Houston Nursing Education Foundation

HNEF is a not-for-profit organization that awards financial scholarships to Houston-area nursing students. In 2025 alone, HNEF awarded more than $750,000 in scholarships to undergraduate and graduate students attending accredited programs at eight local universities.

The nursing shortage in the United States has reached critical levels, impacting healthcare delivery nationwide. Houston, as one of the nation’s healthcare hubs, faces unique challenges that exacerbate the shortage. The city’s rapidly expanding population increases demand for healthcare services, particularly in specialized areas such as oncology, cardiology, and neonatal care. The Texas Medical Center, based in Houston, is the largest medical complex in the world and attracts patients from every continent. With some 10 million patient encounters per year, nurses are critical to the availability and delivery of healthcare services to Houston’s growing population and its many visitors.

The nursing profession—and access to the education required to enter this field—are critical not only to our community’s health, but also our economy. Nursing is among the most opportune professions for upward mobility, combining strong demand, accessible entry points, clear pathways for advancement, and competitive compensation. Many of our scholarship recipients have worked for years as a bedside aide, waiting for the opportunity to pursue the dream and professional and financial advancement of a nursing degree. Our goal is to help them fulfill that dream.