Launch Catch-Up — Award Announced October 26, 2026
The University of Minnesota School of Nursing said October 26 that it received $3.3 million over five years for scholarships supporting nurse-midwifery students from disadvantaged backgrounds.
The Health Resources and Services Administration award is expected to help approximately 15 students each year in the Doctor of Nursing Practice program.
Students can qualify through economic, educational or geographic disadvantages, according to the school. The funding comes through HRSA’s Scholarships for Disadvantaged Students program.
Recipients will complete at least one clinical rotation in a medically underserved area. The school plans to work with Minnesota healthcare systems on primary-care experiences in rural, tribal and urban settings and expand rural clinical partnerships over three years.
The program also includes quarterly individual mentorship with specialty coordinator Melissa Saftner and additional educational activities.
The university’s announcement describes scholarship support and planned training. The annual recipient figure is an expectation, and the grant does not itself establish a measured increase in midwifery services or completed patient-care outcomes.
Sources: University of Minnesota School of Nursing — October 26 announcement: https://nursing.umn.edu/news-events/school-receives-33-million-grant-support-nurse-midwifery-students