Food Safety Outreach Competitive Grant Program | USDA NIFA FSMA 006355

Opportunity Information: Apply for USDA NIFA FSMA 006355

The Food Safety Outreach Competitive Grant Program (Funding Opportunity Number USDA NIFA FSMA 006355) is a discretionary grant opportunity run by the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) under CFDA 10.328. It is designed to strengthen food safety education and practical, on-the-ground implementation by funding projects that deliver training and related resources to specific target audiences. For fiscal year 2017, the program emphasis is less about broad, generic awareness campaigns and more about customized training that is tailored to the real conditions, constraints, and day-to-day decisions faced by the intended participants.

The core focus for new FY 2017 projects is to close knowledge and resource gaps in several high-priority areas that commonly affect food safety outcomes. These priority topics include pre- and post-harvest water testing and sampling (helping farms and food businesses understand how to collect samples properly, interpret results, and respond to findings), soil amendments (including safe use and handling practices that reduce contamination risks), the development of supply chain programs (practices and systems that help ensure food safety expectations are understood and met across multiple steps from production through distribution), and the creation or improvement of food safety plans (practical planning that aligns processes, records, and preventive controls to reduce hazards). The solicitation notes that funded work is not limited to these topics, but these areas represent key themes the program wants to advance through training and capacity building.

A continuing program priority is support for projects that create and deliver bilingual and culturally appropriate training materials. In practical terms, that means the program values outreach that is accessible to diverse communities, reflects the language needs of the workforce and producer base, and is designed in a way that fits cultural context rather than assuming a one-size-fits-all approach. This can include translated materials, culturally informed training approaches, and delivery methods that work for the intended audiences.

The funding mechanism is a grant, categorized under agriculture. The listing identifies eligible applicants broadly as "Others," with specific eligibility requirements referenced in the Request for Applications (RFA), Part III (Eligibility Information). The opportunity was created on April 25, 2017, with an original application closing date of June 6, 2017. The public summary provided does not specify an award ceiling or the expected number of awards, indicating applicants would need to consult the full RFA for those details, along with allowable costs, project types, review criteria, and any match or partnership expectations.

Overall, this opportunity supports applied, audience-centered food safety outreach that translates food safety requirements and best practices into practical training, tools, and planning support, especially in areas where gaps in testing, sampling, amendments management, supply chain coordination, or formalized food safety planning can create real risks for producers, handlers, and ultimately consumers.

• The National Institute of Food and Agriculture in the agriculture sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Food Safety Outreach Competitive Grant Program" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 10.328.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2017-04-25.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2017-06-06. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Eligible applicants include: Others.

Apply for USDA NIFA FSMA 006355

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