Edited release
05/29/25
Governor Kim Reynolds has announced new grant awards for healthcare employers that will help boost the industry’s workforce across Iowa, particularly in high-demand jobs.
According to a release from the Governor’s office, the Iowa Healthcare Credentialing Grant will support this workforce by funding work-based learning (WBL) programs that include an earn-and-learn component (a combination of education and on-the-job learning or training). The awards, totaling $2.94 million, will provide financial support for 14 projects focused on supporting workers in a high-demand healthcare occupation.
Locally, St. Luke’s Hospital in Cedar Rapids received a grant of nearly $200,600. The grant will provide funding for the hospital’s new Career Pathways Program to address the systemic shortage of qualified healthcare professionals in the Registered Nursing (RN) field. Currently, St. Luke’s RN vacancy rate is 22.5 percent.
Other awardees include employers who plan to implement programs for multiple high-demand pathways, including helping employees obtain Registered Nursing (RN) training and licensure while working and programs adding positions for health care technicians, which have become more critical in recent years. In total, awarded projects are estimated to train or upskill 399 participants across the state.
The occupations that grant funding will be supporting include Registered Nurse, Licensed Practical Nurse, and Certified Medical Assistant.