Opportunity Information: Apply for 7200AA18R00044
Nutrition Innovations in Complex Environments is a USAID Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) focused on finding and developing research and development innovations that prevent and treat nutrition vulnerabilities in difficult, high-constraint settings, such as fragile states, humanitarian crises, or other complex environments where chronic and acute malnutrition persist. The central idea is not a traditional, fully defined grant competition; instead, USAID is explicitly seeking to co-create and co-design solutions with selected partners. That means applicants are expected to bring promising ideas, technical expertise, operational capabilities, resources, and potentially co-investment, and then work collaboratively with USAID (and potentially other engaged stakeholders) to shape those ideas into implementable R&D concepts aligned with the BAA problem and challenge statements.
A key feature of this opportunity is the partnership structure. USAID notes a shared interest in ending malnutrition with two other actors: the United Kingdom Department for International Development (DFID) and the Eleanor Crook Foundation (ECF). All three may participate in the co-creation process, but the funding roles differ. USAID and ECF reserve the right to fund, co-fund, or decline to fund concepts that come out of the BAA process, while DFID does not plan to fund concepts through this particular mechanism. In practical terms, applicants should treat USAID as the main funding counterpart and view ECF as a potential co-funder, while DFID participation is more about technical collaboration and alignment rather than direct financing.
The technical scope is broad but clearly anchored in one outcome: sustained reductions in both chronic malnutrition (often linked to stunting and long-term dietary inadequacy) and acute malnutrition (often linked to wasting and crisis-driven nutritional shocks). USAID highlights three main areas of interest. First is figuring out how to take proven pilot interventions and bring them to scale sustainably, which implies attention to cost structures, supply chains, workforce models, government ownership, market shaping, and long-term financing rather than short-lived project success. Second is innovation that increases impact across sectors, recognizing that nutrition outcomes are influenced by health services, agriculture and food systems, water and sanitation, social protection, and humanitarian assistance, and that breakthroughs may come from integrated approaches rather than siloed programming. Third is the use of new approaches that shift behaviors and sustain positive change, including behavioral economics "nudge" strategies and enabling technologies, which could involve improvements in demand creation, adherence, caregiver practices, service uptake, and decision-making among households and frontline workers.
From an administrative standpoint, this is an "Other" category funding opportunity using an "Other" funding instrument type under the Food and Nutrition funding activity category (CFDA 98.001). Eligibility is described as unrestricted, meaning it is broadly open to many entity types, subject to any clarifications in the full announcement. USAID anticipated making about four awards, with an award ceiling of $2,000,000, signaling that the agency is looking for a small number of relatively substantial, innovation-oriented efforts rather than many small grants. The BAA was open for one year from the issuance date, with the overall closing date listed as May 2, 2019, but it also included a specific request for Expressions of Interest (EOIs) due June 1, 2018 at 10:00 AM Eastern Time, and questions due May 21, 2018 at 10:00 AM Eastern Time. Submissions and questions were directed to BAANutrition@usaid.gov, reinforcing that the front door into the process is an EOI that can be used to identify potential partners for co-creation rather than a fully developed proposal from the start.
Overall, the opportunity is best understood as an R&D innovation partnering pathway where USAID is trying to reduce the time and transaction costs of building strong solutions by bringing partners into a structured co-design process early. Competitive advantage here would likely come from demonstrating that an idea is grounded in evidence, feasible in complex settings, designed for scale and sustainability, and capable of producing measurable nutrition improvements while leveraging cross-sector coordination and behaviorally informed strategies.Apply for 7200AA18R00044
- The Agency for International Development in the food and nutrition sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Nutrition Innovations in Complex Environments" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 98.001.
- This funding opportunity was created on May 03, 2018.
- Applicants must submit their applications by May 02, 2019 The BAA is Open for one year from date of Issuance. However, this announcement calls for Expressions of Interest Submissions due on June 1, 2018 at 1000 AM Eastern Time. Questions due on May 21, 2018 at 10 AM ET. Send Questions and EOI submissions to BAANutrition@usaid.gov.. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $2,000,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 4 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Unrestricted (i.e., open to any type of entity above), subject to any clarification in text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is "Nutrition Innovations in Complex Environments"?
Nutrition Innovations in Complex Environments is a USAID Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) focused on identifying and developing research and development (R&D) innovations that prevent and treat nutrition vulnerabilities in difficult, high-constraint settings such as fragile states, humanitarian crises, and other complex environments where chronic and acute malnutrition persist.
Is this a traditional grant competition with a fully defined project scope?
No. This opportunity is not described as a traditional, fully defined grant competition. USAID is explicitly seeking to co-create and co-design solutions with selected partners, meaning concepts are expected to be shaped collaboratively rather than submitted as fully developed proposals at the outset.
What does "co-creation" and "co-design" mean in this BAA?
Co-creation and co-design mean USAID expects selected partners to work collaboratively with USAID (and potentially other engaged stakeholders) to shape promising ideas into implementable R&D concepts aligned with the BAA problem and challenge statements. Applicants are expected to contribute ideas, technical expertise, operational capabilities, resources, and potentially co-investment.
What kinds of settings does USAID mean by "complex environments"?
The BAA highlights difficult, high-constraint settings including fragile states, humanitarian crises, and other environments where chronic and acute malnutrition persist and where operating conditions may be challenging.
What is the main outcome USAID is trying to achieve through this opportunity?
The opportunity is anchored in achieving sustained reductions in both chronic malnutrition and acute malnutrition. Chronic malnutrition is often linked to stunting and long-term dietary inadequacy, while acute malnutrition is often linked to wasting and crisis-driven nutritional shocks.
What are the main technical areas of interest under this BAA?
USAID highlights three main areas of interest: (1) scaling proven pilot interventions sustainably, (2) increasing nutrition impact across sectors, and (3) using new approaches to shift behaviors and sustain positive change (including behavioral economics "nudge" strategies and enabling technologies).
What does USAID mean by scaling "proven pilot interventions" sustainably?
The BAA signals interest in moving beyond short-lived pilot success and focusing on sustainable scale. This implies attention to cost structures, supply chains, workforce models, government ownership, market shaping, and long-term financing.
What does "increasing impact across sectors" refer to?
It refers to innovations that recognize nutrition outcomes are influenced by multiple sectors, including health services, agriculture and food systems, water and sanitation, social protection, and humanitarian assistance. USAID indicates that breakthroughs may come from integrated approaches rather than siloed programming.
What kinds of behavior-change approaches are relevant to this opportunity?
The BAA specifically mentions approaches that shift behaviors and sustain positive change, including behavioral economics "nudge" strategies and enabling technologies. Examples of the types of changes referenced include improvements in demand creation, adherence, caregiver practices, service uptake, and decision-making among households and frontline workers.
Who are the partners mentioned in connection with this BAA?
USAID notes shared interest in ending malnutrition with two other actors: the United Kingdom Department for International Development (DFID) and the Eleanor Crook Foundation (ECF). All three may participate in the co-creation process.
Will DFID fund projects through this BAA?
No. DFID does not plan to fund concepts through this particular mechanism. DFID participation is described more as technical collaboration and alignment rather than direct financing.
Can the Eleanor Crook Foundation (ECF) provide funding through this process?
Potentially. USAID and ECF reserve the right to fund, co-fund, or decline to fund concepts that come out of the BAA process. Applicants should treat USAID as the main funding counterpart and view ECF as a potential co-funder.
Who should applicants consider the primary funding counterpart?
Based on the opportunity description, applicants should treat USAID as the main funding counterpart, with ECF as a potential co-funder and DFID as a potential technical collaborator rather than a funder through this mechanism.
What type of funding opportunity is this administratively?
This is listed as an "Other" category funding opportunity using an "Other" funding instrument type, under the Food and Nutrition funding activity category (CFDA 98.001).
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is described as unrestricted, meaning it is broadly open to many entity types, subject to any clarifications in the full announcement.
How many awards was USAID expecting to make?
USAID anticipated making about four awards.
What is the maximum award size (award ceiling)?
The award ceiling is listed as $2,000,000.
What does an award ceiling of $2,000,000 suggest about the type of projects USAID wants?
It suggests USAID is looking for a small number of relatively substantial, innovation-oriented efforts rather than many small grants.
What is the first step to engage with this BAA?
The opportunity emphasizes an Expression of Interest (EOI) as the main entry point. The EOI is used to identify potential partners for co-creation, rather than requiring a fully developed proposal from the start.
When were questions due for the referenced EOI request?
Questions were due May 21, 2018 at 10:00 AM Eastern Time.
When was the Expression of Interest (EOI) due?
The EOI was due June 1, 2018 at 10:00 AM Eastern Time.
What was the overall closing date of the BAA?
The overall closing date is listed as May 2, 2019, and the BAA is described as being open for one year from the issuance date.
Where were submissions and questions directed?
Submissions and questions were directed to BAANutrition@usaid.gov.
What should a strong concept emphasize to be competitive in this BAA process?
Based on the opportunity description, competitive advantage would likely come from showing the idea is grounded in evidence, feasible in complex settings, designed for scale and sustainability, and capable of producing measurable nutrition improvements, while leveraging cross-sector coordination and behaviorally informed strategies.
Is USAID trying to reduce the time and transaction costs of developing solutions through this mechanism?
Yes. The opportunity is framed as an R&D innovation partnering pathway intended to reduce the time and transaction costs of building strong solutions by bringing partners into a structured co-design process early.
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