Brookwood-Sago Mine Safety Grants | FOA BS 2023 1

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs): Brookwood-Sago Mine Safety Grants (FY 2023)

1) What is the Brookwood-Sago Mine Safety Grants program?

The Brookwood-Sago Mine Safety Grants are a funding opportunity from the U.S. Department of Labor, Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA). The program supports education and training efforts designed to reduce injuries, illnesses, and fatalities in and around mines.

2) What is the goal of this grant opportunity?

The goal is to support training programs that help the mining community better identify hazards, avoid dangerous situations, and prevent unsafe or unhealthy working conditions, with an overall focus on measurable improvements to miner safety and health.

3) Who is offering and administering this funding?

This opportunity is offered by the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) through MSHA (Mine Safety and Health Administration).

4) What type of funding instrument is this?

The funding instrument is a grant.

5) What is the CFDA number for this program?

The program is listed under CFDA 17.603.

6) How much funding is available per award?

For FY 2023, MSHA is making up to $1,000,000 available per award.

7) Is there a minimum award size?

Yes. The minimum award size is $50,000.

8) How many total awards does MSHA expect to make?

MSHA anticipates making up to 20 total awards under this program.

9) What kinds of activities does the grant support?

The grant supports education and training programs aimed at improving mine safety and health, specifically targeting high-risk and high-impact issues that MSHA considers especially urgent.

10) What training topics are specifically highlighted as priorities?

MSHA highlights several priority training topics, including:

• Exposures to respirable dust and crystalline silica
• Powered haulage and mobile equipment safety
• Mine emergency preparedness and mine rescue
• Electrical safety
• Pillar safety in underground mines
• Availability and correct use of personal protective equipment (PPE), including fall protection to prevent falls from heights
• Other training that measurably improves miner safety and health

11) Why are respirable dust and crystalline silica called out?

MSHA identifies respirable dust and crystalline silica as major contributors to serious respiratory disease, and therefore treats training on these exposures as a high-priority area.

12) Does the opportunity prioritize training related to powered haulage and mobile equipment?

Yes. Powered haulage and mobile equipment safety is specifically listed as a supported training topic.

13) Does MSHA support emergency preparedness and mine rescue training through this grant?

Yes. Mine emergency preparedness and mine rescue are explicitly included among the supported training topics.

14) Is electrical safety training included as an eligible priority topic?

Yes. Electrical safety is listed as a supported training topic.

15) Are contract workers and customer truck drivers included in the program focus?

Yes. MSHA highlights training needs for contract workers and customer truck drivers, noting they may face unique hazards and may not always receive the same level of mine-specific safety training as direct employees.

16) Does the grant emphasize training for new and inexperienced miners?

Yes. MSHA emphasizes improving training for new and inexperienced miners. This includes managers and supervisors when they are performing mining tasks.

17) Does the opportunity mention personal protective equipment (PPE) and fall protection?

Yes. MSHA includes the availability and correct use of PPE as a priority area, including fall protection aimed at preventing falls from heights.

18) What does MSHA mean by "other training that measurably improves miner safety and health"?

In addition to the named topics, MSHA indicates it will prioritize training that demonstrates measurable improvements to miner safety and health, even if it falls outside the specifically listed categories.

19) Does this opportunity encourage training on miners statutory rights?

Yes. A notable feature of this opportunity is that it explicitly encourages programs that strengthen miners understanding of their statutory rights.

20) What statutory rights does MSHA want training programs to reinforce?

MSHA is interested in training that reinforces:

• The right to a safe and healthy workplace
• The right to refuse unsafe work
• The right to speak up about safety and health conditions at the mine without retaliation

21) What are Part 90 miners, and are they specifically mentioned?

The opportunity calls out Part 90 miners, indicating attention to miners who have specific protections related to respiratory conditions.

22) Does MSHA express a preference for programs that reach small mines?

Yes. MSHA signals a strong preference for programs and materials that reach smaller mines.

23) Does the opportunity prioritize underserved mines and miners?

Yes. MSHA places emphasis on reaching underserved mines and underserved miners.

24) Are diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (DEIA) part of the program priorities?

Yes. MSHA places priority on diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility in program design and delivery.

25) Who is eligible to apply for this grant?

Eligibility is broad and includes a range of public and nonprofit organizations, including:

• State governments
• County governments
• City or township governments
• Special district governments
• Public and state-controlled institutions of higher education
• Federally recognized tribal governments and other tribal organizations
• Alaska Native entities
• Indian-controlled organizations serving Native Americans and Native Hawaiians
• Nonprofit organizations (with or without 501(c)(3) status), as long as they are not institutions of higher education in the nonprofit category

26) Do nonprofits need to have 501(c)(3) status to apply?

No. Nonprofit organizations may apply whether or not they hold 501(c)(3) status, as long as they are not applying as institutions of higher education in the nonprofit category.

27) Are tribal governments and tribal organizations eligible?

Yes. Federally recognized tribal governments and other tribal organizations are eligible, including Alaska Native entities and Indian-controlled organizations serving Native Americans and Native Hawaiians.

28) Are institutions of higher education eligible?

Yes. Public and state-controlled institutions of higher education are listed as eligible applicants.

29) When was this funding opportunity published?

The opportunity was published on May 23, 2023.

30) What was the application deadline listed for this opportunity?

The original application deadline was July 21, 2023.

31) What is the Funding Opportunity Number (FOA number)?

The Funding Opportunity Number is FOA BS 2023 1.

32) Is the grant focused only on miners working inside the mine?

No. The opportunity states that it aims to reduce injuries, illnesses, and fatalities in and around mines, and it also highlights groups like contract workers and customer truck drivers who may be exposed to mine-related hazards.

33) Does MSHA indicate how it will choose among training topics?

MSHA states that priorities are tightly focused on high-risk and high-impact safety and health issues that it considers especially urgent, and it also emphasizes training that measurably improves miner safety and health.

34) Does the opportunity suggest any preference about who the training should reach?

Yes. Beyond the topic areas, MSHA signals a strong preference for programs and materials that reach smaller mines as well as underserved mines and miners.

35) Does this grant opportunity include both safety and health topics?

Yes. The opportunity includes safety topics (such as powered haulage, electrical safety, fall protection, and emergency preparedness) and health topics (such as respirable dust and crystalline silica exposures and attention to respiratory protections for Part 90 miners).