Rhode Island Nurses Eligible for up to $50,000 Under New Federal Nursing Home Program

Nurses and nursing students in Rhode Island can apply for up to $50,000 in federal and state incentives to work in nursing homes, under a program announced October 25, 2026. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services established the $275 million Nurses for Nursing Homes initiative, which includes all 50 states and the District of Columbia. The program is designed to fill positions at facilities in rural communities and areas experiencing nursing workforce shortages.

The package combines up to $40,000 in student loan repayment with a $10,000 stipend. To qualify, applicants must hold an active nursing license, work an average of at least 30 hours per week at an eligible nursing home, and commit to three years at a Medicare- or Medicaid-certified long-term care facility. Loan repayment requires qualifying student loan debt. Nurses without such debt can receive the stipend if they graduated within the past two years.

Current nursing home employees generally cannot apply, as the program requires applicants not to have worked in a nursing home during the 60 days before opening an application account. A temporary exception runs from October 26, 2026 through January 24, 2027, covering nurses who began work at a qualifying facility between July 28 and October 25, 2026.

CMS committed $100 million to the program, with participating states contributing at least $175 million more. The funding comes from civil monetary penalties collected from nursing homes by CMS and state agencies. CMS estimates the program will support more than 4,000 nurses nationwide.

Payments are issued quarterly to participating nurses after work hours are verified. The payments are taxable, and no taxes are withheld at the time of payment. Applications are accepted throughout 2026 and 2027, with awards made on a first-come, first-served basis while funding remains available in each state.

Rhode Island's participation does not make every nursing home in the state eligible for the program. Applicants can check facility listings at NursesForNursingHomes.cms.gov, where nursing students, recent graduates, and licensed nurses can also review requirements and begin applications. The program's online job board lists 2,882 open positions nationwide, including openings in Rhode Island and Massachusetts, searchable by city, position, or facility name.