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AFRI
10.310
The Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (AFRI) awards research, education, and extension grants to improve rural economies, increase food production, stimulate the bioeconomy, mitigate impacts of climate variability, address water availability issues, ensure food safety and security, enhance human nutrition, and train the next generation of the agricultural workforce. AFRI funds both single- and multi-function research, education, and extension grants that address key problems of national, regional, and multi-state importance. AFRI-funded projects sustain all components of agriculture, including farm efficiency and profitability, ranching, renewable energy, forestry (both urban and agroforestry), aquaculture, rural communities and entrepreneurship, human nutrition, food safety, biotechnology, and conventional breeding. These projects also create jobs and help develop the next generation of agriculture and food scientists. AFRI-funded integrated projects must include at least two of the three functions of agriculture knowledge – research, education, and extension – to ensure delivery of science-based knowledge to people, allowing them to make informed practical decisions.
This chart shows obligations for the program by fiscal year. All data for this chart was provided by the
administering agency and sourced from SAM.gov, USASpending.gov, and Treasury.gov.
For more information on each of these data sources, please see the
About the data page.
For FY 2016:
(A) AFRI: Agricultural and Natural Resources Science for Climate Variability and Change Challenge Area:
For FY 2016 the Program anticipates making $8 million in new awards in the following areas: (1) Climate and Land Use and (2) Climate Master Outreach and Extension.
It is anticipated that $4 million will be provided to fund continuation awards made between 2012 and 2013. It is estimated that two awards will be made under priority area one and four under priority area two.
(B) AFRI: Food Security:
For FY 2016: The Food Security Challenge Area is funded at $16.8 million to support agricultural production research, education, and extension to develop more sustainable, productive, and economically viable plant and animal production systems. In FY 2016 the AFRI Food Security Challenge Area will invest in two priority areas: (1) New Frontiers in Pollinator Health: From Research to Applications; and (2) Breeding and Phenomics of Food Crops and Animals. The request for applications was published with a closing date of July 7, 2016. A total of 57 applications (35 for pollinator and 22 for breeding) were received and are currently going through the peer panel review process. It is anticipated there will be 9 awards made representing 16% success rate. Continuation awards will also be made for projects awarded as continuation awards in earlier years.
(C ) AFRI: Food Safety Challenge Area:
In FY 2016, the Challenge area anticipates making $6 million available for new awards, and $2,249,876 for continuation awards. Applications for the FY 2016 are due by August 3, 2016, and the Request for Applications is available on the agency’s website.
(D) AFRI: Sustainable Bioenergy:
For FY 2016 it is anticipated that approximately 40 proposals will be reviewed and up to 4 new awards will be made totaling up to $12 million; 2 CAP continuation awards were also made for totaling $4 million under the Coordinated Agricultural Projects (CAP). It is also anticipated that 18 proposals will be reviewed and up to 3 awards will be made totaling $9 million under the Investing in America’s Scientific Corps: Preparing a New Generation of Students, Faculty, and Workforce for Emerging Challenges in Bioenergy, Bioproducts, and the Bioeconomy priority all under Sustainable Bioenergy Challenge Area. Under AFRI Foundational Program, there will be two Research-only priorities under Bioenergy, Natural Resource, and Environment (BNRE) Priority Area: (1) Cover Crops, and (2) Socioeconomic Implications and Public Policy Challenges.
Estimated 30 proposals will be reviewed and up to 6 new awards will be made for each priority; with two priorities totaling approximately $6 million.
(E) AFRI: Food, Agriculture, Natural Resources and Human Sciences Education and Literacy Initiative (ELI):
ELI REEU Program: NIFA accepted 74 proposals for review. Approximately 16 award recommendations are anticipated. Anticipated success rate for the program is ~22%.
Professional Development Opportunities for Secondary School Teachers and Education Professionals (PD-STEP): In FY 2016, as part of the ELI funding solicitation, a new opportunity titled, Professional Development Opportunities for Secondary School Teachers and Education Professionals (PD-STEP) is being offered. In FY 2016, for the ELI PD-STEP program, NIFA accepted 32 proposals for review.
Approximately 6 award recommendations are anticipated. Anticipated success rate for the program is ~19%.
Predoctoral and Postdoctoral Fellowships: NIFA received 260 proposals.
Approximately 75 award recommendations are anticipated.
Applications addressed the development of technical and functional competence for predoctoral students, and the research independence and teaching credentials of postdoctoral scientists in the agriculture, forestry, and food sciences that are within NIFA’s challenge and foundational program areas through well-developed and highly interactive mentoring and training activities.
(F) AFRI: Childhood Obesity Prevention Challenge Area:
In FY 2016, NIFA anticipates $6.6 million will be available to support new awards.
(G) AFRI: Foundational Program:
For FY 2016 AFRI Foundational award cycle, approximately, $130,000,000 is available to fund new proposals submitted to the AFRI Foundational Program solicitation. Maximum award size is $500,000. Proposals were solicited for 28 individual programs under the AFRI Foundational Program Request for Applications. Currently, all the programs are receiving proposals. Therefore, complete data for the programs are not available at this time.
(H) Ecology and Evolution of Infectious Diseases (w/NSF, NIH, USDA and UK BBSRC):
No Action Needed for FY 2016.
(I) Plant Feedstock Genomics for Bioenergy: A Joint Research (USDA & DOE):
No Action Needed for FY 2016.
(J) AFRI: Water for Agriculture Challenge Area:
It is anticipated that 80 applications will be received and up to 11 new awards will be granted in fiscal year (FY) 2016, totaling $10.7 million.
Eight projects may be continued for a total continuation funding of $10 M. The priorities initiated in FY 2015 are continued in FY 2016: Pmilliionogram code (8101) focuses on watershed and regional scale projects that focus on the “right crop in the right place with the right water.” The goal of this program priority is to conserve water through the development of cost- effective, adoptable and sustainable practices and technologies for agricultural producers and processors. The second priority (8102) deals with understanding decisions and behaviors connected with agriculture and post-harvest processing industry water use.
Finally, program priority three (8103) is a partnership with EPA regarding the understanding of human health impacts to exposure from nontraditional water used in agriculture. The Peer-review Panel will be held tentatively from November 14-18, 2016. No other data is available.
(K) National Institute of Food and Agriculture International Wheat Yield Partnership Program:
This program is new in FY 2016. The program has received 22 applications requesting $37,570,199.
Currently, these applications are undergoing review. Pertinent data to be provided by Program at a future date.
The funded projects will support new technologies that improve cereal breeding, and discoveries that lead to significantly increase cereal production.
(L) Carbon Cycle Science (InterAgency NASA/DOE):
No solicitation in FY 2016.
(M) Innovation at the Nexus of Food, Energy and Water Systems (aka INFEWS):
For FY 2016 the program anticipated making $5M in new awards in three areas: (1) FEW System Modeling; (2) Visualization and Decision Support for Cyber-Human-Physical Systems at the FEW Nexus; and (3) Research to Enable Innovative Solutions.
This program is joint program with NSF. NSF will anticipates contributing $25M in new awards in the above three areas as well as 4) FEW Education and Workforce Development.
All proposals were received by NSF and evaluated by joint panel. For priority 1, 100 applications were received and 5 will be funded by both agencies; for priority 2, 35 applications were received and 2 will be funded by both agencies; 150 applications were received and 6 will be funded by both agencies; and 19 applications were received and 2 will be funded by both agencies, one from each the separate tracks.
(N) Agricultural Greenhouse Gases:
No further action is required. NIFA decided not to participate in the European Research Area Net (ERA-NET) Solicitation as instructed by the Office of the Secretary of Agriculture.
(O) National Robotics Initiative:
The National Science Foundation received 458 proposals (342 individual projects) that requested approximately $322 million. NIFA awarded five projects totaling $4.75 million over 3 years.
(P) NSF Cyber-Physical Systems:
More than 650 NSF-compliant applications were received by this inter-agency program in FY 2016. From those applications that are relevant to the NIFA priorities for the program. NIFA anticipates making 4-8 awards.
(Q) Plant Biotic Interactions (PBI) Program:
$ 6 million will be available for awards from NIFA. Since this program is offered in partnership with NSF, NSF will provide an additional $8.5 million but not all of that amount will be available for new awards. 251 applications will be reviewed. No awards have been made yet but it is anticipated that NIFA will make approximately 10 awards.
The following represents accomplishments for active Programs:
(A) AFRI: Agricultural and Natural Resources Science for Climate Variability and Change
In Fiscal Year (FY) 2016 the AFRI Climate Change Challenge Area invested in the following priority areas: (1) Climate and Land Use and (2) Climate Masters
The Climate Change Challenge Area was funded at $13.9 million to support agricultural production research, education, and extension to how the mosaic of land use types affect and are affected by climate variability and change through integrated projects that focus on sustainable intensive agricultural systems, including crop, livestock, and forestry production..
The due date for the Climate Master’s program was September 14, 2016. A total of 10 application were received and subjected to the peer panel review process. Four (4) awards made, representing a 40% success rate.
The request for applications was published with a closing date of Nov 16, 2016 for the Climate and Land Use area. A total of 30 applications were received and were subjected to the peer panel review process. Five (5) awards made, representing a 17% success rate.
Funding was also provided for prior years’ Continuation awards.
(C ) AFRI: Food Safety
In Fiscal Year (FY) 2016 the Antimicrobial Resistance program in the Food Safety Challenge Area mad awards totaling about $4.8 million. The program received 44 proposals and funded a total of five (5) grant projects. Funded projects included four (4) Standard Research grants at $4,799,994.00 and one (1) Conference grant at $50,000.
(D) AFRI: Sustainable Bioenergy
For Fiscal Year (FY) 2016, two (2) New continuation awards were made under the Coordinated Agricultural Projects (CAP) program. Three (3) new awards were made totaling $9 million under the Investing in America’s Scientific Corps: Preparing a New Generation of Students, Faculty, and Workforce for Emerging Challenges in Bioenergy, Bioproducts, and the Bioeconomy priority all under Sustainable Bioenergy Challenge Area.
(E) AFRI: Food, Agriculture, Natural Resources and Human Sciences Education and Literacy Initiative (ELI)
NOTE: Formerly AFRI Fellowships
• ELI Research and Extension Experiential Learning for Undergraduates (REEU) Program: NIFA accepted 75 proposals for review. 18 award recommendations were executed. The success rate for the program was ~24%. Applications addressed the goal of promoting research and extension experiential learning for undergraduates such that upon graduation they may enter the agriculture workforce with exceptional skills. • Professional Development Opportunities for Secondary School Teachers and Education Professionals (PD-STEP): NIFA accepted 31 proposals for review. 14 award recommendations were executed. The success rate for the program is ~44%. • Predoctoral and Postdoctoral Fellowships: NIFA received 260 proposals. 115 award recommendations were executed. The success rate for the program was ~40%. Applications addressed the development of technical and functional competence for predoctoral students, and the research independence and teaching credentials of postdoctoral scientists in the agriculture, forestry, and food sciences that are within NIFA’s challenge and foundational program areas through well-developed and highly interactive mentoring and training activities.
(F) AFRI: Childhood Obesity Prevention:
For the Fiscal Year (FY) 2016 award cycle, approximately $6.6 million was available for project grant awards.
Fifty-one applications requesting a total of $157,552,541 were received in this year’s competition. In November 2016, a 15-member peer review panel evaluated these applications. The peer panel includes faculty from 1862 land grant universities, Minority Serving Institutions, private universities, USDA-EPSCoR states, and small and mid-sized universities.
Funds were available to support research, education and extension efforts for four (4) standard awards, two (2) conference award and two (2) strengthening awards that addressed the childhood obesity prevention program.
The funding ratio for this program for FY 2016 was 13%.
(G) AFRI: Foundational Program:
In Fiscal Year (FY) 2016, AFRI Foundational Program invested $130 million to support biological research, education and extension programs.
The request for applications were published under 28 program area priorities:
1) Foundational Knowledge of Agricultural Production - The closing date for applications was August 17, 2016. A total of 48 applications were received and were subjected to the peer panel review process. Ten (10) awards were made, representing a 21% success rate.
2) Pests and Beneficial Species in Agricultural Production Systems - The closing date for applications was July 21, 2016. A total of 152 applications were received and were subjected to the peer panel review process. 21 awards were made, representing a 14% success rate.
3) Physiology of Agricultural Plants – The closing date for applications was August 11, 2016. A total of 150 applications were received and were subjected to the peer panel review process. 25 awards were made, representing a 17% success rate.
4) Plant Breeding for Agricultural Production - The closing date for applications was July 28, 2016. A total of 72 applications were received and were subjected to the peer panel review process. 19 awards were made, representing a 26% success rate.
5) Animal Reproduction - The closing date for applications was July 14, 2016. A total of 62 applications were received and were subjected to the peer panel review process. 16 awards were made, representing a 26% success rate.
6) Animal Nutrition, Growth and Lactation - The closing date for applications was July 14, 2016. A total of 92 applications were received and were subjected to the peer panel review process. 17 awards were made, representing an 18% success rate.
7) Animal Well-Being - The closing date for applications was July 14, 2016. A total of 19 applications were received and were subjected to the peer panel review process. 2awards were made, representing an 11% success rate.
8) Animal Health and Disease - The closing date for applications was July 14, 2016. A total of 155 applications were received and were subjected to the peer panel review process. 33 awards were made, representing a 21% success rate.
9) Tools and Resources – Animal Breeding, Genetics and Genomics - The closing date for applications was August 3, 2016. A total of 28 applications were received and were subjected to the peer panel review process. 7 awards were made, representing a 25% success rate.
10) Tools and Resources – Immune Reagents for Agricultural Animals- The closing date for applications was July 14, 2016. A total of 2 applications were received and were subjected to the peer panel review process. One (1) award was made, representing a 50% success rate.
11) Improving Food Safety - The closing date for applications was August 10, 2016. A total of 119 applications were received and were subjected to the peer panel review process. 22 awards were made, representing an 18% success rate.
12) Improving Food Quality - The closing date for applications was July 14, 2016. A total of 94 applications were received and were subjected to the peer panel review process. 17 awards were made, representing an 18% success rate.
13) Understanding Antimicrobial Resistance - The closing date for applications was August 17, 2016. A total of 30 applications were received and were subjected to the peer panel review process. Two (2) awards were made, representing a 7% success rate.
14) Function and Efficacy of Nutrients - The closing date for applications was July 14, 2016. A total of 87 applications were received and were subjected to the peer panel review process. 14 awards were made, representing a 16% success rate.
15) Nitrogen and Phosphorus Cycling - The closing date for applications was July 21, 2016. A total of 51 applications were received and were subjected to the peer panel review process. 13 awards were made, representing a 25% success rate.
16) Agroecosystem Management - The closing date for applications was July 21, 2016. A total of 57 applications were received and were subjected to the peer panel review process. 12 awards were made, representing a 21% success rate.
17) Cover Crops for Bioenergy and Biobased Products - The closing date for applications was July 21, 2016. A total of 10 applications were received and were subjected to the peer panel review process. Five (5) awards were made, representing a 50% success rate.
18) Socioeconomic Implications and Public Policy Challenges of Bioenergy and Bioproducts Market Development and Expansion - The closing date for applications was July 21, 2016. A total of 22 applications were received and were subjected to the peer panel review process. Five (5) awards were made, representing a 23% success rate.
19) Agricultural Engineering - The closing date for applications was July 13, 2016. A total of 53 applications were received and were subjected to the peer panel review process. Nine (9) awards were made, representing a 17% success rate.
20) Bioprocessing and Bioengineering - The closing date for applications was July 13, 2016. A total of 71 applications were received and were subjected to the peer panel review process. Eight (8) awards were made, representing 11% success rate.
21) Nanotechnology for Agricultural and Food Systems - The closing date for applications was July 13, 2016. A total of 88 applications were received and were subjected to the peer panel review process. 14 awards were made, representing a 16% success rate.
22) Economics, Markets and Trade - The closing date for applications was August 11, 2016. A total of 48 applications were received and were subjected to the peer panel review process. 13 awards were made, representing a 27% success rate.
23) Environmental and Natural Resources Economics - The closing date for applications was August 18, 2016. A total of 38 applications were received and were subjected to the peer panel review process. Ten (10) awards were made, representing a 26% success rate.
24) Behavioral and Experimental Economic Applications for Agri-Environmental Policy Design - The closing date for applications was July 14, 2016. A total of 3 applications were received and were subjected to the peer panel review process. 2 awards were made, representing a 67% success rate.
25) Small and Medium-sized Farms - The closing date for applications was August 25, 2016. A total of 32 applications were received and were subjected to the peer panel review process. Ten (10) awards were made, representing a 31% success rate.
26) Innovation for Rural Entrepreneurs and Communities - The closing date for applications was August 31, 2016. A total of 52 applications were received and were subjected to the peer panel review process. 16 awards were made, representing a 31% success rate.
27) Critical Agricultural Research and Extension - The closing date for applications was July 14, 2016. A total of 35 applications were received and were subjected to the peer panel review process. 17 awards were made, representing a 49% success rate.
28) Exploratory Research – There is no closing date for Letter of Intent and the closing date for applications are 60 days after the encouragement to submit the full application based on the assessment of Letter of Intent. A total of 68 applications were received and were subjected to the peer panel review process. 12 awards were made, representing an 18% success rate.
(I) Joint Plant Feedstock:
Within this interagency program NIFA recommended and funded to awards totaling $2 million in FY 2016.
(J) AFRI: Water (for Agriculture):
The AFRI: Water for Food Production Systems (WFPS) represents a newly funded program, which did not exist in FY 2016.
(M) Innovation at the Nexus of Food, Energy, and Water Systems (INFEWS):
During Fiscal Year (FY) 2016 the program made $5 million in new awards two (2) areas:
(1) Food, Energy, and Water System (FEW) Modeling; and
(2) Visualization and Decision Support for Cyber-Human-Physical Systems at the FEW Nexus.
NIFA fully funded two (2) awards. This program is joint program with the National Science Foundation (NSF). NSF fully funded 17 awards, contributing $35 million in new awards in the above three (3) areas as well as four (4) FEW Education and Workforce Development.
All proposals were received by NSF and evaluated by joint panel.
For priority 1, 100 applications were received, two (2) were jointly funded by both agencies and four (4) were funded by NSF. For priority 2, 35 applications were received; one (1) was funded by NIFA and two (2) by NSF.
The following Programs are no longer funded: hence, no action is required:
(B) AFRI: Food Security
(L) International Wheat Yield Partnership
For Fiscal Year 2017 the Appropriations amount for the Agriculture & Food Research Initiative Grants Program (AFRI) was $375, 000,000.
The amount available for awards was $342,971,061 after legislatively mandated set-asides.
Fiscal Year (FY) 2017 – ACTIVE Programs:
(C ) AFRI: Food Safety:
In FY 2017, the Antimicrobial Resistance program in the Food Safety Challenge area made awards totaling over $10 million.
The program received 47 proposals and funded a total of ten (10) grant projects. Funded projects included nine (9) Standard Integrated and one (1) Standard Strengthening Integrated grants.
(D) AFRI: Sustainable Bioenergy:
Two (2) continuation awards were made under the Coordinated Agricultural Projects (CAP) program.
Eleven (11) awards were made under the Bioenergy Lignin or Nano-cellulosic Co Products from Biomass Feedstocks and six (6) Biomass Feedstock Genetic Development and Evaluation program areas.
(F) AFRI: Childhood Obesity Prevention:
For the Fiscal Year (FY) 2017 award cycle, approximately $8.6 million was available for project grant awards.
Sixty-four applications requesting a total of $134,525,404 were received in this year’s competition. In September 2017, a 15-member peer review panel evaluated these applications. The peer panel includes faculty from 1862 land grant universities, Minority Serving Institutions, private universities, USDA-EPSCoR states, and small and mid-sized universities.
Funds were available to support research, education and extension efforts for four (4) standard awards, one (1) conference award and one (1) strengthening awards that addressed the childhood obesity prevention program.
The funding ratio for this program for FY 2017 was 7%.
(G) AFRI: Foundational Program:
For FY 2017 AFRI Foundational Program award cycle, a total budget of $169,000,500 was used to fund the new awards from the applications submitted to 28 individual programs under the AFRI Foundational Program solicitation.
A total of 1949 applications were received and 616 awards were made in this year’s AFRI Foundational Program competition.
(I) Joint Plant Feedstock:
Within this interagency program NIFA recommended and funded to two (2) awards totaling $2 million ($1 million each).
(J) AFRI: Water (for Agriculture):
The AFRI Food Security and Water for Agriculture Challenge Areas were consolidated into a new Challenge Area, Water for Food Production Systems (WFPS), which sought approximately $34 million in FY 2017 to support projects that addressed current agricultural challenges to ensure sustainable production of safe and nutritious food. A total of 87 applications were received for a single priority:
The WFPS RFA invited applications that employed systems approaches that lead to solutions for water challenges in U.S. agricultural production. These solutions must be feasible and simultaneously take into consideration a broad spectrum of kinds of agricultural producers, other competing industries, consumers and the communities where they live, and other relevant stakeholders. The impacts will be measured as appropriate changes needed by water users, consumers, and policy makers to improve resolution in conflicts over water supplies by reducing water use or increasing water use efficiency for the next several decades or more. NIFA’s customers considered the WFPS the fourth year of the Water for Agriculture Program as a broader challenge area to address critical water resources issues such as drought, excess soil moisture, flooding, quality and productivity for food production in an agricultural context. The program focused on developing solutions for water management that linked food, water, climate, energy, and environmental issues. Funding was used to develop management practices, technologies, and tools for farmers, ranchers, forest owners and managers, public decision-makers, public and private managers and citizens to improve food production while remaining true to conserving water resource quantity and quality.
NIFA’s approach linked social, economic, and behavioral sciences with traditional biophysical sciences and engineering to address local to regional scale issues with shared hydrological and agricultural processes, and meteorological and basin characteristics.
WFPS was restricted to Coordinated Agricultural Projects (CAP) awards only (up to $5.2 M per project over 5 years)—six CAPs, integrated across research and education or extension and one capacity (FASE) CAP grant integrated across research and extension were awarded to a set of U.S. four-year degree granting universities or colleges with a wide geographic distribution for a total of $34,922,500. Eleven CAP projects were continued from awards in 2014, 2015 and 2016 for a total of $13,333,128.
A grand total for FY 2017 funding for Water for Agriculture and Water for Food Production Systems was $47,255,628.
(M) Innovation at the Nexus of Food, Energy, and Water Systems (INFEWS):
During Fiscal Year (FY) 2017 the program made $5 million in new awards under two (2) areas: (1) Food, Energy, and Water System (FEW) Modeling; and (2) Research to Enable Innovative System Solutions. This program is joint program with the National Science Foundation (NSF). NSF fully funded 16 awards, contributing $36 million in new awards in the above two (2) areas as well as Visualization and Decision Support for Cyber-Human-Physical Systems at the FEW Nexus. All proposals were received by NSF and evaluated by joint panels.
The NSF received roughly 375 proposals for the 20 awards funded between NSF and USDA NIFA. (N) AFRI - Education and Workforce Development:
• Research and Extension Experiential Learning for Undergraduates (REEU) Program: NIFA accepted 75 proposals for review. 18 award recommendations were executed. The success rate for the program was ~24%. Applications addressed the goal of promoting research and extension experiential learning for undergraduates such that upon graduation they may enter the agriculture workforce with exceptional skills.
• Professional Development Opportunities for Secondary School Teachers and Education Professionals (PD-STEP): NIFA accepted 38 proposals for review. 8 award recommendations were executed. The success rate for the program is ~21%.
• Predoctoral and Postdoctoral Fellowships: NIFA received 222 proposals. 110 proposals were recommended for funding. Applications addressed the development of new scientists and professionals to enter research, education, and extension fields within the Food, Agriculture, Natural Resources, and Human Sciences, and focused upon at least one of the six Farm Bill priority areas.
(O) AFRI - Sustainable Agricultural Systems:
Not Applicable. This Program was not yet funded in FY 2017.
(P) Comparative and Evolutionary Genomics Research for Accelerated Animal Breeding (Joint NIH Project):
Not Applicable. This Program was not yet funded in FY 2017.
(Q) Cyber-Physical System Program (Interagency Solicitation):
This is a joint program with several agencies where National Science Foundation was the lead agency that received the applications. NIFA encourages projects that advance science and technology applied to Smart & Connected Communities (both rural and urban) and real-time agricultural data analytics and control. All applications for FY 2017 involved real-time agricultural data analytics and control. A total budget of $5,000,000 from NIFA was used to fund seven awards. Awards for FY 2017 were distributed between cropping systems and animal agriculture.
(R) National Robotics Initiative:
This is a joint program with several agencies where National Science Foundation was the lead agency that received the applications. NIFA encourages robotics research, applications, and education to enhance agricultural production, processing, and distribution systems that benefit consumers and rural communities. A total budget of $2,769,222 was used from NIFA to fund three applications submitted to this program. Awards for FY 2017 were equally distributed between cropping systems, animal agriculture, and aquaculture.
(S) Joint NIFA/NSF Plant and Animal Microbiome – DCL:
The Dear Colleague Letter: NSF-USDA-BBSRC Joint Funding Opportunity was developed.
(T) NSF-NIFA Plant Biotic Interactions Program:
For FY 2017, the available funding for awards in the NSF-NIFA Plant Biotic Interactions Program was $8,962,504.
The listing below represents Programs which have not been recently funded. Hence, no further action is required (N/A/N) for the following Programs:
(A) AFRI: Agricultural and Natural Resources Science for Climate Variability and Change;
(B) AFRI: Food Security;
(E) AFRI: Food, Agriculture, Natural Resources and Human Sciences Education and Literacy Initiative (ELI);
NOTE: Formerly known as AFRI Fellowships; and
(L) International Wheat Yield Partnership.
For Fiscal Year 2018 the Appropriations amount for the Agriculture & Food Research Initiative Grants Program (AFRI) was $400 million.
The amount available for awards was $365,236,233 after legislatively mandated set-asides.
Fiscal Year (FY) 2018 – ACTIVE Programs:
(D) AFRI: Sustainable Bioenergy:
For FY 2018, (2) continuation awards (from FY 2017 projects) were made under the Coordinated Agricultural Projects (CAP) program totaling $8,043,000. No new awards were funded under the Sustainable Bioenergy and Bioproducts (SBEBP) Challenge Area.
(G) AFRI: Foundational and Applied Science Program:
For FY 2018 AFRI Foundational and Applied Science (formerly known as AFRI Foundational Program) award cycle, $182 million is available to fund new applications submitted to the FY 2018 AFRI Foundational and Applied Science Program solicitation. Applications were solicited for 35 individual programs. A total of 2,229 applications requesting $1,088,039,322 were received by the programs. A total of 438 awards have been finalized. A few more number of awards are being currently finalized.
(I) Joint Plant Feedstock:
Two (2) projects funded at $1 million each.
(J) AFRI: Water for Food Production Systems Challenge Area (WFPS):
Fiscal Year (FY) 2018: The AFRI Water for Food Production Systems Challenge Area (WFPS) acted as an interim program between the Water For Agriculture Coordinated Agricultural Projects (CAPs) and standard grants through to the Sustainable Agricultural Systems (SAS), a broad, systems of systems focused program that focused on all agricultural systems, not just water or food production. In FY 2018 we completed the awards for WFPS spending approximately $34 million to support projects that addressed current agricultural challenges to ensure sustainable production of safe and nutritious food. A total of 87 applications were received for a single priority. The WFPS RFA invited applications that employed systems approaches that lead to solutions for water challenges in U.S. agricultural production. These solutions must be feasible and simultaneously take into consideration a broad spectrum of kinds of agricultural producers, other competing industries, consumers and the communities where they live, and other relevant stakeholders. FY 2018 was year 1 for all of the awarded projects. The impacts will continue to be measured as appropriate changes needed by water users, consumers, and policy makers to improve resolution in conflicts over water supplies by reducing water use or increasing water use efficiency for the next several decades or more. The awards focused on developing solutions for water management that linked food, water, climate, energy, and environmental issues. Funding was used to develop management practices, technologies, and tools for farmers, ranchers, forest owners and managers, public decision-makers, public and private managers and citizens to improve food production while remaining true to conserving water resource quantity and quality. The WFPS approach linked social, economic, and behavioral sciences with traditional biophysical sciences and engineering to address local to regional scale issues with shared hydrological and agricultural processes, and meteorological and basin characteristics. WFPS was restricted to Coordinated Agricultural Projects (CAP) awards only (up to $5.2 million per project over 5 years)—seven CAPs, integrated across research and education or extension and one capacity (FASE) CAP grant integrated across research and extension were awarded to a set of U.S. four-year degree granting universities or colleges with a wide geographic distribution for a total of $34,922,500.
(M) Innovation at the Nexus of Food, Energy, and Water Systems (INFEWS):
USDA NIFA leadership reallocated the $5 million set aside for the FY 2018 INFEWS program to the AFRI Water for Food Production.
Program continuation awards to cover a shortfall in the program.
USDA NIFA did not fund any NEW awards in FY 2018.
Funding for awards in FY 2018 supported FY 2017 continuation awards.
Further, NSF did not fund any new awards in FY 2018.
(N) AFRI - Education and Workforce Development (EWD): • Research and Extension Experiential Learning for Undergraduates (REEU) Program: NIFA accepted 78 proposals for review. 17 award recommendations were executed. The success rate for the program was 22%. Applications promoted research and extension experiential learning for undergraduates such that upon graduation they may enter the agriculture workforce with exceptional skills.
• Professional Development Opportunities for Secondary School Teachers and Education Professionals (PD-STEP): NIFA accepted 48 proposals for review. 21 award recommendations were executed. The success rate for the program is ~43.75%. Applications supported immersive learning in non-formal educational programs for secondary school educators
• Predoctoral and Postdoctoral Fellowships: NIFA received 280 proposals. 146 proposals were recommended for funding. Applications addressed the development of new scientists and professionals to enter research, education, and extension fields within the Food, Agriculture, Natural Resources, and Human Sciences, and focused upon at least one of the six Farm Bill priority areas.
(O) AFRI - Sustainable Agricultural Systems (SAS):
This is a new program in FY 2018 focused on sustainably increasing agricultural production in a way that accounts for diminishing natural resources, changing climate conditions, and increasing plant and animal disease threats.
The AFRI SAS Program processed eight (8) awards totaling $77,853,248.
(P) Comparative and Evolutionary Genomics Research for Accelerated Animal Breeding (Joint NIH Project) (aka CEG):
This program was not funded in Fiscal Year 2018.
(Q) Cyber-Physical System Program (Interagency Solicitation):
Fiscal Year (FY) 2018 This is a joint program with several agencies where National Science Foundation was the lead agency that received the applications. NIFA encourages projects that advance science and technology applied to Smart & Connected Communities (both rural and urban) and real-time agricultural data analytics and control. A total budget of $5 million from NIFA was used to fund five awards. Four awards for FY 2018 involved real-time agricultural data analytics and control and one award involved Smart and Connected Communities. Awards for FY 2018 were distributed between cropping systems and animal agriculture.
(R) National Robotics Initiative:
Fiscal Year (FY) 2018: This is a joint program with several agencies where National Science Foundation was the lead agency that received the applications. NIFA encourages robotics research, applications, and education to enhance agricultural production, processing, and distribution systems that benefit consumers and rural communities. A total budget of $5,694,935 from NIFA was used to fund ten (10) awards. Awards for FY 2018 were distributed between cropping systems, animal agriculture, forestry, and aquaculture.
(S) Joint NIFA/NSF Plant and Animal Microbiome – DCL (aka EAGERS):
Fiscal Year (FY) 2018: The Dear Colleague Letter was published on January 5, 2018. https://www.nsf.gov/pubs/2018/nsf18039/nsf18039.jsp?WT.mc_id=USNSF_179
Two-page summaries (134) were received by March 14, 2018, of which 39 were encouraged to submit a full application. A total of 39 applications were received for review by July 16, 2018.
The Program anticipated 20 awards of which NIFA anticipated to fund ten (10) awards with $3 million funding from the FY 2018 AFRI Foundational and Applied Science Program: Plant breeding program for agricultural production program area priority.
(T) NSF-NIFA Plant Biotic Interactions Program (PBI):
The NSF/NIFA Plant Biotic Interactions Program supports research on processes that mediate beneficial and antagonistic interactions between plants and their viral, bacterial, oomycete, fungal, parasitic plant and invertebrate symbionts, pathogens and pests. It supports research along the entire range from basic to translational/applied.
The NSF-NIFA Plant Biotic Interactions Program has not yet made any awards with FY 2018 funds, but is processing nine (9) awards totaling $6,887,479.
(U) Signals in the Soil (SitS) Program:
N/A – Joint program was not funded until FY 2019.
The listing below represents AFRI Programs which have not been recently funded. Hence, no further action is required (N/A/N) for the following Programs:
(A) Agricultural and Natural Resources Science for Climate Variability and Change; (B) Food Security; (C) Food Safety; (E) Food, Agriculture, Natural Resources and Human Sciences Education and Literacy Initiative (ELI); NOTE: Formerly known as AFRI Fellowships. (F) Childhood Obesity Prevention; (H) Ecology and Evolution of Infectious Diseases (Joint Project with NSF, NIH, USDA and UK BBSRC); (L) International Wheat Yield Partnership; and Integrated Biorefinery Optimization (Joint Project with DOE).
For Fiscal Year 2019 the Appropriations amount for the Agriculture & Food Research Initiative Grants Program (AFRI) was $415 million.
The amount available for awards was $378,828,821 after legislatively mandated set-asides.
Fiscal Year (FY) 2019 – ACTIVE Programs:
(D) AFRI: Sustainable Bioenergy:
For FY 2019, two (2) continuation awards have been awarded totaling $7,525,000 using FY 2018 funds.
(G) AFRI: Foundational and Applied Sciences Program:
For FY 2019, AFRI Foundational and Applied Science (FAS) award cycle, approximately $192,585,000 is available to fund new applications submitted to the FY 2019 AFRI FAS Program Solicitation. Applications were solicited for 35 individual programs.
Currently, all the programs are either receiving applications or the program staff is screening applications submitted to the programs. Therefore, complete data for the Foundational and Applied Science program is not available at this time.
(I) Joint Plant Feedstock:
N/A – Additional funding is not anticipated for this Program.
(J) AFRI: Water for Food Production Systems Challenge Area (WFPS);
Seven (7) WFPS projects were fully funded and completing year 2 activities in FY 2019. WFPS was not appropriated by Congress in FY 2019, so the cycle of RFA, proposal submission, review and award was not realized in FY 2019. Post award management continued for the seven awarded CAPs from FYs 2017 & 2018—all projects appear to be spending their funds appropriately and completing their proposed objectives in a timely manner.
(M) Innovation at the Nexus of Food, Energy, and Water Systems (INFEWS):
USDA NIFA allocated $7 million for support of the INFEWS program. $5 million will support funding the continuation portion of the four (4) FY 2017 awards and $2 million will cover the first year of funding for three (3) new awards.
The NSF received approximately 280 proposals for the 18 awards funded between NSF and USDA NIFA.
NSF funded 15 additional awards at approximately $20 million.
(N) AFRI - Education and Workforce Development (EWD):
• Professional Development for Agricultural Literacy (PDAL) Program Formerly known as “Professional Development Opportunities for Secondary School Teachers and Education Professionals (PD-STEP)”: Peer-review for this program has not taken place. 28 proposals have been accepted for review and 10 award recommendations are anticipated. The projected success rate for the program is approximately 35%.
• Agricultural Workforce Training Program (AWT): Peer-review for this program has not taken place. 63 letters of intent were received. Application deadline is August 22, 2019. This program is being first offered in FY 2019.
• REEU Program: Peer-review for this program has not taken place. 63 proposals have been accepted and 20 award recommendations are anticipated. The projected success rate for the program is ~32%.
• Predoctoral and Postdoctoral Fellowships: Peer-review for this program has not taken place. Approximately 240 proposals and 120 award recommendations are anticipated.
(O) AFRI - Sustainable Agricultural Systems (SAS):
A total budget of $90 million is available to fund new application to this program. Currently, NIFA is receiving applications for the program.
Pertinent details will be provided by Program at a future date.
(P) Comparative and Evolutionary Genomics Research for Accelerated Animal Breeding (Joint NIH Project) (aka CEG):
This program did not make new awards based on panel rankings.
(Q) Cyber-Physical System Program (Interagency Solicitation):
Fiscal Year (FY) 2019: This is a joint program with several agencies where National Science Foundation was the lead agency that received the applications. NIFA encourages projects that advance science and technology applied to Smart & Connected Communities (both rural and urban) and real-time agricultural data analytics and control. It is anticipated that a total budget of $5 million from NIFA will be used to fund approximately six (6) awards.
(R) National Robotics Initiative:
Fiscal Year (FY) 2019: This is a joint program with several agencies where National Science Foundation was the lead agency that received the applications. NIFA encourages robotics research, applications, and education to enhance agricultural production, processing, and distribution systems that benefit consumers and rural communities. A total budget of $4,344,032 from NIFA was used to fund eleven (11) awards. Awards for FY 2019 were distributed between commodity and specialty cropping systems.
(S) Joint NIFA/NSF Plant and Animal Microbiome – DCL (aka EAGERS):
Fiscal Year (FY) 2019: 10 projects were funded by NIFA in Early Concept Grants for Exploratory Research totaling $3 million.
The following are selected examples of funded projects: • Advancing Hybrid Wheat Production through the Use of Novel Pathways for Male Sterility; • Novel Delivery Systems for Efficient CRISPR/CAS9 Gene Editing in Plant Cells; • Smart Agricultural Biotechnology With Nanoparticle-Enabled Plant Transformations; • Unified Big Data in Genomics and Phenomics for Plant Breeding; and • Utilizing High Phenotyping Approaches to Advance Plant Breeding.
(T) NSF-NIFA Plant Biotic Interactions Program (PBI):
NIFA anticipates that the funding available for the NSF-NIFA Plant Biotic Interactions Program in FY 2019 will be $7 million. The NSF-NIFA Plant Biotic Interactions Program has not yet made any research awards with FY 2019 funds.
(U) Signals in the Soil (SitS) Program:
NIFA will fund two (2) projects totally $1,149,717.
The listing below represents AFRI Programs which have not been recently funded. Hence, no further action is required (N/A/N) for the following Programs:
(A) Agricultural and Natural Resources Science for Climate Variability and Change; (B) Food Security; (C) Food Safety; (E) Food, Agriculture, Natural Resources and Human Sciences Education and Literacy Initiative (ELI); NOTE: Formerly known as AFRI Fellowships. (F) Childhood Obesity Prevention; (H) Ecology and Evolution of Infectious Diseases (Joint Project with NSF, NIH, USDA and UK BBSRC); (L) International Wheat Yield Partnership; and Integrated Biorefinery Optimization (Joint Project with DOE).
For Fiscal Year 2020 the projected per the President’s Budget for the Agriculture & Food Research Initiative Grants Program (AFRI) is $500 million.
The projected amount available for awards was $457,613,568 after legislatively mandated set-asides.
Fiscal Year (FY) 2020 – ACTIVE Programs:
(D) AFRI: Sustainable Bioenergy:
N/A – Additional funding is not anticipated for this Program.
(G) AFRI: Foundational and Applied Sciences Program:
The FY 2020 funding levels have not yet been established by Congressional Appropriations.
Pertinent details will be provided by Program at a future date.
(I) Joint Plant Feedstock:
N/A – Additional funding is not anticipated for this Program.
(J) AFRI: Water for Food Production Systems Challenge Area (WFPS):
The FY 2020 funding levels have not yet been established by Congressional Appropriations.
If this Program is funded in FY 2020, it is projected that the funding level will be comparable and the types of projects will be similar.
Pertinent details will be provided by Program at a future date.
(M) Innovation at the Nexus of Food, Energy, and Water Systems (INFEWS):
It is projected that $5 million will be available for funding the continuation portion of the four (4) FY 2019 awards.
(N) AFRI - Education and Workforce Development (EWD):
Data is not yet available.
Pertinent details to be provided by program at a future date.
(O) AFRI - Sustainable Agricultural Systems (SAS):
The FY 2020 funding levels have not yet been established by Congressional Appropriations.
Pertinent details will be provided by Program at a future date.
(P) Comparative and Evolutionary Genomics Research for Accelerated Animal Breeding (Joint NIH Project) (aka CEG):
It is projected that this Program will make up to two (2) awards; totaling up to $3 million.
(Q) Cyber-Physical System Program (Interagency Solicitation):
The FY 2020 funding levels have not yet been established by Congressional Appropriations.
Pertinent details will be provided by Program at a future date.
(R) National Robotics Initiative:
The FY 2020 funding levels have not yet been established by Congressional Appropriations.
Pertinent details will be provided by Program at a future date.
(S) Joint NIFA/NSF Plant and Animal Microbiome – DCL (aka EAGERS):
This program is scheduled to sunset in FY 2020. Thus, no information is available.
Pertinent information will be provided by Program at a future date.
(T) NSF-NIFA Plant Biotic Interactions Program (PBI):
NIFA projects that the funding available for the NSF-NIFA Plant Biotic Interactions Program in FY 2020 will be $8 million.
(U) Signals in the Soil (SitS) Program:
Projected minimum amount of $2.4 million, to support three (3) awards.
The listing below represents AFRI Programs which have not been recently funded. Hence, no further action is required (N/A/N) for the following Programs:
(A) Agricultural and Natural Resources Science for Climate Variability and Change; (B) Food Security; (C) Food Safety; (E) Food, Agriculture, Natural Resources and Human Sciences Education and Literacy Initiative (ELI); NOTE: Formerly known as AFRI Fellowships. (F) Childhood Obesity Prevention; (H) Ecology and Evolution of Infectious Diseases (Joint Project with NSF, NIH, USDA and UK BBSRC); (L) International Wheat Yield Partnership; and Integrated Biorefinery Optimization (Joint Project with DOE).
The Foundational and Applied Sciences received 2370 applications and made 445 awards. The Education and Workforce Development program received 412 applications and made 151 awards. The Sustainable Agricultural Systems program received 50 applications and made 7 awards.
Single Audit Applies (2 CFR Part 200 Subpart F):
For additional information on single audit requirements for this program, review the current Compliance Supplement.
OMB is working with the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) and agency offices of inspectors general to include links to relevant oversight reports. This section will be updated once this information is made available.
