Expanding global health security through local partnerships in Ethiopia

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), under the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, has issued a forecast for a cooperative agreement opportunity titled "Expanding global health security through local partnerships in Ethiopia." This grant initiative builds on the longstanding partnership between the CDC and the Government of Ethiopia (GOE), particularly with the Ministry of Health (MOH) and the Ethiopian Public Health Institute (EPHI). Since the establishment of the CDC's office in Ethiopia in 2001, there has been continuous collaboration aimed at strengthening the country’s ability to detect, prevent, and respond to priority diseases. This grant is part of the broader Global Health Security Agenda, which CDC has supported in Ethiopia since 2014, helping the nation progress toward meeting its International Health Regulation (IHR) targets. The core objectives of the grant are to enhance Ethiopia’s public health infrastructure through seven strategic focus areas: laboratory systems, workforce development, surveillance systems, emergency response and management, antimicrobial resistance, immunization, and strengthening health information systems. The CDC’s engagement has already contributed to significant milestones, including training over 500 professionals in field epidemiology and establishing a national public health emergency operations center. This opportunity seeks to build upon projects initiated during the 2020–2025 period, maintaining momentum toward long-term public health resilience. This funding opportunity has an anticipated total program funding of $25 million, with an expected three awards. However, the individual award ceiling and floor are not specified in the forecast. There is no cost-sharing or matching requirement, and the cooperative agreement format signals a high level of involvement from CDC in the execution of the program. The eligible applicants are broadly defined, encompassing a wide range of domestic and international entities, including state and local governments, tribal entities (both federally and non-federally recognized), higher education institutions, nonprofits (both 501(c)(3) and those without such designation), small businesses, and for-profit organizations. The submission process for applications will be entirely electronic via Grants.gov. The estimated application open date is April 24, 2026, with a firm submission deadline of June 25, 2026, at 11:59 PM Eastern Time. No pre-application such as a Letter of Intent or concept paper is required. Applicants should prepare to submit full proposals, including any required administrative and technical documentation as specified in the final funding opportunity announcement when published. Evaluation and selection of awardees will be based on the applicants’ ability to demonstrate alignment with CDC’s strategic focus areas and their capacity to work collaboratively with the Ethiopian government and related health entities. The projected award date is August 31, 2026, and the start date for funded projects is scheduled for September 30, 2026. This opportunity is part of CDC’s recurring funding efforts in global health security, implying future cycles are likely. Interested parties may direct inquiries to Broderick Yoerg at 404-234-0666 or via email at [email protected]. Since this is a forecasted opportunity, applicants are encouraged to monitor Grants.gov for the final funding announcement, which is expected on or after April 24, 2026. No official PDF was provided in the forecast notice.