2026 · Pitch-A-Thon

Nurses hacking a healthier future.

A SONSIEL competition for nurse innovators. $400,000 in grant funding available across three tracks — submit your project, get reviewed by expert judges, and pitch live on Nov 12, 2026.

Applications open in
12
days
08
hours
05
min
32
sec
Return May 12, 2026 · 12:00 AM ET to apply.
Sign in

Judges: register with invite code

Three tracks

Pick the track that matches your team.

Applications are free and open globally. Interdisciplinary nurse-led teams from nonprofit health systems, nursing organizations, and US-based nurse-founded startups are eligible.

Track 01 · high-resource

Health Systems & Nursing Organizations

High-resource countries
$225K
up to · grant funding
  • Open to global health systems and nursing organizations from high-resource countries.
  • Must be 501(c)(3) or global equivalent, or have a fiscal sponsor.
  • Interdisciplinary nurse-led teams within the same organization.
Track 02 · low/mid-resource

Health Systems & Nursing Organizations

Low to mid-resource countries
$175K
up to · grant funding
  • Open to global health systems and nursing organizations from low to mid-resource countries.
  • Must be a non-profit organization or global equivalent, or a fiscal sponsor.
  • Interdisciplinary nurse-led teams within the same organization.
Track 03 · US startups

Nurse-Founded Startups

United States only
$35K
up to · grant funding
  • Must be registered in the United States with a valid bank account.
  • Must have less than $50,000 in capital.
  • Must be nurse-led.
Funded by J&J Foundation
Timeline

Key dates for the 2026 cohort

Applications open
May 12, 2026
12:00 AM ET
Applications close
Sept 21, 2026
11:59 PM ET
Innovation Accelerator
Oct 11 – Nov 6, 2026
Finalists only
Pitch-A-Thon
Nov 12, 2026
Live · virtual
Must-haves

Eligibility in brief

These apply across all three tracks. Review the full toolkit before submitting.

  • Teams must be nurse-led.
  • Grants must be used for project implementation only — grantees cannot be vendors.
  • Grantees must start implementation by January 2027 and end fund spending by December 31, 2027.
  • Teams must articulate a sustainability plan beyond the grant cycle.
  • Innovation or solution must create a thriving workforce and/or healthier work environment in alignment with Pitch-A-Thon objectives.
Time commitment

Plan for a few focused sessions

Most teams complete the application in under an hour. The optional Innovation Academy workshops cover design thinking, budgeting, competitive analysis, AI prompting, and crafting the pitch.

Typical time to complete the written application
~1 hr
Optional training & workshops (highly recommended)
~5 hrs
Total team effort including training
15–30 hrs
Resources

Applicant toolkit & FAQ

Everything you need to prepare your submission. Hosted on the NurseHack4Health site for now.

One-pager

Key information and dates for the 2026 Pitch-A-Thon.

Request letter template

Editable letter to ask your manager or leadership for professional development support.

Funding resource guide

Application tracks and key documentation required to apply.

Country resource guide

Which country falls under which track — for Tracks 1 & 2.

Questions?
Read the full FAQ — fiscal sponsors, IP, must-haves, and more.
Read FAQ ↗