American Nurses Foundation Announces Mini-Grant Recipients for Expanding Nurse Well-Being Program into Rural or Long-Term Care Settings

The mini-grants are funded by the United Health Foundation

SILVER SPRING, Md., Nov. 24, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, the American Nurses Foundation is excited to announce the selection of five health systems who are the recipients of mini-grants to help expand the free Nurse Well-Being: Building Peer and Leadership Support program into rural and long-term care settings. Each grant is valued at $10,000 and is designed to support nurse-led teams in the implementation of the program's online modules and resources within communities and health systems that face unique challenges and would benefit from nurse well-being support and a healthy workplace culture.

The mini-grants are made possible by funding from the United Health Foundation and will enable nurse-led teams from each facility to plan and launch their own tailored Nurse Well-Being program using the available free training materials. The aim is to raise awareness and increase utilization of these resources in order to reduce burnout among nurses, create a shared language to discuss mental health, enhance peer and leader relationships, and create healthier workplaces.

The five mini-grant recipients are:

• Weisbrod Health in Eads, CO. Principal Investigator: Amanda Hokanson, MSN, RN
• Christian Health in Wyckoff, NJ. Principal Investigator: Alexis Fitzsimmons Totaro, MSN, RN, WHNP-c, CARN-AP
• Southwestern Vermont Medical Center (with Dartmouth Health) in Bennington, VT. Principal Investigator: Alison Camarda, PhD, RN, NPD-BC, CEN, CPEN, SANE
• Wesley Pines Retirement Community (with Fayetteville State University) in Lumberton, NC. Principal Investigators: Misty Stone, PhD, RN and Stephanie Hodges DNP, FNP-C, CNEcl
• Providence Centralia Hospital in Centralia, WA. Principal Investigator: Carrie Nebeker, MSN, RN

The winning health systems' proposals were selected for alignment with project priorities, feasibility and effectiveness of their implementation plans. The mini-grant recipients began their work in July and are scheduled to share their findings in December.

"We recognize the quiet strength and relentless dedication of nurses working in rural and long-term care settings—often with limited support and immense emotional strain," said Graig R. Eastin, Executive Director of the American Nurses Foundation.  "At the American Nurses Foundation, we are deeply grateful to our kind partners at United Health Foundation for their generous investment in the nursing profession. These mini-grants represent more than just program funding – it's a lifeline. We are proud to continue to stand beside these nurses, providing meaningful support in innovative ways that remind them they are never alone."

In October 2024, ANF launched the Nurse Well-Being: Building Peer and Leadership Support curriculum, sponsored by a three-year, $3.1 million grant from the United Health Foundation. It was developed by nurses for nurses to offer evidence-based tools and resources to improve their recovery from stress reactions and originally piloted at four diverse healthcare systems. To learn more about this program and its impact, please visit: https://www.nursingworld.org/foundation/programs/nurse-wellbeing/ .

MEDIA CONTACTS: [email protected] 

American Nurses Foundation
As the philanthropic arm of the American Nurses Association, the American Nurses Foundation inspires change and innovation by harnessing The Power of Nurses™ through strategic, nurse-led philanthropy. With its 501(c)(3) status, the foundation mobilizes critical resources to fund innovative research and support initiatives that advance nursing practice, education, and leadership. By forging intentional partnerships and providing targeted grants, the foundation empowers nurses to drive change within healthcare systems and communities. This commitment ensures that nurse-led solutions remain at the forefront of efforts to enhance care delivery and patient outcomes. https://www.nursingworld.org/foundation/

SOURCE American Nurses Foundation