Opportunity Information: Apply for USDA NIFA OP 003462
Apply for USDA NIFA OP 003462
- The National Institute of Food and Agriculture in the agriculture disaster prevention and relief environment food and nutrition health natural resources 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 Jun 23, 2011 and posted on Jun 23, 2011.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Aug 1, 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 $305,000.00 to eligible and selected applicants.
- Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification) Private institutions of higher education Public and State controlled institutions of higher education.
- 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 U.S.C. 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, extension, or education 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, extension, or education among States through regional research grants. Award recipients may subcontract to organizations not eligible to apply provided such organizations are necessary for the conduct of the project. An applicants 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 USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) grant opportunity titled "Critical Issues Emerging and New Plant and Animal Pests and Diseases" (Funding Opportunity Number USDA NIFA OP 003462) was a discretionary, one-time seed funding program meant to jump start urgent research when a fast response was needed. The central idea was to provide short-term support to initiate work on emerging or newly important pest and disease threats, with the expectation that investigators would use this initial funding window to generate data, build coordinated response efforts, and position the work to compete for longer-term resources later. The program sat in the broader space of agricultural research and special research grants (CFDA 10.200), and it aligned with public priorities that cut across agriculture, environmental and natural resource concerns, public health, and research and development.
For this particular solicitation, NIFA narrowed the focus to three specific urgent issues and requested proposals addressing targeted aspects of each. First was the Bagrada bug (Bagrada hilaris), also called the painted bug or harlequin bug, as a pest on vegetable crops. Second was rat lungworm (Angiostrongylus cantonensis) and the public health problem of associated transmission to humans, which connects agricultural and environmental conditions with human disease risk. Third was Groundnut ringspot virus (GRSV) affecting tomato and other agronomic crops, reflecting concerns about plant virus spread, crop losses, and the need for timely management and diagnostics. While the notice points applicants to Part II, C of the full announcement for detailed topic expectations, the overall message is that proposals needed to be practical, timely, and clearly tied to one or more of these named threats rather than general pest management research.
A major selection priority was collaboration. NIFA indicated that preference would be given to proposals showing evidence of communication and coordination with relevant working groups and approved multistate research committees, emphasizing that rapid-response problems are often best handled through shared surveillance, standardized methods, coordinated extension messaging, and complementary field and lab work across states. At the same time, NIFA also stated that all applicants who were qualified to conduct the research were encouraged to apply, so the collaboration preference was not framed as an absolute eligibility barrier but as a competitive advantage.
Eligibility was geared toward the public research and higher education infrastructure that supports the U.S. food and agricultural research system. Applications could be submitted by State agricultural experiment stations; land-grant colleges and universities; research foundations established by land-grant institutions; colleges and universities receiving funds under the Act of October 10, 1962 (often associated with certain historically Black land-grant institutions); institutions tied to the McIntire-Stennis Cooperative Forestry Research Act; and accredited schools or colleges of veterinary medicine, particularly where the work would facilitate or expand ongoing state-federal research programs. The program’s intent was explicitly regional and national in scope: promoting excellence in research, extension, or education; encouraging regional research centers; strengthening partnerships among USDA, universities, foundations, and experiment stations; and improving coordination among states through regional research grants. Awardees were also allowed to subcontract to otherwise ineligible organizations if those partners were necessary to carry out the project, which opened the door to involving industry, nonprofits, diagnostic labs, or specialized collaborators under the lead institution’s award.
From an administrative standpoint, the funding instrument was a grant with no cost sharing or matching requirement, lowering the barrier for institutions to respond quickly. NIFA listed an estimated total funding level of $305,000 for the solicitation. The opportunity was posted and created on June 23, 2011, with an original and current closing date of August 1, 2011, and it was archived on August 31, 2011. Applicants were cautioned that failing to meet eligibility criteria by the deadline could lead to exclusion from consideration or prevent an award even if the proposal was reviewed.
For applicant support and access issues, NIFA directed people to the NIFA Help Desk, including a phone number and business hours, and noted that the Help Desk could assist both with trouble accessing the announcement and with questions about the request for applications. Overall, the opportunity was structured as a quick-start mechanism: modest, time-sensitive seed funding aimed at catalyzing coordinated research and response efforts on a short list of high-concern pest and disease problems affecting crops and human health.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the name of this USDA NIFA grant opportunity?
The opportunity is titled "Critical Issues Emerging and New Plant and Animal Pests and Diseases".
What is the Funding Opportunity Number (FON)?
The Funding Opportunity Number is USDA NIFA OP 003462.
What type of program was this funding opportunity?
It was a discretionary, one-time seed funding program intended to jump start urgent research when a fast response was needed.
What was the main purpose of the funding?
The central idea was to provide short-term support to initiate work on emerging or newly important pest and disease threats, so investigators could generate early data, build coordinated response efforts, and position the work to compete for longer-term funding later.
Was this intended to fund long-term research projects?
No. The opportunity emphasized short-term, fast-response seed funding, with the expectation that teams would use the initial window to prepare for longer-term resources later.
Which broad program area did this solicitation fall under?
It sat in the broader area of agricultural research and special research grants under CFDA 10.200.
What priority issues or topics did NIFA focus on for this solicitation?
NIFA narrowed the focus to three urgent issues and requested proposals that addressed targeted aspects of one or more of them:
- Bagrada bug (Bagrada hilaris) on vegetable crops (also referred to as the painted bug or harlequin bug in the notice)
- Rat lungworm (Angiostrongylus cantonensis) and the public health issue of transmission to humans
- Groundnut ringspot virus (GRSV) affecting tomato and other agronomic crops
Could applicants propose general pest management work?
The notice communicated that proposals needed to be practical, timely, and clearly tied to one or more of the named threats, rather than general pest management research.
Was collaboration required?
Collaboration was not described as an absolute eligibility requirement, but it was a major selection priority. NIFA indicated preference for proposals showing evidence of communication and coordination with relevant working groups and approved multistate research committees.
Why did NIFA emphasize coordination and multistate collaboration?
NIFA highlighted that rapid-response pest and disease problems are often best handled through shared surveillance, standardized methods, coordinated extension messaging, and complementary field and lab work across states.
Who was eligible to apply as a lead applicant?
Eligible applicants included the following types of institutions:
- State agricultural experiment stations
- Land-grant colleges and universities
- Research foundations established by land-grant institutions
- Colleges and universities receiving funds under the Act of October 10, 1962
- Institutions tied to the McIntire-Stennis Cooperative Forestry Research Act
- Accredited schools or colleges of veterinary medicine, especially where the work would facilitate or expand ongoing state-federal research programs
Could an otherwise ineligible organization participate on a project?
Yes. Awardees were allowed to subcontract to otherwise ineligible organizations if those partners were necessary to carry out the project. This could allow participation by entities such as industry, nonprofits, diagnostic labs, or specialized collaborators under the lead institution's award.
Was the program intended to be regional or national in scope?
Yes. The intent was explicitly regional and national, including promoting excellence in research, extension, or education; encouraging regional research centers; strengthening partnerships among USDA, universities, foundations, and experiment stations; and improving coordination among states through regional research grants.
What type of funding instrument was used?
The funding instrument was a grant.
Was cost sharing or matching required?
No. The opportunity specified no cost sharing or matching requirement.
How much total funding was available for this solicitation?
NIFA estimated the total funding level at $305,000.
When was the opportunity posted?
The opportunity was posted/created on June 23, 2011.
What was the application deadline?
The original and current closing date was August 1, 2011.
Is this opportunity still open?
No. The opportunity was archived on August 31, 2011.
What could happen if an applicant did not meet eligibility requirements by the deadline?
NIFA cautioned that failing to meet eligibility criteria by the deadline could result in exclusion from consideration or could prevent an award even if the proposal was reviewed.
Where were applicants directed for detailed topic expectations?
Applicants were pointed to Part II, C of the full announcement for detailed expectations related to the targeted topics.
Who could applicants contact for help with access issues or application questions?
NIFA directed applicants to the NIFA Help Desk, noting that it could assist with trouble accessing the announcement and with questions about the request for applications (including support by phone during listed business hours).
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Applicants also applied for:
Applicants who have applied for this opportunity (USDA NIFA OP 003462) also looked into and applied for these:
| Funding Opportunity |
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| Critical Issues Emerging and New Plant and Animal Pests and Diseases Apply for USDA NIFA OP 003156 Funding Number: USDA NIFA OP 003156 Agency: National Institute of Food and Agriculture Category: Agriculture Disaster Prevention and Relief Environment Food and Nutrition Health Natural Resources Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: $90,000 |
| Critical Issues Emerging and New Animal Pests and Diseases Program Apply for USDA NIFA OP 003416 Funding Number: USDA NIFA OP 003416 Agency: National Institute of Food and Agriculture Category: Agriculture Disaster Prevention and Relief Environment Food and Nutrition Health Natural Resources Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
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