NSF Plant Biology Act
Sponsored By: Representative Riley (NY)
Introduced
Summary
Creates a new NSF program to fund fundamental plant and microbial biology research aimed at agriculture, food, and biotechnology. It would let the National Science Foundation award competitive, merit-reviewed grants to universities, nonprofits, private companies, and federal, state, local, or Tribal governments to support basic plant biology and the tools that enable that science.
Show full summary
- Researchers and institutions: Makes colleges, nonprofit organizations, private-sector entities, and government bodies eligible to compete for grants that support basic plant and microbial biology research.
- Agriculture and biotech sectors: Directs funded work toward research with potential relevance to agriculture, food systems, or biotechnology, including tools, resources, and enabling technologies.
- Legal and administrative change: Adds a definition of "Nonprofit organization" as a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt entity to the NSF authorization text and the bill text contains a typographical element in that citation.
*Would authorize $150 million per year from 2026 through 2031 to carry out this program.*
Your PRIA Score
Personalized for You
How does this bill affect your finances?
Sign up for a PRIA Policy Scan to see your personalized alignment score for this bill and every other piece of legislation we track. We analyze your financial profile against policy provisions to show you exactly what matters to your wallet.
Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
1 provisions identified: 0 benefits, 0 costs, 1 mixed.
New NSF plant biology grants
If enacted, this bill would create a new NSF program to fund plant and microbial biology research. The NSF Director would award competitive, merit-reviewed grants to colleges, nonprofits, private companies, and federal, state, local, or Tribal governments, or consortia. The research would include fundamental plant biology and tools, resources, and technologies relevant to agriculture, food, or biotechnology. The bill would authorize $150 million each year for fiscal years 2026 through 2031. The bill would also define “nonprofit organization” for NSF as a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt group, which could narrow eligibility for some organizations that are not 501(c)(3).
Free Policy Watch
You just read the policy. Now see what it costs you.
Pick a topic. PRIA runs your household against live legislation and sends you a free personalized readout.
Pick a topic to get started
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Riley (NY)
NY • D
Cosponsors
Rep. Baird, James R. [R-IN-4]
IN • R
Sponsored 3/16/2026
Rep. Bell, Wesley [D-MO-1]
MO • D
Sponsored 4/9/2026
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
View on Congress.govTake It Personal
Get Your Personalized Policy View
Take the PRIA Score to see how policy affects your household, then upgrade to PRIA Full Coverage for year-round monitoring.
Already have an account? Sign in