283—26.4(261) Awarding of funds.
	26.4(1) Selection criteria. All completed applications received on or before the published deadline will be considered for funding. To the extent possible, an equal number of new advanced registered nurse practitioners, nurse educators, physician assistants, and registered nurses will be offered awards based on the availability of appropriated funds. In the event that funding is insufficient to award all eligible applicants within an occupation category, criteria for selection of eligible applicants within each occupation category will be prioritized as follows:
	a. 	Renewal status. The priority status of the applicant in the first year funding is received will be retained for renewal in priority determinations in future years as long as the applicant continues to meet the criteria in rule 283—26.3(261). Applicants within this category are prioritized as follows:
	(1)	Eligible applicants who are Iowa residents and eligible applicants who are members of the Iowa national guard, if requested by the adjutant general;
	(2)	Date of application;
	b. 	Students in the final year of a degree program leading to a license to practice in a specified occupation under this chapter who are Iowa residents or who are members of the Iowa national guard, if requested by the adjutant general; and advanced registered nurse practitioners and registered nurses who agree to begin practice as nurse educators on at least a part-time basis and who are Iowa residents or members of the Iowa national guard, if requested by the adjutant general. Applicants within this category are prioritized by date of application;
	c. 	Iowa residents or members of the Iowa national guard, if requested by the adjutant general, who are licensed to practice in a specified occupation under this chapter and who agree to work in a service commitment area but who are not employed in a service commitment area at the time of application. Applicants within this category are prioritized by date of application;
	d. 	The most recent graduates of a degree program leading to a license to practice in a specified occupation under this chapter or leading to the qualification to be a nurse educator, with the most recent academic year graduates given priority, who are Iowa residents or members of the Iowa national guard, if requested by the adjutant general. Applicants within this category are prioritized by date of application;
	e. 	Students in the final year of a degree program leading to a license to practice in a specified occupation under this chapter who are neither Iowa residents nor members of the Iowa national guard requested by the adjutant general; and advanced registered nurse practitioners and registered nurses who agree to begin practice as nurse educators on at least a part-time basis and who are neither Iowa residents nor members of the Iowa national guard requested by the adjutant general. Applicants within this category are prioritized by date of application;
	f. 	Individuals who are neither Iowa residents nor members of the Iowa national guard requested by the adjutant general but who are licensed to practice in a specified occupation under this chapter, and who agree to work in a service commitment area but are not employed in a service commitment area at the time of application. Applicants within this category are prioritized by date of application;
	g. 	The most recent graduates of a degree program leading to a license to practice in a specified occupation under this chapter or leading to the qualification to be a nurse educator, who are neither Iowa residents nor members of the Iowa national guard requested by the adjutant general, with the most recent academic year graduates given priority. Applicants within this category are prioritized by date of application.
	26.4(2) Applicants who are members of the Iowa national guard requested by the adjutant general. Applicants who are members of the Iowa national guard, if requested by the adjutant general, are subject to the following provisions:
	a. 	Members of the Iowa national guard are exempt from the service commitment area requirement, and
	b. 	Members of the Iowa national guard must have satisfactorily completed required guard training and must maintain satisfactory performance of guard duty.
	26.4(3) Annual award. The maximum annual award shall be $6,000.
	26.4(4) Extent of award. Eligible applicants may receive an award for no more than five consecutive years. Eligible applicants who fail to receive awards in consecutive years will not be considered for subsequent years of awards.
	26.4(5) Disbursement of funds.
	a. 	Awards will be disbursed upon completion of the year for which the award was approved and upon certification from the employer that the advanced registered nurse practitioner, nurse educator, physician assistant, or registered nurse was employed full-time, as defined by the employer, during the entire year and completed the year in good standing.
	b. 	Awards will be distributed directly to the eligible applicant.
[ARC 4186C, IAB 12/19/18, effective 1/23/19; ARC 6889C, IAB 2/8/23, effective 3/15/23]