$4.6 Million in Safety Training Grants Announced

OSHA has announced the availability of $4.6 million in funds in the Susan Harwood Training Grant Program.
The grants will fund the creation of in-person, hands-on training and educational programs and the development of materials for workers and employers in small businesses; industries with high injury, illness and fatality rates; and vulnerable workers who are underserved, have limited English proficiency, or are temporary workers.
The program intends to help workers and employers identify and prevent workplace safety and health hazards.
Nonprofit organizations including community and faith-based organizations, employer associations, labor unions, joint labor/management associations, Indian tribes, and colleges and universities are eligible and encouraged to apply for the grants.
The program honors the late Susan Harwood, former director of OSHA’s Office of Risk Assessment, whose tenure led to the development of worker protection standards for exposure to bloodborne pathogens, cotton dust, benzene, formaldehyde, asbestos, and lead.

Two Types of Grants Available

This funding opportunity includes two separate and distinct announcements: Targeted Topic Training Grants and Capacity Building Training Grants.

Targeted Topic Training grants support the development of quality training programs and educational materials that focus on identifying and preventing workplace hazards. These grants require applicants to address the occupational safety and health hazards designated by OSHA in the announcement.
There are two types of Capacity Building grants available: Capacity Building pilot and Capacity Building Developmental grants.
Pilot grants will assist organizations in assessing their needs and formulating a capacity-building plan before moving forward with a full-scale safety and health education program.
Developmental grants focus on improving and expanding the capacity of an organization to provide safety and health training, education, and related assistance to target audiences.

Application Instructions

New applicants must register online, and returning applicants must ensure registration is accurate and up-to-date prior to completing the application.

The registration process generally takes between three to five business days, but may be as long as four weeks if applicants fail to complete all steps in a timely manner.
Organizations new to the System for Award Management will need to allot an additional 14 days for registration to receive a Commercial and Government Entity code.
Applicants are encouraged to begin the process of registering online as soon as possible.
Applications for both Targeted Topic Training grants (SHTG-FY-16-01) and Capacity Building grants (SHTG-FY-16-02) must be submitted by June 28, 2016.
All applications must be submitted electronically and are due no later than 11:59 p.m. EDT on the due date. No extensions of the deadline will be granted.
OSHA has developed a series of short webinars to assist prospective applicants in understanding the application process.
Questions from the public should be directed to Donna Robertson, 847.759.7700.