Opportunity Information: Apply for USDA NIFA BRAP 003381
Apply for USDA NIFA BRAP 003381
- The National Institute of Food and Agriculture in the agriculture environment natural resources sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Biotechnology Risk Assessment Grants Program" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 10.219 Biotechnology Risk Assessment Research.
- This funding opportunity was created on Jan 25, 2011 and posted on Nov 19, 2010.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Mar 2, 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 $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 15 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).
- Applications may be submitted by any United States public or private research or educational institution or organization. Award recipients may subcontract to organizations not eligible to apply provided such organizations are necessary for the conduct of the project. An applicant s failure to meet an eligibility criterion by the time of an application deadline may result in the application being excluded from consideration or, even though an application may be reviewed, will preclude NIFA from making an award.
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Opportunity Summary:
The Biotechnology Risk Assessment Grants (BRAG) Program is a discretionary grant opportunity run by the U.S. Department of Agriculture's National Institute of Food and Agriculture (USDA NIFA). Its central goal is to fund research that produces new, practical scientific data that federal regulators can use when evaluating the environmental impacts of genetically engineered (GE) organisms. In other words, the program is designed to strengthen science-based decision-making around whether, how, and under what conditions GE organisms can be introduced into the environment, and what risks or unintended effects might occur once they are released or used outside of contained settings.
The scope of organisms covered is broad and intentionally inclusive. BRAG is not limited to genetically engineered crops; it also supports work involving engineered microorganisms such as fungi, bacteria, and viruses, as well as engineered arthropods and animals like fish, birds, mammals, and other non-human species. The emphasis is on understanding effects in real-world contexts, including both managed environments (such as farms, aquaculture facilities, or other controlled production systems) and natural environments (including surrounding ecosystems where organisms could spread, persist, or interact with native species). The underlying purpose is to generate evidence that speaks directly to regulatory questions, such as environmental fate, ecological interactions, potential for gene flow, impacts on non-target organisms, and other outcomes relevant to risk assessment.
This particular funding announcement is identified as Funding Opportunity Number USDA NIFA BRAP 003381, titled "Biotechnology Risk Assessment Grants Program," and it falls under the activity categories of Agriculture, Environment, and Natural Resources. The CFDA listing associated with it is 10.219 (Biotechnology Risk Assessment Research). The program expected to make about 15 awards, with an estimated total funding amount of $5,000,000. Individual awards were projected to range from a floor of $50,000 up to a ceiling of $1,000,000. There was no cost-sharing or matching requirement, meaning applicants were not required to provide non-federal matching funds as a condition of eligibility.
Eligibility was open to U.S. public or private research or educational institutions or organizations. The announcement also allowed award recipients to subcontract work to entities that might not themselves be eligible to apply directly, as long as those partners were necessary to carry out the project. A key administrative point in the eligibility language is that an applicant needed to meet all eligibility criteria by the application deadline; failure to do so could lead to the proposal being excluded from consideration or, even if reviewed, would prevent NIFA from making an award.
In terms of timing, the opportunity was posted on November 19, 2010, created on January 25, 2011, and originally had a closing date of February 2, 2011, which was later extended to March 2, 2011. The archive date was April 4, 2011, indicating it is no longer an active competition. For applicants who had trouble accessing the announcement materials electronically, the contact provided was the NIFA Help Desk at 202-401-5048 during standard business hours (Monday through Friday, 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time, excluding federal holidays), with the note that this contact route was also relevant for questions regarding the request for applications (RFA).
Overall, BRAG is best understood as a targeted research program meant to fill data gaps that matter to regulators. It funds studies that clarify environmental risks, exposure pathways, and ecological effects of GE organisms across a wide range of species and settings, with the explicit intent of improving the scientific foundation for federal biotechnology oversight and environmental risk assessment.
Biotechnology Risk Assessment Grants (BRAG) Program - FAQs
What is the Biotechnology Risk Assessment Grants (BRAG) Program?
The Biotechnology Risk Assessment Grants (BRAG) Program is a discretionary grant opportunity run by the U.S. Department of Agriculture's National Institute of Food and Agriculture (USDA NIFA). It funds research that generates practical scientific data federal regulators can use to evaluate the environmental impacts of genetically engineered (GE) organisms.
What is the main purpose of BRAG funding?
The central goal is to strengthen science-based decision-making for biotechnology oversight by producing new evidence relevant to environmental risk assessment. The program is designed to help regulators assess whether, how, and under what conditions GE organisms can be introduced into the environment, including what risks or unintended effects might occur after release or use outside contained settings.
What kinds of research does BRAG support?
BRAG supports research that addresses regulatory questions about environmental impacts of GE organisms. Examples of the types of outcomes the program emphasizes include environmental fate, ecological interactions, potential for gene flow, impacts on non-target organisms, and other effects that matter to risk assessment.
Are genetically engineered crops the only focus of BRAG?
No. The scope is broad and not limited to genetically engineered crops. The program explicitly includes engineered microorganisms (such as fungi, bacteria, and viruses), engineered arthropods, and engineered animals (including fish, birds, mammals, and other non-human species).
What environments or settings are covered by the BRAG scope?
The program emphasizes real-world contexts in both managed environments (for example, farms, aquaculture facilities, or other controlled production systems) and natural environments (including surrounding ecosystems where organisms could spread, persist, or interact with native species).
What is the funding opportunity number and title for this announcement?
This announcement is identified as Funding Opportunity Number USDA NIFA BRAP 003381, titled "Biotechnology Risk Assessment Grants Program."
What activity categories does this opportunity fall under?
The activity categories listed for this opportunity are Agriculture, Environment, and Natural Resources.
What is the CFDA number associated with this program?
The CFDA listing associated with this opportunity is 10.219 (Biotechnology Risk Assessment Research).
How many awards were expected under this announcement?
The program expected to make about 15 awards under this funding opportunity.
What was the estimated total funding amount?
The estimated total funding amount for this announcement was $5,000,000.
What was the award size range for individual grants?
Individual awards were projected to range from a minimum (floor) of $50,000 up to a maximum (ceiling) of $1,000,000.
Was cost sharing or matching required?
No. There was no cost-sharing or matching requirement, meaning applicants were not required to provide non-federal matching funds as a condition of eligibility.
Who was eligible to apply?
Eligibility was open to U.S. public or private research or educational institutions or organizations.
Can award recipients subcontract work to other organizations?
Yes. The announcement allowed award recipients to subcontract work to entities that might not be eligible to apply directly, as long as those partners were necessary to carry out the project.
When did an applicant need to meet eligibility requirements?
An applicant needed to meet all eligibility criteria by the application deadline. If the applicant did not meet the eligibility requirements by that deadline, the proposal could be excluded from consideration or, even if reviewed, NIFA would not be able to make an award.
When was this opportunity posted and created?
The opportunity was posted on November 19, 2010, and created on January 25, 2011.
What was the application deadline, and was it extended?
The original closing date was February 2, 2011, and it was later extended to March 2, 2011.
Is this funding opportunity still active?
No. The archive date was April 4, 2011, indicating the competition is no longer active.
Who should applicants contact if they had trouble accessing the announcement materials electronically?
The contact provided was the NIFA Help Desk at 202-401-5048 during standard business hours (Monday through Friday, 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time, excluding federal holidays). This contact route was also noted as relevant for questions regarding the request for applications (RFA).
What is BRAG ultimately trying to accomplish for federal regulators?
BRAG is intended to fill data gaps that matter to regulators by funding studies that clarify environmental risks, exposure pathways, and ecological effects of GE organisms. The explicit intent is to improve the scientific foundation for federal biotechnology oversight and environmental risk assessment.
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