MNA Foundation Scholarships & Grants

The Minnesota Nurses Association Foundation (MNAF), a non-profit corporation affiliated with the Minnesota Nurses Association, awards scholarships and grants each year to advance the nursing profession and create more opportunities for students to achieve their goals. 

Scholarships are open for MNA members, members’ dependents and grandchildren, nursing students, and veterans to apply.  

How to Apply

Scholarship applications for the 2026-2027 academic school year will be available in March 2026.

Scholarships

MNA Member Scholarships

Up to $7,500

Member Scholarships are open to any MNA member in good standing.

Deadline: June 1, 2026

MNA Associate Member Scholarships

Up to $2,000

Associate Member Scholarships are open to any MNA associate member in good standing. Applicants are typically undergraduate nursing students.

Deadline: June 1, 2026

MNA Legacy Scholarships

Up to $2,000

Legacy Scholarships are open to the children, grandchildren, or dependents of active or retired MNA members in good standing. Applicants must be enrolled in an undergraduate program. 

Deadline: June 1, 2026

Mary Eliza Mahoney Scholarships

$2,500/semester, Max. four semesters of nursing school for up to total of $10,000

The Mary Eliza Mahoney Scholarship is open to members of other healthcare unions who are not currently working as a nurse and who have enrolled in a program to become a registered nurse. 

Deadline: June 1, 2026

Alex Pretti Honor Scholarship

Up to $5,000

The Alex Pretti Honor Scholarship is open to students who are living the ideals that Alex lived and who are a Member or Associate Member of MNA or a child, grandchild or dependent of an active or retired MNA member in good standing. 

Deadline: June 1, 2026

40 & 8 Veterans Scholarships

Up to $2,000

The Veterans Scholarship is open to those:

  • Pursuing a degree in nursing and who are currently serving or have served honorably in any branch of the U.S. Armed Forces, or
  • Who have served honorably in any branch of the U.S. Armed Forces for a total of five credible years or more cumulatively, and any part of that service occurred on or after 9/11/2001, or
  • Are a spouse or child of a person who has served in the military at any time
  • Are an alumni of another service agency.
Deadline: June 1, 2026

New Brookwood Labor College Scholarship

$500

The MNA New Brookwood Labor College Scholarship is awarded to three (3) MNA members in good standing to attend a class at New Brookwood Labor College.

Rolling Deadlines: January 1, April 1, June 1, October 1

Nursing Certification Reimbursement Scholarship

Up to $500

The MNA Nursing Certification Reimbursement Scholarship is awarded to four (4) MNA members in good standing whose contracts do not include employer reimbursement for certification or recertification. 

Rolling Deadlines: January 1, April 1, June 1, October 1

Research Grants

Rolling Deadlines:  January 1, April 1, June 1, October 1