In 1982, the Mississippi Nurses Foundation was created as a non-profit organization to financially enhance the programs of the Mississippi Nurses Association. Since that time, the Foundation and MNA have worked together closely to advance the nursing profession in Mississippi and improve the quality of health care for all citizens.

The Foundation and MNA are co-sponsors of the Mississippi Nightingale Awards and each supports the activities of the other. Both are located in the Mississippi Center for Nursing in Madison.