All Universities with Nursing Programs Receive LINE Funding

~ An additional almost $1 million of LINE Funding supports four university proposals ~

Tallahassee, FL (October 30, 2024) - The Florida Board of Governors approved an additional $991,565 of Linking Industry to Nursing Education (LINE) funding for four proposals that will increase the number of nursing graduates who are prepared to enter the workforce. This funding is in addition to the more than $5 million the Board authorized at their meeting on September 18, 2024. The 2024-25 LINE Funding, totaling $6 million, will support 21 partnerships at 10 different institutions within the State University System of Florida. For the first time since the inception of this funding, all state universities with nursing programs will receive LINE funding.

"Thanks to Governor DeSantis' leadership and the support of the Florida Legislature, Florida has committed significant investments to address the nursing shortage. Because of these investments, institutions within the State University System graduated a record number of pre-licensure nurses, increased nursing program capacity, and raised passage rates on the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses," said Chancellor Ray Rodrigues.

"Through the LINE funding, our institutions have expanded partnerships with the private health care sector to expand the capacity of our nursing programs," said Brian Lamb, Chair of the Florida Board of Governors. "The LINE funding has provided 155 scholarships to students and added 143 new nursing students to programs in our System."

The LINE program was established in 2022 as a competitive grant opportunity and provides matching funds on a dollar-for-dollar basis to participating institutions that partner with health care providers incentivizing collaboration to meet local, regional, and statewide demand for nurses. Universities can use LINE funds for student scholarships, faculty recruitment, purchasing equipment, and supporting simulation centers to increase the capacity of high-quality nursing education programs.

Additional information from the meeting can be found on the October Meeting page of the Florida Board of Governors website.

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About the State University System of Florida and the Board of Governors

The State University System of Florida is a constitutional body led by the 17-member Board of Governors. The System has 12 universities and more than 430,000 students, making it the second-largest public university system in the nation. Florida has held the top spot in U.S. News & World Report for higher education since the inception of the rankings in 2017. Responsibilities include defining the distinctive mission of each institution and managing the System's coordination and operation. The Board appoints a Chancellor who serves as the System's chief executive. For more information, visit flbog.edu or follow us on Facebook and Twitter.