Capacity Building Grants for Non-Land-Grant Colleges of Agriculture Program

The Capacity Building Grants for Non-Land-Grant Colleges of Agriculture Program is administered by the National Institute of Food and Agriculture within the U.S. Department of Agriculture under Assistance Listing Number 10.326 and funding opportunity number USDA-NIFA-NLGCA-011938. The program is authorized under Section 1473F of the National Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching Policy Act of 1977, as amended. The program provides competitive grants to NIFA-certified Non-Land-Grant Colleges of Agriculture to maintain and expand institutional capacity for education, research, outreach, and integrated activities related to agriculture, renewable resources, food and agricultural sciences, and similar disciplines. Projects should address demonstrated issues or challenges of national, regional, state, or local interest and align with applicable USDA departmental research and development priorities. The program supports Research, Education, Outreach, and Integrated project types. Program priorities include innovative agricultural technologies such as data analytics, robotics and automation, and artificial intelligence, as well as educational experiences and career awareness related to these technologies. Education projects may address curriculum and instructional development, scientific instrumentation, student recruitment and retention, experiential learning, faculty professional development, and collaboration with other academic institutions. Research projects may support studies and experimentation, applied studies, and centralized research support systems. Outreach projects may address youth development, food and agricultural sciences, leadership development, precision nutrition and food quality, community and economic development, and technology-based information delivery systems. Integrated projects must combine at least two of education, research, and outreach in an interdependent manner. Approximately USD 5,700,000 is available for fiscal year 2026, with approximately 20 awards anticipated. Planning Activity or Workshop grants range from USD 25,000 to USD 30,000 and have project periods of 24 to 36 months. Standard grants range from USD 50,000 to USD 150,000 and have project periods of 24 to 36 months. Collaborative Joint grants range from USD 200,000 to USD 300,000 and have project periods of 36 to 48 months. Collaborative Large-scale Comprehensive Initiative grants range from USD 600,000 to USD 750,000 and have project periods of 36 to 48 months. Collaborative Joint and Large-scale Comprehensive Initiative projects require partners to share grant funds according to specified allocation requirements. Indirect costs for the overall award may not exceed 30 percent of Total Federal Funds Awarded. Grant funds may support equipment and other infrastructure, but may not be used for alteration, repair, renovation, or construction of buildings. Student tuition scholarships and other tuition-remission activities are also prohibited. No cost share or matching contribution is required, although cost sharing is encouraged. Applications may only be submitted by institutions certified by NIFA as Non-Land-Grant Colleges of Agriculture at the time of application. To qualify for NLGCA status, an institution must be a public college or university offering a baccalaureate or higher degree in agricultural sciences, forestry, or both, within the specified qualifying areas of study. Separately accredited degree-granting branches may apply independently, while branches or campuses that are not separately accredited as degree-granting institutions are not eligible to apply independently. Eligible institutions may subcontract with otherwise ineligible organizations when their participation is necessary for the project. An institution may submit any number of proposals as lead applicant but may receive no more than two awards as lead institution in the fiscal year competition. An individual may serve as Project Director for only one funded project in the competition. The program has no matching requirement. Applications must be submitted electronically through Grants.gov. Applicants must use funding opportunity number USDA-NIFA-NLGCA-011938 to locate the application package and must follow the NOFO and the version of the NIFA Grants Application Guide included with the funding opportunity. Required materials include applicable SF 424 R and R forms, a Project Summary or Abstract of no more than 250 words, and a Project Narrative subject to a 25-page limit. The narrative must address the project purpose and goals, rationale and significance, objectives, approach and methods, timetable, evaluation requirements where applicable, and a logic model. Other required or conditionally required materials include bibliography and references, a Mentoring Plan for recipients of stipends, fellowships, and training programs, a Data Management Plan, documentation of leadership support, collaborative arrangement documentation where applicable, senior or key person information, biographical sketches, budget materials, supplemental information, and a conflict of interest list. Applications are due by 5:00 P.M. Eastern Time on November 10, 2026. NIFA first screens applications for compliance with administrative requirements. Applications meeting those requirements proceed to scientific peer review by reviewers selected for relevant research, education, outreach, technical, producer, stakeholder, and organizational expertise. Evaluation criteria are listed in descending order of importance. The primary criterion is the potential for advancing the quality of education, research, or outreach and strengthening institutional capacity. Additional criteria address the proposed approach and cooperative linkages, institutional capability and capacity building, budget and cost-effectiveness, and the qualifications and expertise of key personnel. NIFA may negotiate project scope, funding level, project period, or method of support before recommending an application for funding. Awards are made to responsible and eligible applicants judged most meritorious within available funds. The application deadline is November 10, 2026, and the NOFO does not state a separate letter of intent, concept paper, pre-proposal, or other pre-application gating deadline. The grant effective date must generally be no later than September 30 of the Federal fiscal year in which the project is approved and funds are appropriated, unless otherwise permitted by law. Programmatic questions may be directed to NLGCA@usda.gov. Other NOFO or application questions may be directed to grantapplicationquestions@usda.gov, and Grants.gov technical support is available at support@grants.gov or 800-518-4726 and 606-545-5035. Questions concerning awards may be directed to awards@usda.gov. The source does not state that the funding opportunity recurs annually or on another defined schedule.

Prioritize a clear demonstration of how the project advances education, research, or outreach quality and strengthens institutional capacity because this is the highest-ranked review criterion. Explicitly connect the project to the program purpose, priorities, and applicable Need Areas. Use evidence or institutional data to support the approach. Provide measurable objectives, a feasible timetable, strong evaluation methods, a complete Data Management Plan, and a credible dissemination strategy. Demonstrate institutional commitment, sustainability beyond USDA support, appropriate collaborative linkages where applicable, qualified key personnel, and a necessary and cost-effective budget. Follow the 25-page narrative and formatting requirements exactly because noncompliant applications will not be accepted for review.