OpportunityTitle: Agriculture and Food Research Initiative: Foundational Program
AdditionalInformationOnEligibility: 1. Research Projects  Eligible applicants for Research Projects  include:1) State Agricultural Experiment Stations; 2) colleges and universities (including junior colleges offering associate degrees or higher); 3) university research foundations; 4) other research institutions and organizations; 5) Federal agencies, 6) national laboratories; 7) private organizations or corporations; 8) individuals who are U.S. citizens, nationals, or permanent residents; and 9) any group consisting of 2 or more entities identified in 1) through 8). Eligible institutions do not include foreign and international organizations.    2. Integrated Projects  (Note that ONLY Agriculture, Economics and Rural Communities Program area (Part I, C. 6) is soliciting integrated projects through this RFA),    Eligible applicants for Integrated Projects include: 1) colleges and universities; 2) 1994 Land-Grant Institutions; and (3) Hispanic-serving agricultural colleges and universities.    For Integrated Projects, the terms &quot;college&quot; and &quot;university&quot; mean an educational institution in any state which 1) 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; 2) is legally authorized within such state to provide a program of education beyond secondary education; 3) provides an educational program for which a bachelor&#146;s degree or any other higher degree is awarded; 4) is a public or other nonprofit institution; and 5) 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. Hispanic-serving Agricultural Colleges and Universities  Section 7101 of the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 (Pub. L. 110-246) amended section 1404 of NARETPA (7 U.S.C. 3103) to create a definition for a new group of cooperating institutions: Hispanic-serving Agricultural Colleges and Universities (HSACUs). HSACUs are colleges and universities that qualify as Hispanic-serving Institutions (HSIs) and offer associate, bachelors, or other accredited degree programs in agriculture-related fields. HSACUs do not include 1862 land-grant institutions.    Pursuant to section 406 of the Agricultural Research, Extension, and Education Reform Act of 1998 (AREERA) (7 U.S.C. 7626), which authorized the Integrated Research, Education, and Extension Competitive Grant Program, all four-year HSIs are eligible to apply for integrated projects as identified in the FY 2013 AFRI RFA. Two-year HSIs may also be eligible to apply but only if the institution has been certified as a HSACU for the fiscal year in which funding is being provided.  4. Food and Agricultural Science Enhancement Grants  The Food and Agricultural Science Enhancement (FASE) Grants have additional eligibility requirements. See RFA for details.
Description: The AFRI Foundational Program is offered to support research grants in the six AFRI priority areas to continue building a foundation of knowledge critical for solving current and future societal challenges. The six priority areas are: Plant Health and Production and Plant Products; Animal Health and Production and Animal Products; Food Safety, Nutrition, and Health; Renewable Energy, Natural Resources, and Environment; Agriculture Systems and Technology; and Agriculture Economics and Rural Communities. Single-function Research Projects and Food and Agricultural Science Enhancement (FASE) Grants are expected to address one of the Program Area Priorities (see Foundational Program RFA for details).
GrantorContactEmailDescription: If you have any questions related to preparing application content
GrantorContactText: NIFA Help Desk  &lt;br/&gt;Phone: 202-401-5048  &lt;br/&gt;Business hours are M-F, 7:00 am -5:00 pm ET, excluding Federal holidays