The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), through the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), invites applications for Education and Research Centers (ERCs) focusing on occupational safety and health (OSH). This initiative supports the development of interdisciplinary academic, research, and continuing education programs aimed at reducing workplace injuries and illnesses and enhancing worker well-being. ERCs are academic institutions that train graduate and post-graduate students in core OSH disciplines, such as industrial hygiene, occupational health nursing, occupational medicine, and occupational safety, and offer research training opportunities to advance the field.

ERCs serve as regional resources, addressing the needs of workers through continuing education, outreach, and collaborative efforts with diverse partners, including professional associations, businesses, public health agencies, and worker advocacy groups. These centers also respond to emerging health and safety challenges, such as those highlighted during the COVID-19 pandemic. Programs emphasize innovation, interdisciplinarity, and collaboration to address local, regional, and national needs in worker safety and health.

Up to $32 million is available annually to support approximately 18 awards, with each ERC eligible for up to $1.8 million annually, depending on program size and scope. New applicants must apply for three years of funding, while renewal applications may request up to five years. Funds may cover trainee costs, faculty salaries, research supplies, and program-related expenses, with at least 70% of academic program budgets allocated directly to trainee support, including stipends and tuition. Indirect costs are capped at 8%.

Eligible applicants include accredited higher education institutions offering graduate and post-graduate degrees. Organizations serving underrepresented populations, including Hispanic-serving institutions, Historically Black Colleges and Universities, and Tribal Colleges, are strongly encouraged to apply. Applicants must meet several prerequisites, including offering at least three graduate academic programs (two in core disciplines), maintaining a valid System for Award Management (SAM) registration, and demonstrating institutional capacity to fulfill the program's interdisciplinary and training requirements.

Applications must include detailed plans for academic training, evaluation and planning, continuing education, and outreach. Optional components include Pilot Project Research Training and Targeted Research Training programs. Applicants must demonstrate how their program addresses regional and national OSH needs, integrates interdisciplinary activities, and evaluates program effectiveness. Proposals are evaluated based on scientific merit, program significance, institutional commitment, and alignment with NIOSH goals.

Applications are due by December 17, 2024, with subsequent annual deadlines through October 2028. Letters of intent should be submitted 30 days before the application deadline. Awards will begin as early as July 1, 2025. Applications must comply with all federal submission requirements, including those outlined in the NIH eRA Commons and Grants.gov systems, and undergo a multi-stage review process. Further details on submission guidelines and requirements can be found in the full Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO).