NIOSH Workforce Development Funding (ERCs + TPGs)

NIOSH OSH Training Project Grants

Supports training grants for academic and non academic programs building occupational safety and health workforce capacity.

The NIOSH Occupational Safety and Health Training Project Grants (T03) program, operating under Notice of Funding Opportunity RFA-OH-25-003, provides federal training grants to academic and non-academic organizations that train the occupational safety and health workforce. Administered by the CDC's National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health Office of Extramural Programs, the program is mandated by the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 to ensure an adequate supply of qualified OSH personnel. The current multi-year NOFO is valid through October 2028 and funds an anticipated 20 to 30 grants per annual cycle.

Award ceilings are tiered by program type: undergraduate training programs may receive up to $50,000 per year; graduate programs up to $150,000 per year; and occupational medicine residency programs up to $250,000 per year. Non-academic training programs (covering firefighters, commercial fishermen, and OSH interns) receive variable, justified budgets but may not include equipment purchases. New applicants receive a 3-year project period; renewal applicants qualify for a 5-year period. The next application deadline under this NOFO is October 29, 2026, with an anticipated project start of July 1, 2027.

Eligible applicants include higher education institutions, state and local governments, and nonprofit organizations. For-profit entities are not eligible. Proposals are submitted through Grants.gov and NIH ASSIST and reviewed by a CDC/NIOSH Special Emphasis Panel. Competitive applications demonstrate unmet workforce training needs, qualified faculty, a sustainable training curriculum, and a clear plan for placing graduates in OSH roles. Organizations operating specialized training in firefighter safety or commercial fishing occupational health represent particularly well-aligned applicants given NIOSH's longstanding emphasis on high-hazard industry coverage.