Opportunity Information: Apply for USDA NIFA AFRI 010453

The Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (AFRI) Foundational and Applied Science Program is a competitive grant opportunity run by the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) that funds projects intended to strengthen both basic (foundational) and practical (applied) scientific knowledge that supports U.S. agriculture and related industries. The program is organized around six AFRI priority areas: (1) Plant Health and Production and Plant Products, (2) Animal Health and Production and Animal Products, (3) Food Safety, Nutrition, and Health, (4) Bioenergy, Natural Resources, and Environment, (5) Agriculture Systems and Technology, and (6) Agriculture Economics and Rural Communities. Applicants are expected to align their proposals with the specific program area priorities described in the official Request for Applications (RFA), which also sets the relevant due dates and detailed requirements.

The opportunity supports multiple project formats, which is a key feature of this program. It solicits single-function projects (research-only, education-only, or extension-only) as well as integrated projects that combine research with education and/or extension. In practice, that means proposals can range from generating new scientific findings, to developing educational programs and workforce training, to delivering extension activities that move research-based knowledge into real-world adoption by producers, communities, and other stakeholders. The RFA is the controlling document for what is allowable within each program area, and applicants must follow it closely because priorities and deadlines can vary depending on the topic area and project type.

Eligibility depends on the project category. For single-function Research, Education, or Extension Projects, the eligible applicants are broad and include State Agricultural Experiment Stations; colleges and universities (including junior colleges offering associate degrees or higher); university research foundations; other research institutions and organizations; federal agencies; national laboratories; private organizations or corporations; and individual applicants who are U.S. citizens, U.S. nationals, or permanent residents. Collaborative groups made up of two or more of those eligible entity types may also apply. A notable limitation is that foreign and international organizations are not eligible to apply as applicant institutions for these single-function awards.

For Integrated Projects, eligibility is narrower and is focused on higher education and certain designated institution types. Eligible applicants include colleges and universities, 1994 Land-Grant Institutions, and Hispanic-serving agricultural colleges and universities. For the purposes of this program, a "college" or "university" is defined in a specific legal and accreditation sense: it must admit students with a high school diploma (or equivalent), be authorized by the state to provide education beyond secondary school, offer programs leading to a bachelors degree or higher, operate as a public or other nonprofit institution, and be accredited by a nationally recognized accrediting agency or association. The RFA also clarifies that a research foundation maintained by a college or university is eligible to receive an award under the program, which matters for institutions that route sponsored funding through affiliated foundations.

The program also includes Food and Agricultural Science Enhancement (FASE) Grants, which are a set of mechanisms intended to strengthen capacity and broaden participation in agricultural research and related activities. Under this RFA, multiple FASE grant types may be available, including New Investigator, Strengthening Standard, Strengthening Conference, Seed, Equipment, and Sabbatical Grants. The detailed eligibility rules for FASE are contained in the RFA section referenced as Part II, C.2, and applicants need to check that section carefully because the requirements can differ from standard project awards.

Operationally, applicants must respond to the specific program area priorities and to the deadlines listed in the RFA (referenced as Part I, C). Award recipients are allowed to subcontract with organizations that are not themselves eligible to apply, as long as those partners are necessary to carry out the project, which can be important for accessing specialized expertise, services, or field sites. However, eligibility is treated strictly: if an applicant fails to meet an eligibility requirement by the application deadline, the application may be excluded from review or may be reviewed but still be ineligible for funding, meaning NIFA would be unable to make an award even if reviewers score it well.

From the posted source details, this is a discretionary grant program (Funding Opportunity Number USDA NIFA AFRI 010453) under CFDA 10.310, administered by NIFA. The listing shows an original closing date of 2024-12-31 and an award ceiling listed as $15,000,000, though actual award sizes and the number of awards are typically driven by the specific program area, project type, and available appropriations as described in the RFA.

  • The National Institute of Food and Agriculture in the agriculture sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Agriculture and Food Research Initiative Competitive Grants Program Foundational and Applied Science Program" and is now available to receive applicants.
  • Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 10.310.
  • This funding opportunity was created on 2023-12-15.
  • Applicants must submit their applications by 2024-12-31. (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 $15,000,000.00 in funding.
  • Eligible applicants include: Others.
Apply for USDA NIFA AFRI 010453

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