Biotechnology Risk Assessment Research Grants Program
Supports research at research or educational institutions that generates new information to help federal regulators assess the ecological effects of genetically engineered organisms.
⚑ Focus is on ecological risk assessment for GE organisms, not product development. · Eligible applicants are public or private research or educational institutions or organizations.
Unit fits — one characterization, each unit's own rules
| Physical Sciences & Engineering (demo) | 70 strong | technical depth: substantial; funds applied research |
| IPPRA | 45 partial | peripheral portfolio topic: environment; social/behavioral work is none; funds applied research; biomedical core — IPPRA health lane is communication/crisis/policy (capped); capped at 45 (limited social-science role) |
| Tom Love Innovation Hub | 30 weak | funds applied research; deep-tech content |
Description
The purpose of the BRAG program, Assistance Listing 10.219, is to support the generation of new information that will assist Federal regulatory agencies in making science-based decisions about the ecological effects of introducing genetically engineered (GE) organisms by techniques that use recombinant, synthesized, or amplified nucleic acids to modify or create a genome. The organisms include plants, microorganisms (including fungi, bacteria, and viruses), arthropods, fish, birds, livestock, and other animals. These include related wild and agricultural organisms.
Eligibility
Eligibility Requirements Applications will only be accepted from public or private research or educational institutions or organizations.
Apply
View on Grants.gov → CONTACT: Angela Tatum Policy Specialist <grantapplicationquestions@usda.gov>
Proposal brief SEE AN EXAMPLE →
A one-page internal memo: fit assessment, submission requirements, document scaffold, and next steps dated back from the deadline — tailored to your project idea if you add one.
Proposal shell · USDA NIFA conventions SEE A USDA EXAMPLE →
Funder-faithful document skeletons — USDA NIFA's document set with section headings, page limits, reviewer guidance, and writing prompts; add a project idea to get [DRAFT] starter bullets. Download as .md for Word or Overleaf.
Legacy IPPRA LLM assessment (v2.0, for comparison)
36/100 · gpt-5.4-mini · 2026-07-06
This is a research grant about the ecological effects and regulatory decision-making around genetically engineered organisms, so it has a clear environmental/policy component. However, it is predominantly a biosafety/ecological sciences program rather than a social, behavioral, or public-policy research opportunity, so IPPRA would be only a tangential fit. Public research universities are eligible, but the opportunity does not strongly center the human decision-making or communication expertise that is IPPRA’s core strength.
Legacy scoring history
| 2026-07-06 | 36 | gpt-5.4-mini | This is a research grant about the ecological effects and regulatory decision-making around genetically engineered organisms, so it has a clear environmental/policy component. However, it is predominantly a biosafety/ecological sciences program rather than a social, behavioral, or public-policy research opportunity, so IPPRA would be only a tangential fit. Public research universities are eligible, but the opportunity does not strongly center the human decision-making or communication expertise that is IPPRA’s core strength. |
| 2026-07-06 | 18 | gpt-5.4-mini | This is primarily a biotechnology/ecological risk-assessment program focused on the environmental effects of genetically engineered organisms, so it is mostly outside IPPRA’s core human-centered portfolio. IPPRA could potentially contribute only in a limited policy- or public-perception-adjacent role, but the main technical emphasis is on biological/ecological regulation rather than social science or communication. Public research universities are eligible, but the fit is still weak. |