The purpose of the Food and Agricultural Sciences National Needs Graduate and Postgraduate Fellowship (NNF) Grants Program, Assistance Listing 10.210, is to provide funding to support graduate student training and completion of master’s and/or doctoral degree programs in identified national need areas within the food and agricultural sciences. The overarching goals and objectives of these graduate fellowships are to encourage outstanding students to pursue and complete graduate degrees in the areas of food and agricultural sciences designated by NIFA as national needs. Awards made by the NNF program are specifically intended to support traineeship programs that engage outstanding students to pursue and complete their degrees in areas where there is a national need for the development of scientific and professional expertise in the food and agricultural sciences. NNF awards invest in graduate training and relevant international experiential learning for diverse individuals who demonstrate their potential to successfully complete graduate degree programs in disciplines relevant to the mission of the USDA. This funding opportunity is open to eligible institutions. Individuals are not eligible to apply.
For this award cycle, NIFA intends to support graduate Fellowship training grants for both master’s and doctoral levels of study only. Post-doctoral Fellowships will not be awarded under this grant announcement.
APPLICATION DEADLINE: August 13, 2024
NIFA is soliciting NNF applications in the following areas:
1. Graduate Fellowships to support the training for and completion of master’s and doctoral degree programs in the food and agricultural sciences; and
2. Special International Study OR Thesis/Dissertation Research Travel Allowances (IRTA) for NEW eligible master’s and doctoral USDA Fellows.
Working collaboratively with eligible institutions, the objectives of the NNF program are to:
a. Support the training of NEW students at the master’s and doctoral levels, in order to fill nationally identified expertise shortage areas in the food and agricultural sciences.
b. Increase the number, quality, and diversity of students in the food, agricultural and related sciences by recruiting outstanding students, particularly those from traditionally underrepresented groups to enter and complete graduate training in these areas.
c. Ensure that the National Needs Fellows build science competencies through research and extension activities, and experience and engagement in an international setting within the Targeted Expertise Shortage Area (TESA) in the food and agricultural sciences through the IRTA awards.
Incorporation of Social Sciences and Enhancing Impacts. The NNF program supports social and behavioral science disciplines. Projects that integrate social and biological sciences to provide experiential learning opportunities for students in applied research, and related community development programs are encouraged. Incorporation of social and behavioral sciences is important for addressing many of the challenges facing agriculture and rural communities, such as increasing global demand for food production in the face of limited natural resources; improving health and reducing obesity by engaging in healthy diets; and alleviating poverty by fostering economic opportunity.
Only the following are eligible to apply: Land-grant institutions, colleges and universities having significant minority enrollments and a demonstrable capacity to carry out the teaching of food and agricultural sciences; and other colleges and universities having a demonstrable capacity to carry out the teaching of food, and agricultural sciences. Research foundations maintained by an eligible college or university are eligible to submit graduate training proposals under this RFA. Award recipients may subcontract to organizations not eligible to apply provided such organizations are necessary for the conduct of the project. Failure to meet an eligibility criterion by the 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.
Applicants should be institutions that confer a graduate degree in at least one of the TESAs listed in Part I of this RFA. Awards are made to eligible colleges and universities. Individuals are not eligible to apply for these grants to support their graduate education.
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 approximately $525,000 in awards for this award competition.