Western Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) 2026 Research and Education (R&E) Grant Program
This grant program involves scientists, agricultural producers, and others using interdisciplinary approaches to advance sustainable agriculture at local and regional levels. With the collaboration of producers, projects must integrate rigorous research and education aiming to advance the three components of sustainable agriculture- environmental, economic, and social- and use innovative educational outreach to disseminate new knowledge to students, producers, and other agricultural stakeholders.
Pre-Proposals Due: May 1, 2026 4pm PT
Full Proposals by invite only
Maximum Request Amount: $350,000
Please see the Western SARE R&E RFA and Western SARE website for specific details.
Rapid Response to Emerging and Re-emerging Pest and Disease Events Across Food and Agricultural Systems
The USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) announces the launch of a new competitive grants program aimed at rapidly addressing emerging and re-emerging pest and disease threats across the nation’s food and agricultural systems. The AFRI grants program, Rapid Response to Emerging and Re-emerging Pest and Disease Events Across Food and Agricultural Systems, is designed to deploy timely, science-based solutions to protect agricultural productivity, ecosystem health, and food security.
Funded projects will focus on applied research and Extension and outreach activities that generate actionable knowledge and tools. These may include:
- Rapid understanding of pest/pathogen ecology, epidemiology, and immunology.
- Development and validation of diagnostics, vaccines, and control methods.
- Communication strategies, training programs, and best practices for mitigation.
- Technologies and protocols for detection, management, and prevention.
Opportunity Number: USDA-NIFA-AFRI-011134
AFRI Program Code A1713, 7e. Rapid Response to Emerging and Re-emerging Pest and Disease Events Across Food and Agricultural Systems
Maximum request Amount: $500,000
Duration: 12 to 24 months
Due Date: Applications are accepted on a continuous basis, within 180 days of a qualifying pest or disease event, ensuring swift mobilization of resources when threats arise.
Please see the RFA and AFRI program website for specific details.
2026/27 Effectiveness Monitoring Committee Request for Research Proposals to test the California Forest Practice Rules and related regulations
The Effectiveness Monitoring Committee advisory body to the Board of Forestry and Fire Protection, intends to fund robust scientific research aimed at testing the efficacy of the California Forest Practice Rules and other natural resource protection statutes, laws, codes, and associated regulations, which address natural resource issues including, but not limited to, watershed science, wildlife concerns, and wildfire hazard.
Proposals must address one or more of the EMC’s Research Themes and Critical Monitoring Questions and address natural resource protection issues that are important for California forestlands.
The critical monitoring questions are organized under 12 Research Themes. The six prioritized critical questions are:
Are the FPRs and associated regulations effective in...
- Question 1h … managing WLPZs to reduce or minimize potential fire behavior and rate of spread?
- Question 2a … minimizing management-related sediment delivery from forest management activities to watercourse channels at the watershed and sub-watershed level in managed watersheds?
- Question 6c … managing fuel loads, vegetation patterns and fuel breaks for fire hazard reduction?
- Question 6d … managing fuel loads, vegetation patterns and fuel breaks for fire hazard reduction?
- Question 6e … managing forest structure and stocking standards to promote wildfire resilience?
- Question 12a … improving overall forest wildfire resilience and the ability of forests to respond to climate change (e.g., in response to drought or bark beetle; reducing plant water stress) and variability, and extreme weather events (evaluate ecosystem functional response to fuel reduction and forest health treatments)?
Initial Concept Proposal for the 2026/2027 FY is due May 18, 2026
Please see the RFA and program website for specific details.