Scholarships for Disadvantaged Students - The Kirkhof College of Nursing (KCON) at Grand Valley State University (GVSU) seeks funding through the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) Scholarships for Disadvantaged Students (SDS) program to implement the Access and Impact: Nurse Scholars Bridging the Gap initiative. This program aims to strengthen the nursing workforce and expand access to high-quality, healthcare in primary care, rural, Tribal and medically vulnerable communities (PC/R/T/MVCs) across Michigan by providing financial and academic support to traditional Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) students from disadvantaged backgrounds. KCON will support 69 students from disadvantaged backgrounds in becoming BSN-prepared registered nurses (RNs) over the five-year funding period, ensuring they have the resources needed to successfully complete their nursing education and transition into the workforce. Through strategic academic-practice partnerships with Trinity Health and Munson Healthcare, KCON will enhance clinical training opportunities and workforce readiness to better prepare graduates for practice in high-need areas. The initiative focuses on three key goals: ? Collaborating with our academic-practice partners, Munson Healthcare and Trinity Health to improve the distribution, representation, education, and supply of nurses from disadvantaged backgrounds who are more likely to practice primary care and in medically vulnerable communities. ? Strengthening the nursing workforce across Michigan by enhancing recruitment, retention, and training efforts. ? Enhancing healthcare access and quality in primary care, rural, Tribal or MVCs by equipping KCON graduates with the skills and experiences needed to serve these communities effectively. The Access and Impact: Nurse Scholars Bridging the Gap initiative will reduce financial barriers, enhance academic and professional support, and increase graduation rates for students from disadvantaged backgrounds. By providing robust wraparound services—including holistic admissions processes, financial assistance, academic support, and meaningful clinical experiences in PC/R/T/MVCs—graduates will be well-prepared to serve in high-need areas, strengthening Michigan’s nursing workforce and improving healthcare access for vulnerable populations. This initiative will contribute to sustainable improvements in health care access and patient outcomes across the state. Grand Valley State University and KCON are committed to preparing a highly qualified nursing workforce to serve communities with significant healthcare needs. As part of this commitment, KCON meets multiple HRSA funding priorities for the SDS program. KCON meets Funding Priority 2 because 30.61% of graduates from academic years 2022 through 2025 were practicing in rural, Tribal, or other medically vulnerable communities, exceeding the required 10% threshold. KCON also meets Funding Priority 3, with underrepresented minority students comprising 17.91% of full-time students in the traditional BSN program during academic years 2022 through 2025, well above the required 5% threshold. In addition, KCON meets Funding Priority 4 as KCON is located within a designated Health Professions Shortage Area (HPSA). These characteristics reflect KCON's strong alignment with the HRSA funding priorities and its longstanding commitment to preparing nurses who will serve communities with significant healthcare workforce needs. Given KCON's demonstrated alignment with these funding priorities, we respectfully request consideration for Funding Priorities 2, 3, and 4.
