Higher Education Challenge Grants Program | USDA NIFA CGP 006538

Opportunity Information: Apply for USDA NIFA CGP 006538

The Higher Education Challenge Grants Program is a competitive grant opportunity from the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) that supports innovative projects designed to strengthen higher education in the food, agriculture, natural resources, and human sciences (FANH). The core idea is to fund educational efforts that respond to clearly defined needs at the state, regional, national, or even international level, while pushing beyond standard approaches. Projects are expected to test creative or non-traditional methods that can be replicated elsewhere, so the results can serve as a model for other institutions looking to modernize or improve their own FANH-related programs.

A central emphasis of this program is collaboration and capacity-building. Proposals are expected to encourage stronger working relationships within the university science and education community and also promote meaningful partnerships between universities and the private sector. The aim is to improve program quality and extend the reach of limited resources by bringing in complementary expertise, facilities, technologies, or real-world industry perspectives. Another key expectation is sustainability: funded projects should produce benefits that outlast the grant period and USDA support, such as durable curricula, long-term partnerships, scalable teaching models, or institutional changes that continue to improve instruction and student outcomes over time.

Eligibility is limited to accredited, four-year colleges and universities, meaning applications are only accepted from institutions that can grant at least a baccalaureate degree (or a first professional degree) in one or more FANH disciplines. Eligible applicants include U.S. public or private nonprofit colleges and universities; land-grant universities (including land-grant institutions located in the Insular Areas); institutions with significant minority enrollment that can demonstrate the ability to teach food and agricultural sciences; and other colleges and universities that can similarly demonstrate capacity in teaching those fields. The program also recognizes the structure of multi-campus systems: branches of a state university system that are separately accredited as degree-granting institutions are treated as separate eligible entities, while campuses that are not individually accredited are not considered separate institutions for eligibility purposes. In addition, an eligible institution may apply through a research foundation maintained by the university, as long as the underlying institution meets the program requirements. Accreditation must be from an agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.

From the posted opportunity details, this is a discretionary grant opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number USDA NIFA CGP 006538) under CFDA 10.217, administered by NIFA in the Agriculture funding activity category. The original closing date listed for the referenced cycle was May 7, 2018, with the opportunity created on March 6, 2018. While the summary above describes the program’s purpose and who can apply, applicants would typically need to consult the full Request for Applications (RFA) for specifics such as allowable project types, evaluation criteria, matching requirements (if any), budget limits, and reporting expectations.

• 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 2018-03-06.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2018-05-07. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Eligible applicants include: Others.

Apply for USDA NIFA CGP 006538

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