School Nurse Workforce Grant

School Nurse Workforce Retention Grant applications are closed.

About the School Nurse Workforce Grant

CDC’s COVID-19 Public Health Workforce Supplemental Funding provided a total of approximately $8.1 million in funding to increase the capacity of the school nurse workforce through the retention and recruitment of qualified school nurses.

During the 2021-22 and 2022-23 school years, the Colorado Department of Education, in collaboration with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, administered the School Nurse Workforce Grant program to 54 Colorado Local Education Providers (LEPs).
In the 2023-24 school year, grantees who had not expended their full awards and opted-in had funding extended. Funds to retain school nurses were also distributed in 2023-2024 to 31 LEPs through the School Nurse Professional Development Grant.
In the 2025-25 school year, funds that had not been used during previous grant cycles were distributed to 71 LEPs through the School Nurse Workforce Retention Grant.

Important Dates for Current Grantees:
2024-2025 School Nurse Workforce Retention Grant

Federal Grant Code: 7354

Grants were awarded for a four-month term beginning January 1, 2025, and ending April 15, 2025.

April 15, 2025 - Deadline to distribute retention bonuses to registered nurses.
May 30, 2025 - Deadline to submit Fund Request in GAINS to be reimbursed for this federal grant. This can be submitted as soon as funds are distributed.
- Include a detailed general ledger with date of transaction. Fund Requests can be submitted for less than the allocated amount but cannot exceed it. Fund Request instructions and recording.

2024-25 Exhibit A from Grant Award Letters (GALs). Grantees can view individualized GALs in the GAINS LEA Document Library under the 2025 folder.

2024-2025 School Nurse Workforce Retention Grant

Overview

The School Nurse Workforce Retention Grant exists to build and maintain the capacity to support public health priorities derived from COVID-19 and to retain school nurses as a critical part of the public health infrastructure. Approximately $759,500 was awarded for retention bonuses of up to $2,000 per Registered Nurse currently employed by the school, inclusive of any benefit costs. These bonuses will support the retention of 405 Colorado School Nurses in 71 Local Education Providers. Funds requested in applications of up to $2,500 per school nurse exceeded the funds available; in order to support as many districts, schools, and students as possible, the award amounts were reduced from requested amounts by 20%, to a maximum of $2,000 per nurse.

Allowable services or activities include: Retention bonuses for Registered Nurses currently employed as a K-12 school nurse, limited to salaries and benefits.

Recipients of funds shall hold registered nurse (RN) licensure.
Funds may not be used to supplant funding from other federal sources or matching on other federal awards.
It is the district’s responsibility to ensure nurses employed by one or more districts may only receive retention bonuses from one district.
Funding may not be used for food.
This is a federal grant that requires a request for reimbursement.
Indirect costs are not allowable.

School Nurse Workforce Grant Recipients

2024-2025 School Nurse Workforce Retention Grant Recipients

Academy 20
Academy of Arts and Knowledge Elementary
Academy of Charter Schools
Adams 12 Five Star Schools
Adams-Arapahoe 28J
Alamosa RE-11J
Ault-Highland RE-9
Boulder Valley Re 2
Brush RE-2(J)
Burlington RE-6J
Center 26 JT
Challenge to Excellence Charter School
Children's Kiva Montessori School
Colorado Early Colleges Aurora
Colorado Early Colleges Colorado Springs
Colorado Early Colleges Douglas County
Colorado Early Colleges Fort Collins
Colorado Springs 11
Colorado Springs Charter Academy
Creede School District
Delta County 50(J)
Durango 9-R
Eagle County RE 50
Elizabeth School District

Firestone Charter Academy
Fremont RE-2
Garfield Re-2
GOAL Academy
Greeley 6
Hayden RE-1
HOPE Online Learning Academy High School
Jefferson County R-1
Johnstown-Milliken RE-5J
Kiowa C-2
Lake County R-1
Lamar Re-2
Lewis-Palmer 38
Lotus School for Excellence
Mesa County Valley 51
Moffat 2
Monarch Montessori
Monte Vista C-8
Montessori Peaks Charter Academy
Montezuma-Cortez RE-1
Montrose County RE-1J
New Legacy Charter School
Northeast BOCES
Pikes Peak BOCES

Poudre R-1
Prospect Academy
Pueblo City 60
Pueblo County 70
Salida Montessori Charter School
Salida R-32
Sangre De Cristo Re-22J
Sargent RE-33J
South Routt RE 3
Steamboat Montessori
Steamboat Springs RE-2
Stratton R-4
Swink 33
The Vanguard School (Elementary)
University Prep - Commerce City
University Schools
Valley RE-1
Vilas RE-5
Weld County School District RE-3J
Weld RE-4
Weld Re-8 Schools
West End RE-2
Wiggins RE-50(J)

Previous Grantees

School Nurse Workforce Grant Previous Recipients
- 2021-2023 School Nurse Workforce Grant Exhibit A - Years 1 & 2
- 2023-2024 School Nurse Workforce Grant Exhibit A - Year 3 (only for grantees who extended to Year 3)
2023-2024 School Nurse Professional Development Grant

2024-2025 School Nurse Workforce Retention Grant Application Information - For Reference Only

Applications Due: Thursday, November 21, 2024 by 4pm

Notice of Award: Applicants will be notified of final award status no later than Friday, December 20, 2024.

Application information slides: Slides (PDF)

Please note: A letter of support signed by a member of the School Board, HR Director, or other District Administrator who can approve personnel bonuses is required in the application. See page 5 of the Request for Applications Word document for details.

Request for Applications Materials
*For Reference Only - Applications are Closed

Review Request for Application (Word)

Application includes: Application Request & Budget, Program Assurances, Financial Management Risk Assessment & Letter of Support

Complete & Submit Application in GAINS

For information on accessing GAINS, see page 2 of the Request for Applications

Contact the Program Team

For Grant Program & School Nursing Questions:

Anita Brodecky
School Nurse Specialist
Brodecky_a@cde.state.co.us

For Budget/Fiscal Questions:

Tricia Miller
Grants Fiscal Analyst
Miller_t@cde.state.co.us

Application Process and GAINS Questions:

Mandy Christensen
Grants Program Administration
(303) 957-6217 | Christensen_A@cde.state.co.us
GAINS@cde.state.co.us

Resources

School Nurse Job Posting Request
post Colorado school nurse jobs on the school nurse listserv
School Nursing & Health Webpages
School Nurse CDE SSP Licensure Information
Learn more about the School Health Services (Medicaid) Program
- Short Presentation Slides and Video

School Nurse Recognition & Recruitment
Communications Toolkit

This marketing toolkit can be used by any Colorado school or district for the purpose of recruiting new school nurses and/or recognizing and retaining current school nurses. Resources include messages and graphics in English and Spanish to help share about the value of school nursing and inspire people to enter this dynamic field.

School Nurse Ripple Effect Graphic