Emergency Medical Services for Children (EMSC) National Pediatric Readiness Coordinating Center Cooperative Agreement

The Emergency Medical Services for Children National Pediatric Readiness Coordinating Center Cooperative Agreement is a federal funding opportunity administered by the Health Resources and Services Administration within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The program is part of the Emergency Medical Services for Children initiative, which seeks to improve emergency medical care systems for children throughout the United States. The initiative recognizes that children have unique physiological, developmental, and emotional healthcare needs and therefore require specialized emergency response systems, policies, training, and equipment. Through this cooperative agreement, the federal government intends to support a national coordinating center focused on strengthening pediatric readiness across hospital emergency departments and emergency medical services systems nationwide. The purpose of the program is to assess and expand pediatric readiness within both pre-hospital emergency medical services systems and hospital emergency departments. Pediatric readiness refers to the existence of pediatric-specific leadership, operational competencies, equipment, protocols, and policies necessary to provide effective emergency care to children regardless of geographic location. The funded coordinating center is expected to support national implementation efforts that improve pediatric emergency care delivery and preparedness standards across healthcare systems. The opportunity is structured as a cooperative agreement, indicating that HRSA will maintain substantial involvement in programmatic oversight and implementation activities throughout the award period. The forecasted opportunity anticipates a single award with an estimated total program funding amount of 4200000 dollars. The award ceiling is 4200000 dollars and the award floor is 3900000 dollars. No cost sharing or matching requirement is associated with the program. The funding falls under Assistance Listing 93.127, Emergency Medical Services for Children. The anticipated project start date is July 1, 2026, with the estimated award date scheduled for June 30, 2026. Although the opportunity has been forecasted, the full application package and detailed notice of funding opportunity are expected to be formally posted on May 15, 2026. Eligible applicants are limited to state governments and accredited schools of medicine. The eligibility section specifically identifies state governments, public and state controlled institutions of higher education, and private institutions of higher education as allowable applicant categories. The notice further clarifies that accredited schools of medicine are eligible applicants under the higher education categories. Because this is a federally administered program with a nationwide scope, applicants may come from any U.S. state or territory provided they meet the institutional eligibility requirements described in the official notice. Applications are expected to be submitted electronically through Grants.gov no later than 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on June 15, 2026. At the forecast stage, detailed application components, narrative requirements, and review criteria have not yet been released. Applicants should anticipate federal application requirements typical of HRSA cooperative agreements, including project narratives, organizational capability documentation, work plans, budgets, and performance measurement strategies. Because the award supports national coordination and systems-level emergency preparedness activities, applicants will likely need to demonstrate significant pediatric emergency care expertise, national partnership capacity, and operational readiness to coordinate across healthcare systems. The opportunity is currently in forecast status, meaning applications are not yet being accepted but are expected to open soon following the estimated posting date. Interested organizations may monitor Grants.gov and HRSA communications for the formal release of the application package and related guidance materials. Questions regarding the opportunity may be directed to HRSA's Maternal and Child Health Bureau using the provided program email address or telephone number. The opportunity appears to follow an annual federal funding cycle tied to fiscal year 2026 and may recur in future years depending on congressional appropriations and agency priorities.

Demonstrate national pediatric emergency care expertise; emphasize systems coordination capacity; clearly explain pediatric readiness implementation strategies; provide evidence of operational readiness and stakeholder partnerships