Higher Education Challenge Grants Program

The Higher Education Challenge Grants Program, administered by the National Institute of Food and Agriculture under the U.S. Department of Agriculture, aims to enhance institutional capacity in food and agricultural sciences education by supporting the development and improvement of graduate-level degree programs, including master’s and doctoral degrees, as well as first professional degrees in veterinary medicine. This funding opportunity, identified by solicitation number USDA-NIFA-CGP-011315 and posted on August 5, 2026, with a submission deadline of October 15, 2026, seeks proposals that align with institutional long-range goals, address critical educational needs in agriculture and related fields, and demonstrate innovation, multidisciplinary collaboration, and measurable impact. Applicants must submit a comprehensive application package through Grants.gov, including a project summary limited to 250 words, a 20-page project narrative, a mentoring plan, a data management plan, a logic model, and supporting documentation such as biographical sketches, current and pending support records, conflict of interest disclosures, and letters of collaboration. Budgets must be reasonable and cost-effective, with total award amounts ranging from $150,000 for standard grants to $750,000 for collaborative grant type two, and no more than 50% of funds may be allocated to sub-awards without prior approval. Salaries are capped at Executive Level IV unless justified, and all costs must comply with federal cost principles under 2 CFR 200. Applications are evaluated based on five equally weighted factors: the potential to advance educational quality and address significant problems, the soundness of the proposed approach and strength of partnerships, institutional capacity and commitment to sustainability, qualifications of key personnel, and budget efficiency and leveraged resources. Awards are made through a trade-off process that prioritizes merit over cost, and no Lowest Price Technically Acceptable evaluation is used. All submissions must be in PDF format, adhere to strict file naming conventions, and be submitted electronically via Grants.gov by the deadline; hard copies and non-PDF files will be rejected. The program emphasizes capacity building, institutional integration of improvements, and long-term continuation beyond federal funding, requiring applicants to demonstrate how enhanced programs will be sustained after the grant period. Compliance with 7 CFR 3430.2 and 7 U.S.C. 3103(20) is mandatory, and key personnel changes, scope modifications, sub-award adjustments, and cost transfers require prior written approval from