Innovative Approaches for TB Prevention and Case Finding to END TB | RFA JG 25 137

Opportunity Information: Apply for RFA JG 25 137

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is offering a discretionary cooperative agreement funding opportunity titled "Innovative Approaches for TB Prevention and Case Finding to END TB" (Funding Opportunity Number: RFA JG 25 137; CFDA: 93.494). The overall goal is to support projects that develop, implement, and evaluate evidence-based and innovative approaches to reduce tuberculosis (TB) transmission and illness, with an emphasis on both preventing TB from taking hold and improving how TB infection and disease are found, including earlier and harder-to-detect forms.

The program is organized around two thematic components. Component A focuses on preventing TB infection and stopping progression to active TB disease in high-burden settings. Within this prevention theme, the NOFO highlights two priority strategies: TB preventive treatment (TPT) and nutrition. In practical terms, this signals interest in interventions that expand or improve access to preventive therapy for people who are infected with TB bacteria or at high risk of developing active TB, as well as approaches that address nutritional factors that can influence immune function and vulnerability to TB. Projects under this component would be expected to show not only implementation plans but also a clear evaluation approach to demonstrate impact and feasibility in real-world, high-burden contexts.

Component B centers on finding TB infection and TB disease more effectively, including sub-clinical TB, by using newer tools and products. Sub-clinical TB generally refers to disease that may not yet be causing obvious symptoms but can still be detectable with sensitive diagnostics and may contribute to ongoing transmission if missed. This component emphasizes reaching all populations, with explicit attention to people at increased or higher risk for TB. The NOFO lists examples such as people living with HIV (PLHIV), children, displaced persons, healthcare workers, and economically disadvantaged groups, as well as individuals with co-morbidities and risk factors that increase TB vulnerability or complicate diagnosis and care, including alcohol use disorders, diabetes mellitus, illicit substance use, undernutrition, and older age. The framing suggests the CDC is looking for approaches that improve case finding beyond traditional symptom-based screening, potentially through targeted screening strategies, improved diagnostic workflows, or deployment of newer diagnostic products that can detect infection or early disease more reliably.

Funding is offered through a cooperative agreement, which typically means the funder anticipates substantial involvement during the project period (for example, collaboration on technical approaches, monitoring, and learning). The award ceiling is $2,000,000, and the CDC expects to make 2 awards. The original application closing date listed is March 3, 2025, and the opportunity was created on November 25, 2024.

Eligibility is broad and includes many organization types: state, county, and city/township governments; special district governments; independent school districts; public and state-controlled institutions of higher education; private institutions of higher education; federally recognized Native American tribal governments and other tribal organizations; public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities; nonprofit organizations (including both 501(c)(3) and non-501(c)(3) entities, excluding higher education institutions under those categories); for-profit organizations (other than small businesses); small businesses; and other/unrestricted applicants. This wide eligibility suggests the CDC is open to proposals from public health agencies, academic groups, community-based organizations, implementers, and private-sector partners, especially where collaborations can help bring newer tools into use or strengthen delivery systems for prevention and screening.

In summary, this NOFO is aimed at accelerating progress toward ending TB by supporting practical, measurable innovations in two key areas: preventing TB through preventive treatment and nutrition-focused strategies in high-burden settings, and improving detection of TB infection and disease (including sub-clinical TB) using newer tools across general and higher-risk populations. The emphasis on development, implementation, and evaluation indicates proposals should go beyond concepts and clearly show how an approach will be tested, measured, and translated into evidence that can be used to scale successful models.

• The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention - ERA in the health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Innovative Approaches for TB Prevention and Case Finding to END TB" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.494.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2024-11-25.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2025-03-03. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $2,000,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 2 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: State governments, County governments, City or township governments, Special district governments, Independent school districts, Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized), Public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities, Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments), Nonprofits having a 501 (c) (3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Nonprofits that do not have a 501 (c) (3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Private institutions of higher education, For-profit organizations other than small businesses, Small businesses, Others, Unrestricted.

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