Please reach out to us if the file you are looking for is not updated for the current proposal call. We will be happy to update it for you!
About the United States Department of Agriculture
The mission of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) is to "provide leadership on food, agriculture, natural resources, rural development, nutrition, and related issues based on public policy, the best available science, and effective management." One of the USDA's mission areas is Research, Education and Economics. This area is dedicated to the creation of a safe, sustainable, competitive U.S. food and fiber system, as well as strong communities, families, and youth through integrated research, analysis, and education. The Research, Education and Economics mission area includes National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) that supports "programs [that] ensure the long-term viability of agriculture while advancing production agriculture, food and nutrition security, and agriculture’s workforce needs."
General Resources
About USDA Funding Opportunities
Research Plan
Supplemental Documents
Data Management and Sharing Plan
- To develop your Data Management and Sharing Plan (DMSP), please visit the UC Davis Library’s highly informative Research Data Management website that will walk you through the process of developing a DMSP using the DMPTool. The California Digital Library’s DMPTool is an online tool containing templates and resources for different agencies and programs and is designed to guide you through the process of creating a DMSP that is compliant with funder requirements.
Personnel Documents
In March, 2026, USDA implemented the Common Form for biographical sketches and current and pending support documents. Please reach out to us at [email protected] if you have any questions.
- USDA SciENcv Help Document - The PDS team created this help document that walks through how to set-up and connect ORCiD and SciENcv, how to create personnel documents in SciENcv, and addresses frequently asked questions.
- USDA is starting to requirement eRA Commons accounts for some programs. Please reach out to us if you need assistance connecting an eRA Commons account to SciENcv along with your ORCiD account.
- USDA Conflict of Interest Template
- USDA Felony Tax Certification Plan Template
Additional Supplemental Documents
- USDA Management Plan Template
- USDA Mentoring Plan template
- USDA Org Chart Template
- USDA Key Personnel Roles Sample
Resources for Research Grants
Agriculture and Food Research Initiative - Foundational and Applied Science Program (AFRI-FAS)
- USDA NIFA AFRI FAS checklist - Adaptable for any program
- USDA NIFA AFRI FAS narrative template - Be sure to check your specific division for any special requirements