Opportunity Information: Apply for USDA NIFA HSI 003624

  • 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 Dec 19, 2011 and posted on Dec 19, 2011.
  • Applicants must submit their applications by Mar 8, 2012 All Regular Project applications must be received by Grants.gov by close of business (COB) on February 9, 2012 (500 p.m. Eastern Time). All Collaboration Project applications must be received by Grants.gov by close of business (COB) on March 8, 2012 (500 p.m. Eastern Time). Applications received after this deadline normally will not be considered for funding. Letter of intent required for New Collaborations only are due January 10, 2012.. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
  • Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $9,200,000.00 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.
  • 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.
Apply for USDA NIFA HSI 003624

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Opportunity Summary:

The Hispanic Serving Institutions (HSI) Education Grants Program is a competitive federal grant opportunity run by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, National Institute of Food and Agriculture (USDA NIFA). Its core purpose is to build and strengthen the capacity of eligible Hispanic Serving Institutions to deliver strong higher education programs tied to the food and agricultural sciences. In practical terms, the program is meant to help HSIs improve what they can offer students across agriculture and related disciplines, with an emphasis on attracting high-performing students, supporting their success, and graduating professionals who can contribute to the nation’s food, agriculture, natural resources, and related scientific workforce.

This opportunity is listed as a discretionary grant program under Funding Opportunity Number USDA NIFA HSI 003624, with the corresponding CFDA number 10.223 (Hispanic Serving Institutions Education Grants). The activity areas covered are broad and include agriculture, education, environment, food and nutrition, and natural resources, reflecting USDA’s workforce and education priorities across the full food and agriculture system. The posted and creation date for the announcement were December 19, 2011, and the opportunity archive date was April 7, 2012.

Eligibility is limited to institutions that meet the federal definition of a Hispanic Serving Institution and are public or otherwise nonprofit colleges or universities. A key threshold 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 opportunity specifically identifies eligible applicants as public and state-controlled institutions of higher education and private institutions of higher education, but the main restriction is that awards may only be made to public or other nonprofit HSIs meeting the enrollment requirement. By submitting an application, the organization is certifying that it meets the eligibility rules.

The program does not require cost sharing or matching funds, which can make it more accessible for eligible institutions that may have limited capacity to provide institutional match. The notice lists an award ceiling of $9,200,000, indicating the maximum award amount referenced in the announcement materials for this opportunity.

The announcement distinguishes between at least two application tracks with different deadlines: Regular Project applications were due through Grants.gov by close of business on February 9, 2012 (5:00 p.m. Eastern Time), while Collaboration Project applications were due by close of business on March 8, 2012 (5:00 p.m. Eastern Time). Late applications were generally not considered. For new collaborations, a letter of intent was required and was due January 10, 2012. Applicants were expected to submit electronically via Grants.gov in accordance with these cutoffs.

For support, USDA NIFA provided a help desk contact for issues accessing the full announcement electronically (NIFA Help Desk at 202-401-5048, available Monday through Friday during business hours, excluding federal holidays). The announcement also notes that there was a separate channel for questions related to preparing application content, pointing applicants toward program guidance and assistance as they developed proposals.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs): Hispanic Serving Institutions (HSI) Education Grants Program (USDA NIFA)

What is the Hispanic Serving Institutions (HSI) Education Grants Program?

The HSI Education Grants Program is a competitive federal discretionary grant opportunity administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA). Its purpose is 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 goal of this grant program?

The program is designed to help eligible HSIs improve what they can offer students across agriculture and related disciplines, with an emphasis on attracting high-performing students, supporting student success, and graduating professionals prepared to contribute to the nation's food, agriculture, natural resources, and related scientific workforce.

Which federal agency runs this opportunity?

This opportunity is run by the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture (USDA NIFA).

What is the Funding Opportunity Number (FON) for this program?

The Funding Opportunity Number listed for this opportunity is USDA NIFA HSI 003624.

What is the CFDA number for this program?

The CFDA number provided is 10.223 (Hispanic Serving Institutions Education Grants).

What activity areas does the program cover?

The activity areas are broad and include agriculture, education, environment, food and nutrition, and natural resources, aligning with USDA priorities across the food and agriculture system.

Who is eligible to apply?

Eligibility is limited to institutions that meet the federal definition of a Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI) and are public or otherwise nonprofit colleges or universities. The opportunity identifies eligible applicants as public and state-controlled institutions of higher education and private institutions of higher education, but awards may only be made to public or other nonprofit HSIs that meet the enrollment requirement described in the notice.

What enrollment threshold must an applicant meet to qualify as an eligible HSI for this grant?

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.

Does submitting an application require the institution to certify eligibility?

Yes. By submitting an application, the organization is certifying that it meets the eligibility rules stated in the opportunity.

Is this a competitive grant or a formula/entitlement program?

This is a competitive federal grant opportunity and is listed as a discretionary grant program.

Is cost sharing or matching required?

No. The program does not require cost sharing or matching funds.

What is the maximum award amount listed in the announcement?

The notice lists an award ceiling of $9,200,000, which is the maximum award amount referenced in the announcement materials for this opportunity.

Are there different application tracks?

Yes. The announcement distinguishes between at least two tracks: Regular Project applications and Collaboration Project applications. Each track had its own deadline.

When were Regular Project applications due?

Regular Project applications were due through Grants.gov by close of business on February 9, 2012 (5:00 p.m. Eastern Time).

When were Collaboration Project applications due?

Collaboration Project applications were due by close of business on March 8, 2012 (5:00 p.m. Eastern Time).

Were late applications accepted?

Late applications were generally not considered, based on the notice.

Was a letter of intent required?

For new collaborations, a letter of intent was required.

What was the letter of intent deadline for new collaborations?

The letter of intent for new collaborations was due January 10, 2012.

How were applications expected to be submitted?

Applicants were expected to submit applications electronically via Grants.gov in accordance with the stated cutoffs.

What were the official posted and creation dates for the announcement?

The posted date and creation date for the announcement were both December 19, 2011.

When was this opportunity archived?

The opportunity archive date was April 7, 2012.

Who should applicants contact if they have trouble accessing the full announcement electronically?

The notice lists the NIFA Help Desk at 202-401-5048 (available Monday through Friday during business hours, excluding federal holidays) for issues accessing the full announcement electronically.

Is there a contact path for questions about application content and proposal development?

Yes. The announcement notes that there was a separate channel for questions related to preparing application content, and it points applicants toward program guidance and assistance as they developed proposals.

What types of institutions are explicitly referenced as eligible applicants in the notice?

The opportunity specifically identifies public and state-controlled institutions of higher education and private institutions of higher education, with the restriction that awards may only be made to public or other nonprofit HSIs that meet the HSI enrollment requirement.

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