Integrated Research, Education, and Extension Competitive Grants Program – Organic Transitions

The National Institute of Food and Agriculture, under the U.S. Department of Agriculture, is issuing a competitive grant opportunity under Assistance Listing 10.303 to support integrated research, education, and extension initiatives aimed at enhancing the competitiveness of U.S. organic livestock and crop producers, as well as those transitioning to organic practices. The program, titled Integrated Research, Education, and Extension Competitive Grants Program – Organic Transitions, invites applications for projects that combine research, education, and extension components to address real-world challenges faced by the organic sector. Funding of approximately $7.5 million is available for fiscal year 2026, with an anticipated eight awards ranging from a minimum of $20,000 to a maximum of $1,000,000 each, for project durations of 24 to 48 months. Applicants must submit proposals via Grants.gov by July 13, 2026, and must ensure strict compliance with formatting requirements including a 21-page Project Narrative in 1.5-spaced text, use of PDF attachments, and inclusion of required forms such as the SF-424 R&R and a Project Summary demonstrating alignment with the Organic Research and Extension program goals. Proposals will be evaluated through a two-tiered review process beginning with administrative screening and responsibility checks, which serve as mandatory pass/fail gates; failure to meet these thresholds will result in exclusion regardless of technical merit. Applications that pass administrative screening will be assessed under two equally weighted criteria: Technical Merit and Relevance, each accounting for 50 percent of the final score. Technical Merit includes evaluation of the integration of research, education, and extension elements; suitability of methodology; strength of evaluation and data management plans; qualifications of personnel and institutions; and budget efficiency with low administrative costs. Relevance is determined by the alignment of the proposed work with the program’s objective to support organic producers. Projects must include year-by-year implementation plans, measurable outcomes, dissemination strategies, and sustainability plans extending beyond the funding period. Awardees must adhere to federal grant regulations including 2 CFR Part 200 (Uniform Guidance), 7 CFR Part 3430, and USDA-specific administrative provisions, with key restrictions including no delegation of fund management without approval, subcontracting limited to 50 percent of total award dollars without ADO approval, and salary rates exceeding Executive Level IV requiring prior NIFA authorization. No-cost extensions are permitted but must be requested at least 1