Resident Instruction Grants Program for Institutions of Higher Education in Insular Areas | USDA NIFA RIGP 006910

Opportunity Information: Apply for USDA NIFA RIGP 006910

The Resident Instruction Grants Program for Institutions of Higher Education in Insular Areas is a discretionary grant opportunity run by the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) that supports two closely related funding tracks: Resident Instruction Grants in Insular Areas (RIIA) and Distance Education Grants (DEG). The central aim is to build and strengthen the teaching capacity of colleges and universities located in U.S.-affiliated Insular Areas by improving instruction, curriculum, and the overall quality of teaching and learning in food and agricultural sciences and related disciplines. In practical terms, the program is meant to help these institutions expand what they can offer students, modernize or redesign academic programs, and better serve local workforce and community needs in agriculture, food systems, and natural resources under the broad umbrella of food and agricultural sciences.

NIFA frames the purpose as increasing institutional educational capacity, which typically includes strengthening curriculum and instructional delivery, upgrading academic content, improving student learning experiences, and supporting education programs tied to the food, agriculture, natural resources, and human sciences (often referred to as FANH sciences). While the opportunity title emphasizes resident instruction, the inclusion of a distance education component signals that NIFA also expects proposals that improve online or technology-enabled learning options, which can be especially important in geographically dispersed island contexts where access, travel, and connectivity challenges can affect education delivery.

Eligibility is focused on institutions of higher education physically located in one of the eight specified Insular Areas: 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 United States Virgin Islands. For RIIA, eligible applicants include public or nonprofit, accredited 2-year and 4-year institutions that offer certificate or degree programs in FANH-related fields and can show they have the capacity to carry out teaching (and, as stated in the notice, extension) programs in those areas. The text also references the AGFEI program in the eligibility language; where AGFEI applies, it is limited to land-grant colleges and universities (or institutions that have obtained land-grant status through Federal legislation) located in the Insular Areas.

The announcement makes clear that certain campus structures can apply on their own if they meet the definition of an eligible institution. Separately accredited, degree-granting branch institutions within a territory university system are treated as independent eligible applicants for purposes of the RIIA (and AGFEI where applicable). Independent branch campuses of individual institutions may also apply, as long as they otherwise satisfy the eligibility definition. This matters for multi-campus systems because it allows a qualifying branch campus to compete directly rather than being required to apply only through the main campus, provided accreditation and degree-granting status align with the program rules.

A key administrative requirement is certification of eligibility at the time of application. Non-land-grant institutions must submit a letter signed by the institution's Authorized Representative certifying that the applicant meets the RFA definition of an eligible institution. The certification requirements highlighted in the text include that the institution admits as regular students only individuals with a secondary school completion credential (or recognized equivalent) and that the institution is legally authorized by the relevant Territory to provide postsecondary education. The notice also cautions that failing to meet eligibility by the application deadline can result in the application being excluded from consideration or prevent NIFA from making an award, so the eligibility documentation is not a formality; it is a threshold screening item.

From the funding details provided, the opportunity number is USDA NIFA RIGP 006910 and it is listed under CFDA 10.308 in the agriculture funding activity category. The award instrument is a grant, and the award ceiling shown is $150,000. The posting lists an original closing date of February 18, 2020, with a creation date of November 14, 2019. While the excerpt does not specify the expected number of awards, the ceiling gives a sense of the typical scale: projects are generally sized to support targeted improvements to instruction and curriculum rather than large capital builds. Applicants new to federal assistance are directed to NIFA's Grants Overview resources, which is a signal that NIFA expects applicants to follow standard federal grants practices for budgeting, compliance, and award management.

• The National Institute of Food and Agriculture in the agriculture sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Resident Instruction 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): 10.308.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2019-11-14.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2020-02-18. (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 $150,000.00 in funding.
• Eligible applicants include: Others.

Apply for USDA NIFA RIGP 006910

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