USDA Agriculture and Food Research Initiative – Sustainable Agricultural Systems | April 13, 2023 (LOI) and July 13, 2023 (Application)

**Some programs are limited. Please read solicitations carefully and consult your Office of Research for specifics, such as limited applications through your university and internal application deadlines.**

Applications to the Agriculture and Food Research Initiative - Sustainable Agricultural Systems (SAS) Request for Applications (RFA) must focus on approaches that promote transformational changes in the U.S. food and agriculture system. NIFA seeks creative and visionary applications that take a systems approach for projects are expected to significantly improve the supply of affordable, safe, nutritious, and accessible agricultural products, while fostering economic development and rural prosperity in America. These approaches must demonstrate current needs and anticipate future social, cultural, behavioral, economic, health, and environmental impacts. Additionally, the outcomes of the work being proposed should result in societal benefits, including promotion of rural prosperity and enhancement of quality of life for all those involved in food and agricultural value chains from production to utilization and consumption.

For FY 2023, applications in response to the AFRI SAS RFA must focus on systems approaches that significantly improve the local and regional supply of climate-smart, sustainable, safe, nutritious, and accessible food and other agricultural products while fostering economic revitalization in America. These creative and visionary approaches must address current needs of resilient and robust food systems and anticipate future social, cultural, behavioral, economic, health, and environmental impacts. Additionally, the outcomes of the proposed work should result in societal benefits, including improved rural prosperity and enhanced quality of life for those involved in food and agricultural value chains from production to use and consumption. The specific goals addressed in this RFA include: Climate-Smart Agriculture and Forestry (CSAF), Strengthening the Bioeconomy, and Nutrition Security.

Estimated Total Program Funding: $80,000,000
Range of Awards: $0 - $10,000,000
Percent of Applicants Funded: 15%

Application Deadline: April 13, 2023 (LOIs); July 13, 2023 (Applications)

Announcement: https://www.nifa.usda.gov/grants/funding-opportunities/agriculture-food-research-initiative-sustainable-agricultural-systems

The Florida Climate Institute (FCI) is a multi-disciplinary network of national and international research and public organizations, scientists, and individuals concerned with achieving a better understanding of climate variability and change.