ForecastedResearch announcementOpportunity RFA-OH-27-033

NIOSH Exploratory/Developmental Grant Program (R21)

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention - ERA · Department of Health and Human Services

At a glance

NIOSH Exploratory/Developmental Grant Program (R21) is a forecasted federal grant opportunity from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention - ERA (Department of Health and Human Services). The agency's forecast estimates an application due date of February 16, 2027; forecast dates can change. Individual awards are listed as up to $300K, with about 10 awards expected and $3M in total estimated funding. The notice is unrestricted by applicant type, subject to any clarifications in the notice. Cost sharing is not required. It is funded under Assistance Listing 93.262 (Occupational Safety and Health Program).

Summary assembled from the official notice's fields. The official notice governs.

Key facts

Jul 27, 2026Forecast posted
Dec 16, 2026 (est.)Full notice expectednext date
Feb 16, 2027 (est.)Application deadline
Aug 2, 2027 (est.)Est. award date

Posted: Jul 27, 2026
Est. close date: Feb 16, 2027
Est. award date: Aug 2, 2027
Award floor: Not specified
Award ceiling: $300,000
Est. total funding: $3,000,000
Expected awards: 10
Cost sharing: Not required
Funding instrument: Grant
Opportunity category: Discretionary
Fiscal year: FY2027

Who can apply

State governments
County governments
City or township governments
Special district governments
Independent school districts
Public colleges & universities
Federally recognized tribal governments
Public & Indian housing authorities
Native American tribal organizations
501(c)(3) nonprofits
Nonprofits without 501(c)(3) status
Private colleges & universities
For-profit organizations (not small businesses)
Small businesses
Unrestricted (any entity type)

Additional information on eligibility (from the notice)

Non-domestic (non-U.S.) Entities (Foreign Institutions) are not eligible to apply. Non-domestic (non-U.S.) components of U.S. Organizations are not eligible to apply. Foreign components, as defined in the HHS Grants Policy Statement, are not allowed.

Can your organization apply?

A quick check against the listed applicant types — other requirements in the notice still apply.

Based on the published notice. Review the official notice for complete eligibility requirements.

What it funds

Official synopsis as published by the agency, formatted for readability.

The R21 grant program is designed to advance our understanding of occupational diseases and injuries by focusing on the following three objectives:

Identify the risks and conditions linked to workplace health issues.
Develop strategies to reduce risks and limit exposure to hazardous environments.
Translate significant scientific discoveries into prevention measures and products that can effectively reduce work-related illnesses and injuries.

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) actively supports exploratory and developmental research projects (R21) that pursue:

Innovative scientific concepts.
New model systems.
Tools or technologies with the potential to make a meaningful impact on occupational safety and health.

Through this NOFO, applicants will:

Provide a clear and concise description of the specific occupational health burden the proposal addresses.
Demonstrate how the proposed research activities will lead to outputs that directly contribute to alleviating this burden.
Outline the expected outcomes and impacts of their research during the project and in the long term.

How to apply

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Read the full announcement (NOFO)Eligibility, evaluation criteria, page limits and required attachments are in the full notice on Grants.gov. Open ↗
Confirm eligibility and fitCheck your organization type above; no cost sharing is required.
Register (or renew) in SAM.gov and get a UEIFree. New registrations can take several weeks; registrations must be renewed every year. Open ↗
Set up Grants.gov accessCreate a Grants.gov account and make sure someone has the Authorized Organization Representative (AOR) role. Open ↗
Watch for the full noticeThe agency estimates posting it around December 16, 2026. Save this grant to track changes.
Prepare narrative, budget and attachmentsFollow the notice's format exactly — page limits and required forms are common reasons applications are rejected.
Ask the agency contact any questions earlyBridgette Garrett, PhD, Scientific Program Official · bgarrett@cdc.gov Open ↗
Submit before February 16, 2027for New Applications; Standard Due Dates apply for future dates. All applications must be submitted no later than 11:59 pm local time of the applicant organization. Submit a few days early and keep your Grants.gov confirmation and validation emails.

Assistance Listing

What is an ALN?

93.262Occupational Safety and Health ProgramProgram →

Reported obligations under ALN 93.262

Historical data · not a prediction

FY24

$131M

FY25

$128M

FY26

$113M est.

Source: SAM.gov Assistance Listing 93.262. Program-wide totals, not awards from this specific opportunity.

Agency contact (as published)

Bridgette Garrett, PhD, Scientific Program Official
bgarrett@cdc.gov
770-488-5715

Quick answers

Is “NIOSH Exploratory/Developmental Grant Program (R21)” open for applications yet?

Not yet. It is a forecast — an agency's advance notice of an expected opportunity. The agency estimates posting the full notice around December 16, 2026. Forecast details and dates can change.

Who is eligible to apply for “NIOSH Exploratory/Developmental Grant Program (R21)”?

The notice lists eligibility as unrestricted — open to any type of entity — subject to clarifications in the notice's additional eligibility information.

How much funding is available through “NIOSH Exploratory/Developmental Grant Program (R21)”?

Per the notice, individual awards are listed as up to $300k, total estimated program funding is $3,000,000 and the agency expects to make about 10 awards.

How do I apply for “NIOSH Exploratory/Developmental Grant Program (R21)”?

Applications are submitted through the official source, not through GrantsJunction. Open the official notice on Grants.gov (opportunity RFA-OH-27-033), and review the full announcement and application package. Organizations applying through Grants.gov generally need an active SAM.gov registration and a Grants.gov account, which can take several weeks to set up.

Matched on shared Assistance Listings, agency, categories and eligible applicant types.

OpenResearchALN 93.262