Opportunity Information: Apply for USDA NIFA OP 011738
The Alfalfa Seed and Alfalfa Forage Systems (ASAFS) grant opportunity is a FY 2026 discretionary grant program from the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) under Assistance Listing (CFDA) 10.330. Its purpose is to fund research, development, and supporting technologies that strengthen alfalfa seed and forage production systems. The program is broadly aimed at helping the alfalfa industry improve productivity, quality, and profitability while addressing practical production constraints such as pests, diseases, environmental stress, labor availability, and market risk.
NIFA is inviting proposals that fit within five main focus areas. The first area targets increasing alfalfa forage and seed yields and improving forage quality by advancing management practices and plant breeding, along with other approaches that reduce both biotic stresses (like pests and pathogens) and abiotic stresses (such as drought, heat, or soil constraints) while also lowering overall production costs. The second area focuses on making harvest and storage more efficient, including projects that improve alfalfa forage and seed harvesting and storage systems and that incorporate mechanization or automation to reduce labor demands. This area emphasizes optimizing economic returns not only for alfalfa producers, but also for downstream end-users, explicitly including dairy producers who rely heavily on high-quality forage.
The third area supports development of better methods to estimate forage yield and quality in ways that strengthen marketing of alfalfa as livestock feed and reduce producer risk. In practice, that could include improved measurement tools, predictive models, sensing technologies, or verification approaches that help buyers and sellers agree on value and quality more confidently and potentially support risk-management instruments. The fourth area encourages exploration of new and higher-value uses for alfalfa beyond traditional forage markets, such as fish feed ingredients, nutritive supplements, alternative protein products for human consumption, high-value chemical manufacturing, or other novel applications that could diversify demand and increase the crop's economic potential. The fifth area prioritizes improved insect, disease, and weed management strategies in alfalfa seed production, specifically calling out spotted aphid, and also includes addressing potential herbicide carry-over issues that can affect crop performance and seed production outcomes.
Eligibility is relatively broad but still restricted to the applicant categories listed in the Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO). Applications may be submitted by State Agricultural Experiment Stations; colleges and universities; university research foundations; other research institutions and organizations; federal agencies; national laboratories; private organizations, foundations, or corporations; and individual applicants who are U.S. citizens or nationals. Applications may also be submitted by groups that combine two or more of those eligible entity types. While only eligible applicants may apply as the lead, award recipients are allowed to subcontract with organizations that are not eligible to apply directly, as long as those partners are necessary to carry out the work.
Key administrative details included in the listing are the funding opportunity number USDA NIFA OP 011738, activity category Agriculture, and an application deadline of June 12, 2026. The maximum award size (award ceiling) is $300,000, and NIFA expects to make about five awards. As with most federal assistance programs, proposals must meet all requirements in the NOFO, and failure to satisfy eligibility or submission requirements by the deadline can result in the application being excluded from consideration or preventing NIFA from making an award. The opportunity also points new applicants to NIFA resources (such as its "About Grants" materials) to help applicants understand expectations and the federal awards process.Apply for USDA NIFA OP 011738
- The National Institute of Food and Agriculture in the agriculture sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Alfalfa Seed and Alfalfa Forage Systems" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 10.330.
- This funding opportunity was created on 2026-04-28.
- Applicants must submit their applications by 2026-06-12. (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 $300,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 5 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Others.
[Watch] Creating a grant proposal using the step-by-step wizard inside the applicant portal:
Alfalfa Seed and Alfalfa Forage Systems (ASAFS) Grant (FY 2026) - FAQs
1) What is the ASAFS grant opportunity?
The Alfalfa Seed and Alfalfa Forage Systems (ASAFS) opportunity is a FY 2026 discretionary grant program offered by the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA). It supports research, development, and supporting technologies that strengthen alfalfa seed and forage production systems.
2) What is the purpose of this program?
The program is designed to help the alfalfa industry improve productivity, quality, and profitability. It also targets practical production constraints such as pests, diseases, environmental stress, labor availability, and market risk.
3) What Assistance Listing (CFDA) number is associated with this grant?
This opportunity is listed under Assistance Listing (CFDA) 10.330.
4) What is the funding opportunity number?
The funding opportunity number is USDA NIFA OP 011738.
5) What activity category does this grant fall under?
The activity category is Agriculture.
6) When is the application deadline?
Applications are due by June 12, 2026.
7) What is the maximum award amount (award ceiling)?
The maximum award size is $300,000.
8) How many awards does NIFA expect to make?
NIFA expects to make about five awards.
9) What are the main focus areas NIFA is inviting proposals under?
NIFA is inviting proposals that fit within five main focus areas: (1) yield and quality improvements and stress reduction; (2) improved harvest and storage efficiency, including mechanization/automation; (3) better yield/quality estimation methods to strengthen marketing and reduce risk; (4) new and higher-value uses for alfalfa beyond traditional forage; and (5) improved insect, disease, and weed management in alfalfa seed production, including spotted aphid and herbicide carry-over concerns.
10) What types of projects fit Focus Area 1 (yield and quality)?
Focus Area 1 supports efforts to increase alfalfa forage and seed yields and improve forage quality. This includes advancing management practices, plant breeding, and other approaches that reduce biotic stresses (pests and pathogens) and abiotic stresses (drought, heat, and soil constraints), while also lowering overall production costs.
11) What types of projects fit Focus Area 2 (harvest and storage)?
Focus Area 2 supports making harvest and storage more efficient. Projects may improve alfalfa forage and seed harvesting and storage systems and incorporate mechanization or automation to reduce labor demands. This area emphasizes optimizing economic returns for alfalfa producers and downstream end-users, including dairy producers.
12) Why does the program mention dairy producers specifically?
Focus Area 2 explicitly includes dairy producers as key downstream end-users who depend on high-quality forage, and it highlights optimizing economic returns for both producers and end-users.
13) What types of projects fit Focus Area 3 (estimating yield and quality)?
Focus Area 3 supports developing better methods to estimate forage yield and quality to strengthen alfalfa marketing as livestock feed and reduce producer risk. Examples mentioned include improved measurement tools, predictive models, sensing technologies, or verification approaches that help buyers and sellers agree on value and quality more confidently and may support risk-management instruments.
14) What types of projects fit Focus Area 4 (new uses and higher-value markets)?
Focus Area 4 encourages exploring new and higher-value uses for alfalfa beyond traditional forage markets. Examples include fish feed ingredients, nutritive supplements, alternative protein products for human consumption, high-value chemical manufacturing, and other novel applications that could diversify demand and increase the crop's economic potential.
15) What types of projects fit Focus Area 5 (seed-production pest, disease, and weed management)?
Focus Area 5 prioritizes improved insect, disease, and weed management strategies in alfalfa seed production. It specifically calls out spotted aphid and also includes addressing potential herbicide carry-over issues that can affect crop performance and seed production outcomes.
16) Who is eligible to apply as the lead applicant?
Eligibility is limited to the applicant categories listed in the Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO). The listing states that applications may be submitted by State Agricultural Experiment Stations; colleges and universities; university research foundations; other research institutions and organizations; federal agencies; national laboratories; private organizations, foundations, or corporations; and individual applicants who are U.S. citizens or nationals.
17) Can multiple organizations apply together?
Yes. Applications may be submitted by groups that combine two or more eligible entity types.
18) Can an award recipient subcontract to organizations that are not eligible to apply directly?
Yes. While only eligible applicants may apply as the lead, award recipients are allowed to subcontract with organizations that are not eligible to apply directly, as long as those partners are necessary to carry out the work.
19) What happens if an application does not meet the NOFO requirements or is late?
Proposals must meet all requirements in the NOFO. Failure to satisfy eligibility or submission requirements by the deadline can result in the application being excluded from consideration or can prevent NIFA from making an award.
20) Where can new applicants find help understanding NIFA grants and the federal awards process?
The opportunity points new applicants to NIFA resources, including its "About Grants" materials, to help applicants understand expectations and the federal awards process.
Browse more opportunities from the same category: Agriculture
Previous opportunity: Lead Hazard Reduction Capacity Building Grant Program
Applicant Portal:
Are you interested in learning about about how to apply for this government funding opportunity? You can create a free applicant account and receive instant access to our applicant portal that many business owners like you have benefited from.
Apply for USDA NIFA OP 011738
Applicants also applied for:
Applicants who have applied for this opportunity (USDA NIFA OP 011738) also looked into and applied for these:
| Funding Opportunity |
|---|
| Resident Instruction Grants for Institutions of Higher Education in Insular Areas Agriculture and Food Science Facilities and Equipment Program for Insular Areas Apply for USDA NIFA RIGP 011736 Funding Number: USDA NIFA RIGP 011736 Agency: National Institute of Food and Agriculture Category: Agriculture Funding Amount: $500,000 |
| Distance Education Grants Program for Institutions of Higher Education in Insular Areas Apply for USDA NIFA RIGP 011716 Funding Number: USDA NIFA RIGP 011716 Agency: National Institute of Food and Agriculture Category: Agriculture Funding Amount: $200,000 |
| Agricultural Genome to Phenome Initiative - Research Grants Apply for USDA NIFA DAG2PI 32940 Funding Number: USDA NIFA DAG2PI 32940 Agency: National Institute of Food and Agriculture-eRA Category: Agriculture Funding Amount: $900,000 |
| Agricultural Genome to Phenome Initiative - Workshop Grants Apply for USDA NIFA DAG2PI 32942 Funding Number: USDA NIFA DAG2PI 32942 Agency: National Institute of Food and Agriculture-eRA Category: Agriculture Funding Amount: $50,000 |
| Supplemental and Alternative Crops Apply for USDA NIFA OP 011756 Funding Number: USDA NIFA OP 011756 Agency: National Institute of Food and Agriculture Category: Agriculture Funding Amount: $460,000 |
| UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE MCGOVERN-DOLE INTERNATIONAL FOOD FOR EDUCATION AND CHILD NUTRITION PROGRAM Apply for USDA FAS MCGOVERN DOLE PROGRAM 26 001 Funding Number: USDA FAS MCGOVERN DOLE PROGRAM 26 001 Agency: Foreign Agricultural Service Category: Agriculture Funding Amount: $35,000,000 |
| Alaska Native-Serving and Native Hawaiian-Serving Institutions Education Competitive Grants Program Apply for USDA NIFA AHSI 011902 Funding Number: USDA NIFA AHSI 011902 Agency: National Institute of Food and Agriculture Category: Agriculture Funding Amount: $1,500,000 |
| UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE FOOD FOR PEACE, TITLE II PROGRAM Apply for USDA FAS 10624 0700 25 Funding Number: USDA FAS 10624 0700 25 Agency: Foreign Agricultural Service Category: Agriculture Funding Amount: $200,000,000 |
| Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program Apply for USDA NIFA BFR 011336 Funding Number: USDA NIFA BFR 011336 Agency: National Institute of Food and Agriculture Category: Agriculture Funding Amount: $750,000 |
| The Gus Schumacher Nutrition Incentive Program Apply for USDA NIFA FINI 011905 Funding Number: USDA NIFA FINI 011905 Agency: National Institute of Food and Agriculture Category: Agriculture Funding Amount: $15,000,000 |
| Special Research Grants Program for Aquaculture Research Apply for USDA NIFA SRGP 011856 Funding Number: USDA NIFA SRGP 011856 Agency: National Institute of Food and Agriculture Category: Agriculture Funding Amount: $300,000 |
Grant application guides and resources
It is always free to apply for government grants. However the process may be very complex depending on the funding opportunity you are applying for. Let us help you!
Apply for Grants
Inside Our Applicants Portal
Access Applicants Portal
- Grants Repository - Access current and historic funding opportunities with ease. Thousands of funding opportunities are published every week. We can help you sort through the database and find the eligible ones to apply for.
- Applicant Video Guides - The grant application process can be challenging to follow. We can help you with intuitive video guides to speed up the process and eliminate errors in submissions.
- Grant Proposal Wizard - We have developed a network of private funding organizations and investors across the United States. We can reach out and submit your proposal to these contacts to maximize your chances of getting the funding you need.
Premium leads for funding administrators, grant writers, and loan issuers
Thousands of people visit our website for their funding needs every day. When a user creates a grant proposal and files for submission, we pass the information on to funding administrators, grant writers, and government loan issuers.
If you manage government grant programs, provide grant writing services, or issue personal or government loans, we can help you reach your audience.
Learn More
Request more information:
Would you like to learn more about this funding opportunity, similar opportunities to "USDA NIFA OP 011738", eligibility, application service, and/or application tips? Submit an inquiry below:
Don't forget to subscribe to our grant alerts mailing list to receive weekly alerts on new and updated grant funding opportunities like this one in your email.