Nurse Faculty Loan Program (NFLP) (93.264)

Program

93.264 Nurse Faculty Loan Program (NFLP)

Federal Agency

Agency: Department of Health and Human Services
Office: Health Resources and Services Administration

Authorization

Public Health Service Act, Title VIII, Section 846A, 42 U.S.C. 297n-1, as amended; Nurse Reinvestment Act of 2002, Public Law 107-205.

Program Number

93.264

Last Known Status

Active

Objectives

To increase the number of qualified nursing faculty. School of nursing that receive NFLP funding must provide loans to students enrolled in eligible advanced degree nursing programs (master�s or doctoral) with an education component(s) that will prepare the student to teach. Loan recipients must agree to complete the education program, and following graduation, may cancel up to 85% of the NFLP loan while serving as full-time nurse faculty at a school of nursing.

Types of Assistance

Direct Loans

Uses and Use Restrictions

The school will establish an NFLP fund to be used only for making NFLP loans to eligible students and for the costs associated with collection of these loans. Institutions may award a maximum loan amount of $30,000 per student for an academic year to support the cost of tuition, fees, books, laboratory expenses and other reasonable education expenses. Upon completion of the program, an amount up to 85 percent of the loan may be cancelled by the institution as follows: upon completion of the first, second, and third year of full-time faculty employment in a school of nursing, 20 percent of the principal and interest of the unpaid loan shall be cancelled for each year; upon completion of the fourth year of full-time employment as faculty in a school of nursing, 25 percent of the principal and interest of the unpaid loan shall be made be given for the fourth year. The school will establish an NFLP fund to be used only for making NFLP loans to eligible students and for the costs associated with collection of these loans. . Institutions may award a maximum loan amount of $30,000 per student for an academic year to support the cost of tuition, fees, books, laboratory expenses and other reasonable education expenses. Upon completion of the program, an amount up to 85 percent of the loan may be cancelled by the institution as follows: upon completion of the first, second, and third year of full-time faculty employment in a school of nursing, 20 percent of the principal and interest of the unpaid loan shall be cancelled for each year; upon completion of the fourth year of full-time employment as faculty in a school of nursing, 25 percent of the principal and interest of the unpaid loan shall be made be given for the fourth year.

Eligibility Requirements

Applicant Eligibility

Eligible applicants include all accredited public, nonprofit and private or for-profit schools of nursing that offer advanced degree nursing education programs (master's or doctoral) to that prepare full-time advanced degree nursing students to serve as faculty at schools of nursing that offer a master's or doctoral degree program.

Beneficiary Eligibility

Eligible nursing students must: (1) be a citizen or national of the United States, or a lawful permanent resident of the United States, the Commonwealths of Puerto Rico, the Northern Mariana Islands, the Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa or the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands. A student who remains in this country on a student or visitor's visa is not eligible; (2) be enrolled in an advanced degree program in nursing to become qualified nursing faculty; (3) not be in default on a Federal debt; and (4) maintain good academic standing.

Credentials/Documentation

Applicants should review the individual HRSA Guidance documents issued under this CFDA program for any required proof or certifications which must be submitted prior to or simultaneous with submission of an application package. This program is excluded from coverage under OMB Circular No. A-87.

Application and Award Process

Preapplication Coordination

Preapplication coordination is required. Environmental impact information is not required for this program. This program is excluded from coverage under E.O. 12372.

Application Procedure

This program is excluded from coverage under OMB Circular No. A-102. OMB Circular No. A-110 applies to this program. HRSA requires all applicants to apply electronically through Grants.gov.

All qualified applications will be forwarded to an objective review committee. Based on the advice of the objective review committee, the HRSA program official with delegated authority is responsible for final selection and funding decisions.

Award Procedure

Notification is made in writing by a Notice of Grant Award.

Deadlines

Contact the headquarters or regional office, as appropriate, for application deadlines.

Range of Approval/Disapproval Time

Approximately 4 months after receipt of application.

Appeals

Not Applicable.

Renewals

Applications must be submitted annually for new funds.

Assistance Considerations

Formula and Matching Requirements

This program has no statutory formula.

Matching Requirements: Percent: 90.%. Schools that participate in the loan program must contribute to the loan fund an amount equal to but not less than one-ninth of the fiscal year award.

This program does not have MOE requirements.

Length and Time Phasing of Assistance

Project periods are for one (1) year. See the following for information on how assistance is awarded/released: Grantees drawdown funds, as necessary, from the Payment Management System (PMS). PMS is the centralized web based payment system for HHS awards.

Post Assistance Requirements

Reports

The institution must submit the Nurse Faculty Loan Program, Annual Operating Report ( AOR) annually through electronic submission at https://grants.hrsa.gov/webexternal/home.asp.

The NFLP Annual Operating Report (AOR) is due each year within 45 days following the last day of the project period and should reflect the loan fund activity for the reporting period. No cash reports are required. No progress reports are required. No expenditure reports are required. No performance monitoring is required.

Audits

In accordance with the provisions of OMB Circular No. A-133 (Revised, June 27, 2003), "Audits of States, Local Governments, and Non-Profit Organizations," nonfederal entities that expend financial assistance of $500,000 or more in Federal awards will have a single or a program-specific audit conducted for that year. Nonfederal entities that expend less than $500,000 a year in Federal awards are exempt from Federal audit requirements for that year, except as noted in Circular No. A-133.

Records

Grantees are required to maintain grant accounting records for 3 years after the date they submit the FSR. If any litigation, claim, negotiation, audit, or other action involving the award has been started before the expiration of the 3-year period, the records shall be retained until completion of the action and resolution of all issues which arise from it, or until the end of the regular 3-year period, whichever is later.

Program Accomplishments

Fiscal Year 2008: In FY 2008 there were 134 NFLP agreements established with schools of nursing; annual report data for the 2007 to 2008 academic period documented that 884 students received NFLP support. Fiscal Year 2009: No Current Data Available Fiscal Year 2010: No Current Data Available

Financial Information

Account Identification

75-0350-0-1-550.

Obligations

(Direct Loans) FY 08 $7,089,668; FY 09 est $10,679,570; FY 10 est $15,179,570

Range and Average of Financial Assistance

Range is $2,552 to $728,671; Average is $107,874 in FY 09.

Regulations, Guidelines and Literature

This program is subject to the provisions of 45 CFR Part 92 for State, local and tribal governments and 45 CFR Part 74 for institutions of higher education, hospitals, other nonprofit organizations and commercial organizations, as applicable.

Related Programs

93.364 Nursing Student Loans

Information Contacts

Regional or Local Office

See Regional Agency Offices. Denise Thompson, Division of Nursing, Bureau of Health Professions, Health Resources and Services Administration, Parklawn Building, Room 8-C26, 5600 Fishers Lane, Rockville, MD 20857. Telephone: (301) 443-1399. Fax: (301) 443-0791. E-mail: dthompson@hrsa.gov.

Headquarters Office

Denise Thompson 5600 Fishers Lane, Room 8-C26, Rockville, Maryland 20857 Phone: (301) 443-1399

Web Site Address

www.hrsa.gov

Examples of Funded Projects

Fiscal Year 2008: Funded projects establish a NFLP loan fund to provide direct loan support to nursing students enrolled in an advanced education nursing, and following graduation from the program may cancel 85% of the NFLP loan while serving as full-time nurse faculty. Fiscal Year 2009: No Current Data Available Fiscal Year 2010: No Current Data Available

Criteria for Selecting Proposals

Applications will be reviewed for completeness and accuracy, and to determine if applicant schools meet minimum program requirements. All eligible applicants are considered in a formula for determined awards. Eligible applicants must meet all applicable Federal guidelines and/or graduates must be eligible for national nursing organization certification, and/or programs must meet other national organizational guidelines, as appropriate, in the nursing field of study.