United States: New Innovator in Food & Agriculture Research Award

Within the scope of the New Innovator Program, investigators will have the freedom to explore new avenues of inquiry that arise during their research.

FFAR envisions a world where everyone can access affordable, nutritious food grown on thriving farms. By building collaborative partnerships, they support audacious science that tackles today’s food and agriculture challenges. They value and integrate diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) into the efforts to ensure the work reaches everyone. FFAR holds itself accountable to potential partners and stakeholders, by proactively committing time and opportunities to build outreach, programs and relationships that reflect inclusivity and equity.

Priorities

FFAR anticipates funding up to ten (10) awards. They ask that applicants address how their proposed research program will address at least one of FFAR’s Research Priority Areas. The proposed research program should also be expected to clearly benefit the U.S. food and agriculture system.

• Priority 1
  • Cultivating Thriving Production Systems: Production systems thrive when input providers and producers have the information and technologies (novel germplasm, digital tools, pest and disease solutions, etc.) to manage their enterprises efficiently and profitably—which includes selecting animals, crops and management practices that support site-specific environmental, social and business goals.
• Priority 2
  • Sustaining Vibrant Agroecosystems: Tools, technologies and integrative models designed at scales needed for site-specific decision making allow producers to create, build and maintain healthy, productive agroecosystems that meet consumer expectations under changing climate conditions. Such solutions must provide flexibility to deal with future uncertainty, and clarify trends and trade-offs in environmental regeneration, productivity and resilience.
• Priority 3:
  • Bolstering Healthy Food Systems: In a healthy food system, food processors, distributors and retailers have the information and technologies needed to produce nutritious, environmentally sustainable and culturally appropriate food for consumers. Likewise, consumers require convenient access to safe, nutritious, desirable foods with a balance of macronutrients, micronutrients and protective phytochemicals.

Prize Information

• Amount per Award: Up to $150,000/year.

Duration

• Anticipated Award Duration: Up to 36 months.

Eligibility Criteria

• Eligible Institutions
  • U.S. Institutions of Higher Education o Public/State controlled institutions o Private institutions
  • U.S. Nonprofit Research Institutions
• U.S. Department of Agriculture in keeping with FFAR goals to reach a diverse and broad range of institutions and individuals who participate in its programs, the following types of higher education institutions are highly encouraged to apply for FFAR programs:
  • Hispanic-serving Institutions
  • 1890s Land Grant Institutions and other Historically Black Colleges and Universities
  • Tribal Colleges and Universities
  • Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions
  • Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institutions
• Eligible Individuals
  • Faculty members at eligible institutions with the creative ideas, skills, knowledge, and resources necessary to carry out the proposed research program as Principal Investigator are invited to work with their institution to develop an application for support.
    • The nominated faculty member must have been hired on or after August 1, 2020 for a tenure-track or equivalent position and may work in any discipline or any department within the institution.
    • Preference will be given to individuals near the onset of their independent research career and who are within eight (8) years of receiving a Ph.D. or equivalent degree.

For more information, visit FFAR.