2020 New Innovator awardees will not be required to secure matching funds
PRESS RELEASE – The Foundation for Food and Agriculture Research (FFAR) is now accepting nominations for the 2020 New Innovator in Food and Agriculture Research Award. FFAR intends to grant up to ten awards to early-career scientists pursuing research that supports the Foundation’s Challenge Areas and promotes global, sustainable food production. Each applicant is eligible to receive up to $150,000 per year for a maximum of three years totaling $450,000 from FFAR. For the first time, FFAR is not requiring awardees to secure matching funds, opening this opportunity to a wider pool of applicants.
The New Innovator in Food and Agriculture Research Award provides early-career scientists the investment needed to bolster successful careers in food and agriculture. FFAR grants this unique award to highly creative, promising scientists whose research has the potential to address major challenges facing food and agriculture. Often, early-career scientists struggle to secure grant funding at the onset of their careers. This large award gives them the opportunity to focus exclusively on research without the pressure to secure additional funding for these particular ideas.
“Investing in scientific workforce development is a cornerstone of FFAR’s mission, and the New Innovator in Food and Agriculture Research Award exemplifies the Foundation’s recognition that funding ‘cream of the crop’ early-career scientists is one of the best ways to ensure innovation in our future,” said FFAR Executive Director Sally Rockey. “For the first time, FFAR itself is providing matching funds for these awards, which may mean more institutions will participate.”
Institutions of higher education, nonprofit research institutions and the U.S. Department of Agriculture are encouraged to nominate one applicant who holds tenure-track or equivalent position and meets the eligibility criteria specified in the Call for Nominations.
Applications from eligible nominees will be evaluated on their research program proposals as well as a demonstrated commitment to mentoring future generations of agricultural and food scientists. The deadline for submitting nominations is March 4, 2020 at 5:00 pm ET. Complete submission guidelines and program deadlines are available on the FFAR website.
