Opportunity Information: Apply for PAR 15 303
Apply for PAR 15 303
- The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in the health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Occupational Safety and Health Education and Research Centers (42)" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.262 Occupational Safety and Health Program.
- This funding opportunity was created on Sep 1, 2015 and posted on Sep 1, 2015.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Oct 18, 2019. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- The funding agency has allocated a total of $24,000,000.00 to eligible and selected applicants.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 20 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).
- Higher Education Institutions Public/State Controlled Institutions of Higher Education Private Institutions of Higher Education The following types of Higher Education Institutions are always encouraged to apply for NIH support as Public or Private Institutions of Higher Education Hispanic serving Institutions Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs) Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions Asian American Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions (AANAPISIs) Nonprofits Other Than Institutions of Higher Education Nonprofits with 501(c)(3) IRS Status (Other than Institutions of Higher Education) Nonprofits without 501(c)(3) IRS Status (Other than Institutions of Higher Education) For Profit Organizations Small Businesses For Profit Organizations (Other than Small Businesses) Governments State Governments County Governments City or Township Governments Special District Governments Indian/Native American Tribal Governments (Federally Recognized) Indian/Native American Tribal Governments (Other than Federally Recognized) Eligible Agencies of the Federal Government U.S. Territory or Possession Other Independent School Districts Public Housing Authorities/Indian Housing Authorities Native American Tribal Organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments) Faith based or Community based Organizations Regional Organizations
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Opportunity Summary:
The Occupational Safety and Health Education and Research Centers (ERCs) grant opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number PAR 15-303) is a National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) program housed within the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) that funds academic-based centers to strengthen the nations workforce and leadership pipeline in occupational safety and health. The core purpose is training and capacity-building: NIOSH has a statutory responsibility under the Occupational Safety and Health Act to help ensure an adequate supply of well-prepared professionals who can prevent workplace injury, illness, and death. ERCs are described as one of the main ways NIOSH fulfills that mandate, because they act as multi-disciplinary hubs that combine graduate education, research training, continuing education, and practical outreach to employers, workers, and communities.
At the center of this opportunity is the expectation that funded ERCs will provide high-quality, interdisciplinary training in the main occupational safety and health disciplines. The announcement highlights four core areas that ERCs are expected to cover: industrial hygiene (IH), occupational health nursing (OHN), occupational medicine residency (OMR), and occupational safety (OS). In addition to these core disciplines, the program supports closely related allied fields, recognizing that modern worker health and safety problems often require cross-cutting expertise. The ERC model is meant to produce graduates who can work across professional boundaries, communicate with diverse stakeholders, and apply evidence-based approaches in real workplaces rather than staying siloed in a single specialty.
Research and research training are treated as essential, not optional add-ons. Faculty and trainees in ERCs are expected to conduct occupational safety and health research that aligns with the NIOSH National Occupational Research Agenda (NORA), which is the institutes framework for prioritizing research needs in the field. In practical terms, this means ERCs are not only teaching existing knowledge, but also generating new knowledge, testing interventions, and contributing to the evidence base that informs policies, standards, and best practices. Trainee involvement in research is emphasized as part of building the next generation of investigators and practitioner-scholars who can translate findings into workplace improvements.
Another defining feature of the program is its strong public service orientation. ERCs are expected to function as regional resources for industry, labor, government, and the general public. That role typically includes continuing education for current professionals, short courses and trainings, technical assistance, and broader outreach efforts that help spread proven prevention strategies. The intent is to make the ERCs visible and useful beyond campus boundaries, so that the centers help raise the competence of the existing workforce while also preparing new professionals through degree and residency pathways.
From a funding and administrative standpoint, this is a discretionary grant program in the health category (CFDA 93.262, Occupational Safety and Health Program). The posting date and creation date are both September 1, 2015, with an original and current closing date of October 18, 2019, and an archive date of November 17, 2019. The opportunity anticipated around 20 awards, with an estimated total funding level of $24,000,000 across awards. The published award ceiling and floor are listed as $0, which generally signals that applicants needed to rely on the full announcement and program guidance for budgeting expectations rather than using fixed caps in the summary table. No cost sharing or matching requirement is indicated, meaning applicants were not required by this notice to contribute a specific non-federal share as a condition of eligibility.
Eligibility is broad and includes a wide range of organizations, though ERCs are fundamentally anchored in higher education and training capacity. Eligible applicants include public/state-controlled and private institutions of higher education, with encouragement for applications from institutions that serve historically underrepresented populations, including Hispanic-serving institutions, Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs), Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian-serving institutions, and AANAPISIs. Beyond universities, eligibility also extends to certain nonprofit organizations (with or without 501(c)(3) status), for-profit entities (including small businesses), and many levels of government (state, county, city/township, special districts, and tribal governments, both federally recognized and other-than-federally recognized). The notice also lists U.S. territories or possessions, independent school districts, public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities, tribal organizations, faith-based or community-based organizations, regional organizations, and eligible federal agencies. Even with this wide eligibility list, the program description makes clear that successful ERC applicants must be able to deliver graduate-level interdisciplinary training, research training, continuing education, and outreach at a level consistent with an established or well-justified center program.
For additional detail, the opportunity points to a related NIH/NIOSH notice link (http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/NOT-OH-15-011.html). The listed contact for access issues is Mary Pat Shanahan, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), OD, Environmental, Occupational Health and Injury Prevention Services Branch, Team 1, Procurement and Grants Office, located at 626 Cochrans Mill Road, Pittsburgh, PA 15236-0070, telephone 301-412-386-4453, email mshanahan@cdc.gov.
FAQs: Occupational Safety and Health Education and Research Centers (ERCs) Grant (PAR 15-303)
What is the ERC grant opportunity (PAR 15-303)?
The Occupational Safety and Health Education and Research Centers (ERCs) grant opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number PAR 15-303) is a National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) program housed within the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). It funds academic-based centers designed to strengthen the nation's workforce and leadership pipeline in occupational safety and health.
What is the main purpose of the ERC program?
The core purpose is training and capacity-building. NIOSH has a statutory responsibility under the Occupational Safety and Health Act to help ensure an adequate supply of well-prepared professionals who can prevent workplace injury, illness, and death. ERCs are described as one of the main ways NIOSH fulfills that mandate by serving as multidisciplinary hubs for education, research training, continuing education, and outreach.
Which federal agency and institute run this program?
The program is run by NIOSH, which is part of the CDC.
What types of activities are ERCs expected to provide?
ERCs are expected to combine graduate education, research training, continuing education, and practical outreach to employers, workers, and communities. The intent is for ERCs to function beyond campus boundaries and serve as visible regional resources.
What training disciplines are considered the ERC core areas?
The announcement highlights four core occupational safety and health disciplines that ERCs are expected to cover: industrial hygiene (IH), occupational health nursing (OHN), occupational medicine residency (OMR), and occupational safety (OS).
Does the program support fields outside the four core disciplines?
Yes. In addition to the core disciplines, the program supports closely related allied fields, recognizing that modern worker health and safety problems often require cross-cutting expertise.
Is interdisciplinary training a requirement or just encouraged?
Interdisciplinary training is central to the ERC model. The opportunity emphasizes producing graduates who can work across professional boundaries, communicate with diverse stakeholders, and apply evidence-based approaches in real workplaces rather than remaining siloed in a single specialty.
Is research required as part of an ERC, or is it optional?
Research and research training are treated as essential, not optional add-ons. Faculty and trainees are expected to conduct occupational safety and health research aligned with the NIOSH National Occupational Research Agenda (NORA).
What is NORA and how does it relate to this grant?
NORA is the NIOSH National Occupational Research Agenda, described as the institute's framework for prioritizing research needs in the field. ERC research and research training are expected to align with NORA.
Are trainees expected to participate in research?
Yes. Trainee involvement in research is emphasized as part of building the next generation of investigators and practitioner-scholars who can translate findings into workplace improvements.
What does the opportunity mean by the ERCs "public service orientation"?
ERCs are expected to function as regional resources for industry, labor, government, and the general public. This typically includes continuing education for current professionals, short courses and trainings, technical assistance, and broader outreach efforts to spread proven prevention strategies.
Who are ERCs intended to serve outside the university setting?
The opportunity describes ERCs as regional resources for industry, labor, government, and the general public, with outreach aimed at employers, workers, and communities.
What is the CFDA number and program category for this opportunity?
This is a discretionary grant program in the health category under CFDA 93.262, Occupational Safety and Health Program.
How many awards were anticipated and what was the estimated total funding?
The opportunity anticipated around 20 awards, with an estimated total funding level of $24,000,000 across awards.
What were the posting, closing, and archive dates listed for this opportunity?
The posting date and creation date are both September 1, 2015. The original and current closing date is October 18, 2019. The archive date is November 17, 2019.
What were the award ceiling and floor listed in the summary?
The published award ceiling and floor are both listed as $0, which generally indicates applicants needed to rely on the full announcement and program guidance for budgeting expectations rather than using fixed caps in the summary table.
Was cost sharing or matching required?
No cost sharing or matching requirement is indicated in the notice, meaning applicants were not required by this notice to contribute a specific non-federal share as a condition of eligibility.
Who is eligible to apply for PAR 15-303?
Eligibility is broad. Eligible applicants include public/state-controlled and private institutions of higher education. The notice also lists nonprofit organizations (with or without 501(c)(3) status), for-profit entities (including small businesses), and many levels of government (state, county, city/township, special districts, and tribal governments, both federally recognized and other-than-federally recognized), as well as U.S. territories or possessions, independent school districts, public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities, tribal organizations, faith-based or community-based organizations, regional organizations, eligible federal agencies, and others named in the eligibility section.
Are applications encouraged from institutions serving historically underrepresented populations?
Yes. The opportunity encourages applications from institutions that serve historically underrepresented populations, including Hispanic-serving institutions, Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs), Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian-serving institutions, and AANAPISIs.
If eligibility is broad, what kind of capacity is implied for a successful ERC applicant?
Even with the broad eligibility list, the program description indicates that successful ERC applicants must be able to deliver graduate-level interdisciplinary training, research training, continuing education, and outreach at a level consistent with an established or well-justified center program.
Where can applicants find a related official notice for additional details?
The opportunity points to a related NIH/NIOSH notice at http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/NOT-OH-15-011.html.
Who is the listed contact for access issues and what are the contact details?
The listed contact for access issues is Mary Pat Shanahan, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), OD, Environmental, Occupational Health and Injury Prevention Services Branch, Team 1, Procurement and Grants Office. Address: 626 Cochrans Mill Road, Pittsburgh, PA 15236-0070. Telephone: 301-412-386-4453. Email: mshanahan@cdc.gov.
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