OSHA & MSHA open applications for $13 million in training grants

The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) today announced the availability of nearly $13 million for training and educational grants.

• OSHA - $12,787,000 in Susan Harwood Training Grants. Applications due July 31.
• MSHA - Up to $250,000 in Brookwood-Sago Mine Safety Grants. Applications due Aug. 31.

Harwood Grants support the delivery of training and education to help workers and employers identify and prevent workplace safety and health hazards.

Brookwood-Sago Grants support the delivery of education and training to the nation’s mining community to help miners and mine operators identify, avoid, and prevent unsafe and unhealthy working conditions.

Susan Harwood Training Grants

Administered by OSHA, Harwood Grants aim to advance the job quality of the American workforce by providing instructor-led training opportunities for workers and employers in small businesses with an emphasis on industries with high injury, illness, and fatality rates.

The grants will fund training and education on hazard awareness, avoidance, and controls to protect workers from on-the-job hazards, as well as to inform workers of their rights and employers of their responsibilities under the Occupational Safety and Health Act.

Who can apply?

The grants are available to non-profit organizations - including community-based, faith-based, grassroots organizations - employer associations, labor unions, joint labor/management associations, indigenous governments and organizations, public and state colleges and universities, entities that operate OSHA On-Site Consultation programs, and OSHA Training Institute Education Centers.

When are applications due?

Applications must be submitted no later than 11:59 p.m. EDT July 31. Applicants must register with Grants.gov and the System of Award Management to apply.

Applicants may apply to two separate funding opportunities:

• Targeted Topic Training: Support educational programs that identify and prevent workplace hazards and require applicants to conduct training on OSHA-designated workplace safety and health hazards.
• Training and Educational Materials Development: Support the development of quality classroom-ready training and educational materials that identify and prevent workplace hazards.

OSHA expects to issue 100 grant awards for each category.

Brookwood-Sago Mine Safety Grants

Administered by MSHA, Brookwood-Sago Grants fund education and training programs focused on effective emergency response and recovery training in various types of mining conditions.

The program uses grant funds to establish and implement education and training programs, to create training materials and programs, or both.

Section 14 of the Mine Improvement and New Emergency Response Act of 2006 (MINER Act) requires the Secretary of Labor to give priority to mine safety demonstrations and pilot projects with broad applicability.

The MINER Act also mandates the Secretary emphasize programs and materials that target miners at new, newly opened, and smaller mines, or create training and compliance assistance programs to assist new operators.

MSHA is interested in programs that focus on training miners on workplace safety, including training mine operators and employees about new MSHA standards, high-risk activities, or hazards identified by MSHA.

Who can apply?

The grants are available to state, county, and local governments, non-profit organizations - including community-based, faith-based, grassroots organizations - indigenous governments and organizations, and public/state colleges and universities.

When are applications due?

Applications must be submitted by Aug. 31.

MSHA expects to award five grants for 2026 at $50,000 each on or before Sept. 30.

Honoring fallen workers and safety pioneers

Established by the MINER Act, the Brookwood-Sago Mine Safety Grants program honors 25 miners who died in disasters at the Jim Walter Resources #5 Mine in Brookwood, Alabama in 2001, and at the Sago Mine in Buckhannon, West Virginia, in 2006.

The Harwood Grants honor the legacy and work of Dr. Susan Harwood who, during her 17 years with OSHA, developed workplace safety guidelines for chemicals including benzene and formaldehyde, bloodborne pathogens, and lead in the construction industry. Harwood was also the primary author of OSHA's cotton dust standard, which virtually eliminated byssinosis - a lung disease that causes asthma-like symptoms - among textile workers.