Section 61-3-10.5, NMSA 1978

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

1. 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.
2. 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.

Authority: The Board of Nursing is granted legal authority to administer the Nurse Excellence program from Section 61-3-10.5 NMSA 1978.

Objectives of the program: Each applicant will have to demonstrate how the proposal meets one or more of the objectives identified in the Nursing Practice Act Section 61-3-10.5 NMSA 1978.

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

All requests for Nurse Excellence Fund grants will be submitted in writing to the Board office using this policy and the application guidelines located on the Board website at nmbon.sks.com.

1. Grant applications must be presented to the CFO. Applications are due no less than 30 days before the next Board meeting.
2. Only completed applications will be placed on the Board's meeting agenda to be presented to the Board. Submission of applications must adhere to established due dates indicated on the BON website.
3. A representative of the requesting organization is required to be present at the Board meeting to present the application and answer any questions.
4. Each application will include the following supporting documents. Review the Nurse Excellence Fund Policy for full details.
   • Name of entity/organization
   • Description of organization
   • Project narrative
   • Project plan to include:
   • Recipients shall submit any other documentation requested by agency staff at any point during the application or execution of the project.

Reports

Recipients are required to submit a written report and then present that report at the last regularly scheduled Board Meeting of the fiscal year for which the grant is awarded. Review the Nurse Excellence Fund Policy for full details.

Grants awarded to a single organization in excess of $100,000.00, singly or as multiple grants, must present an interim report to the Board six months after the original proposal is granted, generally the last Board meeting of the calendar year.

Grants

After the Board awards a grant:

1. If the grant amount is greater than $20,000.00, the CFO shall set-up a cost reimbursement payment schedule with the grant recipient as per Department of Finance and Administration policies and procedures.
2. If the grant amount is less than $20,000.00, the grant recipient shall provide agency staff with an invoice and the CFO shall pay the invoice in full as per Department of Finance and Administration policies and procedures.
3. 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.

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.

AG 9.0 Nurse Excellence Fund Policy 2.21.2021

Nurse Excellence Fund Application Adobe Fillable Form

Nurse Excellence Fund Application Word Fillable Form