Agriculture and Food Research Initiative Competitive Grants Program Foundational and Applied Science Program
National Institute of Food and Agriculture · Department of Agriculture
At a glance
Agriculture and Food Research Initiative Competitive Grants Program Foundational and Applied Science Program is an open federal grant opportunity from the National Institute of Food and Agriculture (Department of Agriculture). Applications are due December 31, 2026. Individual awards are listed as $10K – $10M, with $300M in total estimated funding. Applicant types listed as eligible include others (see notice). Cost sharing is not required. It is funded under Assistance Listing 10.310 (Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (AFRI)).
Summary assembled from the official notice's fields. The official notice governs.
Key facts
- Aug 1, 2025Posted
- Dec 31, 2026Application deadlinenext date
- Jan 30, 2027Archived
- Posted
- Aug 1, 2025
- Close date
- Dec 31, 2026
- Archive date
- Jan 30, 2027
- Award floor
- $10,000
- Award ceiling
- $10,000,000
- Est. total funding
- $300,000,000
- Expected awards
- Not specified
- Cost sharing
- Not required
- Funding instrument
- Grant
- Opportunity category
- Discretionary
Who can apply
- Others (see notice)
Additional information on eligibility (from the notice)
Eligibility Requirements Applicants for AFRI must meet all the requirements discussed in this RFA. Failure to meet the eligibility criteria by the application deadline may result in exclusion from consideration or, preclude NIFA from making an award. For those new to Federal financial assistance, NIFA’s About Grants provides highly recommended information about grants and other resources to help understand the Federal awards process. Eligibility is linked to the project type as specified below. 1. Research, Education or Extension Projects Eligible applicants for single-function Research, Education or Extension Projects include: a) State Agricultural Experiment Station; b) colleges and universities (including junior colleges offering associate degrees or higher); c) university research foundations; d) other research institutions and organizations; e) Federal agencies; f) national laboratories; g) private organizations or corporations; h) individuals who are U.S. citizens, nationals, or permanent residents; and i) any group consisting of two or more entities identified in a) through h). Eligible institutions do not include foreign and international organizations. 2. Integrated Projects Eligible applicants for Integrated Projects include: a) colleges and universities; b) 1994 Land-Grant Institutions; and c) Hispanic-serving agricultural colleges and universities (see NIFA's Hispanic-Serving Agricultural Colleges and Universities page). For item a) under Integrated Projects, the terms "college" and "university" mean an educational institution in any state which a) admits as regular students only persons having a certificate of graduation from a school providing secondary education, or the recognized equivalent of such a certificate; b) is legally authorized within such state to provide a program of education beyond secondary education; c) provides an educational program for which a bachelor’s degree or any other higher degree is awarded; d) is a public or other nonprofit institution; and e) is accredited by a nationally recognized accrediting agency or association. A research foundation maintained by a college or university is eligible to receive an award under this program. 3. Food and Agricultural Science Enhancement Grants Part II § C.2 contains the eligibility details for Food and Agricultural Science Enhancement (FASE) Grants. Note that under the FASE program, New Investigator Standard, New Investigator Seed, Strengthening Standard, Strengthening Workshop, Strengthening Seed, Equipment and Sabbatical Grants are solicited by specific program area priorities in this RFA. Not all grant types are solicited by every program area priority in this RFA and only grant types specifically solicited by each specific program area priority, as identified in the Program Area Descriptions of Part I § C, will be considered for review.
- Public colleges & universities
- 501(c)(3) nonprofits
- Nonprofits without 501(c)(3) status
- Private colleges & universities
A quick check against the listed applicant types — other requirements in the notice still apply.
Based on the published notice. Review the official notice for complete eligibility requirements.
What it funds
Official synopsis as published by the agency, formatted for readability.
The AFRI Foundational and Applied Science Program supports grants in six AFRI priority areas to advance knowledge in both fundamental and applied sciences important to agriculture. The six priority areas are: Plant Health and Production and Plant Products; Animal Health and Production and Animal Products; Food Safety, Nutrition, and Health; Bioenergy, Natural Resources, and Environment; Agriculture Systems and Technology; and Agriculture Economics and Rural Communities. Research-only, extension-only, and integrated research, education and/or extension projects are solicited in this Request for Applications (RFA). See Foundational and Applied Science RFA for specific detail.
Full announcement & documents
The full announcement has the complete rules — page limits, required attachments, evaluation criteria and any letter-of-intent dates. Files download directly from Grants.gov.
How to apply
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Assistance Listing
What is an ALN?Reported obligations under ALN 10.310
Historical data · not a predictionAgency contact (as published)
Joseph Perez Program Analyst
grantapplicationquestions@usda.gov
202-445-5402
Quick answers
When is the deadline for this opportunity?
According to the official notice, applications are due December 31, 2026. Confirm the deadline and submission time on Grants.gov before applying.
Who is eligible to apply for this opportunity?
The official notice names these applicant types as eligible: Others (see notice). Additional restrictions may apply; review the full notice.
How much funding is available through this opportunity?
Per the notice, individual awards are listed as $10k – $10m and total estimated program funding is $300,000,000.
How do I apply for this opportunity?
Applications are submitted through the official source, not through GrantsJunction. Open the official notice on Grants.gov (opportunity USDA-NIFA-AFRI-011134), and review the full announcement and application package. Organizations applying through Grants.gov generally need an active SAM.gov registration and a Grants.gov account, which can take several weeks to set up.
Related open opportunities
Matched on shared Assistance Listings, agency, categories and eligible applicant types.
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