Gov. DeSantis awards $20M to Florida colleges for nursing education growth

TALLAHASSEE, Fla.—Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis celebrated the state’s significant investment in nursing programs, highlighting more than $485 million awarded through the LINE and PIPELINE programs since 2022.

The LINE program is a state-run scholarship program that provides a dollar-for-dollar matching grant to support partnerships between participating educational institutions and health care providers.

PIPELINE is a secondary program that provides funding based on the number of completed nursing education programs.  

“Today, I was proud to award more than $20 million in LINE funding with $14.5 million awarded to state colleges and private postsecondary institutions, as well as $6 million to state universities," said DeSantis.

The LINE program has distributed over $85 million, supporting state colleges, private institutions, and the State University System. Meanwhile, the PIPELINE program has contributed $400 million to state colleges, school districts, and universities.

“Governor DeSantis has made nursing education a top priority in Florida, recognizing the critical role nurses play in keeping our communities healthy and safe,” said Commissioner of Education Anastasios Kamoutsas.

State University Systems of Florida Chancellor Ray Rodrigues emphasized the impact of these programs, stating they empower institutions to recruit faculty and train skilled nurses to meet community needs.

For more information on the LINE program, click here.