Dear Action Coalitions and Campaign supporters,

Happy, healthy 2018 to all. This being a new year, we have goals and resolutions, as well as announcements and support to offer, including a new funding opportunity. But we want to begin with inspiration by celebrating the vision that has driven us for years:

Everyone in America can live a healthier life, supported by a system in which nurses are essential partners in providing care and promoting health.

Especially inspirational is the aspect of being equal and essential partners. That means we need to reach out—to be partners, we must seek partners.

This collaboration is key to our ongoing priority, to implement the Institute of Medicine recommendations. Of course, as those recommendations are realized, nurses more than ever will be positioned to lead the way to a Culture of Health.

Ongoing work toward our vision continues: Partnering with others, we want to see continued gains in nurses advancing their educations and more nurses in leadership positions to help build a healthier America. And, we hope all Action Coalitions will have in place by the end of the year a plan to foster a Culture of Health by connecting that work to the IOM recommendations.

Also in 2018, we resolve:

• To increase access to APRN-provided care in at least two restricted-practice states.
• To build on Campaign efforts to work with schools of nursing to incorporate Culture of Health concepts into the curriculum.

• To continue making progress in diversifying the nursing workforce.

As for those announcements: We’re in this together! Here are some new forms of support to help us reach these resolutions and others for 2018, and our vision.

• The Innovations Fund will provide $25,000 to 10 Action Coalitions for two years to boost them in implementing the Future of Nursing Institute of Medicine recommendations to build a Culture of Health. Selected Action Coalitions must match that funding and use it between 2018 and 2019 to enhance the work of at least one IOM recommendation, and connect it to the Culture of Health framework. The Center to Champion Nursing in America will soon release a call for proposals.
• The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Public Health Nurse Leaders program RWJF is offering funds to nurses in this program who may work with Action Coalitions to scale up their impressive health solutions. Funds awarded will depend on the scope of each work plan; priority will go to projects that have matching funds, best fit a Culture of Health, and quality and number of partners involved. The Center for Creative Leadership will soon release a call for proposals directed at the 25 PHNLs.
• Leaders for better health summarizes the idea behind four RWJF programs designed to extend the influence and impact of those working to build a Culture of Health. The Culture of Health Leaders, Clinical Scholars, Health Policy Research Scholars, and the Interdisciplinary Research Leadersprograms seek leaders from a range of sectors and disciplines, and from underrepresented populations, for their 2018 cohorts.

Some resources for everyone:

• The Campaign video is a brief and breezy primer on our history and successes, and a good way to show potential partners and funders the future of health and wellness they can help build by working with nurses.
• A compendium on nursing education lays out the enormous progress made in the past 10 years that is helping bring the nursing profession to where it needs to be for a healthier America. This Campaign-produced handbook also provides information for ways schools, businesses, and others can build on the work.

Here’s to a great new year, an evergreen and inspiring vision, and resolutions that will see us working with hundreds to improve health and well-being for all.

And oh yes—congratulations for being a part of the reason that nursing is once again, for the 16th year, the country’s most trusted profession.