Agriculture and Food Research Initiative - Sustainable Bioenergy and Bioproducts Challenge Area | USDA NIFA AFRI 006352

Opportunity Information: Apply for USDA NIFA AFRI 006352

The Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (AFRI) Sustainable Bioenergy and Bioproducts Challenge Area (SBEBP) is a competitive grant opportunity run by the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) to support research that advances U.S. bioenergy and bio-based product systems. In FY 2017, the program is framed around a long-term national goal: reducing reliance on foreign oil while helping the United States move toward the Energy Independence and Security Act (EISA) of 2007 benchmark of producing 36 billion gallons of biofuels per year by 2022. In practical terms, the funding is intended to push forward innovations that make biomass-based fuels and products more viable, more efficient, and more economically attractive at scale.

For this funding cycle, NIFA highlights two specific priority areas. The first focuses on lignin or nano-cellulosic co-products derived from biomass feedstocks. This priority reflects the idea that next-generation biofuel systems often become far more cost-effective when every major component of the plant material is converted into something valuable, not just the sugars used for fuel. Lignin, for example, is a large fraction of many biomass sources and is historically difficult to process, but it can potentially be converted into high-value chemicals, materials, or other co-products that strengthen the economics of biorefineries. Similarly, nano-cellulosic materials can open the door to advanced biomaterials and performance-enhancing additives, which can create new markets and revenue streams that support broader bioenergy adoption.

The second priority area is biomass feedstock genetic development and evaluation. This track targets improvements in the plants (or other biomass sources) themselves, aiming to develop and assess feedstocks with traits that make them better suited for bioenergy and bioproduct supply chains. That can include work to increase yield, improve composition for conversion, enhance stress tolerance, reduce inputs, or otherwise improve performance across different environments. The emphasis on both genetic development and evaluation signals that projects are expected not only to create or identify promising genetic materials, but also to test and characterize them in ways that demonstrate their value for real-world production and downstream conversion.

Administratively, this opportunity is listed as a discretionary grant under the AFRI umbrella, with activity categories spanning agriculture, energy, and natural resources. The funding opportunity number is USDA NIFA AFRI 006352, and it is associated with CFDA number 10.310. The agency is NIFA, and the opportunity was created on April 17, 2017, with an original application closing date of June 28, 2017. The notice indicates that applications can only be submitted by eligible entities, and that eligibility depends on the type of project being proposed. Because of that, applicants are directed to consult the Request for Applications (RFA), specifically the section on eligible applicants (Part III, A) and the section describing project types (beginning in Part II, C), to confirm whether they qualify and to ensure they are applying under the correct project category.

Overall, the SBEBP Challenge Area is positioned to fund research and development that makes bioenergy systems more competitive by improving both upstream feedstock performance and downstream product value. By prioritizing co-product development (like lignin- and nano-cellulose-based materials) alongside feedstock genetic innovation, the program aims to address key technical and economic barriers that can limit biofuel and bioproduct deployment, while aligning federally funded research with national energy security and renewable fuel goals.

• The National Institute of Food and Agriculture in the agriculture, energy, natural resources sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Agriculture and Food Research Initiative - Sustainable Bioenergy and Bioproducts Challenge Area" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 10.310.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2017-04-17.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2017-06-28. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Eligible applicants include: Others.

Apply for USDA NIFA AFRI 006352

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