Advancing Global Capacity to Detect and Respond to Fungal Diseases

Advancing Global Capacity to Detect and Respond to Fungal Diseases is a federal cooperative agreement administered by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services through the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Division of Foodborne, Waterborne and Environmental Diseases, Mycotic Diseases Branch. The program addresses fungal diseases as an important and often underrecognized global public health threat. Gaps in laboratory capacity, surveillance systems, public health workforce capability, and effective data use can delay detection and response, contribute to preventable illness and death, increase antifungal resistance, and permit cross-border transmission. The opportunity is intended to strengthen sustainable national and regional systems so countries can detect, characterize, and respond to fungal disease threats more quickly and effectively. The cooperative agreement has two components and a five-year period of performance consisting of 12-month budget periods. Component 1, Core Capacity Strengthening, is required and supports sustainable fungal disease surveillance, laboratory and diagnostic capacity, workforce development, partnerships, data use, outbreak detection and response, monitoring, learning, and program improvement. Component 2, Emerging Public Health Needs and Rapid Response, is optional and may support urgent activities such as outbreak investigations, targeted surveillance for emerging fungal pathogens, and responses to antifungal-resistant threats. Component 2 may initially be approved but unfunded and later funded if additional resources become available or an emerging public health need requires a rapid response. CDC expects approximately 10 awards and $15,000,000 in total program funding over the performance period. Expected funding per applicant is $100,000 to $1,000,000 per 12-month budget period, with an estimated average award of $1,250,000 per applicant over the full period. Funds must be used for reasonable program purposes consistent with the award, federal law, regulations, and applicable CDC requirements. Research is not allowed, and an application proposing research is non-responsive. Other unallowable costs include clinical care except as allowed by law, unauthorized pre-award costs, and prohibited lobbying, publicity, or propaganda activities. The direct recipient must perform a substantial role in project outcomes and cannot merely serve as a conduit to another party. Applicants should dedicate approximately 5 percent to 10 percent of project funding to monitoring, reporting, and evaluation, with the final amount agreed upon with CDC. Indirect costs may be charged using an approved negotiated rate when applicable or the allowable de minimis method. There is no required cost sharing or matching. Voluntary cost sharing is not considered during merit review, although a voluntary commitment included in an awarded application becomes part of the award and must be reported. Eligible applicants include state, county, city or township, and special district governments; independent school districts; public and state-controlled institutions of higher education; private institutions of higher education; federally recognized Native American tribal governments; Native American tribal organizations other than federally recognized tribal governments; public housing and Indian housing authorities; nonprofits with or without 501(c)(3) status other than institutions of higher education; for-profit organizations other than small businesses; small businesses; ministries of health; and bona fide agents applying on behalf of eligible state, territorial, local, and tribal government organizations. Bona fide agents must provide documentation demonstrating the arrangement. Applicants must demonstrate organizational, technical, administrative, financial, staffing, partnership, data management, monitoring, and evaluation capacity. Program management and strategic oversight cannot be delegated to subcontractors or external partners. Only one application may be submitted under an organization's UEI, Component 1 must be included, and separate work plans and budgets are required for each component included in the application. Applicants must maintain active SAM.gov and Grants.gov registrations and submit through Grants.gov by September 30, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time. Required application materials include a one-page project summary, a project narrative of no more than 20 pages, a budget narrative, the SF-424, the SF-424A, and the SF-LLL when applicable. Attachments include a table of contents, an indirect cost agreement when an approved negotiated rate is used, resumes and job descriptions, an organizational chart, three letters of support, a report on overlap when applicable, and bona fide agent documentation when applicable. The project narrative covers background and approach, strategies and activities, outcomes, work plan, evaluation and performance measurement, and organizational capacity. Applicants must also submit an initial evaluation and performance measurement plan and a data management plan. Required narrative documents use Calibri 12-point font, black text, single spacing, one-inch margins, page numbers, and PDF format, with limited exceptions for footnotes and graphics. Applications first undergo a responsiveness review. Applications may be excluded for ineligibility, late submission, research activities, failure to include Component 1, combining the components into a single work plan or budget, missing required application elements, or failure to comply with page limits and formatting requirements. Responsive applications proceed to panel merit review. The project narrative is scored on background and approach for 23 points, evaluation and performance measurement for 40 points, and organizational capacity for 30 points, for 93 total points. CDC also conducts a pre-award risk review and considers merit review results when making funding decisions. CDC may fund applications in whole or in part, reduce the amount requested, restrict subawards where appropriate, or make no awards depending on appropriations and program considerations. The application deadline is September 30, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time. The informational call occurred August 4, 2026, and participation was voluntary and did not affect eligibility or scoring. Awards are expected in December 2026, with an expected project start in January 2027. Continued funding after the initial 12-month budget period depends on available funds, satisfactory performance, program priorities, and the government's interest in continued funding. After award, recipients must comply with financial, performance, data, and other reporting requirements, and CDC will maintain substantial programmatic involvement through technical guidance, review of work plans and budgets, technical assistance, communications, monitoring, and coordination. The program contact is Daniela Aguirre at mdbcoag@cdc.gov. The grants management contact is Randolph Williams at gur2@cdc.gov. Grants.gov technical support is available at support@Grants.gov and 1-800-518-4726.

Align proposed strategies, activities, and outcomes directly with the NOFO logic model. Give substantial attention to the evaluation and performance measurement plan because it carries 40 of the 93 project narrative points. Demonstrate concrete technical, administrative, financial, staffing, evaluation, data, and partnership capacity. Provide separate work plans and budgets for each component included. Ensure Component 1 is included. Use the required narrative headings and order. Verify page limits, formatting, attachments, and all responsiveness requirements before submission because non-responsive applications do not advance to merit review.