Opportunity Information: Apply for FANRP2011001
Apply for FANRP2011001
- The Economic Research Service in the agriculture food and nutrition income security and social services sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Food Assistance and Nutrition Research Program (FY2011)" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 10.253 Consumer Data and Nutrition Research.
- This funding opportunity was created on Feb 3, 2011 and posted on Feb 4, 2011.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Apr 4, 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 $1,500,000.00 to eligible and selected applicants.
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $300,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 8 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Unrestricted (i.e., open to any type of entity above), subject to any clarification in text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility.
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Opportunity Summary:
The Food Assistance and Nutrition Research Program (FY2011) was a discretionary funding opportunity from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Economic Research Service (ERS), aimed at supporting economic research tied directly to USDA domestic food assistance and nutrition programs. The central purpose was to fund studies that generate practical, policy-relevant evidence about how these programs operate, how they interact with broader economic conditions, and how they influence nutrition-related behaviors and outcomes. ERS positioned the program to strengthen the research base that informs program design and decision-making across federal nutrition assistance efforts.
ERS identified three main research priorities for proposals. The first, Food Assistance and the Macroeconomy, focused on how economic conditions such as recessions, unemployment shifts, wage changes, inflation, and other macro-level trends affect participation in food assistance programs, benefit needs, caseload dynamics, and overall program performance. Work under this theme would typically explore questions like how enrollment responds to economic downturns, whether benefits stabilize household consumption during income shocks, and how policy changes might perform under different economic scenarios.
The second priority, Food Assistance and Food Choices, targeted the link between food assistance participation and what people actually buy and eat. This area emphasized understanding diet quality, purchasing behavior, substitution effects, and how program structure or rules can shape food decisions. Research in this category could examine how benefits influence spending patterns across food groups, how households trade off price, convenience, and nutrition, and what factors drive healthier or less healthy choices among participants. The goal was to produce insights that can help programs better support nutritious diets without losing sight of real-world constraints like food prices, access to retailers, and household time limitations.
The third priority, Using Behavioral Economics and Incentives to Promote Child Nutrition, encouraged proposals that apply behavioral economics concepts to improve nutrition outcomes for children. This theme supported research on how incentives, defaults, framing, and other behavioral tools can affect choices in settings relevant to children, such as schools, childcare environments, and household food contexts. The emphasis was on moving beyond purely informational approaches and testing or evaluating strategies that account for how decisions are actually made, especially when choices are influenced by habits, immediate rewards, and environmental cues.
From a funding and administrative standpoint, ERS offered support through either grants or cooperative agreements, meaning projects could range from more independently executed studies to efforts involving closer collaboration with the agency. The program anticipated making about 8 awards, with an estimated total funding pool of $1.5 million. Individual awards were expected to fall between $100,000 (floor) and $300,000 (ceiling), and these amounts were to be inclusive of indirect costs when applicable. Projects could span up to three years, but were not allowed to exceed that duration. There was no cost-sharing or matching requirement, lowering barriers for applicants that might not have access to non-federal matching funds.
Eligibility was listed as unrestricted, meaning ERS was broadly open to proposals from a wide range of entity types, subject to any clarifications in the full announcement. The program was cataloged under CFDA number 10.253, Consumer Data and Nutrition Research, and fell within activity categories tied to agriculture, food and nutrition, and income security and social services. The opportunity was posted on February 4, 2011 (created February 3, 2011), with an application deadline of April 4, 2011, and it was archived on May 4, 2011.
For applicants needing help accessing the full announcement or instructions, ERS listed a point of contact: David Smallwood, Chief of the Food Assistance Research Branch, reachable by phone at 202-694-5466. The notice also referenced an additional information link titled "Program Description and Application Instructions," indicating that detailed requirements, submission procedures, and any specific eligibility clarifications were provided in the full program documentation.
Food Assistance and Nutrition Research Program (FY2011) - FAQs
What is the Food Assistance and Nutrition Research Program (FY2011)?
It was a discretionary funding opportunity offered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Economic Research Service (ERS), to support economic research directly tied to USDA domestic food assistance and nutrition programs. The intent was to fund studies that generate practical, policy-relevant evidence about program operations, how programs interact with broader economic conditions, and how they influence nutrition-related behaviors and outcomes.
Which federal agency ran this opportunity?
The program was run by USDA's Economic Research Service (ERS).
What kinds of projects was ERS trying to fund?
ERS aimed to fund economic research that informs program design and decision-making across federal nutrition assistance efforts. The focus was on producing actionable evidence, including how programs function, how participation changes under economic conditions, and how participation affects food choices and nutrition outcomes.
What were the main research priorities?
ERS identified three priorities: (1) Food Assistance and the Macroeconomy, (2) Food Assistance and Food Choices, and (3) Using Behavioral Economics and Incentives to Promote Child Nutrition.
What does "Food Assistance and the Macroeconomy" mean in this context?
This priority focused on how macroeconomic conditions (such as recessions, unemployment changes, wage changes, and inflation) affect participation in food assistance programs, benefit needs, caseload dynamics, and overall program performance. Examples of relevant questions included how enrollment responds during downturns, whether benefits stabilize consumption when incomes fall, and how policy changes might perform under different economic scenarios.
What does "Food Assistance and Food Choices" cover?
This priority targeted the relationship between program participation and what people buy and eat. It emphasized diet quality, purchasing behavior, substitution effects, and how program structure or rules might shape food decisions. Topics could include how benefits affect spending across food groups, how households weigh price and convenience against nutrition, and what drives healthier or less healthy choices given real-world constraints like food prices, retailer access, and time limitations.
What does "Using Behavioral Economics and Incentives to Promote Child Nutrition" focus on?
This priority encouraged proposals that apply behavioral economics to improve nutrition outcomes for children. It supported research on how incentives, defaults, framing, and other behavioral tools influence choices in settings relevant to children (for example, schools, childcare environments, and household food contexts). The emphasis was on testing or evaluating strategies that go beyond information-only approaches and reflect how decisions are actually made in practice.
What funding mechanisms were available?
ERS planned to provide support through either grants or cooperative agreements. This allowed projects to range from more independently executed studies (grants) to efforts involving closer collaboration with the agency (cooperative agreements).
How many awards did ERS expect to make?
The program anticipated making about 8 awards.
What was the total amount of funding available?
The estimated total funding pool was $1.5 million.
What was the expected award size?
Individual awards were expected to range from $100,000 (floor) to $300,000 (ceiling).
Did the award amounts include indirect costs?
Yes. The expected award amounts were inclusive of indirect costs when applicable.
How long could a project last?
Projects could span up to three years, but were not allowed to exceed that duration.
Was cost sharing or matching required?
No. There was no cost-sharing or matching requirement.
Who was eligible to apply?
Eligibility was listed as unrestricted, meaning ERS was broadly open to proposals from a wide range of entity types, subject to any clarifications included in the full announcement.
What is the CFDA number for this opportunity?
The opportunity was cataloged under CFDA number 10.253, Consumer Data and Nutrition Research.
What program areas or activity categories did this opportunity fall under?
The opportunity fell within activity categories tied to agriculture, food and nutrition, and income security and social services.
When was the opportunity posted?
It was posted on February 4, 2011 (created February 3, 2011).
What was the application deadline?
The application deadline was April 4, 2011.
Is this opportunity still open?
No. The opportunity was archived on May 4, 2011.
Where could applicants find the full program description and application instructions?
The notice referenced an additional information link titled "Program Description and Application Instructions," indicating that detailed requirements, submission procedures, and any specific eligibility clarifications were provided in the full program documentation.
Who was the point of contact for questions?
ERS listed David Smallwood, Chief of the Food Assistance Research Branch, as the point of contact.
How could applicants contact the point of contact?
Applicants could reach David Smallwood by phone at 202-694-5466.
What kind of research outcomes was ERS looking for?
ERS emphasized practical, policy-relevant evidence that can strengthen the research base used for program design and decision-making. This includes evidence about program performance, participation and caseload dynamics, purchasing and dietary behavior, and approaches (including behavioral tools) that may improve nutrition outcomes, particularly for children.
Does the opportunity specify whether projects must focus on domestic programs?
Yes. The program description states that the research should be tied directly to USDA domestic food assistance and nutrition programs.
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