VCU School of Nursing

What VCU School of Nursing does

VCU School of Nursing is an academic unit of Virginia Commonwealth University, a public research university, established in 1976 and headquartered in Richmond, Virginia. It serves undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral nursing students through B.S., M.S.N., D.N.P., Ph.D., and Certificate programs, with 82% of students receiving financial aid and more than $4M in annual scholarships disbursed. The school is ranked in the top 6% nationally and received the 2024 HEED Award for excellence in diversity in health professions education.

The school's core operational platform consists of its accredited degree programs, a faculty practice infrastructure including the Mobile Health and Wellness Program operating at 9 community locations, and an NIH-funded research enterprise. Its faculty includes 7 American Academy of Nursing Fellows, a credentialing distinction that underpins both teaching quality and research output. The school extends its reach through community-based partnerships and dedicated student-support products such as the Thrive Guide (2023) and clinical assessment tools including the EPDS-US (2024).

The business model operates on three revenue streams: tuition and fees from degree programs, state and public university appropriations, and external research grants and philanthropic gifts. Recent strategic activity — including partnerships with the Centene Foundation and Underground Kitchen (2025), a new deanship, and a dedicated Director of Faculty Practice Initiatives — signals incremental expansion of clinical practice revenue and community-based funding channels beyond traditional NIH and state sources.

Name

VCU School of Nursing

Legal name

Virginia Commonwealth University School of Nursing

Website

https://nursing.vcu.edu

Company type

Public

Founded year

1976

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

VCU School of Nursing is a public university nursing school in Richmond, Virginia, offering B.S., M.S.N., D.N.P., Ph.D., and Certificate programs. It serves nursing students through accredited degree pathways, NIH-funded research, and a Mobile Health and Wellness Program operating at 9 community sites.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Nursing Higher Education

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Offices & Clinics Of Doctors Of Medicine (8011)

akta.pro primary industry

Schools of Nursing (EDAHAGAC)

Keywords

• Nursing education programs
• Graduate nursing degrees
• Clinical simulation training
• Community health services
• Nursing research programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Richmond

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Tuition and Fees: Public university nursing education with tuition varying by program (B.S., M.S.N., D.N.P., Ph.D., Certificates). Additional fees include criminal background checks, drug screens, immunizations, textbooks, uniforms, and clinical requirements.
2. Research Grants and NIH Funding: Federal research funding from NIH, National Institute on Drug Abuse, National Heart Lung and Blood Institute for various research initiatives including RECOVER, perinatal depression studies, and food insecurity programs
3. Scholarships and Donations: Nearly $4 million awarded annually in scholarships with 82% of students receiving aid. Charitable donations from alumni and donors support programs and initiatives.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

VCU School of Nursing delivers accredited nursing education from the bachelor's through doctoral level, including B.S., M.S.N., D.N.P., Ph.D., and post-graduate certificate programs, with on-campus, online, and hybrid formats. The school also runs the Mobile Health and Wellness Program providing community-based primary care across metro Richmond, conducts NIH-funded nursing research, and operates the Faculty Practice Plan placing nurse practitioner faculty at VCU Health.

Product overview

VCU School of Nursing is an educational institution offering a comprehensive portfolio of nursing degree programs and community health services. The academic offerings include undergraduate (B.S. in Nursing with Traditional, RN to B.S., and Co-Enrollment tracks), graduate (M.S.N. for non-nursing bachelor's degree holders), doctoral (D.N.P. with six specializations and Ph.D. with two research concentrations), and post-graduate certificate programs. Beyond academics, the school operates the Mobile Health and Wellness Program delivering community-based care at nine metro Richmond locations, the Faculty Practice Plan enabling nurse practitioners to practice at VCU Health, and the Clinical Learning Center with simulation facilities. Research initiatives include the Prescription Produce Program addressing food insecurity, the Thrive Guide wellness planning tool for perinatal mental health, and the EPDS-US project revising maternal mental health screening tools.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• B.S. in Nursing

Quantifiable outcome

• 82% of students receive scholarship or financial aid
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered major and core.

• The Underground Kitchen Community FirstmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Partner addressing food insecurity in Richmond communities; provides recipe bags with vegetables, spices, and shelf-stable proteins to Prescription Produce Program participants.
• MCV PhysicianscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021Established Faculty Practice Plan in 2021 allowing VCU School of Nursing faculty to share contract agreements for clinical practice at VCU Health through MCV Physicians.
• Shalom FarmscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021Community partner that grows and distributes produce for the Prescription Produce Program, addressing nutrition insecurity in Richmond communities since 2016.
• VCU HealthcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic-practice partnership allowing nurse practitioner faculty to practice within their specialty at VCU Health up to two days per week. Creates opportunities for student precepting, faculty professional development, scholarship, and expanded visibility.
• Urban Baby BeginningsmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity organization collaborating on research for pregnant women with substance use disorders, helping recruit participants and tailor care protocols.
• Rams in RecoverymajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerVCU recovery community organization partnering on SUD research and care coordination for pregnant women in the study.
• OB MOTIVATE Clinic at VCU HealthcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerVCU Health clinic providing substance use disorder treatment services, collaborating on research to improve prenatal care and maternal outcomes.
• Mind Over Matter LegacymajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity organization supporting the research team in recruiting pregnant women with substance use disorders and ensuring culturally appropriate care delivery.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Johns Hopkins School of Nursing: Elite private research university nursing school with national reach and significantly larger resources; competes for top faculty candidates and research grants as a benchmark institution in the same academic category.
• Duke University School of Nursing: Top-ranked private research university nursing school and ABSN/D.N.P./Ph.D. provider; comparable academic medical center partnership (Duke University Health System) and competes for research-intensive faculty and graduate students.
• Emory University Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing: Private research university nursing school with comparable B.S.N. through Ph.D. programs, NIH-funded research portfolio, and academic health system partnership with Emory Healthcare.

Regional players

• Radford University School of Nursing: Virginia public university nursing school that overlaps on the B.S.N. pathway and competes for the same in-state applicant pool, though with a more undergraduate-focused portfolio and limited research scale.
• Sentara College of Health Sciences: Virginia-based health system-affiliated college offering accelerated B.S.N. and other health professions programs; competes for the same regional nursing talent pool but with a more vocationally focused model.

Direct peers

• University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Nursing: Public research university nursing school with an academic medical center partnership (UNC Health), top-tier national ranking, and comparable research-intensive operating model.
• George Mason University School of Nursing: Virginia public university nursing college with comparable B.S.N., M.S.N., D.N.P., and certificate programs; competes for Northern Virginia and statewide students and faculty.
• Virginia Tech School of Nursing: Public research-intensive Virginia university nursing program offering similar undergraduate and graduate nursing degrees with a parallel community and rural health orientation.
• University of Virginia School of Nursing: Virginia's flagship public university nursing school with comparable B.S. through Ph.D. offerings and a strong research footprint; directly competes with VCU for in-state applicants and faculty talent within the same state.
• Old Dominion University School of Nursing: Another Virginia public university nursing school offering similar degree pathways and online/hybrid options; competes for the same regional applicant pool and community health partnerships in Virginia.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/VCUSchoolofNursing
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/vcu-school-of-nursing
• Instagraminstagram.com/vcuson

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about VCU School of Nursing