Epidemiology Program

The purpose of this program is to fund Tribes, Tribal and urban Indian organizations, and intertribal consortia to provide epidemiological support for the American Indian / Alaska Native (AI/AN) population served by IHS. Tribal Epidemiology Center (

It is the intent of this grant program to fund several TECs that will serve Tribes and urban Indian communities in all 12 IHS Administrative Areas.

AI/AN Tribes, Tribal organizations, and eligible intertribal consortia or urban Indian organizations as defined by 25 U.S.C. 1603(e) may be eligible for a TEC cooperative agreement. Such entities must represent or serve a population of at least 60,000 AI/AN to be eligible as demonstrated by Tribal resolutions or the equivalent documentation from urban Indian clinic directors/Chief Executive Officers (CEOs). Applicants must describe the population of AI/ANs and Tribes that will be represented. The number of AI/ANs served must be substantiated by documentation describing IHS user populations, United States Census Bureau data, clinical catchment data, or any method that is scientifically and epidemiologically valid. An intertribal consortium or urban Indian organization is eligible to receive a cooperative agreement if it is incorporated for the primary purpose of improving AI/AN health, and represents the Tribes, AN villages, or urban Indian communities in which it is located. Resolutions from each Tribe, AN village and equivalent documentation from each urban Indian community represented must be included in the application package. Collaborations with IHS Areas, Federal agencies such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), State, academic institutions or other organizations are encouraged (letters of support and collaboration should be included in the application). AI/AN Tribes, Tribal organizations, and eligible intertribal consortia or urban Indian organizations as defined by 25 U.S.C. 1603(e) may be eligible for Native Public Health Resilience awards and Native Public Health Resilience Planning awards. Applicants must describe the population of AI/ANs and Tribes that will be represented. An intertribal consortium or urban Indian organization is eligible to receive an award if it is incorporated for the primary purpose of improving AI/AN health, and represents the Tribes, AN villages, or urban Indian communities in which it is located. Resolutions from each Tribe, AN village and equivalent documentation from each urban Indian community represented must be included in the application package.

Federally-recognized Indian Tribes will benefit from the Tribal Epidemiology Centers. Federally-recognized Indian Tribe means any Indian Tribe, band, nation, or other organized group or community, including any Alaska Native village or group or regional or village corporation as defined in or established pursuant to the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act (85 Stat. 688) [43 U.S.C. § 1601, et seq.], which is recognized as eligible for the special programs and services provided by the United States to Indians because of their status as Indians. 25 U.S.C. §1603 (d). Tribal organization means the elected governing body of any Indian Tribe or any legally established organization of Indians which is controlled by one or more such bodies or by a board of directors elected or selected by one or more such bodies or elected by the Indian population to be served by such organization and which includes the maximum participation of Indians in all phases of its activities. 25 U.S.C. §1603(e). Urban Indian organization means a non-profit corporate body situated in an urban center governed by an urban Indian controlled board of directors, and providing for the maximum participation of all interested Indian groups and individuals, which body is capable of legally cooperating with other public and private entities for the purpose of performing the activities. 25 U.S.C. §1603(h).

Cooperative agreement funds for TEC awards may be used to develop and conduct activities to achieve at least one epidemiology program in each of the 12 Areas of Indian country. The recipient activities will coordinate and participate in projects, investigations, or studies of national scope; and share surveillance and other data collected. IHS activities will convene workshops/meetings; provide technical assistance and consultation; provide training; conduct site visits; and coordinate all epidemiological activities on a national basis. Grant funds for NPHR and NPHRP may be used for planning and implementation of public health activities as described under the 10 Essential Public Health Services on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention web site, Public Health Professionals Gateway (https://www.cdc.gov/publichealthgateway/publichealthservices/essentialhealthservices.html).

Cooperative agreements and grants will be awarded for project periods of up 5 years. Within the project period, a continuation application must be submitted via GrantSolutions.gov annually on a non- competitive basis for each year of support. Additional support is subject to availability of funds.

Selection criteria for the TEC awards are introduction, current capacity and project objectives, approach and results and benefits, project evaluation, organization capabilities and qualifications, and budget. Consideration will be given to applicants demonstrating evidence of past and current epidemiological activities.

These awards are issued under a competitive grant process.