NCSBN empowers and supports nursing regulators in their mandate to protect the public.
National Council of State Boards of Nursing centers its grantmaking on nursing regulation science and the work of state boards that protect the public. The largest recent award in the record went to the State of New Jersey for research, followed by a $307,049 grant to the State of Ohio Ohio Treasurer of State Robert Sprague to provide assistance with NLC implementation. That mix shows a funder that supports both research and practical rollout. The foundation also backs university-led projects: the Trustees of the University of Pennsylvania received $300,000 for research, and the University of Alabama School of Law received the same amount for research in 2024. Across the recent grants list, the organization funds public agencies, universities, and other implementers rather than individuals. Its stated priorities include nursing workforce issues, substance use disorders in nursing, new technologies related to the profession, scope of practice, and the policy implications of practice innovation and new models of care delivery. The program descriptions also point to a worldwide research agenda and a separate learning track for future nurse leaders interested in regulatory experience.
Nursing regulation is the clearest through line in the grant record. The foundation gave $445,696 to State of New Jersey for research and $300,000 to The Trustees of University of Pennsylvania for research, both aligned with building regulatory knowledge. It also funded the State of Rhode Island Board of Nursing Education and Nursing Regulation with $204,048 for research, showing support for state board-based inquiry. Workforce questions appear repeatedly in the active program focus, and the CRE Grant Program names nursing workforce, board efficiency and effectiveness, substance use disorder and discipline, and transition to practice among its priorities. Technical implementation support is also part of the picture: a $199,764 award to Bresa Tech LLC and a $22,500 grant to Origo Branding Company Inc were both designated to provide assistance with NLC implementation. The foundation’s learning opportunities further extend into regulatory scholarship and leadership development in nursing regulation.
$1.7M
$325.7M
$144M
$133.2M
Most grants fall between $104K and $275K, with a median of $204K.
25th Percentile
$104K
Median
$204K
75th Percentile
$275K
About 0% of grants go to recipients in NJ.
Phyllis Polk Johnson
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Typical awards cluster around the low-to-mid six figures: the p25 grant size is $104,269, the median is $204,048, and the p75 is $274,550. The recent record includes both larger research grants and smaller implementation-support grants, which suggests a project-specific approach rather than a single fixed award level. The recipient list also shows repeat activity across years, with research awards appearing in 2023, 2024, and 2025 and implementation support appearing in multiple years as well. The grant program descriptions indicate a mix of unsolicited and invited pathways: the NCSBN Grant Program and CRE Grant Program accept unsolicited proposals, while the Regulatory Scholars Program and Doctoral Student Grant are listed as learning opportunities rather than open grant rounds.
Giving is national, and the recent grants are spread across multiple U.S. states rather than concentrated in Illinois, which received none of the listed grants. Pennsylvania appears among the most active recipient states, with Philadelphia represented in the recent record. Other frequent landing spots include Newark, Columbus, Baltimore, West Lafayette, Olympia, Providence, Piscataway, and Waco. All recent grants in the dataset went to U.S. recipients, so the country distribution is entirely domestic.
The recent grants went to state agencies, universities, and other implementing organizations. Examples in the record include the State of New Jersey, the State of Ohio Ohio Treasurer of State Robert Sprague, The Trustees of University of Pennsylvania, and Bresa Tech LLC. The foundation does not fund individuals.
Its stated priorities include outcome studies related to nursing regulation, nursing workforce, substance use disorders in nursing, new technologies related to the profession, regulatory implications of practice innovations and new models of care delivery, LPN, RN and APRN scope of practice, and the impact of policy on nursing.
Yes for some programs. The NCSBN Grant Program accepts unsolicited proposals, and the CRE Grant Program also accepts unsolicited proposals. The Regulatory Scholars Program and Doctoral Student Grant are listed as learning opportunities rather than open unsolicited grant programs.
The grant-size distribution centers on mid-sized awards: p25 is $104,269, median is $204,048, and p75 is $274,550. Recent grants include both larger research awards and smaller implementation-support grants.
The grant record is national, with all recent grants going to U.S. recipients. Pennsylvania is the top state by grant count, and the recent list includes Philadelphia among the recipient cities. Illinois, the headquarters state, received 0% of listed grants.
2026
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2026.
Current and upcoming funding from National Council of State Boards of Nursing that your nonprofit may be able to apply for.
Who can apply: Investigators may apply for grants for scientific research projects that advance the science of nursing policy and regulation and build regulatory expertise worldwide. Projects must be completed within 12-24 months of the project start date.
Deadline: October 2, 2026; April 2, 2027
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Create a free accountDeadlines and eligibility are summarized from public sources and may change — always confirm the details on the funder's official application page before applying.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| California State Board of Vocational Nursing and Psychiatric Technicians | Sacramento, CA | $350,000 | 2026 | Financial assistance to replace lost verification fee revenues during a transition period for purposes of adopting and implementing full participation in NURSYS |
| University of Pennsylvania | Philadelphia, PA | $300,000 | 2026 | Research |
| University Columbia School of New York | New York, NY | $298,823 | 2026 | Research |
| State of Connecticut Department of Public Health | Hartford, CT | $231,436 | 2026 | eLicense platform upgrade to manage professional nurse licenses issued |
| University of Texas at Arlington | Arlington, TX | $206,891 | 2026 | Research |
| Kent State University College of Nursing | Kent, OH | $198,072 | 2026 | Research |
| University of George Washington | Ashburn, VA | $86,674 | 2026 | Research |
| The Regents of the University of California Davis | Davis, CA | $10,500 | 2026 | Research |
| University of Nevada Las Vegas | Las Vegas, NV | $9,874 | 2026 | Research |
| State of New Jersey | Newark, NJ | $445,696 | 2025 | Research |
| Washington State Department of Health | Olympia, WA | $218,629 | 2025 | Research |
| State of Rhode Island Board of Nursing Education and Nursing Regulation | Providence, RI | $204,048 | 2025 | Research |
| Baylor University | Waco, TX | $174,500 | 2025 | Research |
| Rutgers The State University | Piscataway, NJ | $107,578 | 2025 | Research |
| University of Alabama School of Law | Tuscaloosa, AL | $300,000 | 2024 | Research |
| The Trustees of University of Pennsylvania | Philadelphia, PA | $300,000 | 2024 | Research |
| Arizona State University Foundation for A New American University | Tucson, AZ | $100,960 | 2024 | Research |
| State of Vermont Office of the Secretary of State | Montpelier, VT | $23,569 | 2024 | Research |
| The MGH Institute of Health Professionals | Charleston, MA | $10,000 | 2024 | Research |
| STATE OF OHIO OHIO TREASURER OF STATE ROBERT SPRAGUE | COLUMBUS, OH | $307,049 | 2023 | TO PROVIDE ASSISTANCE WITH NLC IMPLEMENTATION |
| STATE OF MARYLAND UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND | BALTIMORE, MD | $249,099 | 2023 | RESEARCH |
| THE TRUSTEES OF PURDUE UNIVERSITY | WEST LAFAYETTE, IN | $234,728 | 2023 | RESEARCH |
| BRESA TECH LLC | PLANTO, TX | $199,764 | 2023 | TO PROVIDE ASSISTANCE WITH NLC IMPLEMENTATION |
| ORIGO BRANDING COMPANY INC | COLUMBUS, OH | $22,500 | 2023 | TO PROVIDE ASSISTANCE WITH NLC IMPLEMENTATION |
California State Board of Vocational Nursing and Psychiatric Technicians
$350,000Financial assistance to replace lost verification fee revenues during a transition period for purposes of adopting and implementing full participation in NURSYS
State of Connecticut Department of Public Health
$231,436eLicense platform upgrade to manage professional nurse licenses issued
University of Texas at Arlington
$206,891Research
Research
The Regents of the University of California Davis
$10,500Research
University of Nevada Las Vegas
$9,874Research
State of New Jersey
$445,696Research
Washington State Department of Health
$218,629Research
State of Rhode Island Board of Nursing Education and Nursing Regulation
$204,048Research
Rutgers The State University
$107,578Research
University of Alabama School of Law
$300,000Research
State of Vermont Office of the Secretary of State
$23,569Research
The MGH Institute of Health Professionals
$10,000Research
STATE OF OHIO OHIO TREASURER OF STATE ROBERT SPRAGUE
$307,049TO PROVIDE ASSISTANCE WITH NLC IMPLEMENTATION
STATE OF MARYLAND UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND
$249,099RESEARCH
THE TRUSTEES OF PURDUE UNIVERSITY
$234,728RESEARCH
BRESA TECH LLC
$199,764TO PROVIDE ASSISTANCE WITH NLC IMPLEMENTATION
ORIGO BRANDING COMPANY INC
$22,500TO PROVIDE ASSISTANCE WITH NLC IMPLEMENTATION
