USDA is offering the Higher Education Challenge Grant Program to foster innovative educational solutions.

Applications may be submitted by:
1. U.S. public or private nonprofit colleges and universities offering a baccalaureate or first
professional degree in at least one discipline or area of the food and agricultural sciences;
2. land-grant colleges and universities, (including land-grant institutions in the Insular
Areas);
3. colleges and universities having significant minority enrollments and a demonstrable
capacity to carry out the teaching of food and agricultural sciences; and
4. other colleges and universities having a demonstrable capacity to carry out the teaching
of food and agricultural sciences.

An applicant also must meet the definition of an Eligible Institution/Organization as stated in this RFA (see Appendix III). For the purposes of this program, the individual branches of a state university or other system of higher education that are separately accredited as degree-granting institutions are treated as separate institutions and are therefore eligible for HEC awards. Separate branches or campuses of a college or university that are not individually accredited as degree-granting institutions are not treated as separate institutions. An institution eligible to receive an award under this program includes a research foundation maintained by an eligible college or university. Accreditation must be by an agency or association recognized by the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Education.

United States citizenship is not required of faculty that wish to serve as PD, co-PD, or key personnel on a HEC grant. Any individual (eligible participant) receiving Federal funds (for developmental activities) must be a citizen or national of the United States, as defined in this RFA (see Appendix III). Failure to meet an eligibility criterion by the time of application deadline may result in the application being excluded from consideration or, even though an application may be reviewed, will preclude NIFA from making an award.

The following applies to CG1 and CG2 applicants only: The applicant institution must meet the definition of “eligible institution” as specified in 7 CFR §3405.2(i); the other institutions participating in a CG1 and CG2 project proposals are not required to meet the definition of “eligible institution” as specified in 7 CFR §3405.2(i), nor required to meet the definition of “college” or “university” as specified in 7 CFR §3405.2(f).

Award recipients may subcontract to organizations not eligible to apply, provided such organizations are necessary for the conduct of the project. 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, NIFA’s Grants Overview provides highly recommended information about grants and other resources to help understand the Federal awards process.

Projects supported by the Higher Education Challenge Grants Program will: (1) address a state, regional, national, or international educational need; (2) involve a creative or non-traditional approach toward addressing that need that can serve as a model to others; (3) encourage and facilitate better working relationships in the university science and education community, as well as between universities and the private sector, to enhance program quality and supplement available resources; and (4) result in benefits that will likely transcend the project duration and USDA support.