Opportunity Information: Apply for USDA NIFA AFRI 011596
The Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (AFRI) Education and Workforce Development (EWD) funding opportunity from USDA's National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) is designed to build a strong pipeline of future talent in the food and agricultural sciences. The program centers on preparing the next generation of research, education, and extension professionals by supporting projects that expand learning opportunities, strengthen training pathways, and grow a diverse, skilled workforce across the agricultural and food systems. In practice, the opportunity is meant to help institutions and organizations create or improve programs that develop people, not just produce research findings, with a clear emphasis on education, training, and professional development tied to agriculture and food-related careers.
NIFA is soliciting applications across several EWD program areas. These include professional development for K-14 educational professionals (supporting teachers and other educators who work from kindergarten through the first years of college), non-formal education efforts that spark youth interest in food and agriculture (such as camps, clubs, after-school programs, and other informal learning models), and workforce training programs at community, junior, and technical colleges that prepare learners for in-demand agricultural and food-sector jobs. The opportunity also supports undergraduate training experiences connected to research and extension, as well as fellowship programs for both predoctoral candidates and postdoctoral scholars. In addition, NIFA includes education and workforce development workshop grants, which typically help convene stakeholders, refine training strategies, and build communities of practice around workforce needs and educational innovation.
Eligibility depends on the type of project being proposed, and applicants are expected to follow the eligibility rules laid out in the Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO). For single-function projects (research, education, or extension-only projects), the eligible applicant pool is broad and includes State Agricultural Experiment Stations; colleges and universities (including junior colleges offering associate degrees or higher); university research foundations; other research institutions and organizations; federal agencies; national laboratories; private organizations or corporations; and individual applicants who are U.S. citizens, nationals, or permanent residents. Collaborative applications are also allowed, meaning a group made up of two or more eligible entity types can apply together. However, foreign and international organizations are not considered eligible institutions for these project categories.
For integrated projects (those that combine research, education, and/or extension functions in a coordinated way), eligibility is narrower. Eligible applicants include colleges and universities, 1994 Land-Grant Institutions, and Hispanic-serving agricultural colleges and universities. The NOFO also clarifies what qualifies as a "college" or "university" for integrated project purposes: the institution must admit students who have completed secondary education (or an equivalent), be legally authorized to provide education beyond high school, offer degree programs at the bachelor level or higher, be public or nonprofit, and be accredited by a nationally recognized accrediting body. Research foundations maintained by a college or university are also eligible to receive awards under this program, which can be important for institutions that route sponsored programs through affiliated foundations.
The opportunity also references Food and Agricultural Science Enhancement (FASE) Grants and points applicants to specific NOFO sections for details. Under this particular solicitation, only certain FASE tracks are being requested, including Strengthening Standard, Predoctoral Fellowship Grants, Postdoctoral Fellowship Grants, and Strengthening Workshop. Applicants must align proposals with the Program Area Priorities and meet the deadlines specified in the NOFO. While some entities may not be eligible to apply directly, award recipients are permitted to subcontract to organizations that are not eligible applicants if those partners are necessary to carry out the work, which allows programs to include specialized trainers, community organizations, or industry partners as part of implementation.
Key administrative details from the source listing include that the agency is NIFA and the opportunity is offered as a discretionary grant under CFDA 10.310. The funding opportunity number is USDA NIFA AFRI 011596, and the posted closing date is 2026-12-31. The listed award ceiling is $650,000, and NIFA anticipates making around 245 awards, indicating a relatively large national portfolio of awards rather than a small, highly limited competition. Finally, the notice includes a compliance restriction tied to biosafety policy: USDA states it will not accept competitive applications submitted for due dates after June 20, 2025, or R&D contract proposals tied to solicitations issued after that date, if the work involves "dangerous gain-of-function research" as defined in Section 8 of Executive Order 14292. This clause is relevant for applicants whose training or research components could intersect with regulated high-risk biological work, and it signals that such activities may be disallowed under certain timelines and definitions.Apply for USDA NIFA AFRI 011596
- The National Institute of Food and Agriculture in the agriculture sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Agriculture and Food Research Initiative Competitive Grants Program Education and Workforce Development" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 10.310.
- This funding opportunity was created on 2026-01-20.
- Applicants must submit their applications by 2026-12-31. (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 $650,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 245 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Others.
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