Reviewer FAQs

Our Funding & Approval process outlines how we develop research programs and fund research through those programs.

We award grants in three ways:

1. Request for Application (RFA): We issue a Request for Application to solicit ideas from the broadest group of researchers. Some of FFAR’s programs issue RFAs annually and others are a one-time opportunity. The highest quality proposals are selected for funding through a rigorous scientific review process.
2. Prizes: We develop prize competitions to solve an imminent problem in food and agriculture science. Prizes are awarded to individuals or organizations who meet the prize criteria and solve the food and agriculture challenge. Teams of experts and partners serve as the judging panel in creating criteria and selecting prize winners.
3. Direct Solicitation: When we know of a specific individual or organization that is well-suited to conduct the necessary research, a proposal may be directly solicited from that organization. The proposal is subject to the same rigorous scientific review process and matching funding requirement as other proposals.

We welcome individuals to propose a research concept through our option to Submit Your Own Concept.

We do not work in cycles, except for our Seeding Solutions and New Innovator in Food and Agriculture Research Award programs. These programs run annually.

No, we are an independent 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.

As we are in part funded through Congress, we adhere to specific funding limitations.

Additionally, FFAR does not support organizations that have a policy of discriminating based on race, color, religion (creed), sex, gender expression or transition, age, national origin (ancestry), disability, marital status, sexual orientation, or military status, whether the discrimination policies are written or are in practice. Our policy is to not provide grants to any organization that maintains such a policy.

Our Funding Limitations page outlines our policies on event sponsorship.

Every application we receive undergoes a rigorous review process, which is outlined on our Funding & Approval page.

We seek expert reviewers from academia, federal and state governments, industry, commodity groups, professional organizations and other stakeholder groups to assess research proposals in response to open opportunities. Individuals must apply to become an External Peer Reviewer.