Awarded Grants
Below is a listing of our awarded grants that tackle big food and agriculture challenges.

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430 Grants found

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Genetic and microbial determinants of nitrogen fixation in a Sierra Mixe landrace of maize

Year Awarded  2019

FFAR award amount   $927,581

Total award amount   $1,855,162

Location   Davis, CA

Program   Seeding Solutions

Matching Funders   Benson Hill

Grantee Institution   University of California Davis

Plants need nitrogen to grow. Although the majority of earth’s atmosphere is made up of nitrogen, plants cannot access this form of nitrogen. We awarded a grant to the University of California, Davis to study a Mexican corn variety, Sierra Mixe, that obtains atmospheric nitrogen with the help of microbes, reducing the need for synthetic fertilizers.

FFAR and NYSTAR Grant Helps RIT Examine Degradable Mulching Films

Year Awarded  2019

FFAR award amount   $779,982

Total award amount   $1,560,000

Location   Rochester, NY

Program   Seeding Solutions

Matching Funders   Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) and Empire State Development’s Division of Science, Technology and Innovation (NYSTAR)

Grantee Institution   Rochester Institute of Technology

RIT researchers are developing an alternative to plastic mulch that decomposes faster and can be more easily disposed of on farms. The resulting mulch has the potential to cut costs for farmers while drastically reducing the amount of waste they produce. It could also reduce pesticide use, conserve water and increase crop yield and quality.

Growing Policy From The Ground Up: Building, Deploying, and Testing Networks to Strengthen Urban Food Systems

Year Awarded  2019

FFAR award amount   $999,680

Total award amount   $2,110,858

Location   Amherst, NY

Program   Seeding Solutions

Matching Funders   Appetite For Change, John Hopkins University, Massachusetts Avenue Project, University at Buffalo, University of Minnesota, Urban Fruits & Veggies LLC

Grantee Institution   Research Foundation for the State University of New York

Urban food systems promote community health by providing affordable and healthy food to low-income communities, yet there are limited resources for local governments that support urban food systems. SUNY researchers on behalf of the University at Buffalo are testing inclusive organizing models that advance policies supporting urban agriculture.

Precision Irrigation Scheduling for Specialty Crops

Year Awarded  2019

FFAR award amount   $500,000

Total award amount   $1,323,242

Location   Boulder, CO

Program   Seeding Solutions

Matching Funders   The University of Arizona Yuma, Center of Excellence for Desert Agriculture, University of California, Western Growers Association

Grantee Institution   GeoVisual Analytics

Farmers growing specialty crops deal with a multitude of complexities such as lacking access to cost-effective irrigation guidance tools. Specialty crops are often over-irrigated which can jeopardize food security. GeoVisual Analytics researchers are improving irrigation guidance and grower adoption of precision irrigation technologies by analyzing data and field measurements.

FFAR Vet Fellows Inaugural Cohort

Year Awarded  2019

Total award amount   $10,000 per student

Location   Washington, D.C.

Matching Funders   American Association of Veterinary Medical Colleges (AAVMC)

The Foundation for Food & Agriculture Research (FFAR) announced the 10 recipients of the 2019 Veterinary Student Research Fellowships (Vet Fellows) in partnership with the American Association of Veterinary Medical Colleges (AAVMC). This fellowship creates opportunities for veterinary students to pursue research on global food security and sustainable animal production.

Understanding & Reducing Consumer Food Waste

Year Awarded  2019

FFAR award amount   $336,000

Total award amount   $673,000

Location   Washington, D.C.

Matching Funders   Walmart Foundation

Grantee Institution   National Academy of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine

The National Academies of Science, Engineering and Medicine (National Academies) is conducting a study to identify how consumers behave toward food and opportunities for system changes. The multidisciplinary, expert committee is examining existing data, information and research on consumer food waste. The resulting report includes recommendations that institutions – such as industry associations, schools and government agencies – can implement to help consumers reduce food waste.

FoodShot Global Challenge #1 Innovating Soil 3.0, Deep Dive GroundBreaker Prize (Maine)

Year Awarded  2019

Total award amount   $35,000

Location   Freeport, ME

Program   FoodShot Global Challenge

Matching Funders   FoodShot Global

Grantee Institution   Wolfe's Neck Center for Agriculture and the Environment

FoodShot Global’s GroundBreaker Prize recognizes rising scientific stars whose research has identified technological and ecological tools that enable farmers to optimize yields and the long-term health of the land. Dr. Dorn Cox, Research Director, Wolfe's Neck Center for Agriculture and the Environment, was awarded a $35,000 GroundBreaker “Seed” Prize to support his ambitious vision of using Open TEAM to collect environmental data, providing access to comprehensive global agricultural knowledge to help growers make sustainable and profitable farm management decisions.

FoodShot Global Challenge #1 Innovating Soil 3.0, Deep Dive GroundBreaker Prize (Netherlands)

Year Awarded  2019

Total award amount   $250,000

Location   Wageningen, Netherlands

Program   FoodShot Global Challenge

Matching Funders   FoodShot Global

Grantee Institution   Wageningen University

FoodShot Global’s GroundBreaker Prize recognizes rising scientific stars whose research has identified technological and ecological tools that enable farmers to optimize yields and the long-term health of the land. Dr. Gerlinde de Deyn, Professor in Soil Ecology, Wageningen University, received a $250,000 GroundBreaker Prize to determine soil components that enhance plant productivity and allow for better absorption of nutrients, suppress disease and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

FoodShot Global Challenge #1 Innovating Soil 3.0, Deep Dive GroundBreaker Prize (Colorado)

Year Awarded  2019

Total award amount   $250,000

Location   Fort Collins, CO

Program   FoodShot Global Challenge

Matching Funders   FoodShot Global

Grantee Institution   Colarado State University

FoodShot Global’s GroundBreaker Prize recognizes rising scientific stars whose research has identified technological and ecological tools that enable farmers to optimize yields and the long-term health of the land. Dr. Keith Paustian, University Distinguished Professor, Department of Soil and Crop Sciences, Colorado State University, received a $250,000 GroundBreaker Prize to accelerate the global adaptation of his COMET-Farm tool systems, which provide farmers and land managers with sustainability metrics and decision support resources that promote regenerative and conservation-based agricultural practices at scale.

Increasing Dietary Fiber in Wheat Crop

Year Awarded  2019

FFAR award amount   $479,997

Total award amount   $959,997

Location   Davis, CA

Program   Seeding Solutions

Matching Funders   Bay State Milling, California Wheat Commission, Limagrain Cereal Seeds

Grantee Institution   University of California Davis

Diets lacking fiber can lead to life-threatening health concerns. The federal Dietary Guidelines recommends that women consume 25 grams of fiber daily and men consume 38 grams; yet Americans only consume 30 percent of the recommended daily amount of fiber. University of California, researchers are investigating ways to increase wheat dietary fiber using modified starch synthesis enzymes.

ID: CA19-SS-0000000045