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2026 Edge Runners Application

The 2026 Edge Runners application is open through March 9, 2026. Fellowship in the American Academy of Nursing is not required to have one's model reviewed by the Edge Runners National Advisory Council or to be designated as an Edge Runner.

Please review and fulfill all of the application submission requirements listed below. For more information and answers to commonly asked questions, see the Edge Runners application webpage.

Application Submission Requirements:
  • You must complete all sections of the application. Incomplete applications will not be reviewed.
  • Uploading supporting documents is optional. You may upload up to three supporting documents (collectively no more than 5 pages in total) for question 20 in this application. Please PDF and combine all supporting documents into one before uploading. Supporting documents submitted after the application deadline will not be reviewed.
  • Complete a one-time, non-refundable submission fee of $200 per model. Please click here to complete payment. Online payment must be received before March 9th, 2026 at 11:59pm EST.
Note: Please review the Academy's Guiding Principles and Professional Expectations for the Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Applications prior to submitting your application.
1.Name of Model:(Required.)
2.The model should only be submitted by the primary representative (i.e. author, investigator, or developer). Please fill out the fields below as the model’s primary representative.(Required.)
3.What is the major health care challenge and what populations(s) does the model serve? [750 words or less](Required.)
4.What is the structure of the model? [500 words or less](Required.)
5.What are the overarching goals of the model and how are they accomplished? [500 words or less](Required.)
6.Please describe how a nursing focus impacts or is critical to the model's success. [100 words or less](Required.)
7.Is this model novel compared to what currently exists?(Required.)
8.Based on current literature, please describe how your model differentiates from others seeking to achieve similar outcomes. If your model uses technology, share how it is being adapted to better solve an existing problem or solve a different problem. [500 words or less](Required.)
Questions 9-14: Under each category outlined (clinical, financial, community, policy, sustainability, and replicability), please include specific quantitative and qualitative data points and examples to demonstrate these outcomes. Demonstrating comparative quantitative outcomes is critical in order to assess impact.
9.Explain how your model has led to system-wide changes or new ways of doing work and delivering care resulting in clinical outcomes (i.e. reduced injury, improved birth outcomes). [250 words or less](Required.)
10.Explain how your model has led to system-wide changes or new ways of doing work and delivering care resulting in financial outcomes (i.e., demonstrated cost-savings or cost-effectiveness including delineated cost of program, or information on revenue generated as a result of your model). [250 words or less](Required.)
11.Explain how your model has led to system-wide changes or new ways of doing work and delivering care resulting in community outcomes (i.e. demonstrated sustained effectiveness within a community as a whole, not just individual patients). [250 words or less](Required.)
12.Explain how your model has led to system-wide changes or new ways of doing work and delivering care resulting in policy impact (i.e. demonstrated relevant policy change integrated at the local, state, regional, national, or global level). [250 words or less](Required.)
13.Explain how your model has led to system-wide changes or new ways of doing work and delivering care resulting in sustainability (i.e. demonstrated uptake beyond a research study, pilot, or demonstration). [250 words or less](Required.)
14.Explain how your model has led to system-wide changes or new ways of doing work and delivering care resulting in replicability (i.e. demonstrated replication by institutions/organizations and communities beyond the research or demonstration site). [250 words or less](Required.)
15.What funding has supported this model (if applicable)? Please select all that apply:(Required.)
16.How has your model made scholarly impact (including non-academic)? Examples can include (but are not limited to) publications, interviews, patenting an innovation, changing policy, or citation counts. [150 words or less](Required.)
17.Please provide a summary of accolades and/or recognition your model has received (if applicable). [150 words or less]
18.If there are current, actively engaged contributors or partners to the model
(including, but not limited to: a health system, hospital, corporation, non-profit, university, coalitions, or groups) that should be recognized in Academy communications, please provide their information below. The Academy will contact these partners to finalize any Edge Runner communications if your model is selected. This ensures that the final press release has been vetted by all parties currently engaged with the model.

Name & Credentials:
Title:
Institution or Organization:
Address:
Email address:
Phone number:

Please Note: The Academy recognizes the model as the Edge Runner, not the individual. The primary representative of any selected model will have their name featured in Academy communications and they will be invited to accept an award on behalf of the model at the 2026 Health Policy Conference. All other contributors will be recognized on the Edge Runners website.
19.If applicable, please list any third parties that you would like to acknowledge (but are no longer currently engaged or contributing to your model). These will be listed on your model's Edge Runners webpage but will not be featured in Academy communications such as the press release.
In Question 20 below, you may upload up to three supporting documents (e.g. letters of support, publications, awards, recognition, or a short video). Please combine all supporting documents into a single PDF before uploading. Please keep the total page count to a maximum of 5 pages. If you are submitting a video, please include the URL to the video; do not submit a video file. If documents are directly related to a specific application question, please note which one.

Please note: Only the information and documentation provided in submitting this application are guaranteed to be reviewed. Supporting documents will be considered as additional context to the primary application questions. Documents submitted after the application deadline will not be reviewed.
20.Supporting Documents
No file chosen
21.The American Academy of Nursing developed guiding principles and professional expectations for the use of AI in applications. You are required to read the Document, "Guiding Principles and Professional Expectations for the Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Applications and Nominations," and confirm that you understand its contents.(Required.)
Once you finalize and submit your application, you must complete the one-time, non-refundable submission fee of $200 on the Academy website.

If you have any issues or have any questions with the application, please contact Heysha Garcia Melendez (Hgarciamelendez@aannet.org).