2019 Epidemiology and Laboratory Capacity for Prevention and Control of Emerging Infectious Diseases (ELC) | CDC RFA CK19 1904

Opportunity Information: Apply for CDC RFA CK19 1904

The 2019 Epidemiology and Laboratory Capacity for Prevention and Control of Emerging Infectious Diseases (ELC) opportunity is a CDC cooperative agreement designed to help U.S. public health agencies reduce illness and deaths from a broad range of infectious disease threats, including newly emerging and re-emerging infections. The program is run through the Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), specifically NCEZID, and it continues a long-running national effort that began in 1995 as part of CDC's strategy for addressing emerging infectious diseases. Rather than focusing on a single pathogen, ELC is structured as an all-hazards infectious disease capacity investment that strengthens the foundational systems health departments need to detect problems early, investigate them quickly, and mount effective control measures.

At its core, the ELC program provides annual funding along with strategic direction and hands-on technical assistance to domestic jurisdictions to build and maintain key public health capabilities. The opportunity emphasizes four interconnected capacity areas: strengthening epidemiologic capacity (the people, methods, and operational ability to identify cases, track trends, and investigate outbreaks), enhancing laboratory capacity (the ability to test, confirm, characterize, and share results rapidly and reliably), improving health information systems (modern data systems and workflows that support surveillance, reporting, and analytics), and improving collaboration across epidemiology, laboratory, and informatics functions within public health departments. The intent is to make these pieces work together as an integrated disease detection and response enterprise, rather than as separate silos.

Beyond these core capacities, ELC also serves as a platform that supports multiple specific infectious disease program areas. The description highlights how CDC's extramural funding within NCEZID grew substantially in the years leading up to this 2019 notice, increasing from about $109 million in FY 2013 to about $302 million in FY 2017. That growth is tied to expanded demands placed on state and local public health agencies, including high-profile emergency responses such as Ebola and Zika, as well as sustained investments to curb antibiotic-resistant infections and modernize public health laboratory capacity. The narrative also clarifies that some funding streams, like Ebola and Zika, began as one-time emergency infusions, while antibiotic resistance funding was expected to recur annually. It also notes that baseline investments in vector-borne disease capacity were beginning to grow, and that with growth in foodborne and waterborne disease programs, portions of the portfolio were shifting from pure capacity-building toward more direct program delivery. At the same time, in other infectious disease areas the emphasis remained on building and sustaining core capabilities.

From an administrative standpoint, this opportunity was offered as a discretionary cooperative agreement (meaning CDC anticipates substantial involvement through guidance and technical assistance rather than simply issuing a grant and stepping back). The funding opportunity title is "2019 Epidemiology and Laboratory Capacity for Prevention and Control of Emerging Infectious Diseases (ELC)" and the funding opportunity number is CDC-RFA-CK19-1904. It falls under the Health activity category and CFDA number 93.323. Eligible applicants include state governments and local governments such as county and city or township governments, as well as special district governments, with additional eligibility details referenced in the full notice. The opportunity anticipated 64 awards, reflecting broad national coverage across U.S. jurisdictions. The posting lists an award ceiling of $0, which typically indicates that individual award amounts are determined by CDC guidance, formulas, or allocations described in the full NOFO rather than a single uniform cap. The notice was created on February 28, 2019, with an original application due date of May 10, 2019, and electronic submissions were due by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on the closing date.

Overall, ELC is best understood as the CDC's primary mechanism for ensuring that health departments have durable, nationwide baseline capacity in surveillance, labs, and data systems, while also enabling targeted work across multiple infectious disease priorities as needs evolve. The overarching public purpose is to protect public health and safety by making jurisdictions better able to detect threats early, respond effectively, and prevent and control infectious diseases before they spread and cause preventable harm.

• The Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control - NCEZID in the health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "2019 Epidemiology and Laboratory Capacity for Prevention and Control of Emerging Infectious Diseases (ELC)" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.323.
• This funding opportunity was created on Feb 28, 2019.
• Applicants must submit their applications by May 10, 2019 Electronically submitted applications must be submitted no later than 1159 p.m., ET, on the listed application due date.. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 64 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: State governments, County governments, City or township governments, Special district governments, Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).

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