Opportunity Information: Apply for RFA FD 26 003
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is offering a discretionary cooperative agreement opportunity called the Retail Food Safety Regulatory Association Collaboration (RFA-FD-26-003). The overall goal is to reduce foodborne illness by strengthening retail food safety practices nationwide and creating clearer, more consistent collaboration between retail food regulatory programs and the retail food and foodservice industry. The focus is on practical, real-world improvements that lower the occurrence of foodborne illness risk factors in restaurants, grocery stores, and other retail food settings.
The work supported by this funding is aimed at helping state, local, tribal, and territorial (SLTT) retail food regulatory programs and industry partners adopt and use the most effective tools available. Key priorities include implementing intervention strategies that measurably reduce risk factors for foodborne illness; moving programs toward full conformance with the Voluntary National Retail Food Regulatory Program Standards (VNRFRPS); and expanding the use of risk-based inspection approaches that are designed to find the highest-impact risk factors rather than treating all issues as equal. The NOFO also emphasizes strengthening root cause analysis so programs and industry can understand why violations happen (not just that they happened), identify gaps in active managerial control (AMC), and drive stronger compliance through prevention-focused systems. Another major objective is promoting adoption of the most current FDA Food Code to improve consistency and modernize retail food safety requirements across jurisdictions. Finally, the opportunity highlights readiness and capability to respond effectively to foodborne illness outbreaks and to adjust quickly as new food safety trends and risks emerge.
A notable part of the program is its emphasis on longer-term, systems-based prevention in industry. FDA is encouraging the research, development, and implementation of industry food safety management systems, along with the prerequisite food safety culture that supports consistent AMC over the risk factors that most commonly lead to foodborne illness. In practice, this means supporting work that helps operators and regulators shift from a reactive, checklist-driven mindset toward sustained preventive controls, strong management oversight, and continuous improvement.
Eligibility is intentionally narrow. Applications are limited to national organizations or associations whose primary purpose is representing SLTT retail food regulatory programs and/or the retail food and foodservice industries. FDA is looking for groups that can build national consensus and act as a central mechanism for communication and collaboration on issues of national significance. These organizations are expected to have the membership, staffing, structure, and expertise to coordinate widely across states and localities and to produce broadly supported outcomes such as position statements, resolutions, or model legislation. Applicants must also share FDA's vision of leveraging national associations to advance coordinated retail food initiatives that reduce illness and improve consumer protection.
In addition, the applicant organization must have a principal purpose tied to harmonizing state standards and requirements in ways that match the goals of this funding announcement. FDA expects the association to function as a leader and practical resource for SLTT programs or industry, with a demonstrated understanding of the infrastructure, capacity, strengths, and needs of SLTT retail food regulatory programs and/or industry stakeholders. The association should also have a track record of successfully carrying out national efforts that support an integrated food safety system, meaning meaningful coordination across federal partners, SLTT agencies, and industry. Membership composition matters as well: the association should be made up of regular members who are officials from SLTT agencies that run retail food inspection programs in collaboration with FDA and/or regular members from the retail food/foodservice industries.
There is also a specific information-sharing requirement. Applicant associations must already have an information sharing agreement with FDA under 21 CFR 20.88(e), or be able to secure one before the award start date. Any information sharing under this arrangement is limited to pre-decisional information and may only be used for the purposes described in the award, which signals that awardees may be involved in collaborative planning or coordination activities that require controlled information exchange.
From a funding standpoint, this is a cooperative agreement, which typically means FDA expects substantial involvement during the project (for example, coordination, technical input, and ongoing collaboration rather than a fully hands-off grant). The award ceiling is $750,000, and FDA anticipates making up to three awards. The opportunity falls under CFDA 93.103 and is categorized under agriculture, consumer protection, and food and nutrition. The original application closing date is July 14, 2026, and the opportunity was created on June 1, 2026.Apply for RFA FD 26 003
- The Food and Drug Administration in the agriculture, consumer protection, food and nutrition sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Retail Food Safety Regulatory Association Collaboration" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.103.
- This funding opportunity was created on 2026-06-01.
- Applicants must submit their applications by 2026-07-14. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $750,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 3 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Others.
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Retail Food Safety Regulatory Association Collaboration (RFA-FD-26-003) - FAQs
What is the name of this FDA funding opportunity?
The opportunity is called the Retail Food Safety Regulatory Association Collaboration. The funding announcement identifier provided is RFA-FD-26-003.
What type of funding is being offered?
This is a discretionary cooperative agreement. A cooperative agreement generally indicates FDA expects substantial involvement in the project, such as ongoing coordination, collaboration, and technical input, rather than a fully hands-off award.
What is the overall goal of the program?
The overall goal is to reduce foodborne illness by strengthening retail food safety practices nationwide and improving collaboration between retail food regulatory programs and the retail food and foodservice industry, with an emphasis on clearer and more consistent coordination across jurisdictions.
What settings are the focus of this work?
The work is focused on retail food environments where foodborne illness risk factors commonly occur, including restaurants, grocery stores, and other retail food settings.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is intentionally narrow. Applications are limited to national organizations or associations whose primary purpose is representing state, local, tribal, and territorial (SLTT) retail food regulatory programs and/or the retail food and foodservice industries.
Are individual SLTT agencies eligible to apply directly?
Based on the eligibility description provided, the intended applicants are national organizations or associations representing SLTT programs and/or industry, rather than individual SLTT agencies applying on their own.
Why is FDA limiting eligibility to national associations?
FDA is looking for groups that can build national consensus and serve as a central mechanism for communication and collaboration on issues of national significance. The expectation is that these associations can coordinate broadly across states and localities and produce outcomes that are widely supported.
What kinds of nationally supported outcomes is FDA expecting from an applicant association?
The opportunity notes examples such as position statements, resolutions, or model legislation, indicating a preference for deliverables that can be adopted or supported across many jurisdictions or industry participants.
What is the intended audience or beneficiary of the funded work?
The supported work is aimed at helping SLTT retail food regulatory programs and industry partners adopt and use effective tools and strategies to reduce foodborne illness risk factors and modernize retail food safety practices.
What are the key priorities or focus areas in this opportunity?
Key priorities include: implementing intervention strategies that measurably reduce risk factors for foodborne illness; moving programs toward full conformance with the Voluntary National Retail Food Regulatory Program Standards (VNRFRPS); expanding the use of risk-based inspection approaches; strengthening root cause analysis and active managerial control (AMC); promoting adoption of the most current FDA Food Code; and improving readiness to respond to outbreaks and emerging risks and trends.
What does the program mean by "practical, real-world improvements"?
The focus is on actions that lead to measurable reductions in the occurrence of foodborne illness risk factors in real retail food operations, rather than purely theoretical or paper-based changes.
What does "risk-based inspection" mean in the context of this opportunity?
The NOFO emphasizes inspection approaches designed to identify and focus on the highest-impact foodborne illness risk factors, rather than treating all violations as equally important.
What is VNRFRPS and how is it relevant here?
VNRFRPS refers to the Voluntary National Retail Food Regulatory Program Standards. A stated priority of the opportunity is to help move programs toward full conformance with these standards.
What is "root cause analysis" and why is FDA emphasizing it?
The opportunity highlights strengthening root cause analysis so that programs and industry can understand why violations happen (not just that they happened). This is intended to help identify gaps in systems like active managerial control and support prevention-focused compliance improvements.
What is "active managerial control (AMC)" in this announcement?
AMC is referenced as a prevention-focused concept tied to management systems that control foodborne illness risk factors. The announcement emphasizes identifying gaps in AMC and promoting stronger compliance through prevention-based systems.
Is adoption of the FDA Food Code part of the program objectives?
Yes. A major objective highlighted is promoting adoption of the most current FDA Food Code to improve consistency and modernize retail food safety requirements across jurisdictions.
How does this opportunity address outbreaks and emerging risks?
The opportunity highlights readiness and capability to respond effectively to foodborne illness outbreaks and the ability to adjust quickly as new food safety trends and risks emerge.
What is the program's emphasis regarding industry prevention systems?
A notable emphasis is on longer-term, systems-based prevention in industry. FDA encourages the research, development, and implementation of industry food safety management systems, supported by a food safety culture that enables consistent active managerial control of the risk factors most commonly linked to foodborne illness.
Does this program encourage a shift away from checklist-based compliance?
Yes. The announcement describes a shift from a reactive, checklist-driven mindset toward sustained preventive controls, stronger management oversight, and continuous improvement.
What organizational capabilities does FDA expect from applicants?
FDA expects eligible national associations to have the membership, staffing, structure, and expertise needed to coordinate widely across states and localities, act as a central communication and collaboration mechanism, and produce outcomes that are broadly supported.
What kind of experience or track record is expected of an applicant association?
The association is expected to demonstrate understanding of the infrastructure, capacity, strengths, and needs of SLTT retail food regulatory programs and/or industry stakeholders, and have a track record of successfully carrying out national efforts that support an integrated food safety system with meaningful coordination across federal partners, SLTT agencies, and industry.
Are there membership composition requirements for applicant associations?
Yes. The association should be made up of regular members who are officials from SLTT agencies that run retail food inspection programs in collaboration with FDA and/or regular members from the retail food/foodservice industries.
What does it mean that the applicant must have a principal purpose tied to harmonizing state standards?
The opportunity specifies that the applicant organization must have a principal purpose connected to harmonizing state standards and requirements in ways that align with the goals of the funding announcement, supporting greater consistency and coordinated improvement.
Is there an information-sharing requirement with FDA?
Yes. Applicant associations must already have an information sharing agreement with FDA under 21 CFR 20.88(e), or be able to secure one before the award start date.
What kind of information may be shared under the FDA information sharing agreement mentioned?
Any information sharing under this arrangement is limited to pre-decisional information and may only be used for the purposes described in the award.
How much funding is available per award?
The award ceiling is $750,000.
How many awards does FDA expect to make?
FDA anticipates making up to three awards.
What is the CFDA number and how is the opportunity categorized?
The opportunity is listed under CFDA 93.103 and is categorized under agriculture, consumer protection, and food and nutrition.
When is the application due?
The original application closing date is July 14, 2026.
When was this opportunity created?
The opportunity was created on June 1, 2026.
What does FDA mean by "clearer, more consistent collaboration"?
Based on the description, FDA is seeking a more unified approach to coordination between retail food regulatory programs and the retail food/foodservice industry, supported by national associations that can align stakeholders and facilitate widely adopted improvements.
What are examples of tools or approaches the funded work may help expand?
The announcement points to effective tools and approaches such as measurable intervention strategies to reduce risk factors, risk-based inspection methods, root cause analysis practices, systems that strengthen active managerial control, efforts to increase conformance with VNRFRPS, and promotion of the most current FDA Food Code.
What is the intended long-term impact of this cooperative agreement?
The intended long-term impact is fewer foodborne illnesses through stronger, more consistent retail food safety practices nationwide, including modernized and harmonized requirements, improved prevention systems, and better coordinated regulatory-industry collaboration.
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