Opportunity Information: Apply for USDA NIFA HEP 011737
The Food and Agricultural Sciences National Needs Graduate and Postgraduate Fellowships (NNF) program (Assistance Listing 10.210) is a USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) grant opportunity designed to strengthen the domestic talent pipeline in food and agricultural sciences. Instead of funding individual students directly, NNF funds universities and related eligible institutions so they can recruit, select, and financially support new full-time graduate students at the master's, DVM, and doctoral levels. The overall aim is workforce development: supporting high-potential U.S. citizens, nationals, and permanent residents as they complete advanced degrees in disciplines tied to USDA's mission, especially in areas where the nation needs more scientific and professional expertise.
A key feature of this program is that it is an institutional award. Eligible applicants include land-grant institutions and other accredited colleges and universities that can demonstrate they have the capacity to teach food and agricultural sciences and confer a graduate degree in at least one relevant discipline. Accreditation must be from an agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Research foundations that are maintained by an eligible college or university may also apply. Awardees are allowed to subcontract with organizations that are not themselves eligible to apply, as long as those partners are necessary to carry out the project. Individuals cannot apply to NNF to fund their own graduate education; students participate only through institutions that receive an NNF award.
Institutions that apply are expected to define, in their application, how they will identify and select fellows, including the selection criteria they will use to ensure fellows are high-caliber students in strong academic standing. Student eligibility for receiving stipend support has several non-negotiable requirements. Fellows must be U.S. citizens, U.S. nationals, or U.S. permanent residents as defined under federal law. They must be pursuing a degree in a food- and agriculture-relevant discipline and preparing for a career as a food, agricultural, or natural resources scientist or professional, and they must be enrolled full-time. Importantly, NNF is targeted to new graduate students: to qualify, a fellow must not have completed more than one semester (or the equivalent full-time hours, as defined by the institution) in the same academic program at the same degree level. In practice, this means the program is meant to bring new people into a graduate pipeline, not to retroactively fund students who are already well into their degree.
Timing and award management expectations are strict. Institutions that receive an award must select and identify fellows and make fellowship appointments within 18 months of the award start date. If the institution does not meet that deadline, it must return funds associated with fellowships that were not awarded. Fellowships must support registered students pursuing full-time study in the specific area(s) of focus and degree level(s) covered by the institution's award.
The fellowship periods are structured to encourage full-time, uninterrupted progress to the degree, with defined maximum support windows. Master's-level fellows who maintain satisfactory progress can receive up to 24 months of support within a 30-month period. DVM and doctoral-level fellows who maintain satisfactory progress can receive up to 36 months of support within a 42-month period. Fellows are entitled to the standard student holidays observed by their institution, and the time between semesters or quarters is treated as an active part of the fellowship period rather than an automatic break in support. While the program's intent is uninterrupted full-time study, institutions may allow fellows to take supplemental employment if it meaningfully contributes to training or research, including roles that may make the student eligible for tuition waivers (such as teaching or research assignments). The program also allows reasonable flexibility for non-academic interruptions: if a fellow must pause their program for health, personal, or other reasonable non-disciplinary reasons, they must be allowed to resume funded study within six months, assuming there is still enough time remaining before the overall award period expires.
From an opportunity logistics standpoint, the funding opportunity is titled Food and Agricultural Sciences National Needs Graduate and Postgraduate Fellowships and is offered by USDA NIFA as a discretionary grant (Funding Opportunity Number: USDA NIFA HEP 011737). The posted closing date is 2026-10-15. The award ceiling is $705,000, and NIFA anticipates making about 28 awards. Overall, the program is best understood as a competitive mechanism for universities to build and sustain cohort-based graduate training and experiential learning in USDA-relevant fields, with a clear emphasis on recruiting new domestic graduate students and moving them efficiently toward degree completion.Apply for USDA NIFA HEP 011737
- The National Institute of Food and Agriculture in the agriculture sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Food and Agricultural Sciences National Needs Graduate and Postgraduate Fellowships" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 10.210.
- This funding opportunity was created on 2026-08-13.
- Applicants must submit their applications by 2026-10-15. (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 $705,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 28 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Others.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the Food and Agricultural Sciences National Needs Graduate and Postgraduate Fellowships (NNF) program?
The Food and Agricultural Sciences National Needs Graduate and Postgraduate Fellowships (NNF) program (Assistance Listing 10.210) is a USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) grant opportunity designed to strengthen the U.S. talent pipeline in food and agricultural sciences. It supports workforce development by funding institutions so they can recruit, select, and financially support new full-time graduate students pursuing advanced degrees in USDA-mission-relevant disciplines.
Who is the funding agency and what is the funding opportunity number?
The funding agency is USDA NIFA (U.S. Department of Agriculture, National Institute of Food and Agriculture). The Funding Opportunity Number is USDA NIFA HEP 011737.
Is this a grant that individual students can apply for directly?
No. NNF is an institutional award. Individuals (students) cannot apply directly to NNF to fund their own graduate education. Students can only participate through an institution that receives an NNF award and then selects them as a fellow.
Who can apply for an NNF award?
Eligible applicants include land-grant institutions and other accredited colleges and universities that can demonstrate they have the capacity to teach food and agricultural sciences and confer a graduate degree in at least one relevant discipline. Accreditation must be from a U.S. Department of Education-recognized accrediting agency. Research foundations maintained by an eligible college or university may also apply.
Can an awardee partner with organizations that are not eligible applicants?
Yes. Awardees are allowed to subcontract with organizations that are not themselves eligible to apply, as long as those partners are necessary to carry out the project.
What is the purpose of NNF funding?
NNF funding is intended to help institutions build and sustain cohort-based graduate training and experiential learning in USDA-relevant fields, with an emphasis on recruiting new domestic graduate students and moving them efficiently toward degree completion in areas where the nation needs more expertise.
What degree levels can be supported?
The program supports new full-time students at the master's, DVM, and doctoral levels.
What types of disciplines are eligible for fellowships?
Fellows must be pursuing a degree in a food- and agriculture-relevant discipline tied to USDA's mission and preparing for a career as a food, agricultural, or natural resources scientist or professional.
What citizenship or residency status must a fellow have?
Fellows must be U.S. citizens, U.S. nationals, or U.S. permanent residents as defined under federal law.
Do fellows have to be enrolled full-time?
Yes. Fellows must be enrolled full-time to receive stipend support under NNF.
Is NNF meant for new graduate students or continuing students?
NNF is targeted to new graduate students. To qualify, a fellow must not have completed more than one semester (or the equivalent full-time hours, as defined by the institution) in the same academic program at the same degree level.
What does "not more than one semester" mean in practice?
It means NNF is intended to bring new students into a graduate program rather than retroactively fund students who are already well into their degree. The institution defines the equivalent full-time hours for a semester-equivalent based on its own academic policies.
How are fellows selected?
The institution applying for NNF must define in its application how it will identify and select fellows, including the selection criteria it will use to ensure fellows are high-caliber students in strong academic standing.
How quickly must an institution appoint fellows after receiving an award?
Institutions that receive an award must select and identify fellows and make fellowship appointments within 18 months of the award start date.
What happens if the institution misses the 18-month fellowship appointment deadline?
If the institution does not select and appoint fellows within 18 months of the award start date, it must return funds associated with fellowships that were not awarded.
Do fellowships have to match the institution's approved focus areas and degree levels?
Yes. Fellowships must support registered students pursuing full-time study in the specific area(s) of focus and degree level(s) covered by the institution's award.
How long can a master's fellow receive support?
Master's-level fellows who maintain satisfactory progress can receive up to 24 months of support within a 30-month period.
How long can a DVM or doctoral fellow receive support?
DVM and doctoral-level fellows who maintain satisfactory progress can receive up to 36 months of support within a 42-month period.
What does "satisfactory progress" affect?
Maintaining satisfactory progress is required to remain eligible for support within the program's maximum support windows (up to 24 months for master's and up to 36 months for DVM/doctoral, within the stated overall periods).
Are institutional holidays included in the fellowship period?
Yes. Fellows are entitled to the standard student holidays observed by their institution.
Is the time between semesters or quarters considered a break in fellowship support?
No. The time between semesters or quarters is treated as an active part of the fellowship period rather than an automatic break in support.
Can fellows work while on the fellowship?
The program is designed to support uninterrupted full-time study, but institutions may allow supplemental employment if it meaningfully contributes to training or research. This can include roles that may make the student eligible for tuition waivers, such as teaching or research assignments.
Can a fellow pause their program for non-academic reasons?
Yes. If a fellow must pause their program for health, personal, or other reasonable non-disciplinary reasons, they must be allowed to resume funded study within six months, assuming there is still enough time remaining before the overall award period expires.
What type of funding mechanism is NNF?
NNF is offered by USDA NIFA as a discretionary grant.
What is the application closing date for this opportunity?
The posted closing date is 2026-10-15.
What is the maximum award amount (award ceiling)?
The award ceiling is $705,000.
How many awards does NIFA expect to make?
NIFA anticipates making about 28 awards.
What is the overall goal of the NNF program?
The overall goal is workforce development in food and agricultural sciences by supporting high-potential domestic students (U.S. citizens, nationals, and permanent residents) as they complete advanced degrees aligned with USDA mission needs, particularly in areas where additional scientific and professional expertise is needed.
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