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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.

Initial grants of $100,000 are awarded twice a year. Successful projects are eligible to receive a follow-on grant of up to $1 million. Topics for Grand Challenges Explorations Round 12 are 1) inciting healthy behaviors; 2) new enabling tools and models supporting development of interventions for enteric dysfunction; 3) innovations in feedback and accountability systems for agricultural development; 4) One Health - bringing together human and animal health for new solutions; and 5) developing the next-generation condom.

The Ecology and Evolution of Infectious Diseases program supports research on the ecological, evolutionary, and socio-ecological principles and processes that influence the transmission dynamics of infectious diseases. The central theme of submitted projects must be quantitative or computational understanding of pathogen transmission dynamics. The intent is discovery of principles of infectious disease transmission and testing mathematical or computational models that elucidate infectious disease systems. Projects should be broad, interdisciplinary efforts that go beyond the scope of typical studies. They should focus on the determinants and interactions of transmission among humans, non-human animals, and/or plants. This includes, for example, the spread of pathogens; the influence of environmental factors such as climate; the population dynamics and genetics of reservoir species or hosts; or the cultural, social, behavioral, and economic dimensions of disease transmission. Research may be on zoonotic, environmentally-borne, vector-borne, or enteric diseases of either terrestrial or freshwater systems and organisms, including diseases of animals and plants, at any scale from specific pathogens to inclusive environmental systems. Proposals for research on disease systems of public health concern to developing countries are strongly encouraged, as are disease systems of concern in agricultural systems. Investigators are encouraged to involve the public health research community, including for example, epidemiologists, physicians, veterinarians, food scientists, social scientists, entomologists, pathologists, virologists, or parasitologists with the goal of integrating knowledge across disciplines to enhance our ability to predict and control infectious diseases.

This AFRI Challenge Area promotes and enhances the scientific discipline of food safety, with an overall aim of protecting consumers from microbial and chemical contaminants that may occur during all stages of the food chain, from production to consumption. This requires an understanding of the interdependencies of human, animal, and ecosystem health as it pertains to foodborne pathogens. The long-term outcome for this program is to reduce foodborne illnesses and deaths by improving the safety of the food supply, which will result in reduced impacts on public health and on our economy. In order to achieve this outcome, this program will support single-function Research Projects and multi-function Integrated Research, Education, and/or Extension Projects, and Food and Agricultural Science Enhancement (FASE) Grants that address one of the Program Area Priorities (see Food Safety RFA for details).

This funding opportunity announcement from the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) invites applications for a National Center of Excellence for the Prevention of Childhood Agricultural Injury. Applicants are expected to propose multi-disciplinary approaches to develop partnerships for implementing prevention and intervention activities and to serve as a leader in research translation and research-to-practice for the protection of children in agricultural environments throughout the United States. Applicants must describe the occupational health and safety burden(s) addressed in their proposals. In addition, they must link the need for the proposed research and related activities to the planned outputs and outcomes that will help address or alleviate the burdens described. Applicants should also describe the anticipated impacts and potential outcomes of the proposed research and related activities that will occur during the 5-year project period and beyond.

This Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) issued by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Center for Veterinary Medicine (CVM), builds upon the National Antimicrobial Resistance Monitoring System (NARMS) which was initiated in 1996 as one of the key activities in a national action plan to combat antibiotic resistance threats. The purpose of this FOA is to protect and promote public health by enhancing, strengthening and sustaining antibiotic resistance surveillance in retail food specimens within the NARMS program. The NARMS cooperative agreements will improve the detection of antibiotic resistance among enteric bacteria in food commodities, as well as potentially develop new sites as part of the program. Measurable outcomes of the program will be in alignment with the NARMS Objectives.

This Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) issued by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Center for Veterinary Medicine (CVM), builds upon the National Antimicrobial Resistance Monitoring System (NARMS) which was initiated in 1996 as one of the key activities in a national action plan to combat antibiotic resistance threats. The purpose of this FOA is to protect and promote public health by enhancing, strengthening and sustaining antibiotic resistance surveillance in retail food specimens within the NARMS program. The NARMS cooperative agreements will improve the detection of antibiotic resistance among enteric bacteria in food commodities, as well as potentially develop new sites as part of the program. Measurable outcomes of the program will be in alignment with the NARMS Objectives. 

This AFRI Challenge Area promotes and enhances the scientific discipline of food safety, with an overall aim of protecting consumers from microbial and chemical contaminants that may occur during all stages of the food chain, from production to consumption. This requires an understanding of the interdependencies of human, animal, and ecosystem health as it pertains to foodborne pathogens. The long-term outcome for this program is to reduce foodborne illnesses and deaths by improving the safety of the food supply, which will result in reduced impacts on public health and on our economy. In order to achieve this outcome, this program will support single-function Research Projects and multi-function Integrated Research, Education, and/or Extension Projects, and Food and Agricultural Science Enhancement (FASE) Grants that address one of the Program Area Priorities (see Food Safety RFA for details).

One of the BLM's highest priorities is to promote ecosystem health and one of the greatest obstacles to achieving this goal is the rapid expansion of weeds across public lands. These invasive plants can dominate and often cause permanent damage to natural plant communities. If not eradicated or controlled, noxious weeds will continue to jeopardize the health of the public lands and to constrain the myriad activities that occur on public lands. BLM Invasive and Noxious Plant Management Programs work to prevent, detect, inventory, control and monitor weed populations on public lands. 1. Invasive species cost the public millions of dollars in control and management each year and many invasive plants and noxious weeds are highly competitive and have the ability to permanently degrade our public lands. 2. Noxious weeds and invasive species expansion are recognized as the single greatest threat to our native plant communities and the values they provide us. 3. These native plant communities are essential for supporting wildlife habitat, watershed function, recreation opportunities, rural economies and working landscapes. 4. Invasive plants and noxious weeds affect plant and animal communities on farms and ranches, and in parks, waters, forests, natural areas, and backyards in negative ways. 5. Human activity such as trade, travel, and tourism have all increased substantially, escalating the speed and volume of species movement to unprecedented levels.

This funding opportunity announcement from the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) invites applications for a National Center of Excellence for the Prevention of Childhood Agricultural Injury. Applicants are expected to propose multi-disciplinary approaches to develop partnerships for implementing prevention and intervention activities and to serve as a leader in research translation and research-to-practice for the protection of children in agricultural environments throughout the United States. Applicants must describe the occupational health and safety burden(s) addressed in their proposals. In addition, they must link the need for the proposed research and related activities to the planned outputs and outcomes that will help address or alleviate the burdens described. Applicants should also describe the anticipated impacts and potential outcomes of the proposed research and related activities that will occur during the 5-year project period and beyond.

In 2015 the Plant Conservation Alliance released the National Seed Strategy for Rehabilitation and Restoration: 2015-2020, for which the BLM was a participant and signatory. Also in 2015, the White House released the National Strategy to Promote the Health of Honey Bees and Other Pollinators. Implementation of these strategies by the BLM includes increasing the availability of genetically and ecologically appropriate native plant seed, and nursery stock for restoration. Within the Mojave Desert Ecoregion over 1 million acres have burned since 2005, severely impacting habitat for the Federally Threatened Mojave desert tortoise. Invasive species infestation have also greatly expanded, in both upland and riparian areas. Genetically and ecologically appropriate native plant materials are needed to combat invasive species and restore native plant habitats on BLM lands, in support of the National Seed Strategy and National Strategy to Promote the Health of Honey Bees and Other Pollinators, and in support of desert tortoise habitat restoration and recovery.

The First Nations Development Institute believes that reclaiming control over local food systems is an important step toward ensuring the long-lasting health and economic well-being of Native people and communities. Native food-system control has the potential to increase food production, improve health and nutrition, and eliminate food insecurity in rural and reservation-based communities, while also promoting entrepreneurship and economic development.

The Organic Farming Research Foundation is dedicated to fostering the widespread adoption and improvement of organic farming systems in the United States, Canada, and Mexico. To that end, OFRF provides funding for research on organic farming and food systems and the dissemination of these research results to organic farmers and the greater agricultural and research communities. One-year grants of up to $20,000 are available for research projects related to any production, social, economic, or policy-related topic of concern to organic farmers and/or ranchers. Priority areas include soil health, innovative weed control, management of emerging insect and disease issues, and livestock health. Projects must involve farmers or ranchers in project design and implementation and must take place on certified organic land, ideally on a working organic farm or ranch. Applicants should articulate how the proposed research project will foster the improvement or adoption of organic farming systems, as well as ways in which organic farmers or ranchers can use the proposed results in their operations. Research projects must include strong education and outreach components and contain measurable objectives.

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Food and Nutrition Service (FNS), through the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC), is responsible for providing Federal grants to States for supplemental foods, health care referrals, and nutrition education (including breastfeeding promotion and support) for low-income pregnant, breastfeeding, and non-breastfeeding postpartum women, and to infants and children up to age five who are found to be at nutritional risk. The legislative authority for this grant announcement is contained in the Child Nutrition Act of 1966 Section 17 (g) (5)[1] as amended and Section 1472 of the National Agriculture Research, Extension, and Teaching Policy Act of 1977, 7 U.S.C. 3318, codified at 7 CFR 2.19(a)(3)(x) in January 2009. This is an announcement of the availability of funds for one new cooperative agreement for FY 2017-2019 with a public or private Academic or Research Institution. In this funding cycle, the USDA anticipates awarding up to $1,000,000 in grant funding to support the creation of a Participant Research Innovation Laboratory for administering and awarding sub-grants for researcher-initiated projects that develop and test strategies to encourage retention of children in WIC. Developed strategies should focus on WIC service delivery sites or retail environments. Further, strategies must acknowledge the social and cultural diversity of WIC participants and those eligible for the Program.

This Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) issued by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Center for Veterinary Medicine (CVM), builds upon the National Antimicrobial Resistance Monitoring System (NARMS) which was initiated in 1996 as one of the key activities in a national action plan to combat antibiotic resistance threats. The purpose of this FOA is to protect and promote public health by enhancing, strengthening and sustaining antibiotic resistance surveillance in retail food specimens within the NARMS program. The NARMS cooperative agreements will improve the detection of antibiotic resistance among enteric bacteria in food commodities, as well as potentially develop new sites as part of the program. Measurable outcomes of the program will be in alignment with the NARMS Objectives.

This Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) issued by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Center for Veterinary Medicine (CVM), builds upon the National Antimicrobial Resistance Monitoring System (NARMS) which was initiated in 1996 as one of the key activities in a national action plan to combat antibiotic resistance threats. The purpose of this FOA is to protect and promote public health by enhancing, strengthening and sustaining antibiotic resistance surveillance in retail food specimens within the NARMS program. The NARMS cooperative agreements will improve the detection of antibiotic resistance among enteric bacteria in food commodities, as well as potentially develop new sites as part of the program. Measurable outcomes of the program will be in alignment with the NARMS Objectives.

The purpose of the Crop Protection and Pest Management program is to address high priority issues related to pests and their management using IPM approaches at the state, regional and national levels. The CPPM program supports projects that will ensure food security and respond effectively to other major societal pest management challenges with comprehensive IPM approaches that are economically viable, ecologically prudent, and safe for human health. The CPPM program addresses IPM challenges for emerging issues and existing priority pest concerns that can be addressed more effectively with new and emerging technologies. The outcomes of the CPPM program are effective, affordable, and environmentally sound IPM practices and strategies needed to maintain agricultural productivity and healthy communities

The overall scope, goal of the program(s) to be funded under the award(s) resulting from this APS includes: establishing standby capacity by strengthening and augmenting preparedness and readiness of and between potential responders from national and/or international NGOs organizations, PIOs, academic and private institutions, improving technical capacity and coordination for an integrated, effective multi-sectoral response to an infectious disease outbreak that becomes humanitarian emergency. Applicants should build internal mechanisms to improve their institutional capacity to rapidly deploy in response to an infectious disease outbreak that becomes a humanitarian emergency, support organizational capacity to augment or pivot response efforts to keep up with changing needs, and/or to provide support to coordination L3 responses that includes actors from multiple agencies or sectors (i.e. Health, Nutrition, WASH, Agriculture and Food Security, Protection). USAID/OFDA recognizes other ongoing capacity building initiatives supported by other donors that are focused on governments; this APS is specifically focused on building non-governmental capacity in the humanitarian aid community.

The Ambassador's Special Self-Help Fund (SSH) assists Congolese community groups to develop lasting, self-sustaining projects that benefit entire communities. SSH grants in the Republic of Congo have contributed to agricultural modernization, economic development, combatting gender-based violence, improving sanitation, empowering women, improving learning conditions, and expanding access to clean water, health services, and education. Each year, the Ambassador's Special Self-Help Fund supports approximately five to ten projects with grants typically between $5-7,000.

The Cooperative Agreement announced in this FOA represents the continuation and further refinement as well as expansion of well-established collaborations between WHO and FDA, through OIP, in support of data-driven and science-based public health, science-based and research strategies and approaches that align well with FDA domestic and global goals. This cooperative agreement is expected to contribute to the knowledge base of the current regulatory efforts in support of food and medical products safety and quality globally and address specific challenges and fill gaps in the global efforts to ensure said safety and quality of such products.

This funding opportunity announcement (FOA) seeks US domestic research projects that address how food insecurity effects HIV comorbidities, coinfections, and complications (CCCs) within the mission of the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK). The approaches may address the pathways linking food insecurity and the development or exacerbation of CCCs; or they may evaluate the mechanisms whereby interventions that alleviate food insecurity improve CCCs. These mechanisms could be related to nutritional inadequacies or patient health-related behaviors.

This cooperative agreement funding opportunity is a continuation towards the development of the Integrated Food Safety System (IFSS) National Curriculum Standard (NCS) for the various jobs within the human food, animal food, and laboratory regulatory programs (retail food, human manufactured food, animal food, produce, milk, lab, and shellfish) with the ability to expand into other program areas as directed (pharmaceuticals, medical devices, radiological health, imports, bioresearch monitoring, tobacco, leadership and management or other training programs OTED, is or becomes responsible for); continuation of conducting course deliveries, researching and assessing stakeholder training needs; researching the effectiveness of current training models; development of a curriculum tracking database; and the design, development and/or evaluation of new or existing web and classroom courses, materials, and job aids for classroom or field training as directed.