AUTHORIZATION:

Public Health Service Act, Title VIII, Section 831, 42 U.S.C. 296p, as amended by the Affordable Care Act of 2010, Public Law 111-148, Section 5309.

OBJECTIVES:

Nurse Education, Practice, Quality, and Retention Program (NEPQR) Grants are awarded to eligible applicant organizations for projects to strengthen and enhance the capacity for nurse education, practice, quality, and retention to address the nursing shortage. There are three major priority areas (Education, Practice and Retention) and eight purposes associated with the three priority areas. Applicants must select and focus on one of these eight purposes in the grant application. The education priority areas are: Purpose E1) expanding enrollment in baccalaureate nursing programs; Purpose E2) providing education in new technology, including distance learning methodologies.; The practice priority areas are: Purpose P1) establishing or expanding nursing practice arrangements in non-institutional settings to demonstrate methods to improve access to primary health care in medically underserved communities; Purpose P2) providing care for underserved populations and other high-risk groups such as the elderly, individuals with HIV/AIDS, substance abusers, the homeless, and victims of domestic violence; Purpose P3) providing coordinated care, quality improvement, and other skills needed to practice in existing and emerging organized health care systems; Purpose P4) developing cultural competencies among nurses. The retention priority areas are: Purpose R1) career ladder bridge programs which promote career advancement for nursing personnel and registered nurses and; Purpose R2) improving the retention of nurses and enhancing patient care that is directly related to nursing activities by enhancing collaboration and communication among nurses and other health care professionals, and by promoting nurse involvement in the organizational and clinical decision-making processes of a health care facility.

Faculty Development: Integrated Technology into Nursing Education and Practice Initiative (Faculty Development: ITNEP). The purpose of this initiative is to provide support to nursing collaboratives for faculty development in the use of information and other technologies in order to expand the capacity of collegiate schools of nursing to educate students for 21st century health care practice. Nursing collaboratives will use healthcare information systems to enhance nursing education and practice, optimize patient safety, and drive improvements in health care quality.

For this initiative, use of information and other technologies in nursing education and practice, includes, but is not limited to, informatics, telehealth, mannequin-based and patient simulators, computer-based instructions, virtual simulation, interactive simulated case studies, advanced 3D graphics, e-Learning technology, and other simulated or virtual methods to enhance nursing education and practice. Since no institution or organization currently offers the full spectrum of information and other technologies necessary to carry out this initiative, the nursing collaboratives must develop linkages and partnerships to undertake this initiative.

TYPES OF ASSISTANCE:

Project Grants Place Cursor Here for Definition

USES AND USE RESTRICTIONS:

Funds may be used for salaries of personnel specifically employed for the project; consultant fees; supplies and equipment necessary to conduct the project; essential travel expenses and student stipends or scholarships; and other expenses related to the project. Restricted Uses: Indirect costs are allowed for administrative costs incurred as a result of the project, limited to 8 percent of direct costs exclusive of equipment and tuition and fees.

ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS:

Applicant Eligibility:   Eligible applicants are: accredited schools of nursing, health care facilities, a partnership of such a school and a health care facility, nursing centers, academic health centers, State or local governments, and other public or private non-profit entities determined appropriate by the Secretary. The term �health care facility� means as Indian Health Service health center, a Native Hawaiian health center, a hospital, a Federally qualified health center, a rural health center, a nursing home, a home health agency, a hospice program, a public health clinic, a State or local department of public health, a skilled nursing facility, an ambulatory surgical center, or any other facility designated by the Secretary. The eligible applicant must be capable of carrying out the legislative purpose of the NEPQR program. Schools of nursing providing undergraduate education and formal degree programs must be accredited by a national nurse education accrediting agency or State approval agency recognized by the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Education. Newly established programs should consult with the U.S. Department of Education and provide appropriate documentation.

Beneficiary Eligibility:   Accredited public and nonprofit private schools of nursing and other public or nonprofit private entities.

Credentials/Documentation:   Applicants should review the individual HRSA funding opportunity announcement issued under this CFDA program for any required proof or certifications which must be submitted prior to or simultaneous with submission of an application package. OMB Circular No. A-87 applies to this program.

Pre-application Coordination:   Preapplication coordination is required. Environmental impact information is not required for this program. This program is excluded from coverage under E.O. 12372.

Application Procedure:   OMB Circular No. A-102 applies to this program. OMB Circular No. A-110 applies to this program. HRSA requires all applicants to apply electronically through Grants.gov.

All qualified applications will be forwarded to an objective review committee. Based on the advice of the objective review committee, the HRSA program official with delegated authority is responsible for final selection and funding decisions.

Award Procedure:  
Notification is made in writing by a Notice of Award.

Deadlines:   Contact the headquarters or regional office, as appropriate, for application deadlines.

Range of Approval/Disapproval Time:   

Approximately 6 months after receipt of applications.

Appeals:   

Not Applicable.

Renewals:   

NEPQR Competing continuation applications may be submitted for continuance of a grant beyond the initial project period. A competing continuation application shall be submitted during the beginning of the last year of the initial project period. The submission date is the same for new applications and competing continuation applications. These applications are reviewed in the same manner and at the same time as new competing applications. Faculty Development: ITNEP applications for the ITNEP program may only be submitted for new grant awards. This program does not accept competing applications beyond the initial five year project period.

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ASSISTANCE CONSIDERATIONS:

Formula and Matching Requirements:   

This program has no statutory formula.
Matching requirements are not applicable to this program.
MOE requirements are not applicable to this program.

Length and Time Phasing of Assistance:   

NEPQR Competing and competing continuation grant applications are submitted for three (3) years of support, except for the following two legislative purposes: (1) establishing or expanding nurse practice arrangements and (2) enhancing patient care delivery systems which are for five years of support.

Faculty Development: ITNEP. Cooperative agreements are submitted for five years of support. See the following for information on how assistance is awarded/released: Grantees drawdown funds, as necessary, from the Payment Management System (PMS). PMS is the centralized web based payment system for HHS awards.

POST ASSISTANCE REQUIREMENTS:

Reports:   No program reports are required. No cash reports are required. A Financial Financial Report (FFR) must be submitted within 90 days after the end of each budget period. Final progress and financial reports must be submitted within 90 days after the end of the project period. No expenditure reports are required. A Uniform Progress Report (UPR) and Comprehensive Performance Management System (CPMS) Report must be submitted annually.

Audits:   In accordance with the provisions of OMB Circular No. A-133 (Revised, June 27, 2003), "Audits of States, Local Governments, and Non-Profit Organizations," nonfederal entities that expend financial assistance of $500,000 or more in Federal awards will have a single or a program-specific audit conducted for that year. Nonfederal entities that expend less than $500,000 a year in Federal awards are exempt from Federal audit requirements for that year, except as noted in Circular No. A-133.

Records:   Grantees are required to maintain grant accounting records 3 years after the date they submit the Federal Financial Report (FFR). If any litigation, claim, negotiation, audit or other action involving the award has been started before the expiration of the 3-year period, the records shall be retained until completion of the action and resolution of all issues which arise from it, or until the end of the regular 3-year period, whichever is later.

FINANCIAL INFORMATION:

Account Identification:  

75-0350-0-1-550.

Obligations:   (Cooperative Agreements) FY 09 $1,980,692; FY 10 est $2,562,807; FY 11 est $1,969,674 -. (Project Grants) FY 09 $32,480,822; FY 10 est $35,600,241; FY 11 est $35,600,241

Range and Average of Financial Assistance:  

VBSN: FY 14: AVG $309, 288; Range: $279,114 - $350,000 FY15: AVG $307,582; Range: $252,365 - $350,000; FY16: Estimated AVG $350,000.

NEPQR-IPCP: FY14: AVG $287,639; Range $207,572 - $771,600 ; FY15: AVG $397,208; Range $270,005 - $789,244; FY16: AVG:$316,496 Range $133,581 - $575,381

NEPQR-IPCP:BHI: FY14: N/A; Range N/A; FY15: AVG $461,138; Range $270,000 -$500,000; FY16: Estimated AVG: $461,138

NEPQR-BPCS: FY14: N/A; Range N/A; FY15: AVG $461,138; Range $270,000 -$500,000; FY16: Estimated AVG: $461,138.

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