April 16, 2026 — Under Article 15 of the PEF/State Agreement, grant money up to $50,000 is available to fund unique Workforce Initiatives (WFI) and Labor-Management Nursing (LMN) training projects developed jointly by agency management and labor representatives.
The Professional Development Committee (PDC), made up of representatives from the Office of Employee Relations (OER) and PEF, oversees the program and is seeking grant proposals that:
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- Allow PEF members to perform tasks that are currently, or might otherwise, be performed by outside vendors or consultants.
- Streamline current operations.
- Allow for the implementation of new practices.
- Institute innovative approaches to the agency’s mission or work.
- Teach skills to prepare for both current and future workforce needs.
- Address changes in the agency, mission or goals, legal or regulatory requirements, work processes, Civil Service testing requirements or technology.
For LMN grant applications, projects that improve patient care; improve organizational performance or provide training or education that nurses, nurse educators, or the labor-management committee identify as important to their professional development, are encouraged.
Grant proposals ideally would be:
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- Cost effective as shown by the number of participants who will benefit or be trained, the cost per participant, ongoing utilization of training, or overall impact of training on the agency.
- Wide-spread, providing agency-wide training across the state or more than one agency.
- Proposals that can be maintained by the agency or replicated by others.
- Proposals that involve agency contribution in some form, such as personnel, resources, release time, or expertise.
- Submitted by agencies that have not been awarded grants in previous cycles.
Agencies may submit up to four applications, to be received by June 15, 2026. Final determinations and notifications will be by July 31, 2026. Full guidelines and applications can be accessed here. For more information, contact Janna Herchenroder or Tamara Carney in the PEF Education and Training Department at janna.herchenroder@pef.org or tamara.carney@pef.org.
— Kate Stickles