American Nurses Foundation Announces Request for Proposals
The Margretta Madden Styles Credentialing Research Grant
Silver Spring, MD – The American Nurses Foundation (the Foundation), in collaboration with the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), is excited to announce the request for proposals (RFP) for the Margretta Madden Styles Credentialing Research Grant.
This funding opportunity aims to advance research on credentialing in nursing and its impact on health care quality and outcomes. Credentialing research in nursing examines how credentialing standards and variables impact health care performance, patient outcomes, and organizational effectiveness. This allows for a clear understanding of actionable ways to support credentialing standards, informs policy, and explores links between credentialing, competency, patient outcomes, and health care costs. Funding will be awarded in three tiers:
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Tier 1: Up to $150,000
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Tier 2: Up to $75,000
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Tier 3: Up to $25,000
"At our core, we are committed to advancing health equity and ensuring every nurse has the resources and opportunities to thrive. This grant opportunity is a pivotal step in driving meaningful change within the profession and the communities we serve," said Adriane Griffen, Vice President of Programs at American Nurses Foundation.
Grant recipients will have the option to select a one-year award (August 2025 – July 2026) or a two-year award (August 2025 – July 2027). Research proposals must align with the priorities of the American Nurses Enterprise Research Advisory Council, with preference given to projects examining the Pathway to Excellence® Program framework. Those research areas include, but are not limited to:
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Evaluating the Pathway to Excellence® framework’s impact on nurse satisfaction, retention, and patient outcomes.
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Assessing the role of transition-to-practice programs in shaping the future health care workforce.
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Measuring the effectiveness of personalized professional development in career growth.
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Comparing competency-based vs. credit-based education in nursing.
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Examining how collaborative credentialing enhances teamwork and decision-making.
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Investigating the impact of certification on career advancement, retention, and job satisfaction.
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Exploring the benefits of specialty nurse certification and its role in lifelong learning and degree attainment.
This grant represents a critical investment in advancing nursing credentialing research. Through this opportunity, the Foundation seeks to generate ideas that advance the nursing profession and improve patient care outcomes.
Key Dates:
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Application Information Session: February 13, 2025, at 1 PM (EST)
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Proposal Submission Deadline: April 10, 2025, at 4 PM (EST) via the online submission portal
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Grantee Notification & Award Execution: July 2025
In addition to soliciting research proposals, the Foundation seeks individuals to serve on the application review committee. Prospective reviewers are encouraged to join a Reviewers Information Session on February 18, 2025, at 2 PM (EST) (a recording and notes will be made available after the informational call).
For more information on the grant, application process, and reviewer opportunities, please visit this page or contact Yolanda Walsh, Program Manager, at Yolanda.walsh@ana.org.
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About American Nurses Foundation
The American Nurses Foundation inspires transformative change by mobilizing resources to deliver solutions that matter. Through intentional partnerships and impactful philanthropy, we strive for intentional investments to meet the specific needs of nurses and to remove barriers to research funding for nurses of all backgrounds. We empower nurses to create change from the inside out, not only for themselves, but for all health care systems and communities.