Opportunity Information: Apply for EP U3R 23 003
The Medical Reserve Corps (MRC) Small Grant Program is a discretionary, multi-year cooperative agreement run by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) through the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response (ASPR). Its central goal is to strengthen the readiness and operational capabilities of MRC units nationwide so they can better support communities during emergencies that create public health and medical needs. The program is focused not only on building capabilities on paper, but also on making sure those capabilities are actually usable and activated when real incidents occur.
A key expectation of this opportunity is that the awardee will look beyond training and equipment and actively address why MRC units and volunteers sometimes are not deployed or used effectively during emergencies. In other words, applicants should be prepared to identify practical barriers to MRC utilization (such as coordination challenges with local emergency management, gaps in volunteer credentialing and onboarding, liability or policy concerns, communication and alerting issues, limited integration into incident command structures, or obstacles that prevent volunteers from being mobilized quickly). The funded work is intended to include planning and actions that reduce those barriers so MRC units can be called upon more consistently and efficiently during times of need.
The structure of the award is designed around a single national recipient that will support MRC units across the country, including through sub-awards or other forms of support. While the program benefits local MRC units, the funding is not described as being spread across multiple primary recipients; instead, one entity is selected to manage and deliver support at scale. The cooperative agreement mechanism also signals substantial involvement or collaboration with the federal agency during the project period, meaning the recipient should anticipate ongoing coordination with ASPR rather than operating in complete independence.
Sustainability is another major theme. The opportunity emphasizes that the progress made under the award should not fade when the federal funding period ends. Awardees (and sub-awardees, particularly the MRC units) are expected to develop sustainability plans to maintain and potentially expand emergency response capabilities long-term. This typically implies thinking through durable partnerships, repeatable training and exercise models, resource planning, volunteer retention strategies, and ways to embed MRC roles into local and regional preparedness systems so that capabilities remain strong after the period of performance.
Eligibility is broad and includes many common public and nonprofit sectors as well as certain private entities. Eligible applicants include state, county, and city or township governments; public and state-controlled institutions of higher education; federally recognized tribal governments and other tribal organizations; nonprofit organizations with or without 501(c)(3) status (excluding institutions of higher education in those nonprofit categories); private institutions of higher education; for-profit organizations other than small businesses; and other entities as allowed under the program’s additional eligibility language. The breadth of eligibility aligns with the single-award design, allowing a range of national-capacity organizations or governmental entities to serve as the coordinating hub that can reach and support MRC units nationwide.
Financially, the opportunity lists an award ceiling of $2,000,000 and anticipates making one award. The funding opportunity number is EP U3R 23 003, and it is categorized under Health (CFDA 93.008). The opportunity was created on July 18, 2023, with an original closing date of September 18, 2023. Overall, the program is aimed at improving real-world emergency response readiness by strengthening MRC unit capabilities, ensuring those capabilities are deployable and used during incidents, and setting up a plan for sustaining the improvements beyond the life of the federal award.Apply for EP U3R 23 003
- The Department of Health and Human Services, Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response in the health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Medical Reserve Corps Small Grant Program" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.008.
- This funding opportunity was created on Jul 18, 2023.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Sep 18, 2023 No Explanation. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $2,000,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: State governments, County governments, City or township governments, 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 with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Nonprofits that do not have a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Private institutions of higher education, For profit organizations other than small businesses, Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
What is the Medical Reserve Corps (MRC) Small Grant Program?
The MRC Small Grant Program is a discretionary, multi-year cooperative agreement run by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) through the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response (ASPR). Its purpose is to strengthen the readiness and operational capabilities of MRC units nationwide so they can better support communities during emergencies that create public health and medical needs.
What is the main goal of this funding opportunity?
The central goal is to improve real-world emergency response readiness by strengthening MRC unit capabilities and ensuring those capabilities can be activated and used during actual incidents, not just documented in plans.
What does the program mean by focusing on real-world usability, not just capability on paper?
The opportunity emphasizes that funded improvements should be operational and deployable during real emergencies. The expectation is that MRC units and volunteers can be mobilized and utilized effectively when incidents occur, rather than only completing trainings or acquiring resources without practical activation.
What is a key expectation beyond training and equipment?
A key expectation is that the recipient will actively address why MRC units and volunteers are sometimes not deployed or not used effectively during emergencies. Applicants are expected to identify practical barriers to MRC utilization and take planning and action steps to reduce those barriers.
What kinds of barriers to MRC utilization does the opportunity highlight?
Examples of barriers mentioned include coordination challenges with local emergency management, gaps in volunteer credentialing and onboarding, liability or policy concerns, communication and alerting issues, limited integration into incident command structures, and obstacles that prevent volunteers from being mobilized quickly.
How is this award structured (one award vs. multiple awards)?
The opportunity anticipates making one award. The structure is designed around a single national recipient that supports MRC units across the country, including through sub-awards or other forms of support.
Does the funding go directly to local MRC units as primary recipients?
The program is designed for one entity to be selected as the primary recipient to manage and deliver support at scale. While local MRC units benefit from the program, the funding is not described as being spread across multiple primary recipients.
What is meant by a "cooperative agreement" in this opportunity?
The cooperative agreement mechanism indicates substantial federal involvement during the project period. The recipient should expect ongoing coordination and collaboration with ASPR rather than operating completely independently.
Who administers this opportunity within the federal government?
The program is run by HHS through the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response (ASPR).
What is the award ceiling?
The listed award ceiling is $2,000,000.
How many awards are expected to be made?
The opportunity anticipates making one award.
Is this a multi-year opportunity?
Yes. It is described as a multi-year cooperative agreement.
What is the role of the national recipient?
The national recipient is expected to coordinate and deliver support to MRC units nationwide, potentially through sub-awards or other support mechanisms, while working in coordination with ASPR during the period of performance.
What does the opportunity say about sustainability after funding ends?
Sustainability is a major theme. The opportunity emphasizes that progress made during the award should not fade after the federal funding period ends. Awardees and sub-awardees (particularly MRC units) are expected to develop sustainability plans to maintain and potentially expand emergency response capabilities long-term.
What might be included in a sustainability plan based on the opportunity description?
The description points to approaches such as durable partnerships, repeatable training and exercise models, resource planning, volunteer retention strategies, and embedding MRC roles into local and regional preparedness systems so capabilities remain strong beyond the period of performance.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility includes state, county, and city or township governments; public and state-controlled institutions of higher education; federally recognized tribal governments and other tribal organizations; nonprofit organizations with or without 501(c)(3) status (excluding institutions of higher education in those nonprofit categories); private institutions of higher education; for-profit organizations other than small businesses; and other entities as allowed under the program's additional eligibility language.
Are nonprofit organizations eligible even if they do not have 501(c)(3) status?
Yes. Nonprofit organizations with or without 501(c)(3) status are included in the eligible applicant types (with the noted exclusion related to institutions of higher education within those nonprofit categories).
Are for-profit organizations eligible?
Yes. For-profit organizations other than small businesses are listed as eligible.
Are tribal governments and tribal organizations eligible?
Yes. Federally recognized tribal governments and other tribal organizations are listed as eligible applicant types.
Are institutions of higher education eligible?
Yes. Public and state-controlled institutions of higher education and private institutions of higher education are listed as eligible.
What is the funding opportunity number?
The funding opportunity number is EP U3R 23 003.
What is the CFDA number and category?
The opportunity is categorized under Health (CFDA 93.008).
When was the opportunity created and what was the original closing date?
The opportunity was created on July 18, 2023, and the original closing date was September 18, 2023.
What types of activities are implied as important to fund under this program?
Based on the description, important activities include strengthening MRC readiness and operational capability, identifying and reducing barriers that prevent volunteer deployment and effective utilization, supporting nationwide implementation through a single coordinating recipient, and building sustainability plans so improvements last beyond the federal funding period.
What is the program trying to improve during emergencies?
The program aims to improve how MRC units support communities during emergencies that create public health and medical needs, with a focus on making MRC capabilities easier to activate and use during incidents.
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