Centers for Agriculture, Forestry, and Fishing Safety and Health (U54)
🏛 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention - ERA (HHS-CDC-HHSCDCERA)
✓ Free, no account · Source: Grants.gov · Last verified Jul 15, 2026
Can you apply?
This grant is for research institutions, universities, and public health organizations addressing occupational safety and health in agriculture, forestry, and fishing sectors. Applicants must establish a regional NIOSH Center capable of conducting multidisciplinary research, education, training, and outreach. Centers must engage local and regional partners and demonstrate capacity for sustained impact on worker safety and health.
Eligible activities include intervention research, research-to-practice translation, technology development (including AI), workforce education, and data collection on occupational injuries and illnesses. Centers integrate food systems and One Health approaches into occupational safety work. The program supports up to twelve regional centers nationally.
Geographic scope is national, with centers expected to serve specific regions effectively. No cost-sharing requirement applies.
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Key dates
- Jul 15, 2026 Applications open
- Mar 3, 2027 Application deadline in 230 days
- Aug 1, 2027 Award announced
- Sep 1, 2027 Project start
Program description
The Agriculture, Forestry, and Fishing (AgFF) sector is essential to the safety, security, and economic stability of the U.S. because it produces the nation’s food, fuel, and fiber. At the same time, AgFF workers experience some of the highest occupational fatality and non-fatal injury rates of any sector. AgFF workers also face increased risk of poor mental health, death by suicide, and substance use disorder.
The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) is committed to addressing a wide range of occupational health and safety hazards affecting people who work in the production, processing, and transportation of AgFF products.
This notice of funding opportunity (NOFO) will support up to twelve regional NIOSH Centers for Agriculture, Forestry, and Fishing Safety and Health (AgFF Centers). Each AgFF Center will advance the NIOSH mission and priorities through high-quality research, education, training, and outreach. Key Center activities include:
- Conducting high-quality, multidisciplinary science, with an emphasis on intervention and implementation research;
- Advancing AgFF research-to-practice (r2p) by translating scientific discoveries into practical, real-world solutions;
- Developing and evaluating technology, including AI and automation, to reduce workplace hazards and improve health outcomes for AgFF workers;
- Engaging with a variety of regional and national partners to effectively communicate new knowledge and best practices;
- Integrating food systems and One Health approaches into occupational safety, health, and well-being; and
- Improving the coordination and collection of data on injury, illness, disability, and death for AgFF workers.
AgFF Centers work closely with NIOSH AgFF program leadership and collaborate with other AgFF Centers, NIOSH scientists (when applicable), academic and research partners, industry and community groups, and other organizations. Funded Centers are expected to have significant, widespread, and sustained local and regional impact. Together, these efforts should collectively contribute to the national advancement of AgFF workers’ safety, health, and well-being.
Who can apply
Eligible applicants
- 501(c)(3) Public Charity
- City / Municipal Government
- County Government
- 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
- SF-424 (R&R form)
- Project Narrative/Research Plan
- Budget and Budget Narrative
- Organizational Capacity Documentation
- Letters of Support from Regional Partners
- Key Personnel Biosketches
- Data Management Plan
- Evaluation Plan
Program contact
- 👤 Jessica MK Streit, Scientific Program Official
- 📧 jstreit@cdc.gov
- 📞 513-533-8107
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
-
$32,293,512
-
$31,307,359
-
$31,273,504
-
$31,109,864
-
$30,624,479
-
$30,094,184
-
$29,920,153
-
$29,746,441
Top States by Funding
- NY 22 awards $229.1M
- MD 3 awards $121.4M
- CA 6 awards $109.6M
- MA 6 awards $80.8M
- MI 3 awards $76.4M
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 can apply for an AgFF Center grant?
Research institutions, universities, and public health organizations with capacity to operate a regional occupational safety center. Your organization must demonstrate expertise in agricultural, forestry, or fishing worker health and safety.
What is the funding amount and project duration?
Up to twelve centers will be funded with awards around $2,200,000. Typical NIOSH Center awards support 5-year projects with possible renewal.
What must an AgFF Center do?
Conduct occupational health research, develop practical solutions for workers, provide education and training, engage regional partners, and collect injury/illness data. Centers must translate research into real-world applications.
Is cost-sharing required?
No cost-sharing is required for this grant. However, demonstrating organizational commitment through contributed resources strengthens applications.
How competitive is this opportunity?
This is highly competitive. Only twelve centers will be funded nationally. Strong applications emphasize regional partnerships, research capacity, and proven ability to reach and support workers.
💡 Tips for applicants
- Build a multidisciplinary team with researchers, practitioners, and industry partners before applying. Regional representation matters significantly.
- Develop concrete plans for translating research into practical solutions that actual workers and employers will use. Describe specific intervention strategies.
- Document existing regional partnerships and support letters from agricultural, forestry, and fishing industry groups, worker organizations, and state agencies.
- Address mental health, substance use, and suicide prevention alongside traditional occupational safety hazards. The program explicitly prioritizes these emerging concerns.
- Clearly describe how your center will collect, manage, and share occupational injury and illness data to support national occupational safety monitoring efforts.
⚠️ Common mistakes
Weak regional partnerships or unclear commitment from industry and community stakeholders. Applications must demonstrate genuine local engagement, not just formal agreements.
Proposals focused only on research without clear pathways to real-world implementation. NIOSH prioritizes research-to-practice translation and measurable worker-level outcomes.
Insufficient attention to mental health, substance use, and suicide prevention among agricultural and fishing workers. These are central to current NIOSH priorities.
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