N. M. S. A. 1978, § 61-3-10.5

§ 61-3-10.5. Nursing excellence program; license renewal surcharge

A. The board may establish a “nursing excellence program” that provides strategies to enhance recruitment and retention of professional nurses, increase career and educational opportunities and improve interaction with health facilities administrations, the medical profession and institutions of higher education.

B. The board may impose a license renewal surcharge for each nursing license renewed in an amount not to exceed twenty dollars ($20.00) to implement and maintain the nursing excellence program. The license renewal surcharge shall be deposited in the nursing excellence fund.  Credits L. 2003, Ch. 276, § 2.

Authority: The Board of Nursing is granted legal authority to administer the Nurse Excellence program from §61-3-10.5.

Objectives of the program

The objectives of the Nursing Excellence Program are derived directly from the law established for the program. Each applicant will have to demonstrate how the proposal meets one or more of the objectives.

1. Strategies to enhance recruitment and retention of professional nurses
2. Strategies to increase career and educational opportunities
3. Strategies to improve nursing interaction with health facilities administrations
4. Strategies to improve nursing interaction with the medical profession
5. Strategies to improve nursing interaction with the institutions of higher education

Priority issues

The Board grants these funds at its discretion and may prioritize particular issues that need to be addressed for New Mexico nurses.

Grant Applications

1. All requests for Nurse Excellence Grants will be submitted in writing to the Board office using the application guidelines located on the Board website at www.bon.state.nm.us.
2. Proposal applications must be presented to the Board’s Chief Financial Officer one month prior to the board meeting to ensure inclusion in the next board meeting.
3. Only completed applications will be placed on the Board’s meeting agenda to be presented to the Board.
4. A representative of the requesting organization is required to be present at the Board meeting for any questions.
5. Each application will include the following supporting documents.
   1. Project Narrative
   2. Project Plan to include
   3. Goals and Objectives
   4. Measurable Outcomes
   5. Foreseen Challenges/Obstacles
   6. Evaluation Plan
   7. Timelines including anticipated dates of completion for each objective and goal.
   8. A detailed budget of the grant funded project, with expected timelines and schedule for use of funds.
   9. Project Director or Contact person (Include name, Title, Address, Phone, Email)
   10. An organizational chart of the applying agency
   11. Recipients shall submit any other documentation requested by Board staff at any point during the application or execution of the project.

Reports

1. Recipients are required to submit a report and then present that report at three regularly scheduled Board Meetings per year, at dates to be determined by the Board.  The reports shall include at a minimum the following information:
   1. Grantee name;
   2. Date of start and end date of the grant award;
   3. Amount of funding received;
   4. Project goal;
   5. Summary of grant/project activities;
   6. List objectives and accomplishments/outcomes for the funded period;
   7. Key successes;
   8. Challenges during the report period;
   9. Budget summary;
   10. Total funding requested and received for the grant period;
   11. Breakdown for the actual and projected expenses;
   12. Projected amount of unused funds;
   13. Any other items
2. Recipients are required to submit expenditure reports along with the supporting documentation of actual expenses with the reports that are submitted at the three regularly scheduled Board Meeting per year at dates to be determined by the Board. 
3. A final report shall be submitted and then presented to the Board when the project is completed.
4. Recipients shall submit any interim reports requested by Board staff.

Grants

1. All awarded grants are fiscal year grants that must be completed by the end of the current fiscal year (July 1 to June 30).  Any funds that are not expended by June 30th of the fiscal year shall be reverted back to the Board of Nursing in the next fiscal year.
2. The awarded organization must submit an invoice for the entire awarded amount to the Board’s CFO.
3. A check will be issued within a month.

Limits

Ineligible uses of granted funds

1. To pay agency or personal debts, losses, entertainment, certifications and accreditation fees.
2. Duplicate funding—using Nurse Excellence Funds to pay for something concurrently being funded by another source.
3. Re-granting—awarding a grant using Nurse Excellence Funds.
4. Nurse Excellence Funds shall not be used to produce a net income for the requesting organization.