Advancing Violence Epidemiology in Real-Time (AVERT) | CDC RFA CE 23 0007

Opportunity Information: Apply for CDC RFA CE 23 0007

Advancing Violence Epidemiology in Real-Time (AVERT) is a CDC cooperative agreement (CDC-RFA-CE-23-0007) designed to strengthen and speed up public health surveillance of violence-related harms using emergency department (ED) data. It builds directly on the earlier FASTER initiative (Firearm Injury Surveillance Through Emergency Rooms) by continuing the core focus on firearm injury surveillance, but it expands the scope beyond firearms to include near real-time tracking of other violence-related injuries as well as selected mental health conditions. The central idea is to help jurisdictions move from delayed, incomplete snapshots toward more comprehensive, timely information that can guide prevention and response while problems are unfolding, not months later.

The opportunity is structured around improving both the quality and the usefulness of ED surveillance. On the firearm side, the program emphasizes capturing ED visits for all firearm injuries regardless of intent, meaning it is meant to include assaults, self-harm, unintentional injuries, and other intent categories rather than limiting surveillance to a single type. At the same time, AVERT adds new expectations around rapid monitoring of additional violence-related injuries and mental health conditions, reflecting the way violence, crises, and behavioral health often intersect and can signal escalating risk in communities. The program also explicitly pushes recipients to translate data into action, especially in areas and among populations experiencing the greatest burden.

Recipients are required to implement two main strategies. First, they must increase the timeliness of aggregate reporting of ED visits related to firearm injuries, other violence-related injuries, and mental health conditions. This is about shortening the time between an ED visit and when that information becomes visible in surveillance outputs, which can support quicker situational awareness and more responsive interventions. Second, they must disseminate surveillance findings quickly and consistently to the public and to key partners who are positioned to prevent violence or respond to it. In practice, that means building reporting products and communication routines that do not sit on a shelf, but instead reach violence prevention organizations, health systems, community partners, and other decision-makers when the information can still shape real-world actions.

AVERT also offers optional enhancements for applicants that want to go further, with the possibility of additional funds. One option is to implement at least one data linkage project, which generally means connecting ED data with other relevant datasets to create a more complete picture of risk, outcomes, and opportunities for intervention. Another option is developing a local, multisectoral partnership aligned with REDIRECT (Real-Time Data to Inform Response, Engagement, Collaboration, and Tailored prevention activities). This emphasizes coordinated, cross-sector use of timely data so that prevention and response efforts are not fragmented, and so that local strategies can be tailored to the patterns emerging in the surveillance.

Administratively, this is a discretionary funding opportunity offered by the Department of Health and Human Services through the CDC, specifically within NCIPC (the National Center for Injury Prevention and Control). The funding instrument is a cooperative agreement, which typically indicates substantial programmatic involvement by CDC compared to a standard grant, often through technical assistance, shared planning expectations, and ongoing performance monitoring. Eligible applicants include state, county, city or township governments, special district governments, and certain other entities as clarified in the NOFO. The posted award ceiling is $150,000, with an expectation of about 10 awards. The original application closing date listed for this posting was April 11, 2023 (11:59 pm ET for electronic submissions). Continuation of support beyond the first year is not automatic and is explicitly dependent on the availability of funds, meaning future-year funding would typically hinge on federal appropriations as well as satisfactory progress and compliance with cooperative agreement requirements.

Overall, AVERT is aimed at making ED-based violence and mental health surveillance faster, broader, and more actionable. The program is not only about collecting data, but about improving how quickly that data can be turned into credible, shareable intelligence that helps communities prevent injuries and respond to spikes, emerging patterns, or inequities as they occur.

• The Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control - NCIPC in the health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Advancing Violence Epidemiology in Real-Time (AVERT)" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.136.
• This funding opportunity was created on Feb 03, 2023.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Apr 11, 2023 Electronically submitted applications must be submitted no later than 1159 pm 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 $150,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 10 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).

Apply for CDC RFA CE 23 0007

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