Dear Colleagues,
U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Foundation for Food & Agriculture Research (FFAR) are seeking research proposals that will drive innovations at the intersection of human health, climate-smart agriculture, and social justice, equity, and opportunity to advance nutrition security. The “Nourishing Next Generation Agrifood Breakthroughs” Innovation Challenge will fund early-career scientists (within 10 years of receiving a Ph.D. or equivalent degree) to lead highly collaborative, interdisciplinary teams on groundbreaking research that addresses nutrition security.
The program seeks to support projects that:
- Identify and support dynamic and disruptive technologies in nutrition security that align with the USDA Science and Research Strategy, 2023 – 2026: Cultivating Scientific Innovation (USDA's S&RS)
- Stimulate new professional interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary relationships and connections in service to agricultural innovation aligned with nutrition security
- Integrate themes of human health, climate-smart agriculture, and social equity, justice and opportunity
- Leverage existing, unconnected resources in novel ways
Proposed projects should also demonstrate the following characteristics:
- Contribute to one or more of the following goals:
- Develop and deploy advanced solutions to prevent, prepare and protect against threats to U.S. agriculture and food
- Overcome barriers to the development of agricultural technologies, research tools and qualified products and projects that enhance export competitiveness, environmental sustainability and climate resiliency
- Ensure that the U.S. remains a leader in developing and deploying agricultural technologies, research tools and qualified projects and products that increase economic opportunities and security for farmers, ranchers and rural communities
- Accelerate disruptive innovation that is aligned with USDA's S&RS.
For this RFA, disruptive innovation may take one or more of the following forms: - Radical Innovation
- Applied Innovation
- Re-imagined Innovation
- Be consistent with FFAR's Priority Areas.
Visit the program web page at https://foundationfar.org/grants-funding/opportunities/usda-ffar-innovation-challenge/ for more information.
Full Proposal Due: July 29, 2024, 2pm PT
Grant Amount: $350,000 to $500,000
Match: Encouraged, but not required, for this funding opportunity
Thank you.
Kathleen Nolan, Director, ANR Office of Contracts & Grants (OCG)