Opportunity Information: Apply for RFA FD 11 031
Apply for RFA FD 11 031
- The Food Drug Administration in the agriculture business and commerce community development consumer protection education employment, labor and training environment food and nutrition health information and statistics natural resources regional development science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Alliance for Advancing a National Integrated Food Safety System (U18)" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.103 Food and Drug AdministrationResearch.
- This funding opportunity was created on Jun 15, 2011 and posted on Jun 15, 2011.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Jul 13, 2011. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- The funding agency has allocated a total of $500,000.00 to eligible and selected applicants.
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $500,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 2 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education.
- National Organizations/Associations
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Opportunity Summary:
The Alliance for Advancing a National Integrated Food Safety System (U18) grant opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number RFA FD 11 031) is a discretionary funding program offered by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to support long-term improvements in how food safety is managed across the United States. Structured as a cooperative agreement, it is designed for situations where the federal agency expects to be actively involved with the awardees rather than simply issuing funds and stepping back. The central idea is to strengthen the national food safety system by building tighter coordination among agencies, upgrading state-level regulatory and surveillance programs focused on manufactured foods, and helping state legislatures with food safety-related needs. In practical terms, the opportunity aims to help align policies, practices, and resources across federal, state, and local levels so that food safety oversight operates more like one integrated system instead of separate, disconnected programs.
A major emphasis of this opportunity is interagency collaboration and harmonization. The FDA signals that meaningful progress depends on extensive cooperation and coordination with FDA program offices, which is typical for a cooperative agreement mechanism. Awardees would be expected to work closely with FDA to plan, implement, and refine program improvement activities. This collaboration is also meant to extend beyond FDA to other federal partners, national initiatives, associations, and state and local partners. The underlying objective is to leverage limited resources more effectively, reduce duplication, and create more consistent approaches to food safety regulation and surveillance nationwide, particularly for manufactured foods where consistent standards and coordinated oversight can have an outsized impact.
Another key component is strengthening state regulatory and surveillance protection programs. While the announcement summary does not list specific deliverables, the stated purpose points toward investments that help states improve the way they oversee manufactured foods, detect and respond to problems, and share information across jurisdictions. This could include advancing systems for surveillance, supporting program modernization, improving coordination and communication pathways, and helping states adopt more consistent approaches that align with national efforts. Because food production and distribution frequently cross state lines, the overall approach favors shared frameworks and coordinated operations that improve prevention, detection, and response across the entire supply chain.
The opportunity also explicitly includes providing assistance to state legislatures, indicating that part of the funded work is intended to support legislative understanding, capacity, or policy development related to food safety. In a national integrated system, laws and regulatory authorities can be a limiting factor if they vary widely or do not support modern approaches to prevention and oversight. By assisting state legislatures, the program recognizes that sustainable improvements often require not just agency-level program changes but also enabling policy environments that support updated practices, authorities, and resources.
Administratively, the program was posted on June 15, 2011, with an original and current closing date of July 13, 2011, and an archive date of July 15, 2011. The estimated total funding amount is $500,000, with an award ceiling of $500,000 and an award floor of $0, and the agency anticipated making 2 awards. There is no cost sharing or matching requirement. The eligible applicants are limited to national organizations and associations that are nonprofits with 501(c)(3) status, excluding institutions of higher education. The broad activity categories listed for the opportunity span areas such as agriculture, consumer protection, environment, food and nutrition, health, science and technology, and research and development, reflecting how food safety intersects with multiple policy and program domains. The CFDA listing associated with FDA is 93.103.
For applicants or interested parties seeking official details beyond the summarized description, the announcement references the NIH Guide for Grants and Contracts as an additional information source. The listed grants management contact for access issues is Stephanie Bogan, Grants Management Specialist, reachable by phone at 301-827-6802 or by email at stephanie.bogan@fda.hhs.gov.
FAQs: Alliance for Advancing a National Integrated Food Safety System (U18) - FDA (RFA FD 11 031)
What is the Alliance for Advancing a National Integrated Food Safety System (U18) grant?
It is an FDA discretionary funding opportunity designed to support long-term improvements in how food safety is managed across the United States. The overall goal is to strengthen a national, integrated food safety system by improving coordination among agencies, upgrading state-level regulatory and surveillance programs focused on manufactured foods, and providing assistance to state legislatures on food safety-related needs.
What is the Funding Opportunity Number for this grant?
The Funding Opportunity Number is RFA FD 11 031.
Which federal agency is offering this opportunity?
The opportunity is offered by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
What type of funding mechanism is used?
This opportunity is structured as a cooperative agreement (U18). This means FDA expects to be actively involved with awardees in planning, implementing, and refining the funded activities, rather than simply providing funds with minimal agency engagement.
What is the main purpose of the program?
The central purpose is to strengthen the national food safety system by aligning policies, practices, and resources across federal, state, and local levels so food safety oversight functions more like one integrated system rather than separate, disconnected programs.
What does "national integrated food safety system" mean in this context?
In this announcement, it refers to improving coordination and harmonization across jurisdictions and agencies so that regulatory and surveillance approaches are more consistent nationwide. The emphasis is on reducing duplication, leveraging limited resources, and improving prevention, detection, and response across the food supply chain, particularly for manufactured foods.
Why does the announcement emphasize interagency collaboration and harmonization?
The program description indicates that meaningful progress depends on extensive cooperation and coordination, including close collaboration with FDA program offices. The collaboration is also intended to extend to other federal partners, national initiatives, associations, and state and local partners to create more consistent approaches to food safety regulation and surveillance nationwide.
How involved will FDA be with awardees under this cooperative agreement?
Because the mechanism is a cooperative agreement, awardees would be expected to work closely with FDA to plan, implement, and refine program improvement activities. The summary describes this as typical for cooperative agreements where the agency anticipates an active role.
What food sector is specifically highlighted?
The summary specifically highlights manufactured foods, noting that consistent standards and coordinated oversight in this area can have a significant impact.
What kinds of activities does the opportunity aim to support?
Based on the stated purpose, supported activities are intended to strengthen coordination among agencies, enhance state regulatory and surveillance protection programs for manufactured foods, improve how states detect and respond to problems, and improve information sharing across jurisdictions. The summary also points to modernization and adopting more consistent approaches aligned with national efforts.
Does the announcement list specific required deliverables?
The summary provided does not list specific deliverables. It describes broad goals and intended areas of improvement, especially around coordination, program strengthening for manufactured foods, and legislative assistance.
How does this opportunity support state regulatory and surveillance programs?
The program is intended to strengthen state regulatory and surveillance protection programs focused on manufactured foods, including improvements in oversight, detection and response, and information sharing across jurisdictions. The summary suggests these improvements may include modernization and better coordination and communication pathways.
What does it mean that the program includes assistance to state legislatures?
The summary states that part of the funded work is intended to provide assistance to state legislatures related to food safety. This reflects the idea that lasting improvements may require enabling policy environments, including laws and regulatory authorities that support updated prevention and oversight approaches.
Is there a cost sharing or matching requirement?
No. The opportunity states there is no cost sharing or matching requirement.
How much funding is available under this opportunity?
The estimated total funding amount is $500,000.
What is the award ceiling?
The award ceiling is $500,000.
What is the award floor?
The award floor is $0.
How many awards did the agency anticipate making?
The agency anticipated making 2 awards.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligible applicants are limited to national organizations and associations that are nonprofits with 501(c)(3) status, excluding institutions of higher education.
Are institutions of higher education eligible?
No. The eligibility criteria specifically exclude institutions of higher education.
Are only national organizations eligible?
Yes. The eligibility is limited to national organizations and associations that are 501(c)(3) nonprofits (with institutions of higher education excluded).
What are the broad activity categories associated with the opportunity?
The opportunity lists broad activity categories that include agriculture, consumer protection, environment, food and nutrition, health, science and technology, and research and development, reflecting the cross-cutting nature of food safety.
What is the CFDA number associated with this FDA opportunity?
The CFDA listing associated with FDA for this opportunity is 93.103.
When was this funding opportunity posted?
The opportunity was posted on June 15, 2011.
What was the application closing date?
The original and current closing date listed is July 13, 2011.
When was the opportunity archived?
The archive date listed is July 15, 2011.
Where can applicants find official details beyond the summary?
The announcement references the NIH Guide for Grants and Contracts as an additional information source for official details.
Who is the grants management contact listed for access issues?
The listed grants management contact for access issues is Stephanie Bogan, Grants Management Specialist.
How can Stephanie Bogan be reached?
Phone: 301-827-6802. Email: stephanie.bogan@fda.hhs.gov.
Does the summary indicate that funded work should coordinate with partners beyond FDA?
Yes. The summary indicates the collaboration is intended to extend beyond FDA to other federal partners, national initiatives, associations, and state and local partners.
What problem is this opportunity trying to address in the current system?
The summary describes a need to move away from separate, disconnected programs toward a more integrated system. It emphasizes reducing duplication, leveraging limited resources, and creating more consistent approaches to regulation and surveillance across jurisdictions.
Why does the summary mention that food production and distribution cross state lines?
Because cross-border food movement makes it harder for isolated programs to be effective. The summary uses this point to support the need for shared frameworks and coordinated operations that improve prevention, detection, and response across the supply chain.
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