In 2026 we will honor rising nursing leaders at our annual Gala!
2026 nominations open February 1, 2026, and close June 1, 2026 at 11:45 PM.

Join us in 2026 as we celebrate the 40 Under 40 Awards!
Nominate an outstanding nurse from your organization or facility for this prestigious VNF honor.

Please note that self-nominations are not accepted.
To ensure a broad and unbiased perspective, we encourage nominations to come from individuals who can speak to the nominee’s contributions and impact from an external viewpoint.

Nominate a nurse for 40 Under 40!

The next 40 Under 40 Awards cycle will be in 2029.

40 Under 40 Qualifications

The Virginia Nurses Association and Foundation strive for equity in our academic and practice settings, as well as health equity in our communities and throughout our work.

Nominees must:

• Be no older than 39 by December 31, 2026.
  
• Hold a current valid nursing license.
  
• Currently reside and practice in the state of Virginia.
  
• Not be a previous 40 Under 40 award recipient. Previous nominees who did not receive the award are eligible.

    
Award Criteria
Nominees should have demonstrable achievements in the following areas:

• Professional Practice
  Significantly or uniquely contributes to leadership within the nursing profession through clinical practice, education/teaching, administrative leadership, research, writing, publishing, policy involvement, and/or healthcare innovation.
  
  
• Leadership
  Demonstrates leadership in the practice setting, community affairs, and/or nursing professional organizations, and in growth and development of others in these areas.
  
  
• Impact
  Positively promotes and advances the nursing profession beyond the practice setting, including but not limited to: presenting a positive image of nursing to their community (local/global), volunteerism/outreach efforts, and/or legislative work/policy development.