pass rate on the NREMT first-attempt cognitive exam. Nurse aide programs must have full or conditional approval from the District. Applicants must also maintain active registration in the federal System for Award Management (SAM) and the DC Health Enterprise Grants Management System (EGMS). The submission deadline for applications is June 24, 2025, by 3:00 PM. A pre-application meeting is recommended and can be registered for via the DC Health Eventbrite portal. Questions related to the application may be submitted until June 17, 2025, with responses to be posted in a public FAQ. Notices of Intent to Fund are anticipated by August 5, 2025, and awards are expected to begin on October 1, 2025. Required documentation includes a Certificate of Clean Hands, insurance certificates, business licensure, tax documentation for nonprofits, a signed board of directors list, a work plan, budget narrative, and organizational chart. Applications will be reviewed through a multi-tiered process, including eligibility checks, external scoring based on need, implementation quality, evaluation strategy, and organizational capacity. Up to six awards are expected to be issued, with available funding totaling $1.3 million. Individual award amounts will range from $5,000 to a maximum of $600,000 per grantee. While no matching funds are required, funding is contingent upon availability and adherence to program requirements. Contact for the funding opportunity is Nichole Pierre at HNHCSP@dc.gov.