Opportunity Information: Apply for USDA NIFA CGP 009106
The Higher Education Challenge Grants Program is a competitive grant opportunity run by the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) that supports innovative education-focused projects in the food and agricultural sciences. The core idea is to fund projects that tackle a clearly defined educational need at the state, regional, national, or even international level, while using a creative or non-traditional approach that others can replicate. Funded projects are expected to strengthen collaboration across university science and education communities and also build stronger ties between universities and the private sector, with the goal of improving program quality and stretching available resources. Another major priority is lasting impact: projects should produce benefits that continue beyond the grant period and beyond USDA funding, such as sustained curriculum changes, durable partnerships, scalable teaching models, or long-term training capacity.
Eligible applicants are primarily U.S. colleges and universities in the nonprofit sector that can demonstrate they teach in at least one discipline within the food and agricultural sciences and that they have the capacity to carry out the proposed educational work. This includes U.S. public or private nonprofit institutions offering a baccalaureate or first professional degree in relevant areas, land-grant colleges and universities (including those in the Insular Areas), institutions with significant minority enrollments that can demonstrate capacity in teaching food and agricultural sciences, and other colleges or universities that can similarly demonstrate that capacity. Applicants must also meet the specific definition of an "Eligible Institution/Organization" described in the program's Request for Applications (RFA), and the institution must be accredited by an agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. In multi-campus systems, branches that are separately accredited as degree-granting institutions are treated as separate eligible institutions, while campuses that are not separately accredited are not treated as separate applicants. The program also recognizes that a research foundation maintained by an eligible college or university can be considered an eligible institution for purposes of receiving an award.
The opportunity has some personnel-related rules that matter for proposal planning. Faculty do not need to be U.S. citizens to serve as the project director, co-project director, or key personnel on a grant. However, any individual receiving federal funds for developmental activities must be a U.S. citizen or national as defined in the RFA. The notice also emphasizes that eligibility is enforced strictly: if an applicant does not meet the required criteria by the application deadline, the proposal may be excluded from consideration or may be reviewed but still cannot be funded.
For certain project types referenced as CG1 and CG2, the applicant institution itself must meet the formal definition of an "eligible institution" as specified in the governing regulations cited in the RFA, but partner organizations participating in the proposal do not necessarily need to meet that same definition and do not have to qualify as a "college" or "university" under those cited sections. This makes it easier to build practical collaborations that include external partners. Even when organizations are not eligible to apply directly, award recipients are allowed to subcontract with them if they are necessary to carry out the project, which supports partnerships with industry, nonprofits, and other specialized entities.
Key program details from the listing include: the funding opportunity title is Higher Education Challenge Grants Program; the opportunity number is USDA NIFA CGP 009106; the instrument type is a discretionary grant; the activity category is agriculture; and the CFDA (now commonly referred to as Assistance Listing) number is 10.217. The listed award ceiling is $750,000. The original closing date shown in the notice is 2022-06-06, and the opportunity was created on 2022-04-20.Apply for USDA NIFA CGP 009106
- The National Institute of Food and Agriculture in the agriculture sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Higher Education Challenge 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.
- This funding opportunity was created on 2022-04-20.
- Applicants must submit their applications by 2022-06-06. (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 $750,000.00 in funding.
- Eligible applicants include: Others.
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Higher Education Challenge Grants Program (USDA NIFA) FAQs
1) What is the Higher Education Challenge Grants Program?
The Higher Education Challenge Grants Program is a competitive grant opportunity run by the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA). It supports innovative, education-focused projects in the food and agricultural sciences.
2) What kinds of projects does the program fund?
The program funds projects that address a clearly defined educational need at the state, regional, national, or international level. Projects are expected to use creative or non-traditional approaches that others can replicate.
3) What is meant by a "clearly defined educational need" in this program?
Based on the program description, applicants should identify an educational need that is specific and well-articulated, and that exists at a meaningful scale (state, regional, national, or international). The project should be designed to directly respond to that need.
4) Does the program require innovative or non-traditional approaches?
Yes. A central expectation is that funded work will use a creative or non-traditional educational approach, and that the approach can be replicated by others.
5) What does "replicable" mean in the context of this grant?
Replicable means the project approach should be designed in a way that other institutions or organizations could adopt or adapt it, rather than being limited to a one-off solution that only works in a single setting.
6) Are collaboration and partnerships important for this program?
Yes. Funded projects are expected to strengthen collaboration across university science and education communities and to build stronger ties between universities and the private sector, with the goals of improving program quality and stretching available resources.
7) What types of long-term outcomes does the program prioritize?
The program emphasizes lasting impact beyond the grant period and beyond USDA funding. Examples given include sustained curriculum changes, durable partnerships, scalable teaching models, and long-term training capacity.
8) Who is eligible to apply?
Eligible applicants are primarily U.S. nonprofit colleges and universities that can demonstrate they teach in at least one discipline within the food and agricultural sciences and that they have the capacity to carry out the proposed educational work.
9) What kinds of institutions are included as eligible applicants?
The eligibility description includes U.S. public or private nonprofit institutions offering a baccalaureate or first professional degree in relevant areas, land-grant colleges and universities (including those in the Insular Areas), institutions with significant minority enrollments that can demonstrate capacity in teaching food and agricultural sciences, and other colleges or universities that can similarly demonstrate that capacity.
10) Does an institution have to be accredited to be eligible?
Yes. The institution must be accredited by an agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.
11) What is the "Eligible Institution/Organization" requirement?
Applicants must meet the specific definition of an "Eligible Institution/Organization" described in the program's Request for Applications (RFA). The notice emphasizes that this definition is applied strictly.
12) How strict is eligibility enforcement?
Eligibility is enforced strictly. If an applicant does not meet the required criteria by the application deadline, the proposal may be excluded from consideration or may be reviewed but still cannot be funded.
13) How does eligibility work for multi-campus university systems?
In multi-campus systems, branches that are separately accredited as degree-granting institutions are treated as separate eligible institutions. Campuses that are not separately accredited are not treated as separate applicants.
14) Can a university research foundation apply or receive an award?
Yes. The program recognizes that a research foundation maintained by an eligible college or university can be considered an eligible institution for purposes of receiving an award.
15) Do project directors or key personnel have to be U.S. citizens?
No. Faculty do not need to be U.S. citizens to serve as the project director, co-project director, or key personnel on a grant.
16) Are there citizenship requirements for individuals paid with federal funds?
Yes. Any individual receiving federal funds for developmental activities must be a U.S. citizen or national, as defined in the RFA.
17) What are CG1 and CG2 project types, and do they affect eligibility?
The notice references certain project types as CG1 and CG2. For these, the applicant institution itself must meet the formal definition of an eligible institution as specified in the governing regulations cited in the RFA.
18) Do partner organizations need to meet the same eligibility definition as the applicant (for CG1/CG2)?
No. For CG1 and CG2, partner organizations participating in the proposal do not necessarily need to meet the same definition and do not have to qualify as a "college" or "university" under the cited sections. This is intended to support practical collaborations with external partners.
19) Can award recipients subcontract with organizations that are not eligible to apply directly?
Yes. Even when organizations are not eligible to apply directly, award recipients are allowed to subcontract with them if they are necessary to carry out the project. This supports partnerships with industry, nonprofits, and other specialized entities.
20) What is the funding opportunity number for this program?
The opportunity number listed is USDA NIFA CGP 009106.
21) What is the Assistance Listing (CFDA) number for this program?
The Assistance Listing (formerly CFDA) number listed is 10.217.
22) What type of funding instrument is this?
The instrument type is a discretionary grant.
23) What is the activity category for this opportunity?
The activity category listed is agriculture.
24) What is the maximum award amount?
The listed award ceiling is $750,000.
25) What were the key dates shown in the notice?
The opportunity was created on 2022-04-20, and the original closing date shown in the notice is 2022-06-06.
26) Does this program focus more on education or research?
Based on the description provided, the program supports education-focused projects in the food and agricultural sciences, with emphasis on innovative educational approaches and lasting improvements in training and program quality.
27) Does the program encourage connections with the private sector?
Yes. One of the stated goals is to build stronger ties between universities and the private sector to improve program quality and extend available resources.
28) What does the program mean by "stretching available resources"?
The notice frames this as improving program quality while making resources go further, especially through strengthened collaboration within universities and partnerships with private-sector organizations.
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Applicants also applied for:
Applicants who have applied for this opportunity (USDA NIFA CGP 009106) also looked into and applied for these:
| Funding Opportunity |
|---|
| National Plant Diagnostic Network for the Food and Agriculture Defense Initiative Apply for USDA NIFA ES 009109 Funding Number: USDA NIFA ES 009109 Agency: National Institute of Food and Agriculture Category: Agriculture Funding Amount: $700,000 |
| Smith-Lever Special Needs Competitive Grants Program Apply for USDA NIFA SLBCD 009104 Funding Number: USDA NIFA SLBCD 009104 Agency: National Institute of Food and Agriculture Category: Agriculture Funding Amount: $150,000 |
| Special Research Grants for Aquaculture Research Program Apply for USDA NIFA SRGP 009105 Funding Number: USDA NIFA SRGP 009105 Agency: National Institute of Food and Agriculture Category: Agriculture Funding Amount: $300,000 |
| Enhancing Agricultural Opportunities for Military Veterans Competitive Grants Program Apply for USDA NIFA OP 009110 Funding Number: USDA NIFA OP 009110 Agency: National Institute of Food and Agriculture Category: Agriculture Funding Amount: $750,000 |
| Tribal Colleges Extension Program: Special Emphasis Apply for USDA NIFA SLBCD 009121 Funding Number: USDA NIFA SLBCD 009121 Agency: National Institute of Food and Agriculture Category: Agriculture Funding Amount: $200,000 |
| Organic Cost Share Programs Apply for USDA FSA SND AMA 22 NOFO0001214 Funding Number: USDA FSA SND AMA 22 NOFO0001214 Agency: Farm Service Agency Category: Agriculture Funding Amount: $244,150 |
| Organic Cost Share Programs Apply for USDA FSA SND NOCCSP 22 NOFO0001215 Funding Number: USDA FSA SND NOCCSP 22 NOFO0001215 Agency: Farm Service Agency Category: Agriculture Funding Amount: $1,437,800 |
| Supplemental and Alternative Crops Apply for USDA NIFA OP 009141 Funding Number: USDA NIFA OP 009141 Agency: National Institute of Food and Agriculture Category: Agriculture Funding Amount: $250,000 |
| Tribal Colleges Research Grants Program Apply for USDA NIFA TCRGP 009143 Funding Number: USDA NIFA TCRGP 009143 Agency: National Institute of Food and Agriculture Category: Agriculture Funding Amount: $500,000 |
| Agricultural Genome to Phenome Initiative Apply for USDA NIFA OP 009161 Funding Number: USDA NIFA OP 009161 Agency: National Institute of Food and Agriculture Category: Agriculture Funding Amount: $1,920,000 |
| Children, Youth, and Families At-Risk Professional Development and Technical Assistance Program Apply for USDA NIFA SLBCD 009181 Funding Number: USDA NIFA SLBCD 009181 Agency: National Institute of Food and Agriculture Category: Agriculture Funding Amount: $850,000 |
| Children, Youth, and Families at Risk 4-H Military Partnership Professional Development and Technical Assistance Program Apply for USDA NIFA SLBCD 009044 Funding Number: USDA NIFA SLBCD 009044 Agency: National Institute of Food and Agriculture Category: Agriculture Funding Amount: $450,000 |
| Urban, Indoor, and Emerging Agriculture Apply for USDA NIFA OP 009221 Funding Number: USDA NIFA OP 009221 Agency: National Institute of Food and Agriculture Category: Agriculture Funding Amount: $1,000,000 |
| Open Data Framework Apply for USDA NIFA OTHER 009241 Funding Number: USDA NIFA OTHER 009241 Agency: National Institute of Food and Agriculture Category: Agriculture Funding Amount: $960,000 |
| Women Food Security Logistic Activity (WFSLA) Apply for RFI 675 22 WFSLA 02 Funding Number: RFI 675 22 WFSLA 02 Agency: Guinea USAID-Conakry Category: Agriculture Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| 1890 Institution Teaching, Research, and Extension Capacity Building Grants Program Apply for USDA NIFA CBGP 009263 Funding Number: USDA NIFA CBGP 009263 Agency: National Institute of Food and Agriculture Category: Agriculture Funding Amount: $750,000 |
| Small Business Innovation Research and Small Business Technology Transfer Programs Phase I Apply for USDA NIFA SBIR 009301 Funding Number: USDA NIFA SBIR 009301 Agency: National Institute of Food and Agriculture Category: Agriculture Funding Amount: $181,500 |
| Fiscal Year (FY) 2022 Conservation Technical Assistance: Grazing Lands Conservation Initiative (GLCI) Cooperative Agreements Apply for USDA NRCS NHQ GLCI 22 NOFO0001216 Funding Number: USDA NRCS NHQ GLCI 22 NOFO0001216 Agency: Natural Resources Conservation Service Category: Agriculture Funding Amount: $300,000 |
| From Learning to Leading: Cultivating the Next Generation of Diverse Food and Agriculture Professionals Apply for USDA NIFA ARPAED 009362 Funding Number: USDA NIFA ARPAED 009362 Agency: National Institute of Food and Agriculture Category: Agriculture Funding Amount: $20,000,000 |
| Increasing Land, Capital, and Market Access Program Apply for USDA FSA LANDACCESS 22 NOFO0001219 Funding Number: USDA FSA LANDACCESS 22 NOFO0001219 Agency: Farm Service Agency Category: Agriculture Funding Amount: $40,000,000 |
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