Opportunity Information: Apply for USDA NIFA AFRI 003042
Apply for USDA NIFA AFRI 003042
- The National Institute of Food and Agriculture in the agriculture education energy environment natural resources regional development science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Agriculture and Food Research Initiative Sustainable Bioenergy" 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 30, 2010 and posted on Mar 22, 2010.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Sep 15, 2010 This program has multiple deadline dates occurring throughout FY 2010. Please refer to the current Agriculture and Food Research Initiative Sustainable Bioenergy Request for Applications for a complete list of program deadlines. Applications must be received by the date appropriate to the Program Area listed in the FY 2010 Request for Applications.. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- The funding agency has allocated a total of $40,000,000.00 to eligible and selected applicants.
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $40,000,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 50 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Small businesses Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education Individuals Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification) Nonprofits that do not have a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments) Public and State controlled institutions of higher education For profit organizations other than small businesses Private institutions of higher education.
- The Agriculture and Food Research Initiative makes awards under two legislative authorities with different eligibilities. Depending on Program Area Priorities and Project Type, the authority used and hence eligibility, may be different within a particular Program. Please check the Program Area Descriptions (beginning in Part I, C) and the Eligibility Information section (Part III, A) for specific information. Note restrictions that apply to integrated applicants. If you are unsure of your eligibility contact the Program Area Contact listed for clarification before applying. Applications from ineligible institutions will not be reviewed.
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Opportunity Summary:
The Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (AFRI) Sustainable Bioenergy opportunity is a competitive grant program run by the U.S. Department of Agriculture's National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA). AFRI is NIFA's main competitive funding vehicle and was authorized by Section 7406 of the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 (the 2008 Farm Bill). The program is designed to fund projects that produce clear, measurable outcomes and that strengthen U.S. agriculture and food systems through research, education, and extension activities. While AFRI spans six broad priority areas (plant health and production; animal health and production; food safety, nutrition, and health; renewable energy, natural resources, and environment; agriculture systems and technology; and agriculture economics and rural communities), this specific Request for Applications (RFA) sits within AFRI's "societal challenges" track and focuses on the Sustainable Bioenergy challenge area.
In FY 2010, NIFA structured AFRI around seven RFAs: one that broadly supports research aligned with the six core priority areas, and five additional RFAs targeting major societal challenge themes (Childhood Obesity Prevention, Climate Change, Food Safety, Global Food Security, and Sustainable Bioenergy). The Sustainable Bioenergy RFA supports work intended to advance bioenergy in ways that are environmentally sound, economically viable, and compatible with long-term agricultural sustainability. In practical terms, applicants are expected to propose projects that help build the science and real-world capacity needed to develop and deploy sustainable bioenergy systems, often integrating considerations like feedstock production, resource conservation, environmental impacts, and rural economic development. NIFA emphasizes that these challenge-area RFAs are meant to produce significant and measurable results, which typically means projects should include strong metrics, well-defined deliverables, and a clear pathway from research findings to adoption or implementation (often via extension and education components).
The funding mechanism is a discretionary grant program (Funding Opportunity Number USDA NIFA AFRI 003042; CFDA 10.310). The total estimated funding listed for this opportunity is $40,000,000, and NIFA anticipated making about 50 awards. The listing shows an award ceiling of $40,000,000 and an award floor of $0, which is a reflection of how the public posting captures program-level totals and administrative ranges rather than a single fixed award size for every project. Cost sharing or matching is required, meaning applicants should plan for non-federal contributions as part of the project budget, consistent with the specific rules described in the full RFA and the applicable legislative authority.
Eligibility is broad but not uniform across all program areas and project types because AFRI can make awards under two different legislative authorities, each carrying its own eligibility rules. As a result, eligibility can vary depending on the specific Sustainable Bioenergy program area priority and the type of project proposed (for example, research-only versus integrated projects that combine research, education, and extension). The announcement lists eligible applicant categories that include public and state-controlled institutions of higher education, private institutions of higher education, small businesses, for-profit organizations (including those other than small businesses), nonprofits (both 501(c)(3) and non-501(c)(3), excluding higher education institutions in those nonprofit categories), Native American tribal organizations (other than federally recognized tribal governments), individuals, and other entities as further defined in the RFA. NIFA specifically cautions that ineligible applications will not be reviewed and encourages prospective applicants who are uncertain about their status to contact the program area point of contact for clarification before investing time in proposal preparation. It also flags that there are restrictions that can apply to "integrated" applications, so teams planning multi-component projects should pay particular attention to those requirements in the full solicitation.
The opportunity was posted March 22, 2010 (created March 30, 2010) with an original and current closing date shown as September 15, 2010, and an archive date of October 31, 2010. However, the announcement makes clear that there were multiple deadlines throughout FY 2010 depending on the specific program area, and applicants were required to submit by the deadline that matched their chosen program area within Sustainable Bioenergy. Because of that structure, the September 15 date functions more like an overall endpoint for the funding cycle rather than a single universal deadline for every project type, and applicants were expected to consult the Sustainable Bioenergy RFA for the precise due date that applied to them.
Finally, NIFA noted that a separate NIFA Fellowships Grant Program RFA would be released in April 2010 to support predoctoral and postdoctoral fellowships, and that fellowships RFA also connects to the Sustainable Bioenergy theme. For practical help, the notice directs applicants who have trouble accessing the full announcement to the NIFA Help Desk at 202-401-5048 during business hours (Monday through Friday, 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time), and indicates that questions about application content should be directed to the appropriate program contacts identified in the full RFA.
AFRI Sustainable Bioenergy (USDA NIFA) - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the AFRI Sustainable Bioenergy opportunity?
The Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (AFRI) Sustainable Bioenergy opportunity is a competitive grant program administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) through the National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA). It is part of AFRI, NIFA's primary competitive funding program, and it supports projects that advance sustainable bioenergy systems.
Who runs this grant program?
The program is run by USDA's National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) under the Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (AFRI).
What is the legal authority behind AFRI?
AFRI was authorized by Section 7406 of the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 (the 2008 Farm Bill).
What is the main purpose of AFRI funding?
AFRI is designed to fund projects that produce clear, measurable outcomes and strengthen U.S. agriculture and food systems through research, education, and extension activities.
Which AFRI track does this opportunity fall under?
This Request for Applications (RFA) is within AFRI's "societal challenges" track and focuses specifically on the Sustainable Bioenergy challenge area.
How does Sustainable Bioenergy fit within AFRI priorities?
AFRI spans six broad priority areas, but this opportunity is part of the challenge-area RFAs (societal challenges) and is focused on Sustainable Bioenergy rather than the general RFA aligned to the six core priority areas.
What does the Sustainable Bioenergy RFA aim to support?
The Sustainable Bioenergy RFA supports work intended to advance bioenergy in ways that are environmentally sound, economically viable, and compatible with long-term agricultural sustainability.
What kinds of project topics or outcomes are applicants expected to address?
Applicants are expected to propose projects that build the science and real-world capacity needed to develop and deploy sustainable bioenergy systems. Proposals often integrate considerations such as feedstock production, resource conservation, environmental impacts, and rural economic development, along with a clear pathway from research to adoption or implementation.
Does NIFA expect measurable results and deliverables?
Yes. NIFA emphasizes that challenge-area RFAs are meant to produce significant and measurable results. Projects typically need strong metrics, well-defined deliverables, and a clear plan for translating findings into practice, often through extension and education components.
What is the funding mechanism for this opportunity?
The opportunity is offered as a discretionary grant program.
What are the identifying numbers for this funding opportunity?
The Funding Opportunity Number is USDA NIFA AFRI 003042 and the CFDA number is 10.310.
How much funding is estimated to be available?
The total estimated funding listed for this opportunity is $40,000,000.
How many awards does NIFA expect to make?
NIFA anticipated making about 50 awards under this opportunity.
What do the listed award ceiling and award floor mean?
The posting shows an award ceiling of $40,000,000 and an award floor of $0. This reflects program-level totals and administrative ranges shown in the public listing, rather than a single fixed award amount that applies to every individual project.
Is cost sharing or matching required?
Yes. Cost sharing or matching is required, so applicants should plan for non-federal contributions as part of the project budget, consistent with the requirements in the full RFA and applicable legislative authority.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is broad, but it can vary depending on the specific Sustainable Bioenergy program area priority and the type of project proposed. The announcement lists eligible applicant categories including:
- Public and state-controlled institutions of higher education
- Private institutions of higher education
- Small businesses
- For-profit organizations (including those other than small businesses)
- Nonprofits (501(c)(3) and non-501(c)(3), excluding higher education institutions under those nonprofit categories)
- Native American tribal organizations (other than federally recognized tribal governments)
- Individuals
- Other entities as defined in the RFA
Why can eligibility vary within the same AFRI Sustainable Bioenergy opportunity?
AFRI can make awards under two different legislative authorities, and each authority has its own eligibility rules. Because of that, eligibility can change depending on the program area priority and whether a project is research-only or an integrated project that combines research, education, and extension.
What happens if an ineligible organization applies?
NIFA states that ineligible applications will not be reviewed.
What should applicants do if they are unsure about eligibility?
NIFA encourages prospective applicants who are uncertain about their status to contact the program area point of contact identified in the full RFA before spending significant time preparing an application.
Are there special restrictions for integrated projects?
Yes. The announcement notes that restrictions can apply to "integrated" applications (projects combining research, education, and extension). Applicants planning integrated projects are expected to pay close attention to the integrated-project requirements in the full solicitation.
When was the opportunity posted and when did it close?
The opportunity was posted March 22, 2010 (created March 30, 2010). The original and current closing date shown is September 15, 2010, and the archive date is October 31, 2010.
Was there only one deadline for all Sustainable Bioenergy applications?
No. The announcement indicates there were multiple deadlines throughout FY 2010 depending on the specific Sustainable Bioenergy program area. Applicants were required to submit by the deadline associated with the chosen program area, as stated in the Sustainable Bioenergy RFA.
What does the September 15, 2010 date represent?
Based on the notice, September 15, 2010 functions as an overall endpoint for the funding cycle shown in the listing rather than a single universal due date for every program area and project type.
Where should applicants look for the exact deadline that applies to their project?
Applicants were expected to consult the full Sustainable Bioenergy RFA to find the precise due date tied to their specific program area.
Is there a related fellowship funding opportunity?
Yes. NIFA noted that a separate NIFA Fellowships Grant Program RFA would be released in April 2010 to support predoctoral and postdoctoral fellowships, and that this fellowships RFA also connects to the Sustainable Bioenergy theme.
Who should be contacted for help accessing the full announcement?
Applicants who have trouble accessing the full announcement are directed to the NIFA Help Desk at 202-401-5048 during business hours (Monday through Friday, 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time).
Who should be contacted with questions about the application content?
The notice indicates that questions about application content should be directed to the appropriate program contacts identified in the full RFA.
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