Opportunity Information: Apply for USDA NIFA HEP 004635
Apply for USDA NIFA HEP 004635
- The National Institute of Food and Agriculture in the agriculture sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Food and Agricultural Sciences National Needs Graduate and Postgraduate Fellowship (NNF) Grants Program" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 10.210 Higher Education Graduate Fellowships Grant Program.
- This funding opportunity was created on Aug 13, 2014 and posted on Aug 13, 2014.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Sep 30, 2014. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- The funding agency has allocated a total of $2,800,000.00 to eligible and selected applicants.
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $262,500.00 in funding.
- Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).
- Pursuant to section 1417 of the NARETPA of 1977 (99 Stat. 1548 7 U.S.C. 3152), and administrative provisions that can be found in 7 CFR 3402 applications may be submitted by (1) Land grant institutions including the University of the District of Columbia (2) Colleges and universities having significant minority enrollments and a demonstrable capacity to carry out the teaching of food and agricultural sciences and (3) Other colleges and universities having a demonstrable capacity to carry out the teaching of food, and agricultural sciences. Research foundations maintained by an eligible college or university are eligible to submit graduate training proposals under this RFA. Applicants should be institutions that confer a graduate degree in at least one of the TESAs. Award recipients may subcontract to organizations not eligible to apply provided such organizations are necessary for the conduct of the project.
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Opportunity Summary:
The Food and Agricultural Sciences National Needs Graduate and Postgraduate Fellowship (NNF) Grants Program is a competitive USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) grant opportunity designed to strengthen the pipeline of highly trained professionals in USDA mission areas. It funds institution-led traineeship programs that recruit, train, and support outstanding graduate students working toward Masters and doctoral degrees in food, agriculture, and natural resource sciences. In addition to degree training support, the program also includes Special International Study or Thesis/Dissertation Research Travel Allowances (IRTA) for eligible USDA NNF beneficiaries, helping funded fellows pursue international study experiences or conduct research travel tied directly to thesis or dissertation work.
A central expectation of the program is that applicants articulate a clear and intentional graduate training philosophy rather than simply listing courses or research topics. Proposals are expected to explain how the training model will build advanced expertise and professional readiness aligned with USDA priorities, broader NIFA priorities, and national science education policies and workforce statistics. The overall focus is on traineeship programs that lead students to timely degree completion and prepare them for careers that directly support national needs in agriculture, food systems, environmental stewardship, and related scientific and educational fields.
Applications are solicited from institutions that confer graduate degrees in at least one of the Targeted Expertise Shortage Areas (TESAs). The seven TESAs named in the announcement are: (1) animal and plant production, (2) forest resources, (3) agricultural educators and communicators, (4) agricultural management and economics, (5) food science and human nutrition, (6) sciences for agricultural biosecurity, and (7) integrative biosciences for sustainable food and agricultural systems. In practical terms, applicants need to show that their graduate programs and training environment directly map onto at least one of these shortage areas, and that the proposed traineeship addresses a documented workforce or knowledge gap relevant to USDA mission needs.
Eligibility is institution-focused rather than individual-focused. Under section 1417 of the National Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching Policy Act (NARETPA) of 1977 and implementing provisions in 7 CFR 3402, eligible applicants include land-grant institutions (including the University of the District of Columbia), colleges and universities with significant minority enrollments and a demonstrated ability to teach food and agricultural sciences, and other colleges and universities that can demonstrate capacity to carry out teaching in food and agricultural sciences. Research foundations maintained by an eligible college or university may also submit graduate training proposals under this request for applications. While the applicant must be an eligible institution, awardees are allowed to subcontract parts of the work to organizations that are not independently eligible to apply, as long as those partners are necessary to carry out the project.
From an administrative standpoint, this is a discretionary grant program listed under CFDA 10.210 (Higher Education - Graduate Fellowships Grant Program). The opportunity number is USDA NIFA HEP 004635, originally posted on Aug 13, 2014, with an application closing date of Sep 30, 2014, and an archive date of Oct 30, 2014. The estimated total funding available for the competition was $2,800,000. The stated award ceiling was $262,500, with an award floor of $0, and the program did not require cost sharing or matching funds, which can be an important consideration for universities trying to build fellowship capacity without committing additional mandatory institutional match.
Overall, the program is best understood as a workforce development and advanced training investment: it pays institutions to run structured graduate traineeships in nationally important agricultural and food science fields where expertise shortages exist, while also offering a mechanism (IRTA) to broaden fellows experiences through international study or research travel when it meaningfully supports their graduate research. For applicants, the competitiveness hinges on demonstrating strong graduate education infrastructure, clear alignment with USDA and NIFA mission priorities, thoughtful training design, and credible plans for recruiting and graduating high-caliber Masters and PhD students in the specified shortage areas.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the Food and Agricultural Sciences National Needs Graduate and Postgraduate Fellowship (NNF) Grants Program?
It is a competitive USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) grant program designed to strengthen the pipeline of highly trained professionals in USDA mission areas. The program funds institution-led traineeship programs that recruit, train, and support outstanding graduate students pursuing Masters and doctoral degrees in food, agriculture, and natural resource sciences.
Who is this grant intended to support: institutions or individual students?
Eligibility and application submission are institution-focused rather than individual-focused. Institutions apply to run traineeship programs; the funding supports graduate fellows within those institution-led programs.
What does the program fund, in practical terms?
The program funds structured, institution-led graduate traineeships that recruit, train, and support graduate students working toward Masters and PhD degrees in relevant fields. It also includes Special International Study or Thesis/Dissertation Research Travel Allowances (IRTA) for eligible USDA NNF beneficiaries when the travel is tied directly to thesis or dissertation work.
What are the Special International Study or Thesis/Dissertation Research Travel Allowances (IRTA)?
IRTA are travel allowances available to eligible USDA NNF beneficiaries to support either international study experiences or research travel that is directly connected to the fellow's thesis or dissertation.
What kinds of degrees does the program support?
The traineeship programs supported under this opportunity are intended for graduate students working toward Masters and doctoral degrees.
What are the Targeted Expertise Shortage Areas (TESAs) for this opportunity?
The announcement identifies seven Targeted Expertise Shortage Areas (TESAs): (1) animal and plant production, (2) forest resources, (3) agricultural educators and communicators, (4) agricultural management and economics, (5) food science and human nutrition, (6) sciences for agricultural biosecurity, and (7) integrative biosciences for sustainable food and agricultural systems.
Do applicants have to align their project to a TESA?
Yes. Applications are solicited from institutions that confer graduate degrees in at least one TESA, and proposals are expected to show that the graduate programs and training environment map directly onto at least one shortage area.
What does the program expect from the proposed training model?
A central expectation is that applicants articulate a clear and intentional graduate training philosophy rather than only listing courses or research topics. Proposals are expected to explain how the training model builds advanced expertise and professional readiness aligned with USDA priorities, broader NIFA priorities, and national science education policies and workforce statistics.
Is this mainly a research grant or a workforce development/training grant?
Based on the description, it is best understood as a workforce development and advanced training investment. The funding pays institutions to run structured graduate traineeships in nationally important fields where expertise shortages exist.
What outcomes are emphasized for trainees supported under this program?
The overall focus is on traineeship programs that lead students to timely degree completion and prepare them for careers that directly support national needs in agriculture, food systems, environmental stewardship, and related scientific and educational fields.
Who is eligible to apply under the rules cited in the announcement?
Under section 1417 of the National Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching Policy Act (NARETPA) of 1977 and implementing provisions in 7 CFR 3402, eligible applicants include land-grant institutions (including the University of the District of Columbia), colleges and universities with significant minority enrollments and a demonstrated ability to teach food and agricultural sciences, and other colleges and universities that can demonstrate capacity to carry out teaching in food and agricultural sciences.
Can a research foundation apply?
Yes. Research foundations maintained by an eligible college or university may submit graduate training proposals under this request for applications.
Can the awardee subcontract parts of the work to organizations that are not eligible to apply directly?
Yes. Awardees are allowed to subcontract parts of the work to organizations that are not independently eligible to apply, as long as those partners are necessary to carry out the project.
What is the CFDA number for this program?
The program is listed under CFDA 10.210 (Higher Education - Graduate Fellowships Grant Program).
What is the opportunity number for this grant?
The opportunity number is USDA NIFA HEP 004635.
When was this opportunity posted, and what were the key dates?
The opportunity was originally posted on Aug 13, 2014. The application closing date was Sep 30, 2014, and the archive date was Oct 30, 2014.
How much funding was available for this competition?
The estimated total funding available for the competition was $2,800,000.
What were the award ceiling and floor?
The stated award ceiling was $262,500, and the award floor was $0.
Was cost sharing or matching required?
No. The program did not require cost sharing or matching funds.
What makes an application competitive based on the announcement description?
Competitiveness hinges on demonstrating strong graduate education infrastructure, clear alignment with USDA and NIFA mission priorities, a thoughtful and credible training design (including a clear training philosophy), and credible plans for recruiting and graduating high-caliber Masters and PhD students in the specified shortage areas.
How should applicants address workforce needs in the proposal?
Applicants are expected to show that the proposed traineeship addresses a documented workforce or knowledge gap relevant to USDA mission needs, and to connect the training model to broader NIFA priorities and national science education policies and workforce statistics.
Is the program limited to a single discipline, or can it cover multiple areas?
The program spans multiple shortage areas (TESAs). An institution needs to confer graduate degrees in at least one TESA and demonstrate that the proposed traineeship maps onto at least one of those areas.
What is the main purpose of the IRTA component within the broader program?
Based on the description, the IRTA component is a mechanism to broaden fellows experiences through international study or research travel when it meaningfully supports their thesis or dissertation research.
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