Improving Implementation of Immunization Practice Standards by National Pharmacy Organizations--Financed Solely by PPHF 2018 Prevention and Public Health Funds | CDC RFA IP18 1803PPHF18

Opportunity Information: Apply for CDC RFA IP18 1803PPHF18

The grant opportunity "Improving Implementation of Immunization Practice Standards by National Pharmacy Organizations--Financed Solely by PPHF 2018 Prevention and Public Health Funds" (CDC RFA IP18 1803PPHF18) is a CDC cooperative agreement designed to strengthen vaccination services delivered in pharmacy settings. Run through the Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, specifically within NCIRD, the program focuses on helping pharmacies and pharmacists more consistently apply immunization practice standards and integrate their vaccination activities with the broader healthcare and public health system.

At its core, the funding supports practical, pharmacy-centered activities that raise the quality, consistency, and coordination of immunization delivery. A major emphasis is education and outreach to pharmacists on current immunization recommendations across the lifespan, including pediatric, adolescent, and adult schedules, along with proper vaccine administration practices. The intent is to ensure pharmacists have up-to-date clinical guidance and are prepared to deliver vaccines safely and in alignment with current standards, which can directly affect vaccination uptake and reduce missed opportunities for immunization.

Another key component is improving communication and information exchange between pharmacists and other healthcare providers, as well as with public health immunization programs. Pharmacies often function as accessible vaccination points, but gaps can occur when vaccination events are not communicated back to primary care providers or public health systems. This opportunity encourages efforts that make collaboration more routine and reliable, supporting continuity of care and helping communities maintain accurate vaccination records and coverage estimates.

The announcement also prioritizes quality improvement work within pharmacy vaccination services. This can include systematic efforts to standardize workflows, improve patient screening and counseling, reduce administration errors, and strengthen follow-up practices. Quality improvement is framed as an ongoing process rather than a one-time training event, with the broader goal of making vaccination services in pharmacies more dependable, efficient, and aligned with recognized best practices.

Improved immunization documentation is another central objective, especially through increased use of immunization information systems (IIS) and stronger data sharing practices. Accurate, timely reporting to IIS helps ensure that vaccinations given in pharmacies appear in the same systems used by clinicians and public health agencies, which reduces duplicate vaccinations, supports better clinical decision-making, and improves population-level monitoring. The program encourages steps that make IIS participation easier and more consistent for pharmacies, which can involve workflow changes, technical coordination, and promoting routine reporting habits.

A distinct preparedness element is included as well: coordination with public health preparedness and immunization programs to establish formal agreements that improve readiness for pandemic vaccine programs and response. This reflects the role pharmacies can play during large-scale vaccination campaigns, where rapid distribution, administration capacity, and clear coordination mechanisms become critical. The funding is intended to help formalize partnerships and expectations in advance, so pharmacies and public health agencies can move faster and more effectively during an emergency response.

By the end of the project period, the awardee is expected not only to implement and test these approaches, but also to disseminate and promote best practices and documented successes to a national audience of healthcare providers. That audience explicitly includes pharmacists and other healthcare providers, signaling that the CDC wants lessons learned in pharmacy-based immunization improvement to be transferable across settings and to support broader immunization system performance.

Administratively, this is a discretionary funding opportunity using a cooperative agreement mechanism, meaning the CDC anticipates active involvement and collaboration with awardees rather than a hands-off grant model. The opportunity falls under the health activity category and is associated with CFDA 93.733. The award ceiling is $200,000, with an expectation of two awards, indicating a relatively focused program aimed at supporting a small number of organizations with the capacity to influence practice standards and implementation at scale. Eligible applicants are broad and include multiple levels of government, tribal entities, public and private institutions of higher education, nonprofits with or without 501(c)(3) status, small businesses, and other entities as clarified in the opportunity materials. The funding opportunity was created on April 11, 2018, with an original closing date of June 11, 2018, and required electronic submission by 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time on the due date.

• The Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control - NCIRD in the health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Improving Implementation of Immunization Practice Standards by National Pharmacy Organizations--Financed Solely by PPHF 2018 Prevention and Public Health Funds" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.733.
• This funding opportunity was created on Apr 11, 2018.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Jun 11, 2018 Electronically submitted applications must be submitted no later than 500 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.)
• Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $200,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 2 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: State governments, County governments, City or township governments, Special district governments, Independent school districts, Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized), Public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities, Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments), Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Nonprofits that do not have a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Private institutions of higher education, Small businesses, Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).

Apply for CDC RFA IP18 1803PPHF18

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