D’Youville University in Buffalo has been awarded a $3 million federal grant from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) to expand experiential learning for nursing students and support their transition from the classroom into professional practice.
The award, made through HRSA’s Nurse Education, Practice, Quality and Retention – Transition to Practice Program, will fund investments in simulation-based technology, equipment, personnel and student supports intended to strengthen clinical readiness.
What the grant will fund
According to the university, the initial budget for the first grant year includes more than $206,000 for equipment, $164,000 for supplies and $150,000 for trainee tuition and fees. Additional funding will support personnel and other project expenses. The four-year grant period begins Sept. 1, 2026, and runs through Aug. 31, 2030.
Growth and local impact
D’Youville leaders said the award will build on recent expansion in their nurse practitioner programs and broader health professions offerings aimed at meeting Western New York workforce needs. The release notes that enrollment in D’Youville’s nurse practitioner programs rose from 305 students in fall 2022 to 788 students in fall 2026.
President Lorrie Clemo is quoted saying the funding will help connect classroom learning more closely with clinical practice so students “graduate with the skills, confidence and readiness to care for patients from day one.” Congressman Tim Kennedy (NY-26), a D’Youville alumnus, also commented on the investment’s role in preparing a local nursing workforce.
D’Youville’s Patricia H. Garman School of Nursing, founded in 1942, is highlighted in the release as one of the university’s largest programs and a longtime contributor to the region’s healthcare workforce.
For additional background on the university, see dyu.edu.
