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The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has published its 2026 Request for Applications (RFA) for the Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (AFRI) Competitive Grants Program Foundational and Applied Sciences (FAS) program, making approximately $300 million available for fundamental and applied research, education, and extension projects in the food and agricultural sciences. Application deadlines vary by program area and priority, from October 2 to November 13, 2025. Maximum award amounts vary from $50,000 to $1,150,000 depending upon grant type, project type, and specific partnerships. Details of this complex program can be found in the RFA linked below.

What is the program’s purpose? The purpose of AFRI is to support research, education, and extension projects that will help farmers, ranchers, foresters, and other agricultural producers address key problems of local, regional, and national importance in sustaining food and agricultural systems. These include farm and ranch production efficiency, profitability, and sustainability; bio-based products; forestry; aquaculture; rural communities and entrepreneurship; human nutrition; mitigating impacts of biotic and abiotic constraints on food production; food safety; physical and social sciences; rural human ecology; and genetic improvement of plants and animals.

In addition, the economic sustainability of food systems is an overarching priority for the projects funded in response to this RFA; therefore, projects focusing on plant or animal species or commodities that are important to small- or medium-sized farms or ranches are also welcome. Through this support, AFRI advances knowledge in both fundamental and applied sciences important to agriculture. Additionally, AFRI supports work in education and extension activities that deliver science-based knowledge to end users, allowing them to make informed, practical decisions.

What are the priority areas for the 2026 RFA? The Foundational and Applied Science RFA program areas address the following priorities, as well as all included sub priorities (see RFA for details):

1. Plant Health and Production and Plant Products;
2. Animal Health and Production and Animal Products;
3. Food Safety, Nutrition, and Health;
4. Bioenergy, Natural Resources, and Environment;
5. Agriculture Systems and Technology; and
6. Agriculture Economics and Rural Communities

What grant types and project types are sought? The 2026 RFA solicits Standard Grants, Workshop Grants, and Food and Agricultural Science Enhancement (FASE) Grants, whereas project types solicited in this RFA are Research, Extension, Education, and Integrated Research, Education, and/or Extension projects. Grant types and project types solicited vary by program area priority, and not all grant types are solicited within each program area priority.

Who is eligible to apply? Eligibility is linked to the project type as specified below:

1.  Research, Education or Extension Projects

Eligible applicants for single-function Research, Education or Extension Projects include:

1. State Agricultural Experiment Stations;
2. Colleges and universities (including junior colleges offering associate degrees or higher);
3. University research foundations;
4. Other research institutions and organizations;
5. Federal agencies;
6. National laboratories;
7. Private organizations or corporations;
8. Individuals who are U.S. citizens, nationals, or permanent residents; and
9. Any group consisting of two or more entities identified in a) through h).

Eligible institutions do not include foreign and international organizations.

2. Integrated Projects

Eligible applicants for Integrated Projects include:

1. Colleges and universities (meaning mean an educational institution in any state which admits as regular students only persons having a certificate of graduation from a school providing secondary education, or the recognized equivalent of such a certificate; is legally authorized within such state to provide a program of education beyond secondary education; provides an educational program for which a bachelor’s degree or any other higher degree is awarded; is a public or other nonprofit institution; and is accredited by a nationally recognized accrediting agency or association). A research foundation maintained by a college or university is eligible to receive an award under this program.
2. 1994 Land-Grant Institutions; and
3. Hispanic-serving agricultural colleges and universities (see NIFA's Hispanic-Serving Agricultural Colleges and Universities page here).

What are the cost sharing requirements? Applicants must provide matching contributions on a dollar-for-dollar basis for all Federal funds awarded under AFRI for applied research grants or equipment grants unless a waiver applies.

The full RFA, which details deadlines, grant durations, and maximum award amounts by program priority area can be found here.

Contact the Morrison Grants Team by email at grants@morrisonco.net or call us at 530-893-4764 for more information on this grant and our grant writing services.