Health Care Employment Reinvestment Opportunity (H.E.R.O.)
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Established in 2021, and updated with HB 329 (Act 607) in 2024, the Health Care Employment Reinvestment Opportunity (H.E.R.O.) Fund seeks grant applications from healthcare training and education programs and healthcare industry partners to meet the growing employment demands for nursing, allied health professionals and other high demand health care providers.
The submission period for this round of proposals will close at 4:00 p.m. CT on January 31, 2025.
- Meet local, regional, or state workforce demands for high demand healthcare professions
- Increase capacity and student enrollment in identified health care credentials
- Increase program completion and/or exam/certification pass rates
- Provide incentives that financially support students (ie stipends or tuition forgiveness) upon employment in LA health care facilities or training programs
- Provide incentives for high demand health care professionals to practice in LA with an emphasis on medically underserved areas
- Support dual enrollment and pathway programs between high school career and technical programs and other healthcare programs
- Support strategies for healthcare organizations to increase career pathways, internships and apprenticeship programs
- Raise awareness of and interest in a broad variety of healthcare occupations and reduce the barriers to access to the healthcare programs necessary to pursue these occupations, including financial barriers
Eligible grant recipients include a lead application entity and at least one partner. Proposals must include a “healthcare program” which includes education institutions and training programs and a “healthcare partner” which includes health care providers, facilities, or healthcare related organizations licensed or operating in Louisiana. Regional non-profit organizations may also be considered for either lead or partner entity. Training must benefit students and health care organizations within the state of Louisiana.
Current available funding for the H.E.R.O. program is approximately $15 million in funds to eligible healthcare programs or partners. A funding match (monies or in-kind contributions) by a healthcare industry partner equal to the grant award is required.
The grant term for this request cannot exceed 27 months beginning April 1, 2025, and ending June 30, 2027. While there is no award ceiling for this opportunity, grant awards will be based on impact to high-demand healthcare occupations and the purposes outlined above.
The funding opportunity is limited and offered on a competitive basis; therefore it is possible not all applicants will receive funding. We reserve the right to award less than the amount requested. Funding cannot be spent on the construction, maintenance, repair, or improvement of structures. Once funds are granted, payment terms will be cost reimbursement. Grantees will submit invoices, with activity or expenditure reports and appropriate supporting documentation for reimbursement.
Organizations should not combine multiple healthcare credentials in a single proposal. Separate proposals should be submitted for each program funding a specific credential. If a program for a specific credential is expanding to additional geographic sites but the program remains the same, a single proposal can be submitted.
Proposals will be reviewed and evaluated by an impartial committee based on proposal quality and the purposes identified above. Data provided by the Board of Regents and Workforce Commission will also be taken into consideration in the evaluation process.
The following schedule for submission, assessment, and approval of funding will apply for FY 2025-2026:
| December 2, 2024 | Request For Applications issued |
| January 13, 2025 | Deadline for submission for questions |
| January 31, 2025 | Application submission deadline |
| February 2025 | Applications reviewed by the Evaluation Committee |
| March 2025 | Selection of applications announced via email to applicants |
Completed grant proposals can be submitted via email to HERO@la.gov with subject line “HERO Proposal.”
Please submit questions via email to HERO@la.gov with subject line “HERO Questions".