Opportunity Information: Apply for USDA NIFA AFRI 004434
Apply for USDA NIFA AFRI 004434
- The National Institute of Food and Agriculture in the agriculture food and nutrition sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Agriculture Food and 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 Jan 29, 2014 and posted on Jan 29, 2014.
- Applicants must submit their applications by May 8, 2014 Letters of Intent (LOI) are required by this program and must be received by 500 p.m. Eastern Time (ET) on February 26, 2014.. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- The funding agency has allocated a total of $11,000,000.00 to eligible and selected applicants.
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $5,000,000.00 in funding.
- 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 is a competitive grant opportunity run by the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) that focuses on strengthening the science behind food safety across the entire food chain. The core purpose is to protect consumers from both microbial hazards (such as foodborne pathogens) and chemical contaminants that can arise at any point from farm production and animal agriculture through processing, distribution, retail handling, and final consumption. A central theme of the program is that food safety problems do not exist in isolation; the opportunity emphasizes the interconnected nature of human health, animal health, and ecosystem health, particularly in the context of how pathogens emerge, persist, spread, and ultimately reach people through food.
The long-term goal of the program is public-health driven: reduce foodborne illnesses and deaths by improving the safety and resilience of the food supply. By preventing contamination and improving detection and control strategies, the program also aims to reduce economic impacts, including healthcare costs, product recalls, lost productivity, and disruptions to agricultural and food businesses. In practical terms, NIFA is looking to fund projects that generate actionable knowledge, tools, and practices that can be adopted by producers, processors, regulators, and other stakeholders to measurably improve food safety outcomes.
This funding opportunity supports several project formats so applicants can match their approach to the kind of impact they are trying to achieve. It funds single-function Research Projects, which are primarily aimed at generating new scientific knowledge or developing technologies and methods related to food safety. It also funds multi-function Integrated Projects that combine Research with Education and/or Extension, meaning proposals can pair discovery with training, curriculum development, outreach, and real-world implementation efforts to accelerate adoption. In addition, the program includes Food and Agricultural Science Enhancement (FASE) Grants, which are designed to broaden participation and strengthen scientific capacity, depending on the specific FASE mechanisms described in the program solicitation. Regardless of format, proposals are expected to address one of the program area priorities laid out in the official Food Safety Request for Applications (RFA), which is where NIFA specifies the topical focus areas and expectations for that funding cycle.
Administratively, this is a discretionary federal grant opportunity under the Agriculture and Food Research Initiative program (CFDA 10.310). The funding opportunity number is USDA NIFA AFRI 004434, and the total estimated funding listed for the competition is $11,000,000. Individual awards can be as large as $5,000,000, with no stated minimum award amount. Cost sharing or matching is required, so applicants need to plan for non-federal contributions consistent with the rules in the full announcement. Eligibility is not stated as a single universal category in the summary; instead, it is tied to the project type, and applicants are directed to review the eligibility rules in the section of the announcement describing each project category. The listing notes eligible applicants as "Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification)," which reinforces that applicants must rely on the detailed RFA language rather than the abbreviated summary.
In terms of timing, the opportunity was posted on January 29, 2014, and the application closing date was May 8, 2014. A Letter of Intent (LOI) was required and had to be submitted by 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time on February 26, 2014, indicating NIFA used the LOI to plan the review process and gauge the expected submission volume. The archive date is June 7, 2014, meaning the listing is historical, but it still provides a clear example of how NIFA structures AFRI food safety competitions and the scale of support available.
For applicants needing assistance accessing the full announcement, the listed point of contact is the NIFA Help Desk at 202-401-5048 during standard business hours (Monday through Friday, 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. ET, excluding federal holidays). The full RFA is the authoritative source for program area priorities, required components, budget and match rules, allowable costs, and submission instructions, and it is also where applicants would find guidance on what NIFA expects for research rigor, integration across research-education-extension (when applicable), and the types of outcomes and deliverables that align with the program's goal of reducing foodborne disease.
AFRI Food Safety Challenge Area (USDA NIFA) - FAQs
What is the AFRI Food Safety Challenge Area?
The Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (AFRI) Food Safety Challenge Area is a competitive grant opportunity administered by the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA). It funds work intended to strengthen the science behind food safety across the full food chain.
What is the main purpose of this grant opportunity?
The core purpose is to protect consumers from food safety risks, including microbial hazards (such as foodborne pathogens) and chemical contaminants that can arise anywhere from farm production and animal agriculture through processing, distribution, retail handling, and final consumption.
What kinds of hazards does the program focus on?
The program focuses on both microbial hazards (including foodborne pathogens) and chemical contaminants that may enter or develop in the food system at different stages of production and handling.
How broadly does the program define the "food chain"?
The opportunity explicitly spans the entire food chain, from farm production and animal agriculture to processing, distribution, retail handling, and consumption.
How does the program frame food safety problems?
A central theme is that food safety challenges are interconnected and do not occur in isolation. The opportunity emphasizes the links among human health, animal health, and ecosystem health, especially regarding how pathogens emerge, persist, spread, and reach people through food.
What is the long-term goal of the Food Safety Challenge Area?
The long-term goal is public-health driven: reduce foodborne illnesses and deaths by improving the safety and resilience of the food supply.
What kinds of impacts is NIFA trying to achieve through funded projects?
NIFA is looking for projects that improve prevention, detection, and control of contamination in ways that measurably improve food safety outcomes. The program also aims to reduce economic impacts associated with unsafe food, including healthcare costs, product recalls, lost productivity, and disruptions to agricultural and food businesses.
What types of projects can be funded under this opportunity?
The opportunity supports multiple project formats, including single-function Research Projects and multi-function Integrated Projects (which combine Research with Education and/or Extension). The program also includes Food and Agricultural Science Enhancement (FASE) Grants, depending on the specific mechanisms described in the solicitation.
What is a single-function Research Project in this program?
A single-function Research Project is primarily aimed at generating new scientific knowledge or developing technologies and methods related to food safety.
What is an Integrated Project in this program?
An Integrated Project combines Research with Education and/or Extension. In practical terms, proposals can pair scientific discovery with training, curriculum development, outreach, and implementation efforts designed to accelerate adoption in real-world settings.
What are FASE Grants in the context of this opportunity?
FASE (Food and Agricultural Science Enhancement) Grants are intended to broaden participation and strengthen scientific capacity, based on the specific FASE mechanisms described in the program solicitation.
Do proposals need to address specific priority areas?
Yes. Proposals are expected to address one of the program area priorities laid out in the official Food Safety Request for Applications (RFA), which defines topical focus areas and expectations for that funding cycle.
What is the CFDA number associated with this grant program?
This opportunity is part of AFRI and is listed under CFDA 10.310.
What is the funding opportunity number?
The funding opportunity number is USDA NIFA AFRI 004434.
How much total funding was estimated for this competition?
The total estimated funding listed for the competition is $11,000,000.
What is the maximum award size for an individual grant?
Individual awards can be as large as $5,000,000.
Is there a minimum award amount?
No stated minimum award amount is listed in the provided summary information.
Is cost sharing or matching required?
Yes. Cost sharing or matching is required, so applicants must plan for non-federal contributions consistent with the rules in the full announcement.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is tied to the project type rather than provided as a single universal category in the summary. The listing notes eligible applicants as "Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification)," meaning applicants must rely on the detailed eligibility rules in the RFA sections that describe each project category.
Where can applicants find the authoritative requirements for this opportunity?
The full Request for Applications (RFA) is the authoritative source for program area priorities, required components, budget and match rules, allowable costs, and submission instructions.
What does the RFA typically clarify beyond the summary?
Based on the information provided, the RFA is where applicants would find guidance on research rigor, how to structure integration across research-education-extension (when applicable), and what outcomes and deliverables align with the program goal of reducing foodborne disease.
When was this opportunity posted?
The opportunity was posted on January 29, 2014.
What was the application closing date?
The application closing date was May 8, 2014.
Was a Letter of Intent (LOI) required?
Yes. A Letter of Intent (LOI) was required.
When was the LOI due and what time zone applied?
The LOI had to be submitted by 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time on February 26, 2014.
Why did NIFA require an LOI for this competition?
The information provided indicates NIFA used the LOI to plan the review process and gauge expected submission volume.
Is this listing current or historical?
The listing is historical. The archive date is June 7, 2014.
What does the archive date imply for applicants today?
It indicates this specific competition cycle is no longer active, although the listing can still serve as an example of how NIFA structures AFRI food safety competitions and the scale of support that may be available in similar cycles.
Who is the point of contact for help accessing the full announcement?
The listed point of contact is the NIFA Help Desk.
What is the NIFA Help Desk phone number?
The phone number provided is 202-401-5048.
What are the NIFA Help Desk hours?
Standard business hours are Monday through Friday, 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. ET, excluding federal holidays.
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