Public Health Training Centers (PHTC) Program

The Public Health Training Center (PHTC) Program is a four-year cooperative agreement administered by the Health Resources and Services Administration under the Department of Health and Human Services, with performance beginning September 1, 2026, and concluding August 31, 2030. The initiative is designed to strengthen the public health workforce through targeted training, professional development, and field placements in partnership with state and local health departments, community-based primary care providers, and other non-traditional entities, with a specific focus on underserved and rural populations. Applicants must demonstrate a comprehensive work plan that integrates curriculum development, faculty-student collaboration, and sustainable workforce capacity building, all aligned with CDC training standards, HHS Evaluation Policy, and OMB Memorandum M-20-12. The program emphasizes measurable outcomes, requiring systematic tracking of trainees for up to one year after completion and the dissemination of results to inform broader public health practice. The application package must not exceed 50 pages, including all attachments such as accreditation documentation, organizational charts, staffing plans with one-page job descriptions, letters of agreement and support, maintenance of effort documentation, and performance metrics using tables or flow charts. Submission is exclusively through Grants.gov by July 17, 2026, in approved formats such as PDF, DOCX, or Excel, with no encrypted or zipped files allowed. Evaluation is merit-based and weighted across six factors: Response (25 points), Need (20), Impact (20), Resources and Capabilities (15), Performance Management (10), and Support Requested (10), totaling 100 points. Awards are made through a trade-off process considering technical merit, strategic alignment, portfolio balance, and risk assessment—including SAM.gov verification, audit history, and budget credibility—rather than lowest price. Key personnel must include a project coordinator committed to 100% effort and other staff with documented experience in public health training. Federal funds are subject to a salary cap of $228,000 per individual and cannot be used to meet maintenance of effort requirements, which must be supported by non-federal funding. Profit is prohibited, and all activities must comply with 2 CFR Part 200. A Unique Entity Identifier from SAM.gov is mandatory for eligibility, and no socioeconomic or small business certifications are formally required or evaluated.