Opportunity Information: Apply for USDA NIFA SRGP 011856
The Special Research Grants Program for Aquaculture Research (Assistance Listing/CFDA 10.200) is a competitive USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) funding opportunity designed to strengthen the U.S. aquaculture sector through applied, science-based research. The program focuses on generating practical information and technology that helps the industry overcome real-world constraints that limit growth, productivity, and expansion. In plain terms, the intent is to fund research that can be used on the ground by producers and related businesses, not purely theoretical work, with an emphasis on solutions that make U.S. aquaculture more viable and profitable over time.
The larger outcomes USDA is aiming for are economic and national-interest oriented. Projects funded under this program are expected to contribute to improving the profitability and competitiveness of U.S. aquaculture, while also supporting broader public goals such as reducing the multi-billion-dollar U.S. seafood trade deficit, increasing domestic food security, expanding markets for U.S.-produced aquaculture products, and supporting job creation in rural and coastal communities. The program description signals that successful projects should have a clear pathway to industry impact, whether by removing bottlenecks, improving production efficiency, addressing barriers to scaling, or producing innovations that can be adopted by producers and supply-chain partners.
This opportunity is offered as a discretionary grant program (Funding Instrument Type: Grant) under Funding Opportunity Number USDA NIFA SRGP 011856. The application deadline listed is June 15, 2026. The maximum award amount (award ceiling) is $300,000, and NIFA anticipates making about 6 awards, indicating a relatively selective competition where proposals will likely need to be well-justified, targeted, and clearly aligned with the program purpose and applied research emphasis.
Eligibility is broad across U.S.-based research and development actors, which reflects the program’s applied, industry-facing goals. Eligible applicants include State Agricultural Experiment Stations; colleges and universities (including junior colleges offering associate degrees or higher); university research foundations; other research institutions and organizations; federal agencies; national laboratories; private organizations or corporations; and individuals who are U.S. citizens, nationals, or permanent residents. Applications can also be submitted by groups or partnerships consisting of two or more eligible entity types, which can be useful for projects that benefit from collaboration between academia, government labs, and industry. At the same time, the opportunity explicitly excludes foreign and international organizations as eligible institutions, meaning applicants generally need to be U.S.-based and meet the listed eligibility categories.
There are also two important compliance-related constraints called out in the notice. First, USDA states it will not accept competitive applications for grants or cooperative agreements that propose dangerous gain-of-function research, as defined in Section 8 of Executive Order 14292. Second, duplicate or multiple submissions are not allowed: if the same applicant (specifically the project director) submits duplicate or multiple applications, NIFA will disqualify both applications. Practically, that means prospective project directors should coordinate internally and submit only one application package per project director to avoid an automatic disqualification, even if multiple similar proposals are under consideration.
Overall, this program is best viewed as a targeted federal investment in applied aquaculture research that has a strong connection to industry needs and measurable economic outcomes. Competitive proposals will typically be those that identify a clear production or market constraint, propose a feasible research plan to address it, and demonstrate how the results can be translated into real improvements for U.S. aquaculture businesses and communities.Apply for USDA NIFA SRGP 011856
- The National Institute of Food and Agriculture in the agriculture sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Special Research Grants Program for Aquaculture Research" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 10.200.
- This funding opportunity was created on 2026-05-14.
- Applicants must submit their applications by 2026-06-15. (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 $300,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 6 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Others.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs): Special Research Grants Program for Aquaculture Research (CFDA/Assistance Listing 10.200)
What is the Special Research Grants Program for Aquaculture Research (10.200)?
The Special Research Grants Program for Aquaculture Research (Assistance Listing/CFDA 10.200) is a competitive funding opportunity from the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA). It supports applied, science-based aquaculture research intended to strengthen the U.S. aquaculture sector by producing practical information and technology that can be used by producers and related businesses.
What is the main purpose of this grant program?
The main purpose is to fund applied research that helps the aquaculture industry overcome real-world constraints that limit growth, productivity, and expansion. The program emphasizes on-the-ground usefulness and industry adoption rather than purely theoretical or academic work.
What outcomes is USDA aiming to achieve through this program?
USDA expects funded projects to support outcomes such as improving profitability and competitiveness of U.S. aquaculture, helping reduce the U.S. seafood trade deficit, increasing domestic food security, expanding markets for U.S.-produced aquaculture products, and supporting job creation in rural and coastal communities.
What types of projects are a strong fit for this opportunity?
Projects are expected to have a clear pathway to industry impact. Strong fits typically identify a specific production or market bottleneck and propose feasible applied research that can remove barriers to scaling, improve production efficiency, address constraints limiting expansion, or create innovations that producers and supply-chain partners can adopt.
Is this program focused on applied research or basic/theoretical research?
This program is focused on applied research. The intent is to fund research that can be implemented by producers and related businesses, with an emphasis on practical solutions that improve the viability and profitability of U.S. aquaculture over time.
What is the funding instrument type?
The opportunity is offered as a discretionary grant program. The listed funding instrument type is Grant.
What is the funding opportunity number?
The funding opportunity number is USDA NIFA SRGP 011856.
What is the application deadline?
The application deadline listed in the opportunity description is June 15, 2026.
What is the maximum award amount?
The award ceiling (maximum award amount) is $300,000.
How many awards does NIFA expect to make?
NIFA anticipates making about 6 awards, suggesting a competitive and selective process.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility includes a broad set of U.S.-based research and development actors, including State Agricultural Experiment Stations; colleges and universities (including junior colleges offering associate degrees or higher); university research foundations; other research institutions and organizations; federal agencies; national laboratories; private organizations or corporations; and individuals who are U.S. citizens, nationals, or permanent residents.
Can individuals apply, or is this limited to institutions?
Individuals may apply if they are U.S. citizens, U.S. nationals, or permanent residents, as stated in the eligibility list.
Can a partnership or group apply jointly?
Yes. Applications may be submitted by groups or partnerships consisting of two or more eligible entity types, which can support collaborative, industry-facing projects.
Are foreign or international organizations eligible to apply?
No. The opportunity explicitly excludes foreign and international organizations as eligible institutions.
What does the program mean by having a "clear pathway to industry impact"?
Based on the description, projects should show how research outputs will translate into real improvements for U.S. aquaculture businesses and communities. Examples of pathways described include removing bottlenecks, improving production efficiency, addressing scaling barriers, or developing innovations that can be adopted by producers and supply-chain partners.
Does USDA restrict any categories of research under this opportunity?
Yes. USDA states it will not accept competitive applications for grants or cooperative agreements that propose dangerous gain-of-function research, as defined in Section 8 of Executive Order 14292.
Are duplicate or multiple submissions allowed?
No. Duplicate or multiple submissions are not allowed. If the same applicant (specifically the project director) submits duplicate or multiple applications, NIFA will disqualify both applications.
What is the practical implication of the duplicate-submission rule for project directors?
Prospective project directors should coordinate internally and submit only one application package per project director. Submitting more than one (even if similar proposals are being considered) can result in automatic disqualification of both submissions.
How competitive is this opportunity likely to be?
The opportunity appears relatively selective because NIFA anticipates about 6 awards and has a defined award ceiling. Proposals will likely need to be targeted, well-justified, aligned with the applied research purpose, and clear about how results will benefit the U.S. aquaculture industry.
What kinds of broader public benefits are referenced in the program description?
The description references benefits tied to national interest and economic outcomes, including reducing the multi-billion-dollar U.S. seafood trade deficit, increasing domestic food security, expanding markets for U.S.-produced aquaculture products, and supporting job creation in rural and coastal communities.
Does the program description indicate who should use the research results?
Yes. The description emphasizes that funded research should produce information and technology that can be used on the ground by producers and related businesses, as well as by supply-chain partners where relevant.
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