The Program

Vision

• A world where every person can access high-quality, compassionate healthcare that enables them to thrive.

Mission

• Build a pipeline of NP health equity leaders to support their communities to achieve their fullest potential for health and well-being.

Goals

• To expand access to quality care by equipping nurse practitioners with the leadership and business skills to launch and sustain nurse-led primary care and behavioral health enterprises serving resource-limited communities.

Program Overview

• Nurse Practitioner Entrepreneur Program (NPEP) is a year-long leadership, management and business training experience that transforms nurse practitioners (NPs) into confident healthcare entrepreneurs. Fellows receive mentorship and hands-on guidance to create comprehensive business plans that enable them to launch or improve sustainable, nurse-led practices, which provide primary care or behavioral health service and enhance access to care where it’s needed most.
• NPEP is intended for U.S. licensed and credentialed NPs specializing in primary care or behavioral health services, with a focused effort on involving NPs caring for populations facing resource limitations.
• NPEP is 100% sponsored by Johnson & Johnson. All attendance, travel, and instructional/training expenses will be covered.

ELIGIBILITY

The NP Entrepreneur Program expects that participants demonstrate a commitment to full participation for the length of the year long program.

There are specific criteria for admission, including full participation in required program activities. Please carefully review all eligibility requirements before applying.

• Applicants must be licensed and credentialed Nurse Practitioners in the United States.
• Applicants should be aspiring NP entrepreneurs looking to start their own healthcare enterprises; however, we will consider accepting a limited number of applicants who are current NP business owners needing critical support to make their businesses viable.
• Applicants must be able to articulate a proposed healthcare enterprise idea that aims to provide primary care and/or behavioral health services for populations
  facing resource limitations.

For this program, “populations facing resource limitations”, with respect to health, are groups and communities that are at a disadvantage for optimal health and well-being due to factors such as occupation, income, health insurance coverage, absence of a usual source of care as well as limitations due to illness or disability. Their health and healthcare issues may also intersect with social factors, such as education, occupation, geography, housing, poverty, and limited resource settings.

• Applicants must be able to attend and fully participate in sessions during the key program dates below:

• • Feb 22-25, 2026: Leadership Retreat 1 in Durham, NC
  • Jun 6-7, 2026: Web-conference 1 via Zoom
  • Aug 22-23 and 29-30, 2026: Consultative Business Panels via Zoom
  • Oct 3-4, 2026: Web-conference 2 via Zoom
  • Dec 11-13, 2026: Leadership Retreat 2 in Durham, NC

 

• • NPBO sessions listed below (held at 7 pm CT via Zoom):
    • March 5 and 19, 2026
    • April 2, 16, and 30, 2026
    • May 14 and 28, 2026
    • June 11, 2026

• All program candidates must have access to technology needed that allows them to fully participate in program activities as required.