Organic Agriculture Research and Extension Initiative (10.307)
Organic Agriculture Research and Extension Initiative (Assistance Listing 10.307) is run by the National Institute of Food and Agriculture, part of the Department of Agriculture. It awarded $100 million in 67 grants from fiscal 2021 to 2025, about $1.5 million per award on average. No funding opportunity is open on Grants.gov right now.
The typical award was $1.5 million. Half of the 67 awards fell between $253,056 and $2.9 million, and they ranged from $42,158 to $3.5 million.
- Awarded, FY 2021 to 2025$100 million
- Grant awards67
- Typical award$1.5 million
- Awarded in FY 2025-$216,826
- Size rank811 of 1,823
- Type of assistanceProject grants
Key findings
- It is the 811th 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 28 states and territories.
What the program funds
Consistent with 7 U.S.C. 5925b, OREI has eight goals: 1.) Facilitating the development and improvement of organic agriculture production, breeding, and processing methods; 2.) Evaluating the potential economic benefits of organic agricultural production and methods to producers, processors, and rural communities; 3.) Exploring international trade opportunities for organically grown and processed agricultural commodities; 4.) Determining desirable traits for organic commodities; 5.) Identifying marketing and policy constraints on the expansion of organic agriculture; 6.) Conducting advanced on-farm research and development that emphasizes observation of, experimentation with, and innovation for working organic farms, including research relating to production, marketing, food safety, socioeconomic conditions, and farm business management; 7.) Examining optimal conservation, soil health, and environmental outcomes relating to organically produced agricultural products; and 8.) Developing new and improved seed varieties that are particularly suited for organic agriculture.
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
Applications may only be submitted by the following entities: 1.) State agricultural experiment stations; 2.) Colleges and universities; 3.) University research foundations; 4.) Other research institutions and organizations; 5.) Federal agencies; 6.) National laboratories; 7.) Private organizations, foundations, or corporations; 8.) Individuals who are United States citizens or nationals; or 9.) A group consisting of two or more of the entities described in subparagraphs(1) through (8).
What the money can and cannot pay for
The Integrated Organic Program is particularly interested in proposed projects that emphasize research and outreach that assist farmers and ranchers with whole farm planning and ecosystem integration. Projects should plan to deliver applied production information to producers. Fieldwork for both program areas must be done on certified organic land or on land in transition to organic certification, as appropriate to project goals and objectives. Refer to the USDA National Organic Program (http://www.ams.usda.gov/nop) for organic production standards. NIFA has determined that grant funds awarded under this authority may not be used for the renovation or refurbishment of research, education, or extension space; the purchase or installation of fixed equipment in such space; or the planning, repair, rehabilitation, acquisition, or construction of buildings or facilities. Section 7132 of the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act amended section 1462 of the National Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching Policy Act of 1977 (7 U.S.C. 3310), increasing the limit on recovery of indirect costs from 19 percent to 22 percent of total Federal funds provided under the award. Therefore, the recovery of indirect costs on awards made by NIFA under this program area may not exceed the lesser of the institution's official negotiated indirect cost rate or the equivalent of 22 percent of total Federal funds awarded. **Special Note on Indirect Costs as in-kind matching contributions.
Matching requirements
This program has no statutory formula. Funds are awarded competitively. No formula grants are awarded under Subtitle K of the National Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching Policy Act of 1977 [7 U.S.C. 3319e]. Cost Sharing or Matching: (1) General Requirement The Secretary shall require the recipient of a grant under this section to provide funds or in-kind support from non-Federal sources in an amount at least equal to the amount provided by the Federal Government. See R&R Budget section regarding matching funds Part IV, B., 6. of this NOFO for more details. (2) Waiver NIFA may waive the matching funds requirement specified in the above paragraph for a grant if NIFA determines that: (a) the results of the project, while of particular benefit to a specific agricultural commodity, are likely to be applicable to agricultural commodities generally; or (b) the project involves a minor commodity, the project deals with scientifically important research, and the grant recipient is unable to satisfy the matching funds requirement.MOE requirements are not applicable to this assistance listing.
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/organic-agriculture-research-and-extension-initiative
Funding history and past recipients
From fiscal 2021 to 2025, Organic Agriculture Research and Extension Initiative (10.307) awarded $100 million across 67 grant awards, an average of $1.5 million per award.
Who usually wins
Colleges and universities received 80% of the money, nonprofits 6.8% and state and local governments 1.0%.
| Recipient type | Awards | Amount | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Colleges and universities | 53 | $80.1 million | 80% |
| Other | 5 | $12.1 million | 12% |
| Nonprofits | 8 | $6.8 million | 6.8% |
| State and local governments | 1 | $997,657 | 1.0% |
By state
23 states have a page for this program: those that received at least $1 million or 10 awards.
| State | Awards | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Texas | 4 | $10.5 million |
| New York | 5 | $9.4 million |
| Oregon | 4 | $7.6 million |
| Pennsylvania | 3 | $6.4 million |
| Washington | 4 | $6.1 million |
| Florida | 3 | $5.5 million |
| Vermont | 2 | $5.3 million |
| California | 4 | $4.8 million |
| Connecticut | 2 | $4.3 million |
| Illinois | 2 | $3.9 million |
| Colorado | 2 | $3.7 million |
| Rhode Island | 2 | $3.5 million |
| Kentucky | 2 | $3.5 million |
| Minnesota | 3 | $3.2 million |
| Georgia | 1 | $3.2 million |
| Maryland | 1 | $3.0 million |
| Maine | 1 | $2.9 million |
| Indiana | 2 | $2.4 million |
| Arkansas | 2 | $1.7 million |
| Wisconsin | 5 | $1.7 million |
| Kansas | 2 | $1.5 million |
| South Carolina | 3 | $1.3 million |
| North Dakota | 1 | $1.3 million |
| Iowa | 1 | $862,441 |
| District of Columbia | 2 | $755,805 |
| Hawaii | 1 | $740,876 |
| Missouri | 1 | $708,396 |
| Tennessee | 1 | $452,352 |