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Grant Details

https://www.grants.gov/search-results-detail/355417

Grant Analysis

Purpose & Target

This grant, RFA-OH-25-002, is designed to establish or continue Education and Research Centers (ERCs) focused on occupational safety and health (OSH) training. The core objective is to ensure an adequate supply of qualified personnel to advance the OSH field and prevent work-related injuries and illnesses in the U.S. ERCs are academic institutions that provide interdisciplinary graduate and post-graduate training, research, continuing education, and outreach in core OSH disciplines like industrial hygiene, occupational health nursing, occupational medicine, and occupational safety. This grant is SECTOR-SPECIFIC, targeting the occupational safety and health and public health sectors. The primary target recipients are higher education institutions and related entities with a focus on OSH education and research. The geographic scope is national, covering the United States, with an emphasis on regional presence and impact across the HHS Federal Regions. Foreign organizations and foreign components of U.S. organizations are explicitly ineligible. Key filtering criteria for initial screening include being a higher education institution or a related nonprofit/government entity capable of providing graduate and post-graduate OSH training and research. The grant aims to address nationwide workforce needs in OSH. This is a recurring funding opportunity, a reissue of a previous RFA, with multiple application due dates extending through October 2028. It continues the long-standing NIOSH ERC program, which has supported OSH capacity building since 1977.

Financial Structure

Total Funding and Award Amounts
  • The total annual budget for this program is approximately $32 million USD.
  • The CDC/NIOSH anticipates funding up to 18 awards.
  • Maximum annual award budget per application is $1.8 million USD (total costs, direct and indirect).
  • The total estimated funding over the full performance period for a single award ranges from $4 million USD (minimum) to $9 million USD (maximum), covering 3 to 5 years of support.
Cost Categories
  • Eligible Costs:
    • Trainee Support: Stipends, tuition and fees, student travel, and student health insurance.
    • Salary Support: Faculty and staff salaries directly related to ERC activities. Faculty salary support is limited to 50% Full-Time Equivalent (FTE) per faculty member. The Continuing Education (CE) Program Director may receive up to 75% FTE salary support.
    • Training-Related Expenses: Supplies, equipment (requires strong justification and prior approval by CDC/NIOSH), consultant costs, and non-trainee travel.
    • Public Health Data: Costs for collecting, managing, sharing, and preserving public health data.
  • Ineligible Costs:
    • Renovation of facilities.
    • Undergraduate degrees and non-academic certificate programs.
    • Stipend supplementation from Federal funds.
    • Compensation from research grants that support the same research as the trainee's approved training experience.
Matching Fund and Cost Sharing
  • This grant does not require cost sharing.
Indirect Cost Policy
  • Indirect costs are limited to 8% of modified total direct costs (MTDC). This excludes tuition and related fees, direct expenditures for equipment, and sub-awards in excess of $25,000.
Budget Allocation Rules
  • Academic Training Programs: A minimum of 70% of the total direct costs for Academic Training Programs (in aggregate, across core, allied, and certificate programs) must be allocated to direct trainee costs (stipends, tuition, fees, travel). A maximum of 30% may go to training-related expenses.
  • Targeted Research Training Program (Optional): A minimum of 70% of requested funds must support trainee costs (stipends, tuition, fees, travel), with a maximum of 30% for training-related expenses.
Budget Flexibility and Rebudgeting
  • Recipients are permitted expanded authorities in award administration, including carryover of unobligated balances to subsequent budget periods, provided the use is within the scope of the approved project.
  • Rebudgeting of amounts less than 25% of a category is generally allowed within trainee costs or trainee-related costs without prior approval (e.g., stipends to tuition/fees).
  • Significant rebudgeting (25% or more deviation in a single direct cost budget category from the total awarded costs) requires prior approval from CDC/NIOSH.
Financial Reporting and Audit Requirements
  • Recipients must report the use or intended use of unobligated funds in the annual Federal Financial Report (FFR).
  • No specific audit requirements are detailed, but standard federal grant audit requirements (e.g., Single Audit Act for entities expending over $750,000 in federal funds annually) would apply.
Specific Component Budget Ceilings (Direct Costs Annually)
  • Evaluation and Planning Core: Up to $280,000.
  • Emerging Issues Program (optional): Up to $50,000 (under the Evaluation and Planning Core).
  • Continuing Education Program: Up to $150,000.
  • Outreach Program: Up to $75,000.
  • Pilot Project Research Training Program (optional): Up to $100,000 (with individual pilot projects capped at $20,000 for 12-18 months).
  • Targeted Research Training Program (optional): Up to $300,000.

Eligibility Requirements

Organizational Eligibility
  • Eligible Organization Types: This grant is primarily for entities that can establish or host Education and Research Centers (ERCs).
    • Higher Education Institutions: Public/State Controlled Institutions, Private Institutions. This includes specific Minority Serving Institutions (MSIs) such as Hispanic-serving Institutions, Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs), Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions, and Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISIs).
    • Nonprofits: With 501(c)(3) IRS Status (other than Higher Education Institutions) and without 501(c)(3) IRS Status (other than Higher Education Institutions).
    • For-Profit Organizations: Small Businesses, and Other For-Profit Organizations (other than Small Businesses).
    • Governments: Local Governments (County, City or Township, Special District), State Governments, Indian/Native American Tribal Governments (Federally Recognized and Other than Federally Recognized).
    • Other: Native American Tribal Organizations (other than federally recognized tribal governments), Faith-based or Community-based Organizations.
  • Geographic Location Requirements: Applicants must be based in the United States. Foreign organizations and non-U.S. components of U.S. organizations are not eligible.
  • Specific Qualifications: ERCs must provide high-quality graduate training in a minimum of three academic programs, with at least two in the core OSH disciplines (Industrial Hygiene, Occupational Health Nursing, Occupational Medicine, Occupational Safety). They must be able to award graduate and post-graduate degrees (if offering Occupational Medicine).
  • Capacity Requirements: Must demonstrate institutional commitment and sustainability, including providing adequate facilities, equipment, and faculty/staff to support OSH training, research, continuing education, and outreach.
  • Responsiveness Criteria (Hard Filters):
    • Application must adhere to the specified period of performance: 3 years for new applications, 5 years for renewal, and at least 2 years for revision (not exceeding current award length).
    • Must include all required components: Academic Training Programs (minimum 3, with at least 2 core OSH disciplines), an Evaluation and Planning Core, a Continuing Education Program, and an Outreach Program.
    • Must include Data Tables (NIOSH Tables 1, 2, and 3) for each Academic Training Program and the Continuing Education Program.
    • Total project cost (direct and indirect) must be within the $1.8 million per year ceiling.
    • Academic Training Programs' direct trainee costs (in aggregate) must meet the 70/30 rule (at least 70% for trainee costs, max 30% for training-related expenses).
Principal Investigator (PD/PI) Eligibility
  • Qualifications: Individuals with the skills, knowledge, and resources to carry out the proposed research and training. Only one PD/PI is allowed per application.
  • Funder Relationship: A current recipient or applicant of the NIOSH T03 (Occupational Safety and Health Training Project Grants) award is not eligible to apply for an award or sub-award under this funding opportunity.
Trainee Eligibility
  • Citizenship: Trainees must be U.S. citizens, noncitizen nationals of the United States, or lawfully admitted for permanent residence (with valid Alien Registration Receipt Card, Form I-551). Individuals with temporary or student visas are not eligible.
  • Enrollment: Must be in full-time graduate academic programs (master's, doctoral degrees) or academic certificate programs (tuition/fees only for part-time/certificate students). Undergraduate degrees and non-academic certificate programs are not authorized.
  • Training Period: Required minimum of 9 months for NIOSH support. Limited to 5 years of aggregate NIOSH support at the predoctoral level and 3 years at the postdoctoral level (exceptions with prior approval).
Registration Requirements
  • All applicant organizations must complete and maintain active registrations in the System for Award Management (SAM) (including a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI)), eRA Commons, and Grants.gov prior to application submission. This process can take 6+ weeks.

Application Process

Application Submission Deadlines This grant has multiple application deadlines over several years. The latest possible submission date for a new application is October 26, 2028, at 5:00 PM U.S. Eastern Time. Additional deadlines are: * December 17, 2024 * October 23, 2025 * October 22, 2026 * October 21, 2027 Letter of Intent While not required and not binding, it is highly recommended to submit a Letter of Intent approximately 30 days prior to your chosen application due date. This helps NIOSH estimate the review workload. Submission Format and Platform Applications must be submitted electronically through Grants.gov. You can use either: * NIH ASSIST system: This is a commonly used platform that provides real-time validation of all requirements, helping prevent errors. * An institutional system-to-system (S2S) solution. Applicants are strongly encouraged to submit well in advance of the deadline to allow time for correcting any submission errors identified by Grants.gov or eRA systems. Required Documentation and Materials This is a multi-component application, requiring specific documents for the 'Overall' section and for each of the required and optional program components:
  • Overall Component (Required):
    • SF 424 (R&R) Cover & PHS 398 Cover Page Supplement
    • Research & Related Other Project Information (including Project Summary/Abstract, Project Narrative, Facilities and Other Resources)
    • Project/Performance Site Location(s)
    • R&R Senior/Key Person Profile (for Center Director/PI only)
    • Budget (Overall Estimated Project Funding, plus NIOSH Budget and FTE Tables as a PDF attachment)
    • PHS 398 Research Plan (Specific Aims, Research Strategy, Progress Report and Publications List, Resource Sharing Plan, and a Data Management Plan if collecting public health data).
    • Signed Letters of Support/Collaboration from participating institutions.
  • Individual Program Components (Required for Academic Training, Evaluation & Planning Core, Continuing Education, Outreach; Optional for Pilot Project Research, Targeted Research):
    • SF 424 (R&R) Cover & PHS 398 Cover Page Supplement (component-specific info)
    • R&R Other Project Information (component-specific sites, human subjects/vertebrate animals)
    • R&R Senior/Key Person Profile (for component Program Directors and other key personnel)
    • R&R Budget (detailed budget for each year of support for the specific component)
    • PHS 398 Research Training Program Plan (Program Plan, Progress Report for renewals, Data Tables where specified).
    • Component-specific Letters of Support.
Page Limitations Strict page limits apply to key sections. Pages exceeding these limits will be removed: * Overall: Research Strategy/Program Plan - 6 pages * Academic Training Programs: Program Plan - 15 pages (per program, aggregated) * Evaluation and Planning Core: Program Plan - 10 pages * Continuing Education Program: Program Plan - 10 pages * Outreach Program: Program Plan - 5 pages * Pilot Project Research Training Program (Optional): Program Plan - 10 pages * Targeted Research Training Program (Optional): Program Plan - 15 pages * Progress Reports: An additional 5 pages for renewals/revisions. * Note: References and NIOSH Data Tables are not included in page limits. Application Assistance
  • For ASSIST or eRA Commons issues: NIH eRA Service Desk (email: [email protected]; phone: 301-402-7469 or 1-866-504-9552; hours: M-F, 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. ET).
  • For Grants.gov issues: Grants.gov Contact Center (toll-free: 1-800-518-4726; 24/7).
  • It is crucial to resolve any errors or warnings before the deadline, as no grace period is provided.
Project Implementation Timeline and Reporting
  • Earliest Project Start Dates: July 1, 2025 (for applications submitted by Dec 2024), and subsequent July 1st dates for later application cycles.
  • Grant Duration: New applications are for 3 years. Renewal applications are for 5 years. Revision applications must be at least 2 years and not exceed the current award length. The overall maximum period of performance is 5 years.
  • Reporting Obligations: Recipients must submit annual progress reports (including NIOSH Data Tables 1, 2, and 3) and Federal Financial Reports. Detailed budgets are required for each consecutive year of support.
Post-Award Requirements
  • Awards are subject to HHS Grants Policy Statement and 2 CFR 200 (Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards).
  • Compliance with reporting requirements, including timely submission of data and financial reports, is mandatory for continued funding.

Evaluation Criteria

Applications for this grant will undergo a rigorous scientific and technical merit review by a CDC/NIOSH Scientific Review Group, followed by a second-level review by the NIOSH Secondary Review Committee. The review will assess both the Overall Center and each individual component. Overall Impact Score Reviewers will provide an overall impact/priority score for both the entire Center and for each individual component, reflecting the likelihood of the project to exert a sustained, powerful influence on the OSH field. Scored Review Criteria (for Overall Center and individual components) Each of the following criteria will receive a separate score:
  • Significance: Does the ERC address important problems or critical barriers in OSH? Will it advance the OSH field? Does it have a robust history of training OSH practitioners and leaders, including regional and national collaboration? Is there evidence of the ability to track graduates to determine impact?
  • Investigator(s): Does the ERC leadership team have experience in managing complex, multi-component centers in OSH? Are the Center Director and faculty highly qualified with strong records of accomplishments, support, and collaboration, contributing to OSH improvements? Is their commitment adequate?
  • Innovation: Does the ERC propose innovative approaches to training, research training, continuing education, outreach, and translation of research to practice (r2p)? Does it address the changing nature of work? Are there innovative strategies for recruiting diverse individuals across all programs?
  • Approach: Is there a well-described strategy for a successful, fully integrated, interdisciplinary ERC? Are recruitment plans for high-quality, diverse trainees clear? Does the ERC effectively engage key stakeholders, trainees, and an Advisory Council? Are outputs, outcomes, and impact measures clearly defined? Are challenges (e.g., collaboration, recruitment) clearly stated?
  • Environment: Is there strong institutional commitment to support ERC goals? Will the ERC benefit from unique features of the academic, public health, and scientific environment or collaborative arrangements? Are facilities and equipment appropriate for the described activities?
Additional Review Criteria (Not Separately Scored) Reviewers will also consider these aspects, but they will not contribute to a separate score:
  • Protections for Human Subjects: If research involves human subjects, evaluation of risks, adequacy of protection, potential benefits, importance of knowledge, and data/safety monitoring.
  • Inclusion of Women, Minorities, and Individuals Across the Lifespan: Assessment of proposed plans for inclusion (or exclusion) based on sex/gender, race, ethnicity, and age, ensuring scientific justification.
  • Vertebrate Animals: Evaluation of procedures, justification for animal use, and interventions to limit discomfort (if applicable).
  • Biohazards: Assessment of potential hazards and adequacy of protection.
  • Dual Use Research of Concern: Identification of agents/toxins and assessment of plans for risk mitigation.
Specific Criteria for Academic Training Programs Each academic program will be reviewed on: * Training Program and Environment: Does it fill a workforce need, ensure outstanding interdisciplinary OSH training, prepare for careers, promote participation, have innovative recruitment, and rigorous evaluation? Is there a formal oversight and mentoring plan? Does it have a successful retention history and critical mass of faculty/students? Is there institutional commitment? * Academic Training Program Director: Qualifications, expertise, administrative and training experience, commitment, and track record in mentoring diverse students. * Academic Training Program Faculty: Qualifications, teaching/mentoring experience, research support, and mix of junior/established faculty. * Trainees: Recruitment plan, competitive applicant pool, clear selection process, and progress monitoring. * Training Record: Success in obtaining OSH careers, timely degree completion, career advancement (grants, awards, publications) for research-track trainees. Instruction in responsible conduct of research. Specific Criteria for Evaluation and Planning Core, Continuing Education Program, Outreach Program, Pilot Project Research Training Program, and Targeted Research Training Program These components will be evaluated based on their specific significance, key personnel/investigator(s), innovation, approach, and environment, tailored to their respective objectives and activities.

Compliance & Special Requirements

Regulatory Compliance
  • Statutory Authority: This grant operates under the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, the Federal Mine Safety and Health Act, and the Public Health Service Act.
  • HHS Grants Policies: All awards are subject to the terms and conditions, cost principles, and other considerations outlined in the HHS Grants Policy Statement.
  • Executive Order 12372: This initiative is not subject to intergovernmental review.
Data Protection and Privacy Regulations
  • Data Management Plan (DMP): If your project plans to collect public health data, you must submit a Data Management Plan. This plan should describe the data, standards, access mechanisms (including protection of privacy, confidentiality, security, intellectual property), limitations to sharing data with CDC, use of data standards, and plans for archiving and long-term preservation.
  • Human Subjects Protection: For pilot projects involving human subjects, appropriate Institutional Review Board (IRB) review and approval are required. The IRB must be registered with the DHHS Office of Human Research Protections and have a current Federal-wide Assurance Number. This approval must be obtained before pilot project funding.
Ethical Standards and Requirements
  • Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR): All trainees must be instructed in the responsible conduct of research. This includes topics such as scientific integrity, misconduct, data management, authorship, peer review, conflicts of interest, mentor/mentee responsibilities, collaborative science, civility, laboratory safety, human/animal research subjects, and ethical issues in biomedical research.
Trainee Requirements
  • Citizenship: Trainees must be U.S. citizens, noncitizen nationals of the United States (e.g., born in American Samoa), or lawfully admitted for permanent residence (must have a valid Alien Registration Receipt Card, Form I-551). Individuals with temporary or student visas are not eligible for NIOSH support.
  • Full-Time Status: To be eligible for a stipend, a student must generally be in full-time status (at least 40 hours/week devoted to training activities). Part-time students are limited to tuition and fees only.
  • Training Period Limits: Trainee support is limited to 5 years of aggregate NIOSH support at the predoctoral level and 3 years at the postdoctoral level. Any requests to go beyond these limits require strong justification and prior approval.
Organizational Structure Preferences
  • Institutional Commitment: Applicants must demonstrate strong institutional commitment and plans for the sustainability of the Education and Research Center (ERC).
  • Leadership: The ERC must have a strong leader and leadership team (Center Director, Deputy Director, Program Directors) committed to the ERC's success and able to integrate all programs. Justification is needed if key personnel are not full-time employees.
  • Advisory Council: ERCs are expected to establish an external Advisory Council of OSH stakeholders, including leaders from labor, industry, business, government, academia, and professional associations, meeting at least annually and reflecting the diversity of the region served.
Special Considerations and Strategic Opportunities
  • Regional Needs Assessment: ERCs must document how their proposed academic, research training, CE, and outreach programs meet specific regional or national workforce needs and demands.
  • Collaboration and Partnerships: Strong emphasis on collaborative efforts with a diverse range of organizations including professional associations, worker advocacy groups, businesses, industries, public health agencies, and Minority Serving Institutions.
  • Addressing Emerging Issues: The grant encourages centers to address emerging issues in OSH, including responses to natural disasters, man-made events, and public health crises (e.g., COVID-19 pandemic lessons).
  • Translation of Research to Practice (r2p) and Prevention through Design (PtD): ERCs are expected to translate scientific discoveries into practice through effective training, research, continuing education, and outreach.
  • Avoid Duplication: Applicants must identify other NIOSH-supported centers in their HHS Federal Region and describe how they will collaborate to build OSH capacity while avoiding overlap of services.
  • Program Income: Any program income generated under the grant will be added to the project funds to further eligible objectives, but requires prior approval from the Grants Management Officer (GMO).
  • Duplication of Efforts: Applicants must report any programmatic, budgetary, or commitment overlap with other funding sources. Overlap (e.g., same project, duplicate budget items, individual's time commitment exceeding 100%) is not permitted and will be resolved by CDC prior to award.
  • No Clinical Trials: This funding opportunity is not applicable to clinical trials.

Grant Details

occupational safety occupational health osh public health training education graduate training postgraduate training research training continuing education outreach niosh cdc academic institutions universities nonprofits government grants us government funding workforce development safety standards health and well-being interdisciplinary training nora r2p prevention through design industrial hygiene occupational health nursing occupational medicine occupational safety ergonomics mine safety agricultural safety total worker health capacity building us-based national impact
Occupational Safety and Health Education and Research Centers (T42)
RFA-OH-25-002
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) / National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) grant program
UNIVERSITY NONPROFIT ENTERPRISE PUBLIC OTHER
US
HEALTHCARE EDUCATION OTHER
GROWTH MATURE
500+
SDG3 SDG4 SDG8 SDG9 SDG17
FUNDING TRAINING_EDUCATION RESEARCH_DEVELOPMENT CAPACITY_BUILDING NETWORKING
None
32000000.00
4000000.00
9000000.00
USD
100.00
Oct. 26, 2028, 9 p.m.
February 2025 - May 2029