Citing “too many barriers to good health that are disproportionately experienced by people of color, historically marginalized groups, and those with lower incomes,” the United Health Foundation has committed $100 million to further advance a diverse health workforce. The funds will go to provide scholarships and support to 10,000 future clinicians, including nurses, from underrepresented communities and to helping current health professionals upskill to get advanced and specialized degrees.

The United Health Foundation is the non-profit, philanthropic arm of the UnitedHealth Group, which is a member of the Future of Nursing: Campaign for Action’s Champion Nursing Coalition. The Campaign is an initiative of the AARP Foundation, AARP and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.

“Strengthening the nurse workforce has always been central to the Campaign’s mission,” said Susan Reinhard, PhD, RN, FAAN, senior vice president and director of AARP Public Policy Institute and chief strategist for the Center to Champion Nursing in America, which runs the Campaign. “And we know that there is strength in diversity. Increasing the number of nurses from different backgrounds, including races, gender, and ethnicities, will contribute to better health and health care for all.”

The Campaign works on multiple fronts towards a more inclusive and diverse nursing workforce. You can find some of the measures we use and stories about our efforts at this link.