Opportunity Information: Apply for USDA NIFA NLGCA 011938
The Capacity Building Grants for Non-Land-Grant Colleges of Agriculture (NLGCA) Program is a USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) discretionary grant opportunity (Assistance Listing/CFDA 10.326) designed to strengthen the long-term education, research, extension/outreach, and integrated capabilities of eligible non-land-grant institutions. The basic idea is capacity building: funds are meant to help these colleges and universities maintain and expand the people, tools, and systems they need to do high-quality work in agriculture, renewable resources, forestry, and closely related fields, and to be more competitive for future funding from federal and other sources.
At a practical level, the program supports three main capacity-building aims. First, it helps institutions build the ability to successfully compete for grants and other funding to run education, research, outreach, and integrated projects that address priority concerns at the national, regional, state, or local level. Second, it supports the dissemination of information about those priority concerns to multiple audiences, including professionals and stakeholders in agriculture and renewable resources, the general public, and any other interested entities. Third, it encourages participation in priority education, research, outreach, and integrated activities by helping institutions leverage and expand their work through matching funds and other mechanisms. This third area explicitly includes purchasing or otherwise acquiring equipment and other infrastructure, but it also draws a clear line by excluding alteration, repair, renovation, or construction of buildings. It also includes investments in faculty professional growth and development and the creation or support of graduate assistantships, which are commonly used to expand research and outreach capacity while strengthening the academic pipeline.
Eligibility is a central feature of this opportunity and is enforced strictly. Applications can only be submitted by institutions that are certified by NIFA as Non-Land-Grant Colleges of Agriculture at the time of application, and applicants are expected to meet every requirement described in the Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO). Missing the eligibility criteria by the deadline can lead to removal from consideration or make an award impossible. NIFA maintains a current list of certified NLGCAs on the program website and a separate NLGCA list page, which institutions should use to confirm their status before investing time in an application.
The program also reflects an important policy change from the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018. Earlier rules had effectively forced certain institutions, such as Hispanic-Serving Agricultural Colleges and Universities (HSACUs) and McIntire-Stennis Colleges and Universities, to give up those designations if they wanted to pursue NLGCA designation. Section 7102 removed that opt-in/opt-out restriction, meaning HSACUs and McIntire-Stennis institutions may now request NLGCA designation without surrendering their other status. In addition, institutions that were certified as NLGCAs before December 21, 2018 must reapply for certification under updated criteria described in a Federal Register Notice, so legacy certification is not necessarily permanent unless renewed under the new standards.
To qualify for NLGCA designation in the first place, an institution must be a public college or university that offers a baccalaureate degree or higher in agricultural sciences, forestry, or both, within one or more of 32 specified areas of study. These areas span a wide range of applied and scientific disciplines, including animal sciences, plant sciences, soil science, agricultural economics, agricultural engineering and mechanization, food science and processing, natural resources management and policy, conservation and natural resources, forestry (including urban forestry), aquaculture, horticulture specialties (such as greenhouse operations, ornamental horticulture, turfgrass management, nursery operations, and floriculture), agricultural education and extension education services, agricultural communications/journalism, agricultural business and management, international agriculture, and wood science and wood products/pulp/paper technology. NIFA provides an eligibility flow chart to help institutions determine whether their academic offerings align with these required categories, which is especially useful for schools with interdisciplinary programs or differently named majors that map onto the listed fields.
In terms of project implementation, the opportunity allows certified NLGCA applicants to subcontract to organizations that are not themselves eligible applicants, as long as those partners are necessary to carry out the proposed work. This can make it easier for an institution to bring in specialized expertise, evaluation support, technical services, or other capabilities that complement campus strengths, while keeping the primary responsibility and award management with the eligible NLGCA institution.
Key administrative details from the published opportunity listing include the funding opportunity title and number (Capacity Building Grants for Non-Land-Grant Colleges of Agriculture Program; USDA NIFA NLGCA 011938), the agency (USDA NIFA), the instrument (grant), and the activity area (agriculture). The stated application closing date is November 10, 2026, and the listed award ceiling is $750,000. The posting also notes that applicants new to federal financial assistance are encouraged to review NIFA resources such as its "About Grants" guidance to better understand expectations, processes, and compliance responsibilities associated with federal awards.Apply for USDA NIFA NLGCA 011938
- 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 2026-08-26.
- Applicants must submit their applications by 2026-11-10. (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 USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) discretionary grant opportunity (Assistance Listing/CFDA 10.326) intended to strengthen the long-term education, research, extension/outreach, and integrated capabilities of eligible non-land-grant institutions.
What is the main purpose of this grant opportunity?
The program focuses on capacity building. Funding is meant to help eligible colleges and universities maintain and expand the people, tools, and systems needed to conduct high-quality work in agriculture, renewable resources, forestry, and closely related fields, and to improve their competitiveness for future federal and other funding.
What kinds of activities does the program support?
Based on the opportunity description, the program supports capacity-building efforts tied to education, research, extension/outreach, and integrated activities in agriculture, renewable resources, forestry, and related fields. It is designed to help institutions strengthen long-term capabilities rather than only supporting one-time project outcomes.
What are the three main capacity-building aims of the program?
The opportunity identifies three practical aims: (1) building institutional ability to successfully compete for grants and other funding to run education, research, outreach, and integrated projects addressing priority concerns at national, regional, state, or local levels; (2) supporting dissemination of information about priority concerns to multiple audiences (professionals, stakeholders, the general public, and other interested entities); and (3) encouraging participation in priority education, research, outreach, and integrated activities by leveraging and expanding institutional work through matching funds and other mechanisms.
Does the program support equipment purchases or infrastructure investments?
Yes. The third aim explicitly includes purchasing or otherwise acquiring equipment and other infrastructure as part of capacity building.
Are building renovations or construction allowed under this program?
No. The description draws a clear line that alteration, repair, renovation, or construction of buildings is excluded.
Can funds be used for faculty professional development?
Yes. The description states that allowable capacity-building investments include faculty professional growth and development.
Are graduate assistantships allowed or encouraged?
Yes. The description specifically includes the creation or support of graduate assistantships as a capacity-building approach used to expand research and outreach capacity while strengthening the academic pipeline.
Who is eligible to apply?
Applications can only be submitted by institutions certified by NIFA as Non-Land-Grant Colleges of Agriculture (NLGCAs) at the time of application. Applicants are expected to meet every eligibility requirement described in the Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO).
How strict is the eligibility requirement?
Eligibility is described as central and enforced strictly. Missing eligibility criteria by the deadline can lead to removal from consideration or make an award impossible.
How can an institution confirm it is a certified NLGCA?
NIFA maintains a current list of certified NLGCAs on the program website and a separate NLGCA list page. Institutions are expected to use those resources to confirm status before investing time in an application.
Can an institution apply if it is not certified at the time of application?
No. The opportunity states that applications can only be submitted by institutions that are certified by NIFA as NLGCAs at the time of application.
What changed in policy regarding HSACU and McIntire-Stennis institutions seeking NLGCA designation?
Section 7102 of the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 removed an opt-in/opt-out restriction that had effectively required certain institutions (such as Hispanic-Serving Agricultural Colleges and Universities (HSACUs) and McIntire-Stennis Colleges and Universities) to give up those designations to pursue NLGCA designation. Under the change described, HSACUs and McIntire-Stennis institutions may request NLGCA designation without surrendering their other status.
Do institutions certified as NLGCAs before December 21, 2018 need to do anything to keep their designation?
Yes. Institutions certified before December 21, 2018 must reapply for certification under updated criteria described in a Federal Register Notice. The description indicates legacy certification is not necessarily permanent unless renewed under the new standards.
What types of institutions can qualify for NLGCA designation?
To qualify for NLGCA designation, an institution must be a public college or university that offers a baccalaureate degree or higher in agricultural sciences, forestry, or both, within one or more of 32 specified areas of study.
What are examples of the eligible areas of study for NLGCA designation?
The opportunity lists a broad range of fields, including animal sciences, plant sciences, soil science, agricultural economics, agricultural engineering and mechanization, food science and processing, natural resources management and policy, conservation and natural resources, forestry (including urban forestry), aquaculture, horticulture specialties (including greenhouse operations, ornamental horticulture, turfgrass management, nursery operations, and floriculture), agricultural education and extension education services, agricultural communications/journalism, agricultural business and management, international agriculture, and wood science and wood products/pulp/paper technology.
What if our program titles are interdisciplinary or named differently than the listed areas?
NIFA provides an eligibility flow chart to help institutions determine whether their academic offerings align with the required categories. This is described as especially useful for schools with interdisciplinary programs or differently named majors that map to the listed fields.
Can a certified NLGCA subcontract parts of the work to organizations that are not eligible applicants?
Yes. The opportunity allows certified NLGCA applicants to subcontract to organizations that are not themselves eligible applicants, as long as those partners are necessary to carry out the proposed work. The primary responsibility and award management remain with the eligible NLGCA institution.
Who is the sponsoring agency for this opportunity?
The agency is the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture (USDA NIFA).
What is the funding instrument for this opportunity?
The instrument is a grant.
What is the activity area?
The activity area is agriculture.
What is the funding opportunity title and number?
The title is "Capacity Building Grants for Non-Land-Grant Colleges of Agriculture Program" and the opportunity number is USDA NIFA NLGCA 011938.
What is the Assistance Listing/CFDA number?
The Assistance Listing/CFDA number is 10.326.
What is the application closing date?
The stated application closing date is November 10, 2026.
What is the maximum award amount (award ceiling)?
The listed award ceiling is $750,000.
What kinds of priority concerns are referenced by the program?
The opportunity describes projects that address priority concerns at the national, regional, state, or local level, and it also supports dissemination of information about those concerns to multiple audiences. Specific priority topics are not listed in the provided summary and are expected to be described in the NOFO.
Where should first-time federal financial assistance applicants start?
The posting encourages applicants new to federal financial assistance to review NIFA resources such as its "About Grants" guidance to better understand expectations, processes, and compliance responsibilities associated with federal awards.
Where are the official application requirements and eligibility details defined?
The opportunity emphasizes that applicants are expected to meet every requirement described in the Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO). Eligibility and other requirements are enforced strictly and should be validated by the deadline.
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