NIOSH Centers of Excellence for Total Worker Health (U19)

The NIOSH Centers of Excellence for Total Worker Health program is administered by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention under the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. This initiative is designed to support multidisciplinary research centers that focus on advancing worker safety, health, and well-being through integrated approaches. The program operates under a cooperative agreement mechanism, indicating substantial federal involvement in project oversight and collaboration. The Centers of Excellence are expected to serve as national leaders in developing, evaluating, and disseminating evidence-based strategies that improve workplace conditions and promote worker health outcomes. The primary purpose of this funding opportunity is to support the continuation and expansion of Centers of Excellence dedicated to Total Worker Health. These centers are tasked with conducting rigorous research and translating findings into practical applications that employers and workers can adopt. The program emphasizes preventing harmful workplace exposures, improving working conditions, and advancing overall worker well-being. Projects funded under this opportunity must utilize standardized tools such as the NIOSH Worker Well-Being Questionnaire and contribute data to the HERO Worker Well-Being Clearinghouse, ensuring consistency and broad dissemination of findings. The funding structure requires applicants to propose a multi-component center that includes several mandatory cores and research activities. These include an Overall Component for leadership and integration, an Administration, Evaluation, and Emerging Issues Core, and an Outreach, Dissemination, and Impact Core. Additionally, applicants must include both Small and Large Research Projects, each with defined scopes and durations. Small projects focus on exploratory or early-stage studies, while Large Research Projects involve more comprehensive, multi-year investigations and require economic evaluation. An optional Pilot or Feasibility Program may also be included to support short-term studies, particularly those exploring artificial intelligence or digital technologies. Funding for this opportunity is substantial, with an estimated total program funding of 58,500,000 dollars and approximately 10 awards anticipated. Individual awards range from 500,000 to 1,400,000 dollars. There is no cost-sharing or matching requirement, which lowers the financial barrier for applicants. Funds are intended to support research activities, administrative operations, dissemination efforts, and evaluation processes across the required components. The cooperative agreement structure also implies that recipients will work closely with federal program officials throughout the project lifecycle. Eligibility for this opportunity is broad and includes a wide range of domestic entities such as state and local governments, nonprofit organizations, institutions of higher education, tribal governments and organizations, small businesses, and other for-profit entities. However, non-U.S. entities and foreign components of U.S. organizations are explicitly excluded. Applicants must demonstrate the capacity to manage complex, multi-component research programs and align with the program’s priority areas, which include high-risk occupations, mental health, chronic disease, substance use disorders, and emerging technologies. The application process is expected to open in November 2026, with estimated due dates in February and October 2027, depending on submission cycles. Applications must be submitted electronically through Grants.gov by 11:59 pm local time of the applicant organization. Awards are anticipated to be announced in August 2027, with project start dates in September 2027. The performance period varies by project type, with small projects lasting up to three years and large projects up to five years. Program oversight will be provided by a designated scientific program official, and applicants may contact the listed program representative for guidance during the application process. This funding opportunity appears to be part of a recurring federal funding cycle, supporting ongoing investment in worker health research. The structured components, defined priority areas, and required data-sharing elements reflect a coordinated national strategy to improve occupational health outcomes. Applicants are expected to demonstrate strong scientific rigor, effective collaboration, and the ability to translate research into actionable solutions that can be scaled across diverse work environments.

Ensure strong coordination across all components; demonstrate rigorous scientific design especially for large projects; include economic evaluation where required; align clearly with priority areas such as mental health and high-risk occupations