Nearly $13M in Susan Harwood Training Grants: who can apply (deadline July 31)

On July 1, 2026, the U.S. Department of Labor’s OSHA announced $12.7 million in Susan Harwood Training Grants to fund instructor-led safety and health training that helps workers and employers identify and prevent workplace hazards. The grants also aim to improve job quality, especially for small businesses and industries with high injury, illness, and fatality rates.

What’s new: OSHA is accepting applications for this Harwood cycle, with a deadline of July 31, 2026 (11:59 p.m. EDT). Applicants must submit through Grants.gov after completing required Grants.gov and SAM registration.

Quick primer: what Susan Harwood Training Grants fund

The Harwood program provides competitive grants to eligible organizations that deliver hands-on occupational safety and health training across the United States. Funded training is intended to help workers recognize, avoid, and prevent hazards—and to inform workers of their rights and employers of their responsibilities under the Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) Act.

How the money can be used in this solicitation

OSHA said this round supports two application categories:

• Targeted Topic Training: training 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: development of quality classroom-ready training and educational materials that identify and prevent workplace hazards.

Who can apply (including labor unions and labor/management groups)

OSHA said the grants are available to non-profit and other eligible organizations, including:

• Labor unions
• Joint labor/management associations
• Employer associations
• Community-based, faith-based, and grassroots organizations
• Indian tribes
• Public/state colleges and universities
• Entities that operate OSHA On-Site Consultation programs
• OSHA Training Institute Education Centers

What OSHA says it wants training to emphasize this cycle

In the July 1 notice, OSHA tied this funding to training and education on hazard awareness, avoidance, and controls—with the goal of protecting workers from on-the-job hazards while also informing workers of their rights and employers of their responsibilities under the OSH Act.

OSHA also explains in its program overview that it selects a set of priority training topics each year based on factors including workplace fatality data, national safety emphasis programs, and pending regulations. Those priorities can change from year to year, but the emphasis on hazard prevention and workplace safety education is consistent.

What funded projects are expected to look like—and how they’ll be evaluated

OSHA’s Harwood best-practices guidance is intended to shape grantees into delivering structured, tested training—not just slide presentations. Key expectations described by OSHA include:

• Activity-based learning: OSHA says activity-based learning should fill at least two-thirds of training hours (with no more than one-third lecture).
• Quality control and evaluation planning: the project director should develop and maintain a written Quality Control and Evaluation Plan, including quality control audits and documented updates.
• Technical accuracy checks: OSHA states that training materials and aids require OSHA review for technical accuracy.
• Training evaluation requirements: OSHA says there are three required training evaluations based on the Kirkpatrick model (Level 1: Reaction, Level 2: Learning, Level 3: Behavior/impact).

At a high level, OSHA expects grantees to assess implementation and learning results, and to document outcomes connected to training delivery and effectiveness. (That doesn’t automatically mean every grant will produce a measurable injury-rate drop on a specific timeline, but it does mean grantees are expected to be accountable for program quality and evaluation.)

What to watch next after the July 31 deadline

After applications close on July 31, 2026, OSHA will review submissions and make award decisions. OSHA’s program overview says awards are typically announced by the end of the federal fiscal year.

For worker representatives, unions, and labor/management safety partners, the immediate practical takeaway is that this federal application window is timed for organizations to pursue OSHA-aligned training that matches the agency’s current hazard-prevention priorities—and to build training materials that can be reused and scaled during the grant period.

Sources

• U.S. Department of Labor (OSHA) news release (July 1, 2026): Nearly $13M Susan Harwood Training Grants solicitation details
• OSHA Harwood Training Grants Program overview

Related News

• OSHA cites FleetPride after worker asphyxiation—what workers can do
• July 17 Federal Judge Blocks OMB “Agency Priorities” Clause for State Grants
• EPA Seeks Public Comment on Potential Interim CCR Permitting Approach (Deadline July 29)
• NERC posts updated RSAWs for 11 CIP cybersecurity standards—effective July 1, 2028