Enhancing global laboratory systems to safely manage biological risks, deploy diagnostics and sequence pathogens to strengthen health protection worldwide

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, through the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), has announced a forecasted cooperative agreement opportunity titled Enhancing global laboratory systems to safely manage biological risks, deploy diagnostics and sequence pathogens to strengthen health protection worldwide. This program is part of the federal assistance listings under CFDA 93.318, which supports the global strengthening of public health impact, systems, capacity, and security. The opportunity is designed to improve laboratory readiness and resilience at the international level, with the overall goal of enhancing public health protection worldwide. The funding will support a range of public health laboratory system activities. Specifically, this opportunity will focus on strengthening laboratory systems, improving the workforce of public health laboratories, and enhancing biosafety and biosecurity management. Additionally, it seeks to reinforce emergency laboratory preparedness in alignment with the 7-1-7 outbreak response paradigm, improve laboratory quality management systems, and expand diagnostic capacity by leveraging rapid tests suitable for low-resource settings and genomic sequencing technologies. These efforts will help laboratories identify and respond to pathogens of pandemic potential and ensure global systems are better prepared for future public health emergencies. Applicants who previously received funding under CDC-RFA-GH20-2109 will be eligible to expand their laboratory efforts into additional countries, with special consideration provided for those applying to broaden their global footprint. The program anticipates awarding approximately three cooperative agreements under this funding opportunity. The estimated total program funding is $25,000,000. Although the notice lists award ceiling and floor values as zero, this is likely a placeholder; actual amounts are expected to be determined at the award stage. Matching contributions are not required under this program. The opportunity is open to a wide range of applicants, including state, county, and city governments, special district governments, independent school districts, Native American tribal governments and organizations, public and private higher education institutions, nonprofits with or without 501(c)(3) status, for-profit organizations including small businesses, and public housing authorities. This broad eligibility underscores the CDC’s intent to engage diverse partners with the capacity to strengthen global health systems and laboratories. No exclusions by geography within the United States are noted, and eligibility is unrestricted as long as the applicant fits into the listed categories. The application process will be fully electronic, with applications due no later than January 2, 2026, at 11:59 PM Eastern Time. The estimated post date for the full notice is November 3, 2025, giving applicants time to prepare. Awards are expected to be announced by August 31, 2026, with funded projects beginning by September 30, 2026. The program has an archive date of February 1, 2026, meaning applications must be submitted before this deadline to be considered. There is no indication of required pre-application steps such as Letters of Intent, and the opportunity is currently forecasted rather than active. Questions about this opportunity may be directed to the designated CDC contact, Broderick Yoerg, who can be reached by phone at 404-234-0666 or via email at DGHPNOFOs@cdc.gov. Interested applicants are encouraged to monitor the Grants.gov listing for updates once the official notice of funding opportunity is published. At that time, full details regarding evaluation criteria, required documentation, and spending rules will be released.