NIFA Launches New Rapid Response Grant Opportunity to Combat Emerging Agricultural Threats

NIFA has launched a new competitive grant opportunity designed to rapidly address emerging and re-emerging pest and disease threats across the nation’s food and agricultural systems. The program, Rapid Response to Emerging and Re-emerging Pest and Disease Events Across Food and Agricultural Systems, aims to deliver timely, science-based solutions that protect agricultural productivity, ecosystem health and food security.

This program area priority is designed to rapidly deploy strategies and fill knowledge and information gaps to protect the Nation’s food and agricultural supply chains—and the people who support and rely on them—during and after the emergence or re-emergence of pests and diseases associated with animal production systems and/or the emergence or re-emergence of invasive diseases, insects, and weeds associated with plant production systems and/or toxins affecting the health of either plant or animal production systems.

All applications must directly address 1) effects associated with the emergence or re-emergence of pests and/or disease in animal and/or plant production systems or within the food supply; and 2) one or more of the following emphasis areas: 

  • One Health
  • Plant/Animal Health
  • Ecosystem Health 

 This priority area seeks applications that focus on critical and urgent development of knowledge and/or solutions in rapid response to pest/disease emergence/re-emergence impacts on the food and agricultural systems and/or supply chains. Because rapid response is at the core of this program, applicants must include in their project narrative a statement about the timing, relevance, and impact of the emergence or re-emergence incident to which their proposed project responds. 

Grant Types 

Standard and FASE (Strengthening Standard): Applications are submitted within 180 days of effects associated with the emergence or re-emergence of pests and/or disease in animal, food, and/or plant production systems, and/or environmental health and productivity within the nation or a specific region, state, area, or industry. 

Project types:  

  • Research
  • Extension
  • Integrated (research and Extension/outreach) 

The grant duration is 12-24 months for Standard and FASE (Strengthening Standard) projects. The maximum award amount, including indirect costs, is $500,000. 

For more information and additional resources, including guidance on grant and project types, proposal format, and other details, see AFRI’s NOFO Resources.  

With awards of up to $500,000 and project durations of 12 to 24 months, this opportunity supports research, Extension and integrated projects. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis within 180 days of a qualifying pest or disease event, ensuring that resources can be mobilized quickly when new threats arise. Read more about this new funding opportunity.

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