• Hartford Centers of Geriatric Nursing Excellence
  The John A. Hartford Foundation is soliciting grant applications for the creation of up to five new Hartford Centers of Geriatric Nursing Excellence. The goal of this new initiative is to increase the number of high quality geriatric nursing faculty to better prepare nurses to care for our nation's rapidly aging population. This goal will be accomplished by supporting Centers of Geriatric Nursing Excellence at schools of nursing whose central mission is preparing qualified geriatric master's or doctorally trained nursing educators who will teach at all levels of academic nursing programs. Letters of Intent must be submitted online by December 4, 2006.

• Fogarty International Center/Ellison Overseas Fellowship Program
  The FIC/Ellison Overseas Fellowship Program offers an exciting one-year clinical research training experience for graduate level U.S. students in the health professions. Those selected will experience mentored research training at top-ranked NIH funded research centers in a diverse group of countries, including Bangladesh, Botswana, Brazil, China, Haiti, India, Kenya, Mali, Peru, Russia, South Africa, Tanzania, Thailand, Uganda, and Zambia. Open to doctoral nursing students, this program is sponsored by the NIH's Fogarty International Center in partnership with The Ellison Medical Foundation, the NIH National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, and the NIH National Institute on Drug Abuse. Application deadline is December 8.

• 2007 Barbara Jordan Health Policy Scholars Program
  
  Operated by the Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundationin partnership with Howard University, the Scholars Program brings talented African American, Latino, American Indian/Alaska Native, and Asian/Pacific Islander college seniors and recent graduates to Washington, D.C., for placement in congressional offices to learn about health policy. Through the nine-week program (May 21- August 3, 2007), Scholars gain knowledge about federal legislative procedure and health policy issues, while further developing their critical thinking and leadership skills. The application deadline is 5pm on December 15, 2006.
  

• NIH Issues Request for Applications for Clinical and Translational Science Awards
  The National Center for Research Resources (NCRR), a branch of the NIH, has issued a Request for Applications (RFA-RM-07-002) for health professions schools seeking a Clinical and Translational Science Award (CTSA). The CTSA program is intended to give new opportunities to institutions and their affiliates to be truly innovative in proposals that transform their programs and resources to foster clinical and translational science. With $38 million in funding available this year, up to eight awards will be granted through this program. Universities, academic health centers, or other research organizations conducting translational and clinical research are eligible to apply; partnerships among schools of medicine, dentistry, nursing, pharmacy, osteopathy, public health, engineering and other clinically-related institutions are strongly encouraged. Letters of intent must be received by December 18, 2006; applications are due January 17, 2007.
  

  
  
• Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Seeks Proposals to Address the Nursing Shortage
  To alleviate the challenges contributing to the nation's nursing shortage, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) and Northwest Health Foundation have announced a new round of funding opportunities through the "Partners Investing in Nursing's Future" initiative. Through this program, local and regional foundations will receive funding to support collaborations among nurses, workforce investment boards and community organizations on a variety of projects, including initiatives that bolster the nurse education system, address the nurse faculty shortage or increase diversity in the workforce. The program will award 10 two-year grants of up to $250,000 each. The application deadline is November 9, 2006.
  
  
• NIH Offers $35,000 in Annual Student Loan Repayment
  Applications are now being accepted for the loan repayment programs offered by the National Institutes of Health (NIH). These programs will repay up to $35,000 of qualified educational debt for health professionals pursuing careers in biomedical and behavioral research. Participants must possess a doctoral-level degree, devote 50% or more of their time to research funded by a domestic non-profit organization or government entity (federal, state, or local), and have educational loan debt equal to or exceeding 20% of their institutional base salary. The five NIH Loan Repayment Programs are for Clinical Research, Clinical Research for Individuals from Disadvantaged Backgrounds, Contraception and Infertility Research, Health Disparities, and Pediatric Research. Applications must be received by December 1, 2006.
  
  

• Apply Now for Funding through the Graduate Assistance in Areas of National Need Program
  The U.S. Department of Education is inviting applications from schools of nursing for grant funding available through the Graduate Assistance in Areas of National Need (GAANN) program for FY 2007. This program provides fellowships in areas of national need to assist graduate students with excellent academic records who demonstrate financial need and plan to pursue the highest degree available in their course of study. The Administration has requested $9,725,000 for new awards under this program for FY 2007. The actual level of funding, if any, depends on final congressional action. However, the Department of Education is inviting applications to allow enough time to complete the grant process if Congress appropriates funds for this program. Approximately 45 GAANN awards will be made for the 2007-2008 academic year with an average award of $216,111. Applications must be submitted electronically through the www.Grants.gov Web site. Application deadline is November 20, 2006. For more information, contact Gary Thomas at the U.S. Department of Education at 202-502-7767 or OPE_GAANN_PROGRAM@ed.gov.

• Robert Wood Johnson Health Policy Fellowships Program
  The Robert Wood Johnson Health Policy Fellowships Program provides the nation’s most comprehensive experience at the nexus of health science, policy and politics in Washington, DC. The fellowship offers an outstanding opportunity for exceptional mid-career health professionals in academic and community-based settings to assume leadership roles in health policy and management. Applications are due by November 17, 2006.
  
  
• Kansas Board of Regents Nursing Initiative
  On June 1, the Kansas Board of Regents unveiled a ten-year, $30 million plan to address the state's nursing workforce shortage. All 22 public nursing programs in Kansas are eligible to participate in the program which includes funding in three areas: Nurse Educator Scholarships, Nursing Faculty and Supplies, and Equipment and Facility Upgrades. Legislators in Kansas understand that “increasing capacity in nursing programs is a complex process that consists of acquiring additional qualified nursing faculty, securing additional clinical instruction sites, and increasing classroom space and equipment.”
  

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• California Endowment-AACN Nurse Faculty Scholarship Program

  Applications are now available for the new California Endowment-AACN Nurse Faculty Scholarship Program. The California Endowment awarded a generous grant to AACN to establish a scholarship program to support underrepresented racial and ethnic minority students in California and to provide mentoring for these students to assume faculty and leadership roles. Scholarships will be for $18,000 per year, and schools will be required to offer a match of some portion of the student's tuition. Though students receiving support may attend graduate programs at any school of nursing, students must return to their home state of California after graduation to assume a faculty position at a California institution. Applications are available online at http://www.aacn.nche.edu/CAE-AACN%20Award%20App.pdf and must be completed by June 16, 2006. NOTE: Applicants receiving funding from other sources that also include a post-graduation teaching commitment cannot complete these obligations concurrently. For more information, please contact Project Coordinator Annie Alesandrini at anniea@aacn.nche.edu.

• Nursing Scholarship Program
  This program provides scholarships to qualified nursing students in exchange for at least two years of service at a health care facility with a critical shortage of nurses. Preference is given to qualified applicants with the greatest financial need who are enrolled full-time in an undergraduate nursing program. See http://bhpr.hrsa.gov/nursing/scholarship.
  
  
• Nurse Faculty Loan Program
  Through this program, the Secretary of Health and Human Services enters into an agreement with schools of nursing to create a student loan fund to increase the number of qualified nursing faculty. Institutions make loans from the fund to students enrolled in an advanced degree nursing program with an education component that will prepare them to teach at a school of nursing. Loan recipients who complete the degree program may cancel up to 85% of the loan in exchange for service as full-time nurse faculty. See http://bhpr.hrsa.gov/dsa/flrp.
  
  
  

• Apply Now for Minority Faculty Development Scholarships
  Applications are now available for the new California Endowment-AACN Nurse Faculty Scholarship Program. The California Endowment awarded a generous grant to AACN to establish a scholarship program to support underrepresented racial and ethnic minority students in California and to provide mentoring for these students to assume faculty and leadership roles. Scholarships are for $18,000 per year, and schools will be required to offer a match of some portion of the student's tuition. Though students receiving support may attend graduate programs at any school of nursing, students must return to their home state of California after graduation to assume a faculty position at a California institution. Applications must be completed by June 16, 2006. For more information, please contact Project Coordinator Annie Alesandrini at anniea@aacn.nche.edu.

• Improving Patient Safety through Simulation Research
  The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) is interested in funding research and evaluation of simulation and the roles it can play in improving the safe delivery of health care. Simulation is described as a strategy — not a technology — to mirror, anticipate or amplify real situations with guided experiences in a fully interactive way. Simulation can also complement other organizational change methods to facilitate adoption and implementation of best practices and new technologies. In these projects, AHRQ is interested in the use of and/or adaptation of simulation tools in diverse health care settings and the evaluation of their impact on improving patient safety. The agency will fund 8-10 new grants for a total of $2.4 million. Letters of intent are due April 28, and applications are due May 22. See http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/rfa-files/RFA-HS-06-030.html.
  

• 2006 Nurse Faculty Loan Program
  Applications are now available for the 2006 Nurse Faculty Loan Program (NFLP) administered by the federal Division of Nursing. Through this program (HRSA-06-NFLP), the Secretary of Health and Human Services enters into an agreement with schools of nursing to create a student loan fund to increase the number of qualified nursing faculty. Institutions make loans from the fund to students enrolled in an advanced degree nursing program with an education component that will prepare them to teach at a school of nursing. Loan recipients who complete the nursing education program may cancel up to 85% of the loan in exchange for service as full-time nurse faculty at a school of nursing. Applicants may request a hard copy of the application materials by contacting: Ms. Denise Thompson, 301-443-1399, dthompson@hrsa.gov or Ms. Nancy Douglas-Kersellius, 301-443-0907, ndouglas-kersellius@hrsa.gov. The application deadline is April 28, 2006.
  
  

• The Association of Teachers of Preventive Medicine (ATPM) is pleased to announce that 21 new fellowships are available at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). This program provides leadership training in public health practice and policy to master’s, doctoral and post-doctoral level graduate students; preventive medicine and primary care residents; and early career professionals (with a minimum of a master's degree) in a variety of disciplines. Fellowships will start throughout summer 2006. Applications for these 1-2 year positions are due by April 20, 2006. See http://www.atpm.org.

• The annual Paul Ambrose Health Promotion Student Leadership Symposium will take place on June 22-25, 2006 in Washington DC. This prestigious symposium strives to engage graduate nursing, medical, graduate physician assistant, and PharmD student leaders in building new visions, models, and experiences for health professions education. Applications are due April 14, 2006. See http://www.atpm.org/meetings/symposium/PA_Symposium.htm.

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• 2006 Ford Motor Company-CHLI Leadership Program
  The Congressional Hispanic Leadership Institute (CHLI) is now accepting applications for the 2006 Ford Motor Company-CHLI Leadership Program. Eight undergraduate college students will be selected to participate and travel to Washington, DC for a six-week internship program. This experience features professional leadership development workshops as well as opportunities to interact with appointed and elected officials. The application deadline is Friday, April 14, 2006. Please note that students must be of Hispanic or Portuguese origin and residents of and/or attending college in California, Florida, Texas or Puerto Rico.
  
  
• Promise of Nursing Regional Faculty Fellowship
  Nursing students enrolled in graduate programs in selected regions of the U.S. may apply for a Promise of Nursing Regional Faculty Fellowship. Administered by the Foundation of the National Student Nurses' Association (FNSNA), these fellowships provide financial assistance (up to $7,500 annually) to RNs preparing for the nurse educator role. Funding for the Promise of Nursing Regional Faculty Fellowship Program is contributed by several hospitals and health-care agencies, Johnson & Johnson, and businesses with an interest in supporting nursing education. Selections are based on academic achievement, financial need, commitment to graduate study, and plans to work as nurse faculty after graduation. Students in the following states (eligible zip codes only) are encouraged to apply: California, Florida, Tennessee, Georgia, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Texas, and Washington. Applications are due March 10. For more details including a list of eligible zip codes.
  
  
• Nursing Education Loan Repayment Program
  The Nursing Education Loan Repayment Program (NELRP) provides loan repayment of up to 60% of outstanding student loans to qualified nurses who agree to work in eligible health care facilities for two years. The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) is now accepting applications for this program through March 30, 2006. For an application and guidance information.
  
  
• FY 2006 NHSC Scholarship and Loan Repayment Program
  The National Health Service Corps (NHSC) actively recruits clinicians, including advanced practice nurses, to provide primary health care to adults and children in communities with the greatest need. As part of its recruitment efforts, the NHSC offers loan repayment to clinicians who agree to work in underserved areas. Applications for the FY 2006 NHSC Scholarship and Loan Repayment Program are now available and must be submitted by March 31, 2006.
  
  
• The Rex and Elaine Perkins Caring for the Future Scholarship Fund
  This semester, the Banner Health Foundation has provided scholarships for 30 students to pursue a BSN degree at Arizona State University Polytechnic Campus. The Rex and Elaine Perkins Caring for the Future Scholarship Fund was created by the foundation after receiving a $1 million gift upon Mrs. Perkins' passing. After successfully completing the BSN program and obtaining licensure as an RN, students receiving support will work for three years at one of Banner Health's not-for-profit facilities.

• Preventative Cardiovascular Nurses Association Scholarship
  Each year, the Preventative Cardiovascular Nurses Association (PCNA) offers scholarships to nursing students and nurses in practice to cover the cost of PCNA’s Annual Symposium registration. February 24 is the deadline to apply for a scholarship to attend the symposium coming to Denver, CO on April 20-22, 2006.
  
  
• Partners Investing in Nursing’s Future
  To alleviate the challenges contributing to the nation’s nursing shortage, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and Northwest Health Foundation announced a new five-year, $10 million initiative to support partnerships led by local foundations to address the most pressing nursing issues in their communities. “Partners Investing in Nursing’s Future” will encourage local or regional foundations to collaborate with nurses, workforce investment boards and community organizations on a variety of projects, including initiatives that bolster the nurse education system, address the nurse faculty shortage or introduce new curricula, increase diversity in the workforce, or support leadership development for nurses. The program will award two-year grants of up to $250,000 each. Brief proposals are due February 16, 2006.
  
  
• NIH Director's Pioneer Award
  A key component of the NIH Roadmap for Medical Research, the NIH Director's Pioneer Award supports exceptionally creative scientists who propose pioneering approaches to major challenges in biomedical research. In September 2006, NIH expects to make 5 to 10 new awards of up to $500,000 in direct costs per year for 5 years. Women, members of groups that are underrepresented in biomedical research, and individuals in the early to middle stages of their careers are especially encouraged to apply between January 15 and February 27, 2006.
  
  
• Maryland Nurse Support Program
  The Maryland Health Services Cost Review Commission, the state agency charged with setting rates for Maryland Hospitals, in collaboration with the Maryland Higher Education Commission, has approved funding for a Nurse Support Program (NSP) in the amount $9.4 million a year over the next 10 years to support two initiatives to help alleviate Maryland’s critical shortage of nurse faculty and bedside nurses. Funding will be used to expand the pool of nurses in Maryland by increasing the capacity of nursing programs. The first statewide initiative will provide funding for graduate nursing faculty scholarships and living expenses, new nursing faculty fellowships, and state nursing scholarship and living expenses grants. The second program, the competitive institutional grants initiative, will expand the state’s nursing capacity through shared resources, increase the state’s nursing faculty, improve nursing student retention, and increase the pipeline for nurse faculty.
  

• National Symposium Scholarship for PCNA Members
  The Preventive Cardiovascular Nurses Association is proud to offer Annual Symposium scholarships to cover the costs of pre-conference and general session registration. These scholarships are available to PCNA Members (professionals and students) with an interest in the prevention of cardiovascular disease. The deadline for application submission is February 24, 2006. Winners will be notified by March 10, 2006.
  
  

• Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Nursing Quality Research Initiative
  As part of its efforts to improve the quality of health care for all Americans, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) has launched a new program, the Interdisciplinary Nursing Quality Research Initiative (INQRI), to generate, disseminate and translate research to improve the quality of care provided in hospitals. INQRI will support interdisciplinary teams of nurse scholars and scholars from other disciplines to address gaps in knowledge about the relationship between nursing and health care quality. The five-year, $10 million program will be directed by Dr. Mary Naylor, Marian S. Ware Professor in Gerontology at the University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing, and co-directed by Dr. Mark Pauly at the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School. "Despite nursing's pivotal role in the delivery of health care," said Dr. Naylor, "there is little rigorous research that demonstrates causal relationships between nursing care and high-quality patient outcomes. INQRI will support projects that examine these relationships and, in doing so, uncover opportunities to make important clinical, health system and policy changes."

• Partners Investing in Nursing’s Future
  
  To alleviate the challenges contributing to the nation’s nursing shortage, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and Northwest Health Foundation announced a new five-year, $10 million initiative to support partnerships led by local foundations to address the most pressing nursing issues in their communities. “Partners Investing in Nursing’s Future” will encourage local or regional foundations to collaborate with nurses, workforce investment boards and community organizations on a variety of projects, including initiatives that bolster the nurse education system, address the nurse faculty shortage or introduce new curricula, increase diversity in the workforce, or support leadership development for nurses. The program will award two-year grants of up to $250,000 each. Brief proposals are due February 16, 2006.
  
  
• NIH Director's Pioneer Award
  A key component of the NIH Roadmap for Medical Research, the NIH Director's Pioneer Award supports exceptionally creative scientists who propose pioneering approaches to major challenges in biomedical research. In September 2006, NIH expects to make 5 to 10 new awards of up to $500,000 in direct costs per year for 5 years. Women, members of groups that are underrepresented in biomedical research, and individuals in the early to middle stages of their careers are especially encouraged to apply between January 15 and February 27, 2006.
  
  
  
• Robert Wood Johnson Executive Nurse Fellows Program
  The Robert Wood Johnson Executive Nurse Fellows Program is seeking applicants for an advanced leadership program for nurses in senior executive roles in health services, public health and nursing education who aspire to help lead and shape the U.S. health care system. Up to 20 three-year fellowships will be awarded in 2006. Apply now at http://www.enfp-info.org until February 1, 2006.
  
  
• 2006 Barbara Jordan Health Policy Scholars Program
  Applications are now being accepted for the 2006 Barbara Jordan Health Policy Scholars Program. Sponsored by the Kaiser Family Foundation, this program brings talented African American, Latino, American Indian/Alaska Native, and Asian/Pacific Islander college seniors and recent graduates to Washington, D.C. where they will be placed in Congressional offices in order to learn first-hand how health policy is developed and implemented. Through the nine-week program (May 23-July 28, 2006), scholars will learn about federal legislative procedure and health policy issues, while developing critical thinking and leadership skills. Applications are due January 9, 2006.
  
  
• 2006 NCHS/AcademyHealth Fellowship
  Applications are now being accepted for the 2006 NCHS/AcademyHealth Fellowship sponsored by the CDC National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) and AcademyHealth. This program brings visiting scholars in health services research-related disciplines to the NCHS to collaborate on studies of interest to policymakers and the health services research community using NCHS data systems. Fellows can access the data resources provided by CDC and participate in developmental and health policy activities related to the design and content of future NCHS surveys. Application deadline is January 9, 2006.
  
  
• Application Deadline Nears for HRSA Scholarship Program
  January 10, 2006 is the deadline for schools of nursing to submit applications for funding through the Scholarships for Disadvantaged Students program. Administered by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), this program promotes diversity among health professions students and practitioners by providing scholarships for students from disadvantaged backgrounds. Eligible health professions and nursing schools apply for funds to make scholarships to students from disadvantaged backgrounds, who have financial need for scholarships and are enrolled, or accepted for enrollment, as full-time students at the schools. For more information, contact Andreina Stampone at astampone@hrsa.gov.
  

• The Robert Wood Johnson Executive Nurse Fellows Program
  The Robert Wood Johnson Executive Nurse Fellows Program is seeking applicants for an advanced leadership program for nurses in senior executive roles in health services, public health and nursing education who aspire to help lead and shape the U.S. health care system. Up to 20 three-year fellowships will be awarded in 2006. Application deadline is February 1, 2006.
  
  
• 2006 Barbara Jordan Health Policy Scholars Program
  Applications are now being accepted for the 2006 Barbara Jordan Health Policy Scholars Program. Sponsored by the Kaiser Family Foundation, this program brings talented African American, Latino, American Indian/Alaska Native, and Asian/Pacific Islander college seniors and recent graduates to Washington, D.C. where they will be placed in Congressional offices in order to learn first-hand how health policy is developed and implemented. Through the nine-week program (May 23-July 28, 2006), scholars will learn about federal legislative procedure and health policy issues, while developing critical thinking and leadership skills. Applications are due January 9, 2006.
  
  
• 2006 NCHS/AcademyHealth Fellowship
  Applications are now being accepted for the 2006 NCHS/AcademyHealth Fellowship sponsored by the CDC National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) and AcademyHealth. This program brings visiting scholars in health services research-related disciplines to the NCHS to collaborate on studies of interest to policymakers and the health services research community using NCHS data systems. Fellows can access the data resources provided by CDC and participate in developmental and health policy activities related to the design and content of future NCHS surveys. Application deadline is January 9, 2006.
  
  
• Interdisciplinary Nursing Quality Research Initiative
  Funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, the Interdisciplinary Nursing Quality Research Initiative (INQRI) will generate, disseminate and translate research to improve the quality of care provided in hospitals. It will support interdisciplinary teams of nurse scholars and scholars from other disciplines to address gaps in knowledge about the relationship between nursing and health care quality. Application deadline is January 13, 2006.

• 2006 NCHS/AcademyHealth Fellowship
  Applications are now being accepted for the 2006 NCHS/AcademyHealth Fellowship sponsored by the CDC National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) and AcademyHealth. This program brings visiting scholars in health services research-related disciplines to the NCHS to collaborate on studies of interest to policymakers and the health services research community using NCHS data systems. Fellows can access the data resources provided by CDC and participate in developmental and health policy activities related to the design and content of future NCHS surveys. Application deadline is January 9, 2006.
  
  
• AAMC Overseas Fellowships
  The Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) is seeking applicants for an international clinical research training fellowship for graduate level health professions students, including nurses. The program is sponsored by the National Institutes of Health's (NIH) Fogarty International Center, in partnership with The Ellison Medical Foundation, the NIH National Center on Minority Health and Health Disparities, the NIH National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, and the NIH National Institute on Drug Abuse. The AAMC and the Association of Schools of Public Health manage the program, which is in its third year. This one-year program provides students with mentored research training at top-ranked NIH-funded research centers in countries including Bangladesh, Botswana, Brazil, China, Haiti, India, Kenya, Mali, Peru, Russia, South Africa, Tanzania, Thailand, Uganda, and Zambia. Applications are currently available and due by December 28, 2005.
  
  
• The Robert Wood Johnson Health Policy Fellowships Program
  The Robert Wood Johnson Health Policy Fellowships Program provides the nation’s most comprehensive experience at the nexus of health science, policy and politics in Washington, DC. The fellowship offers an outstanding opportunity for exceptional mid-career health professionals in academic and community-based settings to assume leadership roles in health policy and management. Applications are due by November 18, 2005.
  
  
• The TriService Nursing Research Program
  The TriService Nursing Research Program has released its FY 2006 Call for Proposals for active duty, reserve, National Guard and retired Nurse Corps officers looking to fund research projects in a variety of areas, including military readiness and deployment, skill maintenance, health promotion and disease prevention, nurse-run clinics, men and women’s health issues, telenursing, and econometrics. Proposals for Graduate Research Awards can be submitted between November 1, 2005 and March 7, 2006.
  

• NOA: Nurse in Washington Internship
  The Nursing Organizations Alliance™ is offering two scholarships for the Nurse in Washington Internship™ (NIWI™) program. The scholarships provide assistance to nurses to help offset the costs associated with attending NIWI™ One full scholarship will cover travel expenses, lodging expenses for Saturday night through noon on Wednesday, and registration fees.The second partial scholarship covers NIWI™ registration fees only. Recipient will be responsible for all other expenses related to attending NIWI™. Scholarship applications must be received by October 7, 2005.
  

• NIH Offers $35,000 in Annual Student Loan Repayment
  Applications are now being accepted for the loan repayment programs offered by the National Institutes of Health (NIH). These programs will repay up to $35,000 of qualified educational debt for health professionals pursuing careers in biomedical and behavioral research. Participants must possess a doctoral-level degree, devote 50% or more of their time to research funded by a domestic non-profit organization or government entity (federal, state, or local), and have educational loan debt equal to or exceeding 20% of their institutional base salary. The five NIH Loan Repayment Programs are for Clinical Research, Clinical Research for Individuals from Disadvantaged Backgrounds, Contraception and Infertility Research, Health Disparities, and Pediatric Research. Applications must be received by December 1, 2005.

• New Funding Available for Research-Focused Doctorates
  On August 29, the U.S. Department of Education issued a call for applications to schools seeking funding through the Graduate Assistance in Areas of National Need (GAANN) program in FY 2006. Schools of nursing are invited to apply for funding to offer fellowships to graduate students with excellent academic records who demonstrate financial need and plan to pursue a PhD program. Application deadline is November 14, 2005. For application and guidance information, see http://www.ed.gov/programs/gaann/applicant.html. For details about GAANN, visit http://www.ed.gov/programs/gaann/index.html.

• Epi-Centers for Prevention of Healthcare-Associated Infections: DHHS/CDC Announce Funding Opportunity
  The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention within the Department of Health and Human Services is making available approximately $2,000,000 to assist organizations which improve detection, reporting, and prevention of HAIs, AR and other adverse events in all types of healthcare facilities in the United States. This program addresses the ``Healthy People 2010'' focus areas 14-20, to ``Reduce hospital-acquired infections in intensive care unit patients'', and 14-21 to ``Reduce antimicrobial use among intensive-care unit patients''. The deadline for letters of intent is September 22, 2005 and the application deadline is October 24, 2005.
  

• The George W. Merck Fellowship Program
  The George W. Merck Fellowship Program at the Institute for Health Care Improvement was created to prepare clinical leaders with the skills to promote the spread of improvement nationally and build organizational capability to drive quality improvement to dramatically higher levels of performance. The fellowship provides $50,000 a year for stipend, tuition and travel support. The application deadline is October 15, 2005. For questions about the program and an application, contact Dr. Sharon Muret-Wagstaff at smuretwagstaff@ihi.org.
  
  
• Robert Wood Johnson Community Health Leadership Program
  The Robert Wood Johnson Community Health Leadership Program (CHLP) honors outstanding individuals who overcome daunting odds to expand access to health care and social services to underserved and isolated populations in communities across the United States. The program seeks to elevate the work of these individuals through financial support, opportunities for growth and networking, and assistance raising awareness of their contributions. Ten winners will receive $120,000 to be used for up to a three-year period. Candidates must have between five and 15 years of community health experience.
  

• Diversity in Health Care Professions: HHS/CDC Announces Funding Opportunity
  The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention within the Department of Health and Human Services has announced a funding opportunity to assist organizations which provide support for the advancement of professional development, education, and research and training for racial and ethnic minorities. These organizations consist of representatives from member institutions (medical, dental public health, pharmacy, and/or veterinarian schools) who work to ensure racial and ethnic parity in health professions. HHS/CDC has identified an estimated $900,000 for the support of three (one from each academic group) awards. The approximate average award is $300,000. The application deadline is August 4, 2005.

• Reducing Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Childhood Immunization
  The Department of Health and Human Services is making available approximately $300,000 on reducing racial and ethnic disparities in childhood immunization. The deadline for letters of intent is June 10, 2005 and the application deadline is June 27, 2005. The purpose of the program is to fund a community-based demonstration project to identify, implement and evaluate interventions that will result in a statistically significant reduction in racial disparities in immunization coverage levels between black children 19-35 months of age and children of other races, particularly white children, as evidenced by a comparison of immunization coverage of black and other racial/ethnic groups before and after interventions are implemented.
  
  
• CDC Funds Available for HIV/AIDS Research
  The Department of Health and Human Services is making available approximately $1,000,000 for repidemiologic HIV/AIDS research Among African American and Hispanic Women at Risk for HIV Infection in the Southern United States and Puerto Rico
  The deadline for the letter of intent is July 1, 2005 and the application deadline is July 18, 2005. The purposes of this project are to support research on the epidemiologic, socio-cultural, structural, psychological, and behavioral factors that promote HIV infection in African American and Hispanic women; and to increase understanding of the factors related to the prevalence of HIV infection, and incidence of recent infection, in these populations. This announcement addresses the ``Healthy People 2010'' focus areas of HIV and the goals of CDC's HIV prevention strategic plan through 2005.

• President’s High Growth Job Training Initiative
  On May 3, as part of the President’s High Growth Job Training Initiative, the U.S. Department of Labor issued a solicitation for grant applications under the Community-Based Job Training Grant Program. These grants aim to foster capacity building through community-based strategic partnerships to train workers for high growth, high demand industries such as registered nursing. In FY 2005, $248 million is allocated for these grants. Based on current authority, senior colleges and universities are eligible for these grants; however, preference will be given to community colleges. AACN urges member schools to apply and pursue strategic partnerships with community colleges, health industry employers, and other local network resources to address the shortage of nurses and nurse educators.
  
  
• NINR Offers Predoctoral Training Support For Doctoral Students
  The National Institute of Nursing Research (NINR) is committed to increasing the number of doctorally-prepared nurses to meet the demands for behavioral, biological, and biobehavioral scientists. NINR is particularly interested in facilitating the progress of students who are in research training programs for recent nursing graduates and students in BSN to PhD programs. Through the grant program named the Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award for Individual Predoctoral Fellows in Nursing Research, NINR will provide predoctoral training support for doctoral students. The applicant must propose a research training program and dissertation research that is consistent with the scientific mission of NINR. The National Institutes of Health recognizes the critical importance of training nurse clinicians to become researchers and encourages them to apply.

• Paul Ambrose Health Promotion Student Leadership Symposium
  The 4th annual Paul Ambrose Health Promotion Student Leadership Symposium will take place from June 24-26, 2005 in Washington DC. This prestigious symposium will engage 45 graduate nursing, medical, graduate physician assistant, and PharmD student leaders in building new visions, models, and experiences for health professions education. Students will have a $200 micro-grant available to them, on a reimbursable basis, to assist in the administration of their project. Applications are due April 6, 2005.