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USDA-NIFA-AFRI-010453: Agriculture and Food Research Initiative Competitive Grants Program Foundational and Applied Science Program

Closed Closed December 31, 2024 Opportunity USDA-NIFA-AFRI-010453

This grant is closed. A newer notice from the same program is open now: Agriculture and Food Research Initiative Competitive Grants Program Foundational and Applied Science Program (USDA-NIFA-AFRI-011134). Status: Closes December 31, 2026 (54 days left). It is in our archive of National Institute of Food and Agriculture notices from 2023.

National Institute of Food and Agriculture offered grants of up to $15.0 million (at least $1,000) to the applicants described in the notice. It expected to make $300 million in total. Applications closed on December 31, 2024.

From the official notice on Grants.gov, last changed December 15, 2023. Checked November 7, 2026.

Other notices with this title

National Institute of Food and Agriculture has posted this title under other numbers: earlier or later rounds, or the same competition for another area. Each has its own dates and may change its rules.

NoticePostedDeadlineStatus
USDA-NIFA-AFRI-011134August 1, 2025Closes December 31, 2026 (54 days left)Open
USDA-NIFA-AFRI-009755February 3, 2023Closed December 29, 2023Closed

Key dates

PostedDecember 15, 2023
DeadlineDecember 31, 2024
Archived by Grants.govJanuary 30, 2025

Who can apply

This opportunity was open to the applicants described in the notice.

Eligibility is linked to the project type as specified below.1. Research, Education or Extension ProjectsEligible 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; andi) any group consisting of two or more entities identified in a) through h).Eligible institutions do not include foreign and international organizations.2. Integrated ProjectsEligible applicants for Integrated Projects include:a) colleges and universities;b) 1994 Land-Grant Institutions; andc) 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 whicha) 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; ande) 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 GrantsPart II § C.2 contains the eligibility details for Food and Agricultural Science Enhancement (FASE) Grants. Note that under FASE program, New Investigator, Strengthening Standard, Strengthening Conference, Seed, Equipment and Sabbatical Grants are solicited in this RFA.Applicants must respond to the program area priorities and deadlines found in Part I § C. Grant recipients may subcontract to organizations not eligible to apply provided such organizations are necessary for the conduct of the project. Failure to meet an eligibility criterion by the application deadline may result in the application being excluded from consideration or, even though an application may be reviewed, will preclude NIFA from making an award (see Part III § B).

Is this a realistic fit?

What the grant funds

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.

Category: Agriculture.

Who has won Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (AFRI) grants before

From fiscal 2021 to 2025, Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (AFRI) (10.310) awarded $2.1 billion across 3,639 grant awards, an average of $580,234 per award.

Largest recipients, fiscal 2021 to 2025
RecipientStateAwardsAmount
University of California, DavisCalifornia100$85.6 million
Purdue UniversityIndiana92$76.8 million
Iowa State University of Science and TechnologyIowa87$76.4 million
Texas A&m Agrilife ResearchTexas92$76.1 million
The Ohio State UniversityOhio72$70.1 million

Top states: California ($172 million), Texas ($134 million), Ohio ($85.8 million), Indiana ($85.5 million), Iowa ($79.4 million).

Applying now

This notice no longer takes applications. Apply under the newer notice, USDA-NIFA-AFRI-011134, which is open now.

The notice on Grants.gov keeps its full text and attachments, which is useful for planning a resubmission.

Questions people ask

Is USDA-NIFA-AFRI-010453 still open?

No. It closed on December 31, 2024. A newer notice is open: USDA-NIFA-AFRI-011134, closes December 31, 2026 (54 days left).

Who can apply for Agriculture and Food Research Initiative Competitive Grants Program Foundational and Applied Science Program?

National Institute of Food and Agriculture accepted applications from the applicants described in the notice. The notice adds further conditions, so read its eligibility section.

What is the deadline for Agriculture and Food Research Initiative Competitive Grants Program Foundational and Applied Science Program?

Closed December 31, 2024. Applications are no longer accepted; the program's newer notices are on this page when there are any.

How much funding is available?

Awards of up to $15.0 million each. About $300 million in total.

Who has won Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (AFRI) grants before?

The largest recipients over five fiscal years were University of California, Davis, Purdue University, Iowa State University of Science and Technology. The program made 3,639 awards worth $2.1 billion in that time.

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