Queen's Nursing Institute

The Queen's Nursing Institute (QNI), now Queen's Institute of Community Nursing, is a UK charity founded in 1887 by William Rathbone VI to enhance nursing care in homes, inspired by district nursing and tackling health inequalities. Its mission centers on promoting excellence in community nursing through leadership, education, innovation, and advocacy, upholding values of patient-centered care, continuous learning, professional integrity, and equity. Distinctive for its independence from the NHS and historic focus on frontline community nurses—including district nurses, health visitors, school nurses, and learning disability nurses—it sustains operations via the National Garden Scheme, donations, and investments, fostering a national network of Queen's Nurses and policy influence.

It funds nurse-led projects advancing community care innovation, evidence-based practice, leadership, and outcomes for underserved groups with complex needs, long-term conditions, end-of-life care, mental health, homelessness, or health inequalities. Supported activities include pilots in digital health, palliative pathways, integrated care for older adults, and vulnerable populations, prioritizing scalable, nurse-driven solutions over core funding.

Eligible applicants are individual registered community nurses (not charities or organizations) based in England, Wales, Northern Ireland, Channel Islands, or Isle of Man—Scotland directs to a separate institute—with no income or size restrictions but requiring managerial/peer support. Typical project grants reach up to £5,000; hardship grants for nurses' personal needs are smaller and case-based. Applications via email form; project rounds biannual (e.g., April/September deadlines, decisions in 2-3 months); hardship rolling. Exclusions: unsolicited charity apps, non-nurse-led work, and non-specified geographies—unique in catalyzing grassroots nurse innovation for community health gaps.