Organic Transitions | USDA NIFA ICGP 006173

Opportunity Information: Apply for USDA NIFA ICGP 006173

The Organic Transitions (ORG) grant opportunity, offered by the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA), is designed to strengthen the competitiveness of organic agriculture by funding projects that blend research, education, and extension. The program focuses on practical work that helps current organic crop and livestock producers, as well as producers who are in the process of adopting organic practices, improve performance, solve production challenges, and stay competitive in the marketplace. The emphasis is not just on generating new knowledge, but on turning that knowledge into usable guidance that can be applied on farms and communicated effectively through teaching and outreach channels.

For fiscal year 2017, NIFA planned to support standard Integrated Research, Education, and Extension projects with project periods ranging from 1 to 3 years. Funding levels are structured with a clear cap: budgets may not exceed $200,000 per year, and the total award per project may not exceed $500,000 over the life of the grant. NIFA expected to make roughly seven to eight awards under this opportunity, making it a competitive program with limited slots relative to likely demand.

The scope of work is broad within organic agriculture, but it is clearly centered on production systems and practices. Projects may address organic crops, organic animal production (including dairy), and integrated organic systems that combine plant and animal production. In other words, the program is open to proposals that tackle challenges across the organic supply chain at the farm level, including system-level approaches where crop and livestock components interact, such as nutrient cycling, pasture-crop rotations, integrated pest and fertility management, animal health strategies compatible with organic standards, and other whole-farm management issues.

A key expectation of ORG proposals is meaningful stakeholder engagement. Applications are expected to explain how stakeholders are involved throughout the project, including identifying the real-world problem, helping shape the work plan, participating in implementation where appropriate, and contributing to evaluation of outcomes. This requirement signals that NIFA is looking for projects grounded in on-the-ground needs rather than purely academic questions. In the same spirit, applicants are strongly encouraged to form teams that collectively cover research, education, extension, and evaluation expertise, and to use a systems approach rather than treating farm issues in isolation. The program wants integrated projects that connect experimentation and data collection with educational programming and outreach delivery, paired with a plan to measure results.

Deliverables are expected to be applied and user-facing. Projects should be designed to produce practical production information and ensure it reaches the people who need it: producers, students, and the wider network that supports producers, such as extension agents and educators, agricultural consultants, and college teaching faculty. This highlights that dissemination is not an optional add-on; it is a central part of what NIFA is paying for, and applicants should be able to show credible pathways for getting results into the field and into curricula or training programs.

Eligibility is restricted. Only colleges and universities that meet the definition in Section 1404 of the National Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching Policy Act of 1977 (NARETPA, 7 U.S.C. 3103) may submit applications. The notice also stresses that failing to meet eligibility requirements by the deadline can lead to exclusion from consideration, even if a proposal is otherwise strong. Importantly, amendments made through the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 expanded or clarified the definition to include Hispanic-serving Agricultural Colleges and Universities (HSACUs) and research foundations maintained by eligible institutions, which can matter for who is allowed to apply and how institutions structure their submissions.

In terms of official listing details, this is a discretionary grant opportunity administered by NIFA, with the funding opportunity title "Organic Transitions" and opportunity number USDA NIFA ICGP 006173. The CFDA number associated with the program is 10.303, the award ceiling is $500,000, and the original closing date for applications was March 9, 2017.

• The National Institute of Food and Agriculture in the agriculture sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Organic Transitions" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 10.303.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2016-12-08.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2017-03-09. (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 $500,000.00 in funding.
• Eligible applicants include: Others.

Apply for USDA NIFA ICGP 006173

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