Fiscal Year 2024: CDC-Hosted Conferences Spending Report

At a glance

This report includes all Centers for Disease Control and Prevention- (CDC) hosted conferences held in Fiscal Year (FY) 2024 where the net expenses associated with the conference exceeded $100,000. It includes figures on how much was spent, number of attendees, and dates of the conferences.

About the report

CDC works 24/7 to protect America from health, safety, and security threats, both foreign and in the U.S. Whether diseases start at home or abroad, are chronic or acute, curable, or preventable, human error or deliberate attack, CDC fights disease and supports communities and citizens to do the same.

CDC increases the health security of our nation. As the nation's health protection agency, CDC saves lives and protects people from health threats. To accomplish our mission, CDC conducts critical science and provides health information that protects our nation against expensive and dangerous health threats and responds when these arise. Effective outreach to our partners, grantees, and the public is central to our mission. Our success is also contingent on our ability to collaborate with tens of thousands of healthcare and human services providers, scientific researchers, clinicians, advocates, and other key non-government partners across the country and internationally. Our support and attendance at conferences and other related meetings is critical for our researchers to leverage and advance the biomedical, scientific, and public health mission of CDC.

This report is submitted as required by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Memorandum on Promoting Efficient Spending to Support Agency Operations M-12-12 dated May 11, 2012, which stipulates that federal agencies report publicly on all agency-sponsored (hosted) conferencesAwhere the expenses exceed $100,000.

Description of the Report

In compliance with OMB Memorandum M-12-12, this report includes:

  • Information about CDC conference expenses for FY 2024, as well as general information about conference activities throughout the year.
  • A description of all CDC-hosted conferences for FY 2024 where expenses associated with the conference exceeded $100,000, including:
    • A brief explanation on how the conference advanced the mission of the agency
    • A description of exceptional circumstances for conferences where net expenses exceeded $500,000
    • The total expenses incurred by the agency for the conference
    • The total number of individuals whose travel expenses or other conference expenses were paid by the agency

Fiscal Year 2024 Summary

CDC continues to take positive steps in support of the agency's initiatives to gain efficiencies in the use of appropriated funds for conferences and meetings (as prescribed in HHS Policy on Promoting Efficient Spending. At the forefront of these efforts is CDC's work to implement improvements to conference management practices through the release of updated training materials and resources.

The following summarizes information about CDC-hosted conferences in FY 2024 that exceeded $100,000B.

Fiscal Year 2024 Conferences

OPDIV

CDC

Total Number of Conferences

3

Total Cost

$502,490

Total Number of Attendees

829

Total Number of Federal Attendees (travel paid by CDC)

40

Total Number of Non-Federal Attendees (travel paid by CDC)

72

National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion (NCCDPHP)

2024 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System Training (BRFSS) Annual Meeting

Dates: April 15-18, 2024

Venue, City, State, or Country: Crown Plaza Ravinia – Atlanta, Georgia

How the Conference Advanced the Mission of the Agency: The 2024 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System Annual Meeting is a fundamental part of CDC's obligation to provide assistance to states under program announcement DP20-2007. This edition of the BRFSS meeting is particularly crucial to BRFSS program success as it represents the last opportunity for a face-to-face, hands-on working meeting prior to the scheduled launch of the new Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) in August 2024. The training workshop serves as the means by which the content of the BRFSS questionnaire for the upcoming calendar year is developed. The CDC programs or other federal agencies which have proposed new or revised questions for the BRFSS questionnaire will have the opportunity to present proposals and justifications for suggested changes to the state health departments.

Total Estimated Cost: $237,248

Total Attendees: 231

Total Feds on Travel: 3

Total Non-Feds on Travel: 59

2023 Alzheimer's Program Grantee Meeting

Dates: October 24-26, 2023

Venue, City, State, or Country: Westin Atlanta Perimeter – Atlanta, Georgia

How the Conference Advanced the Mission of the Agency: The CDC's Alzheimer's Disease Program (ADP), provides data and information to promote brain health, address cognitive impairment, and help meet the needs of caregivers through changes in systems and policies. The purpose of this meeting is to enable newly award 2023 recipients to receive information about Alzheimer's Disease Program priorities, cooperative agreement requirements, expectations of the program, and opportunities for collaboration and training. Award recipients will also learn from CDC subject matter experts and both governmental and non-governmental partners about opportunities to collaborate advancing public health for persons with dementia and for those providing care for them.

Alzheimer's disease is the most common form of dementia. It is a progressive disease beginning with mild memory declines, possibly leading to the loss of the ability to carry on a conversation and respond to the environment. The prevalence of Alzheimer's disease is rising with the aging of the US population and is the 5th leading cause of death for people aged 65 years or older in the US, as well as the 7th leading cause of death overall and death rates continue to rise (Olivari et al, 2018; CDC WONDER, 2021). By 2060, approximately 14 million Americans are expected to have Alzheimer's disease, a nearly three-fold increase (Matthews et al, 2019).

Public health's role in maintaining cognitive health, a vital part of healthy aging and quality of life, is emerging. The need for a clearly delineated public health role comes at a critical time given the dramatic aging of the U.S. population, scientific advancements in knowledge about risk behaviors related to cognitive decline (e.g., lack of physical activity, high blood pressure control), and the growing awareness of the significant health, social, and economic burdens associated with cognitive decline.

Total Estimated Cost: $151,214

Total Attendees: 198

Total Feds on Travel: 0

Total Non-Feds on Travel: 8

National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases (NCEZID)

Vector Week 2024

Dates: February 6-8, 2024

Venue, City, State, or Country: Colorado State University Lory Student Center – Fort Collins, CO

How the Conference Advanced the Mission of the Agency: The Division of Vector-Borne Diseases (DVBD) will host Vector Week 2024 in Fort Collins, Colorado in early 2024. Vector Week 2024 is a three-day meeting for DVBD’s Epidemiology and Lab Capacity (ELC), Centers of Excellence (CoE), Training and Evaluation Centers (TECs) funding recipients, along with other federal and national partners and stakeholders. The ELC, CoE and TEC funding recipients are key partners in DVBD’s extramural program. Vector Week 2024 will provide a forum for DVBD and its partners to share the most up-to-date vector-borne disease information available. Vector Week 2024 will provide a venue to share most up to date information on vector-borne diseases. Including new information on vector-control, insecticide resistance, diagnostics (e.g., Rickettsia, the future of diagnostic tests), epidemiology, vector surveillance, outbreak response, case investigation, education, and outreach. Sharing the most important translational research that state practitioners need to know, sharing of the National Strategy for Vector-Borne Disease Prevention and Control, answering “what are the elements of an effective VBD program?” This will include additional description and clarification from CDC on the tiered guidance. Vector Week 2024 will provide a forum for information sharing among ELC jurisdictions. Vector Week 2024 will provide a venue for TECs, CoEs and national partners to hear from the jurisdiction regarding their needs. Likewise, Vector Week will provide an opportunity for TECs, CoEs and national partners to share translational evaluation, research, and program accomplishments to benefit jurisdiction programs.

Total Estimated Cost: $114,028

Total Attendees: 400

Total Feds on Travel: 37

Total Non-Feds on Travel: 5

FY 2023: CDC-Hosted Conferences Report
  1. HHS defines a conference as “a meeting, retreat, seminar, symposium or event that involves attendee travel. The term “conference” also applies to training activities that are considered to be conferences under 5 CFR 410.404.”
  2. Total estimated costs are based on readily identifiable and known costs for contractor support, venue, and audio-visual related expenses, as well as registration fees, travel, and other miscellaneous costs.