RALEIGH — To encourage and support more registered nurses to serve in rural areas, the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services is providing the opportunity for tax-free educational loan repayments. This new North Carolina Nurse Initiative is available to qualifying nurses committed to delivering high-quality care in safety net organizations and private practices in underserved areas across the state.
“Nurses are the bedrock of the healthcare system and play a crucial role in improving health for all North Carolinians,” said North Carolina Health and Human Services Secretary Dev Sangvai. “This initiative will help ease the financial burden for those pursuing a career in nursing, particularly in rural communities.”
North Carolina’s rural population is the second largest in the country with more than 4.6 million people living in rural areas. Recent data shows these rural residents experience nearly two times greater difficulty accessing health care services than their urban counterparts, and 91 of 100 counties have shortages in primary care, dental and behavioral health.
The NC Nurse Initiative is a part of $50 million in funding allocated by the North Carolina General Assembly to support health care providers, including registered nurses and clinical nurse specialists. Prior to 2025, independent private practices located in rural, medically underserved areas of the state were not deemed automatically eligible for the state-funded North Carolina Loan Repayment Program. In State Fiscal Year 2024, the NCDHHS Office of Rural Health received one-time funding to launch this initiative.
The program is open to registered nurses and clinical nurse specialists providing comprehensive primary care services in outpatient settings and other eligible sites in Health Professional Shortage Areas. Those serving in independent private practices located within Tier 1 and Tier 2 counties based on North Carolina’s County Distress Rankings may also apply.
Applications for the North Carolina Nurse Initiative are now available, but funding is limited. Awards will be provided on a first-come, first-served basis for eligible and complete applications.
For more information, including eligibility criteria and applications, visit the NCDHHS Office of Rural Health website. Additional medical, dental and behavioral health recruitment and incentives are available for qualifying providers through the Office of Rural Health.