Occupational Safety and Health Education and Research Centers (T42)
🏛 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention - ERA (HHS-CDC-HHSCDCERA)
✓ Free, no account · Source: Grants.gov · Last verified Jul 27, 2026
Can you apply?
This grant is for academic institutions offering occupational safety and health training and research. Eligible applicants include colleges, universities, and academic research centers that can provide graduate and post-graduate education in industrial hygiene, occupational health nursing, occupational medicine, and occupational safety.
Only one application per institution is allowed. Current recipients of NIOSH T03 Training Project Grants are ineligible.
ERCs must demonstrate capacity for high-quality interdisciplinary training, research aligned with the NIOSH National Occupational Research Agenda, and regional outreach to diversify the occupational safety and health workforce. Institutions must have established faculty expertise and infrastructure to support these core activities.
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Program description
The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), invites grant applications for Education and Research Centers (ERCs) that are focused on occupational safety and health training. NIOSH is mandated to provide an adequate supply of qualified personnel to carry out the purposes of the Occupational Safety and Health Act, and the ERCs are one of the primary means for meeting this mandate. ERCs are academic institutions that provide high-quality interdisciplinary graduate and post-graduate training, research training, continuing education, and outreach in the core occupational safety and health disciplines of industrial hygiene, occupational health nursing, occupational medicine, and occupational safety, as well as allied disciplines. Research and research training are integral components of ERCs, with ERC faculty and NIOSH trainees conducting research on issues related to the NIOSH National Occupational Research Agenda (NORA) and emerging issues to advance the field of occupational safety and health. NIOSH ERCs have regional presence to further diversify the occupational safety and health profession through their core values, mission statements, and outputs. ERCs serve as resources for our nation’s workforce through continuing education, outreach and strong collaboration with professional associations, worker advocacy groups, businesses, industries, and public health agencies. ERCs work with other institutions and organizations, including Minority Serving Institutions and other NIOSH supported training programs to have a positive impact on worker health, safety, and well-being.
Who can apply
Eligible applicants
How to apply
Application links
Key dates & requirements
Required documents
- SF-424 (Application for Federal Assistance)
- SF-424 Supplement (R&R)
- Project Narrative (proposal)
- Budget and Budget Narrative
- Curriculum Vitae (key personnel)
- Letters of Institutional Support
- Evidence of OSH training programs and research capacity
- NIOSH NORA alignment statement
Program contact
- 👤 Linton C Browning Grants Management Specialist
- 📧 emaples@cdc.gov
- 📞 770-488-2756
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 this grant?
Colleges, universities, and academic institutions with capacity to deliver graduate-level occupational safety and health training and research. Institutions must have faculty expertise in core OSH disciplines.
Are current T03 grant recipients eligible?
No. If your institution currently holds a NIOSH T03 Training Project Grant, you cannot apply for this ERC award.
How much funding is available?
Individual awards range from $4.5 to $9 million. The total funding pool is $32 million across all awards in this cycle.
What must an ERC program include?
Graduate and post-graduate training, research training, continuing education, and outreach in occupational safety and health disciplines and allied fields.
Can an institution submit multiple applications?
No. Only one NIOSH training grant application per institution, college, or university is allowed.
💡 Tips for applicants
- Emphasize interdisciplinary capacity across industrial hygiene, occupational health nursing, occupational medicine, and safety disciplines. Show existing faculty strength and research programs.
- Demonstrate regional presence and commitment to diversifying the occupational safety and health workforce. Include partnerships with minority-serving institutions and community organizations.
- Align your research agenda directly with NIOSH National Occupational Research Agenda priorities and emerging OSH issues. Show how your ERC will advance the field.
- Document strong relationships with professional associations, worker advocacy groups, employers, and public health agencies. Include letters of support from key partners.
- Detail your continuing education and outreach infrastructure. Show how you serve practicing professionals and contribute to workforce development beyond academic training.
⚠️ Common mistakes
Applications fail when institutions overstate capacity without evidence of existing OSH faculty, research programs, or graduate training. Weak alignment with NIOSH NORA priorities and vague descriptions of research focus hurt competitiveness. Many applicants underestimate the importance of demonstrated regional presence, partnerships with worker advocacy groups, and commitment to workforce diversity.
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