Notice of Intent to Publish a Funding Opportunity Announcement for NIEHS Worker Training Program’s Hazardous Materials Worker Health and Safety Training (U45 – Clinical Trials Not Allowed)
🏛 National Institutes of Health (HHS-NIH11)
✓ Free, no account · Source: Grants.gov · Last verified Jul 15, 2026
Can you apply?
This grant is for organizations that provide health and safety training to hazardous materials and hazardous waste workers. Eligible applicants typically include nonprofit organizations, academic institutions, government agencies, and private training providers with expertise in occupational health and safety education.
The program funds three areas: Hazardous Waste Worker Training (required core program), Environmental Career Worker Training, and Hazmat Disaster Preparedness Training. Applicants may include all three programs, but the core Hazardous Waste Worker Training Program is required.
Training must cover classroom, online, and practical instruction for workers and supervisors engaged in hazardous materials handling, waste management, transportation, or emergency response activities. No clinical trials are permitted under this funding mechanism.
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Key dates
- May 28, 2025 Applications open
- Nov 25, 2025 Application deadline
- Jun 1, 2026 Award announced
- Jun 1, 2026 Project start
Program description
The National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) intends to publish a Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) to solicit applications for the NIEHS Worker Training Program’s Hazardous Materials Worker Health and Safety Training Program (U45 Clinical Trials Not Allowed).
The Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act of 1986 (SARA), Section126(g), authorizes an assistance program for training and education of workers engaged in activities related to hazardous waste generation, removal, containment or emergency response and hazardous materials transportation and emergency response. The United States Congress assigned responsibility for administering this program to the NIEHS, an Institute of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) under the US Department of Health and Human Services (US DHHS).
This funding opportunity will utilize the U45 activity code to provide support for the development of health and safety training of workers exposed to hazardous materials. This consists of classroom, online, and practical health and safety training for workers and their supervisors, who are engaged in activities related to hazardous materials, hazardous waste generation, treatment, storage, disposal, removal, containment, transportation, or emergency response. This NOFO lists three distinct program areas: Hazardous Waste Worker Training Program (HWWTP), the Environmental Career Worker Training Program (ECWTP), and the Hazmat Disaster Preparedness Training Program (HDPTP). The core program is the HWWTP and is required in order to add the other two optional programs. Investigators with expertise and insights into this area of occupational health and safety education and training are encouraged to begin to consider applying for this new NOFO. In addition, collaborative investigations combining expertise in industrial hygiene and environmental exposures will be encouraged and these investigators should also begin considering applying for this application.
Who can apply
Eligible applicants
Demographic focus
How to apply
Application links
Key dates & requirements
Required documents
- Application form (NIH SF-424)
- Project narrative/description
- Budget and budget justification
- Organizational capacity and credentials documentation
- Evidence of training delivery experience
- Curriculum materials or training plans
Program contact
- 👤 Sharon Beard National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS)
- 📧 beard1@niehs.nih.gov
- 📞 984-287-3237
Funding track record
Recent awards under CFDA 93.142 from the last 3 years — real organizations that won funding through this same program.
Top 10 Largest Recent Awards
-
$58,848,645
-
$44,441,204
-
$40,434,015
-
$38,123,343
-
$37,221,206
-
$35,505,477
-
$35,403,490
-
Oai Inc IL$30,997,076
-
$27,084,951
-
$26,666,380
Top States by Funding
- MD 5 awards $85.8M
- DC 4 awards $80.3M
- PA 2 awards $63.5M
- OH 2 awards $48.2M
- NJ 3 awards $38.4M
Source: USAspending.gov — federal spending transparency. Data covers last 3 years.
Funding history
Annual funding for this program — Federal obligations (CFDA 93.142). How funding has trended year over year.
| 2024 | $35,159,076 | |
| 2025 | $35,859,076 |
FAQ
Who can apply for this grant?
Nonprofit organizations, academic institutions, government agencies, and private training providers with expertise in occupational health and safety training for hazardous materials workers. You must have capacity to deliver classroom, online, and practical training.
What is the deadline for applications?
The deadline is November 25, 2025. This is a fixed deadline; rolling applications are not accepted.
What training activities are supported?
Health and safety training for workers in hazardous waste management, hazardous materials handling, transportation, and emergency response. The core Hazardous Waste Worker Training Program is required; two additional optional programs may be included.
Is cost sharing required?
No cost sharing is required for this grant, making it more accessible for smaller organizations with limited matching funds.
What funding mechanism is used?
This award uses a cooperative agreement, meaning NIH will have substantial involvement and collaboration with the recipient during project implementation.
💡 Tips for applicants
- Start planning now. This is a Notice of Intent; the full NOFO will be published later. Begin developing your training curriculum and partnerships early.
- Emphasize occupational health expertise. Demonstrate your organization's experience in industrial hygiene and worker safety training for hazardous materials.
- Highlight practical training capacity. Show you can deliver not just classroom instruction but hands-on, practical training for workers in real-world hazardous environments.
- Consider collaborative partnerships. Partnering with industrial hygiene experts, environmental health professionals, or emergency response specialists strengthens your application significantly.
- Document training outcomes. Include data on past training effectiveness, worker certification rates, and employment or safety outcome improvements from your prior programs.
⚠️ Common mistakes
Applying without occupational health or environmental safety expertise. Proposing only classroom training without practical components. Failing to address all three program areas or ignoring that the core Hazardous Waste Worker Training Program is mandatory.
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