Announcing Limited Submission: FFAR – 2026 New Innovator in Food and Agriculture Research Award

Feb 17, 2026 | Awards & Funding, Faculty

To: Science Faculty
From: Offices of Research and Foundations Relations
Subject: Funding Opportunity

We are pleased to announce the launch of Limited Submission: FFAR – 2026 New Innovator in Food and Agriculture Research Award. 

 

  • Internal Submission Deadline: Sunday, March 8, 2026
  • Cycle: 2026
  • Discipline/Subject Area: Agricultural Research
  • Description:
    Limited Submission Funding Opportunity
    An announcement from the Offices of Research and Foundation Relations
    Internal Deadline: March 8, 2026
    Funder: Foundation for Food & Agriculture Research (FFAR)
    Program: New Innovator in Food & Agriculture Research Award
    UCSC Contact
    Almut Wolf | FR | awolf2@ucsc.edu
    Molly Mccarthy | OR | moamccar@ucsc.edu
    Award Amount: Up to $150,000/year for up to three years (36 months)
    2026 Awards Contingent on Funding Availability: FFAR wishes to advise potential applicants that it cannot fund any New Innovator Awards selected through this RFA until additional funds are allocated to the Foundation.
    Overview
    UC Santa Cruz may submit one nominee to the 2026 New Innovator Award (NIA) program from the Foundation for Food & Agriculture Research (FFAR). Through this program, FFAR intends to provide early-career scientists with the investment needed to propel them into successful research careers. The New Innovator Award program supports and promotes exceptionally talented new faculty who are conducting critical and highly innovative research addressing significant food and agriculture challenges. These awards allow grantees to focus exclusively on research without the pressure of securing additional funding.
    Research that is not directly relevant to the U.S. food and agriculture system will not be supported.
    Priority 1: Cultivating Thriving Production Systems
    Priority 2: Sustaining Vibrant Agroecosystems
    Priority 3: Bolstering Healthy Food Systems

    Please see here for full program guidelines.
    Award Amount & Terms

    1. Amount: $450,000. Up to $150,000/year for up to three years (36 months).
    2. Anticipated Award Duration: Up to 36 months
    3. Indirect costs are limited to 10% of the total award, including subcontracts, if applicable.
    4. Anticipated Number of Awards: Up to ten (10) awards.
       
  • For additional information, please reference the RFA FAQs.
    Eligibility

    1. The nominated faculty member must have been hired on or after August 1, 2022, for a tenure-track or equivalent position and may work in any discipline or any department within the institution.
    2. Preference will be given to individuals near the onset of their independent research career and who are within eight (8) years of receiving a Ph.D. or equivalent degree.
    3. Individuals with significant research experience prior to obtaining their faculty position will not be considered for this award. For this funding opportunity, significant research experience is defined as a nominee that has been awarded a substantial research grant (three to five years of support) or has received project funding totaling over $1M within the time of their tenure position or has been awarded similar career development awards with similar budgetary scopes. 
    4. The proposed research application must directly benefit U.S. agricultural interests.
       
  • See here for a list of previously funded grants.
    To apply:
    To be considered for nomination, applicants should submit materials via InfoReady. Select “Apply” and upload the following documents:
     

    1. Word document with the following information:
      1. Name
      2. Department
      3. Name of Nominator
      4. Confirmation of eligibility
    2. Nomination letter. Someone who can speak most eloquently about the nominee’s qualifications (e.g., chair, dean, or mentor = Nominator) should draft the letter. The letter should include a response to the points below:
      1. Explain how this individual is outstanding in their field (300-word limit)
      2. How would the institution benefit from this nominee receiving the New Innovator Award? (300-word limit)
    3. Proposal Information:
      1. Nominee’s research program overview (400-word limit)
    4. CV

Timeline
March 8, 2026: LOI submission of internal application materials via InfoReady
March 12, 2026: Campus candidate selected
March 18, 2026 at 2:00pm PT: Nominations due to FFAR Portal
March 25, 2026: Notification if invited to submit proposal
April 29, 2026 at 2:00 pm PT: Full applications due

Special Instructions
For support developing your internal application, please contact the Research Development team at resdev@ucsc.edu. Within the Division of Social Sciences, please contact Ashlee Tews (ashleeac@ucsc.edu). Foundation Relations will work with the selected campus candidate on LOI submission.

Call sent: February 13, 2026

 

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The Office of Foundation Relations is a unit of University Advancement. The FR team creates and maintains mutually beneficial, long-term relationships with private organizations, matching grant initiatives with educational and research programs and centers. FR supports faculty and staff to identify and approach these and other private foundations for funding, to assist in strategic positioning of the grant application, and to facilitate funder campus visits. For a list of recent funding opportunities, please visit the FR website: FR Calls for Funding.

If you have any questions or comments, please contact awolf2@ucsc.edu or moamccar@ucsc.edu
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