Foundation Impact Update: Expanding Access to Nursing Education

April 2026

Demand for nursing scholarships is rising, and the Foundation for Academic Nursing is responding. Over the past six years alone, the Foundation received more than 5,600 scholarship applications, nearly triple the number from just two years ago. As more students seek financial support to pursue careers in nursing, the need for accessible, well-funded pathways into the profession continues to grow.

And through strategic partnerships and expanded funding opportunities, the Foundation is increasing access to education and helping prepare the next generation of nurse leaders. To meet this growing demand, the Foundation continues to expand and strengthen its portfolio of scholarship programs, supporting students at every stage of their academic journey.

Certiphi-AACN Scholarships: This academic year, the Foundation awarded  five $5,000 scholarships in partnership with its background screening partner, Certiphi Screening®. The first scholarship launched on September 1, 2025, and was open to pre-licensure nursing students in traditional and direct-entry programs at AACN member schools. The second round of scholarships launched in February 2026 for graduate nursing students affiliated with AACN’s Graduate Nursing Student Academy. The first award period closed on April 1, and the inaugural recipients will be announced later this spring.

AACN² Pathway to Critical Care Nursing Scholarship: Last July, AACN partnered with the American Association of Critical Care Nurses to offer a new scholarship for baccalaureate students interested in pursuing a career in critical care nursing. In its inaugural year, sixteen $2,500 scholarships were distributed in fall 2025. Over 1,500 applications were received for this scholarship. In subsequent years, eight scholarships will be awarded to selected applicants annually. In 2026, the scholarship will open on June 30 and close on September 1.

Trautman Scholarship: The Deborah E. Trautman Future Nurse Leader Scholarship sponsored by Liaison International, AACN’s partner in NursingCAS, has been renewed for an additional three years. The scholarship recognizes students who aspire to leadership positions in academic nursing. In September 2025, Liaison increased the scholarship amount from $7,000 to $10,000 annually to cover education and leadership development expenses. This year’s recipients were Ayo Bodunde, a PhD student from the University of Illinois Chicago and Kerry-Ann Dixon, a PhD student from Florida Atlantic University. Both recipients attended AACN’s Student Policy Summit in March.

These programs reflect the Foundation’s commitment to not only expanding access, but also strengthening the pipeline of future nurse leaders across specialties and career stages.

And as the demand for nursing education support continues to grow, so does the need for investment in the future workforce.

Make a gift today and be part of advancing academic nursing.

By supporting the Foundation, you help expand access to education, remove financial barriers, and prepare the next generation of nurse leaders.

To further expand impact, AACN is seeking corporate partners to support nursing faculty through the Faculty Scholars Grant program. Organizations interested in advancing innovation in nursing education and strengthening the science base for practice are encouraged to contact Foundation Director Dr. Katie Fioravanti at kfioravanti@aacnnursing.org.

To support the work of the Foundation and its mission, please consider making a gift and showing your support for academic nursing by clicking here.