Strengthening global health security in India to contain public health threats and accelerate outbreak response

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, through the Global Health Center and Division of Global Health Protection, is offering the Strengthening global health security in India to contain public health threats and accelerate outbreak response funding opportunity, CDC-RFA-JG-26-0051. The program is a federal cooperative agreement under Assistance Listing 93.318, Protecting and Improving Health Globally: Building and Strengthening Public Health Impact, Systems, Capacity, and Security. Its purpose is to protect Indians and Americans by strengthening public health systems at the sub-district, district, state, and national levels in India. The program advances Global Health Security Agenda priorities and International Health Regulations core capacities while supporting the transition of CDC-supported global health security programs to Government of India institutions. The program focuses on strengthening public health workforce development, improving disease surveillance through a One Health approach, strengthening laboratory systems and diagnostic capacity, improving public health emergency and disaster preparedness and response, and preventing antimicrobial resistance through surveillance and infection prevention and control. A sixth strategy supports effective responses to small- and large-scale disease outbreaks. Required activities include workforce training, Field Epidemiology Training Program support, multisectoral zoonotic disease surveillance, laboratory quality management and biosecurity improvements, public health emergency operations center development, rapid response capacity, antimicrobial resistance and healthcare-associated infection surveillance, and emergency logistical and technical support. Recipients must collaborate with CDC, Government of India institutions, and other relevant organizations and make developed data, software, tools, training materials, guidelines, and systems available to appropriate stakeholders consistent with applicable authorities. CDC expects $3,000,000 in total NOFO funding for Year 1 and anticipates making one to two awards. Projects are planned for five 12-month budget periods over a five-year period of performance. Applicants must apply for all three funding components and provide separate budgets and work plans for each. Component 1, Core Global Health Security Priorities, has a $1,500,000 ceiling. Component 2, Rapid Small-Scale Response to Infectious Disease Outbreaks or other Public Health Emergencies, has a $5,000,000 ceiling. Component 3, Rapid Large-Scale Response to Infectious Disease Outbreaks or other Public Health Emergencies, has a $10,000,000 ceiling. Only Component 1 core activities are expected to receive initial funding, while Components 2 and 3 may be approved but unfunded until additional funds become available. Continued funding in Years 2 through 5 depends on available funds, satisfactory progress, and the federal government's determination that continued funding is in its best interest. There is no required cost sharing or matching. Applicants should dedicate approximately 5 to 10 percent of project funding to monitoring, reporting, and evaluation. Research is not an allowable use of funds, and other restrictions apply to clinical care, lobbying, pre-award costs without authorization, and other activities identified in the NOFO. Eligible applicants include state, county, city or township, and special district governments; independent school districts; public and state-controlled institutions of higher education; federally recognized Native American tribal governments and other Native American tribal organizations; public housing and Indian housing authorities; nonprofits with or without 501(c)(3) status other than institutions of higher education; private institutions of higher education; for-profit organizations other than small businesses; small businesses; faith-based organizations; and foreign or non-U.S.-based entities. Projects must be conducted in India. Applicants must comply with Government of India Health Ministry Screening Committee clearance requirements when required, and local indigenous nongovernmental organizations must comply with applicable foreign-funding rules, including the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act, with an active FCRA Registration Certificate required as proof. Only one application may be submitted under an organization's UEI. A qualifying and documented local partner receives a 15-point preference during selection. Applications must be submitted through Grants.gov and require active SAM.gov and Grants.gov registrations and an appropriate UEI. The application includes a one-page project summary, a project narrative of no more than 30 pages, and a budget narrative. The project narrative must follow the required headings and order and address Background and approach, Evaluation and performance measurement plan, Organizational capacity, and Collaborations. Applicants must provide an initial evaluation and performance measurement plan, an initial data management plan, and a work plan for each component, with detailed Year 1 activities and high-level plans for later years. Required attachments include a table of contents, experience statement, financial capability statement, resumes and job descriptions, organizational chart, report on overlap, FCRA Registration Certificate, an indirect cost agreement when applicable, and local partner documentation when seeking the funding preference. Required federal forms include SF-424, SF-424A, and SF-LLL when applicable. All application materials must be in English and financial amounts must be stated in U.S. dollars. Applications first undergo a responsiveness review. Applications will not advance if they fail eligibility requirements, arrive after the deadline, propose research, exceed applicable Year 1 component ceilings, exceed the 30-page project narrative limit, omit required components, are not in English, use a currency other than U.S. dollars, or fall outside the NOFO's scope. Responsive applications receive a merit review totaling 100 points: Background and approach is worth 35 points, Evaluation and performance measurement plan is worth 30 points, and Organizational capacity is worth 35 points. CDC also conducts a risk review before award. Funding decisions consider merit results and other factors, including the 15-point local partner preference and alignment with applicable CDC priorities. CDC may fund applications in whole or in part, make awards below requested amounts, or make no awards. Applications are due October 2, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time. No separate letter of intent, concept paper, pre-proposal, or other pre-application gating deadline is stated. CDC expects an award and project start date of October 30, 2026 and expects to notify applicants of their status by the end of October 2026. Successful applicants receive a Notice of Award by email to the authorized official, and work cannot begin until the Notice of Award is received. The program contact is DGHP NOFOs at DGHPNOFOs@cdc.gov. The Grants Management Officer is Randolph Williams at gur2@cdc.gov. The NOFO does not state that this opportunity recurs annually or on another regular schedule.

Apply for all three components and keep each Year 1 component request at or below its ceiling. Use the exact project narrative headings and order, stay within 30 pages, and ensure all materials are in English and all currency is in U.S. dollars. Address the 100-point review structure directly: Background and approach 35 points, Evaluation and performance measurement plan 30 points, and Organizational capacity 35 points. Provide measurable timelines, clear monitoring and evaluation procedures, meaningful evaluation questions, qualified staff, evidence of effective Government of India relationships, and strong financial and procurement systems. Document local partner status if eligible because qualifying applications receive 15 extra selection points. Make sure the Grants.gov submission passes validation and submit by the deadline; the last on-time duplicate submission is the one accepted.