Opportunity Information: Apply for USDA CSREES OP 002099
Apply for USDA CSREES OP 002099
- The CSREES in the agriculture consumer protection environment health science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Critical Issues Emerging and New Plant and Animal Pests and Diseases" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 10.200 Grants for Agricultural Research, Special Research Grants.
- This funding opportunity was created on Mar 9, 2009 and posted on Mar 4, 2009.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Apr 3, 2009. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- The funding agency has allocated a total of $370,000.00 to eligible and selected applicants.
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $370,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 5 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).
- Applications may be submitted by State agricultural experiment stations, land grant colleges and universities, research foundations established by land grant colleges and universities, colleges and universities receiving funds under the Act of October 10, 1962 (16 USC 582a et seq.) McIntire Stennis Cooperative Forestry Research Act, and accredited schools or colleges of veterinary medicine for the purpose of facilitating or expanding ongoing State Federal food and agricultural research programs that (i) promote excellence in research on a regional and national level (ii) promote the development of regional research centers (iii) promote the research partnership between the Department of Agriculture, colleges and universities, research foundations, and State agricultural experiment stations for regional research efforts and (iv) facilitate coordination and cooperation of research among States through regional research grants.
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Opportunity Summary:
The USDA Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service (CSREES) grant opportunity titled "Critical Issues Emerging and New Plant and Animal Pests and Diseases" (Funding Opportunity Number USDA CSREES OP 002099; CFDA 10.200) was a discretionary, one-time seed funding program meant to jump-start urgent research and response efforts when a new or rapidly emerging pest or disease threat needed immediate attention. The basic idea was to provide short-term funding to initiate critical work quickly, buying time until applicants could secure larger or longer-term resources to fully address the problem. CSREES indicated it would solicit proposals on an as-needed basis throughout the year, focusing each solicitation on specific high-priority threats as they arose.
For this particular solicitation, CSREES requested proposals that targeted specific aspects of three named issues: (1) the redbay ambrosia beetle and laurel wilt affecting avocados, (2) thousand cankers disease of walnut, and (3) the Uganda strain (Ug99) of wheat stem rust. In practical terms, the agency was looking for research and related technical work that could quickly improve understanding, detection, management, or preparedness for these threats. While the announcement summary does not list topic sub-areas in detail, the framing of "critical issues" and "seed funding" typically implies an emphasis on rapid, actionable outputs such as early detection tools, surveillance approaches, urgent epidemiology and spread modeling, preliminary host/pathogen or pest biology studies needed to inform management, or immediate mitigation strategies that can be transitioned into larger projects.
The funding instrument was a grant under the activity category of agriculture, consumer protection, environment, health, science and technology, and other research and development. CSREES anticipated making about five awards, with an estimated total funding amount of $370,000. The award ceiling was listed as $370,000 and the award floor as $0, suggesting flexibility in award size, although the total available funding capped the overall program spending for this solicitation. There was no cost sharing or matching requirement, which generally makes participation easier for institutions that may not have discretionary funds available for match, especially for rapid-response work.
Eligibility was oriented toward established public research and higher-education institutions involved in U.S. agricultural research infrastructure. Eligible applicants included State agricultural experiment stations; land-grant colleges and universities; research foundations affiliated with land-grant institutions; colleges and universities receiving funds under the Act of October 10, 1962 (16 USC 582a et seq.); institutions participating under the McIntire-Stennis Cooperative Forestry Research Act; and accredited schools or colleges of veterinary medicine. The eligibility language emphasized that awards were intended to facilitate or expand ongoing State-Federal food and agricultural research programs that promote research excellence at regional and national scales, support development of regional research centers, strengthen partnerships between USDA and research institutions, and improve coordination and cooperation among states through regional research grants. In other words, the program was not only about funding a narrow experiment; it also aimed to strengthen connected, multi-state or regional capacity to respond to emerging threats.
Key dates indicate this was a time-sensitive competition. The opportunity was posted March 4, 2009, created March 9, 2009, and had an original and current closing date of April 3, 2009, giving applicants roughly a month to assemble and submit proposals. The opportunity was later archived on February 17, 2010. The agency contact information provided a CSREES Help Desk phone number (202-401-5048) with business hours (Monday through Friday, 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. ET) for applicants who had trouble accessing the full announcement or who had questions regarding the request for applications.
In short, this funding opportunity was a rapid-response, seed-grant mechanism from CSREES designed to quickly mobilize applied research and coordinated action against urgent plant disease and pest threats, with this specific round targeting laurel wilt in avocado systems, thousand cankers disease in walnut, and the globally significant Ug99 wheat stem rust strain. It offered modest total funding with no matching requirement, targeted a small number of awards, and was limited to core U.S. agricultural research and veterinary education institutions that could contribute to coordinated regional and national preparedness and response.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the name of this USDA CSREES grant opportunity?
The opportunity is titled "Critical Issues Emerging and New Plant and Animal Pests and Diseases" under the USDA Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service (CSREES).
What are the identifying numbers for this funding opportunity?
The Funding Opportunity Number is USDA CSREES OP 002099, and the CFDA number is 10.200.
What was the purpose of this program?
This was a discretionary, one-time seed funding program intended to jump-start urgent research and response work when a new or rapidly emerging pest or disease threat required immediate attention.
What does "seed funding" mean in the context of this opportunity?
Seed funding here refers to short-term support to initiate critical work quickly, helping teams begin time-sensitive research or response activities while they pursue larger or longer-term funding to fully address the threat.
Was this a standing program or a one-time competition?
The announcement describes it as a one-time seed funding mechanism, with CSREES indicating it would solicit proposals on an as-needed basis throughout the year depending on emerging high-priority threats.
How were topics chosen for solicitations under this program?
CSREES planned to focus each solicitation on specific, high-priority pest or disease threats as they arose, and request proposals targeted to those named issues.
Which specific issues were targeted in this particular solicitation?
This round requested proposals addressing specific aspects of three issues: (1) the redbay ambrosia beetle and laurel wilt affecting avocados, (2) thousand cankers disease of walnut, and (3) the Uganda strain (Ug99) of wheat stem rust.
What kinds of projects did CSREES want to fund for these threats?
Based on the framing of "critical issues" and "seed funding," the solicitation emphasized research and related technical work that could quickly improve understanding, detection, management, or preparedness for the named threats.
Did the summary list specific subtopics or detailed research areas?
No. The announcement summary did not provide detailed topic sub-areas, but the intent implies rapid, actionable outputs that could inform immediate response and near-term management decisions.
What are examples of the "rapid, actionable outputs" implied by this solicitation?
Examples implied by the summary include early detection tools, surveillance approaches, urgent epidemiology or spread modeling, preliminary pest/host/pathogen biology studies needed to guide management, and immediate mitigation strategies that could be transitioned into larger projects.
What type of funding instrument was used?
The funding instrument was a grant.
What activity categories did this opportunity fall under?
The activity category listed includes agriculture, consumer protection, environment, health, science and technology, and other research and development.
How many awards did CSREES expect to make?
CSREES anticipated making about five awards.
What was the estimated total amount of funding available?
The estimated total program funding for this solicitation was $370,000.
What were the award ceiling and award floor?
The award ceiling was listed as $370,000 and the award floor as $0, indicating flexibility in individual award amounts, with the overall total funding capped by the amount available for the solicitation.
Was cost sharing or matching required?
No. There was no cost sharing or matching requirement.
Who was eligible to apply?
Eligible applicants included State agricultural experiment stations; land-grant colleges and universities; research foundations affiliated with land-grant institutions; colleges and universities receiving funds under the Act of October 10, 1962 (16 USC 582a et seq.); institutions participating under the McIntire-Stennis Cooperative Forestry Research Act; and accredited schools or colleges of veterinary medicine.
What was the overall intent of the eligibility requirements?
The eligibility language emphasized supporting and expanding ongoing State-Federal food and agricultural research programs, promoting research excellence at regional and national levels, strengthening USDA partnerships with research institutions, supporting development of regional research centers, and improving multi-state coordination through regional research grants.
Is this opportunity designed for coordinated or multi-state work?
Yes. The program description highlights regional and national scale impacts, partnerships, and improved coordination and cooperation among states, which aligns with coordinated, multi-state or regional preparedness and response efforts.
When was the opportunity posted and when did it close?
The opportunity was posted on March 4, 2009, and the closing date (original and current) was April 3, 2009.
How much time did applicants have to submit proposals?
Based on the posted date of March 4, 2009 and the closing date of April 3, 2009, applicants had roughly one month to prepare and submit proposals.
When was the opportunity archived?
The opportunity was archived on February 17, 2010.
Who could applicants contact for help or questions about the request for applications?
The announcement provided a CSREES Help Desk contact number: 202-401-5048.
What were the CSREES Help Desk hours?
The Help Desk hours were Monday through Friday, 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time (ET).
What kinds of issues could the Help Desk assist with?
The contact was provided for applicants who had trouble accessing the full announcement or who had questions regarding the request for applications.
Was this opportunity intended to support long-term research programs by itself?
No. The program was positioned as short-term seed funding to start urgent work quickly and to buy time until larger or longer-term resources could be secured.
What is the overall takeaway about this solicitation?
It was a time-sensitive, rapid-response CSREES seed-grant solicitation with modest total funding, no match requirement, and a small number of expected awards, focused specifically on laurel wilt in avocado systems, thousand cankers disease in walnut, and Ug99 wheat stem rust, and limited to core U.S. agricultural research and veterinary education institutions.
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