Research Facilities Act Program
Provides financial support to eligible institutions for building, improving, or upgrading agricultural research facilities to advance food and agricultural sciences research.
Funder: National Institute of Food and Agriculture
Due Dates: July 24, 2026 (Full application submission deadline)
Funding Amounts: $100,000–$30,000,000 per award | Total program funding ~$121M | Project duration: 12–48 months | ~30 awards expected
Summary: Supports construction, modernization, or renovation of research facilities to advance food and agricultural sciences at eligible U.S. institutions.
Key Information: 1:1 non-federal cash match required (see Eligibility for exceptions); only one application per institution as lead.
Description
The Research Facilities Act Program (RFAP), administered by the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA), provides major financial assistance to eligible U.S. institutions for the construction, alteration, acquisition, modernization, renovation, or remodeling of agricultural research facilities. The program aims to strengthen and expand the capacity for fundamental and applied research in food and agricultural sciences, supporting infrastructure that enables high-impact research, research training, and extension activities.
Projects may include new construction, major renovations, upgrades to laboratories, greenhouses, animal care facilities, and other infrastructure directly supporting agricultural research. Facilities funded must align with national or multistate research priorities and demonstrate long-term institutional commitment and impact.
