Biotechnology Risk Assessment Research Grants Program

The Biotechnology Risk Assessment Research Grants Program, funded by the National Institute of Food and Agriculture under Assistance Listing 10.219, supports research to generate scientific information that informs federal regulatory decisions regarding the ecological risks of genetically engineered organisms produced through recombinant, synthesized, or amplified nucleic acid techniques. This includes a broad range of organisms such as plants, microorganisms, arthropods, fish, birds, livestock, and other animals—both wild and agricultural—with the goal of assessing hazard identification, probability of occurrence, severity and extent of effects, and comparison to unmodified organisms. The program seeks to advance environmental risk assessment and risk management research, particularly in areas like gene drives, large-scale cultivation of GE plants (100+ acres), gene flow, dispersal effects, and deployment strategies. Applications must be submitted electronically via Grants.gov by the deadline of July 13, 2026, and are evaluated through a two-part process beginning with administrative screening followed by a peer-review assessment. Applications are scored based on four equally weighted criteria: scientific merit, personnel and facilities, budget justification, and, for workshop proposals, relevance and dissemination. Awards are made for periods of up to four years, with individual funding ranging from $10,000 to $650,000 for standard research proposals and up to $50,000 for workshops, under a total program budget of $5 million. Indirect costs are capped at 30% of total federal funds awarded, and subawards cannot exceed 50% of the award without prior approval. Awardees must comply with NIFA’s General Awards Administrative Provisions, USDA’s regulations under 2 CFR Chapter IV, and the OMB Uniform Guidance, with all changes to scope, key personnel, or budget requiring prior written approval. Applicants must also submit required certifications through Grants.gov forms, provide a detailed project timetable covering the entire duration including post-funding phases, and ensure all submissions comply with PDF formatting, 12-point font, one-inch margins, and letter-sized pages. A letter of intent is encouraged but not required for standard grants and must be submitted by July 1, 2026. Only applicants who meet administrative requirements advance to technical review, and highly meritorious applicants who request Centers of Excellence consideration may receive prioritization in award decisions, even if they do not fully meet all COE standards.