Plant Feedstock Genomics for Bioenergy A Joint Research Funding Opportunity Announcement USDA, DOE | Apply Online

Opportunity Summary:

The grant opportunity "Plant Feedstock Genomics for Bioenergy" (Funding Opportunity Number DE-FOA-0000223) is a joint research funding announcement from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Science, specifically the Office of Biological and Environmental Research (OBER), and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA). It is focused on supporting genomics-driven, fundamental plant research that can make biomass and plant feedstocks better and more practical sources for bioenergy and biobased products. The overarching aim is to build the scientific foundation needed to produce fuels like ethanol and renewable chemical feedstocks more efficiently and sustainably by improving the plants themselves and the way they are characterized, bred, and managed as energy crops.

At the core of the solicitation is an emphasis on genomics-based research that improves key traits related to bioenergy production. That includes research intended to improve biomass characteristics (for example, traits that affect how easily plant material can be converted into fuels or chemicals), increase biomass yield (how much usable plant material can be produced per acre or per unit input), and strengthen sustainability (traits and knowledge that support long-term productivity while reducing negative environmental impacts). The announcement also encourages systems biology approaches, meaning integrative research that connects genomic information to biological function across scales (genes, regulatory networks, pathways, phenotypes, and environmental interactions). In practical terms, they are looking for projects that can identify genetic indicators or markers that make plants easier to breed for desirable bioenergy traits, or that enable more targeted manipulation of plants through advanced biological tools.

Another major thread in the opportunity is fundamental work that improves understanding of plant genomes themselves. This includes research that advances knowledge about the structure, function, and organization of plant genomes in ways that can lead to improved feedstock characterization and sustainability. The intent is not just incremental crop improvement, but deeper insights that clarify how plant genomes drive traits important to biomass quality and conversion, resilience, and productivity. The funding is categorized under science and technology and other research and development, and is offered as a discretionary grant under CFDA 81.049 (Office of Science Financial Assistance Program). The opportunity explicitly states there is no cost sharing or matching requirement, which can lower barriers for applicants who might otherwise need to provide non-federal funds.

Eligibility is broadly open ("unrestricted") but with specific DOE and USDA conditions. Under DOE criteria, eligible applicants include U.S. colleges and universities, nonprofit organizations, for-profit commercial organizations, state and local governments, and unaffiliated individuals. Exclusions include Federally Funded Research and Development Center (FFRDC) contractors and certain nonprofit organizations (those described under section 501(c)(4) of the Internal Revenue Code) that engaged in lobbying activities after December 31, 1995. Researchers from other federal agencies are encouraged to begin with a pre-application referencing the FOA, and if invited to submit a full proposal they would receive additional instructions. Under USDA criteria, the Secretary may award grants to a wide range of entities, including 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 teams composed of two or more eligible entities. A key restriction is that applications from scientists at non-U.S. organizations will not be accepted, although awardees are allowed to subcontract to otherwise ineligible organizations when those partners are necessary to carry out the work.

From an administrative standpoint, the opportunity was posted and created on December 11, 2009, with an original and current closing date of February 18, 2010, and an archive date of June 1, 2010. The listing points applicants to FedConnect for additional information, implying that full application details, required forms, and submission instructions were hosted there. For support and questions, the announcement provides multiple contacts: Deb Greenawalt at DOE as the grant analyst (301-903-4074, deb.greenawalt@science.doe.gov), Catherine M. Ronning as a DOE technical/scientific program contact (301-903-9549, Catherine.Ronning@science.doe.gov), and Ed Kaleikau as a USDA technical/scientific program contact (ekaleikau@nifa.usda.gov). Overall, the program is clearly designed to accelerate foundational genomics and systems-level plant biology discoveries that translate into better bioenergy feedstocks, improved conversion-relevant plant traits, and stronger sustainability outcomes for biomass-based energy and renewable chemicals.

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