Funding Opportunities for the Western IPM Center

CSREES Seeks Applications for NRI Grants Program: Varying Deadlines, January 9, 2004 to June 15, 2004

The purpose of the NRI Program is to support research, extension, and education grants that address key problems of national, regional, and multistate importance in sustaining all components of agriculture (farming, ranching, forestry including urban and agroforestry, aquaculture, rural communities, human nutrition, processing, etc.). Providing this support requires that NRI advance fundamental sciences in support of agriculture and coordinate opportunities to build on these discoveries. Building on these discoveries will necessitate new efforts in education and extension that deliver science-based knowledge to people, allowing them to make informed practical decisions. Hence, in FY 2004 the NRI will accept applications for fundamental research, mission-linked research, and integrated research, extension, and education projects.

There is no commitment by USDA to fund any particular proposal or to make a specific number of awards. USDA anticipates approximately $120-150 million (depending on the action of congress) will be available for new awards for the FY 2004 award cycle.

For the entire Request for Applications document, including mailing addresses and contact information, click on the link below. Applicants are advised that a complete set of required forms must be included with the application. The required forms are also available at the provided link.

For questions, contact the appropriate National Program Leader as identified in the For Further Information Contactsection of the Request for Applications.

Funding Opportunities:

• Request for Applications (PDF, 100 pages)
• Application Forms Package (Web site)
• Frequently Asked Questions (Web site)

The following fixed dates have been established for FY 2004 application submission deadlines within the National Research Initiative Competitive Grants Program, Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service, United States Department of Agriculture. To be considered for funding in any fiscal year, applications must be RECEIVED BY the close of business (5 p.m. Eastern Time) on the date listed below. When the deadline date falls on a weekend or Federal holiday, transmission must be made by the following business day.

Receipt Dates	Program Areas
January 9, 2004	Watershed Processes and Water Resources Animal Reproduction Animal Protection Integrative Biology of Arthropods and Nematodes Plant Genome, Bioinformatics, and Genetic Resources Genetic Processes and Mechanisms of Crop Plants Biobased Products and Bioenergy Production Research
January 23, 2004	Plants and Environmental Adaptation Improving Human Nutrition for Optimal Health Biology of Weedy and Invasive Plants Markets and Trade Rural Development Improving Food Quality
February 18, 2004	Soils and Soil Biology Arthropod and Nematode Gateways to Genomics Biology of Plant-Microbe Associations Developmental Processes of Crop Plants Biochemistry of Plants and Plant Symbionts Improved Utilization of Wood
March 16, 2004	Managed Ecosystems Food Safety Epidemiological Approaches for Food Safety Food Safety Organized Research Unit (FS-CAP) Animal Growth and Nutrient Utilization Applied Plant Genomics CAP Nanoscale Science and Engineering
June 15, 2004	Biosecurity Air Quality Human Nutrition and Obesity Animal Genomics Animal Genome Reagents and Tool Development Functional Genomics