Agriculture and Food Research Initiative - Foundational Program | USDA NIFA AFRI 006351

Opportunity Information: Apply for USDA NIFA AFRI 006351

The Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (AFRI) Foundational Program is a discretionary grant opportunity run by the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) designed to fund foundational research and related activities that strengthen the knowledge base needed to tackle both current and emerging challenges in agriculture and food systems. In practical terms, the program is meant to support work that builds core scientific understanding and delivers usable advances that can improve agricultural productivity, sustainability, public health, and rural well-being over time. The opportunity is published as USDA NIFA AFRI 006351 under CFDA 10.310, with an original closing date of June 20, 2018, and a creation date of April 11, 2017.

The program is organized around six broad AFRI priority areas, and proposals are expected to clearly align with at least one of them. These priority areas are: Plant Health and Production and Plant Products; Animal Health and Production and Animal Products; Food Safety, Nutrition, and Health; Bioenergy, Natural Resources, and Environment; Agriculture Systems and Technology; and Agriculture Economics and Rural Communities. Applicants are not just asked to select a general area; they must respond to specific Program Area Priorities and follow the associated deadlines laid out in the Foundational Program Request for Applications (RFA). That means the topic fit, the stated outcomes, and the submission timing are all tied directly to what the RFA specifies for each program area.

AFRI Foundational supports multiple project formats to match different kinds of work. It includes single-function Research Projects that focus primarily on research activities, as well as multi-function Integrated Projects that combine research with other components (commonly education and/or extension) to move knowledge into practice and broaden impact. The opportunity also includes Food and Agricultural Science Enhancement (FASE) Grants, a category intended to strengthen and broaden participation and capacity in the food and agricultural sciences, with details and requirements set out in the RFA and the application instructions.

Eligibility is a central condition of this opportunity and is explicitly tied to the type of project being proposed. Only eligible entities may submit applications, and the eligibility rules vary depending on whether the proposal is a research project, an integrated project, or a FASE grant. The solicitation stresses that all project types and applicant requirements are described in the application sections beginning in Part II, C, and applicants must meet every relevant eligibility criterion by the application deadline. If an applicant fails to meet eligibility requirements on time, the proposal can be excluded before review or, even if reviewed, NIFA may be unable to make an award.

At the same time, the program allows award recipients to subcontract with organizations that are not themselves eligible to apply, as long as those partners are necessary to carry out the project. This makes it possible for eligible lead applicants to bring in specialized expertise, services, or capabilities from other entities through subawards or contracts while keeping the primary applicant structure compliant with NIFA rules.

Overall, this opportunity is aimed at building a durable scientific and practical foundation across major agricultural and food domains, using a mix of research-focused and integrated approaches, with strict alignment to the RFA priorities and careful attention to eligibility and submission requirements.

• The National Institute of Food and Agriculture in the agriculture sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Agriculture and Food Research Initiative - Foundational 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 2017-04-11.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2018-06-20. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Eligible applicants include: Others.

Apply for USDA NIFA AFRI 006351

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