Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System Funding Opportunity

Deadline for Applications: April 15, 2024 by 11:59 p.m. EST

Topic number one (CDC-RFA-DP24-0023) is a Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) for a grant to be supported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Approximately $31,800,000 is available for annual funding. CDC anticipates making up to 57 awards ranging from $70,000 – $600,000. The grant’s period of performance is from August 1, 2024 – July 31, 2029, pending continued funding.

The purpose of the NOFO

The Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) plays a crucial role in public health surveillance. It focuses primarily on adults over the age of 18 who do not live in institutions. The BRFSS is sometimes the only source of state or territory-specific risk behavior data. It is used by policymakers, researchers, academics, and the public.

This cooperative agreement encourages applications from state governments, special district governments, independent school districts, public and state-controlled institutions of higher education, Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized), Native American tribal organizations, other than federally recognized tribal governments, Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status, other than institutions of higher education, and all other non research organizations. This NOFO is seeking to fund partners who have a proven history of collecting and compiling health related data using a behavioral risk factor surveillance survey. They should be able to demonstrate their knowledge of how to implement strategies to gather data that will be used to help monitor the prevalence of health risk behaviors linked to chronic health conditions, preventable injuries, and other emerging health threats. Applicants must be able to demonstrate their understanding of how to collect survey data using WinCATI or other software for conducting BRFSS interviews.

This opportunity provides financial and technical aid to improve BRFSS data collection as a means to help communities monitor behavioral risk factor and chronic health conditions among adults in the United States, territories, and freely associated states. The aim of improving BRFSS data collection is to advance health equity by collecting data among underrepresented communities. This NOFO supports the use of a standardized telephone questionnaire to collect these data under the BRFSS surveillance system.

Currently, the District of Columbia, all 50 U.S. states, several territories, and freely associated states take part in the BRFSS, demonstrating its wide implementation and significance. This effort helps monitor the prevalence of health risk behaviors linked to chronic health problems, preventable injuries, and other emerging health threats. Local public health agencies do not get enough state-specific information from national surveillance system data.

The use of state and local government surveillance systems can improve public health by helping local public health agencies:

• Closely monitor health disparities
• Implement targeted preventive efforts
• Address emerging public health situations
• Highlight health disparities in underrepresented communities

We invite you to apply for funding under the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) Program. This initiative aims to increase reporting of health outcomes. As part of the broader BRFSS data collection, the program has a particular focus on advancing health equity among underrepresented groups.

CDC will be hosting an information call on February 27, 2024, at 3:00 p.m. ET for those interested in applying.

Dial 404-718-3800, Conference ID: 224403364# United States, Atlanta
1-888-994-4478, Conference ID: 224403364# United States, Toll-Free

A letter of intent to apply for funding is requested, but not required. The purpose of a letter of intent is to allow CDC program staff to estimate the number of, and plan for the review of, submitted applications. Submit your letter of intent via email, no later than March 1, 2024.

Dwayne Banks, M.Ed, LPC
Team Lead, State and Program Coordination Team
Population Health Surveillance Branch
Division of Population Health
National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
BRFSSnofo@cdc.gov