Capacity Building for Non-Land Grant Colleges of Agriculture (NLGCA) (10.326)
Capacity Building for Non-Land Grant Colleges of Agriculture (NLGCA) (Assistance Listing 10.326) is run by the National Institute of Food and Agriculture, part of the Department of Agriculture. It awarded $24.4 million in 83 grants from fiscal 2021 to 2025, about $294,348 per award on average. 1 funding opportunity is open or forecast now.
The typical award was $278,947. Half of the 83 awards fell between $149,977 and $300,000, and they ranged from $29,308 to $750,000.
- Awarded, FY 2021 to 2025$24.4 million
- Grant awards83
- Typical award$278,947
- Awarded in FY 2025-$506,824
- Size rank1248 of 1824
- Type of assistanceProject grants (cooperative agreements)
Key findings
- It is the 1248th largest of 1,824 federal grant programs by five-year awards.
- The 20 largest recipients received 91% of the money.
- Awards went to recipients in 18 states and territories.
What the program funds
NLGCA Institutions may use the funds: 1. To successfully compete for funds from Federal grants and other sources to carry out educational, research, outreach/Extension and integrated activities that address priority concerns of national, regional, state, and local interest 2. To disseminate information relating to priority concerns to: a. interested members of the agriculture, renewable resources, and other relevant communities b. the public c. any other interested entity 3. To encourage members of the agriculture, renewable resources, and other relevant communities to participate in priority education, research, outreach/extension and integrated activities by providing matching funds to leverage grant resources 4. Through: a. the purchase or other acquisition of equipment and other infrastructure (not including alteration, repair, renovation, or construction of buildings) b. the professional growth and development of the faculty of the NLGCA Institution c. the development of graduate assistantships.
Open opportunities
Rules from the program listing
Who can apply
Only a non-land-grant public college or university (NLGCA) offering a baccalaureate or higher degree in the study of agriculture or forestry. The terms "NLGCA Institution" and "non-land-grant college of agriculture" do not include - (i) Hispanic-serving agricultural colleges and universities; or (ii) any institution designated under - (I) the Act of July 2, 1862 (commonly known as the "First Morrill Act"; 7 U.S.C. 301 et seq.); (II) the Act of August 30, 1890 (commonly known as the "Second Morrill Act") (7 U.S.C. 321 et seq.); (III) the Equity in Educational Land-Grant Status Act of 1994 (Public Law 103-382; 7 U.S.C. 301 note); or (IV) Public Law 87-788 (commonly known as the "McIntire-Stennis Cooperative Forestry Act") (16 U.S.C. 582a et seq.)
What the money can and cannot pay for
To maintain and expand the capacity of the NLGCA Institution to: compete, successfully, for funds from Federal grants and other sources to carry out educational, research, and outreach activities that address priority concerns of national, regional, State, and local interest; disseminate information relating to priority concerns to interested members of the agriculture, renewable resources, and other relevant communities; the public; and any other interested entity; and encourage members of the agriculture, renewable resources, and other relevant communities to participate in priority education, research, and outreach activities by providing matching funding to leverage grant funds. This can be accomplished through the: purchase or other acquisition of equipment and other infrastructure; professional growth and development of the faculty of the NLGCA Institution; and development of graduate assistantships. This program is fully discretionary. Indirect Costs (IDC) is not to exceed 30 percent of Total Federal Funds Awarded (TFFA). 1.) 7 U.S.C. 3310 limits the recovery of IDC for the overall award to 30 percent of the TFFA under a research, education, or extension grant.
Matching requirements
This program has no statutory formula. Matching requirements are not applicable to this assistance listing. MOE requirements are not applicable to this assistance listing.
Deadlines
Contact the headquarters or regional location, as appropriate, for application deadlines
Award range and average, in the agency's words
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/capacity-building-grants-non-land-grant-colleges-agriculture-program-nlgca
Examples of funded projects
Fiscal Year2025: A Planning/Workshop grant will develop a collaborative pathway to bring together secondary schools, community colleges, and food industry partners to address the demand for skilled food science professionals; a Regular/Research grant will use advanced biotechnological detection methods (genomics) to enhance food safety in fresh produce by detecting, quantifying, and characterizing Salmonella dynamics on fresh produce, allowing for the detection of both known pathogens and rare or emerging microbial threats; a Collaborative/Joint grant will establish a high-throughput data framework and robust tool based on artificial intelligence (AI) that supports sustainable water use strategies for crops grown under limited water conditions; a Large-scale Collaborative Initiative grant will improve the adsorption of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) forever through biochar, advance the use of biochar technology to enhance soil health, and thereby reduce food-chain transfer of forever chemicals.
Funding history and past recipients
From fiscal 2021 to 2025, Capacity Building for Non-Land Grant Colleges of Agriculture (NLGCA) (10.326) awarded$24.4 million across 83 grant awards, an average of $294,348 per award.
Who usually wins
Colleges and universities received 92% of the money, nonprofits 6.6%.
| Recipient type | Awards | Amount | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Colleges and universities | 76 | $22.6 million | 92% |
| Nonprofits | 6 | $1.6 million | 6.6% |
| Other | 1 | $244,470 | 1.0% |
By state
6 states have a page for this program: those that received at least $1 million or 10 awards.
| State | Awards | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Texas | 22 | $7.9 million |
| California | 18 | $5.4 million |
| Wisconsin | 8 | $2.7 million |
| Tennessee | 5 | $2.7 million |
| Florida | 4 | $1.2 million |
| Alabama | 2 | $1.0 million |
| Illinois | 6 | $987,574 |
| Kentucky | 2 | $678,105 |
| Georgia | 3 | $477,426 |
| Missouri | 3 | $326,015 |
| New Mexico | 1 | $299,868 |
| Ohio | 1 | $297,187 |
| Colorado | 1 | $261,962 |
| West Virginia | 1 | $150,000 |
| Minnesota | 1 | $149,565 |
| Vermont | 1 | $149,006 |
| Oklahoma | 1 | $144,210 |
| Montana | 1 | $30,000 |