The U.S. Department of Labor’s OSHA Offers Grants for Occupational Safety and Health Training Materials Development

Under the authority of Section 21 of the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 (OSH Act), the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) established its discretionary grant program in 1978. In 1997, OSHA renamed the program in honor of the late Susan Harwood, former director of the OSHA Office of Risk Assessment. The grant program offers opportunities for nonprofit organizations to compete annually for funding so they may develop and conduct training and educational programs for small business employers and workers on the recognition, avoidance, and prevention of occupational safety and health hazards in their workplaces, and to inform workers of their rights and employers of their responsibilities under the OSH Act.

The Susan Harwood Grant Program awards funds to qualifying organizations who have demonstrated capabilities to achieve the program’s performance expectations outlined in this FOA. This includes experience in employing subject matter experts, delivering and administering adult training programs, recruiting students, and managing grants. Following the grant awards, OSHA monitors each organization’s progress in achieving their performance goals and training targets. OSHA accomplishes this by conducting orientation meetings, training material reviews, training observations, program and financial monitoring visits, and quarterly and year-end report reviews.

For FY 2021, OSHA announces the availability of $11,787,000 to fund new Susan Harwood Training Program grants. Susan Harwood Training Program grants are subject to the availability of federal funding and appropriations. OSHA expects to award multiple grants to eligible nonprofit organizations under this competitive Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA). Program funding is for a 12-month period beginning no later than September 30, 2021, and ending on September 30, 2022. The maximum award for a Training and Educational Materials Development grant is $75,000.

Applications submitted under this FOA are competing for a Training and Educational Materials Development grant. This FOA does not itself obligate any federal funds. The obligation of funds occurs when grant recipients acknowledge receipt and acceptance of award documents.

Applicants must propose to develop new training materials addressing one of the OSHA-specified training topics. The materials must include learning objectives, course matrices, presentation/training materials including videos, instructor and participant guides, student handouts, training evaluations, and learning assessments. Grantees must validate the training materials in a live classroom training session.

Organizations are restricted to one Susan Harwood Targeted Topic Training grant, Training and Educational Materials Development grant, or Capacity Building grant award in a fiscal year. If an organization submits multiple applications for any of these Susan Harwood funding opportunities, OSHA will review the last complete and viable application package submitted. Organizations may apply for and receive a Susan Harwood Workplace Safety and Health Training on Infectious Diseases, Including COVID-19 grant award in addition to one of the grants awards listed above.

Once submitted, applications are not available for additions, corrections, or revisions. To make changes to a submitted application, the organization must submit a new application package. This FOA closes on August 23, 2021, at 11:59 p.m. eastern time. Applications not validated by Grants.gov, or submitted after this deadline, are ineligible for consideration.