Opportunity Information: Apply for USDA NIFA OTHER 011816
The Open Data Framework (ODF) grant opportunity, offered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture's National Institute of Food and Agriculture (USDA NIFA) under assistance listing (CFDA) 10.233, is a discretionary grant program focused on building practical, trustworthy frameworks for agricultural data sharing. The core goal is to support the creation of neutral and secure data repositories and data cooperatives where producers, universities, and nonprofit organizations can store, manage, and share data. By improving how agricultural data is governed and exchanged, ODF is intended to speed up innovation, strengthen technological progress, improve profitability, and boost production efficiency across the agricultural sector.
A major emphasis of the program is on frameworks that make data sharing workable in the real world, especially where there are concerns about neutrality, security, trust, and fair access. In other words, this is not just about collecting more data; it is about building the rules, structures, and systems that allow different stakeholders to contribute and use data responsibly. The expected outcome is that better-organized and better-protected data ecosystems will help agriculture move faster on research-to-practice adoption, decision support tools, and new technologies that depend on reliable, interoperable datasets.
ODF also identifies specific priority areas for proposed frameworks. Competitive proposals are expected to align with one or more of these themes: improving farm and ranch profitability; supporting new markets and new uses for agricultural products; addressing invasive species challenges; improving soil health in ways that regenerate and sustain long-term productivity; and improving human health through approaches like precision nutrition and enhanced food quality. These priorities signal that USDA NIFA is looking for data frameworks that can be directly tied to high-impact outcomes, whether economic (profitability, markets), environmental (soil health, invasive species), or health-related (nutrition and food quality).
Eligibility is limited to organizations, not individuals. Applicants must meet all eligibility requirements described in the Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO), and failure to meet those requirements by the application deadline can lead to the application being excluded or make an award impossible. Eligible applicant types are broad and include entities such as state agricultural experiment stations, colleges and universities, research institutions and organizations, private organizations, foundations or corporations, federal agencies, and national laboratories. NIFA also points applicants who are new to federal financial assistance toward its "About Grants" resources to help them understand the federal awards process and expectations.
From a funding and timeline standpoint, the opportunity is identified as "USDA NIFA OTHER 011816" and was created on 2026-04-27, with an original closing date of 2026-06-26. The award ceiling is $923,325, and the program anticipates making one award, meaning it is likely to be highly competitive and geared toward a single, substantial framework effort rather than multiple smaller projects.Apply for USDA NIFA OTHER 011816
- The National Institute of Food and Agriculture in the agriculture sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Open Data Framework" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 10.233.
- This funding opportunity was created on 2026-04-27.
- Applicants must submit their applications by 2026-06-26. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $923,325.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Others.
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Open Data Framework (ODF) Grant (USDA NIFA, CFDA 10.233) - FAQs
1) What is the Open Data Framework (ODF) grant opportunity?
The Open Data Framework (ODF) is a discretionary grant opportunity offered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture's National Institute of Food and Agriculture (USDA NIFA) under assistance listing (CFDA) 10.233. It focuses on building practical, trustworthy frameworks that improve how agricultural data is shared, governed, and protected.
2) What is the main goal of the ODF program?
The core goal is to support the creation of neutral and secure data repositories and data cooperatives where producers, universities, and nonprofit organizations can store, manage, and share data. The program emphasizes real-world data sharing that addresses neutrality, security, trust, and fair access.
3) What types of projects does ODF want to fund?
ODF is designed to fund frameworks, rules, structures, and systems that make agricultural data sharing workable and responsible. The emphasis is not simply on collecting more data, but on building governance and exchange models that allow multiple stakeholders to contribute and use data appropriately.
4) What is meant by "neutral and secure" data repositories or cooperatives?
Based on the program description, "neutral" points to data-sharing environments designed to be trusted by different stakeholders, and "secure" points to protecting data within repositories or cooperatives. The program highlights neutrality, security, trust, and fair access as key concerns that proposed frameworks should address.
5) Who is the intended audience or beneficiary of ODF-funded frameworks?
The program description highlights producers, universities, and nonprofit organizations as intended participants in the data repositories and data cooperatives supported through ODF. The broader agricultural sector is expected to benefit through improved innovation, profitability, and efficiency.
6) What outcomes does USDA NIFA expect from ODF?
Expected outcomes include faster innovation, strengthened technological progress, improved profitability, and increased production efficiency across agriculture. ODF also anticipates that better-governed and better-protected data ecosystems will help accelerate research-to-practice adoption, decision support tools, and new technologies that rely on reliable and interoperable datasets.
7) Is ODF focused on technology development or governance?
The program description emphasizes frameworks that make data sharing workable in the real world, including the rules and structures that enable responsible use. It is positioned as more than data collection; it is about governance and systems that support trusted, secure, and interoperable data exchange.
8) What are the priority areas for ODF proposals?
Competitive proposals are expected to align with one or more of these themes:
- Improving farm and ranch profitability
- Supporting new markets and new uses for agricultural products
- Addressing invasive species challenges
- Improving soil health in ways that regenerate and sustain long-term productivity
- Improving human health through approaches like precision nutrition and enhanced food quality
9) Do proposals need to align with all priority areas?
No. The information provided states that competitive proposals are expected to align with one or more of the listed priority themes.
10) Why does the program emphasize real-world data sharing concerns?
The description notes that workable data sharing often runs into concerns about neutrality, security, trust, and fair access. ODF places major emphasis on frameworks that directly address these issues so that multiple stakeholders can contribute and use data responsibly.
11) Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is limited to organizations, not individuals. Applicants must meet all eligibility requirements described in the Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO).
12) What types of organizations are listed as eligible applicant types?
The opportunity describes a broad set of eligible entity types, including:
- State agricultural experiment stations
- Colleges and universities
- Research institutions and organizations
- Private organizations
- Foundations or corporations
- Federal agencies
- National laboratories
13) Can an individual farmer or researcher apply directly?
No. The information provided states eligibility is limited to organizations, not individuals.
14) What happens if an applicant does not meet the NOFO eligibility requirements by the deadline?
The description states that failure to meet eligibility requirements by the application deadline can lead to the application being excluded or can make an award impossible.
15) Where should new applicants look to understand federal financial assistance expectations?
NIFA points applicants who are new to federal financial assistance toward its "About Grants" resources to help them understand the federal awards process and expectations.
16) What is the assistance listing (CFDA) number for this opportunity?
The assistance listing (CFDA) number provided is 10.233.
17) What is the opportunity identifier?
The opportunity is identified as "USDA NIFA OTHER 011816."
18) When was this opportunity created?
The opportunity was created on 2026-04-27.
19) What is the application closing date?
The original closing date provided is 2026-06-26.
20) What is the maximum award amount?
The award ceiling is $923,325.
21) How many awards does USDA NIFA anticipate making?
The program anticipates making one award.
22) What does it mean that the program anticipates making one award?
Based on the information provided, it suggests the opportunity is likely to be highly competitive and aimed at a single, substantial framework effort rather than multiple smaller projects.
23) Is this grant intended for multiple small projects or one large effort?
The opportunity anticipates making one award, and the description indicates this likely supports a single, substantial framework effort.
24) What kinds of sector-wide impacts is ODF trying to achieve?
The description ties improved agricultural data governance and exchange to broad impacts such as speeding up innovation, strengthening technological progress, improving profitability, and boosting production efficiency across the agricultural sector.
25) How do data frameworks connect to decision support tools and new technologies?
The opportunity description states that better-organized and better-protected data ecosystems can help accelerate research-to-practice adoption, decision support tools, and new technologies that depend on reliable, interoperable datasets.
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