Opportunity Information: Apply for USDA NIFA HEP 010775
The Food and Agricultural Sciences National Needs Graduate and Postgraduate Fellowship (NNF) program is a USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) grant opportunity that funds university-run training programs designed to recruit, train, and graduate high-performing students in USDA mission-related fields. The program focuses on building the future workforce in food, agriculture, and natural resource sciences by supporting fellows pursuing masters and doctoral degrees. It also includes an added component called the International Research Travel Allowance (IRTA), which can provide support for eligible fellows to conduct special international study or thesis/dissertation research travel that strengthens their graduate training and research outcomes.
Funding is aimed at institutions that can clearly explain how their graduate training model works, why it is effective, and how it aligns with USDA mission sciences, NIFA priorities, and broader national science and education priorities. In other words, proposals are expected to be more than a request for student support; they need to lay out a coherent traineeship program with a defined philosophy and structure for developing graduate talent in areas where the nation has identified expertise shortages. Applications must be tied to one or more Targeted Expertise Shortage Areas (TESAs), which include: animal and plant production; forest resources; agricultural educators and communicators; agricultural management and economics; food science and human nutrition; sciences for agricultural biosecurity; and integrative biosciences training for sustainable food and agricultural systems.
Eligibility to apply is limited to certain institutions rather than individual students. 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 similar capacity. Research foundations that are formally maintained by an eligible college or university may also submit proposals under this announcement. While awards go to eligible institutions, those institutions may subcontract specific project activities to organizations that are not themselves eligible applicants, as long as those partners are necessary to carry out the project.
This is not a direct-to-student fellowship application. Individuals cannot apply to NIFA for this funding to pay for their own graduate education; instead, universities compete for the grant and then select fellows internally. A key program requirement is that successful institutions must select and identify fellows and make fellowship awards within 18 months of the grant start date. If an institution does not meet that deadline, it may be required to return the funds associated with any fellowships that were not awarded. The program explicitly does not support postdoctoral fellowships under this announcement.
Fellowships supported through this program must be full fellowships awarded to registered graduate students pursuing full-time study in an eligible TESA field and at the degree level covered by the grant. Partial fellowships are not allowed. For masters students who maintain satisfactory progress, support can cover up to 24 months of funding within a 30-month window. For doctoral students who maintain satisfactory progress, support can cover up to 36 months of funding within a 42-month window. The program is designed around the expectation of full-time, uninterrupted study and/or thesis/dissertation research, including time spent on USDA-supported international research travel when applicable. Fellows generally follow the standard student holiday schedule of their institution rather than accruing annual leave, and the periods between terms are expected to be used as an active part of the funded training period.
The program also allows some flexibility for real-life interruptions. If a fellow needs to pause their program for health, personal, or other reasonable non-academic reasons, the institution must allow the fellow to resume funded study within six months of the interruption, assuming enough time remains before the overall award period ends (30 months total for masters funding windows and 42 months total for doctoral funding windows). Additionally, while the fellowship is intended to support full-time study, institutions may allow fellows to take on supplemental employment when it clearly contributes to their training or research and may help them qualify for tuition waivers, such as teaching or research assignments.
From an administrative standpoint, this opportunity is a discretionary grant administered by USDA NIFA (CFDA 10.210). The funding opportunity number is USDA NIFA HEP 010775. The original application closing date listed is 2024-08-13. The opportunity indicates an award ceiling of $262,500 and anticipates making around 14 awards.Apply for USDA NIFA HEP 010775
- 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 2024-06-11.
- Applicants must submit their applications by 2024-08-13. (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.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 14 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Others.
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Food and Agricultural Sciences National Needs Graduate and Postgraduate Fellowship (NNF) Program - FAQs
1) What is the NNF program?
The Food and Agricultural Sciences National Needs Graduate and Postgraduate Fellowship (NNF) program is a USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) grant opportunity that funds university-run training programs. Its purpose is to help institutions recruit, train, and graduate high-performing masters and doctoral students in USDA mission-related fields tied to national expertise shortage areas.
2) Who is the funding intended to support?
The funding is awarded to eligible institutions (not to individual students) so they can run a structured graduate traineeship or training model and provide full fellowships to selected graduate students pursuing full-time masters or doctoral study in eligible fields.
3) Can individual students apply directly to USDA NIFA for an NNF fellowship?
No. This is not a direct-to-student fellowship application. Individuals cannot apply to NIFA to receive funding for their own graduate education. Universities apply for the grant and then select fellows through their internal processes once funded.
4) What types of degrees are supported?
The program supports graduate fellows pursuing masters degrees and doctoral degrees, as covered by the institution's award. The program explicitly does not support postdoctoral fellowships under this announcement.
5) What is the International Research Travel Allowance (IRTA)?
IRTA is an added component of the program that can provide support for eligible fellows to conduct special international study or thesis/dissertation research travel. The intent is to strengthen the fellow's graduate training and improve research outcomes.
6) What kinds of proposals is NIFA looking for under this opportunity?
Proposals are expected to be more than a request for student support. Applicant institutions must clearly explain how their graduate training model works, why it is effective, and how it aligns with USDA mission sciences, NIFA priorities, and broader national science and education priorities.
7) What are Targeted Expertise Shortage Areas (TESAs), and why do they matter?
Applications must be tied to one or more Targeted Expertise Shortage Areas (TESAs), which represent areas where the nation has identified expertise shortages. The traineeship and fellowships supported by the grant must align with at least one TESA.
8) What TESAs are listed for this opportunity?
The listed TESAs include:
- Animal and plant production
- Forest resources
- Agricultural educators and communicators
- Agricultural management and economics
- Food science and human nutrition
- Sciences for agricultural biosecurity
- Integrative biosciences training for sustainable food and agricultural systems
9) Who is eligible to apply for the grant?
Eligibility is limited to certain institutions rather than individual students. 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 similar capacity.
10) Can a university research foundation apply?
Yes. Research foundations that are formally maintained by an eligible college or university may submit proposals under this announcement.
11) Can an eligible institution partner with ineligible organizations?
Yes. While awards go to eligible institutions, those institutions may subcontract specific project activities to organizations that are not themselves eligible applicants, as long as the partners are necessary to carry out the project.
12) Are partial fellowships allowed?
No. Fellowships supported through this program must be full fellowships. Partial fellowships are not allowed.
13) What enrollment or study status is expected of fellows?
Fellows must be registered graduate students pursuing full-time study in an eligible TESA field at the degree level covered by the grant. The program is designed around full-time, uninterrupted study and/or thesis/dissertation research, including time spent on USDA-supported international research travel when applicable.
14) How long can a masters fellow be supported?
For masters students who maintain satisfactory progress, support can cover up to 24 months of funding within a 30-month window.
15) How long can a doctoral fellow be supported?
For doctoral students who maintain satisfactory progress, support can cover up to 36 months of funding within a 42-month window.
16) What does "satisfactory progress" affect?
The stated funding durations for masters and doctoral fellows apply to students who maintain satisfactory progress, as described by the opportunity.
17) What is the expectation about breaks, holidays, and time between terms?
Fellows generally follow the standard student holiday schedule of their institution rather than accruing annual leave. Periods between terms are expected to be used as an active part of the funded training period.
18) Are interruptions or pauses in the fellowship ever allowed?
Yes. The program allows flexibility for health, personal, or other reasonable non-academic interruptions. In those cases, the institution must allow the fellow to resume funded study within six months of the interruption, provided enough time remains before the overall award period ends (30 months for masters funding windows and 42 months for doctoral funding windows).
19) Can fellows work while on the fellowship?
While the fellowship is intended to support full-time study, institutions may allow supplemental employment when it clearly contributes to the fellow's training or research and may help the fellow qualify for tuition waivers, such as teaching or research assignments.
20) How soon must an institution select fellows after the grant starts?
A key requirement is that successful institutions must select and identify fellows and make fellowship awards within 18 months of the grant start date.
21) What happens if the institution does not award fellowships within 18 months?
If the institution does not meet the 18-month deadline, it may be required to return the funds associated with any fellowships that were not awarded.
22) Is this opportunity considered a discretionary grant?
Yes. From an administrative standpoint, this opportunity is a discretionary grant administered by USDA NIFA.
23) What is the CFDA number for this program?
The opportunity lists CFDA 10.210.
24) What is the funding opportunity number?
The funding opportunity number is USDA NIFA HEP 010775.
25) What is the application closing date listed?
The original application closing date listed is 2024-08-13.
26) What is the award ceiling for this opportunity?
The opportunity indicates an award ceiling of $262,500.
27) How many awards does NIFA anticipate making?
The opportunity anticipates making around 14 awards.
28) What is the overall goal of the program?
The program focuses on building the future workforce in food, agriculture, and natural resource sciences by supporting fellows and strengthening graduate training programs in USDA mission-related fields, especially in areas where expertise shortages have been identified.
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