Opportunity Information: Apply for USDA NIFA BRAP 006408
The Biotechnology Risk Assessment Grants (BRAG) Program is a discretionary grant opportunity administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture's National Institute of Food and Agriculture (USDA NIFA). Its central goal is to fund research that produces new, credible scientific information that federal regulatory agencies can use when deciding how genetically engineered (GE) organisms may affect the environment. The focus is specifically on organisms altered using recombinant nucleic acid techniques, and the intent is to strengthen science-based regulation by filling key knowledge gaps about environmental risk.
The program is broad in the kinds of GE organisms it covers. Projects may involve genetically engineered plants as well as microorganisms such as fungi, bacteria, and viruses. It can also support studies involving arthropods and a range of animals including fish, birds, mammals, and other non-human animals. In practical terms, this means BRAG can apply to many modern biotechnology applications, from engineered crops and biocontrol organisms to engineered insects or aquatic species, as long as the work is aimed at understanding environmental effects relevant to regulatory review.
BRAG emphasizes environmental effects in both managed and natural settings. Managed environments might include agricultural fields, aquaculture systems, greenhouses, or other controlled production settings where GE organisms are cultivated or used. Natural environments include ecosystems and habitats where organisms could spread, persist, interact with wild relatives, affect non-target organisms, or influence ecological processes. Research that helps clarify what happens when GE organisms are introduced, intentionally or unintentionally, into these environments aligns with the program's purpose.
A defining feature of BRAG is that it is designed to support regulatory decision-making rather than purely exploratory biotechnology development. The program frames research outcomes as inputs for federal agencies responsible for oversight, aiming to improve the evidence base used in environmental risk assessments. In other words, the most relevant projects are those that generate data regulators can use to evaluate potential impacts, uncertainties, exposure pathways, ecological interactions, and overall environmental safety considerations tied to release or use of GE organisms.
Eligibility is limited to U.S.-based public or private research or educational institutions or organizations. This includes entities such as universities, colleges, nonprofit research institutes, and other qualified organizations located in the United States. Individual applicants generally apply through an eligible institution, consistent with typical federal research grant structures.
Key administrative details from the listing include the funding opportunity title "Biotechnology Risk Assessment Grants Program," funding opportunity number "USDA NIFA BRAP 006408," CFDA number 10.219, and the agency listed as the National Institute of Food and Agriculture. The original closing date shown for this specific posting was February 22, 2018, and it is categorized as a discretionary grant program under the agriculture funding activity category. The listing does not provide an award ceiling or expected number of awards in the provided text, suggesting those details were either not specified in the excerpt or were available in the full announcement materials.Apply for USDA NIFA BRAP 006408
- The National Institute of Food and Agriculture in the agriculture sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Biotechnology Risk Assessment Grants Program" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 10.219.
- This funding opportunity was created on 2017-11-08.
- Applicants must submit their applications by 2018-02-22. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- Eligible applicants include: Others.
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Biotechnology Risk Assessment Grants (BRAG) Program FAQs
What is the Biotechnology Risk Assessment Grants (BRAG) Program?
The Biotechnology Risk Assessment Grants (BRAG) Program is a discretionary government grant opportunity administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture's National Institute of Food and Agriculture (USDA NIFA). It funds research intended to generate credible scientific information about how genetically engineered (GE) organisms may affect the environment.
What is the main goal of BRAG funding?
The central goal is to support research that produces new, credible scientific information that federal regulatory agencies can use when making decisions about the environmental impacts of genetically engineered organisms. The program is intended to strengthen science-based regulation by filling key knowledge gaps in environmental risk assessment.
How is BRAG different from general biotechnology research funding?
BRAG is designed specifically to support regulatory decision-making rather than purely exploratory biotechnology development. Projects are most aligned when they generate data that regulators can use to evaluate environmental impacts, uncertainties, exposure pathways, ecological interactions, and related safety considerations tied to the release or use of GE organisms.
What types of genetic engineering are in scope for BRAG?
The focus is on organisms altered using recombinant nucleic acid techniques. Research must relate to environmental effects of such genetically engineered organisms in ways that are relevant to regulatory review.
What kinds of genetically engineered organisms can be studied under BRAG?
The program is broad and may include genetically engineered plants and microorganisms such as fungi, bacteria, and viruses. It can also support studies involving arthropods and a range of animals, including fish, birds, mammals, and other non-human animals, as long as the research is aimed at understanding environmental effects relevant to regulation.
Does BRAG support research on engineered crops?
Yes. The program explicitly includes genetically engineered plants, which can include engineered crops, as long as the research focus is on environmental effects relevant to regulatory decision-making.
Does BRAG support research on genetically engineered microbes?
Yes. Projects may involve microorganisms such as fungi, bacteria, and viruses, provided the study is focused on environmental effects and supports risk assessment needs.
Can BRAG fund studies on genetically engineered insects or other arthropods?
Yes. The program can support studies involving arthropods, including engineered insects, when the work addresses environmental effects relevant to regulatory evaluation.
Can BRAG fund research involving genetically engineered animals?
Yes. The program can support studies involving fish, birds, mammals, and other non-human animals, as long as the research is framed around environmental risk and information needed for regulatory decision-making.
What kinds of environments does BRAG consider in environmental risk research?
BRAG emphasizes environmental effects in both managed and natural settings. Managed environments can include agricultural fields, aquaculture systems, greenhouses, and other controlled production settings. Natural environments include ecosystems and habitats where GE organisms could spread, persist, interact with wild relatives, affect non-target organisms, or influence ecological processes.
What is meant by "managed environments" in this program?
Managed environments are controlled or production-oriented settings where GE organisms are cultivated or used, such as agricultural fields, aquaculture systems, greenhouses, or similar settings.
What is meant by "natural environments" in this program?
Natural environments refer to ecosystems and habitats where GE organisms might spread or persist and where they could interact with wild relatives, non-target organisms, or broader ecological processes.
What kinds of research outcomes does BRAG prioritize?
BRAG prioritizes outcomes that can serve as inputs for federal agencies responsible for oversight. This includes data that improves the evidence base used in environmental risk assessments, such as information about potential impacts, uncertainties, exposure pathways, ecological interactions, and overall environmental safety considerations.
Who uses the research results funded by BRAG?
The program is structured so that research outputs can be used by federal regulatory agencies when deciding how genetically engineered organisms may affect the environment.
Who is eligible to apply for the BRAG Program?
Eligibility is limited to U.S.-based public or private research or educational institutions or organizations. Examples include universities, colleges, nonprofit research institutes, and other qualified organizations located in the United States.
Can an individual researcher apply directly?
The listing indicates that individual applicants generally apply through an eligible institution, consistent with typical federal research grant structures.
Is this a discretionary grant program?
Yes. The BRAG Program is categorized as a discretionary grant program under the agriculture funding activity category.
Which federal agency administers BRAG?
The program is administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture's National Institute of Food and Agriculture (USDA NIFA). The agency listed is the National Institute of Food and Agriculture.
What is the official funding opportunity title?
The funding opportunity title provided is "Biotechnology Risk Assessment Grants Program."
What is the funding opportunity number?
The funding opportunity number listed is USDA NIFA BRAP 006408.
What is the CFDA number for this program?
The CFDA number provided is 10.219.
What was the closing date shown for this specific posting?
The original closing date shown in the provided listing excerpt was February 22, 2018.
Does the provided listing specify an award ceiling or the expected number of awards?
No. The excerpt states that the listing does not provide an award ceiling or expected number of awards in the provided text, suggesting those details were not included in the excerpt or were available in the full announcement materials.
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