Key Points
- Virginia relaunched Earn to Learn with $4.8 million through Nursing Workforce Center.
- Earn to Learn funds go to institutions, not individual CNA students.
- $10.6 million in unused nursing scholarships moved to new management in 2026.
Virginia’s Nursing Workforce Relaunch: What CNA Students Need to Know
Earn to Learn eligibility and application steps for Virginia CNA students.
Virginia has restarted its Earn to Learn nursing program with $4.8 million to disburse, and management has shifted to the Virginia Nursing Workforce Center, Cardinal News reported September 23, 2026. The money goes to institutions running state-approved pre-licensure RN and LPN programs, not directly to students or standalone CNA certificates.
CNA students can still benefit indirectly through clinical partners, bridge pathways, and financial aid for nursing school options such as WIOA or FastForward. The relaunch ties public money to programs that move students from training into employment, a practical shift for schools and rural training sites.
What the $4.8M Earn to Learn Relaunch Actually Covers
Unlike direct CNA scholarships mailed to a student, the relaunched Earn to Learn program sends money to institutions, and that distinction changes who can apply and how the dollars reach a future nurse. According to Cardinal News reporting published September 23, 2026, the program has $4.8 million to award.
Where the money goes
The grants go to Virginia institutions that operate state-approved pre-licensure RN or LPN programs, not to individual students. High schools, colleges, universities, hospitals, and other healthcare providers can apply as partners, with rural areas receiving emphasis. The current round is structured for up to 12 two-year grants, with maximum awards set at $400,000 per partnership. Award funds may cover student stipends, tuition and fees, testing fees, and faculty support, but the core purpose is to expand paid clinical training.
How wage support reaches students
Instead of a uniform state wage, each CNA partnership program determines student pay. Students complete required clinical hours while earning income in roles that match their current preparation, such as nurse extern, patient care technician, or certified nursing assistant. Hospitals and healthcare providers can work directly with future nurses during training, creating an earlier path from clinical placement to employment.
Why the program moved
The Virginia Nursing Workforce Center now manages Earn to Learn through the Virginia Health Workforce Development Authority. Management shifted from the Virginia Department of Health on July 1, 2026, after state officials found unused scholarship funds across several nursing programs. About 60% of Health Department-administered health workforce incentive programs moved to the authority, a change approved through Senate Bill 405 and signed by Gov. Abigail Spanberger.
Can CNA Students Access Earn to Learn Wage Support? Eligibility and Workarounds
Direct CNA students are not the primary applicants, and a CNA student who is not enrolled in a state-approved pre-licensure RN or LPN program generally cannot apply for Virginia Earn to Learn wage support on their own. The relaunched program awards funds to nursing schools, high school CNA programs, and their clinical partners, not to individual students. However, CNA students can still benefit when a funded partnership includes paid clinical roles at the student's current certification level, such as certified nursing assistant, nurse extern, or patient care technician.
The Bridge Program Workaround
The clearest path for CNA students is through CNA to LPN programs or a CNA-to-RN bridge track housed inside an eligible pre-licensure nursing program. Because Earn to Learn supports paid clinical training for RN and LPN students, a CNA who enters a bridge program may be eligible for wage support while completing required clinical hours. The key is that the school and an employer, such as a hospital or health care provider, must sign a memorandum of understanding and receive one of the 2026 grants.
What to Ask a Nursing Program
- Partnership status: Is your RN or LPN program part of a 2026 Earn to Learn funded partnership?
- CNA role: Can a CNA-certified student in your bridge track be paid as a CNA, nurse extern, or patient care technician during clinicals?
- Clinical site: Which hospitals or providers signed the agreement, and do they hire nursing assistants?
- Timing: Does the partnership cover the 2026-2027 and 2027-2028 award years? Applications close September 30, 2026.
Separate CNA Funding Options
Virginia CNA students who do not fit a funded bridge partnership still have other routes, including WIOA-approved training, workforce development grants, and employer tuition reimbursement. Later sections cover those options.
How to Apply: Institutions, Deadline, and Award Caps
Virginia's nursing-education funding is moving toward partnership-based awards, not individual tuition checks, and the Earn to Learn relaunch makes that shift concrete.
The $4.8 million program is administered by the Virginia Nursing Workforce Center. Eligible applicants include high schools, colleges, universities, hospitals, and healthcare providers , the institutions that often host CNA classes in Virginia. The application deadline is September 30, 2026 at 5:00 p.m. EST.1
Award size and timeline
Each two-year grant provides $200,000 annually, up to $400,000 per award.1 The center expects to select up to 12 grantees, notify applicants by November 1, 2026, and begin funding in January 2027. Applications from rural communities are encouraged, including rural high schools and long-term care facilities.
What a strong application includes
This is a partnership application, not a direct student application. You will typically need: - Institutional partnership: a signed memorandum of understanding between an education program and a clinical employer. - Clinical site: a hospital or healthcare provider that will host paid training. - Program approval status: a state-approved pre-licensure RN or LPN nursing program, including CNA to RN Programs. - Wage support plan: paid roles such as nurse extern, patient care technician, or CNA that match the student's current credential and help complete clinical hours.
For current forms, attachments, and contact details, visit the Virginia Nursing Workforce Center's Earn to Learn page. If you are a student, ask your school or employer whether they are submitting or partnering on an application.
About $10.6 million in unused nursing scholarship funds had accumulated by June 2 because the Virginia Health Department lacked capacity to manage them effectively, Cardinal News reported on September 23, 2026. That backlog helped justify moving management of most health workforce incentive programs to the Virginia Health Workforce Development Authority in July.
Virginia CNA Pay: What You Can Earn After Certification
CNA Program Approval, Training Hours, and Pass Rates: Verify Before You Enroll
Virginia requires at least 120 hours of advanced nurse aide training, but program lengths can vary. State approval matters because it is often a prerequisite for funding options such as Earn to Learn, WIOA, and FastForward. The table below lists several approved providers; where a Prometric pass rate is not reported, check the Virginia Board of Nursing Testing Pass Rates page directly.
| Program/Provider | Approval Status | Training Hours | Prometric Pass Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Heart to Heart Career Training Center (Williamsburg) | Virginia Board of Nursing approved nurse aide education program | Not reported | 95% |
| Central Virginia Workforce Alliance (CCWA) | Approved by the Virginia Board of Nursing | 140 hours | Not reported |
| Brightpoint Community College | Listed as a state-approved Virginia CNA program | Not reported | Not reported |
| Piedmont Virginia Community College | Listed as a state-approved Virginia CNA program | Not reported | Not reported |
| Danville Community College | Listed among Virginia Board of Nursing currently approved nurse aide education programs | Not reported | Not reported |
| Eastern Shore Community College | Listed as a state-approved Virginia CNA program | Not reported | Not reported |
| Germanna Community College | Listed among Virginia Board of Nursing currently approved nurse aide education programs | Not reported | Not reported |
| Southside Virginia Community College | Listed as a state-approved Virginia CNA program | Not reported | Not reported |
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Wioa-Approved CNA Training Programs in Virginia
WIOA funding for CNA training is not a single statewide list with fixed award amounts. Individual Training Accounts, or ITAs, are issued through local Virginia Career Works one-stop centers, and each regional workforce board may set its own award range, funding availability, and approved provider roster. The range most often cited for Virginia Career Works centers is $3,000 to $5,000, but treat that as a starting point, not a guarantee.1
How to verify current WIOA-approved CNA programs
Start with the Virginia Board of Nursing's approved Nurse Aide education programs list, which is the authoritative check for state approval. Then contact your local Virginia Career Works center to confirm which of those programs currently receive WIOA ITA funding in your workforce region. The 2026-2027 Virginia Workforce Policy 404-01.2 governs the eligible training provider list, but the published policy does not include region-by-region CNA award caps.
What one regional directory shows
Virginia Career Works Northern's VCW Northern Training Provider Directory (January 2026) lists 60 providers and 428 programs, but that count includes all occupations, not only CNA. Because provider statuses and local funding change, the directory is a research starting point, not a final enrollment guarantee.
FastForward and scholarship stacking
Ask the local workforce board whether an ITA can be combined with FastForward or other scholarships. Stacking rules vary by region and program, and award amounts are subject to change each funding cycle. Non-ranked, alphabetical listings would still need updating, so verify current availability directly with the regional center before you enroll.
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