USDA Research and Development Priorities, 2026
USDA Research and Development Priorities, 2026
Grants Modernization Initiative
Grants Modernization Initiative
Proposers will need to have an eRA Commons profile that links to their current institution.
Applications are still submitted through Grants.gov, but there are important steps to take in eRA Commons before you apply:
- Confirm early that your PD/PI and all Senior/Key Personnel (including project partners and collaborators) have active accounts as these individuals must be listed on the application.
- Only your Signing Official can create an account for you. We recommend you initiate account creation quickly.
(At UNH, contact your Pre-award Grant and Contract Administrator) - Your organization must be registered in eRA Commons (UNH is registered)
Please note: Applications will be rejected if your account is inactive; if your Senior/Key Personnel’s eRA Commons usernames are missing from the application; or if the organization’s UEI doesn’t match the one used to register in eRA Commons.
Programs Transitioning in FY 2027
- AFRI Sustainable Agricultural Systems (SAS)
- Agriculture Risk Management Education Partnerships Competitive Grants Program (ARME)
- Alfalfa and Forage Research Program (AFRP)
- Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program (BFRDP)
- Biomass Research and Development Initiative (BRDI)
- Community Food Projects Competitive Grants Program (CFPCGP)
- Crop Protection and Pest Management 1 and 2
- Emergency Citrus Disease Research and Extension (Pre-Applications)
- Food Animal Residue Avoidance Databank Program (FARAD)
- GusNIP – Nutrition Incentive Program (GusNIP-NI)
- GusNIP – Produce Prescription Program (GusNIP-PPP)
- GusNIP – Training, Technical Assistance, Evaluation, and Information Centers (GusNIP-NTAE)
- Institute for Rural Partnerships (General Provision 778)
- Organic Transitions (ORG)
- International Agricultural Science and Education Program (IASE)
- New Beginning for Tribal Students (NBTS)
- New Technologies for Ag Extension (NTAE)
- Open Data Framework (ODF)
- Regional Rural Development Centers (RRDC)
- Research Facilities Act Program (RFAP)
- Small Business Innovation Research/Small Business Technology Transfer (SBIR/STTR) Phase I
- Smith-Lever Special Needs (Cooperative Extension 1862)
- Supplemental and Alternative Crops (SAC)
- Tribal College Research Grants Program (TCRGP)
- Tribal Colleges Extension Program – Special Emphasis (TCEP-SE)
- Veterinary Medicine Loan Repayment Program (VMLRP)
Programs that Transitioned in FY 2026
- Agricultural Genome to Phenome Initiative (AG2PI)
- Equipment Grants Program (EGP)
- Food and Agriculture Service Learning Program (FASLP)
- Farm Business and Benchmarking Program (FBMB)
- Food Safety Outreach Competitive Grants Program (FSOP)
- Organic Agriculture Research and Extension Initiative (OREI)
- Renewable Resources Extension Act - National Focus Funds (RREA-NFF)
- Smith-Lever Special Needs Competitive Grant Program (SLSNCGP)
- Secondary Education, Two-Year Postsecondary Education, and Agriculture in the K-12 Classroom Challenge Grants Program (SPECA)
National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA)
NIFA Reinforces the Agricultural Education Pipeline - program descriptions & infographic
NIFA Request for Applications (RFA) List
Competitive Grants Life Cycle Flowchart
NIFA Peer Review Process for Competitive Grant Applications
New Investigator FAQs -- definition and guidance
Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (AFRI)
» Link to Grants.gov application package
AFRI Request for Applications Resources
» Grant & Project Types
» Letter of Intent (LOI) Instructions
» Additional Information for Part IV,C
- Foundational & Applied Science Program RFA
- Education and Workforce Development RFA
- Sustainable Agricultural Systems RFA
» Data Management Plan Instructions & FAQs
» Application Review Criteria
» AFRI New Investigator Decision Tree
NIFA Advice and Info
» Conflict of Interest
Common Forms for the Biographical Sketch and Current and Pending (Other) Support documents.
> Free-form versions of these documents will not be accepted.
attachments with the application.
Grant Writing Tips for Success
Grant Training/Technical Assistance
Logic Model Planning Process
Integrated Programs' Logic Model Planning Process
For other resources, see RD Digital Library >> USDA -- U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE