Opportunity Information: Apply for USDA NIFA AFRI 004192
Apply for USDA NIFA AFRI 004192
- The National Institute of Food and Agriculture in the agriculture education food and nutrition health regional development science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Agriculture and Food Research Initiative Food Security" 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 20, 2013 and posted on Mar 18, 2013.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Jul 17, 2013 For FY 2013, the Reducing Crop and Livestock Losses Program Area requires a Letter of Intent for submission of an application. For the Food Security Conference or Workshop Program Area, a Letter of Intent is encouraged but not required. Refer to the Program Area Description beginning in Part I, C (page 4) to determine if a Letter of Intent is required for a specific Program Area. Refer to Part IV, A (Page 17) for instructions on the preparation of a Letter of Intent.. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- The funding agency has allocated a total of $5,000,000.00 to eligible and selected applicants.
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $1,000,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 5 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education Small businesses For profit organizations other than small businesses Individuals Nonprofits that do not have a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education Private institutions of higher education Public and State controlled institutions of higher education Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).
- Eligibility is linked to the project type requested in Program Area Descriptions beginning in Part I, C. All project types are described beginning in Part II, C. Eligible institutions for Conference Projects are described in paragraph #1 below. Eligible institutions for multi functional Integrated Projects are described in paragraph #2 below.
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Opportunity Summary:
The Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (AFRI) Food Security grant opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number USDA NIFA AFRI 004192; CFDA 10.310) is a discretionary grant program administered by the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA). For fiscal year 2013, NIFA anticipated roughly $5,000,000 in total funding to support new awards under the AFRI Food Security Challenge Area, with an award ceiling of up to $1,000,000 per grant. The central focus for this particular year was narrow and practical: only proposals aimed at reducing crop and livestock losses in U.S. agricultural systems were eligible for consideration, meaning projects needed to clearly target measurable loss reduction rather than broader or more general food security themes.
Programmatically, the opportunity prioritizes projects that develop and deliver sustainable, integrated management strategies to reduce both pre-harvest and post-harvest losses. The losses of interest are those caused by major biological and ecological pressures such as plant and animal diseases, insect pests, and weeds across crop and animal production systems. Importantly, NIFA framed the goal as more than just loss prevention; proposals were expected to maintain or improve product quality and preserve or enhance production efficiency. In other words, solutions that reduce losses but create unacceptable tradeoffs in quality, safety, cost, or productivity would be less aligned with the intent of the program than approaches that improve resilience while keeping farms and supply chains competitive and workable.
A key theme of the solicitation is systems thinking across the full food system, not just what happens in the field or barn. Competitive proposals were expected to address losses throughout multiple stages, potentially spanning production, harvesting, storage, processing, distribution, and even consumption. This framing signals that NIFA was looking for end-to-end strategies that can reduce waste and loss as products move from farm to market, including practical interventions and decision tools that can be adopted by producers, handlers, and other stakeholders. In addition to technical and biological solutions, the opportunity explicitly calls for attention to social, economic, and behavioral dimensions of food security, reflecting an expectation that projects consider adoption barriers, incentives, producer and consumer behavior, and the real-world conditions that influence whether an intervention will actually be used at scale.
AFRI indicated support for several project types within this challenge area. Applicants could propose multi-function Integrated Research, Education, and/or Extension Projects, which are designed to combine discovery (research) with training (education) and delivery to end users (extension) so results translate into practice. The program also supported Food and Agricultural Science Enhancement (FASE) Grants, a mechanism within AFRI that often emphasizes strengthening scientific capacity and supporting investigators through specific grant tracks. In addition, NIFA would consider conferences and workshops, recognizing that convenings can play a role in building coordinated strategies, sharing best practices, and accelerating implementation across regions or sectors.
The application process for FY 2013 included a planning step tied to the program area. A Letter of Intent (LOI) was required for the Reducing Crop and Livestock Losses Program Area as a condition of submitting a full application. For the Food Security Conference or Workshop Program Area, an LOI was encouraged but not mandatory. The solicitation directed applicants to the program area descriptions and the letter of intent instructions in the full announcement for the specific requirements, indicating that eligibility and submission rules could vary depending on the chosen project type and program area.
Eligibility was broad but depended on the project type requested, as laid out in the program area descriptions. The opportunity listed multiple eligible applicant categories, including public and state-controlled institutions of higher education, private institutions of higher education, nonprofits (both 501(c)(3) and non-501(c)(3) in certain cases), small businesses, other for-profit organizations, and individuals, as well as other entities as clarified in the full announcement. The grant carried a cost-sharing or matching requirement, meaning applicants needed to plan for required non-federal contributions according to the rules associated with the chosen project type.
Key administrative details included a posted date of March 18, 2013, with an application closing date of July 17, 2013, and an archive date of August 16, 2013. For applicants needing assistance accessing the announcement or navigating submission issues, NIFA provided help desk support during standard federal business hours. Overall, the opportunity was structured to fund applied, integrated, and adoptable strategies that directly reduce losses from pests, diseases, and weeds across U.S. crop and livestock systems, while also accounting for the economic and behavioral realities that determine whether food security solutions succeed outside of research settings.
AFRI Food Security (FY 2013) Grant Opportunity FAQs
What is the AFRI Food Security grant opportunity?
The Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (AFRI) Food Security grant opportunity is a discretionary grant program administered by the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA). The specific opportunity described here is identified as Funding Opportunity Number USDA NIFA AFRI 004192 and CFDA 10.310.
Which USDA agency administers this program?
This opportunity is administered by the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA).
What fiscal year does this specific solicitation cover?
The details provided apply to fiscal year (FY) 2013.
How much total funding was anticipated for FY 2013 under this challenge area?
NIFA anticipated roughly $5,000,000 in total funding to support new awards under the AFRI Food Security Challenge Area for FY 2013.
What is the maximum award amount per grant?
The award ceiling was up to $1,000,000 per grant.
What was the central focus of the FY 2013 Food Security solicitation described here?
Only proposals aimed at reducing crop and livestock losses in U.S. agricultural systems were eligible for consideration. Projects needed to clearly target measurable loss reduction rather than broader or more general food security themes.
Are general food security projects eligible if they do not focus on loss reduction?
Based on the description provided, proposals had to be aimed at reducing crop and livestock losses. Broader food security themes that do not clearly target measurable loss reduction would not align with the stated eligibility focus for that year.
What types of losses are prioritized?
The opportunity prioritizes reducing both pre-harvest and post-harvest losses, particularly those caused by major biological and ecological pressures such as plant and animal diseases, insect pests, and weeds across crop and animal production systems.
Does the program focus only on what happens on the farm (field or barn)?
No. A key theme is systems thinking across the full food system. Competitive proposals were expected to address losses across multiple stages, potentially spanning production, harvesting, storage, processing, distribution, and even consumption.
What kind of approach was NIFA looking for (basic research vs. applied solutions)?
The solicitation emphasized sustainable, integrated management strategies that are practical and adoptable. The framing suggests NIFA was looking for applied, end-to-end strategies and decision tools that stakeholders can use to reduce losses as products move from farm to market.
Do proposals need to consider quality and efficiency, or only loss reduction?
Proposals were expected to reduce losses while maintaining or improving product quality and preserving or enhancing production efficiency. Approaches that reduce losses but create unacceptable tradeoffs in quality, safety, cost, or productivity were described as less aligned with the program intent.
What pressures or causes of loss were explicitly highlighted?
The opportunity explicitly highlighted losses caused by plant and animal diseases, insect pests, and weeds, framed as major biological and ecological pressures affecting crop and animal production systems.
Are social, economic, or behavioral factors relevant in this program?
Yes. The opportunity explicitly called for attention to social, economic, and behavioral dimensions of food security, including adoption barriers, incentives, producer and consumer behavior, and real-world conditions that influence whether an intervention will be used at scale.
What project types were supported under this solicitation?
AFRI indicated support for several project types within this challenge area, including: Integrated Research, Education, and/or Extension Projects; Food and Agricultural Science Enhancement (FASE) Grants; and conferences and workshops.
What are Integrated Research, Education, and/or Extension Projects in the context of this solicitation?
These are multi-function projects designed to combine discovery (research) with training (education) and delivery to end users (extension), with the intent that results translate into practice.
What are FASE Grants as referenced in this opportunity?
FASE (Food and Agricultural Science Enhancement) Grants are described as a mechanism within AFRI that often emphasizes strengthening scientific capacity and supporting investigators through specific grant tracks.
Were conferences and workshops eligible for support?
Yes. NIFA indicated it would consider conferences and workshops, noting that convenings can help build coordinated strategies, share best practices, and accelerate implementation across regions or sectors.
Was a Letter of Intent (LOI) required?
Yes, a Letter of Intent (LOI) was required for the Reducing Crop and Livestock Losses Program Area as a condition of submitting a full application.
Was an LOI required for conference or workshop proposals?
No. For the Food Security Conference or Workshop Program Area, an LOI was encouraged but not mandatory.
Where are the exact LOI requirements and instructions found?
The solicitation directed applicants to the program area descriptions and the letter of intent instructions in the full announcement for specific requirements.
Does eligibility vary depending on the program area or project type?
Yes. Eligibility was described as broad but dependent on the project type requested, as laid out in the program area descriptions in the full announcement.
Who was eligible to apply based on the categories listed?
Eligible applicant categories listed included public and state-controlled institutions of higher education, private institutions of higher education, nonprofits (including 501(c)(3) and non-501(c)(3) in certain cases), small businesses, other for-profit organizations, individuals, and other entities as clarified in the full announcement.
Was there a cost-sharing or matching requirement?
Yes. The grant carried a cost-sharing or matching requirement, meaning applicants needed to plan for required non-federal contributions according to the rules associated with the chosen project type.
What were the key dates for this opportunity?
The posted date was March 18, 2013. The application closing date was July 17, 2013. The archive date was August 16, 2013.
When could applicants get help if they had trouble accessing the announcement or with submission issues?
NIFA provided help desk support during standard federal business hours for applicants needing assistance accessing the announcement or navigating submission issues.
What would make a proposal more competitive according to the description provided?
Based on the information provided, competitive proposals would be tightly aligned with measurable reductions in crop and livestock losses, use sustainable and integrated management strategies, address multiple stages of the food system where relevant, maintain or improve quality and efficiency, and account for adoption realities including social, economic, and behavioral factors.
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Applicants also applied for:
Applicants who have applied for this opportunity (USDA NIFA AFRI 004192) also looked into and applied for these:
| Funding Opportunity |
|---|
| Agriculture and Food Research Initiative Global Food Security Apply for USDA NIFA AFRI 003041 Funding Number: USDA NIFA AFRI 003041 Agency: National Institute of Food and Agriculture Category: Agriculture Education Food and Nutrition Health Regional Development Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: $10,000,000 |
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