Nursing Home Staffing Campaign

Key Facts

Status: Forecasted

Posted date: February 9, 2026

Archive date: April 26, 2026

Close date: March 27, 2026

Opportunity ID: 361025

Opportunity number: CMS-2V2-26-001

Opportunity category: Discretionary

Agency name: Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services

Agency code: HHS-CMS

Award floor: $1,760,000

Award ceiling: $20,000,000

Cost sharing required: No

Funding Instrument Types
  • Cooperative Agreement
Category of Funding Activity
  • Health
Eligible Applicants
  • Nonprofits having a 501 (c) (3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education
  • Nonprofits that do not have a 501 (c) (3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education
  • Private institutions of higher education
  • Public and State controlled institutions of higher education
Tools
Categories (use these for quoted searches)
  • agency_code:hhs_cms
  • category_of_funding_activity:health
  • cost_sharing_or_matching_requirement:false
  • eligible_applicants:nonprofits_having_a_501_c_3_status_with_the_irs_other_than_institutions_of_higher_education
  • eligible_applicants:nonprofits_that_do_not_have_a_501_c_3_status_with_the_irs_other_than_institutions_of_higher_education
  • eligible_applicants:private_institutions_of_higher_education
  • eligible_applicants:public_and_state_controlled_institutions_of_higher_education
  • funding_instrument_type:cooperative_agreement
  • opportunity_category:discretionary
  • status:forecasted
Description

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is committed to improving safety and quality of care in the nation’s nursing homes. Nursing home staffing is a critical factor for improving care for nursing home residents. However, some nursing homes struggle to hire enough nursing staff to meet each resident’s needs. Additionally, state survey agencies, which are responsible for inspecting nursing homes for compliance with federal regulations, have also had challenges hiring nurses to conduct these inspections. The Nursing Home Staffing Campaign (NHSC) is aimed at increasing the availability of nurses to work in the nursing home environment, such as in qualifying nursing homes or in an oversight capacity for a state inspection agency.This Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) is focused on helping to recruit registered nurses (RNs) and licensed practical nurses or licensed vocational nurses (LPNs) to work in nursing homes by offering financial incentives. Through this NOFO, CMS is accepting applications for cooperative agreements to entities that will administer financial incentives, such as loan repayment and stipends to RNs and LPNs, to work for three years in a qualifying nursing home or in an oversight role with a state agency.

Nursing Home Staffing Campaign
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is committed to improving safety and quality of care in the nation’s nursing homes. Nursing home staffing is a critical factor for improving care for nursing home residents. However, some nursing homes struggle to hire enough nursing staff to meet each resident’s needs. Additionally, state survey agencies, which are responsible for inspecting nursing homes for compliance with federal regulations, have also had challenges hiring nurses to conduct these inspections. The Nursing Home Staffing Campaign (NHSC) is aimed at increasing the availability of nurses to work in the nursing home environment, such as in qualifying nursing homes or in an oversight capacity for a state inspection agency.This Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) is focused on helping to recruit registered nurses (RNs) and licensed practical nurses or licensed vocational nurses (LPNs) to work in nursing homes by offering financial incentives. Through this NOFO, CMS is accepting applications for cooperative agreements to entities that will administer financial incentives, such as loan repayment and stipends to RNs and LPNs, to work for three years in a qualifying nursing home or in an oversight role with a state agency.
[Forecasted] Nursing Home Staffing Campaign
Forecasted
Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services
Health
Cooperative Agreement
Public and State controlled institutions of higher education
Nonprofits having a 501 (c) (3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education
Nonprofits that do not have a 501 (c) (3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education
Private institutions of higher education
2026-02-09