Hispanic Serving Institutions Education Grants

 

The objective of this program is to promote and strengthen the ability of Hispanic-Serving Institutions to carry out higher education programs in the food and agricultural sciences. These programs aim to attract outstanding students and produce graduates capable of enhancing the Nation's food and agricultural scientific and professional work force. Grants under this program will be awarded to: (1) support the activities of consortia of Hispanic-Serving Institutions to enhance educational equity for underrepresented students; (2) strengthen institutional educational capacities including libraries, curriculum, faculty, scientific instrumentation, instruction delivery systems, and student recruitment and retention, in order to respond to identified State, regional, national, or international educational needs in the food and agricultural sciences; (3) attract and support undergraduate and graduate students from underrepresented groups in order to prepare them for careers related to the food, agricultural, and natural resource systems of the United States, beginning with the mentoring of students at the high school level and continuing with the provision of financial support for students through their attainment of a doctoral degree; and (4) facilitate cooperative initiatives between two or more Hispanic-Serving Institutions, or between Hispanic-Serving Institutions and units of State government or the private sector, to maximize the development and use of resources, such as faculty, facilities, and equipment, to improve food and agricultural sciences teaching programs.

Active 10.223 National Institute of Food and Agriculture, Department of Agriculture B - Project Grants Fiscal Year 2016 For FY 2016, $9.2 million was appropriated to support the program. After legislatively authorized set-asides and panel costs, $8,815,888.64 was available for awards. Program received 56 proposals for the FY 2016 competition. The HSI Panel was held on April 5-6, 2016 to review 43 proposals. Thirteen (13) of the 56 proposals represented continuations, which do not required to be peer-reviewed. Sixteen (16) panelists with expertise in education, natural resources, biotechnology, general agriculture, food and nutrition sciences, horticulture and animal sciences reviewed the proposals. A total of 28 proposals were recommended for funding, including thirteen continuation grants. The remaining 28 proposals were declined. A total of 56 applications were submitted in this year’s competition. A total of 28 projects are being recommended for funding. Eight Continuation Standard projects are recommended for funding. Five Continuation Collaboration projects are recommended for funding. Nine of the 28 awards (32 percent) are Strengthening Project Proposals. Three New Standard projects were recommended for funding. Three New Collaboration projects were recommended for funding. The radio was 50 percent. In Fiscal Year (FY) 2016, a total of $ 8,840,842 was available to support projects. A total of 90 proposals were submitted for consideration for funding for this year, the nineteenth year of the program. Institutions submitting proposals were from the following states: Arizona, California, Florida, Illinois, New Mexico, New York, Texas, Washington, and Puerto Rico. In a two day panel, May 25-26, 2016 the grant applications were evaluated by a peer review panel comprised of faculty members from land-grant and non-land-grant universities, members from private industry, and representatives of the Federal government. Panelists represented various academic areas including business, agriculture, natural resources, forestry, veterinary medicine, family and consumer sciences, and closely allied disciplines. Based on the peer review deliberations, funds were available to support 28 grants. Each project has planned some form of collaboration and coordination efforts with a local USDA office.
Fiscal Year 2017 For Fiscal Year (FY) 2017: The amount appropriated for the Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSI) program was approximately $9.2 million. Per the Budget Office, approximately $8.8 million was available to support grants. After legislatively authorized set asides and peer panel costs. The Program received 63 proposals on this year’s competition. The HSI Panel was held on May 25-26, 2017 to review 63 proposal. Twenty panelists with expertise in education, natural resources, biotechnology, general agriculture, food and nutrition sciences, horticulture and animal sciences reviewed the proposals. A total of 29 proposals, including seventeen continuation grants, were recommended for funding. The remaining 51 proposals were declined. Institutions submitting proposals were from the following states: California, Florida, New Mexico, Texas, and Puerto Rico. Panelists represented various academic areas including business, agriculture, natural resources, forestry, veterinary medicine, family and consumer sciences, and closely allied disciplines. Based on the peer review deliberations, funds were available to support 29 grants. Each project has planned some form of collaboration and coordination efforts with a local USDA office.
Fiscal Year 2018 For Fiscal Year (FY) 2018: For Fiscal Year 2018, $9,129,000 was appropriated to support the HSI Program. Per the Budget Office, after legislatively authorized set asides and peer panel costs, $8,808,579 were available to States. The FY18 HSI’s RFA was published in March 2018. Funds for seventeen (17) continuation awards were provided as well as 10 new projects. The Program received 58 proposals on this year’s competition. The HSI Panel was held on June 19-21st, 2018 to review 58 proposal. Twenty panelists with expertise in education, natural resources, biotechnology, general agriculture, food and nutrition sciences, horticulture and animal sciences reviewed the proposals. A total of 27 proposals, including seventeen continuation grants, were recommended for funding. The remaining 43 proposals were declined. Institutions submitting proposals were from the following states: Arizona, California, Florida, New Jersey, New Mexico, Texas, and Puerto Rico. Panelists represented various academic areas including business, agriculture, natural resources, forestry, veterinary medicine, family and consumer sciences, and closely allied disciplines. Based on the peer review deliberations, funds were available to support 27 grants. Each project has planned some form of collaboration and coordination efforts with a local USDA office
Fiscal Year 2019 For Fiscal Year (FY) 2019: For Fiscal Year 2019, $9,129,000 was appropriated to support the HSI Program. Per the Budget Office, after legislatively authorized set asides and peer panel costs, $8,808,579 were available to States. The FY19 HSI’s RFA was published in March 2019. Funds for ten (10) continuation awards were provided as well as 15 new projects. The Program received 82 proposals, including continuations, on this year’s competition. The HSI Panel was held on July 9-11, 2019 to review 72 proposal. Twenty-one panelists with expertise in education, natural resources, biotechnology, general agriculture, food and nutrition sciences, horticulture and animal sciences reviewed the proposals. A total of 25 proposals, including ten continuation grants, were recommended for funding. The remaining 57 proposals were declined. Institutions submitting proposals were from the following states: Arizona, California, Florida, New Jersey, New Mexico, Texas, and Puerto Rico. Panelists represented various academic areas including business, agriculture, natural resources, forestry, veterinary medicine, family and consumer sciences, and closely allied disciplines. Based on the peer review deliberations, funds were available to support 25 grants. Each project has planned some form of collaboration and coordination efforts with a local USDA office.
Fiscal Year 2020 (FY) 2020, it is projected that approximately $ 9 million will be appropriated to support projects. Per the Budget Office, it is projected that approximately $8.8 million will be available for grants. A total of 75 proposals are expected for consideration for funding in 2020, the twenty send year of the program. We are expecting proposals from the following states: Arizona, California, Florida, Illinois, New Mexico, New York, Texas, Washington, and Puerto Rico. A three-day panel is expected. The grant applications will be evaluated by a peer review panel comprised of faculty members from land-grant and non-land-grant universities, members from private industry, and representatives of the Federal government. Panelists will represent various academic areas including business, agriculture, natural resources, forestry, veterinary medicine, family and consumer sciences, and closely allied disciplines. Based on the peer review deliberations, funds should be available to support about 28 grants. Each project will include some form of collaboration and coordination efforts with a local USDA office.
Fiscal Year 2024 Pertinent information will be provided at a later date. This program is administered under the provisions of section 1455 of the National Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching Policy Act of 1977, as amended (NARETPA) (7 U.S.C. 3241) pursuant to section 815 of Public Law 104-127 and Public Law 110-246. Section 1455 of NARETPA, as reauthorized by section 7128 of Public Law 110-246, provides the Secretary of Agriculture with the authority to make competitive grants (or grants without regard to any requirement for competition) to Hispanic-Serving Institutions for the purpose of promoting and strengthening the ability of Hispanic-Serving Institutions to carry out education, applied research, and related community development programs., 7 U.S.C. 3241 Hispanic serving institutions are eligible to receive funds under this program. "Hispanic serving institutions" means an institution of higher education which, at the time of application, has an enrollment of undergraduate full-time equivalent students that is at least 25 percent Hispanic students, and which (1) admits as regular students only persons having a certificate of graduation from a school providing secondary education, or the recognized equivalent of such certificate; (2) is a public or other nonprofit institutions accredited by a nationally recognized accrediting body; and (3) is legally authorized to provide a program of education beyond the secondary level for which a 2-year associate, baccalaureate, or higher degree is awarded. Applications may be submitted by, and awards may only be made to, public or other non-profit Hispanic-Serving Institutions as defined in the definitions section of this solicitation. For the purposes of this program, the individual branches of a S Applications may only be submitted by Hispanic-Serving Institutions. To be considered an HSI, institutions must have a minimum of 25 percent undergraduate full-time Hispanic enrollment. Failure to meet an eligibility criterion by the application deadline may result in the application being excluded from consideration and, even though an application may be reviewed, will preclude NIFA from making an award. The System for Award Management (SAM) combines eight federal procurement systems, including CCR, and the Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance into one new system. CCR activities are conducted through SAM (the CCR website will redirect users to SAM). Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) Number and System for Award Management (SAM): Each applicant (unless excepted under 2 CFR ? 25.110(b) or (c), or has an exception approved by the Federal awarding agency under 2 CFR ? 25.110(d)) is required to: (i) Be registered in SAM before submitting its application; (ii) Provide a valid UEI number in its application; and (iii) Continue to maintain an active SAM registration with current information at all times during which it has an active Federal award or an application or plan under consideration by a Federal awarding agency. It also must state that the Federal awarding agency may not make a Federal award to an applicant until the applicant has complied with all applicable UEI and SAM requirements and, if an applicant has not fully complied with the requirements by the time the Federal awarding agency is ready to make a Federal award, the Federal awarding agency may determine that the applicant is not qualified to receive a Federal award and use that determination as a basis for making a Federal award to another applicant. Applicants must furnish the information required in the Competitive Request for Applications (RFAs). Successful applicants recommended for funding must furnish the information and assurances requested during the award documentation process. These include, but are not limited to the following: Organizational Management Information - Specific management information relating to an applicant shall be submitted on a one time basis, with updates on an as needed basis, as part of the responsibility determination prior to the award of a grant identified under this RFA, if such information has not been provided previously under this or another NIFA program. NIFA will provide copies of forms recommended for use in fulfilling these requirements as part of the preaward process. Although an applicant may be eligible based on its status as one of these entities, there are factors which may exclude an applicant from receiving Federal financial and nonfinancial assistance and benefits under this program (e.g., debarment or suspension of an individual involved or a determination that an applicant is not responsible based on submitted organizational management information). This information collection is approved under OMB Circular Control No. 0524-0026, "Assurance of Compliance with the Department of Agriculture Regulations Assuring Civil Rights, Compliance and Organization Information." SPECIAL NOTE: Please refer to the Competitive Request for Applications (RFAs) for further specific and pertinent details. The most current RFAs are available as follows: https://nifa.usda.gov/funding-opportunity/hispanic-serving-institutions-education-grants-program-hsi RFAs are generally released annually. Hence, the RFAs provide the most current and accurate information available. Any specific instructions in the Competitive RFAs supersede the general information provided in the CFDA database. 2 CFR 200, Subpart E - Cost Principles applies to this program. Preapplication coordination is required. All RFAs are published on the Agency’s website and Grants.gov. Applicants must complete the Grants.gov registration process. Please see the following Grants.gov link for more information: http://www.grants.gov/applicants/get_registered.jsp. 2 CFR 200, Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards applies to this program. The National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) only accepts electronic applications which are submitted via Grants.gov in response to specific Requests for Applications (RFA). Applicants must complete the Grants.gov registration process. For information about the pre-award phase of the grant lifecycle application processes see: http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/learn-grants/grants-101/pre-award-phase.html. Further, applicants must follow the instructions provided in the NIFA Grants.gov Application Guide, which can be assessed as follows: Adobe NIFA Applications. 2 CFR part 200, Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards and 2 CFR part 400 USDA's Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards apply to this program. SPECIAL NOTE: Please refer to the Competitive Request for Applications (RFAs) for further specific and pertinent details. The most current RFAs are available via: https://nifa.usda.gov/funding-opportunity/hispanic-serving-institutions-education-grants-program-hsi RFAs are generally released annually. Hence, the RFAs provide the most current and accurate information available. Any specific instructions in the Competitive RFAs supersede the general information provided in the CFDA database. Applications are subjected to a system of peer and merit review in accordance with section 103 of the Agricultural Research, Extension and Education Reform Act of 1998 (7 U.S.C. 7613) by a panel of qualified scientists and other appropriate persons who are specialists in the field covered by the proposal. Within the limit of funds available for such purpose, the NIFA Authorized Departmental Officer (ADO) shall make grants to those responsible, eligible applicants whose applications are judged most meritorious under the procedures set forth in the RFA. Reviewers will be selected based upon training and experience in relevant scientific, extension, or education fields, taking into account the following factors: (a) The level of relevant formal scientific, technical education, or extension experience of the individual, as well as the extent to which an individual is engaged in relevant research, education, or extension activities; (b) the need to include as reviewers experts from various areas of specialization within relevant scientific, education, or extension fields; (c) the need to include as reviewers other experts (e.g., producers, range or forest managers/operators, and consumers) who can assess relevance of the applications to targeted audiences and to program needs; (d) the need to include as reviewers experts from a variety of organizational types (e.g., colleges, universities, industry, state and Federal agencies, private profit and non-profit organizations) and geographic locations; (e) the need to maintain a balanced composition of reviewers with regard to minority and female representation and an equitable age distribution; and (f) the need to include reviewers who can judge the effective usefulness to producers and the general public of each application. Evaluation Criteria will be delineated in the Competitive Request for Applications (RFA). 2 CFR 200 - Subpart C and Appendix I and 2 CFR part 400 apply to this Program. SPECIAL NOTE: Please refer to the Competitive Request for Applications (RFAs) for further specific and pertinent details. The most current RFAs are available via: https://nifa.usda.gov/funding-opportunity/hispanic-serving-institutions-education-grants-program-hsi RFAs are generally released annually. Hence, the RFAs provide the most current and accurate information available. Any specific instructions in the Competitive RFAs supersede the general information provided in the CFDA database. Contact the headquarters or regional location, as appropriate for application deadlines From 30 to 60 days. Contact the National Program Leader (NPL), as indicated per CFDA Section # 152 - Headquarters Office regarding dates for specific deadlines, start and end dates, and range of approval/disapproval time. Information is also available via our website and may be obtained via the Grants.gov website. NIFA's respective links regarding general information are provided below: http://nifa.usda.gov/ http://www.grants.gov. SPECIAL NOTE: Please refer to the Competitive Request for Applications (RFAs) for further specific and pertinent details. The most current RFA is available via: https://nifa.usda.gov/funding-opportunity/hispanic-serving-institutions-education-grants-program-hsi RFAs are generally released annually. Hence, the RFAs provide the most current and accurate information available. Any specific instructions in the Competitive RFAs supersede the general information provided in the CFDA database. Not applicable. Specific details are provided in the Request for Applications (RFA), which are generally published annually. The most current RFA is available via: https://nifa.usda.gov/funding-opportunity/hispanic-serving-institutions-education-grants-program-hsi 2 CFR part 200, Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards and 2 CFR part 400 USDA's Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards apply to this program. Within guidelines established for the program as described in the Competitive Request for Application (RFA). The most current RFAs are available via: https://nifa.usda.gov/funding-opportunity/hispanic-serving-institutions-education-grants-program-hsi Funds may be used to support one or more of the following target areas or additional target areas as identified in the annual program announcement: Curricula design; materials development; library resources; faculty preparation and enhancement for teaching; instruction delivery systems; scientific instrumentation for teaching; student experiential learning; and student recruitment and retention. Performance Reports: PERFORMANCE MONITORING: See above for pertinent and specific details. Relation to other audit requirements, but records must be available for review or audit by appropriate officials of the Federal agency, pass-through entity, and Government Accountability Office (GAO). This program is also subject to audit by the cognizant Federal audit agency and the USDA Office of Inspector General. Relation to other audit requirements, but records must be available for review or audit by appropriate officials of the Federal agency, pass-through entity, and Government Accountability Office (GAO). This program is also subject to audit by the cognizant Federal audit agency and the USDA Office of Inspector General. In accordance with 2 CFR Part 400 - Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards, ? 200.334 Retention requirements for records. Grantees shall maintain separate records for each grant to ensure that funds are used for authorized purposes. Grant-related records are subject to inspection during the life of the grant and must be retained at least three (3) years. Records must be retained beyond the three (3) year period if litigation is pending or audit findings have not been resolved. 2 CFR Part 200, Subpart D applies to this program. Statutory formula is not applicable to this assistance listing.

Matching requirements are not applicable to this assistance listing.

MOE requirements are not applicable to this assistance listing. In accordance with statutory time limits, project periods, including no-cost extensions of time, are not to exceed five (5) years. Further details are provided in the Award document Form NIFA-2009 and the NIFA General Terms and Conditions Grants and Cooperative Agreements (dated October 2016) at: https://nifa.usda.gov/resource/nifa-general-terms-and-conditions-grants-and-cooperative-agreements-october-2016. SPECIAL NOTE: Please refer to the Competitive Request for Applications (RFAs) for specific and pertinent details. The most current RFAs are available via: https://nifa.usda.gov/funding-opportunity/hispanic-serving-institutions-education-grants-program-hsi RFAs are generally released annually. Hence, the RFAs provide the most current and accurate information available. Any specific instructions in the Competitive RFAs supersede the general information provided in the CFDA database. NIFA utilizes the Automated Standard Application for Payments (ASAP), a secure, web-based electronic payment and information system that allows federal agencies to administer funds. Currently, ASAP is the only payment source for new NIFA grantees. National Institute of Food and Agriculture U.S. Department of Agriculture P.O. Box 419205, Mail Stop 10000, Kansas City, MO 64141-6205 Courier/Package Delivery Address: 2312 East Bannister Road, Mail Stop 10000, Kansas City, MO 64141-3061 USDA, NIFA, National Program Leader,
Institute of Youth, Family, and Community, Division of Community and Education, National Institute of Food and Agriculture U.S. Department of Agriculture
P.O. Box 419205, Mail Stop 10000, Kansas City, MO 64141-6205
Courier/Package Delivery Address:
2312 East Bannister Road, Mail Stop 10000, Kansas City, MO 64141-3061
Kansas City, MO 64141 US
ilawrence@usda.gov
Phone: 202-531-0633 http://nifa.usda.gov/program/hispanic-serving-institutions-education-grants-program 12-1500-0-1-352 (Project Grants) FY 22$14,000,000.00; FY 23 est $15,332,800.00; FY 24 est $15,332,800.00; FY 21$10,000,000.00; FY 20$11,200,000.00; FY 19$8,798,382.00; FY 18$8,799,082.00; FY 17$8,806,013.00; FY 16$8,840,842.00; - The difference between the appropriation and obligation numbers reflects legislative authorized set-asides deducted as appropriate, and in some cases the availability of obligational authority from prior years. If minimum or maximum amounts of funding per competitive and/or capacity project grant, or cooperative agreement are established, these amounts will be announced in the annual Competitive Request for Application (RFA). The most current RFA is available via: https://nifa.usda.gov/funding-opportunity/hispanic-serving-institutions-education-grants-program-hsi As an administrator of U.S. government support, NIFA works in partnership with grantees to ensure responsible stewardship of federal funds. Our grantees and partners are required to comply with all relevant rules and regulations. The following resources are provided to NIFA's partners and award recipients to support their adherence to federal regulations governing program performance: NIFA's primary (main) website: https://nifa.usda.gov/regulations-and-guidelines The following represent specific documents and direct links: POLICY GUIDE NIFA's Federal Assistance Policy Guide describes agency policies and procedures. https://nifa.usda.gov/policy-guide CERTIFICATIONS AND REPRESENTATIONS Certifications and representations provided through the NIFA application process. https://nifa.usda.gov/certifications-and-representations ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF USDA SUPPORT BY NIFA When acknowledging USDA support in accordance with 2 CFR Part 415, grantees must use the following acknowledgement for all projects or initiatives supported by NIFA. https://nifa.usda.gov/acknowledgment-usda-support-nifa FEDERAL REGULATIONS The Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) lists all regulations published in the Federal Register. https://nifa.usda.gov/federal-regulations FOIA The Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) provides that any person has the right to request access to federal documents and information such as research data. https://nifa.usda.gov/foia NEPA POLICY AND GUIDANCE The National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) Policy and Guidance set the standard for identifying potential environmental impacts. https://nifa.usda.gov/nepa-policy-and-guidance OGFM ISSUED CORRESPONDENCE The Office of Grants and Financial Management occasionally issues correspondence to applicants, grantees, and/or the general public for informational or clarification purposes. https://nifa.usda.gov/ogfm-issued-correspondence RESEARCH MISCONDUCT NIFA requires that all its awardees adhere to the USDA Scientific Integrity Policy and the Federal Policy on Research Misconduct. https://nifa.usda.gov/research-misconduct NIFA'S GENERAL AWARD TERMS AND CONDITIONS Award terms and conditions are determined by statutory, regulatory, and agency requirements, as well as each grant's circumstances. Terms and conditions dictate important items related to your grant, including method of payment, reporting frequency and content, and prior approval requirements. References to the terms and conditions of awards are located on the NIFA 2009 Award Fact Sheet. NIFA's general award terms and conditions (see link below) is applicable to this program, for awards with an award date on December 26, 2014 and thereafter. https://nifa.usda.gov/resource/nifa-general-terms-and-conditions-grants-and-cooperative-agreements-october-2016. Fiscal Year 2016 RISE: Pathways to Diversity in Food Science Careers will invest in the dissemination of opportunities in the Food Safety field providing information and student experiential learning to undergraduate and graduate students interested in entering graduate programs leading to the MS and the Ph.D. in Food Safety. The student experiential learning is a tool to cultivate and develop the next generation of scientist, leaders and increase the opportunities to support the future highly-skilled workforce needs of the food and agriculture sector, including the area of Food Safety. LEADERS: A collaborative project between an institution in Texas and another one in New Mexico focuses on improving underrepresented student success at animal science programs to become well-rounded leaders who address food security. The purpose of this project is to increase numbers of Hispanic leaders in animal science by developing experiential learning activities that increase retention and graduation rates and enhance scientific skills and professional development of an audience of underrepresented B.S. (n=15) and M.S. (n=10) students. The LEADERS program will produce experienced underrepresented graduates who are well qualified to enter the work force and provide human capital necessary to enhance the nation’s food supply. BE AWARE: This project proposes five thrust activities: (1) attracting, recruiting and retaining students; (2) implementing a novel multidisciplinary career development and mentoring model; (3) provide students with inter-institutional laboratory exchanges and experiential learning; (4) developing workshops and seminars; and (5) developing instructional material. The beneficiaries are minority students enrolled at institutions in Texas and Puerto Rico, students from Community Colleges, faculty members from HSIs and USDA-ARS/FS agencies. The students supported in Year 2 (2016-2017) are 15 at the Associate of Science level, 6 at the Bachelor of Science level, 4 at the Master of Science/Doctoral level. IFSEEN: Based on the progress and foundation established in Year 1, the IFSEEN consortium is going to enhance the created educational linkage for collaboratively generating future Hispanic food safety/science professionals and leaders. The IFSEEN team will continue: (1) to attract, retain and graduate underrepresented students in food and agricultural sciences; (2) to strengthen institutional educational capacities to serve the needs of students in the four HSIs; (3) to strengthen research capabilities; (4) to facilitate collaboration and partnership among the four HSIs, USDA agencies, agricultural institutions and external scientists; (5) to build the network of Hispanic students and professionals of food science. To accomplish these objectives in Year 2, the IFSEEN team will continue to outreach to local high schools, develop new course materials, target incoming students and train them as cohorts as they matriculate through their undergraduate education. The IFSEEN program further promote activities including “career in scientific research” academic advising, cross-disciplinary laboratory technique courses, food science laboratory research with mentors at the four HSIs, external summer internship at USDA agencies and Tier 1 agricultural institutions, presenting at national conferences, and attending workshops. Southwest Natural Resource Career Track Program: This Collaboration proposal is a partnership among 12 Hispanic Serving Institutions in the southwest focused on the USDA Priority Area of Natural Resources and Climate Change. We address the primary USDA educational need area of student experiential learning by mentoring students in our Southwest Natural Resource Career Track (NRCT) Program to prepare them for careers in natural resource management. This program will serve a minimum of 44 undergraduate & 6 graduate students annually across partner institutions. Experiential Training in Use of Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) Technology For Agriculture Applications Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi The primary purpose of this four-year interdisciplinary multi-HSI project is to increase the number of south Texas students graduating from 2-yr Associate-granting institutions (DMC, TSTC) transitioning to 4-yr Bachelor of Science and Master’s degrees (TAMUCC, TAMUK, UTRGV) in fields related to the agricultural, plant and biological sciences. Faculty and staff at partner institutions will provide undergraduate and graduate training and education in the use of Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) technology for precision farming in agriculture. Targeted coursework will be created to include two (2) permanent on-line introductory courses in UAV technology and ethics and one (1) blended (on-line/hands-on) course in UAS applications. Training will include internships and assistance in research projects aligned with UAS as a tool for crop/soil management, plant and natural resource sciences. Products will produce 28 Bachelor of Science and 11 Masters of Science graduates working in food, agriculture, and natural resources related fields. This project will also affect 48 students from two-year academic institutions. Educational needs areas addressed by this project include: (1) curricula design in terms of development of new courses of study and (5) student experiential learning. Texas State University will complete the EverGreen’s goal is to increase the number of Hispanic students with advanced technical degrees at the food-water-energy intersection. To meet this goal, we will train a diverse future workforce with the leadership and cross-disciplinary skills in science, technology and innovation to solve today’s complex agricultural problems – specifically those due to a changing climate, widespread food insecurity, and the lack of available water. Hispanic students will be recruited from Palo Alto College and San Antonio College to seamlessly transition into and complete degrees at Texas State University. Forty-four Hispanic students will receive personalized support through mentorships, tutoring, and professional development, as well as financial assistance through scholarships and paid internships. Through the collective attainment of 16 associate, 16 bachelor, and 12 Master of Science degrees, students will be prepared to enter positions in well-paid, technical jobs in agricultural-related fields.
Fiscal Year 2017 For Fiscal Year (FY) 2017: A project will contribute to sustainable capacity building for a new graduate program, establishing the Nutrition Intervention Laboratory for creative research, the Nutrition Technology Laboratory for instructional diversity, and using innovative, dual-purpose initiatives: 1. faculty travel awards as incentives for graduate course creation; 2. humanitarian aid project and student mentoring research scholarships to foster collaboration and integration of nutritional sciences into existing Natural Sciences departments to stimulate critical thinking; and 3. community practicum experiences in service to the underserved population. The Central Valley of California (CVC) is a food basket of the US. The large number of agriculture-related commerce and agencies in the CVC provides extensive opportunities for well-trained students from the region. An institution with an established history of generating large numbers of these highly qualified scholars especially those from traditionally underrepresented groups. This institution will lead the efforts in training these scholars from across the CVC and across a number of ag-related disciplines include soil science and nutrition. We expect these scholars to contribute to the ag-related growth of the CVC and the nation. A project will impact the horticulture program for 200 inmate students that are part of a certificate and associate degree program in Texas. Its goals are: 1.Practice in applying communication, problem-solving, and self-management and teamwork soft skill; 2. Practice in applying financial management principles to personal and business finances; 3. Increased degree completion rate for horticulture students; 4. Increased number of students articulate into related bachelor’s degree program; and 5. Majority of released completers in related employment after release. Underrepresented Students Pursuing Agriculture-Related Careers (U-SPARC) is a program designed to increase the recruitment and retention of undergraduate students at the University in food, agricultural, natural, and health (FANH) science careers. U-SPARC builds upon existing infrastructure to provide experiential research-training opportunities for sophomore- and junior level undergraduate students, thereby creating a bridge toward joining the American agricultural workforce in the priority need areas and primary disciplines: 1) biotechnology related to agriculture; and 2) plant health and production. U-SPARC will train 24 sophomore and junior undergraduate (i.e. Bachelor of Science degree) URM students through intensive research experiences in the USDA Salinity Lab and UCR plant biology labs, and through a new course that promotes soft skill development and a better understanding of the career opportunities available within USDA and local agricultural industries. A project will impact the horticulture program for 200 inmate students that are part of a certificate and associate degree program in Texas. Its goals are: 1. Practice in applying communication, problem-solving, self-management and teamwork soft skills; 2. Practice in applying financial management principles to personal and business finances; 3. Increased degree completion rate for horticulture students; 4. Increased number of students articulate into related bachelor’s degree program; and 5. Majority of released completers in related employment after release.
Fiscal Year 2018 For Fiscal Year (FY) 2018: NIFA is transitioning to a new location for Fiscal Year 2020. NIFA’s New Mailing Address AFTER September 30, 2019 follows: National Institute of Food and Agriculture 6501 Beacon Drive Kansas City, MO 64133
Fiscal Year 2019 For Fiscal Year 2019: The “No More Silos" project will develop a multi-disciplinary and data intensive training for careers in agricultural and natural resource industries and agencies. It will also complete the following four objectives: 1) provide immersive experiences to 100 unique students at all academic levels through scholarship support as Fellows; 2) provide data intensive workshops for 80 students at all levels; 3) increase critical thinking skills by applying the tenets of the scientific method to each project; and 4) build leadership skills via faculty mentoring and the annual HSI/ARI Leadership and Communicating Science workshop. The PROMISE© Scholars project in South Texas is an alliance by five institutions which promises to improve the economy and health of the region. This project will prepare students to be leaders in food safety, food security and FANH fields. It will test Leadership Models and Concepts based on social change, social justice, servant leadership, transformational leadership and Kolb’s Experiential Learning Model. With financial support for students, the South Texas region will benefit through qualified professionals addressing the food security and food safety related health issues of the 21st century. The Avanzando (Advancing or Moving Forward) en La Frontera (Frontier) project addresses the need to advance knowledge of sustainable range management and livestock breeding in arid and geographically isolated regions of the world (Southwest US). GROW is a four-year project providing intensive academic support to two cohorts (n =10 total) of Hispanic students each studying to become Registered Dietitians(RDs). The objectives focus on increased fall-to-fall retention rates, increased completion rates, increased awareness of FANH career pathways, increased engagement in professional activities, and improved faculty knowledge and practice of intrusive mentoring best practices. The Six legs, Endless possibilities project will connect students from underrepresented minorities (URM) with career possibilities in agricultural sciences and will develop a pipeline to provide clear avenues for community college students pursuing careers in FANH fields. This project will generate a multifaceted pipeline for students coming from underrepresented backgrounds to pursue USDA Mission Critical Occupations to create a more diverse agricultural workforce
Fiscal Year 2020 FY 2020-it is anticipated that the funding level will be comparable and the types of projects will be similar. Per the Budget Office, it is projected that approximately $8.8 million will be available to support the HSI grants.
Fiscal Year 2024 Pertinent information will be provided by program at a later date.