Opportunity Information: Apply for USDA NIFA AFRI 003538
Apply for USDA NIFA AFRI 003538
- The National Institute of Food and Agriculture in the agriculture education environment natural resources sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Agriculture and Food Research Initiative NIFA Fellowships Grant Program" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 10.310 Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (AFRI).
- This funding opportunity was created on Sep 21, 2011 and posted on Sep 21, 2011.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Jan 19, 2012 In FY 2012, a Letter of Intent is required for submission of an application to the NIFA Fellowships Grant Program. A letter is required for both Pre and Postdoctoral Grant applications. Refer to Part IV, A (page 14) for instructions on the preparation of a Letter of Intent.. (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 $130,000.00 in funding.
- Eligible applicants include: Individuals Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments) Public and State controlled institutions of higher education Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification) Small businesses Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education Private institutions of higher education For profit organizations other than small businesses Nonprofits that do not have a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education.
- NIFA Pre and Postdoctoral Fellowship Grants will support research, education, extension, or integrated activities that address one of the Challenge Areas or Foundational Program Areas, as submitted by eligible (i) students pursuing a doctorate degree and who have successfully completed their preliminary, qualifying, or general exams (oral and/or written, as per institutional requirements) prior to the application deadline and (ii) individuals seeking postdoctoral opportunities who have received their doctoral degree no earlier than January 1, 2009 and not later than July 19, 2012. Applicants must respond to the Program Area Priorities and deadlines found in the FY 2012 RFA. Applications submitted by non United States organizations will not be considered for support. However, U.S. citizens, nationals, or permanent residents applying for Pre and Postdoctoral Fellowships may do all or part of the proposed work at a non United States organization.Eligible applicants for the program implemented under this subpart include (1) State Agricultural Experiment Stations (2) colleges and universities (including junior colleges offering associate degrees or higher) (3) university research foundations (4) other research institutions and organizations (5) Federal agencies, (6) national laboratories (7) private organizations or corporations (8) individuals who are U.S. citizens, nationals, or permanent residents and (9) any group consisting of two or more entities identified in (1) through (8). Eligible institutions do not include foreign and international organizations.
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Opportunity Summary:
The Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (AFRI) NIFA Fellowships Grant Program is a discretionary grant opportunity run by the U.S. Department of Agriculture's National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) under CFDA 10.310. Its core purpose is workforce development: building the next generation of agricultural scientists who can lead and innovate in the face of major societal challenges tied to agriculture, food, forestry, and natural resources. Rather than funding institutions alone, the program is centered on supporting high-potential individuals, specifically advanced doctoral candidates and early-career postdoctoral researchers, who are positioned to become future leaders in agricultural science.
The program is designed to strengthen both research capability and professional readiness. For doctoral fellows, the emphasis is on developing strong technical and academic competence, meaning the fellow should leave the award period better prepared to conduct rigorous research and contribute meaningfully to priority areas in agriculture and related fields. For postdoctoral fellows, the program places particular weight on helping them build research independence and stronger teaching credentials, reflecting the expectation that postdoctoral trainees are closer to launching independent careers in academia, government, or industry. A key feature is the expectation of well-developed, highly interactive mentoring and training plans, signaling that NIFA is not just funding a project idea, but a structured training environment that actively develops the fellow's skills and trajectory.
Projects funded through this fellowship mechanism can span a range of activity types, as long as they align with NIFA's Challenge Areas or Foundational Program Areas described in the relevant Request for Applications (RFA). Applicants may propose single-function projects, meaning proposals focused solely on Research, Education, or Extension, or they may propose integrated projects that combine Research with Education and/or Extension components. This flexibility allows a fellow to build a program that fits their discipline and career goals, whether that is fundamental discovery research, applied work with stakeholder engagement, educational innovation, or a blend that connects scientific results to real-world adoption.
Eligibility is targeted and time-sensitive, reflecting the fellowship nature of the program. Predoctoral applicants must be doctoral students who have already passed their preliminary, qualifying, or general exams (as defined by their institution) by the application deadline, ensuring applicants are far enough along to execute a substantive fellowship project. Postdoctoral applicants must have earned their doctoral degree within a defined window: no earlier than January 1, 2009 and no later than July 19, 2012 for this specific cycle. While the program is focused on strengthening U.S. capacity and does not support applications submitted by non-U.S. organizations, it does allow U.S. citizens, nationals, or permanent residents to conduct some or all of the proposed work at an organization outside the United States, which can be important for projects requiring unique facilities, field sites, archives, or specialized collaborators abroad.
A wide range of applicant and host entities can be involved, including state agricultural experiment stations, colleges and universities, university research foundations, other research institutions, federal agencies and national laboratories, private organizations or corporations, and eligible individuals who are U.S. citizens, nationals, or permanent residents. Foreign and international organizations are not considered eligible institutions under the program, which reinforces the domestic capacity-building goal even when parts of the research may occur internationally through eligible U.S.-based applicants.
For the FY 2012 cycle described in the source data (Funding Opportunity Number USDA NIFA AFRI 003538), applications were due on January 19, 2012, and the opportunity listed an award ceiling of $130,000 with no cost sharing or matching requirement. A notable procedural requirement for that year was a mandatory Letter of Intent for both predoctoral and postdoctoral submissions, with instructions referenced in the RFA. Administrative support for access issues was routed through the NIFA Help Desk, and the opportunity was posted on September 21, 2011 and later archived on February 18, 2012.
Overall, this fellowship opportunity is best understood as a competitive, individual-focused award meant to accelerate the development of exceptional early-career scientists in agriculture and related sciences. It funds not only the proposed research and/or outreach work, but also the training structure, mentorship, and professional development activities that help fellows emerge with stronger skills, clearer independence, and a higher likelihood of long-term impact in U.S. agricultural science and innovation.
AFRI NIFA Fellowships Grant Program (CFDA 10.310) FAQs
1) What is the AFRI NIFA Fellowships Grant Program?
The Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (AFRI) NIFA Fellowships Grant Program is a discretionary grant opportunity administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture's National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) under CFDA 10.310. It is designed as a workforce development program that supports high-potential individuals in agriculture and related sciences.
2) What is the main goal of this fellowship program?
The core purpose is to build the next generation of agricultural scientists who can lead and innovate on major societal challenges tied to agriculture, food, forestry, and natural resources. The program focuses on both research capability and professional readiness.
3) Who is this program intended to support?
This program is centered on supporting advanced doctoral candidates (predoctoral fellows) and early-career postdoctoral researchers (postdoctoral fellows) who are positioned to become future leaders in agricultural science.
4) How is a fellowship different from a typical institutional research grant?
Rather than funding institutions alone, the fellowship mechanism is individual-focused. The program emphasizes the fellow's development and trajectory, including structured training, mentoring, and professional development, not just the research idea itself.
5) What does NIFA expect in terms of mentoring and training?
A key expectation is a well-developed, highly interactive mentoring and training plan. This signals that NIFA is funding a structured training environment that actively builds the fellow's skills, research trajectory, and professional readiness.
6) What are the emphasis areas for predoctoral fellows?
For doctoral fellows, the emphasis is on developing strong technical and academic competence. The goal is that the fellow completes the award period better prepared to conduct rigorous research and contribute meaningfully to priority areas in agriculture and related fields.
7) What are the emphasis areas for postdoctoral fellows?
For postdoctoral fellows, the program places particular weight on building research independence and stronger teaching credentials, reflecting the expectation that postdoctoral trainees are closer to launching independent careers in academia, government, or industry.
8) What kinds of projects can be proposed under this fellowship?
Projects can span a range of activity types as long as they align with NIFA's Challenge Areas or Foundational Program Areas described in the relevant Request for Applications (RFA). Proposals may be single-function (Research, Education, or Extension only) or integrated (combining Research with Education and/or Extension components).
9) What does "single-function" versus "integrated" mean for this program?
Single-function projects are focused solely on one area: Research, Education, or Extension. Integrated projects combine Research with Education and/or Extension, allowing a fellow to connect scientific work with training, outreach, or stakeholder engagement.
10) Do proposed projects have to fit within specific NIFA priority areas?
Yes. Projects funded through this fellowship mechanism are expected to align with NIFA Challenge Areas or Foundational Program Areas as described in the relevant RFA.
11) What are the eligibility requirements for predoctoral applicants?
Predoctoral applicants must be doctoral students who have already passed their preliminary, qualifying, or general exams (as defined by their institution) by the application deadline. This requirement ensures applicants are far enough along to execute a substantive fellowship project.
12) What are the eligibility requirements for postdoctoral applicants in this cycle?
For the specific cycle described (FY 2012), postdoctoral applicants must have earned their doctoral degree within a defined window: no earlier than January 1, 2009 and no later than July 19, 2012.
13) Are foreign or international organizations eligible to apply?
No. Foreign and international organizations are not considered eligible institutions under this program, and the opportunity does not support applications submitted by non-U.S. organizations.
14) Can fellowship work be conducted outside the United States?
Yes. While the program is focused on strengthening U.S. capacity and requires eligible U.S.-based applicants, it allows U.S. citizens, nationals, or permanent residents to conduct some or all of the proposed work at an organization outside the United States. This may be relevant for projects needing unique facilities, field sites, archives, or specialized collaborators abroad.
15) What types of applicant or host entities can be involved?
The opportunity describes a wide range of potential applicant and host entities, including state agricultural experiment stations, colleges and universities, university research foundations, other research institutions, federal agencies and national laboratories, private organizations or corporations, and eligible individuals who are U.S. citizens, nationals, or permanent residents.
16) What is the Funding Opportunity Number for the FY 2012 cycle referenced here?
The FY 2012 cycle described in the source data is identified as Funding Opportunity Number USDA NIFA AFRI 003538.
17) What was the application deadline for the FY 2012 cycle described?
For the FY 2012 cycle referenced, applications were due on January 19, 2012.
18) What was the maximum award amount for this opportunity?
The FY 2012 cycle described listed an award ceiling of $130,000.
19) Is cost sharing or matching required?
No. For the FY 2012 cycle described, there was no cost sharing or matching requirement.
20) Was a Letter of Intent required?
Yes. For that year, a Letter of Intent was mandatory for both predoctoral and postdoctoral submissions, with instructions referenced in the RFA.
21) Where were applicants directed for help with access or administrative issues?
Administrative support for access issues was routed through the NIFA Help Desk.
22) When was this funding opportunity posted and when was it archived?
The opportunity was posted on September 21, 2011 and later archived on February 18, 2012.
23) What is the overall takeaway on what this fellowship funds?
This is a competitive, individual-focused award intended to accelerate the development of exceptional early-career scientists in agriculture and related sciences. It supports not only the proposed research and/or outreach work, but also the training structure, mentorship, and professional development activities aimed at improving skills, strengthening independence, and increasing long-term impact in U.S. agricultural science and innovation.
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