For the 2025 cohort of the Wastewater Surveillance Mentorship Program, rural health departments will be given preference in the application process, with at least one pairing (one mentor and two mentees) of rural jurisdictions in the cohort.
*Deadline Extended*
Applications and all supporting materials must be submitted no later than 11:59 PM ET on Friday, December 20, 2024.
To support local health departments in implementing and expanding their wastewater surveillance efforts, the National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO), with support from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), is now accepting applications for the 2025 cohort of the Wastewater Surveillance Mentorship Program. NACCHO is currently seeking applications for twelve (12) mentee sites and six (6) mentor sites. Each mentee site will receive up to $20,000 each, and the mentor sites will receive up to $25,000.
The COVID-19 pandemic showed how accurate and timely data is the cornerstone of emergency preparedness and response. However, limitations arose with traditional surveillance systems in keeping track of the spread of the virus since it captured mainly symptomatic individuals who sought out care and those who had access to COVID-19 testing. Wastewater surveillance (WWS) is an inclusive, non-invasive, and inexpensive method of disease surveillance that brought a better picture of community-level infections while also complementing existing COVID-19 surveillance systems. SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, can be shed in the feces of symptomatic, pre-symptomatic, and asymptomatic individuals. Since more than 80% of households in the United States are connected to a municipal wastewater collection system, sewage serves as an efficient pooled sample to provide information on community-level and subcommunity-level infections and trends. Wastewater surveillance of SARS-CoV-2 served as an early warning system for communities, as cases can be detected through wastewater surveillance up to 3 to 4 days before detection is possible with individual testing. Access to early information can help direct resources accordingly (i.e., individual testing and vaccinations) and inform decision-making to limit the spread of the virus.
Beyond the COVID-19 pandemic, many jurisdictions are expanding their wastewater surveillance efforts to include other pathogen targets, including influenza A and B and Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV), among others. Because wastewater surveillance is still a relatively new and rapidly evolving tool, it requires additional scientific research and the development and dissemination of tools, best practices, and resources to support its effective implementation at the local level.
This mentorship program will help to support local health departments in implementing and expanding their wastewater surveillance efforts. Local health departments with demonstrated experience in utilizing wastewater surveillance will be matched with LHDs in the early stages of developing a wastewater surveillance program and who are looking for guidance, tools, and resources for making progress toward meeting their community needs.
NACCHO is also committed to supporting rural LHDs in their wastewater surveillance efforts, recognizing the barriers that rural communities may face in implementing wastewater surveillance programs. Barriers may include: 1) inadequate funding and supplies; 2) physical distance between laboratories, wastewater treatment plants, and other components of WWS; 3) lack of LHD staff capacity to maintain a WWS program; 4) lack of wastewater treatment plant staff capacity, materials, or expertise to carry out sampling; and 5) large percentage of population utilizing septic tanks. For the 2025 cohort of the Wastewater Surveillance Mentorship Program, rural health departments will be given preference in the application process, with at least one pairing (one mentor and two mentees) of rural jurisdictions in the cohort.
Eligible programs must:
- Represent a local health department or other local government agency. “Local” is here defined as organizations working at county, city, or community levels. Private entities are not eligible for funding through this opportunity;
- Mentors: Applicants applying to serve as mentors should demonstrate subject-matter expertise and experience leading a wastewater surveillance program;
- Mentees: Applicants applying to become mentees should demonstrate interest and need in developing and/or expanding wastewater surveillance in their jurisdiction, and how this mentorship program will guide them through this process.
NACCHO will support Awardees to:
- Participate in monthly virtual meetings.
- Share tools, resources, and lessons learned throughout the program.
- Complete a pre-assessment, post-assessment, and exit interview.
- Connect with subject-matter experts on wastewater surveillance.
- Conduct site visits between mentors and mentees.
The program is anticipated to start on February 1, 2025, and run through July 31, 2025.
- Click here to apply and download the budget worksheet, budget narrative, and other attachments.
- Click here to view the Request for Applications.
Informational webinar: A webinar was held on November 18, 2024, to provide an overview of the RFA and answer any questions. Please note that no new information was shared during the call. Access the call recording and slides.
*Deadline Extended* Applications and all supporting materials must be submitted through OpenWater no later than 11:59 PM ET on Friday, December 20, 2024. You must create a free MyNACCHO account in order to submit an application. For questions or concerns regarding the application, email [email protected].
