Frequently Asked Questions: New World Screwworm Grand Challenge Funding Opportunity
Find answers to common questions about the New World Screwworm (NWS) Grand Challenge funding opportunity.
For full details and application instructions, visit NWS Grand Challenge Funding Opportunity.
Funding Opportunity
APHIS is making up to $100 million available to combat NWS and prevent its northward spread. Most awards are expected to be under $5 million, but larger proposals will be considered if they clearly align with program goals.
Through this opportunity, APHIS is investing up to $100 million to support projects in the following priority topics:
- Enhance sterile NWS fly production
- Develop novel NWS traps and lures
- Develop and increase understanding of NWS therapeutics/treatments (i.e., products that could treat, prevent, or control NWS) for animals and that could be stockpiled and used in animals should NWS reach the United States
- Develop other tools to bolster preparedness or response to NWS
Detailed information about the funding priorities is provided in the full notice of funding opportunity. We strongly encourage all applicants to read the details about each topic before submitting their application package.
APHIS will fund projects that develop and increase understanding of NWS therapeutics/treatments (i.e., products that could treat, prevent, or control NWS) for animals and that could be stockpiled and used in animals should NWS reach the United States. This priority topic aims to address the welfare of infested mammalian hosts while also interrupting the life cycle of the fly before the larvae fall off to complete maturation in the environment. There are animal withdrawal considerations as well as environmental safety considerations with injectables, per os (oral), swim dip vats and pour-ons (not to mention impregnated eartags and other such devices) that must be taken into consideration. Additionally, some species have no well-researched data on such treatments nor approved treatments. This is a key area at the vector/pest-host interface that requires discovery and advancement.
Examples of projects in this topic area could include:
- Researching pharmacokinetics/pharmacodynamics of existing animal products related to effectiveness; human food safety (e.g., tissue concentration profiles in wounds that larvae infest); and the relationship between the effectiveness of the drug against NWS and concentrations in plasma, wounds, and/or larvae.
- Developing active ingredients and products to prevent, control, or treat NWS in livestock that, if successful, could be used in certified organic livestock systems and be approved/authorized by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), as appropriate, for use in the United States.
- Developing active ingredients and products to prevent, control, or treat NWS in livestock or wildlife, or provide novel or improved administration methods, that if successful, could be approved/authorized by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's Center for Veterinary Medicine (CVM) or EPA, as appropriate, for use in the United States.
The following entities are eligible to apply for this funding opportunity:
- Colleges and universities, including university research foundations
- State, national, allied, or regional producer organizations with direct or significant economic interest in the control of NWS
- State, national, allied, or regional veterinary organizations or specialty boards recognized by the American Veterinary Medical Association
- Federal agencies
- Non-profits with or without 501(c)(3) IRS status, other than Institutions of Higher Ed
- State departments of agriculture
- State emergency agencies
- Small businesses
- For-profit organizations other than small businesses
- Non-domestic (non-U.S.) entities (foreign organizations) and non-domestic (non-U.S.) components of U.S. organizations
- Tribal governments
- Federally funded research laboratories
- Local governments
Yes; however, any organizations including non-domestic (non-U.S.) entities (foreign organizations) or non-domestic (non-U.S.) components of U.S. organizations require additional review and approval processes. For more information, email us at nws.grand.challenge@usda.gov. Foreign entities will also have to apply by sending the completed proposal to nws.grand.challenge@usda.gov.
Funding restrictions, including unallowable costs and cost restrictions, are provided in 2 CFR Part 200 and described in 2 CFR 200 Subpart E, Cost Principles—General Provisions for Selected Items of Cost.
Funds may not be used in any way as prohibited by applicable law or regulations, to include 2 CFR 200 and 2 CFR 400. Awards issued pursuant to this notice of funding opportunity may only be used for the purpose set forth in the award, consistent with the statutory authority for the award.
Capital expenses, such as the purchase of equipment, not entirely attributable to this award must be prorated.
Construction projects are not specifically prohibited in the Grand Challenge. Construction is a broad term and can include a wide variety of activities, from updating an existing facility to creating a new facility. The NWS Grand Challenge will support projects that address one of the four priority topic areas and whose expected results include innovations or improvements that increase program efficiency, reduce operational risk, or expand readiness and response capabilities. Applicants can submit a construction-related project and it will be reviewed on the merits set forth in the Notice of Funding Opportunity. When the merit review occurs, reviewers will determine if the project falls within the bounds of the topics and expected outcomes.
Please contact us to discuss your situation by emailing nws.grand.challenge@usda.gov.
Application
All applications are due by February 23, 2026, 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time.
Non-Federal applicants must submit all application materials via ezFedGrants.
Federal applicants and foreign entities must submit all application materials via email to nws.grand.challenge@usda.gov.
Instructions and application materials are available at NWS Grand Challenge Funding Opportunity. You can also find the full notice of funding opportunity, including the instructions for applicants, at ezFedGrants and Grants.gov by searching Assistance Listing Number 10.025 or Funding Opportunity Number USDA-APHIS-10025-OA000000-26-0001.
We urge interested applicants to complete the following steps as soon as possible:
- Register and maintain an account with the U.S. Government System for Award Management (SAM).
- Create a Login.gov account.
- Establish an ezFedGrants account.
For more details, visit How To Apply for APHIS Funding: Getting Started.
Non-Federal applicants must submit all application materials via ezFedGrants.
Federal applicants and foreign entities must submit all application materials via email to nws.grand.challenge@usda.gov.
Yes. You may submit more than one proposal. You may also collaborate on multiple proposals. However, please realistically consider your ability to successfully complete multiple projects in the same timeframe.
No. Submit separate application packages for separate projects. This helps reviewers score each project on its individual merits and improves the likelihood of funding.
Cooperative and Interagency Agreements
In the NWS Grand Challenge, proposals are awarded based on a competitive process where a team of experts evaluate the merits of the proposals using predetermined criteria. Funding is based on the merits of the proposal and application package, and recipients are not predetermined. Final decisions are made by USDA.
When cooperative or interagency agreements are awarded through a competitive process, applicants must submit a complete and polished proposal—there is no opportunity for modifications or discussion with cooperators during the review process.
After projects are selected, those with non-Federal entities are funded through cooperative agreements. This means there will be substantial involvement between the Federal awarding agency and the recipient entity in carrying out the funded activity.
Projects with other Federal entities are funded through interagency agreements. If you're a Federal entity interested in applying, contact us at nws.grand.challenge@usda.gov to discuss prior to submission.
No funds may be used to pay indirect costs of more than 10 percent of the total direct cost of the agreement on cooperative agreements or similar arrangements for nonprofit institutions. Nonprofit institutions may include both private and public organizations, including colleges, universities, schools, hospitals, and others. Various statutes may limit the indirect cost rate that applies to a particular recipient, including but not limited to Public Law 118-42 (Mar. 9, 2024), Division B, Sec. 704 (as extended by Public Law 119-4, Division A, Sec. 1101).
APHIS intends to have recipients retain equipment purchased through the NWS Grand Challenge-funded projects as long as they meet the requirements and conditions set forth in 2 CFR § 200.313, the General Terms and Conditions for APHIS Cooperative Agreements and Grants, and USDA General Terms and Conditions for Federal Awards.
The Bayh-Dole Act, Public Law 96-517, is followed when intellectual property (IP) is developed under a Federal award. Bayh-Dole allows the cooperator to take ownership of their developed IP if they elect to do so. It also permits the Federal funding agency (for example, APHIS) to retain a nonexclusive, nontransferable, irrevocable, paid-up license to use the developed technology—or have someone else use for or on behalf of the U.S. government—for government purposes. Ownership of intellectual property under this funding opportunity shall be in accordance with the Bayh-Dole Act of 1980, 37 CFR 401.14.
For more details, refer to the General Terms and Conditions for APHIS Cooperative Agreements and Grants and USDA General Terms and Conditions for Federal Awards.
Proposal Review and Notification
Application packages that meet the minimum eligibility criteria will be reviewed by a panel of subject matter experts nominated by APHIS. If an applicant is deemed ineligible, APHIS will notify the applicant before starting proposal reviews.
To avoid potential conflicts of interest, reviewers may have no association with projects they are reviewing. In the event of a real or perceived conflict of interest, a reviewer shall recuse themselves as appropriate. The review panel may seek counsel from additional subject matter experts as appropriate.
Proposals are scored based on the merits of the application relative to the evaluation criteria, which are listed in the notice of funding opportunity. The review panel will make a recommendation list to the selecting official, who is not a member of the panel. USDA considers the review panel’s recommendations in making final funding decisions.
Yes. Based on reviewer recommendations, APHIS may award less than the requested amount of funds to a project. In these cases, applicants may accept or decline the award that is offered. If applicants accept a reduced funding level, they will submit a revised application that addresses reviewer concerns and aligns with the lower award amount. APHIS will provide additional guidance to applicants in these situations.
APHIS will announce approved projects in a press release. Successful applicants will receive email notifications shortly after, followed by award execution.
Press releases and email notifications do not authorize work to begin. Work may only start after the Notice of Award is fully signed in ezFedGrants.
Other Submission Requirements
Proposals should clearly state in their work plans whether research involving vertebrate animals will be included as part of the project. If research involving vertebrate animals will be conducted during the project, the applicant must clearly describe how they plan to comply with the regulatory requirements and standards for animal welfare outlined in 9 CFR Part 2, Subpart C.
Proposals should clearly state in their work plans how they will implement all appropriate biosafety and biosecurity risk mitigation measures. This includes compliance with all applicable laws and regulations related to that implementation if they fall within the scope of the U.S. Government Policy for Institutional Oversight of Life Sciences Dual Use Research of Concern.
For More Information
To learn more, visit NWS Grand Challenge Funding Opportunity.
For all questions about this funding opportunity, email nws.grand.challenge@usda.gov.