Your Sustainable Nursing Workforce Pipeline: ReNEW

Upskill frontline workers into RNs, secure local BSN-prepared RN talent first, and improve nurse retention with ReNEW.

About the ReNEW Fund

The Reinvesting in Nursing Education and Workforce (ReNEW) Fund is a partnership between WGU and Social Finance designed to finance nursing education funding gaps and to help address critical talent shortages.

WHY BECOME A ReNEW EMPLOYER PARTNER?

Fill High-Need Specialty Roles

Fill hard-to-fill roles in high-need units including OR, ER, and behavioral health, with a steady pipeline of new BSN graduates.

Increase RN Retention to 3+ Years

Incentivize RN retention to 3+ years by offering ReNEW Fund retention incentives. Leaving a partner employer means a nurse will become responsible for their own loan payments, which can also protect corporate investment.

Upskill Employees and Grow Local Talent

Upskill and advance frontline staff, grow local talent, and strengthen nurse pipelines in communities across the country, including in rural and underserved markets.

Reduce Costs, Save Money

Reduce reliance on contract labor—agency, international, travel, and relocated nurses—and save money with ReNEW. With average bedside nurse turnover costs exceeding $60,000,* and the average ReNEW loan amount close to $33,500,** the return on investment is clear.

*2026 NSI National Health Care Retention & RN Staffing Report.
**Average ReNEW loan amount as of July 2026 is $33,496 assuming all students have four terms..

How Does It Work?

The Fund helps to cover the cost of the final two years of WGU's BSN Prelicensure program, including the costs of in-person labs and clinical placements, through zero-interest loans.
Nursing students meet ReNEW Employer Partners before graduation. Graduates are incentivized to work for them, since Employer Partners make payments that may reduce graduates' loan balances during employment.
ReNEW Employer Partners hire graduates for full-time nursing roles, paying a fee to the Fund for each hire and at key milestones over the first three years of employment.
The Fund uses ReNEW Employer Partner payments to train more nurses, growing the nursing talent pipeline.

WGU Leavitt School of Health

Preparing Nurses
for Success

WGU granted 4.3% of all bachelor's and master's degrees in nursing in 2023–2024.* With more than 1 in every 20 nursing degrees awarded nationwide, WGU has shaped the nursing workforce at a scale few institutions can match.

*IPEDS Completions Survey (2024)

Building a Local Talent Pipeline

WGU’s flexible, hybrid BSN Prelicensure program is expanding across the U.S., producing graduates to help fill local nursing shortages. The ReNEW Fund supports students who would otherwise face financial barriers to pursuing nursing degrees by offering zero-interest loans.

Addressing Critical
Talent Shortages

With over 110,000 lifetime graduates nationwide, WGU’s Leavitt School of Health is recognized as an important healthcare education leader and talent provider. With support from the Fund, WGU aims to prepare thousands of additional nursing graduates.

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Questions?

Submit your contact information in the form to learn more. We look forward to addressing your nursing talent pipeline needs.

Bob Collins
Senior Advisor, Office of the President & Vice President, Talent Finance
Western Governors University

Heide Stevenson
Sr. Manager, Healthcare Partnerships
Western Governors University

Justin Bakule
Vice President, Impact Investments
Social Finance

Connect With Us and Learn More

Accredited,

Respected,

Recognized™

One important measure of a degree’s value is the reputation of the university where it was earned. When employers, industry leaders, and academic experts hold your alma mater in high esteem, you reap the benefits of that respect. WGU is a pioneer in reinventing higher education for the 21st century, and our quality has been recognized.

The baccalaureate degree program in nursing, master's degree program in nursing, and post-graduate APRN certificate program at WGU are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (http://www.ccneaccreditation.org).