OSHA Has $21 Million in Grants for Non-Profits

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) currently has over $21 million in funding available for non-profit organizations through the Susan Harwood training grants, according to a June 24th release.

The main purpose of these grants is to help non-profits properly identify and prevent the spread of work-related diseases such as COVID-19, fund training, and development of educational materials to prevent workplace hazards.

Susan Harwood Training Grant Program History: 

• OSHA established a discretionary grant program in 1978, ‘New Directions.’ Grantees were awarded for up to five years.
• In 1990, reductions in funding caused grants to be restructured.
• In 1997, the program was renamed to honor Susan Harwood, former director of the Office of Risk Assessment for OSHA, who passed away in 1996.

Types of Grants Offered: 

• Capacity Building grants: focus on developing or expanding the capacity of an organization to provide safety and health training. Any organization that receives a grant must show plans to continue capacity after the grant has expired.
• Target Topic grants: focus on training of workers or multiple employers on occupational safety and health hazards per one of OSHA’s training topics.
• Training Materials Development grants: grantees must develop, evaluate, and validate classroom quality training materials on one of OSHA’s training topics.

Who is Eligible?

• Non-profits, including qualifying community and faith-based organizations, employer associations, and labor unions. 
• State/local government-supported institutions of higher learning. 

Under the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 for Workplace Safety and Health training on Infectious Diseases, including COVID-19, the Susan Harwood grants will provide $10 million in its first availability.

How Can Your Organization Secure a Susan Harwood Training Grant?

• By developing training that focuses on four program emphasis areas:

1. Identifying and preventing workplace-related infectious diseases, including COVID-19, in industries with high illness rates, those employing frontline workers, or those serving susceptible populations.
2. OSHA standards that address infectious diseases, including coronavirus.
3. Workplace hazards identified in OSHA’s special emphasis programs or other priorities associated with infectious diseases, including COVID-19.

Visit OSHA’s website for more information about the Susan Harwood Training grants.