Opportunity Information: Apply for USDA NIFA CGP 002644
Apply for USDA NIFA CGP 002644
- The National Institute of Food and Agriculture in the agriculture education sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Higher Education Challenge (HEC) 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 Oct 27, 2009 and posted on Oct 23, 2009.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Feb 5, 2010. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- The funding agency has allocated a total of $5,200,000.00 to eligible and selected applicants.
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $500,000.00 in funding.
- Eligible applicants include: Private institutions of higher education Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification) Public and State controlled institutions of higher education.
- a) U.S. public or private, nonprofit colleges/universities offering baccalaureate or 1st professional degree in at least one discipline/area of food agricultural sciences b) land grant colleges/universities (including those in Insular Areas) c) colleges/universities having significant minority enrollments demonstrable capacity to teach food agricultural sciences d) colleges/universities having demonstrable capacity to teach food agricultural sciences.
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Opportunity Summary:
The Higher Education Challenge (HEC) Grants Program is a competitive grant opportunity from the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) designed to strengthen higher education in the food and agricultural sciences. The program funds project-based efforts that respond to clear educational needs at the state, regional, national, or even international level. A central expectation is that funded projects will not just make incremental improvements, but will tackle meaningful teaching and learning gaps in ways that can be replicated by other institutions and programs.
A defining feature of this opportunity is its emphasis on creative and non-traditional approaches to agricultural and food systems education. NIFA is looking for projects that push beyond standard classroom or curriculum updates and instead test new models, methods, partnerships, or delivery formats that could serve as examples for others. Alongside innovation, the program strongly prioritizes collaboration. Applicants are expected to build or strengthen working relationships within the university science and education community and to connect universities with the private sector when that improves educational quality or helps stretch available resources. The intent is to encourage joint problem-solving, shared infrastructure or expertise, and stronger alignment between academic training and real-world workforce or industry needs.
Another key program goal is long-term impact. Proposals should be built with sustainability in mind, meaning the benefits should continue after the grant ends and after USDA support is no longer available. In practice, this usually implies outcomes such as institutionalized curriculum, durable teaching tools, faculty development that continues to influence instruction, lasting partnerships, scalable program models, or other changes that remain embedded in the participating institutions.
This specific funding opportunity was posted on October 23, 2009 (created October 27, 2009) and closed on February 5, 2010, with an archive date of March 6, 2010. The total estimated funding available was $5,200,000. Individual awards were expected to fall between $150,000 (award floor) and $500,000 (award ceiling). The assistance listing is under CFDA number 10.217, and the activity category is Agriculture Education. Awards are made as grants under a discretionary program.
Cost sharing or matching is required, meaning applicants needed to commit non-federal resources as part of the project budget. While the source text does not specify the match percentage, applicants would generally need to plan for documented contributions (cash and/or allowable in-kind support, depending on the program rules) and be prepared to track and report those contributions according to federal grant requirements.
Eligibility is focused on U.S. institutions of higher education with the capacity to teach in the food and agricultural sciences. Eligible applicants include U.S. public or private, nonprofit colleges and universities that offer at least a baccalaureate degree or first professional degree in at least one food or agricultural sciences discipline or area. Land-grant institutions are explicitly included, including those located in Insular Areas. Institutions with significant minority enrollments are also highlighted as eligible when they have a demonstrable capacity to teach food and agricultural sciences. The opportunity also lists private institutions of higher education and public/state-controlled institutions of higher education, with a note that additional eligibility clarification may exist in the full announcement.
For support, NIFA provided a help desk for applicants who had trouble accessing the announcement electronically. The NIFA Help Desk could be reached at 202-401-5048 during business hours (Monday through Friday, 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time, excluding federal holidays). The full announcement also indicated there was a point of contact for questions related to preparing application content, though the provided excerpt cuts off before listing those details.
Overall, the HEC Grants Program is best understood as an education-focused agricultural grant aimed at high-impact improvements in teaching and learning. It favors projects that address real and well-defined educational needs, use innovative approaches that can be adopted by others, build meaningful partnerships across academia and with industry, and leave behind outcomes that last well beyond the grant period.
Higher Education Challenge (HEC) Grants Program (USDA NIFA) - FAQs
What is the Higher Education Challenge (HEC) Grants Program?
The Higher Education Challenge (HEC) Grants Program is a competitive grant opportunity from the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) that is intended to strengthen higher education in the food and agricultural sciences through project-based efforts.
What is the main purpose of HEC funding?
The program supports projects that respond to clear educational needs (state, regional, national, or international) and that address meaningful teaching and learning gaps. A central expectation is that projects go beyond incremental improvements and produce approaches that can be replicated by other institutions or programs.
What kinds of projects does HEC prioritize?
HEC prioritizes creative and non-traditional approaches to agricultural and food systems education. Rather than standard classroom updates or routine curriculum refreshes, the emphasis is on testing new models, methods, partnerships, or delivery formats that could serve as examples for others.
Is collaboration required or just encouraged?
Collaboration is strongly prioritized. Applicants are expected to build or strengthen working relationships within the university science and education community, and to connect universities with the private sector when it improves educational quality or helps stretch resources.
Why does the program emphasize partnerships with the private sector?
The intent is to encourage joint problem-solving, shared infrastructure or expertise, and stronger alignment between academic training and real-world workforce or industry needs when those partnerships improve educational outcomes or increase the effective use of available resources.
What does NIFA mean by "long-term impact" and "sustainability" for this program?
Proposals are expected to be built so that benefits continue after the grant ends and after USDA support is no longer available. This can include outcomes such as institutionalized curriculum, durable teaching tools, ongoing faculty development effects, lasting partnerships, scalable program models, or other enduring changes embedded within participating institutions.
When was this funding opportunity posted, and when did it close?
This specific opportunity was posted on October 23, 2009 (created October 27, 2009). It closed on February 5, 2010, and was archived on March 6, 2010.
How much total funding was estimated to be available?
The total estimated funding available for this opportunity was $5,200,000.
What was the expected size of individual awards?
Individual awards were expected to range from $150,000 (award floor) to $500,000 (award ceiling).
What is the CFDA number for this program?
The assistance listing is under CFDA number 10.217.
What is the activity category for this opportunity?
The activity category listed is Agriculture Education.
What type of funding instrument is used?
Awards are made as grants under a discretionary program.
Is cost sharing or matching required?
Yes. Cost sharing or matching is required, meaning applicants needed to commit non-federal resources as part of the project budget.
Does the provided information specify the required match percentage?
No. The source information notes that matching is required but does not state a specific percentage.
What kinds of matching contributions might be expected based on the description?
Applicants would generally need to plan for documented non-federal contributions, which may include cash and/or allowable in-kind support depending on program rules, and be prepared to track and report those contributions according to federal grant requirements.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility focuses on U.S. institutions of higher education with the capacity to teach in the food and agricultural sciences.
What types of institutions are specifically included as eligible applicants?
Eligible applicants include U.S. public or private, nonprofit colleges and universities that offer at least a baccalaureate degree or first professional degree in at least one food or agricultural sciences discipline or area.
Are land-grant institutions eligible?
Yes. Land-grant institutions are explicitly included, including those located in Insular Areas.
Are institutions with significant minority enrollments eligible?
Yes. Institutions with significant minority enrollments are highlighted as eligible when they have a demonstrable capacity to teach food and agricultural sciences.
Does the opportunity mention private or public/state-controlled institutions?
Yes. The opportunity lists private institutions of higher education and public/state-controlled institutions of higher education.
Is there a note about additional eligibility clarification?
Yes. The information notes that additional eligibility clarification may exist in the full announcement.
What educational needs should projects address?
Projects should respond to clear educational needs at a state, regional, national, or international level, and should target meaningful teaching and learning gaps rather than minor improvements.
What is the expectation around replicability?
A key expectation is that funded projects produce solutions that can be replicated by other institutions and programs, serving as models that others can adopt or adapt.
Where could applicants get help if they had trouble accessing the announcement electronically?
NIFA provided a help desk for applicants who had trouble accessing the announcement electronically.
What are the NIFA Help Desk hours and phone number listed?
The NIFA Help Desk could be reached at 202-401-5048 during business hours, Monday through Friday, 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time, excluding federal holidays.
Was there a point of contact for application content questions?
The full announcement indicated there was a point of contact for questions related to preparing application content, but the provided excerpt cuts off before listing the contact details.
How should this program be understood at a high level?
Overall, the HEC Grants Program is an education-focused agricultural grant aimed at high-impact improvements in teaching and learning, favoring well-defined needs, innovative and non-traditional approaches, meaningful partnerships across academia and industry, and outcomes that last beyond the grant period.
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| 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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