Public Health Crisis Response Cooperative Agreement

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), under the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), offers the Public Health Crisis Response Cooperative Agreement to strengthen the national capacity for rapid public health emergency response. This opportunity is administered through the CDC’s Office of Public Health Preparedness and Response (OPHPR). The program addresses the urgent need for jurisdictions to swiftly mobilize resources, personnel, and planning in response to significant public health emergencies (PHEs) such as pandemics or large-scale disease outbreaks. The cooperative agreement model ensures close collaboration between the CDC and funded entities to meet public health needs that exceed local capabilities. The primary objective of this funding opportunity is to establish and maintain a pre-approved roster of eligible entities—referred to as Approved But Unfunded (ABU) applicants—that can receive rapid financial support during a declared or imminent public health emergency. The application process functions as a proactive strategy, allowing jurisdictions to demonstrate readiness in advance, so funds can be disbursed without delay once a PHE is declared. Once a health emergency is identified and federal appropriations are available, the CDC will select from among ABU applicants and issue guidance for rapid activation and funding. The scope of the grant includes response activities such as enhancing emergency operations coordination, hiring surge public health staff, conducting needs assessments, and implementing interventions specific to the public health threat. Importantly, this grant is not designed for building new public health infrastructure or long-term capacity building. Instead, it supports the re-establishment or expansion of existing emergency capabilities impacted by a public health crisis. Applicants are expected to describe how they will avoid duplicating or supplanting existing federal funding. Budgets and work plans should reflect an applicant's ability to scale quickly in the face of an emergency and demonstrate operational readiness using prior emergency response frameworks, such as those developed during the COVID-19 pandemic. Eligibility is limited to states, local and tribal governments, and other public entities with demonstrable capacity for public health emergency management. Jurisdictions must meet population thresholds—cities serving at least 400,000 people, counties serving 2 million or more, or tribal governments serving 50,000 or more residents. Applicants must submit an organizational chart and a detailed work plan; failure to do so results in disqualification. Local governments or tribal applicants must be either directly eligible or apply through a bona fide agent. The application must be submitted electronically through Grants.gov by 11:59 PM ET on the deadline date. The current closing date is February 11, 2027, though this NOFO is expected to reopen in July 2024, 2025, and 2026 to align with census updates and jurisdictional eligibility changes. Applications are accepted during each posting window, with 60 days allowed for submission. Evaluations will be based on the ability to meet eligibility, demonstrate readiness, and align with CDC’s surge response goals. For inquiries or technical issues, applicants can contact Noelle Anderson at [email protected]. This cooperative agreement provides a unique mechanism for rapid response funding and complements ongoing CDC public health preparedness programs. The total estimated funding over the life of the program is $500 million, with individual awards ranging from $50,000 to $5 million depending on the scale and nature of the emergency. Award decisions and notifications will be contingent on federal appropriations, and funded activities must be aligned with supplemental CDC guidance issued at the time of activation.

Emphasize readiness, avoid duplication of existing federal funding; incomplete documentation disqualifies.