Workplace Safety and Health Training on Infectious Diseases, Including COVID-19 | SHTG FY 21 05

Opportunity Information: Apply for SHTG FY 21 05

The Workplace Safety and Health Training on Infectious Diseases, Including COVID-19 funding opportunity is a competitive grant program run by the U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) under the long-standing Susan Harwood Training Grant Program. This program traces back to OSHA's discretionary grant authority under Section 21 of the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, with the grant program established in 1978 and later renamed in 1997 to honor Susan Harwood, a former director in OSHA's Office of Risk Assessment. The central purpose is to fund nonprofit organizations so they can create and deliver practical training and educational programs that help small business employers and workers recognize workplace hazards, prevent injuries and illnesses, and better understand worker rights and employer responsibilities under the OSH Act.

This specific FY 2021 opportunity was funded using money provided through the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) of 2021, which directed substantial resources to COVID-19-related worker protection efforts across the Department of Labor and set aside at least $100 million for OSHA. ARPA further specified that $10 million of OSHA's allocation be used for Susan Harwood training grants. OSHA used that set-aside to support training focused on infectious disease hazards in the workplace, explicitly including COVID-19 exposure and related prevention practices. In short, the grant is meant to expand real-world training capacity so employers and workers can reduce infectious disease transmission risks on the job through better knowledge, safer work practices, and stronger hazard recognition.

OSHA anticipated making many awards under this solicitation, with an expected total of about 80 grants funded from the $10 million pool. The maximum award amount for an individual grant under this infectious disease and COVID-19 training focus was $200,000 (the award ceiling). Funding was structured around a defined performance period that would end on March 31, 2023, meaning recipients were expected to complete training activities, deliverables, and reporting within that timeframe. As with many federal funding announcements, the posting itself did not automatically commit federal dollars; funds become obligated only after an award is made and the recipient formally accepts the award documents.

Eligible applicants were described broadly as nonprofit organizations (with eligibility details referenced in the solicitation's additional eligibility language). Beyond basic eligibility, OSHA emphasized that successful applicants must show they have the capacity to meet performance expectations. That includes demonstrated experience with infectious disease or workplace safety subject matter, the ability to design and deliver effective adult training, proven strategies for recruiting trainees (especially from small businesses and worker populations), and solid grant management and administrative controls to handle federal funds appropriately.

OSHA also made clear that awardees would be closely monitored for both program performance and financial compliance. Oversight tools mentioned in the announcement included orientation meetings, reviews of training materials before use, observations of training sessions, programmatic and financial monitoring visits, and the review of quarterly and year-end reports. This reflects a strong emphasis not just on producing training content, but on ensuring trainings are actually delivered, meet quality expectations, and result in measurable outputs aligned with the grant's goals and targets.

Administratively, the solicitation included several important application rules. Applications had to be submitted through Grants.gov and successfully validated by the system by the deadline to be considered. The closing date and time was July 26, 2021 at 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time, and late or unvalidated submissions were deemed ineligible. Applicants were also warned that once an application is submitted in Grants.gov, it cannot be edited; the only way to make changes is to submit a complete new application package. If an organization submitted multiple applications to this same infectious disease and COVID-19 training competition, OSHA stated it would review only the last viable submission.

Finally, OSHA clarified how this opportunity fits with the broader Susan Harwood Training Grant Program. Organizations were allowed to receive a separate FY 2021 Susan Harwood Training Grant (such as a Targeted Topic Training grant, Training and Educational Materials Development grant, or a Capacity Building grant) and also receive this infectious disease and COVID-19-specific grant in the same year. The opportunity was issued as a discretionary grant (CFDA 17.502) in the Employment, Labor and Training activity area, and was listed under Funding Opportunity Number SHTG FY 21 05, with the original posting dated June 24, 2021.

• The Department of Labor, Occupational Safety and Health Administration in the employment, labor and training sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Workplace Safety and Health Training on Infectious Diseases, Including COVID-19" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 17.502.
• This funding opportunity was created on Jun 24, 2021.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Jul 26, 2021 This FOA closes on July 26, 2021, at 1159 p.m. eastern time. Applications not validated by Grants.gov, or submitted after this deadline, are ineligible for consideration.. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $200,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 80 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).

Apply for SHTG FY 21 05

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