Forecasted · Cooperative Agreement
NIOSH Robotics and Intelligent Mining Technology and Workplace Safety Research (U60)
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention - ERA, Department of Health and Human Services
Key facts
Copied from the official Grants.gov record. Last verified October 29, 2026.
- Program name
- NIOSH Robotics and Intelligent Mining Technology and Workplace Safety Research (U60)
- Issuing agency
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention - ERA (Department of Health and Human Services)
- Opportunity number
- RFA-OH-27-044
- Funding type
- Cooperative Agreement
- Funding purpose
- Health
- Status
- Forecasted
- Application deadline
- Forecasted · estimated close February 8, 2027 (agency estimate)Agency note: February 08, 2027 ; October 14, 2027All applications must be submitted no later than 11:59 pm local time of the applicant organization.
- Agency estimates
- Estimated posting: November 12, 2026. Estimated award date: August 2, 2027. Estimates can change.
- Published award range
- Up to $2,000,000
- Estimated total program funding
- $10,000,000
- Expected number of awards
- 2
- Cost sharing or match required
- No
- Eligible applicants (official categories)
- State governments
- County governments
- City or township governments
- Special district governments
- Independent school districts
- Public and State controlled institutions of higher education
- Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized)
- Public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities
- 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
- Small businesses
- Unrestricted (open to any type of entity, subject to any clarification in Additional Information on Eligibility)
- Relevant to
- Businesses and NonprofitsHow we determined this: Grants.gov lists eligibility as Unrestricted. Grants.gov eligibility includes small businesses or for-profit organizations. Grants.gov eligibility includes nonprofit organizations.
- Geographic restrictions
- None stated in structured data (federal opportunities are often nationwide). Check the eligibility details and full announcement for any limits.
- Assistance Listing (CFDA)
- 93.262
- Official source
- View on Grants.gov ↗
- Application URL
- www.grants.gov/search-results-detail/363292 ↗Apply through Grants.gov (Workspace) using the application package on the official listing, unless the full announcement names a different submission system.
- Source identifier
- Grants.gov opportunity ID 363292 · Funding opportunity number RFA-OH-27-044
- Posted
- July 22, 2026 · Source last updated July 22, 2026
- Last verified
- October 29, 2026 (against Grants.gov)
- Data completeness
- 100% of key fields published by the source
- Record confidence
- mediumforecast — dates and amounts are agency estimates.
Eligibility details (from the agency)
Non-domestic (non-U.S.) Entities (Foreign Institutions) are not eligible to apply. Non-domestic (non-U.S.) components of U.S. Organizations are not eligible to apply. Foreign components, as defined in the HHS Grants Policy Statement, are not allowed.Congress intends for the award to go to a U.S. academic institution that (1) offers an ABET accredited undergraduate program in mining or mineral engineering (under the Mining and Similarly Named Engineering Programs criteria) and (2) offers graduate programs in both mining engineering and explosives engineering.
Description (from the official listing)
PurposeThis NOFO supports applied research to advance automation, robotics, and intelligent mining systems that improve safety and health in U.S. mining operations. Projects should deliver field-ready solutions that strengthen communication, self-escape, refuge performance, and overall safety through modern autonomy, sensing, and decision-support technologies.BackgroundMining remains hazardous. In 2025, MSHA recorded 33 fatalities, including powered-haulage and machinery incidents. Early 2026 data show continued roof and rib failures and pressure-vessel events. Although the 2025 injury rate reached a historic low, gaps persist in emergency communication reliability, low-visibility self-escape, and refuge performance. Advances in robotics and intelligent systems offer potential for rapid assessment, resilient communications, and improved decision-making.ApproachThe Miner Health Program, 2020–2030 Strategic Agenda provides a long term framework for improving miner health and well being through integrated research, evaluation, and community engagement.This cooperative agreement aligns with that agenda by supporting research in robotics and intelligent mining to reduce hazardous exposures, strengthen emergency response, and improve miner safety and health.ObjectivesObjectives support research in automation, robotics, and intelligent systems that enhance mining safety and health. Projects should advance "assured autonomy," ensuring autonomous equipment improves worker safety while maintaining productivity.Potential impacts include:Advances and implementation of human-centered…
Read the full description
PurposeThis NOFO supports applied research to advance automation, robotics, and intelligent mining systems that improve safety and health in U.S. mining operations. Projects should deliver field-ready solutions that strengthen communication, self-escape, refuge performance, and overall safety through modern autonomy, sensing, and decision-support technologies.BackgroundMining remains hazardous. In 2025, MSHA recorded 33 fatalities, including powered-haulage and machinery incidents. Early 2026 data show continued roof and rib failures and pressure-vessel events. Although the 2025 injury rate reached a historic low, gaps persist in emergency communication reliability, low-visibility self-escape, and refuge performance. Advances in robotics and intelligent systems offer potential for rapid assessment, resilient communications, and improved decision-making.ApproachThe Miner Health Program, 2020–2030 Strategic Agenda provides a long term framework for improving miner health and well being through integrated research, evaluation, and community engagement.This cooperative agreement aligns with that agenda by supporting research in robotics and intelligent mining to reduce hazardous exposures, strengthen emergency response, and improve miner safety and health.ObjectivesObjectives support research in automation, robotics, and intelligent systems that enhance mining safety and health. Projects should advance "assured autonomy," ensuring autonomous equipment improves worker safety while maintaining productivity.Potential impacts include:Advances and implementation of human-centered design principles for automated equipment and related systems.New methods, guidance, and best practices in change management, training/retraining, technology integration, and safety evaluation.New methods and evaluation techniques for safe design considering the full mining operation.Advances and availability of enabling technologies for assured autonomy, including sensors, data fusion, AI, and systems improving machine and operator situational awareness.Availability of new miner-rescue and post-disaster surveillance technologies.Applicants are encouraged to leverage mining and explosives-engineering graduate program facilities. Proposals must clearly state goals, link them to documented burdens, and provide concise evidence on exposures, populations at risk, and expected impact. Include supporting data such as morbidity or mortality rates and indicators of population risk.EligibilityCongress intends for the award to go to a U.S. academic institution that (1) offers an ABET-accredited undergraduate program in mining or mineral engineering (under the Mining and Similarly Named Engineering Programs criteria) and (2) offers graduate programs in both mining engineering and explosives engineering.
Agency contact
Maria Lioce, MD, Scientific Program Official
MLioce@cdc.gov