FY26-BRAG-NOFO-P2.pdf

Notice of Funding Opportunity Biotechnology Risk Assessment Research

Grants Program

FUNDING YEAR: Fiscal Year (FY) 2026

LETTER OF INTENT DEADLINE: July 01, 2026

APPLICATION DEADLINE: July 13, 2026

ANTICIPATED PROGRAM FUNDING: $5,000,000

AVERAGE INDIVIDUAL AWARD

RANGE:

$25,000 - $650,000

FUNDING OPPORTUNITY NUMBER: USDA-NIFA-BRAP-011857

ASSISTANCE LISTING NUMBER: 10.219

ANNOUNCEMENT

National Institute of Food and Agriculture United States Department of Agriculture

Assistance Listing Number (ALN): The Biotechnology Risk Assessment Research Grants Program (BRAG) is listed in the Assistance Listings under number 10.219.

Table 1: Key Dates and Deadlines Task Description Deadline

Application: 5:00 P.M. Eastern Time, July 13, 2026

Letter of Intent: 5:00 P.M. Eastern Time, July 01, 2026 (LOI encouraged but not required)

Applicants Comments: Within six months from the issuance of this notice (NIFA may not consider comments received after the sixth month)

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), to the extent permitted by law, will no longer make grants or otherwise fund programs or activities that improperly discriminate on the basis of race or sex, including discrimination in the name of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion policies. Instead, USDA will prioritize merit and efficiency. USDA recognizes programs and initiatives will have the greatest impact when these programs and initiatives put American farmers, ranchers, and foresters first by:

• solving the most pressing challenges they face;

• protecting America’s food, fuel, and fiber supply to enhance national security;

• supporting production of healthy and safe food for consumers;

• expanding and developing domestic markets;

• training the next generation of agriculturalists; and

• fueling innovation to keep American farmers at the forefront of productivity.

The National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) is committed to advancing these principles and encourages applicants to actively engage farmers, ranchers, and foresters when applying for funding opportunities to ensure relevancy and adherence to them. NIFA also encourages agricultural leaders to engage in the peer review panel process to ensure American producers are better served through research, education, and extension activities.

Projects submitted under this NOFO should align with USDA Secretary’s Memorandum 1078- 020 Directive on Departmental Research and Development Priorities:

1. Increasing Profitability of Farmers and Ranchers

2. Expanding Markets and Creating New Uses of U.S. Agricultural Products

3. Protecting the Integrity of American Agriculture from Invasive Species

4. Promoting Soil Health to Regenerate Long-Term Productivity of Land

5. Improving Human Health through Precision Nutrition and Food Quality https://www.usda.gov/sites/default/files/documents/sm-1078-020.pdf https://www.usda.gov/sites/default/files/documents/sm-1078-020.pdf

Stakeholder Input. NIFA seeks comments on all Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) so it can deliver programs efficiently, effectively, with integrity, and with a focus on customer service. NIFA considers comments to the extent possible when developing NOFOs and uses comments to help meet the requirements of Section 103(c)(2) of the Agricultural Research, Extension, and Education Reform Act of 1998 (7 U.S.C. 7613(c)(2)). Applicants may submit written comments to Policy@usda.gov. Please use the following subject line: Response to the

BRAG NOFO.

Centers of Excellence. Applicants are encouraged to visit the NIFA’s Centers of Excellence (COE) for information on COE designation process, including COE criteria, and a list of programs offering COE opportunities.

https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=(title:7%20section:7613%20edition:prelim)%20OR%20(granuleid:USC-prelim-title7-section7613)&f=treesort&edition=prelim&num=0&jumpTo=true mailto:Policy@usda.gov https://nifa.usda.gov/centers-excellence https://nifa.usda.gov/centers-excellence

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

NIFA requests applications for the BRAG program for FY 2026 to support environmental risk assessment (ERA) research concerning the introduction of genetically engineered (GE) organisms. The amount available for grants in FY 2026 is approximately $5,000,000.

This notice identifies the objectives for BRAG projects, deadlines, funding information, eligibility criteria for projects and applicants, and application forms and associated instructions.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

ANNOUNCEMENT

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

TABLE OF CONTENTS

TABLE OF KEY INFORMATION

PART I. FUNDING OPPORTUNITY DESCRIPTION

A. Legislative Authority B. Purpose and Priorities C. Program Area Description

PART II. AWARD INFORMATION

A. Available Funding B. Application Restrictions C. Project and Grant Types D. Ethical Conduct of Funded Projects

PART III. ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION

A. Eligibility Requirements B. Cost Sharing or Matching C. Centers of Excellence

PART IV. APPLICATION AND SUBMISSION

A. Method of Application B. Content and Form of the Application C. Funding Restrictions

PART V. APPLICATION REVIEW REQUIREMENTS

A. NIFA’s Evaluation Process B. Evaluation Criteria C. Centers of Excellence D. Organizational Management Information E. Application Disposition

PART VI. AWARD ADMINISTRATION

A. General B. Administrative and National Policy Requirements C. Expected Program Outputs and Reporting Requirements

PART VII. OTHER INFORMATION

A. Use of Funds and Changes in Budget B. Confidential Aspects of Applications and Awards C. Regulatory Information D. Language Access Services

APPENDIX I: AGENCY CONTACT

APPENDIX II: GLOSSARY OF TERMS

APPENDIX III: DEFINITIONS

TABLE OF KEY INFORMATION

Table 1: Key Dates and Deadlines Table 2: BRAG Program Key Information Table 3: Steps to Obtain Application Materials Table 4: Help and Resources Table 5: Key Application Instructions

PART I. FUNDING OPPORTUNITY DESCRIPTION

A. Legislative Authority Section 1664 of the Food, Agriculture, Conservation, and Trade Act of 1990 (7 U.S.C. 5921) provides authority for the BRAG program. The BRAG program supports research designed to identify and develop appropriate management practices to minimize physical and biological risks associated with genetically engineered animals, plants, and microorganisms. NIFA and the USDA Agricultural Research Service (ARS) jointly administer the BRAG program, while USDA-NIFA, USDA-ARS and USDA-Forest Service provide annual funding for the BRAG program.

B. Purpose and Priorities The purpose of the BRAG program, Assistance Listing 10.219, is to support the generation of new information that will assist Federal regulatory agencies in making science-based decisions about the ecological effects of introducing genetically engineered (GE) organisms by techniques that use recombinant, synthesized, or amplified nucleic acids to modify or create a genome. The organisms include plants, microorganisms (including fungi, bacteria, and viruses), arthropods, fish, birds, livestock, and other animals. These include related wild and agricultural organisms.

The program goals and objectives authorize and support ERA research to help identify and analyze effects of biotechnology and to authorize research to help regulators develop long-term policies concerning the introduction of such technology.

The BRAG program supports applied and/or fundamental research relevant to ERA, including biological risk, and the Federal regulatory process. When evaluating GE organisms, Federal regulators must answer the following four general questions:

1. Is there a hazard? (Potential hazard identification)

2. How likely is the hazard to occur? (Quantifying the probability of occurrence; identifying likely exposure scenarios)

3. What is the severity and extent of the hazard if it occurs? (Quantifying the effects) and

4. Is there an effect beyond what might occur with an unmodified organism or an organism that has similar traits, but was developed using other technologies?

The BRAG program will also support risk management research, which is defined as either:

1. Research aimed primarily at reducing the negative effects of specific biotechnology-derived agents; or

2. A policy and decision-making process that uses risk assessment data in deciding how to avoid or mitigate the negative consequences identified in a risk assessment.

Although project directors (PD) are not required to perform actual risk assessments as part of the research they propose, they should design studies that will provide useful science-based information for Federal regulators assessing GE organisms or that have been derived via synthetic biology defined as: the ability to generate novel traits or organisms using synthetic genes (synthesized de novo outside the organism of origin).

NIFA is soliciting applications for the BRAG program under the following program areas:

1. Standard Research Grant Type

2. Workshop Grant Type https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=(title:7%20section:5921%20edition:prelim)%20OR%20(granuleid:USC-prelim-title7-section5921)&f=treesort&edition=prelim&num=0&jumpTo=true https://usbiotechnologyregulation.mrp.usda.gov/biotechnologygov/home/

Handling of baseline data and data collection must be addressed in the Data Management Plan (DMP) in accordance with the Part IV, B of this NOFO.

Additional requirements on expected performance goals, indicators, and targets may be required as a condition of the award.

Table 2: BRAG Program Key Information Title Description

Program Code: HX Program Code Name: Biotechnology Risk Assessment

ALN: 10.219

Project Type: Research Projects Grant Type: Standard and Workshop

Letter of Intent Deadline: 5:00 P.M. Eastern Time, July 01, 2026 LOIs are encouraged (not required) for Standard Grants, but not for Workshop Grants. LOIs should follow instructions in Part IV, A of this NOFO

Application Deadline: July 13, 2026 Grant Duration: 24-48 Month

Anticipated # of Awards: 7 Minimum Award Amount: $10,000 Maximum Award Amount: Standard Research Proposals - $650,000

Workshop Proposals - $50,000

Program Federal Agency Collaboration. NIFA will competitively award research grants to support biotechnology regulation, thereby helping address concerns about the effects of GE organisms and helping regulators develop policies regarding such introduction. Research proposals must be of high quality and have merit based on their relevance to the purpose of the BRAG program. The BRAG program is especially interested in research that is not already in well-developed areas of study. Exploratory research that relates specifically to federal regulatory needs is preferred.

Applications to the BRAG program MUST address one of the following standard research program areas (see below) or seek funding for a workshop. In addition, applicants must state in the first sentence of their Project Summary which SINGLE standard research program area aligns best with their proposed project.

Standard Research Proposals. Address issues related to newly developed GE organisms, which are animals, plants, insects, and/or microorganisms. Research proposals can be applied and/or fundamental and must address one of the following five program areas:

1. Management Practices to Minimize Risk of release of GE Organisms. Research designed to develop appropriate management practices to minimize physical and biological risks associated with GE organisms. Potential areas of research include, but are not limited to:

a. Evaluation of management, monitoring (e.g., detection), and mitigation methodologies (e.g., devitalization) for assuring confinement and managing the persistence of GE organisms both during and after field trials, particularly insects, microbes, perennial plant species, aquatic species, and weeds;

b. Evaluation of safeguards for controlling the spread of gene drives during research to understand the effect of the desired genetic change on organisms and populations;

c. Development of practical management methodologies for reducing the spread and persistence of GE organisms in natural and managed ecosystems after intentional release or escape from containment, particularly for microbes;

d. Development or evaluation of effective strategies, including molecular and/or genetic, to limit gene transfer (gene flow) or outcrossing to sexually compatible organisms or transfer of genetic material between plants, viruses, insects, or microorganisms;

e. Mitigation measures to limit gene flow when GE organisms are released or escape into natural systems, physical containment fails, or biological containment is unavailable;

f. Ecological effects of technologies for reducing the undesired spread of GE organisms;

and/or

g. Exploration of risk mitigation strategies to ameliorate undesirable impacts associated with GE organisms.

2. Methods to Monitor and Understand the Dispersal of GE Organisms. Research designed to develop methods to monitor and understand the dispersal and/or population dynamics of GE organisms. Potential areas of research include, but are not limited to:

a. Ability to survive and/or fitness of GE organisms in the wild as compared to appropriate non-GE or previous GE counterparts that are not subjected to regulation, particularly across different conditions (e.g., drought, presence of interspecific competitors), different media (e.g., soil, water, or air) and different hosts (e.g., plants, animals, insects, nematodes, or bacteria);

b. Understanding and predicting the dynamics of gene drives in organisms; especially the identification of the key factors impacting persistence, spread, and frequencies in populations of the organism and its relatives with field or laboratory studies and/or simulation modeling;

c. Strategies for large-scale deployment or field studies of GE organisms, with special reference to those considerations that may not be revealed through contained or small-scale evaluation and tests;

d. Assessing the effects of engineered traits in organisms that may easily disperse, such as birds, rodents, aquatic species, microbes, arthropods, and other invertebrates. This area may include:

i. Basic biological information about the non-modified species that is important for risk assessment and population models, particularly information about life-history traits like mating structure, dispersal, and behavior

ii. Studies on genotype and phenotype stability over multiple generations

iii. Comparative mating competence or reproductive studies

iv. Comparative behavior and biological studies, including studies addressing whether traits introduced by genetic engineering can alter the range or ecological interactions of organisms such as birds, rodents, aquatic species, arthropods, and other invertebrates;

e. To prevent persistence of plants used in field trials, information on dormancy in the seed (e.g., wheat, barley, rice, canola, trees, or other propagules affecting persistence of such propagules), particularly variety by k interactive effects. This would include the dormancy of crop, sexually compatible weedy species, and hybrids of the crop and weedy relatives, and sexually compatible crops cultivated in sympatry; or

f. Development and/or evaluation of tools for assessing the weediness or invasiveness of GE plants relative to unmodified parent organisms.

3. Gene Transfer between Genetically Engineered Animals, Plants, and Microorganisms and Related Wild and Agricultural Organisms. Research designed to further existing knowledge about the characteristics, rates, and mechanisms of gene transfer that may occur between GE organisms and related wild and agricultural organisms. Gene flow research should be directed at organisms with a high potential for the transfer of genetic material (e.g., outcrossing to sexually compatible species or transfer of genetic material between microorganisms or viruses) and to genes that have a high potential for altering the fitness of the recipient organism. For plants, preference will be given to studies with species that have sexually compatible wild or weedy relatives in the United States. For microorganisms, preference will be given to species co-occurring in the same host organism or microenvironment. Potential areas of research include, but are not limited to:

a. Impacts of gene flow and extent of gene flow from GE plants, particularly perennials

(e.g., trees, grasses such as switchgrass), insects, animals, or microorganisms on related organisms, communities, or ecosystems;

b. Fate and stability (persistence) of engineered genes that have been moved by outcrossing or other means into populations of non-GE organisms, and the degree to which they confer a selective advantage or disadvantage upon the recipients/carriers or are inherited in a non-Mendelian manner (e.g., gene drives), especially with regard to engineered genes that may confer increased fitness (e.g., enhanced growth or abiotic stress tolerance) in wild populations, and the ecological contexts in which those advantages or disadvantages manifest;

c. Assessing the influence of genetic background on the phenotypic expression conferred by genetic modification to inform understanding of the characteristics and potential outcomes of gene transfer in a new genetic background;

d. Basic research on the genes related to weediness and their location in the genome of weedy relatives of crop plants; and/or

e. Modeling engineered gene escape, including modeling to identify parameters influencing gene dispersal and its consequences.

4. Effects of GE Organisms Relative to Non-GE Organisms in the Context of Production Systems. ERA research on production systems that compares the relative impacts of animals, plants, and microorganisms modified through the incorporation of traits introduced by genetic engineering to other types of production systems. Potential areas of research include, but are not limited to:

a. Assessment of how traits introduced by genetic engineering may change aspects of the ecology or behavior of engineered organisms (e.g., mating systems, host range, resistance/susceptibility to pests).

b. Assessment of the influence of GE organisms as compared to non-GE organisms on managed (agricultural, aquatic, or forest ecosystems, such as on community structures of agro or forest ecosystems) or unmanaged ecosystems. Important focus areas are the impacts of GE organisms on:

i. The population dynamics and ecology of various types of beneficial organisms

ii. The magnitude and types of changes in communities or indicator species that could trigger concerns regarding ecosystem impacts

iii. The biology and ecology of indicator taxa with respect to geography, seasonal fluctuations, species, pests, diseases, etc.;

c. Assessment of how the cultivation of GE organisms alters agricultural impacts on the rural ecosystems, such as altered land use practices, species displacement, soil erosion, water usage, or other geographically dispersed events. Comparative assessment of management techniques and resources for the maintenance of non-GE animals versus GE animals (e.g., changes in land use or manure management practices required for GE animals engineered to utilize feed more efficiently);

d. Comparative assessment of impacts of agricultural production systems using organic and/or conventional methods with those involving plant, animal, or microbial biotechnology that can contribute to ERA. Appropriate parameters or metrics include, but are not limited to:

i. Soil health, fertilizer, pesticide, and soil amendment inputs,

ii. Changes in toxicant and pesticide residue levels,

iii. Prevalence, shifts, and distribution of and damage from weeds, including those with single or multiple herbicide resistance,

iv. Prevalence, distribution, and damage from pests and pathogens, including emergence of resistance,

v. Land use related to yield and productivity and/or

vi. Hydrology impacting beneficial non-target organisms;

e. Identification and experimental assessment, modeling, or meta-analysis of potential adverse impacts of large-scale cultivation of GE plants, with emphasis on plants used for bioenergy, bio-based construction products (e.g., sorghum, Camelina, sugarcane, eukaryotic algae, or perennial species such as trees and some grasses), and plant-made pharmaceuticals and industrials to support the development of a risk assessment framework. For the purposes of this standard area, large-scale refers to cultivation on 100 or more acres. Projects must address multiple BRAG topic areas, preferentially chosen from the following:

i. Biological and ecological baseline studies, including fitness characteristics, associated with unmodified perennial species that are being genetically engineered and that will aid in the development of comparative risk assessment methodologies,

ii. Strategies for conducting large-scale confined field trials (CFTs) with reduced risk for escape of GE organisms and and incorporating adaptive management,

iii. Landscape level studies to assess ecological impacts of land use changes and/or ecosystem function and services,

iv. Assessment and documentation of significant community or ecosystem effects that are not revealed by studies on small plots: such as effects on plant, microbial or animal communities; species displacement; soil health; fertilizer, soil amendment, and pesticide inputs; hydrology; fire frequency or intensity; toxicant and pesticide residue levels, and/or pest prevalence,

v. Assessment of the likelihood and impact of gene flow to sexually compatible plants and stable inheritance in related organisms under various management strategies, and/or

vi. Weediness or invasiveness of the GE organism relative to the non-GE parent organism.

5. Other Research Topics Designed to Support the Purposes of this Program. Other areas of research designed to help identify and analyze the effects of biotechnology to inform ERA and help regulators develop long-term policies concerning the introduction of such technologies. Potential areas of research include, but are not limited to:

a. Research addressing phenotypic effects associated with unintended and off-target modifications in GE organisms developed using genome editing technology or other genetic engineering techniques and potential hazards or adverse effects (e.g., resistance) associated with these phenotypic effects;

b. Research evaluating the potential hazards or adverse effects of GE livestock intended to be reared under commercial conditions, including the potential need for containment;

c. Research evaluating the efficacy or adverse effects associated with GE animals intended for release into agroecosystems (e.g., for pest population suppression);

d. Research evaluating the performance of various technologies and diagnostics to track the effectiveness of limited field release conditions designed to contain genetically engineered animals or microbes;

e. Modeling approaches to understand the impact of genetic engineering for population suppression or alteration (gene drives including for weed control, release of an insect carrying a dominant lethal, etc.) on target populations or non-target species that interact with the targeted species, especially when incorporating biologically realistic parameters (e.g., numbers of individuals released, dispersal, mating behavior, and other life-history traits, etc.);

f. Research on the efficacy of GE microorganisms used in animal agriculture and/or the downstream impacts on ecosystems (e.g., the effect of GE microorganisms on abundance and/or richness of soil microorganisms, the effect of GE microorganisms on hydrology and aquatic organisms important for agriculture or the persistence of GE microorganisms into ecosystems);

g. Research focused on the effects of introducing RNA interference transgenes or other gene silencing mechanisms using RNAi. Important areas include, but are not limited to:

i. Assessment of environmental fate and/or persistence of small RNA molecules, especially those modified to enhance stability; and/or

ii. Potential off-target (within the organism), non-target (effects on other organisms), or other unintended effects of these small RNA molecules in animals and plants (including GE and non-GE plants), and ways to design RNAi, siRNAs, or miRNA to minimize or avoid such effects;

h. Assessment of the effects of multiple engineered insects and/or nematode resistance genes (e.g., Bacillus thuringiensis and RNAi) in a plant on non-target arthropod species and communities;

i. Research to understand the frequency and mechanisms by which pests or diseases overcome plant pest or disease resistance traits conferred by engineered genes (including, where relevant, how this compares to resistance to traditional approaches);

j. Research evaluating the relative efficacy of various biotechnology and non-biotechnology approaches used alone or in combination for the mitigation of pests;

and/or

k. Development and/or evaluation of high-throughput methodologies to assess pathogenicity, biocontrol properties, or any other plant pest risk properties of novel strains of GE microorganisms, such as but not limited to comparison of bioinformatic

vs. empirical assessment to determine these properties.

Workshop Proposals. Applicants to the BRAG program may request partial funding to organize a workshop that brings together scientists, regulators, and other stakeholders to review science-based data relevant to gene flow and co-existence, emerging technologies related to biotechnology (such as genome editing and gene drives), ERA and risk management of GE organisms. To be eligible for funding, the steering committee for the proposed workshop should include representatives from a variety of relevant and appropriate scientific disciplines. BRAG workshop applications must include the following:

1. Describe the relevance of the proposed workshop to biotechnology risk assessment in U.S.

agriculture;

2. Explain the uniqueness and timeliness of the workshop;

3. Outline the qualifications of the organizing committee and the appropriateness of the invited speakers to the topic areas to be covered;

4. State clearly the goals of the workshop and the likely outcomes;

5. Explain the need for the various elements of the budget;

6. Provide a clear plan to disseminate the outcome of the workshop to the public; and

7. Describe how the organizers will make up the total costs of the workshop from other sources.

The goals for the workshop should include the sharing of scientific information and the identification of knowledge gaps, and/or public education and outreach, among others.

Publication of the proceedings is highly encouraged, and a copy of any publications should be provided to NIFA. Workshop proposals should not support conferences.

The BRAG program will not support applications for postdoctoral fellowships. In addition, the BRAG program will not support applications in any of the following areas: food safety risk assessment; health risk assessment or risk assessment of humans or domestic food animals exposed to GE organisms, including clinical trials; methods for seed storage; commercial product development; product marketing strategies; or other research unrelated to ERA or risk management.

PART II. AWARD INFORMATION

A. Available Funding The amount available for BRAG in FY 2026 is approximately $5,000,000. USDA is not committed to funding any particular application or to making a specific number of awards.

The Automated Standard Application for Payments, operated by the Department of Treasury, Bureau of the Fiscal Service, is the designated payment system for awards resulting from this

NOFO.

B. Application Restrictions NIFA will evaluate applications using the criteria described in Part V of this NOFO. Application for FY2026 is limited to the following application types:

1. New application: New applications will be evaluated using the criteria described in Part V of this NOFO and are subject to the due dates herein (see Appendix III for definition).

2. Resubmitted application: Resubmitted applications must include the response to the previous review panel summary and are subject to the same criteria and due dates herein.

Resubmitted applicants must enter the NIFA-assigned proposal number of the previously submitted application in the Federal Field (Field 4) on the application form (see Appendix III for definition).

C. Project and Grant Types The following describes the types of projects and grants that are eligible for funding:

1. Project Types. Applicants must propose a Research Project as described in Purpose and Priorities in Part I, B of this NOFO. Only Research projects described in Part I, B of this NOFO will be considered for review.

2. Grant Types. Applicants must select the appropriate grant type specified within the program area description in Part I, B of this NOFO.

a. Standard Research Proposals. Standard Research Proposals must not exceed $650,000 (including indirect costs) for project periods up to four (4) years of support. Proposal requests exceeding these limits will be excluded from review.

b. Workshop Proposals. Workshop proposals must not exceed $50,000. Indirect costs are not allowed on workshop grants. Proposal requests exceeding these limits will be excluded from review.

D. Ethical Conduct of Funded Projects In accordance with sections 2, 3, and 8 of 2 CFR Part 422, institutions that conduct USDA-funded extramural research must foster an atmosphere conducive to research integrity, bear primary responsibility for prevention and detection of research misconduct, and maintain and effectively communicate and train their staff regarding policies and procedures. In the event an application to NIFA results in an award, the Authorized Representative (AR) assures, through acceptance of the award, that the institution will comply with the above requirements. Award recipients must, upon request, make available to NIFA the policies, procedures, and documentation to support the conduct of the training. See Responsible and Ethical Conduct of Research for further information.

https://www.fiscal.treasury.gov/fsservices/gov/pmt/asap/asap_home.htm https://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?SID=3f96ab05cf1fc2d2713e5e46755e7696&mc=true&node=pt2.1.422&rgn=div5#se2.1.422_12 https://nifa.usda.gov/responsible-and-ethical-conduct-research https://nifa.usda.gov/responsible-and-ethical-conduct-research

PART III. ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION

A. Eligibility Requirements Applicants for the BRAG program must meet all the requirements discussed in this NOFO.

Failure to meet the eligibility criteria by the application deadline may result in exclusion from consideration or, preclude NIFA from making an award. For those new to Federal financial assistance, NIFA’s About Grants provides highly recommended information about grants and other resources to help understand the Federal awards process.

Applications will only be accepted from public or private research or educational institutions or organizations.

USDA will not accept applications for grants and cooperative agreements submitted for dangerous gain-of-function research, as defined in Section 8 of E.O. 14292.

Duplicate or Multiple Submissions – duplicate submissions are not allowed. NIFA will disqualify both applications if an applicant submits duplicate submissions to the BRAG program within the same fiscal year.

B. Cost Sharing or Matching

No Match Required - The BRAG program has no matching requirement. NIFA will not factor matching resources into the review process as an evaluation criterion. While not required, cost share is encouraged.

C. Centers of Excellence Pursuant to Section 7214 of the Agricultural Act of 2014 (7 U.S.C. 5926), NIFA will recognize and prioritize COE applicants that carry out research, extension, and education activities that relate to the food and agricultural sciences. A COE is composed of one or more of the following entities that provide financial or in-kind support to the COE.

1. State agricultural experiment stations.

2. Colleges and universities.

3. University research foundations.

4. Other research institutions and organizations.

5. Federal agencies.

6. National laboratories.

7. Private organizations, foundations, or corporations.

8. Individuals; or

9. Any group consisting of two or more of the entities described in (1) through (8).

https://www.nifa.usda.gov/grants https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2025/05/08/2025-08266/improving-the-safety-and-security-of-biological-research https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=(title:7%20section:5926%20edition:prelim)%20OR%20(granuleid:USC-prelim-title7-section5926)&f=treesort&edition=prelim&num=0&jumpTo=true

PART IV. APPLICATION AND SUBMISSION

A. Method of Application Applicants must apply to this NOFO electronically; no other method or response is accepted.

The electronic application for this NOFO and additional resources are available on Grants.gov and Grants 101. Table 3 provides instructions on how to obtain an electronic application. Part III of the NIFA Grants Application Guide contains detailed information regarding the Grants.gov registration process. The NIFA Grants Application Guide is contained in the specific funding opportunity package or a sample of the guide can be found here. When applying for a NIFA award, it is important to reference the version of the guide that is included in the specific funding opportunity application package.

Letter of Intent Applicants are encouraged to submit a “Letter of Intent to Submit an Application” by the Letter of Intent (LOI) request date specified in this NOFO. This does not obligate the applicant in any way but provides useful information to the BRAG program regarding the project’s fit with the program and assists in preparing for application review. Applicants who do not submit a letter of intent by the specified request date are still allowed to submit an application by the application due date specified in the NOFO. We request a LOI for all grant types, except the Workshop Grant type. Please follow the guidelines below for LOI submission:

1. The Letter of Intent must adhere to the following formatting guidelines:

a. Font size must be at least 12 point.

b. Margins must be at least one (1) inch in all directions.

c. Line spacing must not exceed six (6) lines of text per vertical inch.

d. Page size must be letter (i.e., 8.5 inches × 11 inches).

2. The Letter of Intent is limited to two (2) pages.

a. Provide the following on Page 1:

i. The name, professional title, department, institution, and e-mail address of the lead Project Director (PD) and the name, professional title, department, and institution of all collaborating investigators

ii. The one (1) Program Area that is most closely addressed in the application

b. Provide the following on Page 2:

i. A descriptive title

ii. Rationale and one (1) specific program area the project best aligns with

iii. Overall hypothesis or goal

iv. Specific objectives

v. Approach

vi. Potential impact and expected outcomes for federal regulatory agencies related to biotechnology.

3. NIFA will only accept LOI in the portable document format (PDF). Attach the PDF LOI to an email addressed to BRAG@USDA.GOV. In the email subject line, write: Letter of Intent HX _ [PDs Last Name].

4. NIFA discourages the submission of more than one (1) LOI per lead PD to a program.

5. Scientific program staff will review LOIs to plan for appropriate expertise for the peer review panel and to ensure that proposed projects fit appropriately within the Program Areas.

https://www.grants.gov/ https://www.grants.gov/learn-grants/grants-101/ https://www.nifa.usda.gov/nifa-22-001-nifa-grants-application-guide https://www.grants.gov/ https://www.nifa.usda.gov/nifa-22-001-nifa-grants-application-guide https://www.nifa.usda.gov/nifa-22-001-nifa-grants-application-guide mailto:BRAG@USDA.GOV

Table 3. Steps to Obtain Application Materials Steps Action

Step One: Register New Users to Grants.gov must register early with Grants.gov prior to submitting an application ).

Step Two:

Download Adobe

Download and Install Adobe Reader (see Adobe Software Compatibility for basic system requirements).

Step Three: Find Application

Using this funding opportunity number USDA-NIFA-BRAP-011857, search for application here: Opportunity Package.

Step Four: Assess Readiness

Contact an AR prior to starting an application to assess the organization’s readiness to submit an electronic application.

Table 4: Help and Resources

Grants.gov Support NIFA Support Grants.gov Online Support Telephone support: 800-518-4726 Toll-Free or 606-545-5035

Email support: support@grants.gov Self-service customer-based support: Grants.gov iPortal

Customer service business Hours 24/7, except Federal holidays.

Email:

grantapplicationquestions@usda.gov

Business hours: Monday thru Friday, 7a.m. – 5p.m. ET, except Federal holidays.

B. Content and Form of the Application The NIFA Grants Application Guide is part of the corresponding application package for this NOFO. The NOFO overrides the NIFA Grants Application Guide if there is a discrepancy between the two documents. Applicants that do not meet the application requirements, to include partial applications, risk being excluded from NIFA’s review. NIFA will assign a proposal number to all applications that meet the requirements of this NOFO. Applicants must refer to the proposal number when corresponding with NIFA. Table 5 outlines other key instructions for applicants.

https://www.grants.gov/ https://www.grants.gov/ https://get.adobe.com/reader/ https://www.grants.gov/applicants/adobe-software-compatibility.html https://grants.gov/applicants/search-for-opportunity-package https://www.grants.gov/support https://www.grants.gov/support mailto:support@grants.gov https://grants-portal.psc.gov/Welcome.aspx?pt=Grants https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/pay-leave/federal-holidays/ https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/pay-leave/federal-holidays/ mailto:grantapplicationquestions@usda.gov https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/pay-leave/federal-holidays/

Table 5: Key Application Instructions Instruction References

(All references are to the NIFA Grants Application Guide)

Attachments must be in a portable document format (PDF) format.

Part IV

Check the manifest of submitted files to verify attachments are in the correct format.

Part IV

Conduct an administrative review of the application before submission.

Part IV

Follow the submission instructions. Part IV

Provide an accurate email address, where designated, on the

SF-424 R&R.

Part V

Contact the Grants.gov helpdesk for technical support and keep a record of the correspondence.

N/A

Contact NIFA if applicant does not receive correspondence from NIFA regarding an application within 30 days of the application deadline.

N/A

SF 424 R&R Cover Sheet. See Part V of the NIFA Grants Application Guide for the required certifications and assurances.

SF 424 R&R Project/Performance Site Location(s). See Part V of the NIFA Grants Application Guide.

R&R Other Project Information Form. See Part V of the NIFA Grants Application Guide.

1. Field 7. Project Summary (PS)/Abstract. The PS must show how the project goals align with the project goals of the BRAG program. See Part V of the NIFA Grants Application Guide for instructions and suggested templates.

2. Field 8. Project Narrative (PN). The PN must not exceed 18 pages of written text, including figures and tables (the font size for tables should be no smaller than 11 points, Times New Roman). The page limits outlined here ensure fair competition. The PN must include all the following:

a. Introduction: Include a clear statement of the long-term goal(s) and supporting objectives of the proposed activities. Summarize the body of knowledge or other past activities that substantiate the need for the proposed project. Describe ongoing or recently completed significant activities that relate to the proposed project including the work of the key project personnel. Include preliminary data/information pertinent to the proposed project. In addition, this section should include in-depth information on the following, when applicable:

i. Estimates of the magnitude of the issues and their relevance to stakeholders and federal regulatory agencies.

https://www.nifa.usda.gov/nifa-22-001-nifa-grants-application-guide https://www.nifa.usda.gov/nifa-22-001-nifa-grants-application-guide https://www.grants.gov/support https://www.nifa.usda.gov/nifa-22-001-nifa-grants-application-guide https://www.nifa.usda.gov/nifa-22-001-nifa-grants-application-guide https://www.nifa.usda.gov/nifa-22-001-nifa-grants-application-guide https://www.nifa.usda.gov/nifa-22-001-nifa-grants-application-guide

ii. Reasons for performing the work at the proposed institution;

b. Rationale and significance: The rationale for the proposed project should be concisely presented. The project’s specific relationship and relevance to the program area in which an application is submitted (see Part I, B of this NOFO) and its specific relationship and relevance to potential regulatory issues of United States biotechnology research should be shown clearly;

c. Objectives: All applications must include a statement(s) of specific aims of the proposed effort in clear, concise, complete, and logically arranged terms;

d. Experimental Plan: The hypotheses or questions being asked and the methodology to be applied to the proposed project should be stated explicitly. Specifically, this section must include:

i. A description of the investigations and/or experiments proposed and the sequence in which the investigations or experiments are to be performed,

ii. Techniques/methods to be used in carrying out the proposed project, including the feasibility of the techniques,

iii. Experimental unit, replication, and sample sizes for each experimental group,

iv. Results expected,

v. Means by which experimental data will be analyzed or interpreted, using power analyses, when appropriate,

vi. Pitfalls that may be encountered; limitations to proposed procedures, and

vii. A project timetable that outlines all the important phases of the project as a function of time, year by year, for the entire project, including periods beyond the grant funding period;

e. Centers of Excellence Justification: Applicants requesting consideration of COE status must include their justification at the end of their Project Narratives and within the page limits provided for the project narrative; and

f. For Resubmissions: The response to the previous review must not exceed one-page and must be included at the beginning of the project narrative document. (This does not count towards the 18-page limit for the project narrative).

3. Field 12. Add Other Attachments. See Part V of the NIFA Grants Application Guide.

A. Data management plan (DMP); Two (2) page limit. Title the attachment as ‘Data Management Plan’ and save the file as ‘DataManagementPlan’. A DMP is required for this program; if a DMP is not included, your application may still be accepted for review, but a missing DMP may negatively impact the ranking of the application.

Applicants should clearly articulate how the PD and co-PDs plan to manage and disseminate the data generated by the project. The DMP will be considered during the merit review process (see Part V, B of this NOFO, NIFA’s Data Management Plan).

B. Mentoring Plan; required for all grant types (except workshop grants) that involve student or participant training or mentoring. There is a two-page limit on the Mentoring Plan for standard research grant applications. Mentoring Plans should be included as a separate attachment and uploaded to field 12 of the grant application. All student/trainee types should be included in the same Mentoring Plan. The Mentoring Plan should describe:

1. Past or proposed training of individuals who will serve as mentors, including equipping, mentoring, or monitoring activities they have received or https://nifa.usda.gov/resource/data-management-plan-nifa-funded-research-projects will receive to help them effectively mentor students and trainees during the project;

2. The groups of students or individual trainees to be mentored on the project, including students in grades 9-12, undergraduate students, graduate students, postdoctoral scholars, professionals, and any other individuals to be trained or mentored on the project;

3. Detailed mentoring activities to be delivered throughout the project to each distinct category or group of students and/or trainee participants, including those activities provided through research, education, extension, or outreach efforts; and

4. Expected outcomes derived from the mentoring activities and prospective impact(s) on the food and agricultural sciences.

R&R Senior/Key Person Profile (Expanded). See Part V of the NIFA Grants Application Guide for profile requirements, details about the biographical sketch, and suggested support templates.

R&R Personal Data. This information is voluntary and is not a precondition of the award (see Part V of the NIFA Grants Application Guide).

R&R Budget. See Part V of the NIFA Grants Application Guide.

1. Indirect Costs (IDC) – See Part IV, C of this NOFO for funding restrictions regarding

IDC, and Part V of the NIFA Grants Application Guide for additional information

2. Additional Budget Information

a. For all proposal types, use September 1st as the start date for the project.

Supplemental Information Form. See Part V of the NIFA Grants Application Guide.

1. Field 2. Program to which the applicant is applying. Enter the program name

“(Biotechnology Risk Assessment)” and the program code “(HX)”. Accurate entry is critical.

2. Field 8. Conflict of Interest List. See Part V of the NIFA Grants Application Guide.

C. Funding Restrictions

1. Indirect Cost (IDC) is not to exceed 30 percent of the recipient’s Total Federal Funds

Awarded (TFFA). 7 U.S.C. 3310 limits the recovery of IDC for the overall award to 30 percent of the TFFA under a research, education, or extension grant. The maximum allowable IDC amount recoverable under the award, including the IDC charged by the sub-awardee(s), if any, is the lesser of the following and is determined by calculating the amount of IDC using:

a. the sum of an institution’s negotiated indirect cost rate and the indirect cost rate charged by sub-awardees, if any; or

b. 30 percent of TFFA.

If the result of number one is the lesser of the two amounts, the grant recipient is allowed to charge the negotiated IDC rate on the prime award and the sub-award(s), if any. Any sub-awards would be subject to the sub-awardee’s negotiated IDC rate. The sub-awardee may charge its negotiated IDC rate on its portion of the award, provided the sum of the https://www.nifa.usda.gov/nifa-22-001-nifa-grants-application-guide https://www.nifa.usda.gov/nifa-22-001-nifa-grants-application-guide https://www.nifa.usda.gov/nifa-22-001-nifa-grants-application-guide https://www.nifa.usda.gov/nifa-22-001-nifa-grants-application-guide https://www.nifa.usda.gov/nifa-22-001-nifa-grants-application-guide https://www.nifa.usda.gov/nifa-22-001-nifa-grants-application-guide https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=(title:7%20section:3310%20edition:prelim)%20OR%20(granuleid:USC-prelim-title7-section3310)&f=treesort&edition=prelim&num=0&jumpTo=true

IDC amount charged under the award by the prime awardee and the sub-awardee(s) does not exceed 30 percent of the TFFA.

If the result of number two is the lesser of the two amounts, then the maximum IDC allowed for the overall award, including any sub-award(s), is limited to 30 percent of the TFFA. That is, the IDC of the prime awardee plus the sum of the IDC charged by the sub-awardee(s), if any, may not exceed 30 percent of the TFFA.

In the event of an award, the prime awardee is responsible for ensuring the maximum indirect cost allowed for the award is not exceeded when combining IDC for the Federal portion (i.e., prime and sub-awardee(s) and any applicable cost-sharing. Amounts exceeding the maximum allowable IDC are considered unallowable. See sections 408 and 410 of 2 CFR 200.

If the applicant does not have a negotiated rate and NIFA is the cognizant agency, the applicant may request an IDC rate. Applicants are not required to complete the IDC package during the application process and need only to calculate a rate to serve as a basis for requesting IDC. If awarded, the applicant will be required to submit a complete IDC proposal package to obtain a negotiated rate.

Organizations that do not have a current negotiated (including provisional) rate, may elect the de minimis rate (2 CFR 200.414(f)). The Uniform Guidance offers the option of electing to charge a de minimis rate of 15 percent of modified total direct costs (MTDC) which may be used indefinitely. As described above and in 2 CFR 200.403, costs must be charged consistently as either indirect or direct costs but may not be double-charged or inconsistently charged as both. If elected, this methodology must be used consistently for all Federal awards until such time as a non-Federal entity chooses to negotiate for a rate, which it may do at any time.

See NIFA Indirect Costs for information including additional resources and NIFA Indirect Cost Guidance Chart.

2. NIFA awards may not be used to support the procurement of unmanned aircraft systems to process, store, or transmit Federal information (as defined in OMB Circular A-130) unless the grant is specifically available for procurement of such equipment and grantees describe in their application how they will comply with the information security requirements outlined in Appendix B of M-26-02 Ensuring Government Use of Secure Unmanned Aircraft Systems and Supporting United States Producers and develop a risk-based approach to applying those requirements to procurement solicitations to potential vendors under the resulting Federal award. This information, if provided, will be evaluated by NIFA as part of its evaluation process. If such procurement is approved, specific information security requirements may be included in the terms and conditions of the grant to ensure that the grantees will incorporate those requirements in procurement solicitations of unmanned aircraft systems under the Federal award.

https://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?SID=99b0d2f1cf782a71783f992ece47bb5a&mc…