Biotechnology Risk Assessment Research Grants Program | USDA NIFA BRAP 009504

Opportunity Information: Apply for USDA NIFA BRAP 009504

The Biotechnology Risk Assessment Research Grants (BRAG) Program (Assistance Listing/CFDA 10.219) is a discretionary grant opportunity run by the U.S. Department of Agriculture's National Institute of Food and Agriculture (USDA-NIFA). Its core aim is to fund research that produces new, practical scientific information regulators can use when evaluating the environmental impacts of genetically engineered (GE) organisms. The program is designed to directly support science-based decision-making by key federal oversight bodies, including USDA's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, Biotechnology Regulatory Services (APHIS-BRS), the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and the Department of Health and Human Services' Food and Drug Administration (DHHS/FDA).

BRAG focuses on environmental assessment research tied to the introduction of GE organisms created or modified using recombinant, synthesized, or amplified nucleic acids. In plain terms, it is interested in the kinds of genetic engineering approaches that alter or build genomes using modern molecular techniques, and it funds studies that help clarify what happens when those organisms interact with real-world environments. The scope is intentionally broad: eligible study organisms can include plants and microorganisms (such as fungi, bacteria, and viruses), as well as arthropods, fish, birds, livestock, and other animals. The program also recognizes that risk questions often involve more than the engineered organism alone, so it includes consideration of related wild species and agricultural counterparts that may interact with or be affected by the GE organism.

The statutory goals behind BRAG are twofold. First, it authorizes and supports research that helps identify, measure, and analyze potential environmental effects associated with biotechnology. Second, it supports research intended to help regulators shape longer-term policies for the responsible introduction and oversight of biotechnology. That policy-relevance aspect is central: BRAG is not just about generating academic knowledge, but about producing evidence that can improve regulatory evaluations, environmental risk assessments, and the development of guidance or frameworks used by federal agencies.

Eligibility is limited to public or private research or educational institutions or organizations, provided they meet all requirements laid out in the relevant Request for Applications (RFA). Applications that do not meet eligibility requirements by the deadline can be excluded from review or may prevent NIFA from making an award. For applicants who are newer to federal funding, NIFA points prospective applicants to its Grants Overview resources to help them understand federal financial assistance processes and expectations.

From the posted opportunity details, this solicitation is identified as "Biotechnology Risk Assessment Research Grants Program" with Funding Opportunity Number USDA NIFA BRAP 009504. It is categorized as a grant under the agriculture funding activity area. The original closing date listed is April 5, 2023, and the award ceiling is $650,000.

• The National Institute of Food and Agriculture in the agriculture sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Biotechnology Risk Assessment Research Grants Program" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 10.219.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2022-10-05.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2023-04-05. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $650,000.00 in funding.
• Eligible applicants include: Others.

Apply for USDA NIFA BRAP 009504

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