Opportunity Information: Apply for USDA NIFA CGP 004425
Apply for USDA NIFA CGP 004425
- The National Institute of Food and Agriculture in the agriculture education sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Higher Education Challenge Grants Program" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 10.217 Higher Education Institution Challenge Grants Program.
- This funding opportunity was created on Jan 24, 2014 and posted on Jan 24, 2014.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Apr 10, 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 $4,770,000.00 to eligible and selected applicants.
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $750,000.00 in funding.
- Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification) Private institutions of higher education Public and State controlled institutions of higher education.
- Applications may be submitted by (a) U.S. public or private nonprofit colleges and universities offering a baccalaureate or first professional degree in at least one discipline or area of the food and agricultural sciences (b) land grant colleges and universities, (including land grant institutions in the Insular Areas) (c) colleges and universities having significant minority enrollments and a demonstrable capacity to carry out the teaching of food and agricultural sciences and (d) other colleges and universities having a demonstrable capacity to carry out the teaching of food and agricultural sciences.
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Opportunity Summary:
The Higher Education Challenge Grants Program is a competitive grant opportunity administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture's National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) to strengthen higher education in the food and agricultural sciences. The program is designed to fund projects that respond to clear educational needs that matter at the state, regional, national, or even international level. A core expectation is that proposed projects will not simply refine existing practices, but will take a creative or non-traditional approach that can be replicated elsewhere, effectively serving as a model for other institutions or programs that want to tackle similar challenges.
A major emphasis of this program is collaboration and partnership. Funded projects are expected to encourage stronger working relationships across the university science and education community, and also between universities and the private sector. In practice, this means applicants should be prepared to show meaningful cooperation that improves program quality, expands educational capacity, and helps supplement limited resources through shared expertise, facilities, technology, industry participation, internships, or other forms of engagement. The program also places value on lasting impact: it is not enough for a project to be successful only while federal dollars are flowing. Applicants are expected to design efforts that will continue delivering benefits after the grant period ends and after USDA support concludes, such as through institutionalization of curricula, long-term partnerships, scalable learning resources, or durable changes in teaching and training infrastructure.
From an administrative standpoint, this is a discretionary grant program under the agriculture education funding activity category (CFDA 10.217). The opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number USDA NIFA CGP 004425) was originally posted on January 24, 2014, with an application closing date of April 10, 2014, and an archive date of May 10, 2014. The estimated total program funding for that cycle was approximately $4.77 million. Individual awards were expected to range from $30,000 to as much as $750,000, reflecting support for both smaller targeted initiatives and larger, more comprehensive reforms or multi-partner efforts. The program also requires cost sharing or matching, meaning applicants must contribute non-federal resources toward the project budget, a feature that reinforces the expectation of institutional commitment and sustainability.
Eligibility is centered on U.S. colleges and universities with the capacity to teach the food and agricultural sciences. Applications may be submitted by U.S. public or private nonprofit institutions of higher education that offer at least a baccalaureate or first professional degree in one or more food and agricultural science disciplines. Eligible applicants specifically include land-grant colleges and universities (including land-grant institutions in the Insular Areas), institutions with significant minority enrollments that can demonstrably deliver instruction in the food and agricultural sciences, and other colleges and universities that can show a clear ability to carry out teaching in these fields. In other words, the program is not limited strictly to traditional land-grant institutions; it is open to a broader range of qualified higher education organizations as long as they can demonstrate relevant educational capacity.
For applicant support, NIFA provides help through its Help Desk for anyone who has trouble accessing the full announcement electronically (phone 202-401-5048, available Monday through Friday during standard Eastern Time business hours, excluding federal holidays). The program materials also indicate that additional assistance is available for questions related to preparing application content, signaling that applicants are encouraged to seek clarification early so proposals align with the program's priorities around innovation, collaboration, and enduring educational value.
Higher Education Challenge Grants Program (USDA NIFA) - FAQs
What is the Higher Education Challenge Grants Program?
The Higher Education Challenge Grants Program is a competitive, discretionary grant program administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) through the National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA). Its purpose is to strengthen higher education in the food and agricultural sciences by funding projects that address clear and important educational needs.
What kinds of needs is the program trying to address?
The program is intended to fund projects that respond to well-defined educational needs that matter at the state, regional, national, or even international level. Proposed work should be tied to a real, documented educational gap or challenge in food and agricultural sciences education.
Does the program prioritize innovation or improvements to existing programs?
Innovation is a core expectation. Projects are not expected to simply refine or lightly adjust existing practices. Instead, proposals should take a creative or non-traditional approach and be designed in a way that can be replicated elsewhere, serving as a model for other institutions or programs.
What does it mean for a project to be "replicable" or a "model"?
Based on the program description, a replicable project is one that other institutions can realistically adopt or adapt to address similar educational challenges. The goal is for funded projects to demonstrate approaches that can be used beyond the original campus or partnership.
How important is collaboration in this program?
Collaboration and partnership are major emphases. Funded projects are expected to encourage stronger working relationships across the university science and education community and also between universities and the private sector.
What types of partnerships are encouraged?
The opportunity highlights cooperation across universities and engagement with the private sector. Examples of meaningful cooperation mentioned include sharing expertise, facilities, and technology; industry participation; internships; and other forms of engagement that improve educational quality and expand capacity.
What does the program mean by "meaningful cooperation"?
Applicants should be prepared to demonstrate cooperation that improves program quality, expands educational capacity, and helps supplement limited resources. The program description suggests partnerships should go beyond informal support and contribute in concrete ways (for example, shared facilities, applied industry involvement, or structured experiential learning such as internships).
Is long-term impact required, or is it enough to succeed during the grant period?
Long-term impact is explicitly valued. The program indicates it is not enough for a project to work only while federal dollars are available. Applicants are expected to design efforts that continue delivering benefits after the grant period ends and after USDA support concludes.
What are examples of sustainability or lasting impact mentioned in the announcement?
Examples described include institutionalization of curricula, long-term partnerships, scalable learning resources, and durable changes in teaching and training infrastructure. The common thread is that the benefits should continue beyond the funded period.
What is the CFDA number and what does it refer to?
The program is listed under CFDA 10.217 within the agriculture education funding activity category. This identifier is used to categorize and reference federal assistance programs.
What is the Funding Opportunity Number for this announcement?
The Funding Opportunity Number provided is USDA NIFA CGP 004425.
When was this funding opportunity posted and when did it close?
The opportunity was originally posted on January 24, 2014. The application closing date was April 10, 2014. The archive date was May 10, 2014.
How much funding was available for this cycle of the program?
The estimated total program funding for that cycle was approximately $4.77 million.
What is the expected range of award sizes?
Individual awards were expected to range from $30,000 up to $750,000. This range reflects support for both smaller targeted initiatives and larger, more comprehensive reforms or multi-partner efforts.
Is this a competitive grant?
Yes. The program is described as a competitive grant opportunity, meaning proposals are evaluated against program priorities and other submitted applications.
Is cost sharing or matching required?
Yes. The program requires cost sharing or matching, meaning applicants must contribute non-federal resources toward the project budget. This requirement reinforces institutional commitment and supports sustainability beyond the grant period.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is centered on U.S. colleges and universities with the capacity to teach the food and agricultural sciences. Applications may be submitted by U.S. public or private nonprofit institutions of higher education that offer at least a baccalaureate or first professional degree in one or more food and agricultural science disciplines.
Are land-grant universities eligible?
Yes. Eligible applicants include land-grant colleges and universities, including land-grant institutions in the Insular Areas.
Are minority-serving institutions eligible?
Institutions with significant minority enrollments may be eligible if they can demonstrably deliver instruction in the food and agricultural sciences, as described in the opportunity information.
Is eligibility limited only to land-grant institutions?
No. The program is not limited strictly to traditional land-grant institutions. It is open to a broader range of qualified U.S. higher education organizations as long as they can demonstrate relevant educational capacity in the food and agricultural sciences.
What level of academic programs must an institution offer to qualify?
The institution must offer at least a baccalaureate or first professional degree in one or more food and agricultural science disciplines.
What if an institution can teach agricultural sciences but is not a land-grant institution?
The opportunity indicates that other colleges and universities may be eligible if they can show a clear ability to carry out teaching in food and agricultural science fields, and meet the broader eligibility criteria (U.S. public or private nonprofit institution of higher education offering the required degree level).
What support is available if an applicant cannot access the full announcement?
NIFA provides Help Desk support for anyone who has trouble accessing the full announcement electronically. The phone number listed is 202-401-5048, available Monday through Friday during standard Eastern Time business hours, excluding federal holidays.
Is there help available for application preparation questions?
Yes. The program materials indicate that additional assistance is available for questions related to preparing application content, and applicants are encouraged to seek clarification early to align proposals with priorities such as innovation, collaboration, and enduring educational value.
What themes should a strong proposal align with, based on the program description?
Based on the provided program information, strong proposals should align with: (1) clear educational need, (2) innovative or non-traditional approaches, (3) replicability/model potential, (4) collaboration across universities and with the private sector, and (5) sustainability beyond the grant period supported by institutional commitment and cost share.
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Applicants also applied for:
Applicants who have applied for this opportunity (USDA NIFA CGP 004425) also looked into and applied for these:
| Funding Opportunity |
|---|
| Secondary Education, Two Year Postsecondary Education, and Agriculture in the K 12 Classroom Challenge Grants Program Apply for USDA NIFA SAECP 004424 Funding Number: USDA NIFA SAECP 004424 Agency: National Institute of Food and Agriculture Category: Agriculture Education Funding Amount: $300,000 |
| Children, Youth, and Families At Risk (CYFAR) Sustainable Community Projects Apply for USDA NIFA SLBCD 004490 Funding Number: USDA NIFA SLBCD 004490 Agency: National Institute of Food and Agriculture Category: Agriculture Education Funding Amount: $175,000 |
| Resident Instruction Grants Program for Institutions of Higher Education in Insular Areas (RIIA) Apply for USDA CSREES RIGP 002074 Funding Number: USDA CSREES RIGP 002074 Agency: CSREES Category: Agriculture Education Funding Amount: $745,000 |
| Secondary Education, Two Year Postsecondary Education, and Agriculture in the K 12 Classroom Challenge Grants Apply for USDA CSREES SAECP 002584 Funding Number: USDA CSREES SAECP 002584 Agency: CSREES Category: Agriculture Education Funding Amount: $50,000 |
| Higher Education Challenge (HEC) Grants Program Apply for USDA NIFA CGP 002644 Funding Number: USDA NIFA CGP 002644 Agency: National Institute of Food and Agriculture Category: Agriculture Education Funding Amount: $500,000 |
| Youth Farm Safety Education and Certification Apply for USDA NIFA SLBCD 002673 Funding Number: USDA NIFA SLBCD 002673 Agency: National Institute of Food and Agriculture Category: Agriculture Education Funding Amount: $300,000 |
| Alaska Native Serving and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions Education Competitive Grants Program (ANNH) Apply for USDA NIFA AHSI 002819 Funding Number: USDA NIFA AHSI 002819 Agency: National Institute of Food and Agriculture Category: Agriculture Education Funding Amount: $1,500,000 |
| Resident Instruction Grants Program for Institutions of Higher Education in Insular Areas (RIIA) and Distance Education Grants for Insular Areas (DEG) Apply for USDA NIFA RIGP 002820 Funding Number: USDA NIFA RIGP 002820 Agency: National Institute of Food and Agriculture Category: Agriculture Education Funding Amount: $1,500,000 |
| Higher Education Challenge Grants Program Apply for USDA NIFA CGP 003378 Funding Number: USDA NIFA CGP 003378 Agency: National Institute of Food and Agriculture Category: Agriculture Education Funding Amount: $750,000 |
| Resident Instruction Grants Program for Institutions of Higher Education in Insular Areas (RIIA) Apply for USDA NIFA RIGP 003393 Funding Number: USDA NIFA RIGP 003393 Agency: National Institute of Food and Agriculture Category: Agriculture Education Funding Amount: $860,000 |
| Distance Education Grants for Insular Areas (DEG) Apply for USDA NIFA RIGP 003396 Funding Number: USDA NIFA RIGP 003396 Agency: National Institute of Food and Agriculture Category: Agriculture Education Funding Amount: $720,000 |
| Alaska Native Serving and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions Education Competitive Grants Program Apply for USDA NIFA AHSI 003407 Funding Number: USDA NIFA AHSI 003407 Agency: National Institute of Food and Agriculture Category: Agriculture Education Funding Amount: $1,500,000 |
| Food And Agricultural Sciences National Needs Graduate Fellowship Grants Apply for USDA NIFA HEP 003435 Funding Number: USDA NIFA HEP 003435 Agency: National Institute of Food and Agriculture Category: Agriculture Education Funding Amount: $262,500 |
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