Opportunity Information: Apply for USDA NIFA ICGP 003445
Apply for USDA NIFA ICGP 003445
- The National Institute of Food and Agriculture in the agriculture food and nutrition health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Integrated Research, Education, and Extension Competitive Grants Program National Integrated Food Safety Initiative" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 10.303 Integrated Programs.
- This funding opportunity was created on May 16, 2011 and posted on May 16, 2011.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Jun 27, 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 $9,500,000.00 to eligible and selected applicants.
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $2,000,000.00 in funding.
- Eligible applicants include: Private institutions of higher education Public and State controlled institutions of higher education.
- Colleges and universities (as defined in section 1404 of NARETPA) (7 U.S.C. 3103) are eligible to submit applications for the National Integrated Food Safety Initiative. Section 1404 of NARETPA was amended by section 7101 of the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 (FCEA) to define Hispanic serving Agricultural Colleges and Universities (HSACUs) (see Part III, B. for more information), and to include research foundations maintained by eligible colleges or universities. For the purposes of this program, the terms college and university mean an educational institution in any state which (1) admits as regular students only persons having a certificate of graduation from a school providing secondary education, or the recognized equivalent of such a certificate (2) is legally authorized within such state to provide a program of education beyond secondary education (3) provides an educational program for which a bachelors degree or any other higher degree is awarded (4) is a public or other nonprofit institution and (5) is accredited by a nationally recognized accrediting agency or association. Applications also may be submitted by 1994 Land Grant Institutions (as defined in 7 CFR 3430), HSACUs, and research foundations maintained by eligible colleges or universities. An applicants failure to meet an eligibility criterion by the time of an application deadline will preclude NIFA from reviewing an application and making an award. Award recipients may subcontract to organizations not eligible to apply directly for funds provided such organizations are necessary for the conduct of the project.
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Opportunity Summary:
The USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) grant opportunity titled "Integrated Research, Education, and Extension Competitive Grants Program - National Integrated Food Safety Initiative" is a discretionary, competitive grant program designed to strengthen the nations food safety system by funding projects that take an integrated, practical approach to real-world food safety problems. The central idea is that meaningful food safety improvements often require more than a single activity type; for example, research that produces new knowledge is more useful when paired with education that builds workforce skills and extension efforts that move proven practices into farms, processors, and communities. For that reason, the program places heavy emphasis on projects that connect applied food safety research, education, and extension in a coordinated plan rather than treating them as separate efforts.
The program explicitly encourages applicants to integrate at least two of the three functional areas: research, education, and extension. This can take several forms, such as a research and extension project that develops and validates a safety intervention and then delivers it to industry stakeholders through training and technical assistance, or a research and education project that generates new applied findings while simultaneously building curricula, experiential learning, or professional development to train students and practitioners. Extension and education pairings are also supported when they are designed to change practices and behaviors at scale through outreach and learning programs. NIFA also signals that it is open to multiple models of integration, which gives applicants flexibility to propose structures that make sense for their target food safety issue, audience, and region.
Another major priority is collaboration and breadth of impact. Applications proposing multi-state, multi-institutional, multidisciplinary, and multifunctional efforts are encouraged, including combinations of these features. In practice, this means proposals are strengthened when they bring together expertise across fields such as microbiology, epidemiology, food engineering, public health, behavioral science, and risk communication, and when they involve partners that help translate work into use, such as extension networks, producer groups, processors, or other implementation-oriented collaborators. While only eligible institutions can serve as direct applicants, awardees are allowed to subcontract with organizations that are not eligible to apply directly, as long as those partners are necessary for completing the project. This provision makes it easier to include specialized capabilities or community-facing partners, provided the primary applicant remains an eligible entity and the collaboration is clearly tied to project goals.
From a funding standpoint, the opportunity was posted on May 16, 2011, with an application deadline of June 27, 2011, and an archive date of July 27, 2011. NIFA listed an estimated total program funding amount of $9.5 million. Individual awards could be as large as $2,000,000, and the award floor is listed as $0, which generally indicates there is not a stated minimum award amount. The funding instrument is a grant, and the activity categories include Agriculture, Food and Nutrition, and Health. The CFDA listing associated with this opportunity is 10.303, identified as Integrated Programs. The announcement also notes a cost sharing or matching requirement, meaning applicants should expect that some portion of project costs must be contributed through non-federal sources or documented as match, consistent with the program rules laid out in the full announcement.
Eligibility is focused on higher education and affiliated research entities as defined by federal statute and regulation. Eligible applicants include public and state-controlled institutions of higher education, private institutions of higher education, 1994 Land-Grant Institutions (as defined in 7 CFR 3430), Hispanic-serving Agricultural Colleges and Universities (HSACUs), and research foundations maintained by eligible colleges or universities. The opportunity relies on the statutory definition of "college and university" in section 1404 of NARETPA (7 U.S.C. 3103), as amended by the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008. Under that definition, an eligible college or university is an accredited public or nonprofit institution legally authorized to provide postsecondary education beyond high school and to award bachelors degrees or higher, admitting only students with a high school diploma or equivalent. A key compliance point is that eligibility must be met by the application deadline; if an applicant does not meet the criterion at that time, NIFA will not review the application or make an award.
For support and logistics, NIFA provides a help desk contact for applicants who have difficulty accessing the full announcement electronically, with phone support available during business hours (202-401-5048). The opportunity description also indicates there is a point of contact for questions related to preparing application content, with details typically provided in the full announcement. Overall, the program is aimed at funding well-coordinated, collaborative projects that not only generate applied food safety solutions but also actively move those solutions into learning systems and real-world practice through education and extension components.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. What is the name of this USDA NIFA grant opportunity?
The opportunity is titled "Integrated Research, Education, and Extension Competitive Grants Program - National Integrated Food Safety Initiative".
2. What is the overall purpose of the National Integrated Food Safety Initiative?
The program is a discretionary, competitive grant program intended to strengthen the nation's food safety system by funding projects that take an integrated, practical approach to real-world food safety problems.
3. What does "integrated" mean in the context of this program?
"Integrated" means the project should coordinate and connect functional areas rather than treating them as separate efforts. NIFA emphasizes that meaningful food safety improvements often require more than one activity type (for example, pairing applied research with education and/or extension so new knowledge leads to training, adoption, and measurable practice change).
4. Do projects have to include research, education, and extension all together?
The program explicitly encourages applicants to integrate at least two of the three functional areas: research, education, and extension. NIFA indicates it is open to multiple models of integration, giving applicants flexibility to propose a structure that fits the food safety issue, audience, region, and project goals.
5. What are examples of acceptable integration models mentioned in the opportunity description?
Examples described include:
- Research + Extension: developing and validating a safety intervention, then delivering it to industry stakeholders through training and technical assistance.
- Research + Education: generating new applied findings while building curricula, experiential learning, or professional development to train students and practitioners.
- Extension + Education: outreach and learning programs designed to change practices and behaviors at scale.
6. What types of projects is the program trying to fund?
The opportunity is aimed at funding coordinated, practical projects that not only generate applied food safety solutions but also move those solutions into learning systems and real-world practice through education and extension components.
7. How important is collaboration in this program?
Collaboration and breadth of impact are major priorities. Applications proposing multi-state, multi-institutional, multidisciplinary, and/or multifunctional efforts (including combinations of these features) are encouraged.
8. What kinds of disciplines or expertise are highlighted as beneficial for proposals?
The description notes that proposals can be strengthened by bringing together expertise across fields such as microbiology, epidemiology, food engineering, public health, behavioral science, and risk communication, especially when those disciplines are connected to practical adoption and implementation.
9. Are implementation-oriented partners encouraged?
Yes. The opportunity highlights the value of involving partners who help translate work into use, such as extension networks, producer groups, processors, or other collaborators focused on implementation and adoption of improved practices.
10. Who is eligible to apply as the main applicant?
Eligible applicants include:
- Public and state-controlled institutions of higher education
- Private institutions of higher education
- 1994 Land-Grant Institutions (as defined in 7 CFR 3430)
- Hispanic-serving Agricultural Colleges and Universities (HSACUs)
- Research foundations maintained by eligible colleges or universities
11. How does the program define an eligible "college or university"?
The opportunity relies on the statutory definition in section 1404 of NARETPA (7 U.S.C. 3103), as amended by the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008. Under that definition, an eligible college or university is an accredited public or nonprofit institution legally authorized to provide postsecondary education beyond high school and to award bachelor's degrees or higher, admitting only students with a high school diploma or equivalent.
12. When must eligibility requirements be met?
Eligibility must be met by the application deadline. If an applicant does not meet the eligibility criteria at that time, NIFA will not review the application or make an award.
13. Can organizations that are not eligible to apply still participate in the project?
Yes. While only eligible institutions can serve as direct applicants, awardees are allowed to subcontract with organizations that are not eligible to apply directly, as long as those partners are necessary to complete the project and the collaboration is clearly tied to the project goals.
14. What is the funding instrument for this opportunity?
The funding instrument is a grant, and the program is described as discretionary and competitive.
15. What is the estimated total amount of funding available under this announcement?
NIFA listed an estimated total program funding amount of $9.5 million.
16. What is the maximum award size?
Individual awards could be as large as $2,000,000.
17. Is there a minimum award amount?
The award floor is listed as $0, which generally indicates there is no stated minimum award amount in the summary information provided.
18. Is cost sharing or matching required?
Yes. The announcement notes a cost sharing or matching requirement, meaning applicants should expect that some portion of project costs must be contributed through non-federal sources or documented as match, consistent with the rules in the full announcement.
19. What are the activity categories associated with this opportunity?
The activity categories listed are Agriculture, Food and Nutrition, and Health.
20. What is the CFDA number associated with this opportunity?
The CFDA listing associated with this opportunity is 10.303, identified as Integrated Programs.
21. When was this opportunity posted, and what were the key dates?
Key dates provided are:
- Posted date: May 16, 2011
- Application deadline: June 27, 2011
- Archive date: July 27, 2011
22. What should applicants do if they cannot access the full announcement electronically?
NIFA provides a help desk contact for applicants who have difficulty accessing the full announcement electronically. Phone support is available during business hours at 202-401-5048.
23. Is there a contact for questions about application content?
Yes. The opportunity description indicates there is a point of contact for questions related to preparing application content, with details typically provided in the full announcement.
24. What makes an application stronger according to the description?
Based on the description, proposals are strengthened when they:
- Integrate at least two functional areas (research, education, extension) in a coordinated plan
- Focus on practical, real-world food safety problems and adoption of solutions
- Include collaboration that expands impact (multi-state, multi-institutional, multidisciplinary, multifunctional)
- Include partners that help move results into practice (for example, extension networks, producer groups, processors)
25. What is the main idea behind emphasizing research plus education and/or extension?
The central idea is that applied research producing new knowledge becomes more useful when paired with education that builds workforce skills and extension that helps proven practices reach farms, processors, and communities. The program is designed to support projects that connect those components so results move beyond publication into training and real-world use.
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