Opportunity Information: Apply for USDA NIFA RIGP 003396
Apply for USDA NIFA RIGP 003396
- The National Institute of Food and Agriculture in the agriculture education sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Distance Education Grants for Insular Areas (DEG)" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 10.322 Distance Education Grants for Institutions of Higher Education in Insular Areas.
- This funding opportunity was created on Dec 27, 2010 and posted on Dec 27, 2010.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Apr 8, 2011. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- The funding agency has allocated a total of $720,000.00 to eligible and selected applicants.
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $720,000.00 in funding.
- Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).
- For the purposes of the DEG grants program, an eligible institution means an institution of higher education, as defined in section 101(a) of the Higher Education Act of 1995 (20 U.S.C. 1001(a)), that is located in an Insular Area and that has a demonstrable capacity to carry out teaching and extension programs in the food and agricultural sciences. Individual land grant colleges and universities, and other institutions that have secured land grant status through Federal legislation, and which are located in Insular Areas are automatically eligible for awards under the DEG grants program, either as direct applicants or as parties to a consortium agreement. The eight insular areas are the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, Guam, American Samoa, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, the Republic of Palau, and the Virgin Islands of the United States.
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Opportunity Summary:
The Distance Education Grants for Insular Areas (DEG) program is a discretionary grant opportunity administered by the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) under CFDA 10.322. Its overall goal is to improve technology-focused teaching, learning, and training capacity at colleges and universities located in U.S. insular areas, especially where geographic isolation and limited infrastructure can make it harder to access modern educational resources. The program is designed to strengthen institutions that can carry out teaching and extension work in the food and agricultural sciences, with an emphasis on building the tools, systems, and human capacity needed to deliver technology-rich instruction and related credentials.
DEG funding supports a broad set of activities that revolve around expanding distance education and classroom technology capability. Projects may focus on acquiring or upgrading critical technology assets such as equipment, instrumentation, networking capability, hardware and software, digital network technologies, and the underlying infrastructure required to teach both students and teachers how to use technology effectively in educational settings. Beyond physical and digital infrastructure, the program also supports the development and delivery of educational services, including faculty development, that help students or faculty pursue degrees or certificates that are approved by a state or by a regional accrediting body recognized by the U.S. Secretary of Education. In practice, this means applicants can propose initiatives that build course offerings, training modules, and professional development systems so that credentials meet recognized accreditation standards.
The opportunity also places explicit value on educator preparation and workforce development tied to instructional technology. Funding can be used for teacher education as well as for library and media specialist training, and it can support preschool and teacher aide certification for individuals seeking to gain or improve technology skills used in the classroom or the broader instructional process. Another eligible approach is collaboration: applicants may implement joint projects that provide education about classroom technology in partnership with local educational agencies, community-based organizations, national nonprofit organizations, or businesses. Finally, DEG recognizes that sustainable technology education requires strong institutional leadership, so it allows projects that develop leadership skills for administrators, board members, and faculty who have institutional responsibility for technology education.
Eligible applicants are institutions of higher education, as defined in Section 101(a) of the Higher Education Act (20 U.S.C. 1001(a)), located in an insular area and able to demonstrate capacity to conduct teaching and extension programs in the food and agricultural sciences. Land-grant colleges and universities in insular areas, as well as other institutions granted land-grant status through federal legislation, are automatically eligible. These institutions can apply directly or participate through consortium arrangements. The eight eligible insular areas are the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, Guam, American Samoa, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, the Republic of Palau, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
Financially, the announcement listed an estimated total funding amount of $720,000, with an award ceiling of $720,000 and an award floor of $70,000. The program did not require cost sharing or matching funds, which can be important for institutions with constrained budgets. The funding instrument type was a grant, and the activity category was agriculture education, reflecting NIFA's mission and the expectation that funded institutions have a connection to food and agricultural science teaching and extension.
In terms of timing, the opportunity was posted and created on December 27, 2010, with an original and current closing date of April 8, 2011, and an archive date of May 9, 2011. For support accessing the full announcement, the notice directed applicants to the NIFA Help Desk at 202-401-5048 during business hours (Monday through Friday, 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time, excluding federal holidays).
Distance Education Grants for Insular Areas (DEG) - FAQs
What is the Distance Education Grants for Insular Areas (DEG) program?
The Distance Education Grants for Insular Areas (DEG) program is a discretionary grant opportunity administered by the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) under CFDA 10.322. Its purpose is to strengthen technology-focused teaching, learning, and training capacity at colleges and universities located in U.S. insular areas, where geographic isolation and limited infrastructure can make modern educational resources harder to access.
What is the overall goal of the DEG program?
The program's overall goal is to improve technology-focused teaching, learning, and training capacity at colleges and universities in U.S. insular areas. It is designed to help institutions build the tools, systems, and human capacity needed to deliver technology-rich instruction and related credentials, particularly in settings affected by isolation and infrastructure constraints.
Which federal agency administers this opportunity?
This opportunity is administered by the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA).
What is the CFDA number for this program?
The CFDA number listed for the program is 10.322.
What kinds of institutions is the program intended to strengthen?
The program is intended to strengthen institutions that can carry out teaching and extension work in the food and agricultural sciences, with a strong focus on expanding technology-rich instruction and distance education capability.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligible applicants are institutions of higher education (as defined in Section 101(a) of the Higher Education Act (20 U.S.C. 1001(a))) that are located in an insular area and can demonstrate capacity to conduct teaching and extension programs in the food and agricultural sciences.
Are land-grant institutions automatically eligible?
Yes. Land-grant colleges and universities in insular areas, as well as other institutions granted land-grant status through federal legislation, are automatically eligible.
Can institutions apply as part of a consortium?
Yes. Eligible institutions may apply directly or participate through consortium arrangements.
Which insular areas are eligible under this program?
The eight eligible insular areas are: the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, Guam, American Samoa, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, the Republic of Palau, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
What types of activities can DEG funding support?
DEG funding supports a broad range of activities centered on expanding distance education and classroom technology capability. This includes acquiring or upgrading technology assets and infrastructure, and supporting educational services and faculty development linked to technology-rich teaching and credential programs.
What technology purchases or upgrades are considered eligible?
Projects may focus on acquiring or upgrading critical technology assets such as equipment, instrumentation, networking capability, hardware and software, digital network technologies, and the underlying infrastructure required to teach both students and teachers how to use technology effectively in educational settings.
Does the program support development of courses or educational services?
Yes. In addition to infrastructure and technology improvements, the program supports the development and delivery of educational services, including faculty development, that help students or faculty pursue degrees or certificates that meet approval and accreditation expectations described in the notice.
Are degrees or certificates supported by the program required to be accredited?
The notice specifies that supported degrees or certificates should be approved by a state or by a regional accrediting body recognized by the U.S. Secretary of Education.
Can the grant be used for faculty development?
Yes. Faculty development is explicitly included among the supported educational services and capacity-building activities.
Does the program fund teacher education or educator preparation?
Yes. The opportunity places explicit value on educator preparation and workforce development tied to instructional technology, and it allows funding for teacher education activities.
Can the grant support library and media specialist training?
Yes. The notice states that funding can be used for library and media specialist training.
Can the program support preschool or teacher aide certification related to technology skills?
Yes. It can support preschool and teacher aide certification for individuals seeking to gain or improve technology skills used in the classroom or the broader instructional process.
Are partnerships or joint projects allowed?
Yes. Applicants may implement joint projects that provide education about classroom technology in partnership with local educational agencies, community-based organizations, national nonprofit organizations, or businesses.
Does the program support leadership development related to technology education?
Yes. The notice recognizes that sustainable technology education requires strong institutional leadership and allows projects that develop leadership skills for administrators, board members, and faculty who have institutional responsibility for technology education.
What is the total estimated funding available?
The announcement listed an estimated total funding amount of $720,000.
What is the minimum and maximum award size?
The award floor (minimum) is $70,000, and the award ceiling (maximum) is $720,000.
Is cost sharing or matching required?
No. The program did not require cost sharing or matching funds.
What type of funding instrument is used?
The funding instrument type is a grant.
What is the activity category for this opportunity?
The activity category is agriculture education, reflecting NIFA's mission and the expectation that funded institutions have a connection to food and agricultural science teaching and extension.
When was the opportunity posted?
The opportunity was posted (and created) on December 27, 2010.
What was the closing date for applications?
The original and current closing date listed was April 8, 2011.
When was the opportunity archived?
The archive date listed was May 9, 2011.
Who can applicants contact for help accessing the full announcement?
The notice directed applicants to the NIFA Help Desk at 202-401-5048.
What are the NIFA Help Desk hours listed in the notice?
The listed hours were Monday through Friday, 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time, excluding federal holidays.
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