Rural Health and Safety Education Competitive Grants Program

The Rural Health and Safety Education Competitive Grants Program is administered by the National Institute of Food and Agriculture within the U.S. Department of Agriculture. This federal program is authorized under the Rural Development Act of 1972 and is designed to improve the quality of life in rural communities by strengthening health education, safety awareness, and coordination among institutions serving rural populations. The program reflects USDA priorities related to agricultural productivity, rural well-being, and public health outcomes, particularly as they intersect with food systems, natural resources, and community development. The primary purpose of this funding opportunity is to support extension-based educational projects that improve individual and family health outcomes in rural areas. For the current cycle, the program specifically emphasizes individual and family health education initiatives. These projects are expected to provide rural populations with actionable knowledge about maintaining health, increasing personal responsibility for well-being, accessing health promotion resources, and addressing substance misuse challenges, including opioid-related issues. The program also supports training for volunteers and service providers and encourages collaboration with state and local health systems. Funding for this opportunity totals approximately three million dollars, with individual awards fixed at three hundred fifty thousand dollars for a project period of up to thirty-six months. Projects must align with strict requirements, including the use of Cooperative Extension systems for outreach, coordination with State Offices of Rural Health or federal health programs, and implementation in federally defined rural areas. Applicants must also include evaluation frameworks that demonstrate measurable changes in participant knowledge, attitudes, and potentially behavior. Eligibility is limited to specific higher education institutions, including 1862 and 1890 Land-grant Colleges and Universities, as well as 1994 Tribal Land-grant Institutions. While only these entities may apply directly, they are permitted to subcontract with other organizations as needed to fulfill project goals. The program explicitly excludes duplicate submissions and certain types of proposals, including those focused on clinical treatment, formal education, or unrelated research areas. Applications must be submitted electronically through Grants.gov and must include a complete set of required components such as a project narrative, budget, budget narrative, and summary. The project narrative must detail objectives, activities, evaluation plans, management structures, and dissemination strategies within a defined page limit. Proposals are evaluated through a two-step process involving administrative screening followed by peer review, with scoring criteria that assess alignment, feasibility, impact, and cost effectiveness. The application deadline for this funding opportunity is June 23, 2026, with submissions due by 5:00 PM Eastern Time. Projects are expected to begin on or around September 1, 2026, and continue through August 31, 2029. There is no cost-sharing or matching requirement for this program. Applicants may contact the program via the provided USDA NIFA email for technical or administrative assistance.

Ensure strong evaluation metrics and measurable outcomes; align with rural health priorities; coordinate with state health agencies