YOUR ASSOCIATION
NEHA NEWS
RFFM Grant Applications Opening Soon The next funding opportunity through the National Environmen- tal Health Association (NEHA)-Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Retail Flexible Funding Model (RFFM) Grant Program is approaching, providing state, local, tribal, and territorial retail food regulatory agencies with another opportunity to strengthen their work with FDA’s Voluntary National Retail Food Regulatory Program Standards (Retail Program Standards). The RFFM Grant Program is administered through a partner- ship between NEHA and FDA and supports retail food regula- tory programs as they work toward conformance with the Retail Program Standards. The program is intended to help jurisdictions strengthen retail food safety systems, reduce the occurrence of foodborne illness risk factors, and build capacity for continuous program improvement. The Grant Year (GY) 2027–2028 application portal is antici- pated to open December 9, 2026, with applications due January 27, 2027. Awards will have a full-year project performance period from April 1, 2027, through March 31, 2028. NEHA anticipates offering five grant types:
ing and advancing established systems. In the previous grant year (GY 2025–2026), the program funded 606 projects in 313 jurisdic- tions, illustrating the continuing demand for resources that help retail food programs strengthen their systems and advance confor- mance with the Retail Program Standards. Current GY 2026–2027 grantees also have an important October deadline: Interim progress reports are due October 15. The current project year continues through March 31, 2027, with annual or final progress reports due May 14, 2027. Grantees are also required to enter their Standard 9 and Comprehensive Strategic Improve- ment Plan information into the Retail Program Standards Assess- ment Tool by the end of the project year. Together, these reporting and assessment activities help programs document progress and identify priorities for continued improvement. Learn more about the upcoming grant cycle, access the 2027– 2028 application guidance, and register for the October 14 webinar at www.neha.org/retail-grants. NEPHIP Seeks 2027 Host Sites
1. Track 1 Development Base 2. Track 2 Development Base
3. Track 3 One-Year Optional Add-On for existing Track 3 grantees 4. Mentorship Mentor grants for Track 2 applicants and Track 3 grantees 5. Special Projects grants for Track 2 applicants and Track 3 grantees. Training and mentee options are also expected to be available with applicable grant tracks. Jurisdictions considering an application do not need to wait until December to begin preparing. The 2027–2028 RFFM Appli- cation Guidance is now available and provides details about the anticipated grant opportunities and application process. Review- ing the guidance in advance can help programs identify the fund- ing opportunity that best aligns with their current work and priori- ties under the Retail Program Standards. Further, to help prospective applicants prepare, NEHA will host a webinar—Getting Started With the RFFM Grant Program: An Overview for New Track 1 Applicants—on October 14 at 1 p.m. ET. The webinar will provide a timely opportunity for programs interested in the upcoming funding cycle to learn more before the application portal opens. Registration information is available on the RFFM Grant Program webpage. The reach of the RFFM Grant Program continues to grow. Dur- ing GY 2026–2027, RFFM funded 636 projects in 317 unique state, local, tribal, and territorial jurisdictions. This funding included $3.7 million for 1-year grants and $1.7 million for the 2nd year of 3-year grants. These investments support jurisdictions at different stages of their work with the Retail Program Standards, from programs building foundational capacity to those maintain-
NEPHIP supported all these past interns in gaining important firsthand experience at various different host sites. Photo courtesy of Blake Latiolais, B1 Studio LLC. Environmental public health agencies can help prepare the next generation of professionals while gaining support for projects in their own communities through the National Environmental Pub- lic Health Internship Program (NEPHIP). Applications are open for state, territorial, local, and tribal environmental public health programs interested in serving as host sites for upcoming intern- ship sessions. Programs are encouraged to apply by October 18, 2026, for consideration for spring 2027. NEPHIP connects undergraduate and graduate students from environmental health programs accredited by the National Envi- ronmental Health Science & Protection Accreditation Council (EHAC) with governmental environmental public health agencies. The internship gives students firsthand experience with the pro- fession’s day-to-day work while helping them build connections and consider careers in state, tribal, local, or territorial agencies after graduation.
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Volume 89 • Number 3
https://doi.org/10.70387/001c.171790
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