Increasing awareness and knowledge of Alpha-gal Syndrome in the United States

The Increasing awareness and knowledge of Alpha-gal Syndrome in the United States funding opportunity is administered by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), specifically through the Division of Vector-Borne Diseases within the Rickettsial Zoonoses Branch. This federal initiative is designed to address the growing public health concern surrounding alpha-gal syndrome (AGS), an emerging tick-borne condition that can cause severe allergic reactions to mammalian products. The CDC, as part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, seeks to strengthen national capacity to understand, monitor, and respond to this condition through coordinated public health strategies and partnerships. The primary purpose of this cooperative agreement is to improve awareness, surveillance, and knowledge of AGS across the United States. The program emphasizes three central strategies: sharing information through professional networks, educating healthcare providers and the public, and tracking disease patterns through enhanced surveillance systems. Applicants are encouraged to design projects that contribute to one or more of these strategies, with the ultimate goal of improving patient outcomes, reducing diagnostic delays, and strengthening public health responses. Activities may include convening national networks of experts, developing educational materials, conducting targeted outreach, and implementing surveillance initiatives in underserved or high-risk populations. Funding under this opportunity is structured as a cooperative agreement with a total expected program funding of up to 25,000,000 dollars over a five-year period. Individual awards may range from 25,000 to 1,000,000 dollars per year, with annual funding contingent on performance and availability of federal appropriations. The anticipated number of awards ranges from one to five recipients. Funds may be used for programmatic activities aligned with CDC priorities, including communications development, training, surveillance infrastructure, and partnership-building. However, funds may not be used for research activities, lobbying, or certain restricted activities outlined in federal regulations. There is no cost-sharing or matching requirement for this program. Eligible applicants include a wide range of entity types such as state, local, and tribal governments, institutions of higher education (both public and private), nonprofit organizations with or without 501(c)(3) status, for-profit organizations, and small businesses. Faith-based organizations and bona fide agents acting on behalf of eligible entities may also apply. Applicants must demonstrate organizational capacity, technical expertise, and partnerships necessary to implement the proposed strategies. Only one application per organization is permitted, and applications proposing research activities will not be considered. The application process requires submission through Grants.gov and includes several required components such as a project summary, project narrative, budget narrative, and supporting attachments including organizational charts and resumes. The project narrative is limited to 20 pages and must address evaluation criteria including background, strategies, outcomes, work plan, evaluation plan, and organizational capacity. Applicants must also submit standard federal forms such as the SF-424 and SF-424A. While an optional letter of intent may be submitted by June 7, 2026, the full application deadline is June 19, 2026 at 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time. Applications will undergo a multi-stage review process including responsiveness screening, merit review, and risk assessment. Evaluation criteria focus on the strength of the proposed approach, alignment with CDC priorities, organizational capacity, and the feasibility of achieving desired outcomes. Final award decisions will consider additional factors such as geographic distribution, population impact, and alignment with national public health priorities. Awards are expected to be announced by August 31, 2026, with a project start date of September 30, 2026. Throughout the period of performance, recipients will be required to comply with federal reporting and monitoring requirements, including annual performance reports, financial reports, and evaluation updates. CDC will provide ongoing technical assistance and oversight, and recipients must allocate approximately 5 to 10 percent of their budget to monitoring and evaluation activities. This opportunity represents a significant federal investment in addressing an emerging health condition through coordinated, evidence-based public health action.

Align proposal closely with CDC strategies (Share, Educate, Track); demonstrate strong organizational capacity and partnerships; clearly link activities to measurable outcomes and surveillance improvements; prioritize high-impact populations and geographic needs