The Denver-based Colorado Trust has announced twenty-two grants totaling $9.4 million to address a shortage of healthcare professionals statewide.

Colorado currently has an 11 percent shortage of nurses — twice the national average — and could face a 31 percent shortage by 2020. Exacerbating the situation, the population of the state is expected to grow some 16 percent over the next decade and a half, while the number of Coloradans aged 65 and older is projected to grow 113 percent.

Under the trust's Health Professions Initiative, grantees will work to expand existing programs and develop new programs to increase education, training, and advancement opportunities, especially for individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds and rural areas. In addition to the grants awarded in this round of funding, the trust will provide recipients with networking opportunities and technical assistance to help strengthen the effectiveness of their projects.

"This initiative strengthens ongoing efforts to significantly reduce the severe shortage of healthcare professionals across Colorado," said Colorado Trust president and CEO John R. Moran, Jr. "With statewide reach, this initiative will bring together healthcare providers and educators to promote long-term connections and collaborative partnerships, striving for systemic and sustainable change."

For a complete list of recipients, see: http://www.coloradotrust.org/repository/newsreleases/pdfs/2005/5-3-05NR-HPI.pdf.