Crop Protection and Pest Management Competitive Grants Program | USDA NIFA CPPM 008055

Opportunity Information: Apply for USDA NIFA CPPM 008055

The Crop Protection and Pest Management (CPPM) Competitive Grants Program is a discretionary grant opportunity run by the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) that funds applied work to tackle high-priority pest problems affecting agriculture and communities. The program is centered on Integrated Pest Management (IPM), meaning it supports practical, science-based strategies that combine multiple tools (for example, monitoring, cultural practices, biological control, resistant varieties, and targeted pesticide use when needed) to manage pests in ways that make economic sense for producers, limit harm to the environment, and protect human health. The overall aim is to strengthen food security and improve the ability of farmers and stakeholders to respond to both long-standing pest pressures and newer, emerging threats that may require updated approaches and technologies.

A key emphasis in this funding opportunity is moving IPM forward through comprehensive, real-world solutions that can actually be adopted. NIFA highlights outcomes such as effective and affordable IPM practices, environmentally sound management strategies, and approaches that help maintain agricultural productivity while supporting healthy communities. The scope spans state, regional, and national needs, reflecting the fact that pest issues often cross county and state lines, and that coordinated solutions can be more effective than isolated efforts. The opportunity also notes that CPPM is intended to address both existing priority pests and emerging issues that could be handled better using new and emerging technologies, which signals interest in modern tools and innovations as long as they fit within an IPM framework and produce usable results.

For the specific cycle described (FY 2020 under this announcement), NIFA states it will only accept competitive applications under the Applied Research and Development Program area (ARDP). In other words, proposals need to be geared toward applied research and development rather than purely basic research, with a clear line of sight to practical pest management improvements. The funding opportunity is listed under CFDA 10.329, with an award ceiling of up to $900,000. The opportunity was created on December 18, 2020, and had an original closing date of March 15, 2021. The listing does not specify the number of expected awards in the provided text.

Eligibility is limited and tightly enforced. Applications may only be submitted by certain higher education institutions: colleges and universities as defined in 7 U.S.C. 3103, plus 1994 Institutions (the Tribal land-grant colleges and universities) and Hispanic-serving agricultural colleges and universities. While only these entities can apply as the official applicant, award recipients are allowed to subcontract with organizations that are not eligible to apply directly if those partners are necessary to carry out the project. This allows applicants to bring in expertise from other groups (such as nonprofits, private sector partners, commodity groups, or specialized labs) while keeping the primary award with an eligible institution.

The announcement also stresses that applicants must meet all requirements laid out in the Request for Applications (RFA) by the deadline. Missing eligibility criteria can lead to an application being excluded from review or, even if reviewed, can prevent NIFA from making an award. Another important administrative rule is that duplicate or multiple submissions are not allowed; if an applicant submits more than one version or duplicate applications, NIFA will disqualify both. For organizations newer to federal funding, NIFA points applicants to its Grants Overview resources to help them understand how federal awards work and what is typically required during submission and administration.

• The National Institute of Food and Agriculture in the agriculture sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Crop Protection and Pest Management Competitive Grants Program" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 10.329.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2020-12-18.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2021-03-15. (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 $900,000.00 in funding.
• Eligible applicants include: Others.

Apply for USDA NIFA CPPM 008055

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