Opportunity Information: Apply for USDA NIFA ICGP 003649
Apply for USDA NIFA ICGP 003649
- The National Institute of Food and Agriculture in the agriculture employment, labor and training environment food and nutrition health natural resources science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Organic Agriculture Research and Extension Initiative" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 10.307 Organic Agriculture Research and Extension Initiative.
- This funding opportunity was created on Jan 17, 2012 and posted on Jan 17, 2012.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Mar 9, 2012. (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 $19,000,000.00 in funding.
- Eligible applicants include: Private institutions of higher education Public and State controlled institutions of higher education For profit organizations other than small businesses Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education Individuals Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification) Small businesses Nonprofits that do not have a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education.
- The following entities are eligible to apply for and receive a grant under this program. 1. State agricultural experiment stations 2. Colleges and universities 3.University research foundations 4. Other research institutions and organizations 5. Federal agencies 6. National laboratories 7. Private organizations or corporations 8. Individuals who are United States citizens or nationals or 9. A group consisting of two or more of the entities described in subparagraphs (1) through (8).
[Watch] Creating a grant proposal using the step-by-step wizard inside the applicant portal:
Opportunity Summary:
The Organic Agriculture Research and Extension Initiative (OREI) is a competitive grant program run by the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) designed to tackle high-priority challenges in organic agriculture by combining research with hands-on education and outreach. The central idea is not just to fund academic studies, but to support practical, applied projects that generate usable results and then actively deliver those results to the people who can put them to work, especially organic farmers, ranchers, and processors. The program is focused on strengthening the capacity of operations that are already following organic standards to produce and market high-quality organic products, with an emphasis on real-world production and marketing needs rather than purely theoretical outcomes.
OREI places priority on projects that address critical organic agriculture issues across the biological sciences (such as pests, disease, soil biology, and crop or livestock health), physical sciences (including soil and water management, cultivation systems, and related agronomic factors), and social sciences, with economics specifically called out as important. In practice, that means proposals can range from field-based studies of organic weed or pest management to economic analyses of organic market constraints, labor needs, or adoption barriers, as long as they are framed around solving problems that organic producers and processors face. A major theme in the opportunity is whole-farm planning, so projects that look at organic systems as integrated operations, for example linking soil fertility, crop rotations, livestock integration, risk management, profitability, and marketing, are especially aligned with what the program is trying to accomplish.
A key requirement is that the work be grounded in authentic organic conditions. Any fieldwork supported by OREI must take place on land that is certified organic or on land transitioning toward organic certification, depending on what the project is trying to achieve. This requirement helps ensure that results reflect the realities of organic management, inputs, and certification constraints, and that the guidance produced is directly relevant to organic operations instead of being extrapolated from conventional systems.
The opportunity is listed as a discretionary grant funding program under CFDA 10.307. It supports a wide range of agriculture-related activity areas, including agriculture broadly, environment, food and nutrition, health, natural resources, and research and development. Cost sharing or matching is required, meaning applicants should expect to contribute non-federal resources as part of the overall project budget, consistent with the program rules in the full announcement.
Eligibility is broad and includes many types of organizations and individuals. Eligible applicants include state agricultural experiment stations; colleges and universities (public or private); university research foundations; other research institutions and organizations; federal agencies and national laboratories; private organizations and corporations; and individual applicants who are U.S. citizens or nationals. The program also allows applications from groups or partnerships consisting of two or more eligible entities, which fits well with the program’s emphasis on integrating research with extension and on getting results into producers hands. In the summarized source record, eligible applicant categories also include nonprofits (both 501(c)(3) and non-501(c)(3)), for-profit organizations (including those other than small businesses), small businesses, and other applicants as clarified in the full notice.
For this specific archived opportunity posting (Funding Opportunity Number USDA NIFA ICGP 003649), the announcement was posted on January 17, 2012, with an application closing date of March 9, 2012, and it was archived on April 8, 2012. The listed award ceiling is $19,000,000 and the award floor is $0, which indicates the program could support awards up to that maximum amount, while not specifying a minimum award size in the summary record.
Applicants needing technical help accessing the full announcement were directed to the NIFA Help Desk at 202-401-5048 during standard business hours (Monday through Friday, 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. ET, excluding federal holidays). For questions about application content and preparation, the full announcement would typically provide additional program contacts and instructions.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs): Organic Agriculture Research and Extension Initiative (OREI)
What is the Organic Agriculture Research and Extension Initiative (OREI)?
OREI is a competitive grant program administered by the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA). It is designed to address high-priority challenges in organic agriculture by supporting projects that combine research with education and outreach so results are practical and get delivered to the people who can use them.
What is the main purpose of OREI funding?
The program aims to fund applied, real-world work that produces usable results and then actively shares those results with organic farmers, ranchers, and processors. The focus is on strengthening the capacity of operations that already follow organic standards to produce and market high-quality organic products.
Is OREI focused on research only, or does it also include outreach?
OREI emphasizes combining research with hands-on education and outreach. The intent is not only to generate findings, but also to deliver guidance, tools, and results to organic producers and processors.
What kinds of issues or topics does OREI prioritize?
OREI prioritizes projects that address critical organic agriculture issues across biological sciences (such as pests, disease, soil biology, and crop or livestock health), physical sciences (including soil and water management and cultivation systems), and social sciences, with economics specifically highlighted.
Can economics and market-related projects be a fit for OREI?
Yes. The opportunity description specifically calls out economics as important and notes that projects may include economic analyses of organic market constraints, labor needs, or adoption barriers, as long as the work is framed around solving problems organic producers and processors face.
What does the program mean by a "whole-farm" emphasis?
OREI places a major emphasis on whole-farm planning and integrated organic systems. Projects that connect multiple parts of an operation, such as soil fertility, crop rotations, livestock integration, risk management, profitability, and marketing, are especially aligned with the program goals.
Are projects required to be conducted under organic conditions?
Yes. Any fieldwork supported by OREI must take place on land that is certified organic or on land transitioning toward organic certification, depending on what the project is designed to accomplish.
Why does OREI require certified organic or transitioning land for fieldwork?
The purpose is to ensure results reflect real organic management conditions, including organic inputs and certification constraints, so the outcomes are directly relevant to organic operations rather than being extrapolated from conventional systems.
What type of funding program is OREI (CFDA number)?
OREI is listed as a discretionary grant program under CFDA 10.307.
What activity areas does this program support?
The program supports a broad set of agriculture-related activity areas, including agriculture, environment, food and nutrition, health, natural resources, and research and development.
Is cost sharing or matching required?
Yes. Cost sharing or matching is required, meaning applicants should expect to contribute non-federal resources as part of the total project budget, consistent with the program rules described in the full announcement.
Who is eligible to apply for OREI grants?
Eligibility is broad. Eligible applicants include state agricultural experiment stations; colleges and universities (public or private); university research foundations; other research institutions and organizations; federal agencies and national laboratories; private organizations and corporations; and individual applicants who are U.S. citizens or nationals.
Can a partnership or multi-organization group apply?
Yes. The program allows applications from groups or partnerships consisting of two or more eligible entities, which aligns with the program emphasis on integrating research with extension and getting results into producers hands.
Are nonprofits eligible to apply?
Yes. The summarized source record indicates nonprofit organizations are eligible, including both 501(c)(3) and non-501(c)(3) nonprofits, as further clarified in the full notice.
Are for-profit organizations and small businesses eligible to apply?
Yes. The summarized source record includes for-profit organizations (including those other than small businesses) and small businesses among eligible applicant categories, as clarified in the full notice.
Are individuals eligible to apply?
Yes. Individual applicants who are U.S. citizens or nationals are listed among eligible applicants.
What is the Funding Opportunity Number for the specific posting described here?
The archived opportunity posting referenced is Funding Opportunity Number USDA NIFA ICGP 003649.
When was this specific opportunity posted and when was it due?
For the archived posting described, the announcement was posted on January 17, 2012, and the application closing date was March 9, 2012.
Is this specific posting still open?
No. The specific opportunity described is archived, and it was archived on April 8, 2012.
What is the maximum award amount listed for this opportunity?
The listed award ceiling in the summary record is $19,000,000.
Is there a minimum award amount?
The summary record lists an award floor of $0, which indicates no minimum award size is specified in that summary.
Where can applicants get technical help accessing the full announcement?
Applicants needing technical help accessing the full announcement were directed to the NIFA Help Desk at 202-401-5048 during standard business hours, Monday through Friday, 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. ET, excluding federal holidays.
Who should be contacted for questions about application content and preparation?
The information provided indicates that the full announcement would typically include additional program contacts and instructions for application content and preparation.
Browse more business programs for Agriculture Services, Agriculture Research Companies
Browse more opportunities from the same agency: National Institute of Food and Agriculture
Browse more opportunities from the same category: Agriculture Employment, Labor and Training Environment Food and Nutrition Health Natural Resources Science and Technology and other Research and Development
Next opportunity: Affordable Care Act Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting Research Program
Previous opportunity: Genomic Science Biosystems Design to Enable Next Generation Biofuels
USGrants.org Applicant Portal:
Are you interested in learning about about how to apply for this government funding opportunity? You can create a free applicant account and receive instant access to our applicant portal that many business owners like you have benefited from.
Apply for USDA NIFA ICGP 003649
[Watch] how do funding administrators access proposals?
Applicants also applied for:
Applicants who have applied for this opportunity (USDA NIFA ICGP 003649) also looked into and applied for these:
| Funding Opportunity |
|---|
| Specialty Crop Research Initiative Apply for USDA NIFA SCRI 004509 Funding Number: USDA NIFA SCRI 004509 Agency: National Institute of Food and Agriculture Category: Agriculture Employment, Labor and Training Environment Food and Nutrition Health Natural Resources Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: $10,000,000 |
| Organic Agriculture Research and Extension Initiative Apply for USDA NIFA ICGP 004510 Funding Number: USDA NIFA ICGP 004510 Agency: National Institute of Food and Agriculture Category: Agriculture Employment, Labor and Training Environment Food and Nutrition Health Natural Resources Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: $2,000,000 |
| Organic Agriculture Research and Extension Initiative Apply for USDA CSREES ICGP 002012 Funding Number: USDA CSREES ICGP 002012 Agency: CSREES Category: Agriculture Employment, Labor and Training Environment Food and Nutrition Health Natural Resources Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: $3,000,000 |
| Specialty Crop Research Initiative Apply for USDA CSREES SCRI 002038 Funding Number: USDA CSREES SCRI 002038 Agency: CSREES Category: Agriculture Employment, Labor and Training Environment Food and Nutrition Health Natural Resources Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: $10,000,000 |
| Specialty Crop Research Initiative Apply for USDA NIFA SCRI 002672 Funding Number: USDA NIFA SCRI 002672 Agency: National Institute of Food and Agriculture Category: Agriculture Employment, Labor and Training Environment Food and Nutrition Health Natural Resources Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: $10,000,000 |
| Organic Agriculture Research and Extension Initiative (OREI) Apply for USDA NIFA ICGP 002696 Funding Number: USDA NIFA ICGP 002696 Agency: National Institute of Food and Agriculture Category: Agriculture Employment, Labor and Training Environment Food and Nutrition Health Natural Resources Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: $3,000,000 |
| Specialty Crop Research Initiative Apply for USDA NIFA SCRI 003357 Funding Number: USDA NIFA SCRI 003357 Agency: National Institute of Food and Agriculture Category: Agriculture Employment, Labor and Training Environment Food and Nutrition Health Natural Resources Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: $47,300,000 |
| Organic Research and Extension Initiative Apply for USDA NIFA ICGP 003388 Funding Number: USDA NIFA ICGP 003388 Agency: National Institute of Food and Agriculture Category: Agriculture Employment, Labor and Training Environment Food and Nutrition Health Natural Resources Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: $19,000,000 |
Grant application guides and resources
It is always free to apply for government grants. However the process may be very complex depending on the funding opportunity you are applying for. Let us help you!
Apply for Grants
Premium leads for funding administrators, grant writers, and loan issuers
Thousands of people visit our website for their funding needs every day. When a user creates a grant proposal and files for submission, we pass the information on to funding administrators, grant writers, and government loan issuers.
If you manage government grant programs, provide grant writing services, or issue personal or government loans, we can help you reach your audience.
Subscribe to Leads
Request more information:
Would you like to learn more about this funding opportunity, similar opportunities to "USDA NIFA ICGP 003649", eligibility, application service, and/or application tips? Submit an inquiry below:
Don't forget to subscribe to our grant alerts mailing list to receive weekly alerts on new and updated grant funding opportunities like this one in your email.