Opportunity Information: Apply for RFA FD 21 011
This funding opportunity is a renewal cooperative agreement from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), within the Department of Health and Human Services, focused on strengthening and promoting the role of local health departments in retail food safety regulation across the United States. The program is aimed at supporting effective city and county retail food protection programs, recognizing that local and county regulators are on the front lines of ensuring the safety of food sold in retail settings such as restaurants, grocery stores, and other food service and retail operations. The notice specifies that this is a U50 cooperative agreement and that clinical trials are not allowed, which signals that the work is intended to be public health and regulatory program improvement rather than clinical research.
A key feature of the opportunity is that FDA intends to fund a single national association or organization that can operate at a nationwide level and serve as the central administrator of the effort. Rather than FDA directly funding multiple local jurisdictions, the funded national organization would manage and distribute funds to selected state, local, city, or county jurisdictions that participate in a mentorship program. In practical terms, this means the award recipient would be responsible for setting up and running a structured mentorship model that helps local retail food regulatory programs learn from stronger or more mature programs, adopt best practices, and build capacity in areas that improve consistency, effectiveness, and outcomes in retail food safety.
Beyond administering mentorship awards, the funded organization is also expected to conduct or coordinate research and related information-gathering activities that help drive long-term improvements and advancement of retail food regulatory programs. The research component is framed around facilitating durable, system-level progress, such as identifying barriers to program modernization, evaluating what mentorship approaches work best, and generating evidence that can guide future improvements in how local retail food safety programs are designed, staffed, implemented, and measured. The overall purpose is to strengthen the national retail food protection system by investing in local program capability, promoting uniformity and quality in regulatory practices, and supporting continuous improvement through data and experience.
From a funding and administrative standpoint, this opportunity is categorized as discretionary funding and uses the cooperative agreement mechanism, which typically means substantial involvement from the federal agency during the project period. The total potential award amount is capped at $800,000 (award ceiling), and FDA anticipates making one award. The opportunity falls under the Agriculture, Consumer Protection, Food and Nutrition activity category, with CFDA number 93.103. The funding opportunity number is RFA-FD-21-011. The announcement was created on December 14, 2020, and the original application closing date listed is February 12, 2021. Eligibility is listed broadly as "Others," with clarification expected in the full announcement text under the additional eligibility information section, but the description makes clear that the intended applicant is a national association or organization capable of administering subawards and coordinating a mentorship-and-research effort that benefits local jurisdictions nationwide.Apply for RFA FD 21 011
- The Department of Health and Human Services, Food and Drug Administration in the agriculture, consumer protection, food and nutrition sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Renewal - Strengthen and Promote the Role of Local Health Departments in Retail Food Safety Regulation (U50 Clinical Trial Not Allowed" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.103.
- This funding opportunity was created on Dec 14, 2020.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Feb 12, 2021. (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 $800,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
What is this funding opportunity?
This opportunity is a renewal cooperative agreement from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). It focuses on strengthening and promoting the role of local health departments in retail food safety regulation across the United States.
What is the main goal of the program?
The program aims to support effective city and county retail food protection programs. It recognizes that local and county regulators are on the front lines of ensuring the safety of food sold in retail settings, including restaurants, grocery stores, and other food service and retail operations.
Which federal agency is offering the award?
The award is offered by the FDA, which is part of HHS.
What type of funding mechanism is being used?
The notice specifies a U50 cooperative agreement mechanism. Cooperative agreements typically involve substantial federal involvement during the project period compared with standard grants.
Is this a new grant or a renewal?
This is described as a renewal cooperative agreement.
Are clinical trials allowed under this opportunity?
No. The opportunity explicitly states that clinical trials are not allowed, signaling the work is intended to support public health and regulatory program improvement rather than clinical research.
How many awards does FDA expect to make?
FDA anticipates making one award.
What is the maximum funding amount available?
The total potential award amount is capped at $800,000 (the award ceiling).
Who is the intended applicant for this opportunity?
While eligibility is listed broadly as "Others," the description indicates FDA intends to fund a single national association or organization that can operate nationwide and serve as the central administrator for the effort.
Can local health departments apply directly to FDA under this opportunity?
The structure described indicates FDA does not intend to directly fund multiple local jurisdictions. Instead, the funded national organization would manage and distribute funds to selected state, local, city, or county jurisdictions that participate in a mentorship program.
What is the mentorship model described in the opportunity?
The award recipient is expected to set up and run a structured mentorship model that helps local retail food regulatory programs learn from stronger or more mature programs, adopt best practices, and build capacity to improve consistency, effectiveness, and outcomes in retail food safety.
Who would receive subawards or distributed funds?
Funds would be managed by the national award recipient and distributed to selected participating jurisdictions, described as state, local, city, or county jurisdictions, as part of the mentorship program.
What responsibilities would the national award recipient have?
Based on the description provided, the national recipient would act as the central administrator, including managing and distributing funds to participating jurisdictions and operating the mentorship program. The recipient is also expected to conduct or coordinate research and related information-gathering activities tied to long-term improvements in retail food regulatory programs.
What kinds of activities are expected beyond administering mentorship awards?
The funded organization is expected to conduct or coordinate research and related information-gathering activities to drive long-term improvements and advancement of retail food regulatory programs.
What is the purpose of the research and information-gathering component?
The research component is framed around facilitating durable, system-level progress. Examples described include identifying barriers to program modernization, evaluating which mentorship approaches work best, and generating evidence to guide future improvements in how local retail food safety programs are designed, staffed, implemented, and measured.
What broader system is this program trying to strengthen?
The stated purpose is to strengthen the national retail food protection system by investing in local program capability, promoting uniformity and quality in regulatory practices, and supporting continuous improvement through data and experience.
What activity category does this funding fall under?
The opportunity falls under the Agriculture, Consumer Protection, Food and Nutrition activity category.
What is the CFDA number for this opportunity?
The CFDA number listed is 93.103.
What is the funding opportunity number?
The funding opportunity number is RFA-FD-21-011.
What is the funding type?
The opportunity is categorized as discretionary funding.
When was the announcement created?
The announcement was created on December 14, 2020.
What is the application closing date listed in the notice?
The original application closing date listed is February 12, 2021.
Where is additional eligibility detail expected to be found?
The notice indicates clarification is expected in the full announcement text under the additional eligibility information section, even though the listing shows eligibility broadly as "Others."
What types of retail settings does the opportunity reference?
The opportunity references retail settings such as restaurants, grocery stores, and other food service and retail operations.
What does it mean that the award is intended for a single national organization?
It means FDA plans to support one nationwide entity that serves as the hub for administering the effort, rather than issuing separate awards directly to many local jurisdictions. The national entity would coordinate mentorship and distribute funds to selected participating jurisdictions.
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|---|
| National Food and Nutrient Analysis Program (U01) Clinical Trial Not Applicable Apply for RFA FD 21 023 Funding Number: RFA FD 21 023 Agency: Department of Health and Human Services, Food and Drug Administration Category: Agriculture, Consumer Protection, Food and Nutrition Funding Amount: $300,000 |
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