Biomass Research and Development Initiative

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture, in conjunction with U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Biomass Programs, provides grant funding for projects addressing research, development, and demonstration of biofuels and bio-based products and the methods, practices, and technologies for their production, under the Biomass Research and Development Initiative (Section 9008). The competitive award process focuses on three main technical areas: feedstock development; biofuels and bio-based products development; and biofuels development analysis. Eligible applicants are institutions of higher learning, national laboratories, federal research agencies, private sector entities, and non-profit organizations. The non-federal share of the total project cost must be at least 20% for research and development projects and 50% for demonstration projects. Renewable biomass is defined as materials, pre-commercial thinnings, or invasive species on National Forest System land that qualify as by-products of preventative treatments, are harvested in accordance with applicable laws, and would not otherwise be used for higher-value products, as well as naturally reoccurring organic matter on non-federal or non-tribal lands, including renewable plant material, feed grains, other plants and trees, algae, and vegetable and animal waste material and by-products. This program’s funding is subject to congressional appropriations. For more information, see the Biomass Research & Development website. (Reference Public Law 113-79 and 7 U.S. Code 8108)