Biomass Research and Development Initiative Competitive Grants Program (BRDI)
Active
- Assistance listing
- 10.312
- Agency
-
National Institute of Food and Agriculture
Department of Agriculture
- Grant awards
- 143 $154,693,155 in federal obligations
Program facts
- Also known as
- BRDI
- Assistance type
-
- Project Grant
- Treasury account
-
- 12-1003-0-1-271
- More information
Program details come from SAM.gov Assistance Listings. Updated . Grant award figures come from USAspending.gov.
About this program
The Department of Agriculture National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) funds research on and development and demonstration of biofuels, biobased products, and the methods, practices, and technologies for their production under CFDA 10.312, with the most recent grant award issued in September 2018. The program is no longer making new awards, though funded projects continue to report expenditures and historically generated annual solicitations.
The program funds research and development across cellulosic biomass conversion to biofuels and bioenergy; biochar production and soil application; alternative biofuel feedstocks such as Taraxacum kok-saghyz (dandelion) for natural rubber and sugar production; next-generation energy crops including sweet sorghum and camelina; distributed biorefining technologies; and life cycle analysis of biofuel sustainability and land-use change impacts. Recent awards demonstrate concentration on integrated biorefinery development, demonstration-scale production systems, and technoeconomic and environmental impact assessment of biomass conversion pathways.
Over 143 awards have been issued since 2004, totaling $154.7 million in federal obligations (with combined federal and non-federal share of $209.3 million). All awards in the portfolio are Project Grants. NIFA accounted for the entire funding portfolio across all documented award lines. Award volume peaked in 2011 with 17 grants and declined thereafter; the most recent solicitation was posted in February 2015 with a July 2015 deadline. The portfolio shows sporadic recent activity, with 4 awards in 2018, 10 in 2016, and no documented awards posted since then.
Representative recent awards include $2.5 million to Ohio State University, University of Nebraska, and Oregon State University for the BARRAL project developing alternative natural rubber and industrial sugar crop production in the Northern U.S. (September 2018); $762 thousand for research on biochar effectiveness in soil fertility and carbon storage across diverse agricultural and forestry operations (September 2018); and $1.8 million for biochar valorization applications in anaerobic digestion and livestock odor control (September 2018). Typical recent grant magnitudes range from roughly $800 thousand to $2.5 million, with historical awards in 2012 reaching $8–9 million for larger consortium or demonstration projects.
Project periods do not exceed five years. Eligible applicants include institutions of higher education, National Laboratories, Federal and State research agencies, private sector entities, nonprofit organizations, and consortia thereof. The program uses peer and merit review by qualified scientists and specialists. No recent grant opportunities are currently open.
Objective and description
- Objective
To carry out research on and development and demonstration of: (A) biofuels and biobased products; and (B) the methods, practices, and technologies, for the production of biofuels and biobased products.
- Description
Program is no longer making new awards, but funded projects may still actively report expenditures. Biofuels and Biobased Products Development - The development of diverse cost-effective technologies for the use of cellulosic biomass in the production of biofuels, bioenergy, and biobased products; and product diversification through technologies relevant to the production of a range of biobased products (including chemicals, animal feeds, and cogeneration power) that potentially can increase the feasibility of fuel production in a biorefinery.
Eligibility
- Applicant eligibility
Eligible entities include: (A) an institution of higher education; (B) a National Laboratory; (C) a Federal research agency; (D) a State research agency; (E) a private sector entity; (F) a nonprofit organization; or (G) a consortium of 2 or more entities described in subparagraphs (A) through (F)
- Beneficiary eligibility
Eligible entities include: (A) an institution of higher education; (B) a National Laboratory; (C) a Federal research agency; (D) a State research agency; (E) a private sector entity; (F) a nonprofit organization; or (G) a consortium of 2 or more entities described in subparagraphs (A) through (F)
- Uses of assistance
Grant funds must be used for allowable costs necessary to conduct approved research and extension objectives. Funds shall not be used for the construction of a new building or facility or the acquisition, expansion, remodeling, or alteration of an existing building or facility (including site grading and improvement, and architect fees). Funds may not be used for any purposes other than those approved in the grant award documents.
- Length and time phasing of assistance
In accordance with statutory time limits, project periods, including no-cost extensions of time, are not to exceed five (5) years. Further details are provided in the Award document Form NIFA-2009 and the NIFA General Terms and Conditions Grants and Cooperative Agreements (dated October 2016) at: https://nifa.usda.gov/resource/nifa-general-terms-and-conditions-grants-and-cooperative-agreements-october-2016. SPECIAL NOTE: Please refer to the Competitive Request for Applications (RFAs) for specific and pertinent details. The most current RFAs are available via: https://nifa.usda.gov/funding-opportunity/biomass-research-and-development-initiative-brdi RFAs are generally released annually. Hence, the RFAs provide the most current and accurate information available. Any specific instructions in the Competitive RFAs supersede the general information provided in the CFDA database.
How to apply
- Preapplication coordination
All NOFOs are published on Grants.gov. Applicants must complete the Grants.gov registration process and follow the instructions provided per Grants.Gov.
- Criteria for selecting proposals
Within guidelines established for the program as described in the Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO). The most current NOFOs are available via: https://nifa.usda.gov/funding-opportunity/biomass-research-and-development-initiative-brdi
- Award procedure
Applications are subjected to a system of peer and merit review in accordance with section 103 of the Agricultural Research, Extension and Education Reform Act of 1998 (7 U.S.C. 7613) by a panel of qualified scientists and other appropriate persons who are specialists in the field covered by the proposal. Within the limit of funds available for such purpose, the NIFA Authorized Departmental Officer (ADO) shall make grants to those responsible, eligible applicants whose applications are judged most meritorious under the procedures set forth in the NOFO . Reviewers will be selected based upon training and experience in relevant scientific, extension, or education fields, taking into account the following factors: (a) The level of relevant formal scientific, technical education, or extension experience of the individual, as well as the extent to which an individual is engaged in relevant research, education, or extension activities; (b) the need to include as reviewers experts from various areas of specialization within relevant scientific, education, or extension fields; (c) the need to include as reviewers other experts (e.g., producers, range or forest managers/operators, and consumers) who can assess relevance of the applications to targeted audiences and to program needs; (d) the need to include as reviewers experts from a variety of organizational types (e.g., colleges, universities, industry, state and Federal agencies, private profit and non-profit organizations) and geographic locations; (e) the need to maintain a balanced composition of reviewers with regard to minority and female representation and an equitable age distribution; and (f) the need to include reviewers who can judge the effective usefulness to producers and the general public of each application. Evaluation Criteria will be delineated in the Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO). 2 CFR 200 - Subpart C and Appendix I and 2 CFR part 400 apply to this Program.
- Time to approval or disapproval
From 30 to 60 days. Contact the National Program Leader (NPL) regarding dates for specific deadlines, start and end dates, and range of approval/disapproval time. Information is also available via our website and may be obtained via the Grants.gov website. NIFA's respective links regarding general information are provided below: http://nifa.usda.gov/ http://www.grants.gov. SPECIAL NOTE: Please refer to the Notice of Funding Opportunities (NOFOs) for further specific and pertinent details. The most current NOFO is available via: https://nifa.usda.gov/funding-opportunity/biomass-research-and-development-initiative-brdi NOFOs are generally released annually. Hence, the NOFOs provide the most current and accurate information available. Any specific instructions in the Competitive NOFOs supersede the general information provided in the CFDA database.
- Renewals
Specific details are provided in the Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO), which are generally published annually. The most current NOFO is available via: https://nifa.usda.gov/funding-opportunity/biomass-research-and-development-initiative-brdi
Grant opportunities
| Opportunity | Status | Posted | Applications due |
|---|---|---|---|
| Biomass Research and Development Initiative | Closed |
Grant awards
Latest 10 of 143 listed here. See the rest on GovTribe.
Top recipients by federal obligations
| Rank | Recipient | Federal obligations | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Ohio State University | $8,507,817 | 5% |
| 2 | The University Of Kentucky Research Foundation | $7,920,821 | 5% |
| 3 | Domtar Paper Company, LLC | $7,000,000 | 5% |
| 4 | University Of Wisconsin System | $6,958,142 | 4% |
| 5 | Cooper Tire & Rubber Company | $6,854,213 | 4% |
| 6 | Ceramatec, Inc. | $6,592,804 | 4% |
| 7 | Agricultural Research Service | $6,142,569 | 4% |
| 8 | Agricultural Research Service | $6,105,292 | 4% |
| 9 | University Of Florida | $6,029,886 | 4% |
| 10 | University Of Hawaii | $5,966,204 | 4% |
10 of 63 recipients listed here. See the rest on GovTribe.
Federal obligations by fiscal year
| Fiscal year | Federal obligations |
|---|---|
| FY2024 | -$2,939 |
| FY2023 | -$62,614 |
| FY2022 | -$48,181 |
| FY2021 | -$785,713 |
| FY2019 | -$856,221 |
| FY2018 | $4,993,496 |
| FY2017 | -$376,204 |
| FY2016 | $7,692,522 |
| FY2015 | -$191,907 |
| FY2014 | -$161,509 |
| FY2013 | -$1,834,282 |
| FY2012 | $69,032,616 |
| FY2011 | $27,204,317 |
| FY2009 | $50,089,775 |
Show all 14
Quick answers
What is Assistance Listing 10.312?
Assistance Listing 10.312 is Biomass Research and Development Initiative Competitive Grants Program (BRDI), a federal grant program run by National Institute of Food and Agriculture (Department of Agriculture).
What is the CFDA number for Biomass Research and Development Initiative Competitive Grants Program (BRDI)?
Its CFDA number is 10.312: Assistance Listing numbers were called CFDA numbers before 2018.
How much funding has Assistance Listing 10.312 awarded?
143 grant awards under 10.312 have obligated $154,693,155 in federal funds to 63 recipients.
Who receives the most funding from 10.312?
The recipients obligated the most under Biomass Research and Development Initiative Competitive Grants Program (BRDI) are The Ohio State University ($8,507,817), The University Of Kentucky Research Foundation ($7,920,821) and Domtar Paper Company, LLC ($7,000,000).
Are there open grant opportunities under 10.312?
No opportunity listed under 10.312 is open now. The latest, Biomass Research and Development Initiative, was posted on February 26, 2015.
On GovTribe
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