Laboratory Flexible Funding Model (LFFM)
Last verified by NonDilute: 2026-04-29. Official notice and agency instructions control.
If you operate or advise a state/local food testing lab, this 3-year cooperative agreement funds capability expansion in food safety and defense testing with up to $1.5M in flexible support.
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What this is
This is a cooperative agreement program from the FDA designed to enhance state human and animal food testing laboratories through prioritized sample testing, food defense preparedness, and method development projects. Funding supports work in microbiology, chemistry, radiochemistry, and related food safety capabilities. Awards range from $0 to $1.5M and are open through January 2028, making this suitable for state/local lab systems seeking to expand testing capacity and preparedness.
Who can apply
Applicants must be government entities (state, county, city, township, special district), Federally recognized or other Native American tribal governments, or private/public institutions of higher education. Solo founders and commercial startups are not eligible; this targets established laboratory systems operated by public agencies or academic institutions.
Eligible applicant types
- City or township governments
- Special district governments
- County governments
- Private institutions of higher education
- Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized)
- Public and State controlled institutions of higher education
- State governments
- Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments)
Full description — from the agency
This cooperative agreement is intended to enhance the capacity and capabilities of state human and animal food testing laboratories in support of an integrated food safety system (IFSS). This is achieved through prioritized sample testing and food defense preparedness in the areas of microbiology, chemistry, and radiochemistry, as well as method development and capacity/capability development projects that support and expand food safety and food defense testing.
Topics: food testing laboratory · food safety · food defense · microbiology testing · state laboratory funding · capacity development · method development
Public-source funding discovery only. This summary is generated from public agency data and may be incomplete or stale. NonDilute is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or acting on behalf of any government agency. Official notices and agency instructions control. NonDilute does not determine eligibility, provide grant-writing advice, or guarantee funding.