Animal Food Regulatory Program Standards Implementation Development and Maintenance, with Mutual Reliance Initiatives Clinical Trials Not Allowed

The Animal Food Regulatory Program Standards Implementation Development and Maintenance with Mutual Reliance Initiatives grant is administered by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services through the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). This funding opportunity supports the advancement of a nationally integrated animal food safety system. The program is specifically targeted to help state animal food regulatory programs achieve and maintain implementation of the Animal Food Regulatory Program Standards (AFRPS), with the potential to develop mutual reliance systems for enhanced federal-state regulatory collaboration. The grant program is structured around two main funding tracks: AFRPS Development and AFRPS Maintenance, with an optional third track for Mutual Reliance. The Development track is open to state programs that have received fewer than five years of AFRPS cooperative agreement funding or none at all. It provides up to $300,000 annually for a maximum of five years. This track focuses on helping states conduct baseline assessments, develop strategic improvement plans, and implement AFRPS across all relevant program elements. Programs must participate in FDA-led assessments and annual improvement planning, with a goal of achieving full AFRPS implementation within five years. The Maintenance track is designed for states that have completed the development phase and are now tasked with sustaining full AFRPS implementation. Funding for this track is tiered based on criteria such as facility counts and inspection workload, with awards ranging from $150,000 to $300,000 annually. Programs must continue internal audits, participate in collaborative enforcement actions, and contribute to continuous system improvement. In addition, those in the Maintenance track may qualify for the Mutual Reliance option, which provides between $50,000 and $300,000 based on the number of comprehensive inspections conducted annually under FDA contract. Mutual Reliance funding supports data sharing, joint risk-based work planning, and mutual recognition of inspection and enforcement outcomes between FDA and state programs. Eligibility for this option requires that a program is already in full implementation of AFRPS and capable of performing comprehensive non-contract inspections per federal standards. Programs must also demonstrate infrastructure for data exchange, compliance follow-up, and enforcement actions, including laboratory support and coordination with Rapid Response Teams. Eligible applicants must be state animal food safety programs with a valid FDA inspectional contract and a 20.88 agreement. Funding is only available to those who independently maintain their food safety programs at prior year funding levels adjusted for inflation. This is a cooperative agreement mechanism, meaning FDA program staff will be substantially involved in project execution. Awardees must demonstrate adequate staffing, infrastructure, and ability to meet all objectives and reporting requirements. Applications are submitted via Grants.gov using either the NIH ASSIST system or institutional system-to-system tools. The grant supports both new and renewal applications, but clinical trials are not allowed. Key dates include an opening date of June 25, 2025, with application deadlines on July 25, 2025; March 1, 2026; and March 1, 2027. Reviews and award decisions follow each deadline, with funding periods spanning one year and the possibility of two additional years based on performance. The total funding anticipated for FY 2025 is $10.6 million, with up to 30 expected awards across all tracks. Prospective applicants are strongly encouraged to contact FDA program staff for technical assistance and to submit letters of intent.

Attend optional technical session; follow program-specific instructions strictly; attach audit reports where required.