Opportunity Information: Apply for USDA NIFA FSMA 005056
Apply for USDA NIFA FSMA 005056
- The National Institute of Food and Agriculture in the agriculture sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "National Training, Education, Extension, Outreach, and Technical Assistance Competitive Grants Program Regional Center Grants to Enhance Food Safety" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 10.328 National Food Safety Training, Education, Extension, Outreach, and Technical Assistance Competitive Grants Program.
- This funding opportunity was created on May 18, 2015 and posted on May 18, 2015.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Jun 29, 2015. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- The funding agency has allocated a total of $2,300,000.00 to eligible and selected applicants.
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $1,150,000.00 in funding.
- Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).
- Applications may be submitted by the following eligible applicants only The Cooperative Extension Service for a U.S. state or territory Non government organizations and/or community based organizations Organizations representing owners and operators of farms, small food processors, or small fruit and vegetable merchant wholesalers that has a commitment to public health and expertise in administering programs that contribute to food safety Federal, State, local, or tribal agencies An institution of higher education (as defined in Section 101(a) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001(a)) or a foundation maintained by an institution of higher education A collaboration of two or more eligible entities.
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Opportunity Summary:
The National Training, Education, Extension, Outreach, and Technical Assistance Competitive Grants Program Regional Center Grants to Enhance Food Safety (Funding Opportunity Number: USDA NIFA FSMA 005056) was a discretionary grant program run by the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) in partnership with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The core purpose was to strengthen food safety nationwide by creating and delivering coordinated training, education, outreach, extension services, and technical assistance for groups impacted by the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA). In practical terms, the program aimed to help farms, small food processors, and other affected food system participants understand and implement FSMA-related food safety requirements by building a regional support structure that could be expanded into a lasting national system.
A major emphasis of the opportunity was infrastructure building. Rather than funding one-off workshops or isolated educational materials, the program was meant to establish or reinforce “regional centers” capable of organizing consistent food safety programming over time. These regional centers were expected to serve as hubs that coordinate training and technical assistance, develop or adapt educational resources, and connect stakeholders to reliable expertise. The announcement also highlighted that these regional centers would create meaningful downstream funding and collaboration opportunities through subcontracts, which was specifically intended to bring in eligible stakeholder groups such as community-based organizations and non-governmental organizations. That design choice reflects a recognition that food safety compliance support often works best when delivered through trusted local and regional networks, especially for smaller operations with limited staff and resources.
The opportunity fell under the Agriculture funding activity category and was associated with CFDA number 10.328 (National Food Safety Training, Education, Extension, Outreach, and Technical Assistance Competitive Grants Program). Cost sharing or matching was required, meaning applicants needed to contribute non-federal resources (cash and/or allowable in-kind support) as part of the project budget, rather than relying entirely on federal dollars. This requirement often signals that the funding agency wants to see institutional commitment and shared investment, and it can also encourage partnerships that pool resources across multiple organizations.
In terms of funding levels, the program listed an estimated total funding amount of $2,300,000, with an award ceiling of $1,150,000. This suggests a competitive structure likely supporting a small number of relatively substantial awards, consistent with the goal of establishing regionally anchored centers rather than many small projects. The posted date and creation date were May 18, 2015, with an application deadline of June 29, 2015, and an archive date of July 29, 2015, indicating the specific competition window for that cycle has closed.
Eligibility was broad but specific to organizational types positioned to deliver training and technical assistance at scale. Eligible applicants included Cooperative Extension Services for U.S. states or territories; non-government and community-based organizations; organizations representing owners and operators of farms, small food processors, or small fruit and vegetable merchant wholesalers (provided they demonstrated a public health commitment and relevant program administration expertise); federal, state, local, or tribal agencies; institutions of higher education (as defined under the Higher Education Act of 1965) or foundations maintained by those institutions; and collaborations of two or more eligible entities. The emphasis on collaborations is consistent with the program’s infrastructure-building goals, since regional food safety capacity typically depends on coordinated delivery across extension, academia, regulators, and trusted community partners.
Administratively, NIFA was the named agency, with support available through the NIFA Help Desk for applicants who had trouble accessing the full announcement electronically. The listing also indicated there were contacts available for questions related to preparing application content, underscoring that the program anticipated complex proposals that would lay out a coordinated regional approach to FSMA-related training and technical assistance rather than simple single-organization activities.
Overall, the grant opportunity was designed to accelerate FSMA implementation support by investing in regional hubs that could organize training and technical assistance, partner widely (including through subawards), and help form the backbone of a broader national food safety training and outreach system.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the name of this grant program?
The opportunity is the National Training, Education, Extension, Outreach, and Technical Assistance Competitive Grants Program: Regional Center Grants to Enhance Food Safety (Funding Opportunity Number: USDA NIFA FSMA 005056).
Which federal agency ran this funding opportunity?
The named agency was the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA), and the program was run in partnership with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
What was the core purpose of the program?
The program was designed to strengthen food safety nationwide by supporting coordinated training, education, outreach, extension services, and technical assistance for groups impacted by the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA). A practical goal was helping farms, small food processors, and other affected participants understand and implement FSMA-related food safety requirements.
What is meant by "regional centers" in this opportunity?
Regional centers were intended to function as hubs that organize consistent food safety programming over time. They were expected to coordinate training and technical assistance, develop or adapt educational resources, and connect stakeholders to reliable expertise, contributing to a support structure that could expand into a lasting national system.
Was the program focused on one-time workshops or longer-term capacity?
A major emphasis was infrastructure building. Rather than funding isolated workshops or stand-alone materials, the program aimed to establish or reinforce regional centers capable of delivering coordinated, ongoing food safety programming over time.
How did the opportunity address collaboration and local delivery of support?
The announcement emphasized that regional centers would create downstream funding and collaboration opportunities through subcontracts, specifically intended to bring in eligible stakeholder groups such as community-based organizations and non-governmental organizations. This reflects an intent to leverage trusted local and regional networks for food safety compliance support, especially for smaller operations with limited resources.
What funding category did this opportunity fall under?
The opportunity fell under the Agriculture funding activity category.
What is the CFDA number associated with this program?
The CFDA number listed was 10.328 (National Food Safety Training, Education, Extension, Outreach, and Technical Assistance Competitive Grants Program).
Was cost sharing or matching required?
Yes. Cost sharing or matching was required, meaning applicants needed to contribute non-federal resources (cash and/or allowable in-kind support) as part of the project budget rather than relying entirely on federal funds.
What does the cost share requirement imply for applicants?
Based on the description provided, the requirement signals an expectation of institutional commitment and shared investment, and it can encourage partnerships that pool resources across multiple organizations.
How much total funding was estimated for this competition?
The estimated total funding amount listed was $2,300,000.
What was the maximum award amount (award ceiling)?
The award ceiling was $1,150,000.
What does the ceiling and total funding suggest about the number of awards?
With an estimated total of $2,300,000 and an award ceiling of $1,150,000, the structure suggests a competitive program likely supporting a small number of relatively substantial awards, consistent with establishing regionally anchored centers rather than many small projects.
When was this funding opportunity posted?
The posted date and creation date were May 18, 2015.
What was the application deadline?
The application deadline was June 29, 2015.
Is this specific competition cycle still open?
No. The archive date was July 29, 2015, indicating that the competition window for that cycle has closed.
Who was eligible to apply?
Eligible applicants included:
- Cooperative Extension Services for U.S. states or territories
- Non-government and community-based organizations
- Organizations representing owners and operators of farms, small food processors, or small fruit and vegetable merchant wholesalers (provided they demonstrated a public health commitment and relevant program administration expertise)
- Federal, state, local, or tribal agencies
- Institutions of higher education (as defined under the Higher Education Act of 1965) or foundations maintained by those institutions
- Collaborations of two or more eligible entities
Were collaborative applications encouraged?
Yes. Collaborations of two or more eligible entities were explicitly listed as eligible, aligning with the program's infrastructure-building goal and the need for coordinated regional delivery across extension, academia, regulators, and community partners.
What kinds of organizations representing food system businesses could apply?
Organizations representing owners and operators of farms, small food processors, or small fruit and vegetable merchant wholesalers could apply, as long as they demonstrated a public health commitment and relevant expertise in administering programs.
How were community-based organizations and NGOs expected to participate?
The opportunity highlighted that regional centers would create downstream funding and collaboration opportunities through subcontracts, specifically intended to bring in eligible stakeholder groups such as community-based organizations and non-governmental organizations.
What kinds of activities were regional centers expected to deliver?
Based on the description, regional centers were expected to create and deliver coordinated training, education, outreach, extension services, and technical assistance related to FSMA and food safety implementation, including organizing programming, developing or adapting educational resources, and connecting stakeholders with expertise.
What populations or stakeholders were the program meant to support?
The program aimed to support groups impacted by FSMA, with particular practical focus on farms, small food processors, and other affected food system participants needing help understanding and implementing FSMA-related food safety requirements.
Did the opportunity include applicant support or points of contact?
Yes. NIFA was the named agency, and support was available through the NIFA Help Desk for applicants who had trouble accessing the full announcement electronically. The listing also indicated contacts were available for questions related to preparing application content.
What does it mean that this was a discretionary grant program?
Based on the information provided, it was described as a discretionary competitive grant program, meaning awards were made through a competition during the stated application window rather than as an entitlement.
What was the longer-term vision behind funding regional centers?
The longer-term intent was to build a regional support structure that could be expanded into a lasting national system for food safety training, outreach, and technical assistance supporting FSMA implementation.
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