Opportunity Information: Apply for USDA NIFA HEP 009754
The Food and Agricultural Sciences National Needs Graduate and Postgraduate Fellowship opportunity (USDA NIFA HEP 009754; CFDA 10.210) is a discretionary grant program run by the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) to help universities build and operate traineeship-style graduate fellowship programs. The core purpose is to recruit and support outstanding graduate students so they can pursue and complete advanced degrees that directly align with USDA mission areas. In practice, the program is less about funding a single student who applies on their own and more about funding an institution to run a structured training pipeline, with a clearly articulated training philosophy and a strong rationale for how that training matches USDA mission sciences, NIFA priorities, and relevant national science education policies and workforce needs.
Applications are limited to institutions that can award a graduate degree in at least one of the program's Targeted Expertise Shortage Areas (TESAs). These shortage areas define where USDA sees critical national workforce and research capacity gaps, and they include: (1) animal and plant production, (2) forest resources, (3) agricultural educators and communicators, (4) agricultural management and economics, (5) food science and human nutrition, (6) sciences for agricultural biosecurity, and (7) integrative biosciences training focused on sustainable food and agricultural systems. A competitive proposal is expected to show that the graduate training environment is intentionally designed for one or more of these areas, not just that the institution happens to offer a related degree.
Eligible applicants are institutions, not individuals. Specifically, eligible applicants include land-grant institutions, colleges and universities with significant minority enrollments that can demonstrate capacity to teach food and agricultural sciences, and other colleges and universities that can also demonstrate that same instructional capacity. Research foundations maintained by an eligible college or university may submit proposals under the request for applications (RFA), which gives some campuses flexibility in how they route submissions. While the award is made to the eligible institution, the program allows subcontracting to organizations that are not otherwise eligible to apply, as long as those partners are necessary to carry out the project (for example, specialized training providers, research partners, or experiential learning hosts). Eligibility is strictly enforced: if an applicant does not meet eligibility requirements by the deadline, the application can be removed from consideration or deemed ineligible for an award even if it is reviewed.
A key operational requirement is timing: the institution must select, identify, and formally award the fellowships within 18 months of the grant start date. If the institution does not meet that deadline, it must return (refund) any funds tied to fellowships that were not awarded. The program also draws clear boundaries around what it will and will not support. Postdoctoral fellowships are not offered under this announcement, despite the "postgraduate" wording in the title. Fellowships must be awarded to registered students pursuing full-time study in an eligible TESA field and at the degree level supported by the grant, and the program does not allow partial fellowships, meaning the institution cannot request or issue fractional support packages under this mechanism.
The fellowship duration rules are spelled out in terms of maximum months of support within a longer allowable window, as long as the fellow remains in satisfactory academic progress. For a master's-level fellow, support may cover up to 24 months within a 30-month period. For a doctoral fellow, support may cover up to 36 months within a 42-month period. The intent is for fellows to pursue full-time, uninterrupted study and/or thesis or dissertation research, and this may include USDA-funded special international study or research experiences when relevant. Fellows are not treated like employees with standard annual leave; instead, they follow the normal student holiday schedule of the institution, and the periods between semesters or quarters are expected to be used productively as part of the active training and research timeline.
The program also addresses real-life interruptions. If a fellow needs to pause their studies for health, personal, or other reasonable non-academic and non-disciplinary reasons, the fellow must be allowed to resume funded study within six months of the interruption, assuming there is still enough time remaining before the overall award window ends (30 months total window for master's fellows and 42 months total window for doctoral fellows). If interruptions happen more than once, the fellow cannot exceed six months of cumulative leave time without losing eligibility under the National Needs Fellowship (NNF) rules. At the institution's discretion, fellows may take on supplemental employment if it positively contributes to their training or research or helps them qualify for tuition waivers, such as teaching or research assignments that come with full or partial tuition benefits, as long as the fellow remains aligned with the full-time training expectations.
In terms of funding parameters included in the source data, the opportunity lists an award ceiling of $262,500 and an original closing date of 2023-06-08, with the opportunity created on 2023-04-05. Overall, the grant is best understood as a university-administered fellowship training program investment: NIFA funds the institution, the institution builds a mission-aligned graduate training experience in one or more shortage areas, and then the institution selects and supports full-time master's and/or doctoral fellows within strict timeline and eligibility requirements.Apply for USDA NIFA HEP 009754
- The National Institute of Food and Agriculture in the agriculture sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Food and Agricultural Sciences National Needs Graduate and Postgraduate Fellowship" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 10.210.
- This funding opportunity was created on 2023-04-05.
- Applicants must submit their applications by 2023-06-08. (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 $262,500.00 in funding.
- Eligible applicants include: Others.
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FAQs: Food and Agricultural Sciences National Needs Graduate and Postgraduate Fellowship (USDA NIFA HEP 009754; CFDA 10.210)
What is this funding opportunity?
This is the Food and Agricultural Sciences National Needs Graduate and Postgraduate Fellowship opportunity (USDA NIFA HEP 009754; CFDA 10.210), a discretionary grant program administered by the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA). It funds universities to build and operate traineeship-style graduate fellowship programs.
What is the main purpose of the program?
The core purpose is to recruit and support outstanding graduate students so they can pursue and complete advanced degrees that directly align with USDA mission areas. In practice, the funding supports an institution-run, structured training pipeline with a clear training philosophy and a strong rationale tied to USDA mission sciences, NIFA priorities, and relevant national science education policies and workforce needs.
Is this a fellowship that individual students can apply for directly?
No. Eligible applicants are institutions, not individuals. The award is made to a university (or eligible institutional entity), and the institution then selects and formally awards fellowships to students as part of its funded program.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligible applicants include land-grant institutions; colleges and universities with significant minority enrollments that can demonstrate capacity to teach food and agricultural sciences; and other colleges and universities that can demonstrate the same instructional capacity. Research foundations maintained by an eligible college or university may also submit proposals under the RFA.
Are there any degree-program requirements for applicant institutions?
Yes. Applications are limited to institutions that can award a graduate degree in at least one of the program's Targeted Expertise Shortage Areas (TESAs). Competitive proposals are expected to show an intentionally designed training environment for one or more TESAs, not just that a related degree exists.
What are the Targeted Expertise Shortage Areas (TESAs)?
The TESAs listed for this opportunity are: (1) animal and plant production, (2) forest resources, (3) agricultural educators and communicators, (4) agricultural management and economics, (5) food science and human nutrition, (6) sciences for agricultural biosecurity, and (7) integrative biosciences training focused on sustainable food and agricultural systems.
Can non-eligible organizations be involved in the project?
Yes. While the applicant must be an eligible institution, the program allows subcontracting to organizations that are not otherwise eligible to apply, as long as those partners are necessary to carry out the project (for example, specialized training providers, research partners, or experiential learning hosts).
How strict is eligibility, and what happens if an applicant is not eligible?
Eligibility is strictly enforced. If an applicant does not meet eligibility requirements by the deadline, the application can be removed from consideration or deemed ineligible for an award even if it is reviewed.
What is the timeline requirement for awarding fellowships after a grant starts?
The institution must select, identify, and formally award the fellowships within 18 months of the grant start date.
What happens if the institution does not award fellowships within 18 months?
If the institution does not meet the 18-month deadline, it must return (refund) any funds tied to fellowships that were not awarded.
Does this program offer postdoctoral fellowships?
No. Postdoctoral fellowships are not offered under this announcement, despite the "postgraduate" wording in the title.
Who can receive fellowship support under this program?
Fellowships must be awarded to registered students pursuing full-time study in an eligible TESA field and at the degree level supported by the grant.
Are partial or fractional fellowships allowed?
No. The program does not allow partial fellowships, meaning the institution cannot request or issue fractional support packages under this mechanism.
How long can a master's student be supported?
A master's-level fellow may receive up to 24 months of support within a 30-month period, as long as the fellow remains in satisfactory academic progress.
How long can a doctoral student be supported?
A doctoral-level fellow may receive up to 36 months of support within a 42-month period, as long as the fellow remains in satisfactory academic progress.
Does the program expect fellows to be full-time and uninterrupted?
Yes. The intent is for fellows to pursue full-time, uninterrupted study and/or thesis or dissertation research, consistent with the training and research timeline established by the institution's program.
Can the fellowship include international study or research?
Yes. The program notes that this may include USDA-funded special international study or research experiences when relevant.
Do fellows receive employee-style leave or vacation time?
No. Fellows are not treated like employees with standard annual leave. They follow the normal student holiday schedule of the institution, and periods between semesters or quarters are expected to be used productively as part of the active training and research timeline.
What if a fellow needs to pause their studies for health or personal reasons?
If a fellow needs to interrupt their studies for health, personal, or other reasonable non-academic and non-disciplinary reasons, the fellow must be allowed to resume funded study within six months of the interruption, assuming sufficient time remains within the overall allowable window (30 months for master's; 42 months for doctoral).
How much total interruption time is allowed?
If interruptions happen more than once, the fellow cannot exceed six months of cumulative leave time without losing eligibility under the National Needs Fellowship (NNF) rules.
Can fellows work while supported by this fellowship?
At the institution's discretion, fellows may take on supplemental employment if it positively contributes to their training or research or helps them qualify for tuition waivers (for example, teaching or research assignments with full or partial tuition benefits), as long as the fellow remains aligned with full-time training expectations.
What is the award ceiling listed for this opportunity?
The funding parameters provided list an award ceiling of $262,500.
What are the key dates listed in the opportunity information?
The opportunity was created on 2023-04-05, and the original closing date listed is 2023-06-08.
How should institutions think about what is being funded?
The grant is best understood as a university-administered fellowship training program investment: NIFA funds the institution, the institution builds a mission-aligned graduate training experience in one or more shortage areas, and then the institution selects and supports full-time master's and/or doctoral fellows within strict timeline and eligibility requirements.
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| 1890 Facilities Grants Program Apply for USDA NIFA EF47 009769 Funding Number: USDA NIFA EF47 009769 Agency: National Institute of Food and Agriculture Category: Agriculture Funding Amount: $1,650,000 |
| National Food and Agricultural Sciences Teaching, Extension, and Research Awards Apply for USDA NIFA OP 009722 Funding Number: USDA NIFA OP 009722 Agency: National Institute of Food and Agriculture Category: Agriculture Funding Amount: $500,000 |
| Special Research Grants Program Potato Research Apply for USDA NIFA SRGP 009702 Funding Number: USDA NIFA SRGP 009702 Agency: National Institute of Food and Agriculture Category: Agriculture Funding Amount: $1,500,000 |
| Alfalfa Seed and Alfalfa Forage Systems Apply for USDA NIFA OP 009882 Funding Number: USDA NIFA OP 009882 Agency: National Institute of Food and Agriculture Category: Agriculture Funding Amount: $900,000 |
| New Beginning for Tribal Students Program Apply for USDA NIFA TGP 009902 Funding Number: USDA NIFA TGP 009902 Agency: National Institute of Food and Agriculture Category: Agriculture Funding Amount: $500,000 |
| Food and Agricultural Education Information System Apply for USDA NIFA OP 009753 Funding Number: USDA NIFA OP 009753 Agency: National Institute of Food and Agriculture Category: Agriculture Funding Amount: $1,100,000 |
| Open Data Framework Apply for USDA NIFA OTHER 009752 Funding Number: USDA NIFA OTHER 009752 Agency: National Institute of Food and Agriculture Category: Agriculture Funding Amount: $920,000 |
| Wild Cervid Chronic Wasting Disease Management and Response Activities 2023 Cooperative Agreements Apply for USDA APHIS 10028 WSNWRC00 23 0018 Funding Number: USDA APHIS 10028 WSNWRC00 23 0018 Agency: Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service Category: Agriculture Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| USDA APHIS Tribal Nations Wild Cervid Chronic Wasting Disease Opportunities 2023 Cooperative Agreements Apply for USDA APHIS 10028 WSNWRC00 23 0019 Funding Number: USDA APHIS 10028 WSNWRC00 23 0019 Agency: Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service Category: Agriculture Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Farmed Cervid Chronic Wasting Disease Management and Response Activities 2023 Cooperative Agreements Apply for USDA APHIS 10025 VSSPRS00 23 0058 Funding Number: USDA APHIS 10025 VSSPRS00 23 0058 Agency: Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service Category: Agriculture Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Agriculture and Food Research Initiative Competitive Grants Program Education and Workforce Development Apply for USDA NIFA AFRI 009842 Funding Number: USDA NIFA AFRI 009842 Agency: National Institute of Food and Agriculture Category: Agriculture Funding Amount: $750,000 |
| Tribal Colleges Research Grants Program Apply for USDA NIFA TCRGP 009748 Funding Number: USDA NIFA TCRGP 009748 Agency: National Institute of Food and Agriculture Category: Agriculture Funding Amount: $650,000 |
| Enhancing Agricultural Opportunities for Military Veterans Competitive Grants Program Apply for USDA NIFA OP 009766 Funding Number: USDA NIFA OP 009766 Agency: National Institute of Food and Agriculture Category: Agriculture Funding Amount: $250,000 |
| Tribal Colleges Extension Program: Special Emphasis Apply for USDA NIFA SLBCD 010064 Funding Number: USDA NIFA SLBCD 010064 Agency: National Institute of Food and Agriculture Category: Agriculture Funding Amount: $200,000 |
| Research Facilities Act Program Apply for USDA NIFA OP 010063 Funding Number: USDA NIFA OP 010063 Agency: National Institute of Food and Agriculture Category: Agriculture Funding Amount: $500,000 |
| Agriculture in the K-12 Classroom Apply for USDA NIFA OP 009883 Funding Number: USDA NIFA OP 009883 Agency: National Institute of Food and Agriculture Category: Agriculture Funding Amount: $960,000 |
| 1890 Institution Teaching, Research, and Extension Capacity Building Grants Program Apply for USDA NIFA CBGP 009942 Funding Number: USDA NIFA CBGP 009942 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 009962 Funding Number: USDA NIFA SBIR 009962 Agency: National Institute of Food and Agriculture Category: Agriculture Funding Amount: $181,500 |
| FtF Mali Yarnude Apply for 72068823RFA00007 Funding Number: 72068823RFA00007 Agency: Mali USAID -Bamako Category: Agriculture Funding Amount: $5,000,000 |
| Biotechnology Technical Assistance for Africa Apply for USDA FAS 10960 0700 10 23 0024 Funding Number: USDA FAS 10960 0700 10 23 0024 Agency: Foreign Agricultural Service Category: Agriculture Funding Amount: $240,000 |
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