Your TL;DR: In USDA NIFA’s Agriculture and Food Research Initiative – Strengthening Agricultural Systems (SAS) Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) program is designed for large, transdisciplinary teams that can demonstrate real systems change, not just good research. The funding is substantial, but success depends on early alignment around scope, partners, and outcomes that extend beyond individual projects or institutions.
Why this AFRI opportunity is different from many others
Every year, NIFA releases several AFRI opportunities that look similar on the surface. This one is not subtle about what it wants. With $140 million in anticipated funding, the FY 2026 Strengthening Agricultural Systems Notice of Funding Opportunity signals a clear shift toward large-scale, coordinated efforts that address production, prosperity, and quality of life simultaneously. This is not a call for isolated experiments or discipline-bound work. It is a call for teams that can think and act at the system level.
The language throughout the NOFO consistently reinforces that expectation. Reviewers will be looking for projects that connect research, education, and Extension in ways that reflect how agricultural systems actually function, including economic pressures, workforce realities, and regional variation.
The two program areas, and what they signal about reviewer priorities
NIFA is soliciting applications under two Program Area Priorities:
- Strengthening Agricultural Systems (A9201): This area emphasizes applied, systems-oriented solutions across topics such as expanding markets, managing pests and diseases, and addressing food- and diet-related chronic disease. What ties these together is not the topic itself, but the expectation that teams can show integration across disciplines and sectors.
- Artificial Intelligence for K–12 Food and Agricultural Sciences (A9231): This priority is narrower in audience but equally demanding in execution. Proposals here must bridge advanced technology with education and workforce development, translating AI concepts into meaningful learning experiences connected to food and agricultural systems.
Across both areas, NIFA is not rewarding novelty alone. The emphasis is on feasibility, relevance, and credible pathways to impact.
What strong proposals will have in place before the Letter of Intent
- The Letter of Intent deadline on February 26, 2026, comes quickly, and it is not just an administrative hurdle. Teams that treat it lightly often struggle later.
- Competitive proposals typically have clarity on:
- Who is leading which components, and why
- How partners complement rather than duplicate one another
- What success looks like beyond publications or pilots
- How research, education, and Extension are intentionally connected
This is the GAP: teams that wait to resolve scope, roles, and outcomes until after the LOI often find themselves locked into a structure that is difficult to defend under review, no matter how strong the science is.
Timeline realities that shape proposal strategy
- Posted Date: Thursday, January 29, 2026
- Closing Date: Thursday, March 26, 2026
- Letter/Notice of intent due: Thursday, February 26, 2026
- Funding Opportunity Number: USDA-NIFA-AFRI-011677
- Range of Awards: $1,000,000 – $10,000,000
That compressed window means proposal success depends less on last-minute writing and more on decisions made well in advance. Teams that succeed usually enter the writing phase with shared assumptions, aligned language, and agreement on how the project will be evaluated and sustained. If you’d like a second set of eyes on whether your concept aligns with NIFA’s systems expectations, that perspective is often most useful before the LOI locks your direction in place.
A final note on fit and readiness
This AFRI opportunity is generous, but it is not forgiving. Reviewers will be experienced, expectations will be high, and proposals that feel under-integrated or overly aspirational tend to struggle. For teams prepared to think across disciplines, institutions, and outcomes, this program offers room to do work that actually matches the scale of the challenges it names. If you are weighing whether this opportunity fits your consortium’s strengths, taking time now to stress-test that assumption can save significant effort later.
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