Opportunity Information: Apply for OFDA FY09 004
Apply for OFDA FY09 004
- The Agency for International Development in the agriculture sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Projects Leading to Design and Development of Sustainable Farmer or Community Seed Storage Models in Africa" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 98.001 USAID Foreign Assistance for Programs Overseas.
- This funding opportunity was created on May 27, 2009 and posted on May 27, 2009.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Jul 6, 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 $1,000,000.00 to eligible and selected applicants.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 4 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.
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Opportunity Summary:
The grant opportunity, titled "Projects Leading to Design and Development of Sustainable Farmer or Community Seed Storage Models in Africa" (Funding Opportunity Number OFDA FY09 004), is a USAID Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance (USAID/OFDA) discretionary grant focused on agriculture. USAID/OFDA set aside a total of USD 1,000,000 to support a small set of pilot projects or basic research programs intended to produce practical, workable seed storage models for African contexts. The program is structured as a short, design-and-demonstration effort rather than a long-term implementation grant, with an 18-month project period to test approaches and generate models that can be adopted more broadly.
The central purpose is to improve how farmers or communities store seed after harvest, with the explicit goal of reducing losses caused by insects and diseases. Applicants are expected to propose storage systems or models that measurably cut post-harvest damage and deterioration, protecting seed quality and viability. While the announcement does not prescribe a specific technology, it clearly emphasizes outcomes: reduced losses, better protection from biological threats, and a storage approach that functions under real-world local conditions rather than only in controlled environments.
Three design requirements define what USAID/OFDA is looking for. First, the storage model must be sustainable after the supporting NGO or implementing organization exits the region. In practice, this implies low dependence on continuous external funding, specialized imported inputs, or intensive outside technical support, and it points toward solutions that local users can maintain, repair, manage, and finance themselves. Second, the model should be replicable across many areas that share similar agro-ecological conditions. That means the work should aim for a design that can be scaled or copied without extensive customization for every village, while still being realistic about climate, pests, crops, and local storage practices. Third, the storage system must significantly reduce post-harvest losses to insects and diseases, which places technical performance at the center of the proposed work and suggests that applicants should build in monitoring or evidence generation to demonstrate that reduction.
USAID/OFDA anticipated making about four awards from the USD 1,000,000 total, indicating relatively limited funding per project and a preference for multiple parallel efforts or pilots rather than a single large program. The opportunity lists no cost sharing or matching requirement, lowering the barrier for organizations that may not be able to contribute substantial cash or in-kind resources. The award ceiling and floor are listed as zero, which typically signals that the agency did not set fixed minimum or maximum award sizes in the notice and may determine award amounts based on the quality of applications and the proposed scope.
Eligibility is described as unrestricted, meaning the competition was open to a wide range of entity types (subject to any additional eligibility details that may have been included in the full announcement). The assistance listing references CFDA 98.001, "USAID Foreign Assistance for Programs Overseas," which is the standard authority under which USAID provides many overseas assistance grants.
Key timeline details include a posted and creation date of May 27, 2009, with an original and current closing date of July 6, 2009, and an archive date of August 5, 2009. The agency contact listed for questions or difficulty accessing the full announcement is J. March, Agriculture and Food Security Advisor, reachable by phone at 202-712-0398 or 202-661-9375 and by email at jmarch@usaid.gov.
In short, this funding opportunity supported time-bound pilots or applied research aimed at producing durable, community-appropriate seed storage designs for Africa that can outlast NGO involvement, be replicated across comparable agro-ecological zones, and deliver a clear reduction in insect- and disease-related post-harvest seed losses.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the title of this grant opportunity?
The opportunity is titled "Projects Leading to Design and Development of Sustainable Farmer or Community Seed Storage Models in Africa."
What is the Funding Opportunity Number?
The Funding Opportunity Number is OFDA FY09 004.
Which agency is offering this grant?
This is a discretionary grant from USAID's Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance (USAID/OFDA).
What sector or focus area does the opportunity support?
The opportunity is focused on agriculture, specifically on improving seed storage after harvest in African contexts.
What is the overall purpose of the grant?
The central purpose is to improve how farmers or communities store seed after harvest, with the explicit goal of reducing losses caused by insects and diseases and protecting seed quality and viability.
How much total funding was set aside for this opportunity?
USAID/OFDA set aside a total of USD 1,000,000 to support a small set of pilot projects or basic research programs.
About how many awards did USAID/OFDA expect to make?
USAID/OFDA anticipated making about four awards from the total USD 1,000,000.
Is this a long-term implementation grant?
No. The program is structured as a short, design-and-demonstration effort rather than a long-term implementation grant.
What is the project period for awards under this opportunity?
The project period is 18 months to test approaches and generate models that can be adopted more broadly.
What kinds of activities is USAID/OFDA looking to fund?
The notice describes support for a small set of pilot projects or basic research programs intended to produce practical, workable seed storage models for African contexts.
What results or outcomes are emphasized in the announcement?
The announcement emphasizes outcomes such as measurably reduced post-harvest damage and deterioration, better protection against insects and diseases, and approaches that work under real-world local conditions (not only in controlled environments).
Does the announcement require a specific seed storage technology?
No. The announcement does not prescribe a specific technology, but it clearly emphasizes performance and practical outcomes in local conditions.
What are the main design requirements for proposed seed storage models?
USAID/OFDA describes three design requirements: (1) the model must be sustainable after the supporting NGO or implementing organization exits; (2) the model should be replicable across many areas that share similar agro-ecological conditions; and (3) the system must significantly reduce post-harvest losses to insects and diseases.
What does "sustainable after the NGO exits" mean in this context?
It implies low dependence on continuous external funding, specialized imported inputs, or intensive outside technical support, pointing toward solutions that local users can maintain, repair, manage, and finance themselves.
What does "replicable across similar agro-ecological conditions" mean?
It means the design should be scalable or copyable across areas with comparable agro-ecological conditions without requiring extensive customization for every village, while still being realistic about local climate, pests, crops, and storage practices.
What type of losses is the opportunity trying to reduce?
The opportunity is explicitly focused on reducing post-harvest seed losses caused by insects and diseases.
Are applicants expected to demonstrate that losses were reduced?
Yes. The announcement places technical performance at the center and suggests applicants should build in monitoring or evidence generation to demonstrate significant reduction in insect- and disease-related post-harvest losses.
Is cost sharing or matching required?
No. The opportunity lists no cost sharing or matching requirement.
Were there minimum or maximum award sizes stated?
The award ceiling and floor are listed as zero, which typically indicates that no fixed minimum or maximum award size was set in the notice and that award amounts may be determined based on application quality and proposed scope.
Who was eligible to apply?
Eligibility is described as unrestricted, meaning the competition was open to a wide range of entity types (subject to any additional eligibility details that may have been included in the full announcement).
What is the assistance listing (CFDA) associated with this opportunity?
The assistance listing referenced is CFDA 98.001, "USAID Foreign Assistance for Programs Overseas."
When was this opportunity posted?
The posted date (and creation date) is May 27, 2009.
What was the application closing date?
The original and current closing date listed is July 6, 2009.
When was the opportunity archived?
The archive date listed is August 5, 2009.
Who is the contact person for questions about the announcement?
The contact listed is J. March, Agriculture and Food Security Advisor.
How can applicants reach the contact person?
J. March can be reached by phone at 202-712-0398 or 202-661-9375, and by email at jmarch@usaid.gov.
What should someone do if they have difficulty accessing the full announcement?
The notice indicates that questions or difficulty accessing the full announcement should be directed to the listed contact, J. March, using the provided phone numbers or email address.
Where is the geographic focus of the funded work?
The opportunity is focused on Africa, with projects intended to produce seed storage models for African contexts.
What makes this opportunity a "design-and-demonstration" effort?
It is time-bound (18 months) and oriented toward testing approaches and generating practical models that can be adopted more broadly, rather than funding long-term, ongoing implementation.
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