Opportunity Information: Apply for USDA NIFA RIGP 003393
Apply for USDA NIFA RIGP 003393
- The National Institute of Food and Agriculture in the agriculture education sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Resident Instruction Grants Program for Institutions of Higher Education in Insular Areas (RIIA)" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 10.308 Resident Instruction Grants for Insular Area Activities.
- This funding opportunity was created on Dec 16, 2010 and posted on Dec 16, 2010.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Apr 8, 2011. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- The funding agency has allocated a total of $860,000.00 to eligible and selected applicants.
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $860,000.00 in funding.
- Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).
- An eligible institution is an institution of higher education located in an Insular Area and has a demonstrable capacity to carry out teaching and extension programs in the food and agricultural sciences. Individual land grant colleges and universities, and other institutions that have secured land grant status through Federal legislation, and located in Insular Areas are automatically eligible for awards under this program, either as direct applicants or as parties to a consortium agreement.
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Opportunity Summary:
The Resident Instruction Grants Program for Institutions of Higher Education in Insular Areas (RIIA) is a discretionary grant program administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture's National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA). Its core goal is to strengthen the teaching and education capacity of colleges and universities located in U.S. insular areas by supporting resident instruction improvements in a broad range of food and agricultural sciences and closely related disciplines. The program is designed around the practical reality that insular-area institutions often face unique geographic, workforce, infrastructure, and resource constraints, so the grants are aimed at building durable instructional and curricular capacity rather than funding one-off activities.
Programmatically, RIIA focuses on improving the quality of instruction and curriculum so that students in insular areas have stronger learning experiences and better preparation for agriculture and food-system careers. The emphasis is on enhancing educational capacity in ways that improve teaching and learning outcomes, such as modernizing or expanding curricula, improving instructional methods, strengthening faculty capability to deliver up-to-date content, and generally increasing an institution's ability to run effective academic programs in food and agricultural sciences. A notable feature of the program is its intention to help institutions use existing education dollars more efficiently by supporting partnerships between insular-area faculty and mainland U.S. institutions. In practice, that means the grant can function as a catalyst for collaboration, shared expertise, curriculum development support, joint instructional activities, and other cooperative efforts that bring additional capacity to insular campuses.
The opportunity is listed under Funding Opportunity Number USDA NIFA RIGP 003393 and corresponds to CFDA (now often referenced as Assistance Listing) number 10.308, titled "Resident Instruction Grants for Insular Area Activities." The funding activity category is agriculture education, and the funding instrument is a grant. For this particular posting cycle, the estimated total program funding is $860,000, with an award ceiling of $860,000 and an award floor of $70,000. The announcement states there is no cost sharing or matching requirement, which means applicants are not required to provide a non-federal match as a condition of award, a helpful detail for institutions where local matching funds may be limited.
Eligibility is centered on institutions of higher education located in an insular area that can demonstrate capacity to conduct teaching and extension programs in the food and agricultural sciences. The announcement specifies that individual land-grant colleges and universities, as well as other institutions that have been granted land-grant status through federal legislation and are located in insular areas, are automatically eligible. These institutions may apply directly or participate as part of a consortium agreement, which aligns with the program's stated interest in partnerships and coordinated efforts. The listing notes "Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification)" as the eligible applicant category, which typically signals that eligibility is specialized and defined by the program statute and the detailed notice rather than by broad applicant classes.
From an administrative timeline standpoint, the opportunity was posted and created on December 16, 2010, with an original and current closing date of April 8, 2011, and an archive date of May 9, 2011. Although that dates this specific announcement cycle, the summary captures the program's intended purpose and the type of projects it seeks to support: institutional improvements to resident instruction in agriculture and food-related fields for insular-area higher education.
For access and assistance, the announcement references a NIFA Help Desk for issues obtaining the full announcement electronically (phone 202-401-5048, business hours 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time, Monday through Friday, excluding federal holidays). It also indicates there is a contact path for questions about preparing application content, suggesting that applicants could receive procedural or submission guidance when assembling their proposals.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the Resident Instruction Grants Program for Institutions of Higher Education in Insular Areas (RIIA)?
RIIA is a discretionary grant program administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA). It supports improvements to resident instruction at colleges and universities located in U.S. insular areas, with a focus on food and agricultural sciences and closely related disciplines.
What is the main goal of the RIIA program?
The program's core goal is to strengthen the teaching and education capacity of insular-area institutions by building durable instructional and curricular capacity (not just one-off activities). The intent is to improve the quality of instruction and curriculum so students have stronger learning experiences and better preparation for agriculture and food-system careers.
Why does this program focus specifically on insular-area institutions?
The program is designed around the reality that institutions in U.S. insular areas may face unique geographic, workforce, infrastructure, and resource constraints. RIIA funding is aimed at practical, capacity-building improvements that help these institutions run effective academic programs in food and agricultural sciences.
What kinds of activities or outcomes does RIIA emphasize?
RIIA emphasizes enhancing educational capacity and improving teaching and learning outcomes. Examples described in the opportunity include modernizing or expanding curricula, improving instructional methods, strengthening faculty capability to deliver up-to-date content, and generally increasing the institution's ability to operate effective academic programs in food and agricultural sciences.
Does RIIA support partnerships with mainland U.S. institutions?
Yes. A notable feature of the program is its intention to help institutions use existing education dollars more efficiently by supporting partnerships between insular-area faculty and mainland U.S. institutions. The grant may act as a catalyst for collaboration, shared expertise, curriculum development support, joint instructional activities, and other cooperative efforts that add capacity to insular campuses.
Who administers this grant program?
The program is administered by USDA NIFA (the National Institute of Food and Agriculture).
What is the Funding Opportunity Number for this posting cycle?
The Funding Opportunity Number listed is USDA NIFA RIGP 003393.
What is the CFDA/Assistance Listing number associated with this opportunity?
The opportunity corresponds to CFDA (now often referred to as the Assistance Listing) number 10.308, titled "Resident Instruction Grants for Insular Area Activities."
What is the funding activity category and funding instrument?
The funding activity category is agriculture education, and the funding instrument is a grant.
How much funding is available under this posting cycle?
The estimated total program funding for this cycle is $860,000.
What is the minimum and maximum award size for this cycle?
The award floor is $70,000 and the award ceiling is $860,000 for this posting cycle.
Is cost sharing or matching required?
No. The announcement states there is no cost sharing or matching requirement, meaning applicants are not required to provide a non-federal match as a condition of award.
Who is eligible to apply for RIIA funding?
Eligibility is centered on institutions of higher education located in an insular area that can demonstrate capacity to conduct teaching and extension programs in the food and agricultural sciences. The announcement indicates that land-grant colleges and universities in insular areas, as well as other institutions granted land-grant status through federal legislation and located in insular areas, are automatically eligible.
Can eligible institutions apply as part of a consortium?
Yes. Eligible institutions may apply directly or participate as part of a consortium agreement.
The eligible applicant category says "Others" - what does that mean here?
The listing notes "Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification)," which generally indicates that eligibility is specialized and defined by the program statute and the detailed notice, rather than broad applicant categories.
When was this opportunity posted and what were the key dates?
This specific posting cycle was posted and created on December 16, 2010. The closing date (original and current) was April 8, 2011, and the archive date was May 9, 2011.
What does it mean that this opportunity is archived?
The archive date indicates this specific announcement cycle is no longer active. The summary still describes the program's purpose and the types of projects it seeks to support, but the posted deadlines listed apply to that cycle.
Where can applicants get help accessing the full announcement electronically?
The announcement references a NIFA Help Desk for issues obtaining the full announcement electronically: 202-401-5048. Hours are 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time, Monday through Friday, excluding federal holidays.
Is there a contact path for questions about preparing the application?
Yes. The announcement indicates there is a contact path for questions about preparing application content, suggesting applicants can seek procedural or submission guidance while assembling proposals.
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