Ensuring a knowledgeable and skilled public health workforce to better serve public health agencies and communities - note

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention awarded a $1.5 million cooperative agreement to the Public Health Foundation on September 1, 2026, under the CDC Partnership: Strengthening Public Health Laboratories program (CFDA 93.322) to expand and enhance access to training and continuing education for state, tribal, local, and territorial health departments through the TRAIN learning management platform.

The award funds two primary components. Component A addresses systems work: the Public Health Foundation will expand and enhance access to high-quality training through CDC TRAIN and the TRAIN Learning Network, modernizing the platform's user interface and affiliate collaboration capabilities. Short-term outcomes include improved availability of quality training and a more user-friendly platform; intermediate outcomes encompass increased training uptake, improved infrastructure, and greater efficiency and cost savings; long-term outcomes target expanded use of TRAIN among state, tribal, local, and territorial health departments, federal agencies, and partner organizations. Component B encompasses direct services the Public Health Foundation will deliver at the national level, though the source describes this component only in outline.

The award builds on the Public Health Foundation's nearly 30 years of leadership in performance management, quality improvement, and workforce development. TRAIN currently services millions of users and thousands of training providers, offering nearly 5,000 courses and robust tracking tools. The cooperative agreement runs from September 1, 2026, through August 31, 2031, with place of performance in Washington, DC.

The project abstract summary had to be rewritten with only periods. That is the only punctuation the grantsolutions system would accept. Project abstract summary. As outlined in the notice of funding opportunity strengthening education training professional development and quality improvement infrastructure for the current and future public health workforce CDC RFA PW 26 0204 there is a need to expand workforce knowledge and skills while enhancing the ability of state tribal local and territorial health departments stlt HDS to access and deliver high quality training through CDC train as well as to use performance management PM and quality improvement QI to assess and improve services. The public health foundation is uniquely positioned to address these needs by advancing training infrastructure strengthening workforce competencies and supporting cross sector partnerships. Building on nearly 30 years of leadership in PM QI and workforce development WD the PHF proposes a comprehensive approach centered on two components. Systems and services. Component a. Systems. PHF will expand and enhance access to high quality training and continuing education through CDC train and the train learning network. The nations leading public health learning management system. Train services millions of users and thousands of training providers. Train offers nearly 5000 courses robust tracking tools and a collaborative learning environment. Anticipated outcomes include short term. Improved availability of quality training. A modernized user friendly platform. Enhanced affiliate collaboration. Intermediate. Increased training uptake. Improved infrastructure. Greater efficiency and cost savings. Stronger engagement across partners. Long term. Expanded use of train among stlt HDS federal agencies and partner organizations. Component b. Services. PHF will provide national leadership in PM QI and WD by delivering competency based training tools and technical assistance. Efforts will focus on strengthening workforce skills advancing PM and QI practices and fostering partnerships such as academic health departments ahds. Anticipated outcomes include short term. Increased access to QI tools and training. Timely high quality training delivery. Expanded sharing of best practices in partnerships and competency use. Intermediate. Greater use of PM and QI tools. Increased adoption of AHD partnership models. Expanded career pathway strategies. Broader use of competencies in workforce planning. Long term. Strengthened evidence base and knowledge for WD collaboration and services. Conclusion. PHF aims to build a sustainable skilled and empowered public health workforce through integrated systems and services. These efforts will strengthen public health agencies and improve health outcomes for communities nationwide by enhancing training infrastructure advancing PM and QI practices and fostering collaboration.