2025 Nursing Innovations Fund Frequently Asked Questions

Below are answers to frequently asked questions. We will continue to update this document as questions arise. Please submit new questions to NursingInnovations@aarp.org.

Application Questions | Healthy Work Environment Questions
Program Questions | Budget Questions | Resources

Application Questions

Who is eligible to apply?

We are seeking a diverse cohort of grantees from a wide range of care settings and locations. Preference will be given to applicants that:

Include frontline staff as key partners.
Demonstrate support with a signed letter from an executive leader.
Are public entities or tax-exempt nonprofit organizations under Section 501(c)(3) of the U.S. Internal Revenue Code.
Demonstrate matching funds.

Is a public university eligible to apply for funding?

Yes. A public university is a public entity and eligible to apply for an award. Applications from educational settings will need a clinical partner in order to address the required metrics regarding vacancy and turnover rates of registered nurses.

Can a 501(c)(6) tax-exempt nonprofit organization apply as a lead applicant?

Yes. A 501(c)(6) organization may apply, but preference will be given to projects where the lead applicant is a 501(c)(3) or public organization.

Can applicants submit more than one proposal and receive multiple awards?

Yes. An applicant may submit more than one proposal. However, only one award per applicant will be possible regardless of the number of proposals submitted.

Can two or more organizations apply as a team?

Yes. Organizations may collaborate and apply as a team. Joint applications must designate a single lead applicant. The memorandum of understanding to receive funds will be between AARP and the lead applicant, which will represent all applicant partner organizations. The application should describe the contributions all partners will make.

If an organization received a prior Nursing Innovations Fund award, is it eligible for this round of funding?

Yes. If you are a past awardee or currently implementing an award, you may apply again. However, you may not apply using the same proposal submitted before. The program seeks new, innovative projects or scaling of models shown to be effective.

Can proposals include several sites to which our intervention(s) will be applied?

Yes. Proposals can include several sites as long as you can demonstrate that impact can be achieved. Required outcome metrics are listed in the request for proposals.

We have a system of care with multiple organizations that partner across different states. Can our project include nurses in different locations across our system of care?

Yes.

Is the project required to focus on registered nurses (RNs)? Can it include other nurses, for example, nurse practitioners, clinical nurse specialists, or licensed practical/vocational nurses?

Projects can include licensed nurses at all levels, but the required metrics are tied to RN vacancy and turnover rates. The funds can support RNs in any care setting, including long-term care, outpatient clinics, acute care facilities, or home health.

Can projects focus on certified nursing assistants?

Projects should focus on licensed nurses. The required metrics are tied to registered nurse vacancy and turnover rates. However, engaging all members of the health care team can be an effective tool in improving the health of the work environment.

Can grant funding be applied to nursing students?

Proposals may exercise creativity in this space, however the required metrics for this program are tied to registered nurse vacancy and turnover rates. Educational settings will need a clinical partner to ensure they can provide the required outcome data.

What is a fiscal lead?

A fiscal lead is the person within an organization with legal authority to sign contracts on behalf of the organization and commit to the contract’s terms. The designated fiscal lead should also have authority to complete AARP’s vendor paperwork, including banking information, so that, if awarded, payment can be processed.

Are co-principal investigators and/or co-project directors allowed?

Yes. Co-principal investigators and/or co-project directors are allowed.

Should we include a curriculum vitae (CV) with the application? If so, is there a page limit on the CV?

A curriculum vitae is not required. However, please provide qualifications for key staff identified in the budget narrative. All supporting materials (except letters of support) must fall within the 10-page application limit.

If we want to include additional information in an appendix, does that count toward the 10-page limit of the application?

Letters of support are the only items accepted beyond the 10-page limit. All other supporting materials must fall within this limit.

Can we include additional letters of support with our application, such as from key partners we have listed?

Yes. An application may include additional letters of support. Letters of support do not count toward the 10-page limit. Demonstrated support of dedicated time for this project by the Chief Nursing Officer (CNO) or another executive leader is required, and a signed letter is preferred. A sample letter can be found in the resources section of the request for proposal or these frequently asked questions.

I’m a physician and want to support a nurse colleague in their application. Is that okay?

Yes. We invite interdisciplinary and cross-sectional partnerships. Anyone can apply, but the project team must include nurses.

Are there sample abstracts of previously funded projects?

Information about previous Nursing Innovations Fund projects can be found on the Campaign for Action website. However, the 2024 Nursing Innovations Fund round, and this current 2025 round are slightly different iterations than previous years, and some requirements have changed. Please review the request for proposal to ensure your application meets the requirements.

Can proposals advocate for specific legislation or partisan policies that address workforce recruitment and retention and/or healthy work environments?

No. Proposals cannot advocate for specific legislation or partisan policies.

When is the application due?

Applications must be submitted to NursingInnovations@aarp.org no later than 10 p.m. ET on Friday, April 4, 2025.

Healthy Work Environment Questions

Where can I find information about healthy work environment standards?

You can learn more about the Standards for Establishing and Sustaining Healthy Work Environments on the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses (AACN Critical Care) website, where hyperlinks navigate to pages with specific resources for each standard. The same landing page has an infographic summarizing the results of AACN Critical Care’s latest national Healthy Work Environment Survey, and a link to the Healthy Work Environment Assessment Tool (HWEAT-Teams). By creating a free AACN Critical Care account with your name and email address, you can download a PDF file of the standards and use the assessment tool. AACN Critical Care membership is not required to use these resources. Please send any questions to healthy_work_environments@aacn.org.

What care settings do the healthy work environment standards apply to?

Although originally developed with acute and critical care settings in mind, the standards can apply to all settings across the continuum of care. We encourage proposals from all care settings to expand awareness and application of the standards. We are seeking a diverse cohort from different geographic and practice settings to enhance grantee learning opportunities.

If I am a grant awardee, how should I incorporate the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses (AACN Critical Care) healthy work environment standards?

If you are a grant awardee, the first step in this aspect of the project will be to complete the Healthy Work Environment Assessment Tool (HWEAT-Teams) pre-assessment by August 1, 2025. The survey includes items related to each of the six AACN Critical Care Standards for Establishing and Sustaining Healthy Work Environments. The project team member who initiates the HWEAT-Teams will provide their name and email address to open a free online account from the AACN Critical Care website. That project team member will establish the survey and distribute the survey link to all team members. The link can be shared by email or used to create a QR code. Each member uses that link to complete the survey and provide their input about the work environment. Answers are anonymous and it usually takes 10-15 minutes to complete the survey. This video provides a demonstration for setting up the HWEAT-Teams.

How do I get the Healthy Work Environment Assessment Tool (HWEAT-Teams) results?

Once the survey closes, the team member who set up the survey can log in using their free online account and access a report of the results. These results are available within 24 hours of the survey closing and include a composite score and a separate score for each standard. Please note that results are only provided if five or more survey responses are received. To protect confidentiality, a report is not generated if there are fewer than five responses. Only the person who set up the survey can download the results, and they must go into their account to do so.

Program Questions

What is the grant term?

The grant term is one year. Projects will begin on July 1, 2025, and conclude on June 30, 2026.

Is the grant program limited to the United States?

Yes, this is a United States initiative.

What types of projects will be funded?

This program seeks innovative and replicable solutions to strengthen the nursing workforce by creating and sustaining healthy work environments and improving recruitment and retention rates of registered nurses. We are looking for projects that have measurable impact. Projects need to be completed within one year. Applicants are welcome to email NursingInnovations@aarp.org to ask questions or discuss project ideas before applying.

How many projects will be funded?

Awarded projects will receive up to $20,000. The number of awarded projects will depend on the funding amounts requested in proposals.

What outcomes are expected?

This program seeks innovative and replicable solutions to strengthen the nursing workforce by creating and sustaining healthy work environments and improving recruitment and retention rates of registered nurses. Proposals should describe and provide evidence of the problem then describe the change solution(s) that will be implemented.

Use of the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses’ Healthy Work Environment Assessment Tool (HWEAT-Teams) will measure the project’s impact across the six healthy work environment standards.

Proposals need to describe how the following required metrics, and any additional metrics to evaluate change, will be measured during the project’s one-year timeframe:

number of registered nurses impacted by the project over the grant period;

retention of registered nurses as indicated by registered nurse vacancy and turnover rates in the care setting at the beginning and end of the project; and

change in HWEAT-Teams scores.

What criteria will reviewers use when determining finalists?

Proposals must:

Offer innovative and replicable solutions to strengthen the nursing workforce by creating and sustaining healthy work environments and improving recruitment and retention rates of registered nurses. Proposals should describe and provide evidence of the problem, then describe the change solution(s) that will be implemented.

Describe how the project will implement one or more of AACN Critical Care’s Standards for Establishing and Sustaining Healthy Work Environments.

Describe how the following metrics, and any additional metrics to evaluate change, will be measured during the project’s one-year timeframe:

number of registered nurses impacted by the program or project over the grant period;

retention of registered nurses as indicated by registered nurse vacancy and turnover rates in the care setting at the beginning and end of the project; and

change in HWEAT-Teams scores.

Confirm the project team will:

complete the HWEAT-Teams pre-assessment by August 1, 2025; and

complete the HWEAT-Teams post-assessment and review results by August 1, 2026.

Clearly explain the role of each stakeholder identified for this project.

Demonstrate the support of dedicated time for this project by the Chief Nursing Officer (CNO) or another executive leader. A sample letter, found in the resources section of this RFP, can be adapted, signed and submitted with the proposal. Instead of or in addition to the letter, the application can list executive leaders as project partners and clearly describe their role and commitment of resources.

Describe how the anticipated success of this project can be replicated and sustained over time.

Describe how the project results will be disseminated and identify key audiences.

Comply with application details and formatting requirements.

Preference will be given to applicants that:

Include frontline staff as key partners.

Demonstrate support with a signed letter from an executive leader.

Are public entities or tax-exempt nonprofit organizations under Section 501(c)(3) of the U.S. Internal Revenue Code.

Demonstrate matching funds.

Who will decide which proposals are awarded?

All funding decisions will be made by a review team comprised of subject matter experts from AARP and American Association of Critical-Care Nurses (AACN Critical Care) leadership, staff and advisors.

When will applicants be notified of funding decisions?

Applicants will be notified of funding decisions in May 2025. Awards will be dispersed after a memorandum of understanding (MOU) is executed. MOUs must be completed in June.

How will the award be distributed?

AARP will distribute the full award, in one payment, after the applicant and AARP have both signed a memorandum of understanding.

What are the requirements and expectations for awardees?

If awarded, grantees are expected to:

Ensure timely processing of required agreements to launch projects on July 1, 2025.

Participate in quarterly virtual collaborative meetings with AARP, AACN Critical Care and grantee cohort to foster learning and shared resources.

Complete a final narrative report, including project outcomes.

Collaborate with AARP and AACN Critical Care after the project ends to share learnings and results from the project.

What technical assistance will be offered to awardees?

Awardees may receive assistance with optimizing projects for impact, communicating project success, stakeholder engagement and coalition-building. Awardees will receive a social media toolkit with materials to announce their award across multiple platforms. AACN Critical Care provides technical support for the use of the HWEAT-Teams tool through the email address healthy_work_environments@aacn.org.

When do projects need to start?

Projects will start no later than July 1, 2025.

Budget Questions

What can grant funds be used for?

Funds may be used for personnel, meetings, supplies, project-related travel, contractors, and consultants. Funds may not be used to subsidize individuals for the costs of their health care, to support clinical trials of unapproved drugs or devices, to construct or renovate facilities, for lobbying, for political activities, or as a substitute for funds currently being used to support similar activities.

Are matching funds required?

No. Matching funds are not required, but preference will be given to applicants that demonstrate matching funds and/or in-kind support.

May an application budget be less than $20,000?

Yes, applicants may apply for any amount up to $20,000.

What is an indirect cost?

Indirect costs are overhead expenses incurred by applicants to support a project but are not easily identifiable within the project. These are often administrative expenses related to overall operations and shared among projects and/or functions. Examples include executive oversight, accounting, grants management, legal expenses, utilities, and facility maintenance. Indirect costs cannot exceed 12% and should be included within the total budget requested in the application. The total proposed budget requested may not exceed the maximum award of $20,000.