LANSING, Mich. (Michigan News Source) – A $275 million initiative promoted by President Donald Trump could help Michigan nursing homes recruit nurses as the state’s older population grows.
Nurses for Nursing Homes
Trump announced the Nurses for Nursing Homes initiative during an Oct. 23 rally in Fort Myers, Florida. The program is expected to support more than 4,000 nurses nationwide, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).
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“President Trump is strengthening the nursing workforce that millions of older Americans rely on every day,” said HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. “This initiative will recruit and retain thousands of nurses, expand care in rural and high-need communities, and create new pathways into long-term care careers. We are putting resources directly behind the nurses who care for our seniors and strengthening the quality, stability, and dignity of nursing home care across America.”
The program offers eligible nurses and nursing students up to $40,000 in student loan repayment and/or a $10,000 stipend in exchange for a three-year commitment at a qualifying nursing home in a rural or high-shortage area.
Funding comes from civil monetary penalties collected from nursing homes. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has committed $100 million, with states committing at least another $175 million.
All 50 states, including Michigan, are participating. Michigan’s share of the funding and the number of nurses who will participate have not been identified in the federal announcement.
Michigan’s numbers
Michigan had an estimated 104,950 registered-nurse jobs in May 2025, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics figures reported by Sigma Nursing. That figure measures RN employment across settings, not just nursing homes.
Meanwhile, Michigan had approximately 2.08 million residents age 65 and older in 2025, representing about 20.5% of the state’s population.
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Michigan’s 65-and-older population grew about 64% between 2005 and 2025, adding roughly 800,000 people. State projections suggest the population age 85 and older could increase by about 150% between 2025 and 2050, further increasing demand for elder care.
Michigan News Source has requested an interview with the Michigan chapter of the National Association of Directors of Nursing Administration in Long-Term Care, known as MI-NADONA, about the program’s potential impact. Representatives did not respond by press time.
