Finding and keeping qualified nursing home staff is a difficult problem in Minnesota. In rural Minnesota, it is a health care access crisis but it is much more than that. Across the state, nursing homes keep families close to aging loved ones and are often the largest employer in a small town.
On October 23, 2026, CMS and all 50 states plus D.C. launched the $275 million Nurses for Nursing Homes initiative. The program offers licensed RNs and LPN/LVNs (and nursing students who complete licensing) up to $40,000 in student loan repayment and/or a $10,000 stipend—maximum $50,000—for a three-year commitment. Nurses have to work at least 30 hours per week at a qualifying nursing home. That’s good for the nurses, the patients and the state.
HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. highlighted the impact:
The initiative will recruit and retain thousands of nurses, expand care in rural and high need communities, and create new pathways into long-term care careers.
Funding comes entirely from civil monetary penalties collected from nursing homes, not new taxpayer dollars. CMS is contributing $100 million and states at least $175 million more. Officials expect it to support more than 4,000 nurses nationwide, with a strong focus on rural facilities (100% eligible) and higher labor-shortage areas. A limited number of state nursing home inspector roles also qualify.
To qualify, applicants generally need an active RN or LPN/LVN license when they start, eligible student loan debt (or recent graduation within two years for the stipend only), and cannot have worked in a nursing home in the prior 60 days (with a temporary exception through January 24, 2027, for those who started between July 28 and October 25, 2026).
Workers can transfer from one nursing home to another with approval. Applications are open first-come, first-served through 2026–2027 at nursesfornursinghomes.cms.gov, where you can check eligibility, find open positions, and apply. Full details are in the CMS FAQ.