The Florida Board of Governors has approved the 2025-2026 operating budget for the State University System, allocating $645 million to performance-based funding and $40 million to preeminent universities. In addition, $6 million will be distributed through the Linking Industry to Nursing Education (LINE) fund among 24 proposals from 10 state universities.
“The approval of the State University System Operating Budget includes key funding that will maintain Florida’s position as a national leader in higher education,” said SUS Chancellor Ray Rodrigues. “Performance-Based Funding ensures that our institutions are constantly evolving to provide students with the highest quality education, and investment in preeminence supports academic and research successes that contribute to the rise of our state universities in the national rankings.”
“Thank you to the leadership of Governor DeSantis and support from the Florida Legislature for investing in higher education year after year, allowing our Board of Governors to advance the initiatives of the System’s strategic plan, which includes strengthening the talent pipeline for Florida’s workforce needs,” said Florida Board of Governors Chair Brian Lamb. “The State University System of Florida continues to expand partnerships within the healthcare sector to combat the nursing shortage. The growing network of collaboration between our institutions, healthcare systems, and hospitals throughout the state not only increases the capacity of our nursing programs but also creates the lasting impact of providing exceptional care for Florida communities.”
Established in 2022, LINE is a competitive grant program offering matching funds for institutions partnering with healthcare providers. The program aims to address local and statewide demand for nurses by supporting scholarships, faculty recruitment, equipment purchases, and simulation centers.
The $6 million allocation will be divided among proposals from ten universities: Florida Atlantic University, Florida International University, University of Central Florida, Florida Gulf Coast University, University of North Florida, University of South Florida, Florida State University, Florida A&M University, University of Florida, and University of West Florida.
The Board also reiterated its commitment to fostering civil discourse on campuses. The system plans to continue hosting public policy events at all twelve institutions during the academic year.
