Opportunity Information: Apply for USDA NIFA SCRI 012018
The Emergency Citrus Disease Research and Extension (ECDRE) program is a USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) funding opportunity for FY 2026 focused on helping the US citrus industry respond to Huanglongbing (HLB) and the broader disease complex associated with it. Listed under Assistance Listing (CFDA) 10.309, the program is looking for project ideas that lead to practical, usable tactics and strategies that growers can actually deploy in the near term to manage, reduce, or prevent HLB infection, with the larger goal of keeping citrus production financially sustainable in the United States. A central expectation is that proposed work will be collaborative and integrative, meaning applicants should draw on existing knowledge and coordinate across disciplines or institutions to accelerate real-world solutions rather than working in isolation.
This particular announcement is for pre-applications, which function as an initial screening step before full proposals. Pre-applicants are expected to follow all requirements laid out in the Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO). If an applicant does not meet the stated eligibility rules by the deadline, the pre-application can be excluded from consideration. For organizations or individuals who have not previously worked with federal financial assistance, NIFA points applicants to its "About Grants" resources as a practical guide to understanding how federal awards work and what is typically required to apply, manage, and report on a grant.
Eligibility is broad but defined. Pre-applications may be submitted by federal agencies, national laboratories, colleges and universities, research institutions and organizations, private organizations or corporations, State Agricultural Experiment Stations, the Cooperative Extension Service, individuals, or teams/groups made up of two or more of these entity types. In other words, the program is open to a wide range of research and extension performers, including public, private, and mixed collaborations, as long as they fit within the categories listed in the NOFO.
The opportunity also includes strict rules about duplicate submissions. An applicant cannot submit duplicate or multiple pre-applications with the same lead Project Director (PD). If duplicates or multiple submissions with the same lead PD are received, NIFA will disqualify both. However, the same person is allowed to participate as a co-Project Director (Co-PD) on multiple different, unique submissions, and they may also submit one unique application as the lead PD in the same fiscal year. This structure is meant to prevent one lead applicant from flooding the competition while still allowing experts to collaborate across multiple teams.
A key restriction is that USDA will not accept competitive applications (including grant and cooperative agreement submissions) that involve dangerous gain-of-function research as defined in Section 8 of Executive Order 14292. Applicants should be prepared to ensure their project concept and methods fall outside that prohibited area and align with USDA policy requirements.
Administratively, the opportunity is categorized as mandatory, uses the grant funding instrument, and falls under the Agriculture funding activity category. The funding opportunity number is USDA NIFA SCRI 012018. The agency is NIFA, and the original closing date listed is November 2, 2026. The award ceiling is shown as $15,000,000, and the program anticipates making about 21 awards, indicating a sizable national investment with room for multiple projects or consortia that can demonstrate credible, near-term impact for HLB management and citrus production resilience.Apply for USDA NIFA SCRI 012018
- The National Institute of Food and Agriculture in the agriculture sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Emergency Citrus Disease Research and Extension Pre-Applications" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 10.309.
- This funding opportunity was created on 2026-09-02.
- Applicants must submit their applications by 2026-11-02. (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 $15,000,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 21 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Others.
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Emergency Citrus Disease Research and Extension (ECDRE) Program (FY 2026) - FAQs
1) What is the ECDRE program?
The Emergency Citrus Disease Research and Extension (ECDRE) program is a USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) funding opportunity for FY 2026. It is focused on helping the US citrus industry respond to Huanglongbing (HLB) and the broader disease complex associated with it.
2) What is the main purpose of this funding opportunity?
The program is seeking project ideas that produce practical, usable tactics and strategies that citrus growers can deploy in the near term to manage, reduce, or prevent HLB infection. The broader goal is to help keep citrus production financially sustainable in the United States.
3) Is this announcement for full proposals or pre-applications?
This announcement is for pre-applications. The pre-application serves as an initial screening step before full proposals.
4) Do pre-applications have to follow a specific set of rules?
Yes. Pre-applicants are expected to follow all requirements described in the Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO).
5) What happens if an applicant does not meet eligibility requirements by the deadline?
If an applicant does not meet the stated eligibility rules by the deadline, the pre-application can be excluded from consideration.
6) Who is eligible to submit a pre-application?
Eligibility is broad but defined. Pre-applications may be submitted by:
- Federal agencies
- National laboratories
- Colleges and universities
- Research institutions and organizations
- Private organizations or corporations
- State Agricultural Experiment Stations
- The Cooperative Extension Service
- Individuals
- Teams/groups made up of two or more of the eligible entity types listed above
7) Can collaborations between different organization types apply?
Yes. The program explicitly allows teams/groups made up of two or more eligible entity types, supporting public, private, and mixed collaborations as long as the applicants fit the categories listed in the NOFO.
8) What kind of projects does NIFA want to fund under this program?
The program is looking for project ideas that lead to real-world solutions that can be used by growers in the near term for HLB management (managing, reducing, or preventing HLB infection). Proposed work is expected to accelerate practical outcomes rather than remain isolated or purely conceptual.
9) Is there an expectation that projects be collaborative and integrative?
Yes. A central expectation is that proposed work will be collaborative and integrative. Applicants are expected to draw on existing knowledge and coordinate across disciplines and/or institutions to accelerate solutions for real-world deployment.
10) What is the Assistance Listing (CFDA) number for this opportunity?
The Assistance Listing (CFDA) number is 10.309.
11) What is the funding opportunity number?
The funding opportunity number is USDA NIFA SCRI 012018.
12) What agency is offering this opportunity?
The agency is the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA).
13) What is the application closing date?
The original closing date listed is November 2, 2026.
14) What is the maximum award amount (award ceiling)?
The award ceiling is shown as $15,000,000.
15) How many awards does the program anticipate making?
The program anticipates making about 21 awards.
16) What type of funding instrument will be used?
The opportunity uses the grant funding instrument.
17) How is this opportunity categorized administratively?
Administratively, the opportunity is categorized as mandatory and falls under the Agriculture funding activity category.
18) Are there rules about submitting multiple pre-applications?
Yes. An applicant cannot submit duplicate or multiple pre-applications with the same lead Project Director (PD).
19) What happens if duplicate or multiple pre-applications are submitted with the same lead Project Director (PD)?
If duplicates or multiple submissions with the same lead PD are received, NIFA will disqualify both.
20) Can the same person participate on more than one submission in other roles?
Yes. The same person may participate as a co-Project Director (Co-PD) on multiple different, unique submissions. They may also submit one unique application as the lead PD in the same fiscal year.
21) Does the program restrict certain types of research?
Yes. USDA will not accept competitive applications (including grant and cooperative agreement submissions) that involve dangerous gain-of-function research as defined in Section 8 of Executive Order 14292.
22) What should applicants do regarding the dangerous gain-of-function restriction?
Applicants should ensure their project concept and methods fall outside the prohibited area and align with USDA policy requirements.
23) Where can first-time federal grant applicants find help understanding how federal awards work?
For organizations or individuals who have not previously worked with federal financial assistance, NIFA points applicants to its "About Grants" resources as a practical guide to understanding typical federal award requirements for applying, managing, and reporting.
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