1890 Institution Teaching, Research, and Extension Capacity Building Grants Program
This program provides funding to historically Black colleges and universities to strengthen their teaching, research, and outreach efforts in food and agricultural sciences.
The 1890 Institution Teaching, Research, and Extension Capacity Building Grants Program, managed by the National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) under the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), aims to strengthen teaching, research, and extension programs in food and agricultural sciences at 1890 Land-Grant Institutions. This program is designed to enhance institutional capacities in areas such as curriculum design, materials development, faculty development, research studies, and extension program support. It supports integrated projects that advance sustainable bioenergy, food security, childhood obesity prevention, and food safety, aligning with NIFA’s strategic goals. The program has a total funding pool of $28 million, with individual awards ranging from $100,000 to $750,000. It is anticipated that approximately 60 awards will be granted. No cost-sharing or matching is required. Eligible applicants include 1890 Land-Grant Institutions such as Tuskegee University, Florida A&M University, and Virginia State University. Faculty and students benefiting from the program must meet citizenship or residency requirements, and all projects must promote capacity building within the applicant institutions. Applicants must address at least one of the program’s focus areas and demonstrate the project’s alignment with NIFA’s goals. Faculty serving as Project Directors (PDs) or co-PDs may lead multiple applications, but no faculty member can have more than two active projects concurrently unless one is expiring within the fiscal year. Partnerships with non-eligible organizations are permitted when essential to the project's success, provided they support the capacity-building goals of the 1890 institutions. Applications are due by May 8, 2025, and must be submitted electronically. Key personnel must complete a current and pending support form and ensure their commitments do not exceed 100% across projects. Required documentation includes evidence of eligibility for faculty or students, detailed project proposals, and relevant institutional approvals. Collaborative and integrated proposals are encouraged. Applications will be evaluated based on their potential to enhance institutional capacity in teaching, research, and extension, as well as their alignment with the program’s strategic goals. Review criteria will include the significance of the proposed activities, the feasibility of achieving stated objectives, and the strength of partnerships and collaborations. For more information or assistance with the application process, prospective applicants may contact NIFA support via email at grantapplicationquestions@usda.gov or refer to the program’s full announcement on the USDA-NIFA website. The program is a critical effort to advance food and agricultural sciences through strategic investments in education, research, and extension at historically underrepresented institutions.
Award Range
$100,000 - $750,000
Total Program Funding
$28,000,000
Number of Awards
60
Matching Requirement
No
Eligible Applicants
Additional Requirements
Eligibility Requirements Applicants for the 1890 CBG Program must meet all 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, NIFAs Grants Overview provides highly recommended information about grants and other resources to help understand the Federal awards process. Applications may only be submitted by eligible 1890 Land-Grant Institutions, including Tuskegee University, West Virginia State University, and Central State University (per Section 7129 of (Public Law 113-79) (7 U.S.C. 3152(d)(2). The eligible institutions are: 1. Alabama A University 2. Alcorn State University 3. Central State University 4. Delaware State University 5. Florida A University 6. Fort Valley State University 7. Kentucky State University 8. Langston University 9. Lincoln University (MO) 10. North Carolina A State University 11. Prairie View A University 12. South Carolina State University 13. Southern University and A College 14. Tennessee State University 15. Tuskegee University 16. University of Arkansas-Pine Bluff 17. University of Maryland-Eastern Shore 18. Virginia State University 19. West Virginia State University Faculty and students receiving support for developmental activities or educational costs from the grant award must be an eligible participant (citizen or national of the United States as defined in Appendix III, Definitions). Students must be enrolled at institutions that are eligible to receive 1890 CBG awards (see above paragraphs). Where student or faculty eligibility is claimed under 8 U.S.C. 1101(a) (22), documentary evidence from the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) as to such eligibility must be made available to NIFA upon request. United States citizenship is not required for faculty who serve as PD, co-PD, or key personnel on a Standard or Collaborative project; however, United States citizenship is required for faculty who serve as PD on a Professional Development project. Faculty may not serve as PD on more than two active 1890 CBG projects. If an applicant has two active projects, at least one project must be scheduled to expire by the end of the current fiscal year. Faculty may submit multiple Standard and/or Collaborative Grant applications as the lead PD to the 1890 CBG Program in FY 2025. Additionally, there is no limit on the number of applications for which faculty may be listed as co-PD or key personnel. NOTE: All key personnel must submit a current and pending support form. Key personnel may not commit more than 100% effort on concurrent projects. All collaborative teaching, research, and extension projects and integrated projects may subcontract, as deemed appropriate, to organizations not eligible to apply provided such organizations are necessary to conduct a successful project. The subcontract must advance capacity building at the 1890 institution in the area of the submitted application.
Geographic Eligibility
All
Application Opens
January 17, 2025
Application Closes
May 8, 2025
Grantor
U.S. Department of Agriculture (National Institute of Food and Agriculture)
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