Potential Applicants
Each year, Project Public Health Ready proudly recognizes local health departments that demonstrate excellence in planning for, responding to, and recovering from public health emergencies—celebrating their commitment to building stronger communities.
To achieve recognition, LHDs must develop a comprehensive, written all-hazards response plan that meets the highest national and federal standards. Along the way, local health departments strengthen partnerships with local, state, and federal leaders, collaborate with community response partners and stakeholders, and foster greater coordination across their entire department.
Taking part in the PPHR program provides LHDs with a rigorous means for evaluating their capacity and capability to plan for, respond to, and recover from public health emergencies.
Participation in PPHR results in:
- Stronger Plans
- Drive plan updates and familiarize staff with emergency preparedness plans.
- Strengthen relationships and integration with response partners.
- Align agency work with federal initiatives (CDC PHEP, NIMS, HSEEP).
- Internal Growth
- Promote continuous quality improvement and collaboration among staff.
- Provide access to knowledgeable peers for feedback and review.
- Recognition & Credibility
- Demonstrate agency commitment to preparedness, setting it apart from others.
- Receive national recognition endorsed by CDC and NACCHO.
- Prepare agencies for other recognition programs (e.g., PHAB).
Application Process Overview & Timeline:
- Year 1:
- (August- October) Expression of Interest – Applicants indicate interest by email and/or submitting an Intent to Apply and their first payment.
- (November) Orientation – Applicants attend an information and training session.
- Year 2:
- (January- August) Technical Assistance (TA) – Monthly TA calls support applicants during application development.
- (May-July) In-State Review – Applicants submit draft applications for review and feedback by their LHD peers.
- (July- August) Final Edits – Applicants revise and finalize their applications based off feedback from In-State Reviews.
- (August) Initial Submission – Final applications and second payment are submitted by the end of August for national review.
- (November) Additional Evidence – In early November, applicants have one week to submit any requested additional documentation.
- Year 3:
- (January) Initial Recognition Status – Applicants are notified of their recognition status by end of January.
- (February- April) Second-Round Opportunity – Applicants not initially recognized may revise and resubmit an application by end of April.
- (June) Final Recognition Status – Final determinations are shared by the end of June.
Below is a visualization of the standard timeline for the PPHR application process:
Applicant Recognition Levels:
Prior to 2026 Cycle:
- Recognized
- Not Recognized
For Cohorts starting in 2026 Cycle:
An applicant’s PPHR recognition level will be based on a point-based system that evaluates performance across tiered criteria. Scores determine whether the applicant meets the minimum requirements for each goal needed to achieve a specific recognition level.
- Recognized with Honors
- Recognized
- Not Recognized
Additional Benefits:
All recognized agencies receive their final review form, a formal recognition letter signed by NACCHO’s executive director, and materials such as press release templates and branding tools. They are also honored with a plaque at the annual Preparedness Summit reception.
Recognition is valid for five years and qualifies agencies to pursue re-recognition—a valuable opportunity to support ongoing quality improvement in preparedness.
More details about the PPHR process can be found in the Applicant Rulebook. All interested applicants are encouraged to review the information found in this resource.
To apply for PPHR recognition, applicants must (1) be an eligible agency and (2) participate in an approved cohort. Eligible agencies are those with defined public health preparedness and response responsibilities aligned with PPHR’s intended audience—typically local, tribal, or regional health departments. All applicants must apply as part of a cohort, usually organized through a state-supported model in coordination with the state health department. Reach out to NACCHO for more information.
- Applicant Eligibility
Agencies with primary statutory or legal responsibility for public health at the tribal or local level may apply for PPHR recognition, provided they operate in accordance with applicable laws. Eligible agencies must fall into one of the following categories, defined for the purposes of PPHR recognition:
- Local Health Department
A local health department (LHD) is a governmental body serving a jurisdiction smaller than a state and recognized as having primary legal authority to protect and promote public health. This authority must be defined by state law, regulation, ordinance, or agreement. LHDs may be locally governed or part of a centralized state system and may include city, county, city-county, district, or regional departments.
- Tribal Health Department
A tribal health department (THD) is a governmental public health authority established and operated by a federally recognized tribal government, tribal organization, or inter-tribal consortium, as defined by the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act (ISDEAA), with the responsibility to provide essential public health services, promote and protect the health of the Tribal community, and ensure preparedness for and response to public health emergencies.
- Regional Health Department
Any two or more eligible local or tribal health departments may apply jointly if they formally share resources and centralize key preparedness functions within a regional agency. This agency must hold primary responsibility for public health response(s) at the local level.
- Local Health Department
Application Fee
The PPHR application fee supports services that ensure a high-quality, well-supported application and review process. This includes NACCHO staff support for technical assistance, reviewer training, annual review meeting, technology costs, and recognition activities such as plaques and the annual reception at the Preparedness Summit.
- Fee: $5,000 for initial applications
- Payment: First half due with the Intent to Apply Form at the end of October and second half due with the application submission at the end of August.
Applicants may use PHEP funds to cover the cost as PPHR is an allowable expense under the CDC’s 2024 PHEP Cooperative Agreement Funding Opportunity Announcement.
Ready to Apply?
- Check out our Initial Application.
- Check out our Current Applicants page for even more information.
- Sign up for an email letting you know when applications open up.
Agencies are strongly encouraged to pursue re-recognition to maintain their PPHR recognition status beyond their initial five-year recognition period. Re-recognition demonstrates ongoing commitment to preparedness and highlights improvements made since an agency's initial recognition. The goals and measures focus on preparedness system updates, enhancements, and alignment with any new or revised national standards.
To be eligible, an agency must currently hold active PPHR recognition at the time of application.
- Note: Agencies may choose to reapply using the full initial recognition goals and measures instead. This may be appropriate after major organizational changes, such as restructuring or leadership transitions. Contact NACCHO for further guidance.
Application Fee
The PPHR application fee supports services that ensure a high-quality, well-supported application and review process. This includes NACCHO staff support for technical assistance, reviewer training, annual review meeting, technology costs, and recognition activities such as plaques and the annual reception at the Preparedness Summit.
- Fee: $2,500 for re-recognition
- Payment: First half due with the Intent to Apply Form at the end of October and second half due with the application submission at the end of August.
Re-recognition applicants may also use PHEP funds to cover the cost of the program as PPHR is an allowable expense under the CDC’s 2024 PHEP Cooperative Agreement Funding Opportunity Announcement.
Ready to Apply?
- Check out our Re-Recognition Application.
- Check out our Current Applicants Page for even more information.
- Sign up for an email letting you know when applications open up.
The Gap Analysis Tools are available to help interested applicants and/or their State Leads determine the applicant's readiness by reviewing possible gaps within their plans prior to applying for PPHR. Download the tool below that matches the type of application the applicant intends to submit. Use of this tool is optional but strongly encouraged.
- Gap Analysis Tool for Initial Application Criteria 11.0 (in development)
- Gap Analysis Tool for Re-Recognition Application Criteria 6.0 (in development)
Other considerations:
Interested applicants are also highly encouraged to consider their available resources and pre-identify who you may have available to dedicate to work on your PPHR application. This process is long; it is not recommended that only one person work on their agency's application.
If you have any questions, please email [email protected].
Here are frequently asked questions about PPHR. If you have any additional questions, contact us by email at [email protected] or fill out a form here: PPHR General Interest Form.
- Download the Applicant Rulebook for even more details about the process and what is expected of you as an applicant.
PPHR (Project Public Health Ready) began in 2003 and is a recognition program administered by NACCHO. It is a collaborative program between National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to help local health departments (LHDs) develop core public health emergency preparedness competencies by providing LHDs a structure to build training and preparedness capacity using a continuous quality improvement model.
NACCHO is the only entity that can provide recognition for Project Public Health Ready (PPHR).
PPHR is funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and application fees. PPHR recognition lasts for a period of five (5) years. Any agency whose recognition is within one year of expiring is eligible to apply for re-recognition, also lasting for five years. The re-recognition application is a separate application with different goals and measures specifically tied to improvements and changes made since last recognized.
Application fees cover NACCHO staff support for technical assistance on the application process, beginning when the Intent to Apply Form is submitted and ending with the submission of an application in additional to the following services:
- Orientation and training for all state leads and national reviewers at the start of each application cycle;
- Travel and expenses for an in-person meeting for national reviewers to conduct application reviews;
- Associated IT costs, such as conference calls with state leads, applicants, and national reviewers as well as software and server space used for application submission, review, and storage;
- A public recognition reception for newly PPHR-recognized or re-recognized agencies at the annual Preparedness Summit hosted by NACCHO;
- Recognition materials, including plaques presented to PPHR-recognized agencies at the annual recognition reception;
- Annual updates that highlight unique funding opportunities, success stories, and information on the newest federal guidance and national initiatives that support PPHR re-recognition.
NACCHO supports applicants and state leads throughout the application process by providing technical assistance throughout the application period, including providing an initial orientation and training session, participating in monthly conference calls, and maintaining regular communication with state leads and applicants.
No. The PPHR application development process occurs on a fixed yearly cycle. Eligible applicants should aim to express their interest early to provide maximum flexibility regarding the application cycle in which they apply. Generally, the start of a PPHR Cycle begins with an interested agency completing an Intent to Apply form associated with their current cycle.
This form is typically available starting in September and closes at the end of October each year prior to the start of each cycle (e.g., Sept 2024-Oct 2024 starts the 2025 PPHR Cycle, Sept 2025-Oct 2025 starts the 2026 PPHR Cycle, and so on).
An Intent to Apply form must be filled out for each cycle an applicant applies to— including if they deferred the year prior or have let the PPHR team know of their interest in applying through other means. This form serves as a means of tracking applicants to ensure they receive all resources needed to be successful throughout the program.
Please review the Applicant Rulebook for more information regarding the PPHR timeline.
Click on the tab above that correlates with your agency’s application type. The application can be found in either MS Word or Adobe PDF.
State Leads play a critical role as the primary point of contact for both agencies applying for recognition as well as for NACCHO. NACCHO relies heavily on the role of the state lead to maintain the capacity of the program. A State Lead is often, but not always, an individual at the state level that aids applicants in coordinating necessary steps of the PPHR application each cycle.
If you are not certain if your state has a lead, email [email protected] to find out.
Yes. All your correspondence will be directly to and from NACCHO. If you have a connection to another agency that has gone through PPHR, consider reaching out to gain their perspective as they may have state-specific advice and resources to share.
If you are uncertain whether anyone in your state has been recognized, you can start by checking the "Map" to see an expansive list of current and past PPHR recognized agencies. You can also email us at [email protected] to inquire. Someone from your state may be in the current cycle or you may be the first!
Possibly! Reach out to [email protected] for potential coordination.
- Sign up for the Preparedness Brief Digest Monthly Newsletter
- Contact the PPHR team at [email protected].