agriculture · USDA-NIFA

Biotechnology Risk Assessment Research Grants Program

National Institute of Food and Agriculture · USDA-NIFA-BRAP-011857

Closed

Award Range

$25K – $650K

Total Program Funding

$5.0M

Expected Awards

Deadline

July 13, 2026

GRANTQUICK SUMMARYPlain-English Overview

USDA/NIFA's Biotechnology Risk Assessment Research Grants Program funds 7 awards ($25K-$650K each, $5M total) for research on potential risks of introducing genetically engineered organisms into the environment or food supply. This funds studies on gene flow, non-target effects, allergenicity, environmental persistence, and other biosafety questions related to biotech crops, animals, or microorganisms.

Who Should Apply

University researchers in plant biology, molecular biology, ecology, toxicology, or food science with expertise relevant to GE organism risk assessment. Must propose empirical research on specific biotechnology risks.

Who Should NOT Apply

Pro- or anti-GMO advocacy organizations, researchers without biotechnology/biosafety expertise, companies seeking to prove their products are safe, or purely computational/modeling studies without empirical components.

Key Requirements (Plain English)

•Must assess risks associated with genetically engineered organisms
•Must provide empirical data relevant to regulatory risk decisions
•7 awards of $25K-$650K
•Must address environmental, food safety, or ecological risk questions
•Must be objective, peer-reviewed science
•No cost-sharing required

💡 GrantQuick Tip

NIFA wants objective risk SCIENCE, not advocacy in either direction. The strongest proposals address specific regulatory-relevant questions: 'Does gene X flow to wild relatives at rates that could cause ecological harm?' or 'Does this novel protein trigger immune responses in validated allergenicity models?' Framing matters — present your work as filling a specific gap in the risk assessment framework that regulators need answered to make decisions.

Competitiveness: Moderate — 7 awards in a specialized scientific field. Plant geneticists with biosafety research experience have the strongest profiles.

What This Grant Funds

The purpose of the BRAG program, Assistance Listing 10.219, is to support the generation of new information that will assist Federal regulatory agencies in making science-based decisions about the ecological effects of introducing genetically engineered (GE) organisms by techniques that use recombinant, synthesized, or amplified nucleic acids to modify or create a genome. The organisms include plants, microorganisms (including fungi, bacteria, and viruses), arthropods, fish, birds, livestock, and other animals. These include related wild and agricultural organisms.