NLN Nursing Education Research Grants Guidelines

The NLN Research in Nursing Education Grants Program supports high-quality studies that contribute to the development of the science of nursing education. NLN-funded grants promote diversity of research topics and support investigators who demonstrate rigor and innovative approaches to advance the field of nursing education research. All NLN research grants relate to the NLN Priorities for Research in Nursing Education.

Access a free archived webinar that outlines the submission process for research proposals; provides tips for developing strong, competitive proposals; and encourages submissions that clearly address issues relevant to excellence in nursing education. 

Funding

The NLN is deeply committed to supporting beginning researchers as well as accomplished nursing education scholars. The NLN awards approximately four to five research proposals annually up to a maximum of $30,000 each to NLN individual members and faculty of NLN member schools. Funding is provided by the NLN and through endowments and donations to the NLN Foundation for Nursing Education. Funds will not cover expenses incurred prior to the funding date. The NLN will disburse funds by September 1st of the year awarded.

Eligibility

  • Principal investigators must be current NLN members, either through their school or through individual dues payment. With the exception of the PI, members of the research team do not need to be NLN members.
  • All studies must relate to one or more of the NLN Priorities for Research in Nursing Education. 
  • This grant funding does not support nursing staff development research.
  • FAQs (pdf)

Proposal Guidelines

  • A complete proposal includes both a Comprehensive Review File and a Blind Review File.
  • The proposal must be submitted electronically by a specified deadline. Incomplete proposals or proposals submitted after this time will not be accepted for review.
  • Applications must adhere to requirements for format, content, length limitations, and necessary supporting materials as outlined in the  NLN Research Grant Submission Guidelines (PDF).
  • FAQs(pdf)
Components of the Comprehensive Review File

The components of the Comprehensive Review File must be submitted in one PDF file via the online submission system (visit this Microsoft Support page for help to save/convert documents to PDF).  Review the NLN Research Grant Submission Guidelines for details of each component.  

The order of the materials included in the Comprehensive Review File should be as follows: 

  1. Title page
  2. Proposal Narrative (20-page limit, double-spaced, includes abstract; see submission guidelines for details) 
  3. References cited
  4. Appendices (5-10 below; as needed to provide additional documentation and details related to the study)
  5. Support letters
  6. Consultants' letters of commitment (includes itemized statement of work with deliverables)
  7. IRB approval and informed consent 
  8. Instruments/Tools
  9. Qualifications of the PI Form (DOCX) Be sure to enable pop-ups in browser
  10. Biosketch Form for PI, Co-PIs and consultants (DOCX) Be sure to enable pop-ups in browser

Note: The 20-page proposal narrative limit does NOT include the Title Page, References, and Appendices.

Components of the Blind Review File

All NLN Research in Nursing Education Grant proposals are submitted for blind review by carefully selected experts in nursing education research. This file is the document that is reviewed by these experts. The components of the Blind Review File must be submitted in one PDF file via the online submission system (visit this Microsoft Support page for help to save/convert to PDF).  

*** Please be sure that NO identifying information appears in the Blind Review File or file name.

The order and formatting of the materials included in the Blind Review File should be as follows:

  1. Title page with investigator’s name and affiliation removed.
  2. Proposal Narrative (20-page limit, double spaced, includes abstract) with any identifying information removed.
  3. References – please note that these should be identical to the references submitted with the Comprehensive Review File. The only exception being if you are citing your own work within the narrative, for example, (Anonymous, 2022), then you should blind the publication in the reference list as well.
  4. Appendices with any identifying information removed.
  5. An appendix may state that support letters have been obtained but the actual support letters should not be included. 
Budget

The budget is NOT part of the 20-page body of the proposal. You must download and use the Research Grant Budget Template and Modification Form 2024 (XLSX). There will be a place to upload this document separately in the application system.  Review the NLN Research Grant Submission Guidelines for allowable and non-allowable expenses. See Sample Budget (justification not included in sample).  Allowable maximum grant is $30,000.

Note: The NLN research grants are intended to promote and support the development of evidence for nursing education, and not to endorse specific products and/or services. The NLN will not consider grant applications that verify the effectiveness of specific products or to promote specific products.

How to Submit

Proposals for the 2025 cycle will be accepted October 7, 2024, through February 4, 2025. 
Please note: Submissions are accepted online only. You must have a SurveyMonkey Apply account to submit an application. Your NLN Member login is NOT valid. If you used the previous system, FluidReview, to make a submission, your username and password will remain the same; otherwise you will need to create an account.

SUBMIT PROPOSAL

Review Process 

The NLN Nursing Education Research Grants review process is used. All proposals are submitted for blind review by carefully selected experts in nursing education research. The submitted Blind Review File is the file that is reviewed by these experts.  Grant recipients are selected through a peer review process using the NLN Proposal Review Rubric (PDF).

NLN members who are interested in volunteering as a grant reviewer for the 2025 cycle, please complete interest form.

NLN's appointed Scientific Research Review Board meets each spring to select NLN's research grant and award recipients who are recognized annually at the NLN Education Summit.

Letters of notification are sent to grant applicants no later than July 1 of each cycle. 

Grant recipients are formally announced at the NLN Education Summit each fall. Awardees are encouraged to attend.
For questions about the submission or review process, please contact research@nln.org .

Reporting Requirements

The PI determines the start and end dates of the project. One-year grants are to be completed by October 1st of the year after the grant was funded. Two-year grants are to be completed by October 1, two years after the grant was funded. Any modification of these deadlines requires submission of a grant modification form and NLN approval.

All grant recipients will be required to complete an interim and final report using the forms below (be sure to enable pop-ups in browser). Reminders will be emailed to the principal investigator in advance of the deadline.