Opportunity Information: Apply for RFA FD 19 004
The Department of Health and Human Services, through the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), offered this discretionary funding opportunity as a cooperative agreement to build and run a structured pass-through funding system that strengthens two key public health programs: the Grade "A" Milk Safety Program and the National Shellfish Sanitation Program (NSSP). The core aim is not simply to fund individual projects directly, but to establish an organized, repeatable process where State, Tribal, and Territorial (STT) regulatory programs can apply for support and then receive subawards that help them improve program performance, consistency, and capacity. In practical terms, the opportunity is about creating a well-managed pipeline of funds that can be used for technical training, purchasing needed equipment, and supporting other concrete improvements tied to implementation of Grade "A" milk safety requirements and NSSP standards.
The program is structured so that FDA does not subaward money straight to the STT agencies. Instead, FDA would make awards to up to two nonprofit associations or organizations, and those awardees would take on the responsibility of administering the program and distributing subawards to eligible STT regulatory agencies. This makes the nonprofit awardee(s) the central operator of the funding system: they would design the application process for STT programs, set up review and selection methods, manage award administration, monitor how funds are used, and ensure that the funded activities actually support advancement of the Grade "A" Milk Safety Program and the NSSP. Because it is a cooperative agreement, FDA would typically be expected to have substantial involvement in the project, meaning the awardee(s) would likely coordinate closely with FDA on program design, oversight expectations, reporting, and alignment with national program goals.
Eligible applicants were limited to nonprofits other than institutions of higher education, including both 501(c)(3) organizations and nonprofits without 501(c)(3) status. This reflects the intent to use a nonprofit entity (often one with strong relationships to regulators and public health partners) as a neutral, capable administrator that can handle subawards, training support, and equipment funding in a consistent way across jurisdictions. The focus on STT regulatory agencies underscores that the ultimate beneficiaries are the public health inspection and oversight programs responsible for regulating milk safety under the Grade "A" framework and shellfish sanitation under NSSP, where improvements can translate into better prevention of contamination, stronger compliance, and more uniform implementation nationwide.
Key administrative details from the listing include the Funding Opportunity Number RFA-FD-19-004, a creation date of February 26, 2019, and an original closing date of April 30, 2019. The opportunity used the CFDA listing number 93.103 and fell under the broad activity category of consumer protection, food and nutrition, and health. The stated award ceiling was $3,000,000, and FDA anticipated making about three awards. Overall, the opportunity is best understood as an investment in infrastructure and capacity: a mechanism to reliably get training dollars and equipment support into STT milk and shellfish regulatory programs, while improving how these programs implement nationally recognized safety systems.Apply for RFA FD 19 004
- The Department of Health and Human Services, Food and Drug Administration in the consumer protection, food and nutrition, health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Development, Implementation, and Management of a Funding System to support the Grade “A” Milk Safety Program and National Shellfish Sanitation Program (U18)" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.103.
- This funding opportunity was created on Feb 26, 2019.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Apr 30, 2019. (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 $3,000,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 3 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Nonprofits that do not have a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1) What is this funding opportunity trying to accomplish?
This FDA discretionary funding opportunity (cooperative agreement) is focused on building and operating a structured pass-through funding system that strengthens two public health programs: the Grade "A" Milk Safety Program and the National Shellfish Sanitation Program (NSSP). The emphasis is on creating an organized, repeatable process for issuing subawards that help State, Tribal, and Territorial (STT) regulatory programs improve performance, consistency, and capacity.
2) Is the goal to fund individual projects directly?
No. The core aim is not to fund individual projects directly from FDA to STT agencies. Instead, the aim is to establish a managed pipeline where STT regulatory programs can apply for support and receive subawards administered by the selected nonprofit awardee(s).
3) Who is the federal agency offering this opportunity?
The opportunity is offered by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) through the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
4) What type of award is this?
It is a cooperative agreement. That typically means FDA is expected to have substantial involvement, and the awardee(s) would coordinate closely with FDA on program design, oversight, reporting, and alignment with national program goals.
5) Who can apply as the main applicant for this award?
Eligible applicants were limited to nonprofits other than institutions of higher education. This includes 501(c)(3) organizations and nonprofits without 501(c)(3) status.
6) Are institutions of higher education eligible to apply?
No. The eligibility description specifies nonprofits other than institutions of higher education.
7) Can a nonprofit without 501(c)(3) status apply?
Yes. The eligibility language includes both 501(c)(3) organizations and nonprofits without 501(c)(3) status.
8) Who ultimately receives the subawards?
The subawards are intended for eligible State, Tribal, and Territorial (STT) regulatory agencies that administer and implement milk safety and shellfish sanitation regulatory programs under the Grade "A" framework and NSSP standards.
9) Does FDA issue subawards directly to STT regulatory agencies?
No. FDA would not subaward money directly to STT agencies under this structure. FDA would award funds to up to two nonprofit associations or organizations, and those nonprofit awardee(s) would administer the program and distribute subawards to eligible STT regulatory agencies.
10) What is the role of the nonprofit awardee(s) in this program?
The nonprofit awardee(s) act as the central operator(s) of the pass-through funding system. Responsibilities described include designing the STT application process, establishing review and selection methods, administering awards, monitoring how funds are used, and ensuring funded activities support advancement of the Grade "A" Milk Safety Program and the NSSP.
11) What kinds of activities can subaward funds be used for?
The listing describes practical uses such as technical training, purchasing needed equipment, and other concrete improvements tied to implementation of Grade "A" milk safety requirements and NSSP standards.
12) What public health programs are specifically targeted?
The opportunity targets improvements to (1) the Grade "A" Milk Safety Program and (2) the National Shellfish Sanitation Program (NSSP).
13) Why is this structured as a pass-through system rather than direct funding?
Based on the description, the structure is intended to create a consistent, repeatable, well-managed process for distributing training and equipment support across jurisdictions, with a nonprofit entity serving as a neutral administrator capable of handling subawards and related oversight functions.
14) How does a cooperative agreement affect how the program is run?
Because it is a cooperative agreement, FDA would typically have substantial involvement. In practical terms, that implies close coordination between FDA and the nonprofit awardee(s) on program design, oversight expectations, reporting, and ensuring alignment with national program goals.
15) What is the Funding Opportunity Number (FON)?
The Funding Opportunity Number is RFA-FD-19-004.
16) What is the CFDA listing number associated with this opportunity?
The CFDA listing number provided is 93.103.
17) What activity category does this opportunity fall under?
It falls under the broad activity category of consumer protection, food and nutrition, and health.
18) When was this opportunity created?
The listing creation date is February 26, 2019.
19) What was the original closing date for applications?
The original closing date was April 30, 2019.
20) What is the maximum award amount (award ceiling)?
The stated award ceiling was $3,000,000.
21) How many awards did FDA anticipate making?
The listing indicates FDA anticipated making about three awards.
22) How many nonprofit organizations could FDA award to for operating the pass-through system?
The description states FDA would make awards to up to two nonprofit associations or organizations to administer the program and distribute subawards.
23) What is the main benefit of this program for STT regulatory agencies?
The intended benefit is improved program performance, consistency, and capacity for STT milk and shellfish regulatory programs, including access to training dollars, equipment support, and other tangible improvements that strengthen implementation of the Grade "A" Milk Safety Program and NSSP.
24) How does this opportunity relate to national consistency in food safety?
The opportunity is described as supporting more uniform implementation nationwide by helping STT regulatory programs better align with Grade "A" milk safety requirements and NSSP standards through structured subawards for training, equipment, and capacity improvements.
25) What is the overall theme or strategy behind this funding?
The opportunity is best understood as an investment in infrastructure and capacity: building a reliable mechanism to deliver training and equipment resources into STT milk and shellfish regulatory programs, while improving implementation of nationally recognized safety systems.
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