Applications open on 27 March 2023 and close on 16 June 2023.

​Nurses and midwives are at the forefront of healthcare delivery and are in the best position to drive innovation and excellence in care.

We want to support nurses and midwives to trial and apply new ideas and innovations, that cannot be implemented without funding support (i.e. seed funding).

We're offering scholarships of up to $15,000 for innovative projects that will drive improvements in focus areas of the public health sytem.

The Innovation scholarships don't fund the research component of projects.

We want to see innovations that:

• improve the provision of high quality, appropriate, safe, available services when and where needed
• support care that is coordinated and responsive to individual needs
• enhance cultures of staff wellbeing to support nursing and midwifery practice and improve service delivery and patient care
• apply new models of care and approaches, to strengthen nursing and midwifery practice

Do you have an innovative project in mind?

An innovative approach is usually something that hasn't been tried before, or a new approach to an existing problem or issue. 

Your project should focus on person-centred care.

Your application should show how the innovation will improve nursing or midwifery practice to improve service delivery and patient care. Scholarships are available in all areas of nursing and midwifery practice within NSW public health services.

Focus areas include:

• quality and safety
• integrated care
• mental health services
• Future Health Strategic Outcomes
• compassionate practice
• enhancing workplace culture and staff wellbeing

If you haven't prepared a submission for an innovation scholarship before, we suggest you get help from other nurses and/or midwives in your local health district/specialty network who have this experience, or contact us at the Nursing and Midwifery Office.

Eligibility and conditions

•  The lead person must be a nurse and/or midwife who is a permanent full or part time employee of the NSW public health system
• 80% of an applicant team must be nurses and/or midwives employed in the NSW public health system.
• Funding won't be given for services that are considered to be core business of local health districts/specialty networks
• Applications should be limited to 2000 words or less
• Applications will be considered from individuals or teams
• Funding cannot be used for tertiary education or other courses
• Only up to 25% of funding requested can be provided for items of capital expenditure, travel, accommodation, equipment or other similar expenses
• You must provide a letter of support for the project from the local health district/specialty network Director of Nursing and Midwifery
• The team leader is responsible for disseminating the outcomes of the project to other local health districts/specialty networks
• We won't consider submissions that have already received a NSW Ministry of Health Nursing and Midwifery innovation scholarship
• The project must be finished within 12 months of receiving funding
• The team leader needs to provide a progress summary report to the Nursing and Midwifery Office 6 months after the project begins and when it finishes at 12 months

The Nursing and Midwifery Office may publish information on successful applications on the NSW Ministry of Health website.

Planning your project

Use our helpful project guide when planning your project.

Application form and important dates

Applications open on 27 March 2023 and close on 16 June 2023.

Please complete the Innovation scholarship application form, get a letter of support from your LHD/SN Director of Nursing and Midwifery, and email to Nursing and Midwifery Office.

Successful applicants will be notified approximately 4-6 weeks after the close date.

Funding will be provided to local health districts/specialty networks via budget supplementation from the Nursing Midwifery Strategy Reserve in 2023/2024.

Further information

Please contact the Nursing and Midwifery Office by email or phone (02) 9391 9528 if you require more information. ​