Opportunity Information: Apply for RFA FD 16 002
Apply for RFA FD 16 002
- The HHS-FDA in the agriculture, consumer protection, food and nutrition sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Local Food Producer Outreach, Education, and Training to Enhance Food Safety and FDA Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) Compliance (U01)" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.103.
- This funding opportunity was created on Jan 29, 2016 and posted on Jan 29, 2016.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Apr 21, 2016. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $1,500,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: State governments, County governments, City or township governments, Special district governments, Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized), Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments), Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).
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Opportunity Summary:
The Local Food Producer Outreach, Education, and Training to Enhance Food Safety and FDA Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) Compliance (U01) opportunity (RFA FD 16 002) is a discretionary cooperative agreement grant offered by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Food and Drug Administration (HHS-FDA) under CFDA 93.103. The overall purpose is to strengthen food safety practices and improve compliance with FSMA by focusing on the practical needs of local food producers, especially small and mid-size farms and businesses involved in local food production and processing. Rather than funding infrastructure or enforcement, the emphasis is on outreach, education, training, and hands-on technical assistance that helps operators understand and implement federal food safety requirements in real-world settings.
At the core of the project is a needs-driven approach. Applicants are expected to research and identify the specific training, outreach, education, and technical assistance gaps faced by local producers and processors. Once those needs are mapped, the project must deliver targeted outreach and training activities designed to raise awareness, build skills, and support day-to-day compliance with applicable FDA food safety regulations and guidance. A key deliverable is the development, adaptation, or refinement of educational and training materials that make federal requirements easier to interpret and integrate into routine operations, with an explicit expectation that materials and training will be relevant to a wide range of local production models.
A defining feature of the opportunity is its attention to the diversity of production and processing practices found in local and regional food systems. The FDA calls for work that accounts for diversified, sustainable, organic, and identity-preserved agricultural production and processing. In practice, this means training and technical assistance should not assume a single commodity, a single scale, or a single production philosophy. Instead, the project should be capable of translating FSMA-related expectations into workable steps for operations that may handle multiple crops or products, use alternative production methods, maintain organic certification considerations, or preserve identity attributes like varietal, geographic, or specialty handling claims.
The award structure is a cooperative agreement (U01), which generally signals substantial involvement by the funding agency in the project compared to a more hands-off grant. While the summary information does not list the specific collaboration requirements, applicants should interpret the cooperative agreement mechanism as indicating closer coordination with FDA priorities, input, and oversight during implementation, especially around alignment with FSMA frameworks and the quality and consistency of educational content.
Eligibility is broad across government and tribal entities, including state governments, county governments, city or township governments, special district governments, federally recognized Native American tribal governments, and other Native American tribal organizations. The notice also references an “Others” category with clarification in the full eligibility text, suggesting that additional types of organizations may be allowed depending on FDA’s detailed criteria in the full announcement. The funding activity aligns with agriculture, consumer protection, and food and nutrition, reflecting the dual goals of supporting producers while protecting public health through better food safety practices.
For FY 2016, FDA anticipated making a single award, with an award ceiling of $1,500,000. The opportunity was posted on January 29, 2016, created the same day, and had an application closing date of April 21, 2016 (original and current closing date are the same). Overall, the grant is designed to build capacity in the local food sector by translating FSMA rules and FDA guidance into accessible training, practical tools, and tailored technical assistance that producers and processors can actually apply, ultimately improving compliance and reducing food safety risks across local and regional supply chains.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the name of this grant opportunity?
The opportunity is titled Local Food Producer Outreach, Education, and Training to Enhance Food Safety and FDA Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) Compliance (U01) and is identified as RFA FD 16 002.
Which federal agency is offering this funding?
This is offered by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
What type of award is this?
This is a discretionary cooperative agreement using the U01 mechanism.
What does it mean that this is a cooperative agreement (U01)?
A cooperative agreement generally indicates substantial involvement by the FDA during the project compared to a more hands-off grant. Based on the description provided, applicants should expect closer coordination to ensure alignment with FSMA frameworks and the quality and consistency of educational and training content.
What is the CFDA number for this opportunity?
The CFDA number listed is 93.103.
What is the overall purpose of the grant?
The overall purpose is to strengthen food safety practices and improve compliance with FSMA by focusing on the practical needs of local food producers, especially small and mid-size farms and businesses involved in local food production and processing.
What kinds of activities does the grant emphasize?
The emphasis is on outreach, education, training, and hands-on technical assistance that helps operators understand and implement federal food safety requirements in real-world settings.
Does this grant fund infrastructure projects or enforcement activities?
No. The description specifically notes that the program is not focused on funding infrastructure or enforcement. It focuses on outreach, education, training, and technical assistance.
Who is the primary audience or focus of the project?
The project is focused on local food producers and processors, with particular attention to the practical needs of small and mid-size farms and businesses operating in local and regional food systems.
What is meant by a "needs-driven approach" in this opportunity?
Applicants are expected to research and identify specific gaps in training, outreach, education, and technical assistance among local producers and processors. After those needs are mapped, the project should deliver targeted outreach and training activities that address the identified gaps.
What kind of deliverables are expected from the project?
A key deliverable is the development, adaptation, or refinement of educational and training materials that make federal requirements easier to interpret and apply in routine operations. The project also includes delivering outreach, training, and hands-on technical assistance tied to those materials.
What topics should the training and materials cover?
The training and materials should support understanding and implementation of applicable FDA food safety regulations and guidance, with a focus on practical compliance with FSMA in day-to-day operations.
Do the materials need to work for different types of local production systems?
Yes. The opportunity explicitly expects materials and training to be relevant across a wide range of local production models, reflecting the variety found in local and regional food systems.
How does the opportunity address diversity in farming and processing practices?
The FDA calls for work that accounts for diversified, sustainable, organic, and identity-preserved agricultural production and processing. Training and technical assistance should not assume one commodity, one scale, or one production philosophy, and should translate FSMA expectations into workable steps for diverse operations.
What does "identity-preserved" mean in the context of this grant description?
In this description, identity-preserved refers to operations that maintain specific identity attributes such as varietal, geographic, or specialty handling claims, and may require tailored approaches to integrate food safety practices while preserving those attributes.
What types of applicants are eligible to apply based on the information provided?
Eligibility is described as broad across government and tribal entities, including:
- State governments
- County governments
- City or township governments
- Special district governments
- Federally recognized Native American tribal governments
- Other Native American tribal organizations
What does the "Others" eligibility category mean?
The notice references an "Others" category and notes that clarification appears in the full eligibility text. Based on the information provided here, it suggests that additional types of organizations may be allowed depending on FDA's detailed criteria in the full announcement.
What policy or program areas does this opportunity align with?
The funding activity aligns with agriculture, consumer protection, and food and nutrition, reflecting the dual goal of supporting local producers while protecting public health through improved food safety practices.
How many awards were anticipated for FY 2016?
For FY 2016, FDA anticipated making a single award.
What is the maximum award amount (ceiling) listed?
The award ceiling listed is $1,500,000.
When was the opportunity posted?
The opportunity was posted on January 29, 2016 (and created the same day).
What was the application closing date?
The application closing date was April 21, 2016, and the original and current closing date are the same.
What is the main intended impact of this grant?
The grant is designed to build capacity in the local food sector by translating FSMA rules and FDA guidance into accessible training, practical tools, and tailored technical assistance that local producers and processors can apply, ultimately improving compliance and reducing food safety risks across local and regional supply chains.
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Applicants also applied for:
Applicants who have applied for this opportunity (RFA FD 16 002) also looked into and applied for these:
| Funding Opportunity |
|---|
| Cooperative Agreement to Support Shellfish Safety Assistance Project (U01) Apply for RFA FD 16 006 Funding Number: RFA FD 16 006 Agency: HHS-FDA Category: Agriculture, Consumer Protection, Food and Nutrition Funding Amount: $500,000 |
| Research, Education, and Outreach on Botanical Natural Products (U01) Apply for RFA FD 16 014 Funding Number: RFA FD 16 014 Agency: HHS-FDA Category: Agriculture, Consumer Protection, Food and Nutrition Funding Amount: $3,500,000 |
| Federal and University Partnership to Improve the Safety of Seafood from the Gulf of Mexico (U19) Apply for RFA FD 16 013 Funding Number: RFA FD 16 013 Agency: HHS-FDA Category: Agriculture, Consumer Protection, Food and Nutrition Funding Amount: $125,000 |
| Strategies that Support Global Food Safety (U01) Apply for RFA FD 16 034 Funding Number: RFA FD 16 034 Agency: HHS-FDA Category: Agriculture, Consumer Protection, Food and Nutrition Funding Amount: $1,000,000 |
| National Curriculum Standard Development for Integrated Food Safety System Regulators (U18) Apply for RFA FD 16 042 Funding Number: RFA FD 16 042 Agency: HHS-FDA Category: Agriculture, Consumer Protection, Food and Nutrition Funding Amount: $7,500,000 |
| Collaboration in Regulatory Systems Strengthening and Standardization Activities to Increase Access to Safe and Effective Biological Products - (U01) Apply for RFA FD 16 044 Funding Number: RFA FD 16 044 Agency: HHS-FDA Category: Agriculture, Consumer Protection, Food and Nutrition Funding Amount: $2,000,000 |
| Expanded Access to Investigational Therapies (R01) Apply for RFA FD 17 001 Funding Number: RFA FD 17 001 Agency: Department of Health and Human Services, Food and Drug Administration Category: Agriculture, Consumer Protection, Food and Nutrition Funding Amount: $300,000 |
| CVM Vet-LIRN Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory Program (U18) Apply for PAR 17 141 Funding Number: PAR 17 141 Agency: Department of Health and Human Services, Food and Drug Administration Category: Agriculture, Consumer Protection, Food and Nutrition Funding Amount: $75,000 |
| Search and Rescue peer-to-peer opioids prescriber education campaign Apply for RFA FD 17 008 Funding Number: RFA FD 17 008 Agency: Department of Health and Human Services, Food and Drug Administration Category: Agriculture, Consumer Protection, Food and Nutrition Funding Amount: $2,500,000 |
| Conformance with the Manufactured Food Regulatory Program Standards (MFRPS) (U18) Apply for RFA FD 17 005 Funding Number: RFA FD 17 005 Agency: Department of Health and Human Services, Food and Drug Administration Category: Agriculture, Consumer Protection, Food and Nutrition Funding Amount: $10,000,000 |
| Advancing Conformance with the Voluntary National Retail Food Regulatory Program Standards (VNRFRPS) (U18) Apply for RFA FD 17 007 Funding Number: RFA FD 17 007 Agency: Department of Health and Human Services, Food and Drug Administration Category: Agriculture, Consumer Protection, Food and Nutrition Funding Amount: $70,000 |
| Identification of Target Peptide Sequences for Zika IgM Diagnostic Device Apply for RFA FD 17 002 Funding Number: RFA FD 17 002 Agency: Department of Health and Human Services, Food and Drug Administration Category: Agriculture, Consumer Protection, Food and Nutrition Funding Amount: $299,150 |
| Food Safety Preventive Controls and Produce Safety Standards: Building Competency in Latin America in Support of the U.S. Food Safety Modernization Act Apply for RFA FD 17 011 Funding Number: RFA FD 17 011 Agency: Department of Health and Human Services, Food and Drug Administration Category: Agriculture, Consumer Protection, Food and Nutrition Funding Amount: $1,100,000 |
| Creation and Implementation of the National Evaluation System for Health Technology (NEST) Coordinating Center (CC) Apply for RFA FD 18 002 Funding Number: RFA FD 18 002 Agency: Department of Health and Human Services, Food and Drug Administration Category: Agriculture, Consumer Protection, Food and Nutrition Funding Amount: $30,000 |
| Global Pediatric Clinical Trials Network Apply for RFA FD 17 014 Funding Number: RFA FD 17 014 Agency: Department of Health and Human Services, Food and Drug Administration Category: Agriculture, Consumer Protection, Food and Nutrition Funding Amount: $2,000,000 |
| Academic Development of a Training Program for Good Laboratory Practices in High Containment Environments (U24) Apply for RFA FD 17 013 Funding Number: RFA FD 17 013 Agency: Department of Health and Human Services, Food and Drug Administration Category: Agriculture, Consumer Protection, Food and Nutrition Funding Amount: $1,500,000 |
| Building Research Capacity in Global Tobacco Product Regulation Program (U18) Apply for RFA FD 18 003 Funding Number: RFA FD 18 003 Agency: Department of Health and Human Services, Food and Drug Administration Category: Agriculture, Consumer Protection, Food and Nutrition Funding Amount: $450,000 |
| Vet-LIRN Network Capacity-Building Projects Apply for PAR 18 604 Funding Number: PAR 18 604 Agency: Department of Health and Human Services, Food and Drug Administration Category: Agriculture, Consumer Protection, Food and Nutrition Funding Amount: $225,000 |
| National Laboratory Curriculum Framework Development Apply for RFA FD 18 005 Funding Number: RFA FD 18 005 Agency: Department of Health and Human Services, Food and Drug Administration Category: Agriculture, Consumer Protection, Food and Nutrition Funding Amount: $750,000 |
| Cooperative Agreement to Support the Western Center for Food Safety (U19) Apply for RFA FD 18 008 Funding Number: RFA FD 18 008 Agency: Department of Health and Human Services, Food and Drug Administration Category: Agriculture, Consumer Protection, Food and Nutrition Funding Amount: $2,500,000 |
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