Grants will support locally designed efforts to recruit and retain nurse educators amid rising workforce demands
August 19, 2025 – Portland, OR — The Oregon Center for Nursing (OCN), the state advisor for nursing workforce issues, announced today that it has awarded nearly $2.8 million in grants to public nursing schools across the state. This funding aims to address the growing gap between Oregon’s healthcare workforce needs and the capacity of its nursing education infrastructure. Grant recipients include nine state community colleges and Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU), which will leverage the funds across five of its campuses.
Grants were awarded through the Retaining and Elevating the Nurse Educator Workforce (RENEW) initiative. RENEW is a statewide, multi-year strategic initiative developed and led by OCN and funded by a $5 million legislative investment. Officially launched in 2024, RENEW is designed to address persistent challenges in nurse educator recruitment and retention.
“These grants represent a critical milestone for RENEW, and more importantly, they represent a tangible commitment to the future of nursing in our state, and a giant step forward in OCN’s mission of helping build a more sustainable nursing workforce,” said Jana Bitton, MPA, Executive Director of the Oregon Center for Nursing. “From rural faculty recruitment to simulation training and onboarding support, these grants represent practical, community-rooted solutions — designed by educators for educators.”
The 10 funded projects address a wide range of workforce needs, including:
- Faculty workload optimization and simulation training support
- Structured onboarding, mentoring, and professional development for new educators
- Targeted recruitment efforts in rural and other high-needs areas
- Programs to ease the transition from clinical practice to teaching roles
- Wellness and team-building initiatives to improve faculty retention and morale
When the pilots wrap in 2028, grant recipients will share their project outcomes, creating a library of tested ideas that will help the broader Oregon nursing community better understand and support the state’s nurse educator workforce and nursing education infrastructure.
RENEW also supports public nursing programs through research, faculty engagement, and system-level collaboration. By 2028, the initiative is expected to achieve a 5% reduction in faculty turnover rates, a 5% reduction in nurse educator vacancy rates, and a strengthened and more sustainable pipeline for Oregon’s nurse educator workforce.
To explore full project summaries for the awarded grants, as well as ongoing updates about the pilots and the broader RENEW program, visit: oregoncenterfornursing.org/programs/renew
About The Oregon Center for Nursing
The Oregon Center for Nursing (OCN) is a nonprofit workforce center working to advance the nursing profession across Oregon. The organization fulfills its mission of supporting “informed, well-prepared, diverse, and exceptional nursing professionals” through research, education, programming, and community partnerships. Established by nursing leaders in 2002, OCN is regarded by the Oregon state legislature as a leader and advisor for nursing workforce issues, including well-being, job satisfaction, and retention. For more information about the organization and its programming, visit oregoncenterfornursing.org.
For media inquiries or more information, contact:
Jana Bitton, MPA
Executive Director, Oregon Center for Nursing
Email: jana.bitton@oregoncenterfornursing.org
