Commercial Fishing Occupational Safety Training Project Grants (T03)
🏛 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention - ERA (HHS-CDC-HHSCDCERA)
Can you apply?
This grant is for organizations developing occupational safety training for United States commercial fishermen. Eligible applicants include faith-based and community organizations, regional organizations, tribal organizations, public housing authorities, school districts, and bona fide agents of state or local governments. Projects must develop training programs addressing fishermen's safety needs, provide qualified instructors, evaluate training impact, and coordinate with existing industry partnerships. All training must conform to federal commercial fishing safety standards under 46 U.S.C. § 4502.
⚖️ Cost sharing / matching required — applicants must contribute their own funds.
Program description
The goal of the training grant program is to enhance the quality and availability of safety training for United States commercial fishermen. Availability includes the frequency, geographic considerations, channels or partners of dissemination, culturally and/or educational appropriate training material, and other characteristics of a successful training program. As a result, the Coast Guard and NIOSH invite applications to support the development and implementation of training
and education programs that:
develop and deliver training which addresses the needs of commercial fishermen in the United States
provide qualified marine safety instructors, or otherwise accepted by the National Maritime Center instructors and faculty to conduct the training
evaluate the effectiveness and impact of the training program on reducing injuries among fishermen
coordinate with existing training programs and partnerships with industry fishermen, and agencies
conform to 46 U.S.C. § 4502 (i) Safety Standards for commercial fishing safety training
In order to support and administer the grant program, the Coast Guard and NIOSH signed a Memorandum of Understanding on May 17, 2018. While the Coast Guard, along with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), provides regulatory oversight for safety and health matters within the commercial fishing industry, NIOSH is an agency operating under the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) with the mission of generating new knowledge in occupational safety and health and transferring that knowledge into practice to prevent worker injury, illness and death. NIOSH conducts and funds scientific research, develops methods to prevent occupational hazards, develops guidance and authoritative recommendations, translates scientific knowledge into products and services, disseminates information, identifies factors underlying work-related disease and injury and responds to requests for workplace health hazard evaluations.
Who can apply
Eligible applicants
- 501(c)(3) Public Charity
- City / Municipal Government
- County Government
- Faith-based Organization
- Nonprofits
- Private University
- Public Authority
- Public K-12 School
- Public University
- Small Business (SBA-defined)
- Special District
- State Government
- Tribal Nation
- Tribal Organization
Demographic focus
How to apply
Application links
Key dates & requirements
Required documents
- Project narrative describing training development and delivery
- Budget and budget narrative
- Evaluation plan with injury reduction metrics
- Letters of support from industry partners and training coordinators
- Documentation of instructor qualifications or pathway to National Maritime Center acceptance
- For bona fide agents: legal binding agreement from state or local government
Program contact
- 👤 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention - ERA
- 📧 bgarrett@cdc.gov
- 📞 404-498-2015
Funding track record
Recent awards under CFDA 93.262 from the last 3 years — real organizations that won funding through this same program.
Top 10 Largest Recent Awards
-
$119,835,396
-
$84,316,965
-
$30,624,479
-
$30,493,512
-
$29,920,153
-
$29,848,766
-
$29,746,441
-
$29,626,667
-
$29,621,475
-
$29,507,359
Top States by Funding
- NY 21 awards $226.0M
- MD 3 awards $119.8M
- CA 5 awards $104.6M
- MA 6 awards $78.4M
- CO 5 awards $74.1M
Source: USAspending.gov — federal spending transparency. Data covers last 3 years.
Funding history
Annual funding for this program — Federal obligations (CFDA 93.262). How funding has trended year over year.
| 2024 | $130,993,880 | |
| 2025 | $127,849,749 | |
| 2026 est. | $113,003,523 |
FAQ
Who is eligible to apply for this grant?
Faith-based and community-based organizations, regional organizations, tribal organizations, school districts, public housing authorities, and bona fide agents of state/local government can apply. Federally Funded Research and Development Centers (FFRDCs) also qualify.
What must my training program address?
Your program must develop training for commercial fishermen that addresses occupational safety needs. All training must comply with 46 U.S.C. § 4502 safety standards and be delivered by qualified instructors accepted by the National Maritime Center.
What documents and elements are required?
You need a project narrative, budget, evaluation plan, and documentation of partnerships with industry and existing training programs. Bona fide agent applicants must include a legal binding agreement from their state or local government.
What funding is available?
Awards range from $250,000 to $975,000 with a total funding pool of $3,000,000. Cost-sharing is required, though specific percentages are not detailed in this announcement.
When is the deadline and can I reapply?
The deadline is January 31, 2028. The announcement does not specify reapplication policies, so contact NIOSH directly for guidance on resubmission.
💡 Tips for applicants
- Emphasize how your training addresses specific safety gaps for commercial fishermen in particular geographic regions or fishing types.
- Partner with established industry associations, Coast Guard offices, and existing training programs to strengthen your coordination plan.
- Detail your evaluation methodology clearly, showing how you'll measure reductions in fishermen injuries and training effectiveness.
- Ensure your instructors are either already qualified or have a clear pathway to obtaining National Maritime Center acceptance.
- Include a detailed dissemination plan addressing frequency, geography, cultural appropriateness, and educational accessibility of training delivery.
⚠️ Common mistakes
Failing to include a strong partnership and coordination plan with existing industry training programs and regulatory agencies. Not clearly demonstrating how training complies with 46 U.S.C. § 4502 safety standards. Submitting a weak evaluation plan that doesn't specify how you'll measure injury reduction outcomes.
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