Opportunity Information: Apply for USDA NIFA RIGP 010353
The Distance Education Grants Program for Institutions of Higher Education in Insular Areas (DEG) is a competitive grant opportunity administered by the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA). Its central goal is to strengthen colleges and universities in U.S. insular areas by improving their ability to deliver high-quality instruction, curriculum, and teaching programs in the food and agricultural sciences using distance education technology. In practical terms, the program is meant to expand and modernize postsecondary agriculture-related education where geographic remoteness, limited local course offerings, and infrastructure constraints can make it difficult for students to access specialized coursework and training.
This program focuses on building institutional capacity, meaning it is designed to help eligible institutions improve what they can offer students over the long term rather than funding one-off activities. Projects generally align with formal, postsecondary agricultural sciences education and may include strengthening resident instruction and curriculum by leveraging distance learning tools and approaches. The emphasis on distance education reflects the realities of insular settings, where technology-enabled teaching can connect students with courses, instructors, and resources that might otherwise be unavailable locally.
Eligibility is limited to institutions of higher education located in designated insular areas and meeting the definition of an eligible institution under Section 101(a) of the Higher Education Act (20 U.S.C. 1001(a)). Applicants must also demonstrate capacity to carry out teaching and extension programs in the food, agriculture, natural resources, and human sciences. Public or nonprofit accredited 2-year and 4-year institutions that offer certificates or degrees in food and agricultural sciences are eligible. Land-grant colleges and universities (including those granted land-grant status through federal legislation) located in insular areas are automatically eligible to apply as individual institutions.
The program recognizes several institutional structures that may exist within larger systems. Separately accredited, degree-granting branch institutions within a state university system or public higher education system can apply as independent eligible applicants, as long as they meet the program definition and requirements. In addition, independent branch campuses of an institution may apply if they are geographically separate from the main campus, permanent, offer for-credit courses and programs leading to an associate or bachelor’s degree, and have meaningful autonomy, including their own faculty and administrative structure plus their own budget and hiring authority.
The eligible insular areas specifically named for this program are American Samoa; the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands; the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico; the Federated States of Micronesia; Guam; the Republic of the Marshall Islands; the Republic of Palau; and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Only institutions located in these areas, and meeting the other eligibility standards, should expect to be considered responsive applicants.
Key funding details from the opportunity listing include an award ceiling of $200,000 per award and an expectation of roughly four total awards. The opportunity is categorized as discretionary funding, offered as grants, under the agriculture funding activity category, and is associated with CFDA number 10.322. The funding opportunity number is USDA NIFA RIGP 010353. The original closing date listed for applications was March 20, 2024, and the opportunity was created on January 11, 2024. As with most federal opportunities, meeting the eligibility criteria by the deadline is critical, since failure to do so can lead to an application being excluded from review or can prevent NIFA from making an award even if a proposal is otherwise strong.Apply for USDA NIFA RIGP 010353
- The National Institute of Food and Agriculture in the agriculture sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Distance Education Grants Program for Institutions of Higher Education in Insular Areas" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 10.322.
- This funding opportunity was created on 2024-01-11.
- Applicants must submit their applications by 2024-03-20. (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 $200,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 4 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Others.
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Distance Education Grants Program (DEG) for Institutions of Higher Education in Insular Areas - FAQs
What is the Distance Education Grants Program for Institutions of Higher Education in Insular Areas (DEG)?
DEG is a competitive grant program administered by the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA). It supports eligible colleges and universities in U.S. insular areas by strengthening their ability to deliver high-quality instruction, curriculum, and teaching programs in the food and agricultural sciences using distance education technology.
What is the main purpose of this grant opportunity?
The central goal is to build institutional capacity in insular-area institutions so they can offer stronger, more accessible postsecondary education in agriculture-related fields over the long term. The program is intended to expand and modernize agriculture-related education in locations where geographic remoteness, limited local course offerings, and infrastructure constraints can make specialized coursework difficult to access.
Who administers the DEG program?
The program is administered by USDA NIFA (the National Institute of Food and Agriculture).
Is DEG a competitive or formula-based grant?
DEG is a competitive grant opportunity, meaning applications are reviewed and selected for funding competitively.
What type of funding is this (grant, contract, etc.)?
This opportunity is offered as discretionary funding in the form of grants.
What subject area does the funding focus on?
The opportunity is in the agriculture funding activity category, with a focus on food and agricultural sciences instruction, curriculum, and teaching programs delivered or strengthened through distance education approaches.
What kinds of projects does DEG typically support?
Projects generally align with formal, postsecondary agricultural sciences education and focus on strengthening resident instruction and curriculum by leveraging distance learning tools and approaches. The program is framed around improving an institution's ability to deliver high-quality instruction using distance education technology, especially where local access to specialized courses and training is limited.
Does the program focus on one-time activities or long-term improvements?
The program focuses on building institutional capacity, meaning it is designed to help eligible institutions improve what they can offer students over the long term rather than funding one-off activities.
Why is distance education emphasized for this program?
The emphasis reflects the realities of insular settings, where technology-enabled teaching can help connect students with courses, instructors, and resources that may not be available locally due to remoteness, limited course offerings, or infrastructure constraints.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is limited to institutions of higher education located in designated insular areas that meet the definition of an eligible institution under Section 101(a) of the Higher Education Act (20 U.S.C. 1001(a)). Applicants must also demonstrate capacity to carry out teaching and extension programs in the food, agriculture, natural resources, and human sciences. Public or nonprofit accredited 2-year and 4-year institutions that offer certificates or degrees in food and agricultural sciences are eligible.
Which insular areas are eligible under this opportunity?
The eligible insular areas named for this program are American Samoa; the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands; the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico; the Federated States of Micronesia; Guam; the Republic of the Marshall Islands; the Republic of Palau; and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
If our institution is not located in one of the listed insular areas, can we apply?
Based on the opportunity description, only institutions located in the specifically named insular areas, and meeting the other eligibility standards, should expect to be considered responsive applicants.
Do institutions have to be accredited to be eligible?
Eligible applicants are described as public or nonprofit accredited 2-year and 4-year institutions that offer certificates or degrees in food and agricultural sciences.
Do 2-year institutions qualify, or is this limited to 4-year universities?
Both accredited 2-year and 4-year public or nonprofit institutions may be eligible, as long as they offer certificates or degrees in food and agricultural sciences and meet the other requirements described in the opportunity.
Does an institution need to offer programs specifically in food and agricultural sciences?
Yes. The eligibility description specifies institutions that offer certificates or degrees in food and agricultural sciences and that can carry out teaching and extension programs in food, agriculture, natural resources, and human sciences.
What does it mean to meet the definition under Section 101(a) of the Higher Education Act?
The opportunity states that applicants must meet the definition of an eligible institution under Section 101(a) of the Higher Education Act (20 U.S.C. 1001(a)). This is used as the program's eligibility standard for what qualifies as an institution of higher education under the grant.
Are land-grant institutions in insular areas eligible?
Yes. Land-grant colleges and universities (including those granted land-grant status through federal legislation) located in insular areas are automatically eligible to apply as individual institutions.
Can a separately accredited branch institution within a larger university system apply?
Yes. Separately accredited, degree-granting branch institutions within a state university system or public higher education system may apply as independent eligible applicants, as long as they meet the program definition and requirements.
Can an independent branch campus of an institution apply on its own?
Yes, if it meets the program's branch-campus conditions. The opportunity states that independent branch campuses may apply if they are geographically separate from the main campus, permanent, offer for-credit courses and programs leading to an associate or bachelor's degree, and have meaningful autonomy (including their own faculty and administrative structure, plus their own budget and hiring authority).
What are the autonomy requirements for an independent branch campus applicant?
The branch campus must have meaningful autonomy, including its own faculty and administrative structure as well as its own budget and hiring authority, in addition to being geographically separate, permanent, and offering for-credit degree programs.
What is the maximum award amount?
The award ceiling listed for this opportunity is $200,000 per award.
How many awards does NIFA expect to make?
The opportunity listing indicates an expectation of roughly four total awards.
What is the CFDA number for this program?
The opportunity is associated with CFDA number 10.322.
What is the funding opportunity number?
The funding opportunity number is USDA NIFA RIGP 010353.
What was the application closing date listed for this opportunity?
The original closing date listed for applications was March 20, 2024.
When was the opportunity created?
The opportunity was created on January 11, 2024.
What happens if an applicant does not meet eligibility requirements by the deadline?
The listing notes that meeting eligibility criteria by the deadline is critical. Failure to meet eligibility requirements can cause an application to be excluded from review or prevent NIFA from making an award even if the proposal is otherwise strong.
Is the program intended to support instruction only, or instruction and extension?
Applicants must demonstrate capacity to carry out teaching and extension programs in food, agriculture, natural resources, and human sciences. The program's stated goal focuses on strengthening instruction, curriculum, and teaching programs using distance education technology.
Is this grant focused on postsecondary education (college-level), or other education levels too?
The program is described as focused on formal, postsecondary agricultural sciences education and strengthening colleges and universities in insular areas.
What is meant by "strengthening resident instruction" using distance learning?
In the context provided, projects may strengthen resident instruction and curriculum by leveraging distance learning tools and approaches, helping institutions expand and modernize what they can deliver even when students and instructors face geographic or infrastructure limitations.
What types of barriers is this program designed to address in insular areas?
The program is meant to address challenges such as geographic remoteness, limited local course offerings, and infrastructure constraints that can reduce student access to specialized coursework and training in agriculture-related fields.
What does "responsive applicant" mean in this context?
Based on the description, an applicant should expect to be considered responsive only if the institution is located in one of the named insular areas and meets the other eligibility standards stated in the opportunity.
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