1997 Minnesota Statutes

     136A.136 Nursing grant program. 

    Subdivision 1.    Establishment.  A nursing grant 
 program is established under the supervision of the higher 
 education services office and the administration of the 
 metropolitan healthcare foundation's project LINC (Ladders in 
 Nursing Careers) to provide grants to Minnesota health care 
 facility employees seeking to complete a baccalaureate or 
 master's degree in nursing. 

    Subd. 2.    Responsibility of metropolitan healthcare 
 foundation's project LINC.  The metropolitan healthcare 
 foundation's project LINC shall administer the grant program and 
 award grants to eligible health care facility employees.  To be 
 eligible to receive a grant, a person must be: 

    (1) an employee of a health care facility located in 
 Minnesota, whom the facility has recommended to the metropolitan 
 healthcare foundation's project LINC for consideration; 

    (2) working fewer hours than the person's regular schedule 
 per pay period, for the health care facility organization, while 
 maintaining full salary and original benefits and a salary 
 greater than the number of hours worked; 

    (3) enrolled full time in a Minnesota school or college of 
 nursing to complete a baccalaureate or master's degree in 
 nursing; and 

    (4) a resident of the state of Minnesota. 

    The grant must be awarded for one academic year but is 
 renewable for a maximum of six semesters or nine quarters of 
 full-time study, or their equivalent.  The grant must be used 
 for tuition, fees, and books.  Priority in awarding grants shall 
 be given to persons with the greatest financial need.  The 
 health care facility may require its employee to commit to a 
 reasonable postprogram completion of employment at the health 
 care facility as a condition for the financial support the 
 facility provides. 

    Subd. 3.    Responsibility of higher education services 
 office.  The higher education services office shall distribute 
 money each year, contingent upon an appropriation, to the 
 metropolitan healthcare foundation's project LINC to be used to 
 award grants under this section, provided that the higher 
 education services office shall not distribute the money unless 
 the metropolitan healthcare foundation's project LINC matches 
 the money with an equal amount from nonstate sources.  The 
 metropolitan healthcare foundation's project LINC shall expend 
 nonstate money prior to expending state money and shall return 
 to the higher education services office all state money not used 
 each year for nursing program grants to be redistributed under 
 this section.  The metropolitan healthcare foundation's project 
 LINC shall report to the higher education services office on its 
 program activity as requested by the office. 

    HIST: 1995 c 212 art 2 s 6; 1997 c 183 art 2 s 8