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National Needs Graduate Fellowships Program (USDA CSREES) - FAQs

What is the National Needs Graduate Fellowships Program?

The National Needs Graduate Fellowships Program is a discretionary grant competition run by the USDA Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service (CSREES) to strengthen the graduate pipeline in the food and agricultural sciences. The program focuses on building long-term workforce capacity by supporting graduate training in "critical areas of national need" (targeted expertise shortage areas).

What is the main purpose of this funding opportunity?

The core purpose is to help universities recruit and support outstanding students who will pursue and complete graduate degrees in national priority areas within the food and agricultural sciences. It is designed as a graduate training investment rather than a mechanism to fund research projects directly.

Is this funding awarded to students or to universities?

Funding is awarded to eligible institutions, not to individual students. Universities use the grant to establish and manage fellowship slots within their graduate programs and select fellows through those programs.

Can an individual student apply directly for a fellowship under this program?

No. The program explicitly states that individual students cannot apply directly. Students may receive support only after being selected as fellows through a university that has received an award.

What types of graduate degrees are supported under the FY 2009 cycle described?

For the FY 2009 cycle described in the announcement, CSREES planned to support fellowship training grants at both the master's and doctoral levels.

Are postdoctoral fellowships allowed under this announcement?

No. Postdoctoral fellowships are explicitly excluded under this particular announcement, meaning funds cannot be used to support postdoctoral appointments.

What costs does the fellowship support cover?

The support structure includes two main cost components: (1) a stipend paid for the student and (2) a cost-of-education allowance paid to the institution to help cover educational expenses associated with training the fellow.

Does the program fund research projects directly?

No. The program is structured as an investment in graduate education and training. While fellows may conduct thesis or dissertation research as part of their degrees, the grant itself is described as a graduate training investment rather than direct research project funding.

What is IRTA (International Research Travel Allowance) in this program?

The program includes the possibility of Special International Study or Thesis/Dissertation Research Travel Allowances (IRTA) under the conditions set out in the announcement. These allowances are intended to help eligible USDA Fellows travel outside the United States to conduct thesis or dissertation research or undertake relevant international study tied to their degree requirements and research plan.

Can anyone apply separately for IRTA travel funding?

No. IRTA funding is not a separate open pool that individuals can apply to independently. It is only available for eligible fellows and only as provided for within the specific rules of the announcement.

Who is eligible to apply for the grant?

Eligibility is restricted to institutions of higher education with demonstrated capacity to teach food and agricultural sciences and to confer graduate degrees in at least one targeted expertise shortage area. Eligible applicants include land-grant institutions, colleges and universities with significant minority enrollments (and the capacity to deliver food and agricultural sciences training), and other colleges and universities that can demonstrate the same capacity.

Can a university-affiliated research foundation submit the application?

Yes. Research foundations maintained by an eligible college or university may submit proposals on the institution's behalf.

What is the Funding Opportunity Number and CFDA number for this program?

The Funding Opportunity Number is USDA CSREES HEP 002116, and the CFDA number is 10.210.

What is the funding activity category and what type of award instrument is used?

The funding activity category is Education, and the program uses a grant instrument.

Are both public and private institutions eligible?

Yes. The opportunity is open to both public/state-controlled and private institutions of higher education, provided they meet the stated eligibility requirements.

What were the key dates for the cycle described in the notice?

For the posted cycle described: the opportunity was published on March 13, 2009; the application deadline was May 8, 2009; and the opportunity was later archived on February 17, 2010.

How much total funding was estimated to be available for this cycle?

The estimated total funding available was $3.6 million.

What is the minimum and maximum award size listed?

Individual awards ranged from a minimum (floor) of $4,500 to a maximum (ceiling) of $258,000.

Is cost sharing or matching required?

No cost-sharing or matching requirement was listed for this opportunity, meaning institutions were not required to provide matching funds as a condition of receiving an award (while still needing to meet all programmatic and administrative requirements in the full announcement).

What kinds of fields or topics does the program prioritize?

The program targets graduate training in areas identified as national priorities or "critical areas of national need" within the food and agricultural sciences, described as targeted expertise shortage areas.

What is the best way to interpret the overall goal of the program?

The program is best understood as a federal mechanism for universities to build and sustain high-quality graduate training in shortage areas within agriculture and food systems. It does this by underwriting fellowships that help make advanced study financially feasible for top candidates and by allowing limited, purpose-driven international research and study travel where appropriate.

Who should be contacted for technical access issues with the full announcement?

For technical access issues with the full announcement, the notice provides a CSREES Help Desk at 202-401-5048 during standard weekday business hours (Eastern Time).

Does the notice mention support for questions about application content?

Yes. The notice indicates there is separate support for questions related to application content preparation.