Opportunity Information: Apply for USDA NIFA NLGCA 009505
The Capacity Building Grants for Non-Land Grant Colleges of Agriculture (NLGCA) Program is a discretionary grant opportunity run by the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA), the federal agency that serves as the lead supporter of higher education in the food and agricultural sciences. The program is designed to strengthen and expand the institutional capacity of eligible colleges so they can better carry out agriculture-related education, research, extension/outreach, and integrated projects. In practical terms, the funding is meant to help qualifying institutions maintain and grow their ability to train students, develop new knowledge, and deliver community-facing programs tied to agriculture, renewable resources, and closely related disciplines.
Only institutions that are officially certified by NIFA as Non-Land Grant Colleges of Agriculture at the time they apply are allowed to submit an application. NIFA maintains a current public list of certified NLGCA institutions, and applicants are expected to confirm their status using that list and follow the requirements described in the program's Request for Applications (RFA). If an institution is unsure whether it qualifies or how to pursue certification, NIFA provides an eligibility flow chart to help determine whether the institution can request the NLGCA designation.
A key policy update reflected in this opportunity comes from Section 7102 of the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018. Previously, some institutions, including Hispanic Serving Agricultural Colleges and Universities (HSACU) and McIntire-Stennis Colleges and Universities, faced an "opt-in/opt-out" constraint that could require them to give up one status in order to pursue NLGCA designation. That limitation has been removed, meaning those institutions can now pursue NLGCA designation without relinquishing those other classifications.
The opportunity also allows award recipients to issue subawards to partner organizations that may not be eligible to apply directly to this program, as long as those partners are necessary to carry out the funded project. This gives NLGCA institutions flexibility to collaborate with external entities such as nonprofits, industry partners, local agencies, or other organizations that bring expertise, facilities, or access to target communities.
Institutions that were certified as NLGCA prior to December 21, 2018 must reapply for certification and meet updated eligibility criteria laid out in a Federal Register notice. This requirement is important because certification is not simply assumed based on prior status; applicants need to ensure their certification is current under the revised rules before submitting a proposal.
From the published source details, the funding opportunity is titled "Capacity Building Grants for Non-Land Grant Colleges of Agriculture Program" (Funding Opportunity Number: USDA NIFA NLGCA 009505) and is listed under CFDA 10.326. The instrument type is a grant, the activity category is agriculture, and the eligible applicant category is listed as "Others" in the federal posting, with the narrative clarifying that this refers specifically to NIFA-certified NLGCA institutions. The posting lists an award ceiling of $750,000. The original closing date shown is 2022-12-01, and the notice creation date is 2022-10-07.Apply for USDA NIFA NLGCA 009505
- The National Institute of Food and Agriculture in the agriculture sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Capacity Building Grants for Non-Land Grant Colleges of Agriculture Program" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 10.326.
- This funding opportunity was created on 2022-10-07.
- Applicants must submit their applications by 2022-12-01. (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 $750,000.00 in funding.
- Eligible applicants include: Others.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the Capacity Building Grants for Non-Land Grant Colleges of Agriculture (NLGCA) Program?
The Capacity Building Grants for Non-Land Grant Colleges of Agriculture (NLGCA) Program is a discretionary grant opportunity administered by the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA). It is intended to strengthen and expand the institutional capacity of eligible colleges so they can better carry out agriculture-related education, research, extension/outreach, and integrated projects.
Which federal agency runs this grant program?
The program is run by the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA), the federal agency described as the lead supporter of higher education in the food and agricultural sciences.
What is the main purpose of this funding?
The funding is meant to help qualifying institutions maintain and grow their ability to train students, develop new knowledge, and deliver community-facing programs tied to agriculture, renewable resources, and closely related disciplines.
What kinds of projects does the program support?
Based on the opportunity description, the program supports agriculture-related:
- Education projects
- Research projects
- Extension/outreach projects
- Integrated projects (combining more than one of the above)
Who is eligible to apply?
Only institutions that are officially certified by NIFA as Non-Land Grant Colleges of Agriculture (NLGCA) at the time they apply are eligible to submit an application.
Does an institution need to be certified as an NLGCA before submitting an application?
Yes. The opportunity states that institutions must be certified by NIFA as an NLGCA at the time they apply. Applicants are expected to confirm their status using NIFA's current public list of certified NLGCA institutions and follow the requirements in the program's Request for Applications (RFA).
How can an institution confirm it is certified as an NLGCA?
NIFA maintains a current public list of certified NLGCA institutions. The opportunity indicates that applicants are expected to confirm their certification status using that list.
What if an institution is unsure whether it qualifies for NLGCA certification?
The opportunity notes that NIFA provides an eligibility flow chart to help an institution determine whether it can request the NLGCA designation.
Are institutions certified before December 21, 2018 required to do anything special before applying?
Yes. Institutions that were certified as NLGCA prior to December 21, 2018 must reapply for certification and meet updated eligibility criteria described in a Federal Register notice. Prior certification alone is not treated as automatically sufficient under the revised rules.
Can Hispanic Serving Agricultural Colleges and Universities (HSACU) pursue NLGCA designation?
Yes. A policy update described in the opportunity explains that the prior "opt-in/opt-out" constraint has been removed. Institutions, including HSACU, can pursue NLGCA designation without relinquishing that other classification.
Can McIntire-Stennis Colleges and Universities pursue NLGCA designation?
Yes. The opportunity states that the previous "opt-in/opt-out" limitation affecting some institutions, including McIntire-Stennis Colleges and Universities, has been removed. Those institutions can pursue NLGCA designation without giving up that status.
What legal or policy change removed the "opt-in/opt-out" limitation?
The opportunity attributes this update to Section 7102 of the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018.
Can award recipients collaborate with outside organizations?
Yes. The opportunity allows award recipients to issue subawards to partner organizations that may not be eligible to apply directly to this program, as long as those partners are necessary to carry out the funded project.
Do subaward partners need to be eligible applicants under this program?
No. The opportunity explicitly states that subawards may be made to partner organizations that may not be eligible to apply directly, as long as they are necessary to carry out the project.
What types of partners could be included through subawards?
The opportunity gives examples of potential external collaborators such as nonprofits, industry partners, local agencies, or other organizations that bring expertise, facilities, or access to target communities.
What is the funding instrument type?
The instrument type listed in the posting is a grant.
What is the activity category for this opportunity?
The activity category is listed as agriculture.
What is the award ceiling?
The posting lists an award ceiling of $750,000.
What is the Funding Opportunity Number?
The Funding Opportunity Number is USDA NIFA NLGCA 009505.
What is the CFDA number associated with this opportunity?
The opportunity is listed under CFDA 10.326.
What was the original closing date shown in the posting?
The original closing date shown is 2022-12-01.
When was the notice created?
The notice creation date listed is 2022-10-07.
The federal posting lists eligible applicants as "Others." What does that mean here?
In the federal posting, the eligible applicant category is listed as "Others," and the narrative clarifies that this refers specifically to NIFA-certified Non-Land Grant Colleges of Agriculture (NLGCA) institutions.
Where should applicants look for the detailed application requirements?
The opportunity indicates that applicants are expected to follow the requirements described in the program's Request for Applications (RFA).
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