Maryland Higher Education Commission Awards $17.2 Million in Grants to Strengthen Nursing Workforce
BALTIMORE, MD - The Maryland Higher Education Commission (MHEC) today announced that it has awarded $17.2 million to 13 Maryland nursing programs. The FY26 Competitive Institutional Grant funding awards include one-year resource grants, multi-year implementation grants, and planning grants.
“This investment reflects our continued commitment to address the nursing shortage across the state with targeted, sustainable solutions,” said Dr. Sanjay Rai, Secretary of Higher Education. “These grants will support clinical faculty development and expand the pipeline of qualified nurses.”
The Nurse Support Program II focuses on nursing faculty and increased educational efforts to prepare highly skilled and highly trained professionals to address the challenges and demands of the field. The initiative continues its long-standing mission of strengthening Maryland’s nursing workforce through innovative, evidence-based strategies.
The 2025 grant awards support 24 projects at Maryland’s public universities, community colleges, and independent colleges with accredited nursing programs.
The eight-member review panel recommended funding for 24 projects at ten universities and three community colleges. Schools that received funding include:
Projects funded through this year’s grants include initiatives to:
- Recruit and retain qualified nursing faculty
- Expand simulation and clinical training capacity
- Support academic-practice partnerships
- Increase diversity in the nursing workforce
- Accelerate progression from licensed practical nurse (LPN) to registered nurse (RN), and from RN to Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) or higher
For additional information on grant recipients and project summaries, visit nursesupport.maryland.gov.
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