Public Health Scholarship Program

This notice announces the opportunity to apply for funding under the Public Health Scholarship Program (PHSP). The purpose of the PHSP is to strengthen the public health workforce by providing support to organizations to develop scholarship programs that incentivize individuals to pursue training and careers in public health. Through the PHSP, scholarship recipients will gain the requisite knowledge and skills necessary to prevent, prepare for, and respond to recovery activities related to COVID–19, as well as other public health emergencies. Awarded recipients will provide scholarships to individuals, for the purpose of public health training in professional, graduate, degree, and/or certificate programs. For example, health professions schools would provide scholarships to students seeking a graduate degree in public health. A community college offering an associate degree in public health would provide scholarships to students to train as health educators. A public health department/entity/site would provide scholarships to employees who are training for advanced public health certifications. These examples are not an exhaustive list of training opportunities. Applicants will be required to have an existing public health training program as well as public health partnerships in place, along with a system for scholarship recipients to maintain or be transitioned into employment in public health upon completion of their training. This program will enhance the public health system to meet the core public health functions and the Ten Essential Public Health Services.2 Training participants will include individuals currently working in state or local governments, including state, local, territorial or tribal public health departments, and individuals in public health-related training programs. Scholarship recipients will be trained to work as case investigators, contact tracers, social support specialists, public health nurses, disease intervention specialists, epidemiologists, program managers, laboratory personnel, informaticians, communication and policy experts, and any other positions as may be required to prevent, prepare for, and respond to recovery activities related to COVID-19, as well as other public health emergencies.

Eligible entities for the PHSP are: (A) a health professions school, including an accredited school or program of public health, health administration, preventive medicine, or dental public health or a school providing health management programs; (B) an academic health center; (C) a State or local government; or (D) any other appropriate public or private nonprofit entity. Eligible applicants include domestic public or private nonprofit entities. Domestic faith-based and community-based organizations, tribes, and tribal organizations are also eligible to apply, if otherwise eligible. Applicants must provide a statement as Attachment 9, documenting justification of their eligibility and ability to carry out the scope of work of this NOFO.

LCDR Kelly Kerr

301-443-4343