Food and Agriculture Defense Initiative Extension Disaster Education Network

Background
The Food and Agriculture Defense Initiative Extension Disaster Education Network (FADI-EDEN) program, under assistance listing 10.304, aims to enhance the resilience of the U.S. food and agriculture sector against biosecurity risks, weather events, disasters, cyber threats, and other shocks. This initiative is spearheaded by the National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) under the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). It focuses on supporting Cooperative Extension System (CES) professionals in providing education and technical assistance to farmers, families, small businesses, and communities through a collaborative network known as EDEN.

Grant Details
The FADI-EDEN program will fund one Extension Project for FY 2026 with an approximate budget of $382,400. The project will involve:
1) Executive Committee Support including logistics for monthly meetings and annual gatherings;
2) Advisory Boards and Liaisons Support for coordination of meetings and outreach programs;
3) Administrative Logistics for Programming to onboard new members and manage databases;
4) Project Management to oversee subawards and contracts;
5) Website Administration for maintaining EDEN's online presence;
6) Communication efforts to disseminate information through newsletters;
7) Annual Meeting Administration to coordinate logistics for the annual meeting;
8) Task Force Support for ongoing initiatives;
9) Partnerships and Public Engagement to represent EDEN at various meetings;
10) Evaluation and Assessment to monitor project impact;
11) Timely Support to adapt to emerging needs.

Eligibility Requirements
Eligible applicants include State Agricultural Experiment Stations, state Cooperative Extension services, colleges and universities, research or education institutions, Federal agencies, private organizations, individuals, or any other contractors that further research or educational programs in food and agricultural sciences. There are no matching requirements for this grant.

Period of Performance
The anticipated period of performance for the project is from November 1, 2026, to October 31, 2027.

Grant Value
The total value of the grant is approximately $382,400 for FY 2026. If performance is satisfactory, additional funds may be provided in FY2027 and FY2028.