Federal grant programs / Department of Agriculture

Biotechnology Risk Assessment Research (10.219)

Also known as BRAG

• Awarded, FY 2021 to 2025$26.9 million
• Grant awards57
• Typical award$500,000
• Awarded in FY 2025$3.4 million
• Size rank1,217 of 1,823
• Type of assistanceProject grants

Key findings

• Annual funding fell from $6.0 million in fiscal 2021 to $3.4 million in fiscal 2025.
• It is the 1217th largest of 1,823 federal grant programs by five-year awards.
• The 20 largest recipients received 88% of the money.
• Awards went to recipients in 24 states and territories.

What the program funds

The purpose of the BRAG program Assistance Listing 10.219, is to support the generation of new information that will assist Federal regulatory agencies [USDA’s – Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service - Biotechnology Regulatory Services (APHIS-BRS), Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) Food and Drug Administration (FDA)] in making science-based decisions about the environmental effects of introducing genetically engineered (GE) organisms by techniques that use recombinant, synthesized, or amplified nucleic acids to modify or create a genome. The organisms include plants, microorganisms (including fungi, bacteria, and viruses), arthropods, fish, birds, livestock, and other animals. These include related wild and agricultural organisms.

From the federal Assistance Listing. Read the full listing on SAM.gov.

Open opportunities

No opportunity under this program is open or forecast on Grants.gov right now. Programs often post once a year, so the funding history below shows what to expect.

Rules from the program listing

Who can apply

Any public or private research or educational institution or organization.

What the money can and cannot pay for

Grant funds must be used for allowable costs necessary to conduct approved research objectives. Funds may not be used for purposes other than those approved in the grant award documents. The use of grant funds to plan, acquire, or construct a building or facility is not allowed. Some grant funds may be used for minor alterations, renovations, or repairs deemed necessary to retrofit existing teaching or research spaces in order to carry out a funded project. However, requests to use grant funds for such purposes must demonstrate that the alterations, renovations, or repairs are incidental to the major purpose for which a grant is made. Indirect Cost (IDC) is not to exceed 30 percent of the recipient’s Total Federal Funds Awarded (TFFA). 7 U.S.C. 3310 limits the recovery of IDC for the overall award to 30 percent of the TFFA under a research, education, or extension grant. Grant funds may not be used for endowment investing. Please refer to the RFA, Part III.E and F – Program Description – Funding Restrictions for specific details.;

Matching requirements

This program has no statutory formula. Matching requirements are not applicable to this assistance listing. MOE requirements are not applicable to this assistance listing.

Deadlines

Contact the headquarters or regional location, as appropriate for application deadlines

Award range and average, in the agency's words

If minimum or maximum amounts of funding per competitive and/or capacity project grant, or cooperative agreement are established, these amounts will be announced in the annual Competitive Request for Application (RFA). The most current RFA is available via: https://nifa.usda.gov/funding-opportunity/biotechnology-risk-assessment-research-grants-program-brag

Examples of funded projects

Fiscal Year2025: One project focused on management practices to minimize environmental risk of GE organisms, one on gene transfer between genetically engineered microorganisms and related wild and agricultural organisms, two on research addressing phenotypic effects associated with unintended and off-target modifications in GE crops developed using genome editing technology or other genetic engineering techniques, one on research focused on the environmental effects of introducing RNA interference transgenes or other gene silencing mechanisms using RNAi, and one on research to understand the frequency and mechanisms by which pests overcome plant pest resistance traits conferred by engineered genes.

Quoted from the program's federal Assistance Listing. The notice of funding opportunity is the official source for each competition's rules.

Who usually wins

Colleges and universities received 92% of the money, nonprofits 6.1% and small businesses 1.8%.

By state

14 states have a page for this program: those that received at least $1 million or 10 awards.

Award amounts are federal obligations reported to USAspending.gov for fiscal 2021 to 2025; see how our data works.