The Aspen Institute’s UpSkill America program, in collaboration with the Trellis Foundation, has launched a new funding initiative titled “Streamlining Success in Nursing Training Programs in Texas.” This three-year initiative is aimed at addressing critical challenges in nursing education by supporting innovative partnerships and practices that enable nursing students in Texas to balance their academic responsibilities with real-world employment. This effort is grounded in the Texas Board of Nursing Education Guideline 3.7.4, which allows students to fulfill clinical requirements through paid work if a partnership is established between educational institutions and healthcare employers.

The initiative will support 8–10 selected partners in the creation and implementation of innovative strategies that streamline the pathway to nursing credential attainment. Specifically, projects may include flexible approaches to clinical placements, such as shifting didactic learning to online formats, modifying clinical schedules, and building regional systems for faculty recruitment and placement coordination. The goal is to remove barriers that prevent nursing students from completing their academic and clinical requirements, especially when simultaneously employed.

Eligible applicants include both public and private nonprofit institutions of higher education located in Texas. Institutions outside of Texas may apply if their proposed work impacts students in Texas and is conducted within the state. In rural areas or regions where educational coordination occurs outside of higher education institutions, workforce boards may also serve as lead applicants. While training organizations, community-based nonprofits, and for-profit entities may be involved in projects, they cannot serve as the lead applicant.

To apply, institutions must submit a complete application package by email to TXhealthcare@aspeninstitute.org no later than 5:00 PM Central Time on May 16, 2025. The submission must include the application form, IRS determination letter, W-9, two years of audited financial statements, and a completed budget template. A preparatory webinar for potential applicants is scheduled for April 7, 2025, at 2:00 PM CT, and interested parties must register in advance.

The timeline for the funding opportunity is as follows: the request for proposals was announced on March 31, 2025; the application deadline is May 16, 2025; selected applicants will be notified by June 30, 2025; grant agreements must be signed by July 31, 2025; and grant payments will be distributed by August 15, 2025. For more information, prospective applicants are encouraged to review the initiative’s one-pager, overview, and white paper documents, or contact the team directly via email for additional questions.