Opportunity Information: Apply for USDA CSREES AFRI 001967
Apply for USDA CSREES AFRI 001967
- The CSREES in the agriculture environment food and nutrition natural resources science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Microbial Genome Sequencing Program" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 10.310 Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (AFRI) 47.074 Biological Sciences.
- This funding opportunity was created on Mar 17, 2009 and posted on Dec 2, 2008.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Mar 18, 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 $10,000,000.00 to eligible and selected applicants.
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $1,200,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 20 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.
- CSREES Eligibility Criteria The source of USDA funds to support the fiscal year (FY) 2009 Microbial Genome Sequencing Program is subject to the availability of appropriations to carry out the AFRI program, the Secretary may award grants to State agricultural experiment stations colleges and universities university research foundations other research institutions and organizations Federal agencies national laboratories private organizations or corporations individuals or any group consisting of two or more of the aforementioned entities. Applications from scientists at non U.S. organizations will not be accepted. Award recipients may subcontract to organizations not eligible to apply, provided such organizations are necessary for the conduct of the project. NSF Eligibility Criteria Proposals are invited from academic institutions accredited and having a campus located in the U.S., U.S. non profit research organizations, and consortia of such organizations with appropriate research and educational facilities. A proposal from a multi organizational consortium must be submitted by the lead organization as a single proposal. When a consortium of eligible individuals or organizations submits a proposal, a single principal investigator must be designated as the project director (PD) and a single organization must accept overall management responsibility, including the management of intellectual property, that may result from the proposed research. Simultaneous submission of proposals to this program and another federal agency is permissible with prior written approval of the appropriate program officers at each agency involved. Proposers are encouraged to establish international collaborations where appropriate. It is anticipated that foreign agencies will support the offshore activities of these programs. The NSF component of this program will not make awards or allow subcontracts to non U.S. institutions.
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Opportunity Summary:
The Microbial Genome Sequencing Program is a joint funding opportunity run collaboratively by the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service (CSREES) and the National Science Foundation (NSF). Its central goal is to accelerate genome-enabled microbial science by funding large-scale, high-throughput sequencing efforts and by improving the practical usefulness of genome sequence data for the broader research community. The program sits within a wider federal coordination effort known as The Microbe Project, which is meant to align multiple agencies around shared priorities in microbial genomics and related tools and infrastructure.
On the research side, the program supports two major categories of work. First, it funds the sequencing of whole genomes across a wide spectrum of microbial life and related organisms, explicitly including plasmids, viruses, bacteria, archaea, fungi, oomycetes, protists, microeukaryotes, and agriculturally important nematodes. It also supports sequencing of metagenomes, meaning the combined genetic material of entire microbial communities taken directly from environmental or host-associated samples. Second, it funds the development and deployment of strategies, tools, and technologies that make existing and newly generated genome sequences more valuable and easier to use. In practice, that second category can cover work like improved annotation approaches, comparative genomics resources, better data standards, software pipelines, and other methods that increase the interpretability, accessibility, and scientific impact of genome data.
A key expectation of the program is that the genome and metagenome sequences generated with these funds will be made available for use by the wider community of investigators, not held as private datasets. The intent is to create shared resources that enable many downstream studies, supporting both fundamental discoveries and applied outcomes. The types of questions the program highlights include understanding new and unusual aspects of microbial biochemistry and physiology, mapping microbial diversity and clarifying the roles microorganisms play in ecosystems and global biogeochemical cycles, and examining how microbes influence agricultural productivity, sustainability of natural resources (including forestry, soil, and water), and the safety and quality of the U.S. food supply. It also emphasizes research into genome organization and evolution, including how genetic information is transmitted, exchanged, and reshuffled through mechanisms such as horizontal gene transfer and other forms of genomic rearrangement.
In terms of award structure and scale, the opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number USDA CSREES AFRI 001967) was offered as a discretionary grant program with an estimated total funding level of 10,000,000 and an expectation of about 20 awards. Individual awards were anticipated to range from 100,000 to 1,200,000, and there was no cost sharing or matching requirement. The funding is associated with CFDA numbers 10.310 (Agriculture and Food Research Initiative, AFRI) and 47.074 (Biological Sciences), reflecting the joint USDA and NSF involvement and the program's placement at the intersection of agricultural, environmental, and basic biological research.
Eligibility was broad but had important constraints. On the USDA side, applicants could include state agricultural experiment stations, colleges and universities, university research foundations, other research institutions and organizations, federal agencies, national laboratories, private organizations or corporations, individuals, or groups of two or more such entities, contingent on appropriations for AFRI in the relevant fiscal year. However, applications from scientists at non-U.S. organizations were not accepted, though awardees could subcontract to otherwise ineligible organizations if those partners were necessary to carry out the project. On the NSF side, proposals were invited from U.S.-accredited academic institutions with a U.S. campus, U.S. non-profit research organizations, and consortia of eligible organizations. For multi-organization consortia, the proposal had to be submitted as a single package by a lead organization with one designated principal investigator or project director and one organization responsible for overall management, including any intellectual property that might arise. International collaborations were encouraged where they strengthened the work, but the NSF component would not make awards or allow subcontracts to non-U.S. institutions, and it was anticipated that foreign partners would be supported by their own agencies for offshore activities. The announcement also noted that submitting the same proposal to another federal agency could be allowed, but only with prior written approval from the relevant program officers at each agency involved.
The opportunity was posted on December 2, 2008, with an original closing date of March 2, 2009, later extended to March 18, 2009, and an archive date of April 15, 2009. For administrative help accessing the full announcement, applicants were directed to the CSREES Help Desk at 202-401-5048 during weekday business hours.
Microbial Genome Sequencing Program - FAQs
What is the Microbial Genome Sequencing Program?
The Microbial Genome Sequencing Program is a joint funding opportunity run collaboratively by the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service (CSREES) and the National Science Foundation (NSF). Its purpose is to accelerate genome-enabled microbial science by supporting large-scale, high-throughput sequencing and by improving how useful genome sequence data is for the broader research community.
How does this program relate to The Microbe Project?
The program sits within a broader federal coordination effort called The Microbe Project. That effort is intended to align multiple federal agencies around shared priorities in microbial genomics, as well as related tools and infrastructure.
What types of projects does the program fund?
The program supports two major categories of work: (1) sequencing of whole genomes and metagenomes across a broad range of microbial life and related organisms, and (2) development and deployment of strategies, tools, and technologies that increase the value and usability of genome sequence data.
What organisms are explicitly included as eligible targets for whole-genome sequencing?
The announcement explicitly includes plasmids, viruses, bacteria, archaea, fungi, oomycetes, protists, microeukaryotes, and agriculturally important nematodes among the organisms and related biological entities that may be sequenced.
Does the program support metagenome sequencing?
Yes. The program supports sequencing of metagenomes, meaning the combined genetic material of entire microbial communities taken directly from environmental or host-associated samples.
Besides generating sequences, what else can be funded?
The program also funds approaches that make genome and metagenome data more valuable and easier to use. Examples mentioned include improved annotation approaches, comparative genomics resources, better data standards, software pipelines, and other methods that increase interpretability, accessibility, and scientific impact of genome data.
Is there an expectation that the data will be shared publicly?
Yes. A key expectation is that genome and metagenome sequences generated with program funds will be made available for use by the wider community of investigators, rather than held as private datasets. The intent is to create shared resources that enable downstream studies.
What kinds of scientific questions does the program emphasize?
The announcement highlights questions such as: discovering new and unusual microbial biochemistry and physiology; mapping microbial diversity; clarifying roles microorganisms play in ecosystems and global biogeochemical cycles; and understanding how microbes influence agricultural productivity, sustainability of natural resources (including forestry, soil, and water), and the safety and quality of the U.S. food supply.
Does the program include interest in genome organization and evolution?
Yes. It emphasizes research into genome organization and evolution, including how genetic information is transmitted, exchanged, and reshuffled through mechanisms such as horizontal gene transfer and other forms of genomic rearrangement.
What is the Funding Opportunity Number for this grant?
The Funding Opportunity Number is USDA CSREES AFRI 001967.
What is the estimated total funding available and the expected number of awards?
The estimated total funding level is 10,000,000, with an expectation of about 20 awards.
What is the anticipated range of individual award amounts?
Individual awards were anticipated to range from 100,000 to 1,200,000.
Is cost sharing or matching required?
No. The opportunity stated that there was no cost sharing or matching requirement.
Which CFDA numbers are associated with this opportunity?
The funding is associated with CFDA 10.310 (Agriculture and Food Research Initiative, AFRI) and CFDA 47.074 (Biological Sciences), reflecting joint USDA and NSF involvement.
Who was eligible to apply under the USDA (CSREES/AFRI) side?
USDA-side eligibility included state agricultural experiment stations, colleges and universities, university research foundations, other research institutions and organizations, federal agencies, national laboratories, private organizations or corporations, individuals, or groups of two or more such entities, contingent on appropriations for AFRI in the relevant fiscal year.
Are non-U.S. organizations allowed to apply?
Applications from scientists at non-U.S. organizations were not accepted.
Can a funded project subcontract to otherwise ineligible organizations?
Yes. The announcement noted that awardees could subcontract to otherwise ineligible organizations if those partners were necessary to carry out the project.
Who was eligible to apply under the NSF side?
NSF invited proposals from U.S.-accredited academic institutions with a U.S. campus, U.S. non-profit research organizations, and consortia of eligible organizations.
How should proposals be submitted for multi-organization consortia?
For multi-organization consortia, the proposal had to be submitted as a single package by a lead organization. The consortium also needed one designated principal investigator or project director and one organization responsible for overall management, including any intellectual property that might arise.
Are international collaborations allowed?
International collaborations were encouraged when they strengthened the proposed work.
Can NSF funds be used for foreign institutions or foreign subcontracts?
No. The NSF component would not make awards or allow subcontracts to non-U.S. institutions. It was anticipated that foreign partners would be supported by their own agencies for offshore activities.
Can the same proposal be submitted to another federal agency at the same time?
It could be allowed, but only with prior written approval from the relevant program officers at each agency involved, according to the announcement.
When was the opportunity posted and when did it close?
The opportunity was posted on December 2, 2008. The original closing date was March 2, 2009, and it was later extended to March 18, 2009.
When was the archive date for this opportunity?
The archive date listed was April 15, 2009.
Where could applicants get administrative help accessing the full announcement?
Applicants were directed to the CSREES Help Desk at 202-401-5048 during weekday business hours for administrative help accessing the full announcement.
What type of grant program was this?
The opportunity was offered as a discretionary grant program.
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