Institute of Food Safety and Nutrition (IFSN)

Overview

Although the nation’s food supply ranks among the safest in the world, the country faces challenges from new and emerging foodborne pathogens, as well as those that are growing resistant to treatment. The Institute of Food Safety and Nutrition (NIFA) is the extramural science-funding agency within USDA’s Research, Education and Economics mission area. NIFA invests in and supports initiatives that ensure the long-term viability of agriculture. NIFA provides funding and strategic leadership for programs that ensure groundbreaking discoveries in agriculture-related sciences and technologies reach the people who can put them into practice.

Priorities

• Create a sustainable, safe food supply
• Reduce malnutrition and childhood obesity through education
• Improve the nutritional quality of food without sacrificing flavor, acceptability, and safety
• Decrease instances of foodborne illness and death, especially in minority and low-income population

NIFA’s Cross Priority Approach

• Address knowledge gaps & opportunities
• Spur innovation & accelerating change
• Empower individuals and communities
• Support synergies across diverse priorities
• Support a diverse WIC & EFNEP Workforce

IFSN Divisions

• Division of Food Safety
• Division of Nutrition

IFSN Capacity Grant Programs

• Expanded Food Nutrition Education Program (EFNEP)

IFSN Competitive Grant Programs

• AFRI Programs
  • Center for Research, Behavioral Economics, and Extension on Food Loss & Waste (A1741)
• AFRI Programs - Food Safety, Nutrition, and Health Program Area
  • Food and Human Health (A1343)
  • Diet, Nutrition and the Prevention of Chronic Diseases (A1344)
  • Food Safety and Defense (A1332)
  • Novel Foods and Innovative Manufacturing Technologies (A1364)
  • Mitigating Antimicrobial Resistance across the Food Chain (A1366)
• Non-AFRI Programs
  • Gus Schumacher Nutrition Incentive Program (GusNIP)
  • WIC Workforce Development Initiative (WICWD)
  • Community Food Projects (CFP) Competitive Grants Program
  • Food and Agriculture Service Learning Program (FALSP)
  • Food Safety Outreach Program (FSOP)

NIFA Calendar

• Upcoming Events
• Upcoming Request for Applications (RFAs)

Related Pages and Resources

• USDA Launches New Virtual Nutrition Center of Excellence
• President Biden’s Cancer Moonshot
• NIFA Nutrition Security Webinar Series
• Director and National Program Leader (NPL) contacts by Institute and Division
• National Program Leader (NPL) contacts by Program
• Volunteer to Serve as a Reviewer
• Funding Opportunities
• Competitive Grants Flowchart
• NIFA Grant Resources
• NIFA Policy Guide
• Indirect Costs
• Guide for Preparation and Submission of NIFA Applications via Grants.gov

Primary Contacts

• Dr. Shoushan "Steve" Zeng, Ph.D.