Strengthening public health efforts to protect and improve health in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC)

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has issued a Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO), CDC-RFA-JG-26-0044, to strengthen public health efforts and global health security in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). Aligning with the America First Global Health Strategy and the 7-1-7 framework for rapid outbreak response, this initiative aims to improve diagnostic capacity, disease surveillance, workforce development, and emergency operations. Expected total funding for Year 1 is $10 million, distributed across approximately four cooperative agreements for a five-year period of performance. Funding is structured into four distinct components: Component 1 (Core Global Health Security Priorities, ceiling $2.5M), Component 2 (Rapid Small-Scale Emergency Response, ceiling $5M), Component 3 (Rapid Large-Scale Emergency Response, ceiling $10M), and Component 4 (Emerging Infectious Disease Threats, ceiling $10M). Applicants must apply for all components, though only Component 1 is expected to be funded initially. Eligible applicants include government entities, academic institutions, nonprofits, commercial organizations, and foreign entities. To promote sustainability, a 15-point preference is awarded to organizations meeting the local partner definition. Applications must be in English, with budgets in U.S. dollars, and are subject to strict responsiveness criteria, including a 60-page project narrative limit and compliance with CDC policy priorities regarding data management and programmatic values. Applications are due by August 15, 2026, with awards anticipated on September 30, 2026.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has issued Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) CDC-RFA-JG-26-0044, "Strengthening public health efforts to protect and improve health in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC)." This five-year cooperative agreement, with an expected Year 1 funding total of $10,000,000 across approximately four awards, aims to enhance Global Health Security (GHS) by improving the DRC’s capacity to prevent, detect, and respond to infectious disease threats. The program focuses on six core strategies: national laboratory systems, surveillance, workforce development, public health emergency management, health service delivery, and rapid response to small- and large-scale outbreaks. Utilizing evidence-based frameworks like the 7-1-7 timeline, the initiative aims to stop health threats at their source. Applicants must apply for all four funding components, which span baseline GHS activities (Component 1, ceiling $2.5M) and scalable emergency response tiers. Eligible applicants include government, academic, non-profit, for-profit, and foreign entities. Applications must be submitted through Grants.gov by August 15, 2026. Submissions are subject to a strict 60-page project narrative limit and must align with core CDC priorities, including evidence-based science, domestic public safety policies, and fiscal compliance. A 15-point preference is available for verified local partners. Funded recipients must dedicate 5% to 10% of their budget to monitoring, evaluation, and data management planning.