Dear Colleagues,
NIFA has announced $192.585 million in funding for fundamental and applied research, education, and extension projects in the food and agricultural sciences. The purpose of AFRI is to support research, education, and extension work by awarding grants to solve key problems of local, regional, national, and global importance in sustaining conventional, organic, and urban agricultural systems. These include farm efficiency, profitability and sustainability; ranching; bioenergy; forestry; aquaculture; rural communities and entrepreneurship; human nutrition; mitigating impacts of biotic and abiotic constraints on food production; food safety; mitigating food waste and food loss; physical and social sciences; home economics and rural human ecology; biotechnology; and classical breeding. Through this support, AFRI advances knowledge in both fundamental and applied sciences important to agriculture. Funding this work also allows AFRI to support education and extension activities that deliver science-based knowledge to end users, allowing them to make informed, practical decisions.
In FY 2019 and FY 2020, applications are sought in the following priority areas:
1. Plant health and production and plant products;
2. Animal health and production and animal products;
3. Food safety, nutrition, and health;
4. Bioenergy, natural resources, and environment;
5. Agriculture systems and technology; and
6. Agriculture economics and rural communities
The deadline for FY19 applications will vary by program area, beginning June 19, 2019 to September 26, 2019.
More information: https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/view-opportunity.html?oppId=315674
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NIFA requests applications for the Community Food Projects Competitive Grants Program (CFPCGP) for fiscal year (FY) 2019 with approximately $4.8 million available to fund two types of grants: (1) Community Food Projects (CFP) and (2) Planning Projects (PP). The primary goals of the CFP are to: Meet the food needs of low-income individuals through food distribution, community outreach to assist in participation in Federally assisted nutrition programs, or improving access to food as part of a comprehensive service; Increase the self-reliance of communities in providing for the food needs of the communities; Promote comprehensive responses to local food access, farm, and nutrition issues; and Meet specific state, local or neighborhood food and agricultural needs including needs relating to: Equipment necessary for the efficient operation of a project; Planning for long-term solutions; or The creation of innovative marketing activities that mutually benefit agricultural producers and low-income consumers.
The deadline for applications is Monday, June 3, 2019.
More information: https://nifa.usda.gov/funding-opportunity/community-food-projects-cfp-competitive-grants-program
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NIFA has announced $869,498 in funding for the Food and Agriculture Service Learning Program (FASLP) to increase knowledge of agriculture and improve the nutritional health of children. Food and Agriculture Service Learning Programs are intended to increase the knowledge of agriculture and improve the nutritional health of children and to bring together stakeholders from the distinct parts of the food system to increase the capacity for food, garden, and nutrition education within host organizations or entities, such as school cafeterias and classrooms, while fostering higher levels of community engagement between farms and school systems. The initiative is part of a broader effort to not only increase access to school meals for low-income children, but also to dramatically improve their quality.
The deadline for applications is Wednesday, June 4, 2019.
More information: https://nifa.usda.gov/funding-opportunity/food-and-agriculture-service-learning-program
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NIFA requests applications for the Food Safety Outreach Competitive Grants Program awarding approximately $7.6 million in funding for FY19. The program seeks projects that will develop and implement food safety training, education, extension, outreach and technical assistance projects that address the needs of owners and operators of small to mid-sized farms, beginning farmers, socially-disadvantaged farmers, small processors, or small fresh fruit and vegetable merchant wholesalers. In FY 2019, FSOP will maintain focus on delivery of customized training to members of the target audiences by continuing to solicit Community Outreach Projects and Collaborative Education and Training Projects. New projects will focus on, but are not limited to, providing on farm or on-site training and/or technical assistance that addresses knowledge and resource gaps for the target audiences in the areas of pre- and post-harvest water testing and sampling, soil amendments, developing supply chain programs, and/or developing food safety plans.
The deadline for applications is Thursday, June 6, 2019.
More information: https://nifa.usda.gov/funding-opportunity/food-safety-outreach-program
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NIFA has announced $29.166 million in available funding for the FY 2019 Education and Workforce Development Program. Funding will supportprofessional development opportunities for K-14 educational professionals; workforce training at community, junior, and technical colleges; training of undergraduate students in research and extension; and fellowships for predoctoral candidates and postdoctoral scholars.
The deadline for applications will vary by program area: FULL - June 27, 2019 (A7401); FULL - June 13, 2019 (A7501); LOI - June 11, 2019 (A7601). UC ANR may nominate three (3) proposals for each of the three program areas (A7401, A7501, A7601) for this funding opportunity.
More information: https://nifa.usda.gov/funding-opportunity/agriculture-and-food-research-initiative-education-workforce-development
Please contact the Office of Contracts and Grants at ocg@ucanr.edu if you are interested in applying to the above funding opportunities.
Thank you.
Kathleen Nolan, Director, ANR Office of Contracts & Grants (OCG)