Grant program designed to attract, retain highly-qualified nurses in North Dakota

 The North Dakota Department of Commerce is now accepting applications for the Non-Resident Nursing Employment Recruitment Program (NNERP).

Administered through Commerce, NNERP is a grant program designed to attract and retain highly-qualified nurses to North Dakota. The focus of the program is to assist in incentivizing the health care industry.

“Incentivizing employment provides a valuable way for employees to make career decisions based on locating and residing to specific areas in North Dakota,” Kerri Kraft, program manager for the North Dakota Department of Commerce said. “This program is a great resource to help fill nursing positions in any North Dakota health care facility.”

Under the program, licensed North Dakota health care facilities are eligible to receive up to $4,000 of matching funds for each nurse relocating to North Dakota. Employers are responsible for selecting and hiring the licensed nurse.

Priority will be given to rural facilities, facilities who have never participated in the program, and the hiring of diverse nursing specialties such as: behavioral health nurses, geriatric health nurses, intensive care specialized nurses.

To qualify for the program, employers must select a nurse who; is licensed to practice in the state of North Dakota, identifies primary residence in North Dakota, or bordering states of Montana, South Dakota or Minnesota; signs a written agreement to work at least four years in a licensed North Dakota health care facility; and is employed by the health care facility, not a contractor.

For more information please visit www.workforce.nd.gov/NNERP