Opportunity Information: Apply for USDA NIFA SLBCD 011656
Apply for USDA NIFA SLBCD 011656
- The National Institute of Food and Agriculture in the agriculture sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Assistive Technology Program for Farmers with Disabilities" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 10.500.
- This funding opportunity was created on 2026-04-23.
- Applicants must submit their applications by 2026-06-23. (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 $530,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 30 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Others.
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Opportunity Summary:
The Assistive Technology Program for Farmers with Disabilities (AgrAbility) is a USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) grant opportunity designed to help farmers, ranchers, and other agricultural workers with disabilities, including veterans, remain productive and successful in agriculture. The program focuses on practical, on-the-farm solutions by combining agricultural expertise with disability services, rehabilitation approaches, and assistive technology. Its overall goal is to reduce barriers that can keep people with disabilities from continuing in farming or entering agricultural careers, while also strengthening the resilience of rural communities that depend on these producers and their families.
AgrAbility funds two main types of efforts. First, it supports State and Regional AgrAbility Projects (SRAPs), which are cooperative, demonstration-style projects that operate at the state or regional level. These SRAPs are meant to deliver direct, hands-on education and assistance on farms and in agricultural settings, helping participants identify and adopt accommodations that fit their work, health needs, and specific farm conditions. Typical activities implied by the program design include farm assessments, recommendations for modifications or adaptive equipment, training on safer work practices, and connecting producers to local disability resources so that solutions are sustainable over time rather than one-off interventions.
Second, the program funds a single National AgrAbility Project (NAP), which serves as the nationwide backbone for technical assistance and training. The NAP is expected to support the network of state and regional projects by providing training, sharing best practices, developing and distributing information, and helping strengthen community-based rehabilitation and assistive technology services geared specifically toward agricultural work. A key emphasis is ensuring that on-site, direct service programs are well-supported with updated knowledge and coordinated resources, including for veterans who are either continuing farm work or pursuing new opportunities in agriculture.
Eligibility depends on which component an applicant is pursuing. For SRAPs, applications must be submitted by Cooperative Extension Service representatives at 1862 or 1890 Land-grant Colleges and Universities (explicitly including the University of the District of Columbia, Tuskegee University, West Virginia State University, and Central State University). A required element of SRAP proposals is partnership with one or more private nonprofit, community-based organizations that provide direct services to individuals with disabilities. Applications must include commitment letters from the nonprofit partner organization(s), signaling that the partnership is formal, active, and central to delivering services. SRAP awardees are also allowed to subcontract with entities that cannot apply directly (for example, 1994 Land-grant Colleges and Universities), as long as those entities are necessary to carry out the project. Additionally, joint proposals are allowed, meaning 1862 and 1890 institutions can partner with each other and with other Land-grant or non-Land-grant institutions in their state or region, but these partnerships must also be documented with commitment letters from all participating organizations.
For the National AgrAbility Project (NAP), applications must be submitted by a national private nonprofit disability organization. The NAP awardee may also subcontract with organizations or institutions that are not eligible to apply directly, provided they are needed to accomplish the national-level work of training, coordination, technical assistance, and information dissemination.
Key administrative details from the listing include the funding opportunity title (Assistive Technology Program for Farmers with Disabilities) and number (USDA NIFA SLBCD 011656). It is a mandatory opportunity, using a grant funding instrument, categorized under Agriculture with CFDA number 10.500. The agency is USDA NIFA. The original closing date is 2026-06-23. The maximum award amount listed is 530,000, and the opportunity anticipates about 30 awards. In practical terms, that suggests USDA expects to support a sizeable group of state/regional demonstration projects alongside the national coordinating project, creating a broader service network that can reach producers with disabilities in many locations and agricultural sectors.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs): Assistive Technology Program for Farmers with Disabilities (AgrAbility)
What is this grant opportunity?
The Assistive Technology Program for Farmers with Disabilities (AgrAbility) is a USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) grant opportunity focused on helping farmers, ranchers, and other agricultural workers with disabilities (including veterans) stay productive and successful in agriculture by reducing disability-related barriers to agricultural work.
Who is the funding agency?
The funding agency is the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA).
What is the official funding opportunity number?
The opportunity number is USDA NIFA SLBCD 011656.
What is the official title of the opportunity?
The funding opportunity title is Assistive Technology Program for Farmers with Disabilities.
What is the CFDA number and category?
The CFDA number listed is 10.500, and the category is Agriculture.
What type of funding instrument is used?
This opportunity uses a grant funding instrument.
Is this a mandatory or discretionary opportunity?
It is listed as a mandatory opportunity.
When is the application closing date?
The original closing date is 2026-06-23.
How much funding is available per award?
The maximum award amount listed is 530,000.
How many awards does USDA anticipate making?
The listing anticipates about 30 awards.
What is the overall goal of AgrAbility?
The program goal is to reduce barriers that can prevent people with disabilities from continuing in farming or entering agricultural careers, while also strengthening the resilience of rural communities that depend on agricultural producers and their families.
Who does AgrAbility aim to help?
AgrAbility is designed to help farmers, ranchers, and other agricultural workers with disabilities, explicitly including veterans, remain productive in agriculture.
What kinds of solutions does AgrAbility emphasize?
The program emphasizes practical, on-the-farm solutions that combine agricultural expertise with disability services, rehabilitation approaches, and assistive technology.
What are the two main components AgrAbility funds?
AgrAbility funds (1) State and Regional AgrAbility Projects (SRAPs) and (2) a single National AgrAbility Project (NAP).
What is an SRAP (State and Regional AgrAbility Project)?
SRAPs are cooperative, demonstration-style projects that operate at the state or regional level. They are intended to deliver direct, hands-on education and assistance on farms and in agricultural settings so participants can identify and adopt accommodations suited to their work, health needs, and farm conditions.
What types of activities are SRAPs expected to carry out?
Based on the program design described, SRAPs typically involve on-farm support such as farm assessments, recommendations for modifications or adaptive equipment, training on safer work practices, and connecting producers to local disability resources to support long-term, sustainable solutions.
What is the National AgrAbility Project (NAP)?
The NAP is the single national project that functions as the nationwide backbone for technical assistance and training. It supports the network of state and regional projects by providing training, sharing best practices, developing and distributing information, and strengthening community-based rehabilitation and assistive technology services tailored to agricultural work.
How does the NAP support state and regional projects?
The NAP is expected to provide training, coordination, technical assistance, and information dissemination so that on-site, direct service programs (the SRAPs) are supported with updated knowledge and coordinated resources, including resources relevant to veterans in agriculture.
Who is eligible to apply for SRAP funding?
For SRAPs, applications must be submitted by Cooperative Extension Service representatives at 1862 or 1890 Land-grant Colleges and Universities. The listing explicitly includes the University of the District of Columbia, Tuskegee University, West Virginia State University, and Central State University.
Is a nonprofit partner required for SRAP applications?
Yes. A required element of SRAP proposals is a partnership with one or more private nonprofit, community-based organizations that provide direct services to individuals with disabilities.
Do SRAP applications need letters of commitment?
Yes. SRAP applications must include commitment letters from the nonprofit partner organization(s), indicating the partnership is formal, active, and central to delivering services. If there are additional participating organizations, their participation must also be documented with commitment letters.
Can SRAP awardees subcontract work to other entities?
Yes. SRAP awardees are allowed to subcontract with entities that cannot apply directly (for example, 1994 Land-grant Colleges and Universities) as long as those entities are necessary to carry out the project.
Are joint proposals allowed for SRAPs?
Yes. Joint proposals are allowed, including partnerships between 1862 and 1890 institutions and with other Land-grant or non-Land-grant institutions in the state or region. These partnerships must be documented with commitment letters from all participating organizations.
Who is eligible to apply for the National AgrAbility Project (NAP)?
Applications for the NAP must be submitted by a national private nonprofit disability organization.
Can the NAP awardee subcontract work to other organizations?
Yes. The NAP awardee may subcontract with organizations or institutions that are not eligible to apply directly, provided they are needed to accomplish national-level work such as training, coordination, technical assistance, and information dissemination.
Does AgrAbility specifically include veterans?
Yes. The opportunity explicitly includes veterans among the agricultural workers with disabilities the program is intended to support, including veterans continuing farm work or pursuing new opportunities in agriculture.
What does the anticipated number of awards suggest about the program footprint?
With a maximum award amount listed and about 30 anticipated awards, USDA appears to expect support for a sizeable group of state/regional demonstration projects along with the national coordinating project, creating a broader service network that can reach producers with disabilities across many locations and agricultural sectors.
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