Opportunity Information: Apply for USDA NIFA CBGP 008120
The 1890 Institution Teaching, Research and Extension Capacity Building Grants (CBG) Program is a discretionary grant opportunity run by the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) to build long-term institutional capacity at the 1890 Land-Grant Universities. Its core purpose is to strengthen food and agricultural sciences at these institutions by improving their teaching, research, and extension capabilities, with a strong emphasis on projects that expand the schools' ability to deliver high-quality academic programs, produce relevant research, and serve communities through outreach and extension. The program also encourages integrated approaches that intentionally connect education, research, and extension into a single, coordinated project, rather than treating them as separate tracks.
CBG funding can support several types of capacity-building work. On the teaching side, the program backs efforts such as curriculum design, instructional and course-material development, and faculty development, along with other activities that improve academic quality and student learning in food and agricultural sciences. On the research and extension side, it supports studies and experimentation, and also helps build extension program development support systems and other infrastructure or capability improvements that increase the effectiveness and reach of extension and applied research programs. In addition to standard and collaborative projects, the program explicitly supports integrated project grants, reflecting NIFA's intent to strengthen the 1890 institutions by linking classroom learning, discovery, and community-facing solutions in a unified plan.
All applications must align with at least one NIFA strategic goal area listed in the opportunity materials: sustainable bioenergy, food security, childhood obesity prevention, or food safety. In practical terms, that means proposed activities should be clearly framed around one (or more) of those themes and show how the project will build lasting capacity at the 1890 institution while producing measurable improvements in teaching, research, extension, or integrated programming.
Eligibility is tightly limited to the designated 1890 Land-Grant Institutions (as referenced under Section 7129 of Pub. L. 113-79 and 7 U.S.C. 3152(d)(2)). The eligible applicants listed in the opportunity include: Alabama A&M University, Alcorn State University, Central State University, Delaware State University, Florida A&M University, Fort Valley State University, Kentucky State University, Langston University, Lincoln University (MO), North Carolina A&T State University, Prairie View A&M University, South Carolina State University, Southern University and A&M College, Tennessee State University, Tuskegee University, University of Arkansas-Pine Bluff, University of Maryland-Eastern Shore, Virginia State University, and West Virginia State University. Applications submitted by entities outside this list are not eligible as lead applicants, and failing to meet the eligibility requirements by the deadline can exclude an application from consideration or prevent NIFA from making an award.
The opportunity also spells out participant eligibility rules when grant funds are used for developmental activities or educational costs for faculty and students. In those cases, supported faculty and students must qualify as eligible participants, meaning they must be U.S. citizens or U.S. nationals (with specific definitions referenced in the RFA). Students must be enrolled at an institution that is eligible to receive CBG awards. Where eligibility is claimed under the immigration definition at 8 U.S.C. 1101(a)(22), documentation from USCIS may need to be provided to NIFA upon request. The citizenship requirements differ depending on the project role and grant type: U.S. citizenship is not required for faculty serving as project director (PD), co-PD, or key personnel on Standard or Collaborative projects, but U.S. citizenship is required for faculty serving as PD on a Professional Development project.
There are also workload and project-leadership limits intended to prevent overcommitment and to spread leadership opportunities. A faculty member may not serve as PD on more than two active CBG projects at a time; if they already have two active awards, at least one must be scheduled to expire by the end of the current fiscal year for them to remain eligible to lead another. Faculty may submit multiple Standard and/or Collaborative applications as lead PD in the relevant fiscal year (as described in the posting), and there is no stated limit on how many proposals a person can join as a co-PD or key personnel. However, all key personnel must provide a current and pending support form, and key personnel may not commit more than 100 percent total effort across concurrent projects.
For collaborations, the program allows subcontracting to organizations that are not themselves eligible to apply as prime applicants, as long as the subcontract is necessary for a successful project and directly advances capacity building at the 1890 institution in the area covered by the application. This creates flexibility to bring in specialized partners (for example, other universities, nonprofits, industry, or government entities) while keeping the central focus on strengthening the 1890 institution's own capabilities.
From the posted opportunity data, the program is administered by USDA NIFA under CFDA 10.216, uses the grant instrument, and falls under the agriculture funding activity category. The opportunity listing shows an award ceiling of $750,000 and identifies the closing date shown in the source as October 15, 2021 (with the opportunity created January 15, 2021). The overall takeaway is that CBG is designed less as a one-time project funding source and more as a targeted capacity-building investment for the 1890 Land-Grant system, prioritizing durable improvements in programs, people, curricula, research and extension systems, and integrated models that connect these functions to address major national food and agriculture priorities.Apply for USDA NIFA CBGP 008120
- The National Institute of Food and Agriculture in the agriculture sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "1890 Institution Teaching, Research and Extension Capacity Building Grants (CBG) Program" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 10.216.
- This funding opportunity was created on 2021-01-15.
- Applicants must submit their applications by 2021-10-15. (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 1890 Institution Teaching, Research and Extension Capacity Building Grants (CBG) Program?
The 1890 Institution Teaching, Research and Extension Capacity Building Grants (CBG) Program is a discretionary grant opportunity administered by the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA). It is designed to build long-term institutional capacity at the 1890 Land-Grant Universities by strengthening their teaching, research, and extension capabilities in food and agricultural sciences.
What is the main purpose of this grant program?
The core purpose is to strengthen food and agricultural sciences at eligible 1890 institutions by improving their ability to deliver high-quality academic programs, produce relevant research, and serve communities through outreach and extension. The program prioritizes lasting, capacity-building improvements rather than one-time project outcomes.
Which USDA office administers the program?
The program is administered by USDA NIFA (National Institute of Food and Agriculture).
What is the CFDA number for this opportunity?
The opportunity is listed under CFDA 10.216.
What type of funding instrument is used?
The opportunity uses a grant instrument.
What funding activity category does this opportunity fall under?
The funding activity category is agriculture.
Who is eligible to apply as the lead (prime) applicant?
Eligibility is limited to the designated 1890 Land-Grant Institutions referenced under Section 7129 of Pub. L. 113-79 and 7 U.S.C. 3152(d)(2). Entities outside the eligible list are not eligible to apply as lead applicants.
Which institutions are listed as eligible applicants?
The eligible applicants listed in the opportunity are: Alabama A&M University; Alcorn State University; Central State University; Delaware State University; Florida A&M University; Fort Valley State University; Kentucky State University; Langston University; Lincoln University (MO); North Carolina A&T State University; Prairie View A&M University; South Carolina State University; Southern University and A&M College; Tennessee State University; Tuskegee University; University of Arkansas-Pine Bluff; University of Maryland-Eastern Shore; Virginia State University; and West Virginia State University.
What happens if an application is submitted by an ineligible organization?
Applications submitted by entities outside the eligible list are not eligible for consideration as lead applicants. The opportunity also indicates that failing to meet eligibility requirements by the deadline can exclude an application from consideration or prevent NIFA from making an award.
What kinds of projects does CBG support?
CBG supports capacity-building activities across teaching, research, extension, and integrated approaches. The program is intended to strengthen institutional capabilities and systems that improve academics, research relevance, and outreach impact.
What activities are supported under the teaching focus area?
On the teaching side, supported efforts include curriculum design, instructional and course-material development, faculty development, and other activities that improve academic quality and student learning in food and agricultural sciences.
What activities are supported under research and extension?
On the research and extension side, the program supports studies and experimentation, and it also supports building extension program development support systems and other infrastructure or capability improvements that increase the effectiveness and reach of extension and applied research programs.
Does the program encourage projects that combine teaching, research, and extension?
Yes. The program encourages integrated approaches that intentionally connect education, research, and extension into a single, coordinated project. It explicitly supports integrated project grants to link classroom learning, discovery, and community-facing solutions in a unified plan.
Do proposed projects need to align with specific NIFA strategic goal areas?
Yes. All applications must align with at least one NIFA strategic goal area listed in the opportunity materials.
What NIFA strategic goal areas are listed for alignment?
The opportunity lists these strategic goal areas: sustainable bioenergy, food security, childhood obesity prevention, and food safety.
Can an application align with more than one strategic goal area?
Yes. The opportunity states that proposed activities should be framed around one (or more) of the listed goal areas.
What does "capacity building" mean in the context of this program?
In this program, capacity building refers to durable improvements at the 1890 institution, such as strengthened programs, people, curricula, research and extension systems, outreach effectiveness, and integrated models that connect education, research, and extension.
Are there rules about who can be supported with grant funds for developmental activities or educational costs?
Yes. When grant funds are used for developmental activities or educational costs for faculty and students, the supported faculty and students must qualify as eligible participants under the rules described in the opportunity.
What are the citizenship requirements for supported faculty and students as eligible participants?
For participant eligibility in cases involving developmental activities or educational costs, supported faculty and students must be U.S. citizens or U.S. nationals (as defined in the RFA). Students must also be enrolled at an institution that is eligible to receive CBG awards.
Can NIFA request documentation related to citizenship or nationality status?
Yes. Where eligibility is claimed under the immigration definition at 8 U.S.C. 1101(a)(22), documentation from USCIS may need to be provided to NIFA upon request.
Is U.S. citizenship required for a faculty member serving as Project Director (PD) or key personnel?
It depends on the grant type and role. U.S. citizenship is not required for faculty serving as PD, co-PD, or key personnel on Standard or Collaborative projects. However, U.S. citizenship is required for faculty serving as PD on a Professional Development project.
Are there limits on how many active CBG projects a faculty member can lead as PD?
Yes. A faculty member may not serve as PD on more than two active CBG projects at a time.
If someone already leads two active CBG projects, can they lead another?
Only under the condition described in the opportunity: if a faculty member already has two active awards, at least one must be scheduled to expire by the end of the current fiscal year for them to remain eligible to lead another.
Can a faculty member submit multiple applications as lead PD in the same fiscal year?
Yes. The opportunity states that faculty may submit multiple Standard and/or Collaborative applications as lead PD in the relevant fiscal year (as described in the posting).
Is there a limit on how many proposals someone can join as co-PD or key personnel?
No stated limit is provided for participation as a co-PD or key personnel. However, personnel must still comply with effort limits and reporting requirements described in the opportunity.
What is required for key personnel regarding current and pending work?
All key personnel must provide a current and pending support form.
Are there limits on total effort across concurrent projects for key personnel?
Yes. Key personnel may not commit more than 100 percent total effort across concurrent projects.
Are collaborations allowed with organizations that are not eligible to apply as prime applicants?
Yes. The program allows subcontracting to organizations that are not eligible to apply as prime applicants, as long as the subcontract is necessary for a successful project and directly advances capacity building at the 1890 institution in the area covered by the application.
What is the main condition for using subcontractors who are not eligible as lead applicants?
The subcontract must be necessary for a successful project and must directly advance capacity building at the 1890 institution (not simply support the partner organization) in the relevant area of the application.
What is the award ceiling shown in the opportunity listing?
The opportunity listing shows an award ceiling of $750,000.
What is the closing date shown in the opportunity listing?
The closing date shown in the source is October 15, 2021.
When was the opportunity created, according to the listing?
The opportunity was created on January 15, 2021, according to the posted opportunity data.
What is the overall emphasis of the CBG program?
The overall emphasis is on targeted, long-term capacity-building investments for the 1890 Land-Grant system, with measurable improvements in teaching, research, extension, or integrated programming, aligned to major national food and agriculture priorities.
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