Funding Resources Available for Nurses to Support Professional Development
Listed below is information about funding and scholarships available to nurses for professional development, adapted from a document compiled by Bronwen Pepperell, Taranaki District Health Board.
Your DHB
Your District Health Board may have a Professional Development Fund which can be accessed for tertiary education, conferences, textbooks for your clinical area, or short courses. Typically such funds are available for both nurses and midwifes working in the DHB.
Clinical Training Agency (CTA) funded Nursing Programmes
The CTA provides funding for Post Entry Clinical Training (PECT) programmes. These are programmes designed for qualified health professionals to complete, they have to be 30% clinical component, are Nursing Council approved, and are of at least six month duration leading to a nationally recognised qualification. CTA pre-fund several courses that are considered national priorities. These include:
- Emergency and Trauma
- Palliative Care
- Child and Family Health
- Maori Mental Health
- Advanced Mental Health Nursing
- Diploma of Rural Nursing Practice
New Zealand Nurses Organisation (NZNO)
NZNO funding is available for:
- Books $200
- Undergraduate study $300
- Post graduate study $300
- Research $2000 - $10,000
- Short courses and conferences $300
- Travel $300
- Conference organisers and /or speakers up to $5000
- Special projects $300
NZNO scholarships are also available:
- Mary Lambie Memorial Scholarships $1000 each applicant
- Margaret May Blackwell Fellowship Travel and Study $14,000, for a Registered Nurse working in child health 0-5 years.
If you are a nurse working in a specialty field there are professional sections within NZNO. As a member you can join up to two sections email: membership@nzno.org.nz for more details. Some of these sections have funding available for their members.
Only NZNO members are eligible to apply for the above funding and scholarships.
For more information: www.nzno.org.nz. NZNO Members will need to log on in order to access application forms.
College of Nurses Aotearoa (CNA)
The following funding is available from the College of Nurses:
- Scholarships; five scholarships worth $750 each
- Trailblazer Travel Award; to present or attend an international conference $1500
Applicants for this funding must be current financial members of the College of Nurses.
For more information and application forms: www.nurse.org.nz.
University of Auckland
Rebecca Roberts Scholarship. These scholarships are awarded to a registered nurse who is enrolled in The Masters of Nursing degree with a focus on acute care nursing (emergency nursing, critical/intensive care nursing).
- Four scholarships of $10,000
For guidelines, application forms and more information email, scholarships@auckland.ac.nz.
Ministry of Health
The following funding is available through the Ministry of Health:
- Rural Nursing Scholarships. These six scholarships are to enable nurses who have only one more year to complete Nursing Council requirements for approval as rural nurse practitioners with prescribing rights. Funding includes travel and accommodation expenses, and income support of $40,000. For more information contact alison_wilkie@moh.govt.nz.
- Primary Health Care Nursing Post Graduate Scholarships. These are intended to assist nurses currently practicing in the primary health care setting who would like to undertake a postgraduate course. Scholarships awarded are up to $2000 for certificate or diploma level, and $5000 for those in the second half of a masters degree. An additional $1500 is available for individuals undertaking a course that will make them eligible to become a Nurse Practitioner. For more information contact alison_wilkie@moh.govt.nz.
- Hauora Maori Scholarships. These scholarships are funded under the Maori Provider Development Scheme to assist those who work in the health and disability sector. For more information contact MPDSadministrator@moh.govt.nz .
Maori Education Trust
Scholarships available for Maori:
- Ngarimu VC & 28th Battalion Memorial Post-Graduate Scholarship $5000
- Ti Maru Maori Trust Prestigious Scholarships $5000 two recipients
Information and application form available at www.maorieducation.org.nz.
Maori Mental Health Scholarships
Te Rau Mataini offer the following scholarships:
- Hapainga Manukura. Maori mental health leadership for Maori working for non-government organisation mental health services in a leadership position.
- Puna Hua Rangatira. Maori mental health leadership and management for Tangata Whaiora working in mental health services in a leadership position.
- He Hanganga Maori mo te Hauora. Postgraduate applied Maori mental health special topic paper.
For more information contact Chris Pohe, c.pohe@mataini.co.nz.
Henry Rongomau Bennett Memorial Scholarships and Grants
The purpose of these scholarships and grants is to develop and build leadership in Maori mental health, competence in te ao Maori and clinical excellence in mental health. The following grants are available for:
- Mental health workers $5,000 (undergraduate) and $10,000 (masters)
- Child and adolescent mental health services $5,000 (undergraduate) and $10,000 (masters)
- Mental health nurses $10,000 (masters)
For more information contact the Programme Coordinator, Brigham Anderson, brighama@hauora.com.
New Zealand Institute of Rural Health (NZIRH)
This is a service that provides ongoing professional education and support to rural health services. NZIRH can facilitate education programmes, offer professional support, and networking and liaising with other agencies. Access to the service is through referral from DHB’s, professional organisations or self-referral from rural community health services.
For more information contact:
Quality Health New Zealand
Baxter Scholarships are available for health professionals who want to make a positive difference in health outcomes and quality of care within their organisation.
- Three awards for $3000 each
For more information email janice@qualityhealth.org.nz.
Rural Women New Zealand
Access Homehealth Bursary. This is a grant available for a health care worker to further their studies in the health and/or disability fields, with the particular focus on the provision of services to the rural sector.
For more information go to www.ruralwomen.org.
Freemasons
Scholarships are available, not specifically for health professionals, open criteria:
- Seven postgraduate scholarships for $10,000
For more information and application forms go to www.freemasons.co.nz.
BreakOut
This is information about awards, scholarships and grants available for individuals in New Zealand. BreakOut contains over 2,300 funding schemes. You do need to subscribe to this site, however you can go to either Puke Ariki or the Department of Internal Affairs (Roebuck House, 4 Powderham Street) and access the site free of charge. www.fis.org.nz.
