Purpose

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Economic Research Service (ERS), in collaboration with USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service (FNS), invites applications from university-based institutions for a competitive grant award to establish a  Research Innovation and Development Grants in Economics (RIDGE) Center for Food and Nutrition Assistance Research. Full details


Proposals should clearly demonstrate the purpose of the USDA Ridge Center to:

  • Provide renewed focus on economic aspects of food and nutrition assistance research
  • Stimulate innovative research on domestic food and nutrition assistance issues by providing small grants for new analyses of the USDA major food and nutrition assistance programs, food security, and smaller, less studied programs such as the Summer Food Service Program
  • Broaden the network of social scientists who collaborate in expanding the understanding of the economic, nutrition, and health outcomes of participation in USDA’s food assistance programs, as well as of the issues surrounding program implementation and delivery
  • Achieve cost savings through administration of program activities at a single center

ERS expects to fund the RIDGE Center beginning September 15, 2016. The anticipated funding will be approximately $600,000.  Subject to the availability of funds, ERS expects to provide a comparable level of funding to the RIDGE Center in FY 2017 and FY 2018. The present application should focus on the FY 2016 award. There are no matching-fund requirements from the RIDGE Center over the term of the agreement.

Please email Alex Majchrowicz at alexm@ers.usda.gov by July 1, 2016, to inform ERS of your intent to submit an application.

Applications to this announcement must be submitted electronically through the Grants.gov website by August 1, 2016, midnight.

Receipt Date: Notice of intent: July 1, 2016
Application: August 1, 2016
Total Awards:
$600,000 for fiscal year 2016 with additional funding, subject to availability, for 2 more years
Eligibility: Eligible applicants for the USDA RIDGE Center for Food and Nutrition Assistance Research are restricted to public or private institutions of higher education.
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