Opportunity Information: Apply for USDA NIFA AFRI 004916
Apply for USDA NIFA AFRI 004916
- The National Institute of Food and Agriculture in the food and nutrition health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Agriculture and Food Research Initiative Food Safety Challenge Area" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 10.310 Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (AFRI).
- This funding opportunity was created on Mar 31, 2015 and posted on Feb 18, 2015.
- Applicants must submit their applications by May 18, 2015 APPLICATION DEADLINE for Enhancing Food Safety through Improved Processing Technologies (A4131) May 18, 2015.APPLICATION DEADLINE for Effective Mitigation Strategies for Antimicrobial Resistance (A4171) May 13, 2015.. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- The funding agency has allocated a total of $6,000,000.00 to eligible and selected applicants.
- Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).
- Eligibility is linked to the project type. All project types are described beginning in Part II, C.
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Opportunity Summary:
The Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (AFRI) Food Safety Challenge Area (Funding Opportunity Number USDA NIFA AFRI 004916) is a discretionary grant program run by the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) under CFDA 10.310. It is designed to strengthen the science of food safety with a clear public-facing goal: protecting consumers from microbial and chemical contaminants that can enter or develop anywhere along the food chain, from on-farm production through processing, distribution, retail, and ultimately consumption. A central theme of the opportunity is that food safety is not isolated to one point in the system; it depends on the interconnected health of humans, animals, and ecosystems, especially in relation to how foodborne pathogens emerge, spread, and persist.
The program frames its long-term outcome in measurable societal terms: reducing foodborne illnesses and deaths by improving the safety of the food supply. That outcome is also tied directly to broader impacts, including lowering burdens on public health systems and reducing economic losses associated with outbreaks, recalls, lost productivity, and supply chain disruption. In practice, NIFA is looking for work that advances knowledge and deployable solutions, meaning projects are expected to contribute to both scientific understanding and, where appropriate, real-world improvements in prevention, detection, mitigation, and control of food safety hazards.
AFRI Food Safety supports multiple project structures to match different kinds of goals and teams. It funds single-function Research Projects focused primarily on generating new knowledge, tools, or technologies. It also funds multi-function Integrated Projects that combine Research with Education and/or Extension, which is important when a topic requires not only discovery but also training the workforce and getting best practices into use by industry, producers, and communities. In addition, the opportunity includes Food and Agricultural Science Enhancement (FASE) Grants, which are commonly used within AFRI to broaden participation and strengthen research capacity, depending on the specific FASE mechanisms described in the Food Safety Request for Applications (RFA). Across all formats, proposals must align with one of the Program Area Priorities described in the Food Safety RFA, which serves as the main guide for what topics are in-scope and how applications will be evaluated.
Two specific priority areas are highlighted through distinct application deadlines. One track is "Enhancing Food Safety through Improved Processing Technologies" (A4131), with an application deadline of May 18, 2015. The other is "Effective Mitigation Strategies for Antimicrobial Resistance" (A4171), with an application deadline of May 13, 2015. These tracks signal that NIFA was seeking both advances in processing interventions (for example, approaches that reduce contamination risk during processing or improve the ability to inactivate pathogens without harming quality) and strategies to address antimicrobial resistance as it relates to food and agricultural systems, which is a major and growing concern for both animal and human health.
The total estimated funding for the opportunity is $6,000,000. Cost sharing or matching is required, meaning applicants should plan for some level of non-federal contribution consistent with the program rules and the specific project type they propose. Eligibility is not described as a single blanket category in the summary; instead, it is explicitly tied to the project type, with the full eligibility requirements and project definitions provided in the announcement materials (referenced as Part II, C in the complete notice). The listing notes "Others" for eligible applicants and directs applicants to the detailed eligibility text for clarification, which usually means that eligible entities may include certain universities, research institutions, non-profits, or other organizations depending on the AFRI rules and the particular project format.
Key administrative details include a posted date of February 18, 2015, with an archive date of June 17, 2015, indicating the opportunity is historical rather than currently open. Applicants needing help accessing the full announcement or navigating electronic systems were directed to the NIFA Help Desk (202-401-5048) during standard business hours, and additional contacts were provided for questions about application content preparation. For anyone trying to understand what would have been competitive under this announcement, the most important next step would have been to consult the full Food Safety RFA referenced in the notice, since that document contains the program area priorities, expected outcomes, allowable budgets and durations, review criteria, and the specific requirements that distinguish research-only proposals from integrated and FASE proposals.
AFRI Food Safety Challenge Area (USDA NIFA AFRI 004916) - Frequently Asked Questions
What is this grant opportunity?
The Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (AFRI) Food Safety Challenge Area is a discretionary grant program run by the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) under CFDA 10.310. Its purpose is to strengthen the science of food safety and support work that helps protect consumers from microbial and chemical contaminants across the entire food chain.
What is the main goal of the AFRI Food Safety program?
The public-facing goal is protecting consumers from contaminants that can enter or develop at any point from on-farm production through processing, distribution, retail, and consumption. The long-term outcome emphasized in the opportunity is reducing foodborne illnesses and deaths by improving the safety of the food supply.
What types of food safety hazards does the program focus on?
The opportunity specifically mentions microbial and chemical contaminants. It also highlights foodborne pathogens and addresses antimicrobial resistance as a major concern connected to food and agricultural systems.
Does the program focus on a single point in the food system or the entire chain?
The program is framed around the idea that food safety is not isolated to one point in the system. It depends on interconnected factors across the food chain, from production to consumption, and is linked to the health of humans, animals, and ecosystems.
How does the program describe the broader impact of funded work?
In addition to reducing illnesses and deaths, the opportunity ties its goals to lowering burdens on public health systems and reducing economic losses associated with outbreaks, recalls, lost productivity, and supply chain disruption.
What kinds of projects does NIFA want to fund under this opportunity?
NIFA is looking for projects that advance knowledge and also support deployable solutions where appropriate. That includes work contributing to real-world improvements in prevention, detection, mitigation, and control of food safety hazards.
What project types are supported?
The opportunity supports multiple structures, including single-function Research Projects and multi-function Integrated Projects. It also includes Food and Agricultural Science Enhancement (FASE) Grants, with specific mechanisms described in the Food Safety Request for Applications (RFA).
What is a single-function Research Project in this program?
A Research Project is focused primarily on generating new knowledge, tools, or technologies related to food safety.
What is an Integrated Project in this program?
An Integrated Project combines Research with Education and/or Extension. This structure is intended for topics where discovery alone is not enough and there is also a need to train the workforce and move best practices into use by industry, producers, and communities.
What are FASE Grants in the context of this opportunity?
FASE (Food and Agricultural Science Enhancement) Grants are included as part of the AFRI framework to broaden participation and strengthen research capacity, depending on the specific FASE mechanisms described in the Food Safety RFA.
Do applications need to match specific priorities?
Yes. Proposals must align with one of the Program Area Priorities described in the Food Safety RFA, which is presented as the main guide for what topics are in-scope and how applications will be evaluated.
What priority areas are specifically highlighted in this announcement?
Two priority areas are highlighted with distinct application deadlines: "Enhancing Food Safety through Improved Processing Technologies" (A4131) and "Effective Mitigation Strategies for Antimicrobial Resistance" (A4171).
What is the deadline for the processing technologies priority (A4131)?
The application deadline listed for "Enhancing Food Safety through Improved Processing Technologies" (A4131) is May 18, 2015.
What is the deadline for the antimicrobial resistance priority (A4171)?
The application deadline listed for "Effective Mitigation Strategies for Antimicrobial Resistance" (A4171) is May 13, 2015.
What kinds of topics fall under improved processing technologies (A4131), based on this summary?
The summary signals interest in advances in processing interventions, such as approaches that reduce contamination risk during processing or improve the ability to inactivate pathogens without harming quality.
What does the antimicrobial resistance priority (A4171) focus on?
It focuses on mitigation strategies for antimicrobial resistance as it relates to food and agricultural systems, described as a major and growing concern for animal and human health.
How much funding is available under this opportunity?
The total estimated funding for the opportunity is $6,000,000.
Is cost sharing or matching required?
Yes. Cost sharing or matching is required, meaning applicants should plan for some level of non-federal contribution consistent with the program rules and the specific project type proposed.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is tied to the project type and is not described as one blanket category in the summary. The listing notes "Others" for eligible applicants and directs applicants to the detailed eligibility requirements and project definitions in the complete notice (referenced as Part II, C).
Where are the official eligibility rules and project definitions located?
They are provided in the full announcement materials, specifically referenced as Part II, C in the complete notice, and further guided by the Food Safety RFA.
When was this opportunity posted?
The posted date is February 18, 2015.
Is this opportunity still open?
No. The listing includes an archive date of June 17, 2015, indicating the opportunity is historical rather than currently open.
What is the Funding Opportunity Number and CFDA number?
The Funding Opportunity Number is USDA NIFA AFRI 004916, and it is listed under CFDA 10.310.
Who administered this grant program?
The program is run by the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) under AFRI.
Who should someone contact for technical help with accessing the announcement or electronic systems?
The notice directs applicants to the NIFA Help Desk at 202-401-5048 during standard business hours for help accessing the full announcement or navigating electronic systems.
Where would applicants find the most important details needed to prepare a competitive application?
The summary points to the full Food Safety Request for Applications (RFA) as the key document. It contains the program area priorities, expected outcomes, allowable budgets and durations, review criteria, and specific requirements distinguishing research-only proposals from integrated and FASE proposals.
What kinds of criteria or requirements are implied but not detailed in this summary?
The summary indicates that details like allowable budgets, project durations, review criteria, and the specific requirements for Research Projects versus Integrated Projects and FASE proposals are contained in the full Food Safety RFA rather than in the brief listing.
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