Opportunity Information: Apply for USDA NIFA HSI 004449
Apply for USDA NIFA HSI 004449
- The National Institute of Food and Agriculture in the agriculture education environment food and nutrition natural resources sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Hispanic Serving Institutions (HSI) Education Grants Program" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 10.223 Hispanic Serving Institutions Education Grants.
- This funding opportunity was created on Feb 3, 2014 and posted on Feb 3, 2014.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Mar 13, 2014 All Regular Project applications must be received by 500 p.m. Eastern Time on March 12, 2014. All Science, Technology, Engineering, Agriculture and Mathematics (STEAM) Project applications must be received by 500 p.m. Eastern Time on March 13, 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 $9,200,000.00 to eligible and selected applicants.
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $300,000.00 in funding.
- Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).
- Awards may only be made to public or other non profit Hispanic Serving Institutions as defined in the definitions section of this RFA. To be eligible for competitive consideration for an award under this program, a Hispanic Serving Institution must at the time of application certify that it has an enrollment of undergraduate full time equivalent students that is at least 25 percent Hispanic students. By submitting an application, the applicant organization certifies that it is eligible to receive funding under this program.
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Opportunity Summary:
The Hispanic Serving Institutions (HSI) Education Grants Program is a competitive grant opportunity offered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) through the National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA). Its central purpose is to build and strengthen the capacity of eligible Hispanic Serving Institutions to deliver high-quality higher education programs connected to the food and agricultural sciences. In practical terms, the program is meant to help HSIs expand or improve academic programs, training experiences, and educational pathways that prepare students for careers supporting the nations food and agriculture system, including scientific, technical, and professional roles tied to agriculture, food systems, natural resources, and related disciplines.
The program is classified as a discretionary grant program, meaning proposals are evaluated competitively rather than being awarded automatically based on a formula. The funding activity areas reflect the broad scope of USDA and NIFA priorities, including agriculture, education, environment, food and nutrition, and natural resources. The assistance listing identifier for this program is CFDA 10.223, which corresponds specifically to Hispanic Serving Institutions Education Grants. The emphasis on strengthening institutional capacity and producing a stronger workforce signals that projects are expected to do more than offer short-term activities; they are generally aimed at improving education and training pipelines so that more students can be recruited, retained, trained, and ultimately graduated with skills that match workforce needs in food and agricultural sciences.
Eligibility is limited to public or other non-profit Hispanic Serving Institutions as defined in the programs request for applications. A key eligibility requirement is that, at the time of application, the institution must be able to certify that at least 25 percent of its undergraduate full-time equivalent enrollment is Hispanic. The program relies on applicant certification: by submitting an application, the institution is affirming it meets the eligibility criteria to receive funding under the program. The eligible applicant category is described broadly as "Others" in the listing, with clarification provided in the full announcement that the intent is to restrict awards to qualifying HSIs that are public or non-profit.
Financially, the opportunity listed an estimated total funding amount of $9,200,000. Individual awards could be as high as $300,000, and the award floor is listed as $0, which typically indicates that there is no guaranteed minimum award size and that award amounts can vary depending on the scope and quality of the proposed project and the available funds. Importantly for budgeting and institutional planning, there is no cost sharing or matching requirement, which means institutions are not required to contribute a specific non-federal match to be eligible, although applicants may still choose to leverage other resources to strengthen a proposal if allowed under the program rules.
The opportunity had a posted and creation date of February 3, 2014, with a closing date in March 2014, and it was later archived in April 2014. The solicitation included separate submission deadlines depending on the project type. Regular Project applications were due by 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time on March 12, 2014, while Science, Technology, Engineering, Agriculture and Mathematics (STEAM) Project applications were due by 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time on March 13, 2014. These staggered deadlines suggest the program distinguished between standard education capacity projects and those more explicitly aligned with a STEAM-focused approach within agriculture and related fields, even though both categories share the same overarching workforce and educational improvement goals.
For support, NIFA provided a help desk contact for applicants who had difficulty accessing the full announcement, with phone support available during standard business hours (Monday through Friday, 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time, excluding federal holidays). The announcement also indicates that applicants could seek guidance related to preparing application content, reinforcing that the program anticipated detailed proposal development and that institutions were expected to submit well-structured, compliant applications within the required timeframe.
Overall, this grant opportunity is best understood as a targeted USDA investment in HSIs to strengthen educational programming in food and agricultural sciences, expand opportunities for Hispanic and other students to enter these fields, and increase the number of well-prepared graduates ready to contribute to the nations food and agricultural workforce.
FAQs: Hispanic Serving Institutions (HSI) Education Grants Program (USDA NIFA)
What is the Hispanic Serving Institutions (HSI) Education Grants Program?
It is a competitive (discretionary) grant opportunity offered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) through the National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) to build and strengthen the capacity of eligible Hispanic Serving Institutions (HSIs) to deliver high-quality higher education programs connected to the food and agricultural sciences.
What is the main purpose of this grant?
The central purpose is to strengthen institutional capacity at eligible HSIs so they can expand or improve academic programs, training experiences, and educational pathways that prepare students for careers supporting the nation’s food and agriculture system, including scientific, technical, and professional roles in agriculture, food systems, natural resources, and related disciplines.
Is this a competitive grant or an automatic/formula award?
This is a discretionary program, meaning proposals are evaluated competitively rather than awarded automatically based on a formula.
Which federal agency and office administer the program?
The program is offered by USDA and administered through NIFA (National Institute of Food and Agriculture).
What kinds of project topics or activity areas does the program cover?
The funding activity areas reflect USDA and NIFA priorities and include agriculture, education, environment, food and nutrition, and natural resources. Projects are expected to connect to higher education programs and training pipelines tied to food and agricultural sciences.
What is the Assistance Listing (CFDA) number for this opportunity?
The assistance listing identifier is CFDA 10.223, which corresponds to Hispanic Serving Institutions Education Grants.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is limited to public or other non-profit Hispanic Serving Institutions as defined in the program’s request for applications.
What is the minimum Hispanic enrollment requirement to qualify as an eligible HSI for this program?
At the time of application, the institution must be able to certify that at least 25 percent of its undergraduate full-time equivalent (FTE) enrollment is Hispanic.
How is eligibility verified?
The program relies on applicant certification. By submitting an application, the institution affirms it meets the eligibility criteria to receive funding under the program.
What applicant type is listed for eligibility?
The eligible applicant category is described broadly as “Others†in the listing, with clarification that awards are restricted to qualifying HSIs that are public or non-profit.
How much total funding was estimated for this opportunity?
The estimated total funding amount listed for the opportunity was $9,200,000.
What is the maximum award amount?
Individual awards could be as high as $300,000.
Is there a minimum award amount?
The award floor is listed as $0, which typically indicates there is no guaranteed minimum award size and award amounts may vary based on the project scope, proposal quality, and available funds.
Is cost sharing or matching required?
No. The opportunity states there is no cost sharing or matching requirement.
Can applicants still leverage other resources even if matching is not required?
The opportunity notes that while a non-federal match is not required, applicants may still choose to leverage other resources to strengthen a proposal if allowed under the program rules.
When was this grant opportunity posted?
The opportunity had a posted and creation date of February 3, 2014.
When were applications due?
The solicitation included separate deadlines by project type. Regular Project applications were due by 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time on March 12, 2014. STEAM Project applications were due by 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time on March 13, 2014.
What time zone applied to the submission deadlines?
Deadlines were specified as 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time.
What is the difference between Regular Projects and STEAM Projects in this solicitation?
The solicitation distinguished between standard education capacity projects (Regular Projects) and projects more explicitly aligned with a Science, Technology, Engineering, Agriculture and Mathematics (STEAM) approach within agriculture and related fields. Both categories share the overarching goal of strengthening education and workforce preparation in food and agricultural sciences.
What does it mean that the opportunity was archived?
The opportunity was later archived in April 2014, meaning it is presented as a past/closed funding opportunity in the provided information.
What kinds of outcomes does USDA NIFA expect from funded projects?
The emphasis is on strengthening institutional capacity and producing a stronger workforce. Projects are generally expected to improve education and training pipelines so that more students can be recruited, retained, trained, and ultimately graduated with skills that match workforce needs in food and agricultural sciences.
What support was available if an applicant had trouble accessing the full announcement?
NIFA provided a help desk contact for applicants who had difficulty accessing the full announcement, with phone support available during standard business hours (Monday through Friday, 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time, excluding federal holidays).
Could applicants request guidance on preparing application content?
Yes. The announcement indicates applicants could seek guidance related to preparing application content, reflecting that detailed, well-structured, compliant applications were expected.
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Applicants also applied for:
Applicants who have applied for this opportunity (USDA NIFA HSI 004449) also looked into and applied for these:
| Funding Opportunity |
|---|
| Hispanic Serving Institutions Education Grants Program (HSI) Apply for USDA NIFA HSI 002664 Funding Number: USDA NIFA HSI 002664 Agency: National Institute of Food and Agriculture Category: Agriculture Education Environment Food and Nutrition Natural Resources Funding Amount: $500,000 |
| Hispanic Serving Institutions Education Grants Program Apply for USDA NIFA HSI 003398 Funding Number: USDA NIFA HSI 003398 Agency: National Institute of Food and Agriculture Category: Agriculture Education Environment Food and Nutrition Natural Resources Funding Amount: $1,100,000 |
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