National — NEHA-FDA 2027–2028 Retail Flexible Funding Model Track 1 Development Base Grants ($5,000 Base; January 27)

UPCOMING NEHA–FDA RFFM 2027–28 Track 1 grants for state, local, tribal and territorial retail food regulators: $5,000 base with separately eligible $10,000 mentee and up to $7,500 training components. Applications December 9, 2026–January 27, 2027, 7:59 p.m. ET.

Funding$5,000 fixed funding for Track 1 base grant per applicant jurisdiction; optionally $10,000 Mentee and up to $7,500 Training add-ons if approved. Up to $22,500 for combined funded components; no program pool substituted. Training is reimbursement-based.

DeadlineUPCOMING — portal opens December 9, 2026; application deadline January 27, 2027 at 7:59 p.m. Eastern Time (ET).

Last verified2026-11-07

Required next actionBefore Dec 9, confirm eligibility/enrollment in FDA Retail Program Standards and NEHA RFFM portal registration. Choose 2027–28 Track 1, plan SA9 plus CSIP using RSA Tool, and submit completed online application by January 27, 2027 at 7:59 p.m. ET. Optional Mentee and Training components require proper selection/budget.

Broad Eligibility

State, local, tribal, or territorial retail food regulatory programs enrolled in FDA Retail Program Standards; Track 1 for new or restarting jurisdictions. Required SA9 and CSIP using RSA Tool. Optional mentorship/training depend on eligibility and approval.

Atlas Analysis

NEHA–FDA Retail Flexible Funding Model (RFFM) — Grant Year 2027–2028, Track 1

The National Environmental Health Association (NEHA), in partnership with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, offers competitive financial assistance to state, local, tribal, and territorial retail food regulatory agencies beginning or restarting work toward the FDA Voluntary National Retail Food Regulatory Program Standards. This is a genuine applicant grant, not a government equipment purchase or vendor contract.

Funding

$5,000 fixed funding per approved Track 1 base award for specified deliverables. Applicants may also request a $10,000 Mentee optional add-on and up to $7,500 reimbursement-based training optional add-on, if eligible and funded. Thus combined approved Track 1 components can total up to $22,500; optional awards are not guaranteed. This is individual jurisdiction-level funding, not the overall program allocation.

Eligibility and Required Results

Eligible applicants are retail food safety regulatory programs of state, local, tribal, or territorial jurisdictions enrolled in FDA Retail Program Standards. Track 1 is intended for new enrollees or agencies restarting conformance work. A grantee must use NEHA’s Retail Program Standards Assessment (RSA) Tool to complete a Self-Assessment of all Nine Standards (SA9) and a Comprehensive Strategic Improvement Plan (CSIP). Participation in optional mentorship or training requires its separately approved activities.

Deadline and Application

UPCOMING: the NEHA grant portal opens December 9, 2026; applications close January 27, 2027, at 7:59 p.m. Eastern Time. Enroll with the FDA Retail Program Standards, register in the NEHA-FDA Grant Portal, select Track 1, and submit the complete required online application. Project period: April 1, 2027 through March 31, 2028. Applicants must complete the required performance reporting.

Important Funding Conditions

Base and Mentee components pay for confirmed outcomes/deliverables; training funding requires an approved budget and documented reimbursable expenses. The official guidance does not specify a universal cash-match percentage. Prohibited expenses include vehicle procurement, construction/remodeling, ordinary food/catering, inspection staff positions, promotional merchandise, most membership fees, and certification examination fees; other federal subaward restrictions apply.

Official sources: NEHA–FDA RFFM Grant Program and 2027–2028 Application Guidance (October 2026). Verified November 7, 2026. This Track 1 application is separate from Track 2, continuing Track 3 add-ons, Mentor, and Special Projects applications.