Occupational Safety and Health Education and Research Centers (T42)

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Description

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), through the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), funds Education and Research Centers (ERCs) to address the national need for highly qualified professionals in occupational safety and health (OSH). These academic centers provide interdisciplinary graduate and post-graduate training, research training, continuing education, and outreach in core OSH disciplines—industrial hygiene, occupational health nursing, occupational medicine, and occupational safety—as well as allied fields.

ERCs serve as regional and national resources, collaborating with professional associations, worker advocacy groups, businesses, industries, and public health agencies. They also work with Minority Serving Institutions and other NIOSH-supported training programs to enhance workforce diversity and impact worker health, safety, and well-being.

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Due Dates

• Letter of Intent (optional): 30 days prior to application due date
• Application Deadlines:
  • December 17, 2024
  • October 23, 2025
  • October 22, 2026
  • October 21, 2027
  • October 26, 2028
• Earliest Start Dates: July 1 of the year following submission
• Expiration Date: October 30, 2028

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Funding Amount

• Award Ceiling: $1,800,000 per year (direct + indirect costs)
• Total Project Period: 3 years (new applicants), 5 years (renewals)
• Total Award Range: $5,400,000–$9,000,000 per center
• Estimated Number of Awards: Up to 18
• Total Program Funding: ~$32,000,000 per year
• Indirect Costs: Limited to 8% of modified total direct costs

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Eligibility

• Eligible Applicants:

  • Public and private institutions of higher education (must be able to award graduate and post-graduate degrees)
  • State, county, city, township, and special district governments
  • Independent school districts
  • Federally recognized and other Native American tribal governments/organizations
  • Nonprofits (with or without 501(c)(3) status, other than institutions of higher education)
  • For-profit organizations (other than small businesses)
  • Small businesses
  • Public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities
  • Others as defined in the NOFO

• Restrictions:

  • Only one application per institution, college, or university
  • Current recipients or applicants of the NIOSH T03 “Occupational Safety and Health Training Project Grants” are ineligible for this award or sub-award
  • Foreign organizations and components are not eligible

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Application Process

• Submission Platform: Electronic submission via Grants.gov and eRA Commons (ASSIST or institutional S2S system)
• Required Registrations: SAM.gov, Grants.gov, eRA Commons (for both institution and PI)
• Application Components:
  • Overall Center description
  • At least three Academic Training Programs (minimum two in core OSH disciplines)
  • Evaluation and Planning Core
  • Continuing Education Program
  • Outreach Program
  • Optional: Pilot Project Research Training Program, Targeted Research Training Program
  • Data Tables (NIOSH Tables 1, 2, and 3)
  • Letters of support, biosketches, budget, and justifications
• Page Limits: Vary by component (see NOFO for details)
• Letter of Intent: Strongly encouraged, not required

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Program Structure and Allowable Costs

• Required Components:

  • Academic Training Programs (minimum 3; at least 2 core disciplines)
  • Evaluation and Planning Core
  • Continuing Education Program
  • Outreach Program

• Optional Components:

  • Pilot Project Research Training Program (up to $100,000/year)
  • Targeted Research Training Program (up to $300,000/year)

• Budget Requirements:

  • At least 70% of Academic Training Program funds must support trainee costs (stipends, tuition, fees, travel)
  • Up to 30% for training-related expenses (faculty/staff salary, supplies, equipment, non-trainee travel)
  • Equipment purchases must be strongly justified
  • Indirect costs capped at 8% of modified total direct costs

• Trainee Eligibility: U.S. citizens, noncitizen nationals, or permanent residents

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Review Criteria

Applications will be evaluated on:

• Significance and impact on regional/national OSH workforce needs
• Leadership and qualifications of the Center Director and faculty
• Innovation in training, research, continuing education, and outreach
• Integration and interdisciplinarity of the Center
• Institutional commitment and resources
• Evaluation and performance measurement plans
• Diversity and inclusion efforts

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Additional Information

• Limited Submission: Only one application per institution; coordinate internally before applying.
• Ineligible Applicants: Current NIOSH T03 grantees/applicants.
• No cost sharing required.
• No clinical trials required or allowed under this mechanism.
• Data Management Plan: Not required for training grants, but may be needed if collecting public health data.

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External Links

• Full Funding Opportunity Announcement (RFA-OH-25-002)
• CDC NIOSH ERC Program Overview
• NIOSH National Occupational Research Agenda (NORA)
• NIOSH Data Tables and Application Resources
• CDC Grants Application Resources
• NIH ASSIST System
• Grants.gov Opportunity Listing

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Contact Information

For additional details, see the NOFO contact section.

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