Food Safety Capacity and Infrastructure Building (U2F)
🏛 Food and Drug Administration (HHS-FDA)
✓ Free, no account · Source: Grants.gov · Last verified Jul 15, 2026
Can you apply?
This grant is for organizations and agencies working to build food safety capacity and infrastructure across the United States. Eligible applicants typically include state and local health departments, tribal organizations, nonprofit food safety organizations, academic institutions, and other public health agencies. The program supports activities that strengthen food safety systems, including laboratory capacity building, workforce training, food safety planning, and infrastructure improvements. Projects must align with FDA's food safety priorities and address gaps in current food safety capabilities. Geographic scope includes all U.S. states, territories, and tribal lands. Funding supports infrastructure development, equipment, training programs, technical assistance, and systems that improve the ability of food safety agencies to prevent foodborne illness outbreaks and respond to food safety emergencies.
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Program description
The purpose of this funding opportunity is to support the development, support, and promotion of innovative information sharing and research tools hosted on the Integrated Food Safety System (IFSS) collaboration/research portal, which serves as a critical federal-state collaboration portal to advance food safety and public health.
Who can apply
Eligible applicants
Demographic focus
How to apply
Application links
Required documents
- SF-424 (Application for Federal Assistance)
- Project narrative (typically 10-15 pages describing goals, methods, and outcomes)
- Detailed budget and budget narrative
- Letters of support from partners (state health department, FDA district office, etc.)
- Organizational capacity statement with staff resumes
- Data or documentation demonstrating the food safety need
- Logic model or project timeline
- Plan for evaluation and performance metrics
- Indirect cost rate agreement (if applicable)
Program contact
- 👤 Danielle Head
- 📧 danielle.head@fda.hhs.gov
- 📞 301-796-2984
Funding track record
Recent awards under CFDA 93.103 from the last 3 years — real organizations that won funding through this same program.
Top 10 Largest Recent Awards
-
$121,795,918
-
$76,105,626
-
$50,217,964
-
$47,940,304
-
$36,000,000
-
$35,573,997
-
$35,391,995
-
$30,732,300
-
$23,332,999
-
$21,347,288
Top States by Funding
- AZ 3 awards $131.4M
- MD 7 awards $108.7M
- CA 9 awards $106.5M
- VA 5 awards $96.6M
- PA 10 awards $77.4M
Source: USAspending.gov — federal spending transparency. Data covers last 3 years.
Funding history
Annual funding for this program — Federal obligations (CFDA 93.103). How funding has trended year over year.
| 2016 | $170,482,435 | |
| 2017 est. | $208,900,832 | |
| 2018 | $173,077,408 | |
| 2019 | $198,507,896 | |
| 2020 | $212,448,590 | |
| 2021 | $218,918,739 | |
| 2022 est. | $255,910,458 | |
| 2023 est. | $246,894,600 |
FAQ
Who is eligible to apply for Food Safety Capacity and Infrastructure Building grants?
Typically state and local health departments, tribal nations, universities, and nonprofit organizations involved in food safety work. Some programs may also be open to federal or regional consortia focused on food safety.
What types of projects does this grant fund?
Common projects include laboratory infrastructure upgrades, food safety training and workforce development, food safety planning initiatives, equipment purchases for testing and inspection, and programs to strengthen food safety systems at the state or local level.
Are there matching fund requirements?
Matching funds may be required; check the specific RFP guidance. When required, matches are often 20-25% of total project cost and can sometimes include in-kind contributions.
How competitive is this funding?
FDA food safety grants are moderately to highly competitive. Strong applications clearly demonstrate how the project addresses documented food safety gaps, includes measurable outcomes, and shows organizational capacity to execute.
What is the typical funding range?
Awards typically range from $100,000 to $500,000 per year, depending on project scope and specific funding opportunity details. Check the published RFP for exact amounts.
💡 Tips for applicants
- Clearly identify and document the specific food safety gap or need your organization will address, using local or state data on foodborne illness, inspection deficiencies, or workforce shortages.
- Include a detailed sustainability plan showing how the project will be maintained or scaled after federal funding ends.
- Demonstrate organizational capacity by highlighting relevant staff experience, past food safety work, partnerships with health departments or FDA, and existing infrastructure.
- Build strong partnerships with state or local health departments and other food safety stakeholders to show coordinated regional effort.
- Include specific, measurable outcomes with realistic timelines (e.g., "train 150 food safety inspectors by year 2") and clear metrics for success that align with FDA's national food safety priorities.
⚠️ Common mistakes
Applications often fail because they lack clear data demonstrating the food safety need or problem, making it hard for reviewers to justify the investment. Another frequent issue is weak sustainability planning—applicants don't adequately explain how capacity built with federal funds will be maintained long-term without ongoing grants. Poor alignment with FDA's stated food safety priorities (such as produce safety, imported food safety, or outbreak prevention) also weakens competitiveness significantly.
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