Ohio Offers $29 Million to Develop Protective Equipment and Technology for Workers
Awards of $150,000 to $2 million will fund two-year projects, and each applicant must line up an industry partner in Ohio.
- By Danielle Naidu
- Oct 27, 2026
Not-for-profit colleges and universities in Ohio, along with the state's standalone research organizations, are among those eligible for the Workforce Safety Innovation Grant, now in its fifth round. The grant pays for projects that research and develop new personal protective equipment and personal protective technology.
Available funding for the round totals $29 million through the Workforce Safety Innovation Center, the Ohio Bureau of Workers' Compensation (BWC) recently announced. The bureau said the new equipment and technology are meant to make workplaces safer and help prevent occupational injuries and illnesses.
Every applicant must work alongside an industry partner located in Ohio. The grant is also meant to build stronger working ties among academia, research institutions and industry, the bureau said.
Three project tracks are offered: Research, Proof-of-Concept and Prototype. Award amounts will vary by project, from a low of $150,000 to a high of $2 million. Funded projects follow a two-year cycle running July 1, 2027, through June 30, 2029.
Helping safety innovations for workers develop faster is the grant's goal, the bureau said. The idea is to help projects get out of the lab and into the marketplace. Priority areas are guided by BWC claims data, which the bureau said ensures the funded technologies take on critical safety challenges and improve results for Ohio workers.
Details on the grant, including its timeline, are posted on the Workforce Safety Innovation Center webpage.
About the Author
Danielle Naidu is assistant editor for Occupational Health & Safety and Environmental Protection Online.