Protecting and Improving Global Health Security by Engaging Local Partners: Strengthening and Sustaining Public Health Systems in Ghana

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), operating under the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, has issued a forecasted cooperative agreement opportunity titled "Protecting and Improving Global Health Security by Engaging Local Partners: Strengthening and Sustaining Public Health Systems in Ghana." This opportunity reflects CDC's long-term investment in building resilient global public health infrastructure and improving health security in partner countries. The initiative falls under Assistance Listing 93.318, which focuses on protecting and improving health globally by enhancing public health impact, systems, capacity, and security. The primary objective of this opportunity is to strengthen the public health system in Ghana to effectively prevent, detect, and respond to infectious disease threats. This involves a comprehensive approach that builds upon previous CDC-funded efforts in the country across key public health pillars, including laboratory systems, surveillance infrastructure, emergency response mechanisms, and workforce development. The new iteration of this initiative also expands its scope to enhance surveillance and laboratory capacity in border districts and integrate genomic sequencing and bioinformatics into national systems, aiming to bolster both national and regional responses to health threats. Awardees will be expected to align with CDC's goals to establish sustainable, country-led systems that foster local ownership and intersectoral collaboration. This includes leveraging resources and coordination with other multilateral and sectoral partners in Ghana to optimize the use of existing health assets and expand reach. The expected outcomes are improved prevention of epidemics, earlier detection of infectious diseases, and more efficient and effective responses to outbreaks, all contributing to broader goals of global health security and resilient health systems. Although cost sharing or matching is not required for this opportunity, applicants should be prepared to demonstrate capacity for large-scale coordination and implementation in collaboration with CDC and local stakeholders. The program is forecasted to provide total funding of $125 million, with an estimated four awards to be made. Award ceilings and floors were not disclosed, suggesting that funding levels may be flexible or determined based on proposed scopes of work and organizational capacity. Eligible applicants include a wide range of U.S.-based and potentially international institutions, such as public and private higher education institutions, nonprofit organizations (with or without 501(c)(3) status), state and local governments, tribal governments and organizations, for-profit entities including small businesses, and independent school districts. While eligibility is open, successful applicants must demonstrate expertise and capacity in public health system strengthening, particularly in a low-resource or international setting like Ghana. The forecasted timeline indicates an estimated posting date of April 24, 2026, with applications due by June 25, 2026, at 11:59 PM ET. Awards are expected to be announced by August 31, 2026, with funded projects starting on September 30, 2026. No pre-application or concept note deadlines are listed. Interested applicants should reach out to the CDC contact listed—Broderick Yoerg—via phone at 404.234.0666 or email at [email protected] for further information or clarification. As a forecasted opportunity, these details may be subject to updates, and prospective applicants are encouraged to monitor Grants.gov for the official NOFO release.