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 Track 2 Development Base Grants (January 27)
UPCOMING: Track 2 Development Base Grants for qualifying FDA Retail Program Standards state/local/tribal/territorial agencies. $5,000 fixed base award per approved jurisdiction. Optional Standard 9 Risk Factor Study Level 1 $5,000 OR Level 2 $10,000; optional SA9 renewal $3,000, Mentee $10,000 fixed, and Training up to $7,500 reimbursable, only if individually approved. No single universal combined award guaranteed. Apply December 9, 2026 through January 27, 2027 at 7:59 p.m. Eastern.
Funding$5,000 fixed base award per approved jurisdiction. Optional Standard 9 Risk Factor Study Level 1 $5,000 OR Level 2 $10,000; optional SA9 renewal $3,000, Mentee $10,000 fixed, and Training up to $7,500 reimbursable, only if individually approved. No single universal combined award guaranteed.
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 actionRegister in the NEHA-FDA RFFM grant portal; confirm FDA Retail Program Standards enrollment, current SA9 (January 27 2022 or newer) and up-to-date CSIP, plan conformance activities under Standards 1–8 and any selected Standard 9, SA9 renewal, Mentee or Training options; file the Track 2 application by January 27, 2027 at 7:59 p.m. ET.
Broad Eligibility
Enrolled state, local, tribal or territorial retail food regulatory jurisdictions already active in FDA Retail Program Standards with current Self-Assessment of all 9 Standards (SA9) dated January 27, 2022 or later, a complete current Comprehensive Strategic Improvement Plan (CSIP), and intended progress on at least one of Standards 1–8. Additional components have separate approval/eligibility.
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 $5,000 base is fixed funding conditional on delivering required outcomes. Optional Standard 9 work is either a $5,000 Level 1 inspectional file study or $10,000 Level 2 data-collection or hybrid risk factor study, not both; an SA9 renewal that expires during the year may receive $3,000. Optional Mentee is $10,000; eligible Training up to $7,500 requires a budget and documented expense reimbursement. No automatic optional funding; approved activities and final RSA Tool reporting are required. Training reimbursement must follow budget and expenditure documentation. No universal cash match is prescribed in the general guidance. Disallowed costs include vehicle purchases, facility construction/remodeling, ordinary meals, inspection staff positions, promotional goods and certification examination fees. Award period is April 1, 2027–March 31, 2028. Specific type: Track 2 Development Base; 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 — Track 2 Development Base
Track 2 assists jurisdictions already working toward conformance with FDA Retail Program Standards. Required work advances at least one of Standards 1–8 and uses the Retail Program Standards Assessment (RSA) Tool for an up-to-date improvement plan and reporting. This is legitimate applicant-facing financial assistance for eligible government food regulatory agencies, not procurement.
Individual Applicant Funding
$5,000 fixed base award per approved jurisdiction. Optional Standard 9 Risk Factor Study Level 1 $5,000 OR Level 2 $10,000; optional SA9 renewal $3,000, Mentee $10,000 fixed, and Training up to $7,500 reimbursable, only if individually approved. No single universal combined award guaranteed.
Eligibility and Requirements
Enrolled state, local, tribal or territorial retail food regulatory jurisdictions already active in FDA Retail Program Standards with current Self-Assessment of all 9 Standards (SA9) dated January 27, 2022 or later, a complete current Comprehensive Strategic Improvement Plan (CSIP), and intended progress on at least one of Standards 1–8. Additional components have separate approval/eligibility.
Application Dates
UPCOMING: Portal opens December 9, 2026; the deadline is January 27, 2027 at 7:59 p.m. Eastern Time. Register in the NEHA-FDA RFFM grant portal; confirm FDA Retail Program Standards enrollment, current SA9 (January 27 2022 or newer) and up-to-date CSIP, plan conformance activities under Standards 1–8 and any selected Standard 9, SA9 renewal, Mentee or Training options; file the Track 2 application by January 27, 2027 at 7:59 p.m. ET.
Program Details
The $5,000 base is fixed funding conditional on delivering required outcomes. Optional Standard 9 work is either a $5,000 Level 1 inspectional file study or $10,000 Level 2 data-collection or hybrid risk factor study, not both; an SA9 renewal that expires during the year may receive $3,000. Optional Mentee is $10,000; eligible Training up to $7,500 requires a budget and documented expense reimbursement.
Restrictions and Payment
No automatic optional funding; approved activities and final RSA Tool reporting are required. Training reimbursement must follow budget and expenditure documentation. No universal cash match is prescribed in the general guidance. Disallowed costs include vehicle purchases, facility construction/remodeling, ordinary meals, inspection staff positions, promotional goods and certification examination fees. Award period is 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 ↗
