International Consortium for Antimicrobial Stewardship in Agriculture (ICASA) Grant Program

The International Consortium for Antimicrobial Stewardship in Agriculture (ICASA) Request for Applications is a competitive research funding opportunity administered by the Foundation for Food & Agriculture Research, a private nonprofit organization that partners with industry and public stakeholders to advance agricultural innovation. ICASA was established in 2019 to fund antimicrobial stewardship research in U.S. beef and swine production systems, with an emphasis on improving animal health, reducing inappropriate antibiotic use, and increasing transparency in food production. The program reflects a collaborative funding model in which private-sector partners match FFAR investments, significantly expanding the scale of supported research. The purpose of this funding opportunity is to solicit hypothesis-driven research that generates practical solutions for antimicrobial stewardship in animal agriculture. The program specifically targets applied research that can be translated into real-world practices for beef and swine producers. Priority areas include advancing immune responses to disease, genomic strategies for disease mitigation, production system improvements, and cross-cutting system-level analyses such as behavioral drivers of antibiotic use, environmental pathways, and technology-enabled traceability. The program emphasizes solutions that improve both animal welfare and production efficiency while addressing antimicrobial resistance risks. Funding requests may range from 100000 to 500000 dollars per project, with project durations between 18 and 36 months. A required cost share mandates that applicants provide at least 40 percent of the total project budget as matching funds. These matching funds must comply with FFAR guidelines, cannot originate from U.S. federal sources, and may include no more than 50 percent in-kind contributions. ICASA funds cannot be used for construction or commercial scaling activities, and indirect costs are capped at 15 percent of total direct costs. Annual disbursements are contingent upon satisfactory reporting and compliance with program requirements. Eligibility is broad and inclusive, allowing domestic and international higher education institutions, nonprofit organizations, for-profit entities, and government-affiliated research agencies to apply. Principal investigators must demonstrate the expertise and institutional support necessary to carry out the proposed research. All projects must directly relate to U.S. beef or swine industries. Multiple applications from a single institution are permitted, and partnerships across sectors are strongly encouraged to strengthen matching contributions and implementation pathways. The application process is two-phase and competitive. Applicants must first submit a pre-application by June 10, 2026, which serves as a gating requirement for advancement. Only those invited following review of pre-applications may submit full proposals. Pre-applications require detailed descriptions of research objectives, hypotheses, methodologies, anticipated impacts, and alignment with ICASA priorities. Full applications expand upon these elements and include comprehensive project plans, data management strategies, budgets, and required attachments such as biosketches, Gantt charts, and matching fund documentation. Applications are evaluated based on relevance and innovation, technical merit and feasibility, anticipated outcomes and impacts, and strength of partnerships. Review includes an internal screening for pre-applications followed by a two-stage peer review process for full applications. Final funding decisions are made by FFAR and the ICASA Executive Committee, with emphasis on projects that demonstrate scalability, stakeholder engagement, and measurable impact on antimicrobial stewardship practices. The timeline for this funding opportunity begins with the opening of pre-applications on May 20, 2026, followed by a pre-application deadline of June 10, 2026. Invitations for full applications are issued by July 15, 2026, with final submissions due September 2, 2026. Award notifications are expected in early 2027, and funded projects are anticipated to begin between May and October 2027. Questions regarding the program can be directed to the ICASA team via email, and applicants must submit all materials through FFAR’s online grant management system without exception.

Emphasize strong industry partnerships clear hypothesis driven research and practical scalability to beef and swine systems while aligning closely with ICASA priorities