Opportunity Information: Apply for EP U3R 26 002
The Trauma Care Readiness and Coordination Cooperative Agreement (Funding Opportunity Number EP U3R 26 002, CFDA 93.817) is a discretionary federal funding opportunity from the HHS Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response (ASPR). It is designed to strengthen trauma systems by improving how emergency medical services (EMS), other pre-hospital partners, and hospitals coordinate when caring for severely injured patients. The core idea behind the opportunity is that an effective trauma system is not just a set of individual facilities, but an organized, inclusive, multidisciplinary network that can move a patient to the right level of care quickly and reliably. ASPR is using this program to help communities address the uneven availability of trauma care across the United States, highlighting that roughly one in three Americans lives in an area with incomplete trauma coverage and that tens of millions of people are more than an hour away from a trauma care center.
The purpose of the program is to fund and support practical efforts that make trauma systems more ready, more connected, and more consistent in performance, especially across the handoffs that commonly create delays or mismatches in care (for example, field triage decisions, destination choices, interfacility transfers, and real-time coordination between EMS and receiving hospitals). Recipients are expected to test models that can scale beyond a single site, meaning ASPR is looking for approaches that could be replicated or expanded across a region, state, or multi-jurisdictional area. The expected outcome is improved patient access to the appropriate trauma care level, better system readiness for day-to-day severe injuries as well as surges or incidents, and ultimately better health outcomes and lives saved.
The funding instrument is a cooperative agreement, which typically means there is substantial federal involvement compared with a standard grant. In practice, applicants should expect active collaboration with ASPR around planning, execution, and learning, with an emphasis on demonstrating measurable improvements and producing lessons that other jurisdictions can use. While the notice text provided does not list required activities in detail, the program focus strongly implies work such as strengthening regional trauma coordination, improving communication and referral pathways between EMS and trauma centers, aligning protocols across agencies and facilities, and testing operational readiness strategies that reduce time to definitive care.
Eligibility is oriented toward public-sector and trauma-system stakeholders and includes state governments and Native American tribal organizations, including federally recognized tribes and Alaska Native entities. The opportunity also allows certain consortia models: a consortium of Level I, II, or III trauma centers designated by state or local agencies within a state or region (and, as applicable, other emergency service providers), as well as a consortium or partnership involving nonprofit Indian Health Service, Indian Tribal, and urban Indian trauma centers. A key administrative point is that when applying as a consortium or partnership, one eligible member must submit a single cooperative agreement application on behalf of the group and serve as the official applicant (the lead entity), rather than each member applying separately.
The opportunity anticipates a small cohort of awards, with an expected four awards and an award ceiling of $500,000. The funding opportunity was created on 2026-08-19, and the original application closing date is 2026-09-18. Overall, this program is aimed at helping states, tribal governments, and trauma center partnerships build more coordinated, reliable trauma systems by testing scalable readiness and coordination models that connect pre-hospital care with hospital trauma services so patients reach the right care faster.Apply for EP U3R 26 002
- The Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response in the health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Trauma Care Readiness and Coordination Cooperative Agreement" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.817.
- This funding opportunity was created on 2026-08-19.
- Applicants must submit their applications by 2026-09-18. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $500,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 4 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized).
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the Trauma Care Readiness and Coordination Cooperative Agreement?
It is a discretionary federal funding opportunity from the HHS Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response (ASPR) to strengthen trauma systems by improving coordination among emergency medical services (EMS), other pre-hospital partners, and hospitals when caring for severely injured patients.
What is the Funding Opportunity Number (FON) and CFDA listing for this program?
The Funding Opportunity Number is EP U3R 26 002, and the CFDA number is 93.817.
Who is the federal sponsor administering this opportunity?
The opportunity is administered by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response (ASPR).
What problem is this program trying to address?
The program is intended to address uneven availability of trauma care across the United States, including incomplete trauma coverage in many areas and long travel times to trauma care centers for tens of millions of people.
What is the main goal of the program?
The main goal is to make trauma systems more ready, more connected, and more consistent in performance, especially across common handoffs that can cause delays or mismatches in care.
What does the program mean by an "effective trauma system"?
The opportunity emphasizes that an effective trauma system is not just a set of individual facilities. It is an organized, inclusive, multidisciplinary network that can move a patient to the right level of care quickly and reliably.
What kinds of coordination challenges does the program focus on?
The program highlights handoffs and decisions that often create delays or mismatches in care, such as field triage decisions, destination choices, interfacility transfers, and real-time coordination between EMS and receiving hospitals.
What types of activities are applicants expected to pursue?
While the provided notice text does not list required activities in detail, the focus strongly implies practical work such as strengthening regional trauma coordination, improving communication and referral pathways between EMS and trauma centers, aligning protocols across agencies and facilities, and testing operational readiness strategies that reduce time to definitive care.
What does it mean that this opportunity is a cooperative agreement?
A cooperative agreement typically involves substantial federal involvement compared with a standard grant. Applicants should expect active collaboration with ASPR around planning, execution, and learning, with an emphasis on demonstrating measurable improvements and producing lessons that other jurisdictions can use.
What outcomes is ASPR seeking from funded projects?
Expected outcomes include improved patient access to the appropriate trauma care level, better system readiness for day-to-day severe injuries as well as surges or incidents, and ultimately better health outcomes and lives saved.
Is the program intended to support projects at a single site only?
No. Recipients are expected to test models that can scale beyond a single site. ASPR is looking for approaches that could be replicated or expanded across a region, state, or multi-jurisdictional area.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility includes state governments and Native American tribal organizations, including federally recognized tribes and Alaska Native entities. The opportunity also allows certain consortium models involving designated trauma centers and, as applicable, other emergency service providers, as well as partnerships involving nonprofit Indian Health Service, Indian Tribal, and urban Indian trauma centers.
Are tribal entities eligible under this opportunity?
Yes. Native American tribal organizations are eligible, including federally recognized tribes and Alaska Native entities.
Can a consortium of trauma centers apply?
Yes. A consortium of Level I, II, or III trauma centers designated by state or local agencies within a state or region (and, as applicable, other emergency service providers) may apply.
Can partnerships involving Indian Health Service, Indian Tribal, or urban Indian trauma centers apply?
Yes. The opportunity allows a consortium or partnership involving nonprofit Indian Health Service, Indian Tribal, and urban Indian trauma centers.
If applying as a consortium or partnership, does each member submit its own application?
No. When applying as a consortium or partnership, one eligible member must submit a single cooperative agreement application on behalf of the group and serve as the official applicant (the lead entity).
What is meant by the "lead entity" in a consortium application?
The lead entity is the eligible consortium member that submits the single application on behalf of the group and serves as the official applicant for the cooperative agreement.
How many awards are expected to be made?
The opportunity anticipates a small cohort of awards, with an expected four awards.
What is the maximum award amount (award ceiling)?
The award ceiling is $500,000.
What is the application deadline?
The original application closing date is 2026-09-18.
When was this funding opportunity created?
The funding opportunity was created on 2026-08-19.
What types of systems or partners does the program aim to connect?
The program is aimed at improving coordination between pre-hospital care (including EMS and other pre-hospital partners) and hospital trauma services so patients reach the right level of care faster.
What does the program mean by improving "readiness"?
Based on the description provided, readiness refers to improving the trauma system's ability to perform consistently for everyday severe injuries as well as during surges or incidents, including reducing delays to definitive care through better coordination and operational practices.
What is the overall focus of the program in one sentence?
It funds scalable, practical models that improve trauma system readiness and coordination across EMS, pre-hospital partners, and hospitals to get severely injured patients to the right level of care quickly and reliably.
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