HealthForce Kentucky launches campaign to expand healthcare education amid workforce shortages

With officials saying the state is projected to face a shortage of more than 10,000 nurses by 2030, HealthForce Kentucky has launched “The Force Behind the Future,” an honorary naming rights campaign aimed at strengthening the state’s healthcare workforce.

Backed by a $38 million state investment, HealthForce Kentucky will open a 33,000-square-foot Innovation Center in spring 2026. The center will feature simulation labs, operating rooms, imaging suites, collaborative classrooms, and immersive skills labs designed to train nurses, medical technologists, and allied health professionals.

The new facility builds on the success of HealthForce 1 and HealthForce 2 — mobile training units that have already brought hands-on learning experiences to 19,000 students, clinicians, and educators in rural areas across Kentucky. 

According to data from the Kentucky Community & Technical College System, partner colleges have seen a 17% increase in healthcare program applications and a 5.8% rise in enrollment since the initiative began.

“This initiative ensures HealthForce Kentucky’s mission thrives long-term,” said Bruce Williams, president and CEO of HealthForce Kentucky. “Every donor builds a lasting legacy of skilled caregivers and healthier communities, not just a name on a wall.”

The campaign is designed to sustain operations and expand programming as the initial state funding expires in December 2026. Sponsorships and naming rights will help fund operations, technology upgrades, faculty development, and new educational opportunities.

HealthForce Kentucky represents a collaboration between Owensboro Community & Technical College, Elizabethtown Community & Technical College, Madisonville Community College, Henderson Community College, Brescia University, Kentucky Wesleyan College, the University of Louisville School of Nursing, Western Kentucky University, and the Green River Educational Cooperative.

“HealthForce Kentucky belongs to each of us. Our region and state will become the model for transformative healthcare training,” said Chancellor Bart Darrell. “Working with our education and training partners, we will tap deeper into our talent and, ultimately, allow healthcare providers to offer even higher levels of care. When we invest in even more homegrown healthcare professionals trained with state-of-the-art methods and equipment, we open the gateways to healthier families and communities across the Commonwealth.”

Donors can sponsor simulation suites, classrooms, technology hubs, skills labs, and collaboration zones, with opportunities to be featured within immersive simulations reflecting Kentucky’s diverse healthcare landscape. Multi-year giving tiers — including Champion Force ($65,000 annually) and Emerging Force ($3,000 annually) — will support scholarships, equipment, and programming. Smaller one-time or monthly gifts are also encouraged.

For more information or to get involved, visit HealthForceKentucky.org or call 270-691-7864. Updates can be found on social media using the hashtag #ForceBehindTheFuture.