This grant program supports: (1) training students for master's and doctoral degrees in food, agricultural and natural resource sciences; and (2) Special International Study or Thesis/Dissertation Research Travel Allowances (IRTA) for eligible USDA NNF beneficiaries. Awards are specifically intended to support traineeship programs that engage outstanding students to pursue and complete their degrees in USDA mission areas. Applicants provide clarity about the philosophy of their graduate training, and relevance to USDA mission sciences, NIFA priorities and national science education policies and statistics. Applications are being solicited from institutions that confer a graduate degree in at least one of the following Targeted Expertise Shortage Areas: 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) training in integrative biosciences for sustainable food and agricultural systems.
Individuals are not eligible to apply for these grants to support their graduate education.
Deadlines: Oct. 31, 2017
Applications may be submitted by: 1) Land-Grant Institutions, 2) colleges & universities having significant minority enrollments & a demonstrable capacity to carry out the teaching of food & agricultural sciences, & 3) other colleges & universities having a demonstrable capacity to carry out the teaching of food & agricultural sciences. Applications also may be submitted by research foundations maintained by eligible colleges or universities.
The anticipated amount available for NIFA support of grants with FY 2017 is approximately $3,100,000. There is no commitment by USDA to fund any particular application or to make a specific number of awards.
A single application may propose funding under any single TESA for any of the Award Categories listed below, either singly or in any combination, up to a maximum of $262,500 per application. Applicants may not request partial fellowships.
Regular Grant: Category No. 1 -- Master’s Level Training: Funding at $41,000 for each Fellow. This consists of a student stipend of $18,500 per year for two years, plus $2,000 per year cost-of-education allowance.
Regular Grant: Category No. 2 -- Doctoral Level Training: Funding at $79,500 for each Fellow. This consists of a student stipend of $24,500 per year for three years, plus $2,000 per year cost-of education allowance.
Regular Grant: Category No. 3 -- Special International Study or Thesis/Dissertation Research Travel Allowances (IRTA): One-time award of $4,500 for an eligible USDA National Needs Master’s Fellow and/or one-time award $8,000 for an eligible USDA National Needs Doctoral Fellow.
There is no limit to the number of applications an eligible institution may submit; however, an institution may only receive support up to a maximum of $525,000 in awards. This support may be provided through multiple grant awards.
