NIFA has embarked on its Grants Modernization Initiative (GMI) to transform and modernize our grants management systems, processes, and policies. This multi-year effort will result in NIFA adopting a new grants management system, eRA.
If you have a question or need support, please reach out to NIFAGrantsMod@usda.gov.
GMI Resources: eRA Reference Center
Get easy access to quick start guides, registration information, and more resources designed to get you started in eRA.
Access ResourcesUpcoming Programs transitioning to eRA
In Quarter 1 of Fiscal Year 2026, the GMI Team will work to transition several of NIFA's programs into the new eRA grants management system. As a part of this update, the team will also work to develop new web page environments to consolidate and streamline grant information.
The first programs that will transition to eRA are as follows:
- AG2PI – Agricultural Genome to Phenome Initiative
- EGP – Equipment Grants Program
- FASLP – Food and Agriculture Service Learning Program
- FBMB – Farm Business and Benchmarking Program
- FSOP – Food Safety Outreach Competitive Grants Program
- OREI – Organic Agriculture Research and Extension Initiative
- RREA-NFF – Renewable Resources Extension Act - National Focus Funds
- SLSNCGP – Smith-Lever Special Needs Competitive Grant Program
- SPECA – Secondary Education, Two-Year Postsecondary Education, and Agriculture in the K-12 Classroom Challenge Grants Program
Vision and alignment with federal goals
NIFA will adopt the eRA grants management system to simplify and streamline grants and financial management processes. eRA offers a modern, lower cost, end-to-end, centralized system. A single system will improve the efficiency, accuracy, and effectiveness of NIFA’s grants management processes. This digital transformation will fundamentally improve the way NIFA does business and how the Agency’s mission is accomplished for the benefit of staff, stakeholders, and customers. GMI aligns with federal goals, specifically the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) guidance for using shared service providers across federal agencies and the President's Executive Order on Cost Efficiency.
In order to introduce operational cost savings, GMI directly aligns with:
- Executive Order 14222: Implementing the President’s “Department Of Government Efficiency” Cost Efficiency Initiative; section 3, Cutting Costs to Save Taxpayers Money
- Executive Order 14158: Establishing and Implementing the President’s “Department Of Government Efficiency”; section 4, Modernizing Federal Technology and Software to Maximize Efficiency and Productivity
This initiative will serve as a model for future USDA grant system consolidation.
Current system and future plans
Our long-term objective is to integrate all award management and reporting activities within the eRA system. NIFA is currently onboarding with eRA in preparation for pilot programs beginning in the first quarter of Fiscal Year (FY) 2026.
Timeline expectations
The tentative plan is for competitive pilot programs to start in FY 2026, while the capacity pilot programs are intended to begin in eRA in FY 2028.
Our target timeline is to execute all competitive and capacity grant programs in eRA by FY 2029, depending on initial pilot outcomes and system readiness. NIFA is currently evaluating opportunities for expediting both the pilot and full adoption schedule. Updates will be posted to the current schedule shown below.
Questions
NIFA’s goal is to collect all required reports using eRA’s integrated functionality. At the same time, NIFA aims to streamline the reporting process for grantees where possible. NIFA does not yet have a specific timeline for the integration of the NIFA Reporting System (NRS) into eRA. NIFA intends to conduct pilot programs for capacity grant funding in FY 2028. NIFA hopes to execute all capacity grant activities in eRA beginning FY 2029.
Until the eRA system is fully ready for capacity reporting, stakeholders will continue using the NRS for managing capacity-funded research projects and Extension programs. This includes using NRS for financial reporting, as well as for submitting reports related to the 1998 Agricultural Research, Extension and Education Reform Act (AREERA), such as Plans of Work and Annual Reports of Accomplishments.
We appreciate stakeholder patience and engagement as we work toward this important integration and assure continued support for all current reporting activities in NRS.
NIFA anticipates plans to integrate REEport’s functionality into the new eRA system. As part of this integration, NIFA aims to streamline the reporting process for grantees where possible. Integration will allow for the direct submission of reports via the eRA interface.
Pilot programs for competitive grant funding are intended to begin in FY 2026. As the system proves successful, there will be a phased transition of competitive programs to eRA. NIFA expects to execute all competitive grants in eRA beginning in FY 2028.