Opportunity Information: Apply for RFA FD 13 003
Apply for RFA FD 13 003
- The Food Drug Administration in the agriculture business and commerce consumer protection education environment food and nutrition health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "National Consumer Food Safety Education Conference (U13)" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.103 Food and Drug AdministrationResearch.
- This funding opportunity was created on May 16, 2013 and posted on May 17, 2013.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Jul 16, 2013 This FOA has a Single Receipt Date. The Application Receipt/Due date is 7/15/2013 by 1159 PM Eastern Time Applicants should be aware that on time submission means that an application is submitted error free (of both Grants.gov and eRA Commons errors) before 1159 p.m. Eastern Time on the application due date. Applicants are encouraged to submit their applications to Grants.gov several days early to ensure enough time to correct any errors and to comply with the deadline. Late applications will not be accepted for this announcement.. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- The funding agency has allocated a total of $200,000.00 to eligible and selected applicants.
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $200,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Special district governments Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized) Public and State controlled institutions of higher education Independent school districts Nonprofits that do not have a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education Small businesses State governments Public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities For profit organizations other than small businesses County governments Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments) Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education Private institutions of higher education City or township governments.
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Opportunity Summary:
The National Consumer Food Safety Education Conference (U13) is a cooperative agreement funding opportunity from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) intended to support a single national conference focused on strengthening consumer food safety education. The central aim is to improve the knowledge, real-world skills, and overall effectiveness of health and food safety educators so they can more successfully influence consumer behavior and help prevent foodborne illness. The conference is framed around two Healthy People 2020 objectives: FS 1, reducing infections caused by key pathogens commonly transmitted through food, and FS 5, increasing the proportion of consumers who consistently follow key food safety practices.
This opportunity builds on a series of earlier conferences held in 1997, 2002, 2006, and 2010, which were jointly sponsored by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) and the FDA. Those past events emphasized improving public education and outreach related to safe food handling and strengthening collaboration across government and non-government stakeholders involved in preventing foodborne illness. The FDA’s underlying message in this announcement is that educators who work directly in communities and in the field are a high-impact, often underutilized force in public health. By convening them in a national setting, the government aims to “activate†these educators as partners, align them with evidence-based messaging and practices, and create a multiplier effect where trained educators reach far more consumers than a single agency campaign could on its own.
From a funding and structure standpoint, this is a discretionary grant offered as a cooperative agreement, meaning the FDA would expect to have substantial involvement in the project compared with a standard grant. The total expected funding is $200,000, and the award is structured as a single award with both the floor and ceiling set at $200,000, indicating the agency planned to fund exactly one recipient at that level. There is no cost sharing or matching requirement, which can make the award more accessible to organizations that do not have additional funds to contribute.
Eligibility is broad and includes many types of entities that could credibly organize a national education-focused conference. Eligible applicants include federal recognized tribal governments and other tribal organizations, state and local governments (including counties and cities/townships), special district governments, public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities, public and private institutions of higher education, independent school districts, nonprofits (including 501(c)(3) organizations and certain nonprofits without 501(c)(3) status other than institutions of higher education), small businesses, and certain for-profit organizations (with small businesses listed separately). This wide eligibility suggests the FDA was primarily focused on finding a capable organizer with strong convening power and relevant networks, rather than limiting the competition to a narrow sector.
Key administrative details show this opportunity was time-bound with a single receipt date. The posting date was May 17, 2013, with an application due date of July 15, 2013 by 11:59 PM Eastern Time (with the closing date reflected as July 16, 2013 in the listing, but the narrative emphasizes the July 15 submission deadline). The announcement stresses that “on-time†submission means the application must be error-free in both Grants.gov and eRA Commons before the deadline, and it encourages applicants to submit several days early to allow time to fix validation or system errors. Late applications were not accepted. The opportunity was archived on August 16, 2013, consistent with a completed cycle for a single award.
In practical terms, the funded project would be expected to deliver a national conference that meaningfully upgrades educator capacity and coordination, spreads evidence-based consumer food safety practices, and strengthens collaboration among stakeholders working to reduce foodborne illness. While the summary does not list specific required sessions or deliverables, the intent clearly points toward programming that translates science and policy into teachable, actionable practices educators can take back to their communities, thereby expanding the reach of food safety messages and helping reduce illness linked to unsafe food handling. For additional guidance, the listing points applicants to the NIH Guide for Grants and Contracts and provides an FDA grants specialist contact for access issues.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the National Consumer Food Safety Education Conference (U13) funding opportunity?
It is a U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) cooperative agreement funding opportunity intended to support a single national conference focused on strengthening consumer food safety education.
What is the main purpose of this cooperative agreement?
The main purpose is to improve the knowledge, real-world skills, and overall effectiveness of health and food safety educators so they can more successfully influence consumer behavior and help prevent foodborne illness.
Why is the FDA funding a national conference instead of a typical public campaign?
The announcement emphasizes that educators who work directly in communities are a high-impact, often underutilized force in public health. By convening educators nationally and aligning them around evidence-based messaging and practices, the FDA aims to create a multiplier effect where trained educators can reach many more consumers than a single agency campaign could on its own.
Which public health objectives does the conference align with?
The conference is framed around two Healthy People 2020 objectives: FS 1 (reducing infections caused by key pathogens commonly transmitted through food) and FS 5 (increasing the proportion of consumers who consistently follow key food safety practices).
Is this opportunity a grant or a cooperative agreement?
It is a discretionary grant mechanism offered as a cooperative agreement, which typically means the FDA expects to have substantial involvement in the project compared with a standard grant.
What does "substantial involvement" mean in this context?
Based on the description of a cooperative agreement, the FDA would be more actively involved in the project than under a standard grant. The listing does not provide specific examples of FDA involvement, but it clearly signals closer agency participation and coordination.
How many awards were expected to be made?
The opportunity was structured as a single award, indicating the agency planned to fund exactly one recipient.
What is the total funding amount for this opportunity?
The total expected funding was $200,000.
Is there a funding range (minimum and maximum award amount)?
Yes. Both the floor and the ceiling were set at $200,000, which indicates the award amount was fixed at $200,000 for the single recipient.
Is cost sharing or matching required?
No. The opportunity states there is no cost sharing or matching requirement.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is broad and includes: federally recognized tribal governments and other tribal organizations; state and local governments (including counties and cities/townships); special district governments; public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities; public and private institutions of higher education; independent school districts; nonprofits (including 501(c)(3) organizations and certain nonprofits without 501(c)(3) status other than institutions of higher education); small businesses; and certain for-profit organizations.
Does the opportunity limit eligibility to nonprofits or universities?
No. The eligible applicant list includes nonprofits, higher education, multiple levels of government, tribal entities, small businesses, and certain for-profit organizations, suggesting the FDA was primarily focused on selecting a capable national conference organizer with relevant networks.
What is the funded project expected to do?
The funded project would be expected to deliver a national conference that strengthens educator capacity and coordination, promotes evidence-based consumer food safety practices, and builds collaboration among stakeholders working to reduce foodborne illness.
Are specific conference sessions or deliverables listed in the summary?
No. The summary does not list specific required sessions or deliverables. It does, however, clearly describe the intent: programming that translates science and policy into teachable, actionable practices educators can take back to their communities.
How does this opportunity relate to prior conferences?
This opportunity builds on earlier national conferences held in 1997, 2002, 2006, and 2010. Those past events were jointly sponsored by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) and the FDA and emphasized improving public education and outreach on safe food handling and strengthening collaboration across stakeholders.
When was the opportunity posted?
The posting date was May 17, 2013.
What was the application due date and time?
The narrative emphasizes an application due date of July 15, 2013 by 11:59 PM Eastern Time.
Why do some listings show a closing date of July 16, 2013?
The information provided notes a discrepancy: the closing date is reflected as July 16, 2013 in the listing, but the narrative emphasizes that submissions were due by July 15, 2013 at 11:59 PM Eastern Time.
What did the FDA consider an "on-time" application?
An on-time submission meant the application had to be error-free in both Grants.gov and eRA Commons before the deadline.
Did the FDA recommend submitting early?
Yes. Applicants were encouraged to submit several days early to allow time to fix validation or system errors.
Were late applications accepted?
No. Late applications were not accepted.
When was the opportunity archived?
The opportunity was archived on August 16, 2013, consistent with a completed cycle for a single award.
Where were applicants directed to look for additional guidance?
The listing points applicants to the NIH Guide for Grants and Contracts for additional guidance.
Was a contact mentioned for application access or submission issues?
Yes. The listing indicates that an FDA grants specialist contact was provided for access issues.
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