For Immediate Release – March 11, 2024
IBHE Awards $1.4 Million to Nursing Schools Across the State
Funding will help meet healthcare workforce needs in Illinois
SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois Board of Higher Education (IBHE) has awarded nursing school grants to 12 institutions of higher education across the state – totaling $1.4 million – for fiscal year 2024. The grants awarded to higher education institutions will help increase the number of registered professional nurses with high-quality postsecondary credentials to meet the demands of the workforce. The amount of grant funds awarded nearly doubled compared to the previous year thanks to an increase in funds in Governor J.B. Pritzker’s fiscal year 2024 budget supported by the General Assembly.
“These funds will help nursing programs prepare students for a successful career and meet the demands of the healthcare industry at a time when the health professional shortage and the critical work nurses perform have become more evident than ever,” said IBHE Executive Director Ginger Ostro. “We are pleased to partner with institutions to help prepare the nurses of tomorrow and meet the goals of the higher education strategic plan to close equity gaps.”
Nursing school grants will be used to enhance nursing programs and efforts to close equity gaps in enrollment, course completion, graduation, and licensure by underrepresented students. 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, purchasing equipment and instructional materials, and more.
Grants were awarded through a competitive application process where institutions submitted disaggregated data about the enrollment, retention, completion, and job placement rates of their students during a multi-year period and how grant funds would be used to enhance their program’s efforts to close equity gaps and improve student success.
Below is a detailed list of nursing school grant recipient institutions.
| FY24 NURSING SCHOOL GRANT SELECTED INSTITUTIONS | |||
| Institution | Amount Allocated | Use of Funds | Degree Offered |
| Moraine Valley Community College | $38,316 | Focus on improved math proficiency and preparedness of students to increase NCLEX pass rates through hire of math tutors and additional prep materials and review course acquirement. | ADN |
| Concordia University | $142,500 | ENVISION Project – (Exploring Nursing Vocation through Innovative Simulation and Intentional Ongoing Nurturing) week-long overnight ‘Nursing Summer Camp’ for 15–18-year-olds to help bridge a simulation-based skills gap. | BSN |
| Loyola University | $150,000 | Continuation of previous grant work from FY22 and FY23 focusing on expansion of academic support services, implementation of Virtual Reality, purchase of Sim Mom manikin and charging carts, and database evaluation. | BSN |
| Southern Illinois University Edwardsville | $133,942 | IMAGINE Summer Success Academy for 30 high school students to close equity gaps and increase diversity among the student population. | BSN |
| Kaskaskia College | $105,635 | Purchase of Anatomage Table and accessories, and one person to attend an Anatomage Conference; online faculty training. | ADN |
| Carl Sandburg College | $96,401 | Simulation equipment; testing and student fees; SLS Sim Chart; African American student retention focus continues work from FY23. | ADN |
| University of Illinois Chicago | $148,967 | Launch PREPARE (Pre-Licensure Readiness Education Program for Aspiring Registered NursEs) program in the summer of 2024 aimed at improving TEAS test results. | BSN/MEL |
| Trinity Christian College of Nursing | $150,000 | Staff hiring to implement and facilitate Distance Education online educational format with remote clinical placement, virtual labs and simulations, clinical practicum arranged locally, and a focus on expanding recruitment. | BSN |
| Harper College | $150,000 | Aligns with FY21-24 Strategic Plan – ‘Forward Together’ goals by hiring nursing tutors, RN-BSN continuing scholarships, professional development for faculty, and marketing and community-building for current students. | ADN |
| Illinois State University | $148,847 | Expansion of SimLab by replacing outdated equipment, purchase of manikins of varying skin tones to promote an inclusive learning environment, as well as facilitate projected growth at Normal and Springfield sites. | BSN |
| Saint John’s College of Nursing | $70,670 | Pathway 2 Success to help increase NCLEX pass rates, investment in a Peer Tutoring/Mentors Center and HURST NCLEX-RN review and Elevate Program Boot Camp. | BSN |
| McKendree University | $150,000 | Focus on addressing rural nursing shortages in surrounding hospitals and communities by designating all funds for student scholarships. | BSN |
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