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PFAS Fund: Research and Grant Opportunities
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Introduction to the PFAS Fund's Research Initiatives
The Fund to Address PFAS Contamination will support research that allows farmers to make informed decisions about how to adjust their operations upon the discovery of PFAS contamination by:
- Establishing a competitive research grant program to support scientific research,
- Exploring the possibility of establishing a research station on a property purchased by the PFAS Fund, and
- Compiling and sharing scientific information that results from the competitive research grant program.
Research Grant Program
The intent of the research grant program is to fund research that helps farmers determine their best options for maintaining and enhancing viability despite the presence of PFAS on their property.
There will be two grant categories:
- Major Grants between $100,000 and $500,000 to support multi-year research projects
- Targeted Grants of less than $100,000 for projects that are smaller in scope and duration
The first request for Major Grant proposals will open in the fall of 2024. The first call for Targeted Grant proposals is anticipated to open in early 2025.
Open Grant Opportunities
RFA #PFNDM2024001, Major Grants for the Study of PFAS in Agricultural Systems, Round 1
Submitted Questions Summary (PDF)
RFA # PFNDM2024001 is the first round of research grant funding offered by the PFAS Fund. During this grant opportunity, DACF anticipates awarding up to $3,000,000 to support projects budgeted between $100,000 and $500,000. Proposals should anticipate a two-year period of performance. There is no match requirement. Funding for this round of grants is provided by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) via Grant Award No. FSA23CPT0013603.
The priority research areas for this round of funding are:
- PFAS in Agricultural Settings: Water, Soil, and Plant Studies
- PFAS in Agricultural Settings: Animals and Animal Product Studies
- Understanding and Managing PFAS in On-Farm Agricultural Settings and Products
- Remediation of PFAS-Contaminated Land and Suitable Uses of PFAS-Contaminated Agricultural Land and Products
Further details are included within the Full Proposal Request for Applications (RFA). Please note that the submission of a pre-proposal is mandatory. Projects which have not completed a pre-proposal but still submit a full proposal will not be reviewed.
RFA #PFNDM2024001 |
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|---|---|
| RFA Coordinator | All communication regarding the RFA must be made through the RFA Coordinator, who is identified below. |
| Documents |
All attachments are included within the full RFA. For ease of access, attachments are also provided below: |
| Pre-Proposal Due | Mandatory pre-proposals must be submitted via the Grant Pre-proposal Submission online form by: |
| Submitted Questions | Email questions to the RFA Coordinator using the Submitted Questions Form (PDF) by: RFA #PFNDM2024001 DACF Response to Submitted Questions Summary - Updated 12/17/24 (PDF) |
| Application Submission Deadline | The DACF must receive full applications by: |
Connecting Researchers and PFAS-Impacted Producers
Researchers looking to collaborate with owners or managers of PFAS-affected land periodically contact DACF. Their requests range from needing small volumes of PFAS-impacted soil to finding sites for test plots.
DACF facilitates connections by passing requests from researchers to agricultural producers who have indicated an interest in supporting PFAS research. DACF does not provide farmers' contact information directly to researchers.
DACF does not endorse or take a position on the research projects it shares with PFAS-impacted producers. It simply serves as a matchmaker.
For Researchers
Are you looking for a site to conduct on-the-ground research or a source for impacted soil or other media? Researchers must fill out the Researcher/Impacted Producer Connection Request Form (PDF) and send it to madeline.s.bruno@maine.gov.
Although not required, many researchers offer producers compensation for time and materials, access to test results and data, and the opportunity for owners or staff to participate in the research.
For Impacted Producers
Are you interested in hosting research on your PFAS-impacted property or otherwise supporting research? If you are open to receiving proposals from researchers, you can expect up to two emails per month with standardized requests and the relevant contact information. It is the producer's responsibility to respond directly to researchers.
Please contact madeline.s.bruno@maine.gov if you are an impacted farmer and would like to be added to the list of sites interested in hosting or supporting research.
Research Advisory Panel
The Commissioner of DACF established a Research Advisory Panel to recommend research priorities, shape the peer review process, and identify qualified peer reviewers. Panel members do not participate in the grant award selection process if they have a conflict of interest.
As of September 2024, the members of the panel are:
- Mary Yurlina, PhD, appointed as DACF representative by DACF Commissioner Amanda Beal
- Tim MacMillan, PE, appointed as DEP representative by DEP Commissioner Melanie Loyzim
- Andy E. Smith, SM, ScD, appointed as DHHS representative by then DHHS Commissioner Jeanne Lambrew
- Dr. Angela Mech, PhD, appointed as University of Maine representative by President Joan Ferrini-Mundy
- Rick Kersbergen, MS, appointed by DACF Commissioner Amanda Beal as a member of the public with expertise in agriculturally related PFAS science
- Katia Holmes, Misty Brook Organic Farm, appointed by DACF Commissioner Amanda Beal as a member of the public representing the agricultural sector
- Susan Hunter, Hunter Farm, appointed by DACF Commissioner Amanda Beal as a member of the public representing the agricultural sector