Application period for the NACCHO Mentorship Program

Published: October 19, 2015

The National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO) recently announced the application period for the 5th cohort of the NACCHO-administered Mentorship Program. The Mentorship Program is funded through a Cooperative Agreement between FDA and NACCHO. The application period began Thursday, October 1, 2015, and ends on Saturday, October 31 at 8:00PM EST. Funding is open to retail food regulatory programs that have enrolled in the Retail Program Standards and meet the qualifications identified in the Request for Applications.

The Mentorship Program provides peer mentoring for retail food regulatory programs that are working towards achieving conformance with the Voluntary National Retail Food Regulatory Program Standards (Retail Program Standards). Peer mentoring is provided by matching retail food regulatory programs experienced in applying the Retail Program Standards with retail food regulatory programs that are looking for assistance, guidance, tools and resources, and recommendations for achieving conformance with the Retail Program Standards. The Mentorship Program also helps to build capacity amongst retail food regulatory programs to implement continuous improvement processes, improve customer service, and implement innovative strategies to reduce the incidence of risk factors that cause foodborne illness.

NACCHO plans to award approximately $230,000 in total to participants. Anticipated award amounts may be up to $10,000 per selected mentee retail food regulatory program, and between $8,000 and $18,000 per selected mentor retail food regulatory program (exact amounts will vary based on number of mentees taken on). The program duration is from Dec. 1, 2015 to Aug. 31, 2016, and awardees should be notified of their acceptance in mid-to-late November.

NACCHO will be accepting applications through 8 PM EST on Oct. 31, 2015. Those interested in pursuing the mentor track should respond to the Mentor Request for Applications; those who seek guidance should respond to the Mentee Request for Applications.

How to Apply for Funding

Visit NACCHO's program website to review all RFA and application documents carefully before submitting an application.

For more information about the Retail Program Standards, visit us at http://www.fda.gov/RetailProgramStandards.