UPCOMING — NEHA-FDA Retail Flexible Funding Model 2027–28 applicant competition; open December 9, 2026 through January 27, 2027 (7:59 p.m. ET).
National — NEHA-FDA RFFM 2027–2028 Mentorship Mentor Optional Add-On Grants (January 27)
UPCOMING: Mentorship Mentor Optional Add-On Grants for qualifying FDA Retail Program Standards state/local/tribal/territorial agencies. $12,000 fixed award for 1 approved Mentee, $15,000 for 2, $18,000 for 3, $21,000 for 4, or $24,000 for 5; final applicant-level award depends on Mentees assigned and approved deliverables. This is a separate one-year application. Apply December 9, 2026 through January 27, 2027 at 7:59 p.m. Eastern.
Funding$12,000 fixed award for 1 approved Mentee, $15,000 for 2, $18,000 for 3, $21,000 for 4, or $24,000 for 5; final applicant-level award depends on Mentees assigned and approved deliverables. This is a separate one-year application.
DeadlineUPCOMING — NEHA 2027–28 portal opens December 9, 2026; the controlling application deadline is January 27, 2027 at 7:59 p.m. Eastern Time (ET).
Last verified2026-11-07
Required next actionConfirm Track 2 applicant or existing Track 3 grantee eligibility, prepare detailed mentorship plan and requested number of Mentee jurisdictions (1 to 5), and file a separate Mentorship Mentor Optional Add-On application in the RFFM portal by January 27, 2027 at 7:59 p.m. ET.
Broad Eligibility
State, local, tribal or territorial retail food regulatory jurisdictions applying for 2027–28 Track 2 Development Base funding or already holding a current 2025–2028 Track 3 award in good standing. Track 1 jurisdictions cannot apply to be Mentors. An applicant cannot simultaneously be a funded Mentor and a Mentee during this grant year.
Atlas Analysis
Authoritative 29-page NEHA-FDA RFFM 2027-28 Application Guidance (updated October 2026), reviewed November 7 2026, pages 5–16, 23–28. The official 2027–28 funding table provides fixed amounts increasing by $3,000 for each additional assigned Mentee, starting at $12,000 for one and capped at $24,000 for five. Required funded deliverables include sustained mentoring, site visit(s) to Mentee jurisdictions and attendance at the end-of-year Mentorship meeting; funds are not automatic for the number requested. Separate grant application, restricted to Track 2 applicants or current Track 3 grantees. Mentor and Mentee awards cannot be held in the same cycle by one jurisdiction. Completion of base work is a condition for add-on eligibility. No general match percentage specified. General prohibitions on vehicle purchases, remodeling, catering, promotional items and unrelated spending apply. Project period April 1, 2027–March 31, 2028. Specific type: Mentorship Mentor Optional Add-On; grant-year 2027-28. Official PDF: https://www.neha.org/PDFs/RFFM_ApplicationGuidance_2027-28_October2026.pdf. Real competitive applicant financial assistance, not procurement.
NEHA–FDA RFFM 2027–2028 — Mentorship Mentor Optional Add-On
NEHA and FDA support mentoring among public retail food regulatory programs working toward national FDA Retail Program Standards; approved Mentor jurisdictions guide one to five assigned Mentees to achieve measurable conformance goals during the annual grant period. This is legitimate applicant-facing financial assistance for eligible government food regulatory agencies, not procurement.
Individual Applicant Funding
$12,000 fixed award for 1 approved Mentee, $15,000 for 2, $18,000 for 3, $21,000 for 4, or $24,000 for 5; final applicant-level award depends on Mentees assigned and approved deliverables. This is a separate one-year application.
Eligibility and Requirements
State, local, tribal or territorial retail food regulatory jurisdictions applying for 2027–28 Track 2 Development Base funding or already holding a current 2025–2028 Track 3 award in good standing. Track 1 jurisdictions cannot apply to be Mentors. An applicant cannot simultaneously be a funded Mentor and a Mentee during this grant year.
Application Dates
UPCOMING: Portal opens December 9, 2026; the deadline is January 27, 2027 at 7:59 p.m. Eastern Time. Confirm Track 2 applicant or existing Track 3 grantee eligibility, prepare detailed mentorship plan and requested number of Mentee jurisdictions (1 to 5), and file a separate Mentorship Mentor Optional Add-On application in the RFFM portal by January 27, 2027 at 7:59 p.m. ET.
Program Details
The official 2027–28 funding table provides fixed amounts increasing by $3,000 for each additional assigned Mentee, starting at $12,000 for one and capped at $24,000 for five. Required funded deliverables include sustained mentoring, site visit(s) to Mentee jurisdictions and attendance at the end-of-year Mentorship meeting; funds are not automatic for the number requested.
Restrictions and Payment
Separate grant application, restricted to Track 2 applicants or current Track 3 grantees. Mentor and Mentee awards cannot be held in the same cycle by one jurisdiction. Completion of base work is a condition for add-on eligibility. No general match percentage specified. General prohibitions on vehicle purchases, remodeling, catering, promotional items and unrelated spending apply. Project period April 1, 2027–March 31, 2028.
Controlling official documentation: NEHA–FDA RFFM Program; 2027–28 Application Guidance, updated October 2026. Last verified November 7, 2026. This is a distinct funding type in the five-grant 2027–28 application round.
Source verificationReferenced source · www.neha.orgAtlas last verified this record 2026-11-07. Always use the funder's current application materials, amendments and portal instructions as the controlling source.View source and application materials ↗
