Influenza Modeling and Forecasting
🏛 Centers for Disease Control - NCIRD
Can you apply?
This grant is for organizations conducting research on influenza modeling, forecasting, and prediction methods. Eligible applicants include research institutions, public health agencies, universities, and nonprofit research organizations. Projects must advance scientific understanding of influenza transmission, seasonality, and outbreak patterns. Work should support CDC's infectious disease surveillance and response capabilities.
Applicants must have demonstrated capacity in epidemiological research, data analysis, and computational modeling. Collaboration with public health agencies is encouraged. Preference may be given to projects addressing pandemic preparedness and real-time forecasting systems.
This is a research-focused grant. Funding supports salaries, equipment, and operational costs directly related to modeling and forecasting work. International partnerships and cross-disciplinary teams are eligible if a U.S. institution is the lead applicant.
Key dates
- Aug 1, 2025 Applications open
- May 26, 2026 Application deadline
- Sep 15, 2026 Award announced
- Sep 30, 2026 Project start
Program description
The purpose of this Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) is to grow a network of researchers that strengthens CDC’s use of influenza modeling and forecasting to provide situational awareness, inform influenza prevention and control efforts, advance the science of influenza forecasting and modeling, and enhance communication of related findings with key partners, including state, local, and non-governmental organizations. These efforts will inform strategies to mitigate influenza-related morbidity and mortality. This includes populations at higher risk of influenza or with lower uptake of or access to influenza prevention and control measures.
Who can apply
Eligible applicants
How to apply
Application links
Key dates & requirements
Required documents
- SF-424 (Application for Federal Assistance)
- Project Narrative (research approach and significance)
- Budget and Budget Narrative
- Biosketches for key personnel
- Letters of commitment from partner health agencies
- Data management plan
- Institutional Review Board (IRB) approval or exemption letter (if human subjects research)
Program contact
- 👤 Rebecca Borchering
- 📧 xhq2@cdc.gov
- 📞 404.639.5214
Funding track record
Recent awards under CFDA 93.185 from the last 3 years — real organizations that won funding through this same program.
Top 10 Largest Recent Awards
-
$134,353,547
-
$120,599,685
-
$116,028,010
-
$114,778,489
-
$114,421,750
-
$110,795,205
-
$106,257,202
-
$104,438,072
-
$80,092,486
-
$70,458,124
Top States by Funding
- NY 3 awards $156.7M
- AL 1 awards $134.4M
- KY 1 awards $120.6M
- TX 2 awards $119.3M
- OK 1 awards $116.0M
Source: USAspending.gov — federal spending transparency. Data covers last 3 years.
Funding history
Annual funding for this program — Federal obligations (CFDA 93.185). How funding has trended year over year.
| 2024 | $125,888,137 | |
| 2025 | $97,853,899 | |
| 2026 est. | $51,929,831 |
FAQ
Who can apply for this grant?
Research institutions, universities, public health agencies, and nonprofit research organizations with epidemiological expertise can apply. For-profit companies may apply as subawardees under a nonprofit or academic lead.
What types of projects are funded?
Projects developing influenza models, forecasting systems, prediction algorithms, and surveillance tools. Work that improves data integration and real-time outbreak prediction is prioritized.
What is the typical funding range?
Federal research grants from CDC typically range from $100,000 to $500,000 annually, depending on project scope and duration. Some awards may be larger for multi-year collaborations.
How competitive is this grant?
This is highly competitive. CDC research grants attract applications from leading universities and research institutions. Strong preliminary data and established collaborations with health departments significantly improve chances.
When is the deadline?
Application opens August 1, 2025. Check Grants.gov for the specific submission deadline, which is usually 30-60 days after opening.
💡 Tips for applicants
- Start with strong preliminary data showing your model's accuracy or forecasting capability in past seasons or outbreaks.
- Build partnerships with state or local health departments early. They can provide real-world data access and letters of support.
- Clearly explain how your work directly supports CDC's surveillance mission and response operations.
- Address data privacy and security explicitly, especially if using patient-level or real-time surveillance data.
- Include a realistic timeline with measurable milestones tied to each budget period.
⚠️ Common mistakes
Applications lack real-world validation data or fail to show models work with actual surveillance systems. Teams underestimate complexity of integrating forecasts into public health practice. Budgets don't include sufficient personnel or computing resources for modeling at scale.
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