Public Health Training Centers (PHTC) Program

The Public Health Training Centers Program is administered by the Health Resources and Services Administration within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, specifically through the Bureau of Health Workforce and the Division of Nursing and Public Health. This federal initiative is designed to strengthen the nation’s public health workforce by supporting academic institutions and training organizations that provide education, experiential learning, and professional development opportunities. The program builds on a long-standing national effort to ensure that public health professionals are equipped to respond to evolving healthcare challenges, particularly in underserved and medically vulnerable communities. The primary purpose of the program is to expand and enhance the capacity of the public health workforce through structured training, field placements, and technical assistance. Applicants are expected to design programs that improve preventive medicine, health promotion, disease prevention, and healthcare access. A strong emphasis is placed on partnerships with community-based training sites, including local health departments, primary care providers, and nontraditional organizations. The program prioritizes workforce development in rural and medically vulnerable areas and seeks to increase both the supply and quality of trained public health professionals. Funding supports a range of allowable activities including traineeships, leadership development, faculty-student collaborative projects, and community-based field placements. Applicants must dedicate at least twenty percent of their total budget to traineeships, which can cover tuition, fees, and stipends. Field placements must involve a minimum number of students and provide structured, hands-on public health experience. Certain costs are explicitly unallowable, including construction, food, accreditation fees, and most forms of insurance for trainees. There is no cost-sharing requirement; however, maintenance of effort is required, meaning recipients must sustain prior levels of non-federal spending. Eligible applicants include accredited schools of public health and other public or nonprofit institutions capable of providing graduate or specialized public health training. Additional eligible entities include various public, nonprofit, and for-profit organizations, though individuals are not eligible. Trainees supported by the program must meet citizenship or residency requirements. Applicants must also designate a qualified principal investigator with demonstrated expertise in public health education and leadership. Applications must be submitted through Grants.gov by the stated deadline and must include a comprehensive project narrative, budget, attachments, and required federal forms. Key components include a detailed work plan, evaluation strategy, sustainability plan, and documentation of partnerships. Applications are evaluated based on criteria such as demonstrated need, project design, performance management, expected impact, organizational capacity, and budget justification. A merit review panel assigns scores across these categories to determine funding recommendations. The application deadline for this funding opportunity is July 17, 2026, with awards expected by September 1, 2026. The period of performance spans four years, structured as four 12-month budget periods. Awardees are required to participate in ongoing evaluation and reporting, including annual performance reports and progress updates. The program is expected to recur annually, consistent with federal workforce development funding cycles. For additional information or support, applicants may contact program and grants management staff listed in the notice, including designated HRSA officials responsible for programmatic and financial inquiries.

Align proposal strongly with merit review criteria especially need and impact; demonstrate strong community partnerships; provide detailed evaluation and workforce outcomes; ensure budget compliance with traineeship requirements