Proposals are now being accepted for $5.7 million in grants for nonprofit organizations to conduct safety and health training and education in the workplace, OSHA announced Friday.
The grants will focus on these areas:
- educating workers and employers in small businesses (less than 250 employees);
- training workers and employers about new OSHA standards; and
- training workers and employers about high risk activities or hazards in OSHA's Strategic Plan or as part of a special emphasis training program.
New for fiscal year 2000, OSHA will be awarding grants for two different categories of Susan Harwood Training Grants.
The grants are named in honor of Susan Harwood, former risk assessment director in OSHA's health standards directorate. During her 17 years with the agency Harwood helped develop many of OSHA's health standards. She died in 1996.
The grants are divided into two categories -- Strategic Plan Grants and Institutional Competency Building Grants.
The Strategic Plan Grants support training in occupational safety and health programs for several industries targeted in OSHA's Strategic Plan.
Approximately $2.7 million of the funding will be awarded as Strategic Plan Grants, which target the construction industry (including residential), food processing, and nursing home industries.
These 12-month grants have the potential to be renewed for an additional 12 months. The average first year federal award will be $150,000.
The other category, the Institutional Competency Building grants, will assist nonprofit organizations that serve clients nationally or in multiple states to develop their occupational safety and health training, education and related assistance capacity over a three to five year competency building period.
Approximately $3 million will be awarded as Institutional Competency Building Grants. These grants may be funded for up to five years, with an average first year federal award of $250,000.
Both grants categories require some matching funds and carry some restrictions.
Details about the grants and the application process are available in the Federal Register, published Friday, Mar. 31.
Grant application instructions are available on the Internet at www.osha-slc.gov/Training/sharwood/apply.html..