Search Grant Opportunities

Agriculture and Food Research Initiative Competitive Grants Program Education and Workforce Development

ID: USDA-NIFA-AFRI-009842 • Type: Posted

Description

The Agriculture and Food Research Initiative - Education and Workforce Development (EWD) focuses on developing the next generation of research, education, and extension professionals in the food and agricultural sciences. In 2023, the National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) requests applications for the AFRI's Education and Workforce Development program areas to support:

1. professional development opportunities for K-14 educational professionals;

2. non-formal education that cultivates food and agricultural interest in youth;

3. workforce training at community, junior, and technical colleges;

4. training of undergraduate students in research and extension;

5. fellowships for predoctoral candidates and postdoctoral scholars.

Background
The Agriculture and Food Research Initiative - Education and Workforce Development (EWD) focuses on developing the next generation of research, education, and extension professionals in the food and agricultural sciences. The National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) requests applications for the AFRI’s Education and Workforce Development program areas to support professional development opportunities for K-14 educational professionals, non-formal education that cultivates food and agricultural interest in youth, workforce training at community, junior, and technical colleges, training of undergraduate students in research and extension, and fellowships for predoctoral candidates and postdoctoral scholars.

Grant Details
The AFRI Education and Workforce Development RFA provides funding for research-only, education-only, extension-only, and/or integrated research, education, and/or extension projects addressing the six priorities identified in the document. The program area priorities include Professional Development for Agricultural Literacy (PDAL), Agricultural Workforce Training at Community Colleges (AWT), Food and Agricultural Non-Formal Education (FANE), Research and Extension Experiences for Undergraduates (REEU), Predoctoral Fellowships, and Postdoctoral Fellowships. Each program area priority may offer all or some of these project types.

Eligibility Requirements
Applications are solicited from eligible U.S. institutions. Collaboration with international partners is allowed. Minority-serving institutions, small to mid-sized institutions, institutions in Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR) states are encouraged to apply. Indigenous traditional ecological knowledge is considered an acceptable topic of research, education, or extension for projects funded by this RFA.

Period of Performance
The application deadlines vary by program area priority. The grant duration ranges from 12-48 months depending on the project type. The maximum award amounts vary based on the project type as well.

Grant Value
The amount available for new grants for the 2023 deadlines in this EWD Request for Applications (RFA) is approximately $49 million in AFRI funding. Additional projects submitted under this RFA will be considered should additional funding become available beyond the amount listed above.

Overview

Category of Funding
Agriculture
Funding Instruments
Grant
Grant Category
Discretionary
Cost Sharing / Matching Requirement
True
Source
On 5/2/23 the National Institute of Food and Agriculture posted grant opportunity USDA-NIFA-AFRI-009842 for Agriculture and Food Research Initiative Competitive Grants Program Education and Workforce Development with funding of $49.0 million. The grant will be issued under grant program 10.310 Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (AFRI).

Timing

Posted Date
May 2, 2023, 12:00 a.m. EDT
Closing Date
Dec. 7, 2023, 12:00 a.m. EST Past Due
Last Updated
May 2, 2023, 1:07 p.m. EDT
Version
1
Archive Date
Jan. 6, 2024

Eligibility

Eligible Applicants
Others (see text field entitled "Additional Information on Eligibility" for clarification)
Additional Info
Eligibility Requirements Applicants for AFRI must meet all the requirements discussed in this RFA. Failure to meet the eligibility criteria by the application deadline may result in exclusion from consideration or, preclude NIFA from making an award. For those new to Federal financial assistance, NIFA’s Grants Overview provides highly recommended information about grants and other resources to help understand the Federal awards process. Eligibility is linked to the project type as specified below. 1. Research, Education, or Extension Projects Eligible applicants for single-function Research, Education or Extension Projects include: a) State Agricultural Experiment Station; b) colleges and universities (including junior colleges offering associate degrees or higher); c) university research foundations; d) other research institutions and organizations; e) Federal agencies; f) national laboratories; g) private organizations or corporations; h) individuals who are U.S. citizens, nationals, or permanent residents; and i) any group consisting of two or more entities identified in a) through h). Eligible institutions do not include foreign and international organizations. 2. Integrated Projects Eligible applicants for Integrated Projects include: a) colleges and universities; b) 1994 Land-Grant Institutions; and c) Hispanic-serving agricultural colleges and universities (see NIFA’s Hispanic-Serving Agricultural Colleges and Universities page). For item a) under Integrated Projects, the terms “college” and “university” mean an educational institution in any state which: a) admits as regular students only persons having a certificate of graduation from a school providing secondary education, or the recognized equivalent of such a certificate; b) is legally authorized within such state to provide a program of education beyond secondary education; c) provides an educational program for which a bachelor’s degree or any other higher degree is awarded; d) is a public or other nonprofit institution; and e) is accredited by a nationally recognized accrediting agency or association. A research foundation maintained by a college or university is eligible to receive an award under this program. 3. Food and Agricultural Science Enhancement Grants Part II C.2 contains the eligibility details for Food and Agricultural Science Enhancement (FASE) Grants. Note that under FASE program, New Investigator, Strengthening Standard, Strengthening Conference, Seed, Equipment and Sabbatical Grants are solicited in this RFA. Applicants must respond to the program area priorities and deadlines found in Part I C. Grant recipients may subcontract to organizations not eligible to apply provided such organizations are necessary for the conduct of the project. Failure to meet an eligibility criterion by the application deadline may result in the application being excluded from consideration or, even though an application may be reviewed, will preclude NIFA from making an award (see Part III B).

Award Sizing

Ceiling
$750,000
Floor
$20,000
Estimated Program Funding
$49,000,000
Estimated Number of Grants
Not Listed

Contacts

Contact
Joseph Perez Program Analyst
Email Description
If you have any questions related to preparing application content.
Contact Phone
(202) 445-5402
Additional Information
Agriculture and Food Research Initiative Competitive Grants Program Education and Workforce Development

Documents

Posted documents for USDA-NIFA-AFRI-009842

Grant Awards

Grants awarded through USDA-NIFA-AFRI-009842

Incumbent or Similar Grants

Grants similar to USDA-NIFA-AFRI-009842

Similar Active Opportunities

Open grant opportunities similar to USDA-NIFA-AFRI-009842