State Occupational Safety and Health Surveillance Program (U60)

The State Occupational Safety and Health Surveillance Program (U60) is a federal funding opportunity administered by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. This program is part of the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health efforts to strengthen occupational safety and health surveillance systems across the United States. Since the 1970s, NIOSH has supported state-level surveillance initiatives to monitor workplace injuries, illnesses, and exposures. The current opportunity builds on prior cooperative agreements that funded surveillance capacity in over twenty states, reinforcing the agency’s long-standing commitment to improving worker health through data-driven public health strategies. The primary purpose of this program is to enhance the ability of state and jurisdictional public health systems to collect, analyze, and disseminate occupational safety and health data. Funded activities are expected to leverage multiple public health data sources, including electronic medical records, laboratory reporting systems, hospital discharge data, mortality records, cancer registries, and population-based surveys. By integrating these sources, recipients can better identify trends, emerging hazards, and disparities affecting workers. The program emphasizes the importance of surveillance as a foundational public health function that informs prevention strategies and policy development. Funding under this cooperative agreement is intended to support a broad range of surveillance-related activities. These include infrastructure development, data system enhancement, analysis of occupational health indicators, and dissemination of findings to stakeholders. Grantees may also engage in outreach, education, and voluntary intervention efforts based on surveillance findings. While regulatory enforcement remains outside the scope of this program, the initiative complements regulatory frameworks by addressing gaps in coverage and jurisdiction, particularly in workplaces not fully reached by existing enforcement mechanisms. Eligibility for this opportunity includes a wide array of governmental and affiliated entities. State governments, local governments such as counties, cities, and special districts, and federally recognized tribal governments are eligible to apply. In addition, tribal organizations and bona fide agents acting on behalf of eligible governmental entities may participate, provided they submit documentation verifying their formal relationship with the eligible applicant. This inclusive eligibility structure reflects the program’s goal of supporting surveillance capacity across diverse public health systems and jurisdictions. Applications for this forecasted opportunity are expected to be submitted electronically through the designated federal grants platform. The estimated application due date is December 30, 2026, with submissions required by 11:59 PM Eastern Time. The anticipated posting date is October 30, 2026, and applicants should monitor for the official notice of funding opportunity for detailed submission instructions, required components, and evaluation criteria. Although specific evaluation metrics are not detailed in the forecast, federal cooperative agreements typically assess applications based on technical merit, organizational capacity, and alignment with program objectives. The estimated total program funding is forty million dollars, with approximately twenty-five awards anticipated. Individual award amounts are expected to range from one hundred fifty thousand dollars to six hundred eighty five thousand dollars. There is no cost sharing or matching requirement for this program. Awards are projected to be announced by June 1, 2027, with a project start date of July 1, 2027. This timeline indicates a structured federal funding cycle aligned with the fiscal year. Through this initiative, NIOSH continues to prioritize the integration of occupational health surveillance into broader public health systems. By supporting state and local partners, the program aims to generate actionable insights that can guide prevention efforts, inform policy, and ultimately improve the health and safety of workers nationwide. The cooperative agreement structure also ensures ongoing collaboration between federal and state entities, enabling technical assistance and shared learning throughout the project period.