Deadline approaching: National Environmental Assessment Reporting System (NEARS) Request for Proposals

The National Environmental Health Association (NEHA), in conjunction with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), will offer subawards between $2,500 and $4,000, depending on the number of applicants, to support state, tribal, local, or territorial governmental food safety programs to learn more about CDC’s National Environmental Assessment Reporting System (NEARS) program. NEARS is a surveillance system that captures environmental assessment data from foodborne illness outbreak investigations in retail food services to improve food safety programs.

Funding will support food safety program initiatives to explore involvement in CDC’s National Environmental Assessment Reporting Systems. Supported activities include:

  • Staff time to learn about NEARS, such as
    • Taking Environmental Assessment Training (EATS) to conduct environmental assessments
    • Participating in a NEARS webinar training session
    • Attending a regional or national NEARS presentation
  • Purchase of environmental sampling/other investigation equipment to build capacity in foodborne outbreak investigations
  • Ability to use funds to encourage local programs within the state to participate

The program will run from February 1, 2022, through June 30, 2022.

Applicants must submit their online application by 5 p.m. EST, Friday, January 7, 2022. Awardees will be notified via email after the application period closes.