Hispanic-Serving Institutions Education Grants Program

Dr. Irma Lawrence
202.531.0633
ilawrence@nifa.usda.gov

Decatur Foster
774.991.5205
decatur.foster@usda.gov

This program provides grants to promote and strengthen the ability of Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs) to carry out higher education programs that attract, retain, and graduate outstanding students capable of enhancing the nation's food, agriculture, natural resources, and human sciences (FANH) professional and scientific workforce.

Projects should be designed to:

• Attract and support undergraduate and graduate students from underrepresented groups in order to prepare them for careers related to the food, agriculture, natural resources and human (FANH) sciences in the United States
• Enhance the quality of postsecondary instruction within the above disciplines
• Provide opportunities and access to FANH careers in the public and private sectors
• Align the efforts of HSIs and other nonprofit organizations to support academic development and career attainment of underrepresented groups

Projects that integrate social and biological sciences to address many of the challenges facing agriculture and rural communities are a priority, such as:

• Increasing global demand for food production in the face of limited natural resources
• Improving health and reducing obesity by engaging in healthy lifestyles and consuming healthy diets
• Alleviating poverty by fostering economic opportunity

Community development projects of interest include:

• Support informal education to increase food and agricultural literacy in youth and adults
• Promote science-based agricultural literacy by increasing understanding and use of FANH science data, information, and programs
• Build science-based capability to engage audiences and enable informed decision making
• Develop new applications of instructional tools and curriculum structures that increase technical competency and ensure global competitiveness
• Offer non-formal learning programs that increase accessibility to new ideas and technologies that are appropriate for community development
• Develop programs that increase public knowledge and citizen engagement leading to actions that protect or enhance the nation's food supply, agricultural productivity, environmental quality, community vitality, and/or public health and well-being

Eligible applicants are Hispanic-Serving Institutions. To be considered an HSI, institutions must have a minimum of 25% undergraduate full-time Hispanic enrollment.

Award ceiling: $1,200,000
Award floor: $50,000
Project period: 4 years
Estimated number of awards: 22
Estimated total program funding: $15,332,800

Links to the full announcement, application instructions, and the online application process are available through grants.gov.