Dorothy Rupe CNA Program Grant

Dorothy Rupe CNA Program Grant

Status: ACTIVE
Funder: Arthur N Rupe Foundation
Amount: Up to US $60,000
Last Updated: November 11, 2025

Summary

The Dorothy Rupe CNA Program Grant, offered by the Arthur N. Rupe Foundation, supports California Community Colleges in enhancing certified nursing assistant and home health aide programs. Grants of up to $50,000 aim to improve student outcomes through financial assistance for low-income students and instructional support, addressing workforce needs for compassionate healthcare professionals. This initiative fosters economic opportunities for underrepresented groups while ensuring quality training in essential healthcare skills.

Overview

NOTE: Early submissions are encouraged. Dorothy Rupe CNA Program Grant The Arthur N. Rupe Foundation invites accredited California Community Colleges to submit proposals for consideration at its board meeting. Grants of up to $50,000 will be awarded to qualified certified nursing assistant and home health aide programs for use during the academic year. Dorothy Rupe CNA Program Grants are awarded to nursing assistant programs providing quality entry-level healthcare training for students, creating economic opportunity for low-income, unemployed, and re-entry workers, while also increasing the availability of CNAs and HHAs in the workforce. The Foundation has a particular interest in projects that will increase the number of direct care professionals providing aid in a home-based setting. Dorothy Rupe CNA Program Grants can be used for the following: Student Support – To provide low-income students with financial assistance for program related expenses. Examples of student support include exam fees, textbooks, uniforms, course specific fees and/or mandatory supplies—in other words, supplemental costs borne by the student that may be a barrier to enrollment. Instructional Support – To fund an instructional assistant position for the purpose of minimizing attrition and improving student outcomes (e.g. course completion and exam pass rates). Grants for instructional assistance support additional practice in the skills lab and/or mock testing in preparation for the certification exam. Program Background The Dorothy Rupe Caregiver Program at the Arthur N. Rupe Foundation was shaped by Arthur Rupe’s experience with his late wife’s illness and his difficulty in finding suitably trained, compassionate nursing assistants to care for her. Beginning in 2000, the Foundation provided support to Santa Barbara City College’s Dorothy D. Rupe Certified Nursing Assistant and Home Health Aide Program. Mindful of the considerable need for nursing assistants and home health aides to care for California’s aging population, the Foundation broadened its support to CNA/HHA programs throughout the California Community College System in 2012.

Eligibility

You can learn more about this opportunity by visiting the funder's website. Any California Community College with an active certified nursing assistant program is eligible to apply. Grants will be distributed to the college’s district, foundation, or other qualified 501(c)(3) nonprofit that serves as the program’s fiscal sponsor.

Ineligibility

Items that are not eligible for support:Instruction costs, administrative support, counseling, general academic tutoring, or instructor release time Computers, skills lab equipment, or nursing department/program supplies Travel expenses to the Foundation’s annual conference Indirect costs or college/foundation overhead