National Institute of Food and Agriculture · Department of Agriculture
Capacity Building Grants for Non-Land-Grant Colleges of Agriculture Program
In short: National Institute of Food and Agriculture gives grants of $30,000 to $750,000.
Key facts
- Deadline
- Due Nov 10, 2026 · 30 days left
- Award size
- $30K – $750K
- Total available
- $5.7M
- Match ?
- Not required · Work out your budget and match
- Buildings & equipment
- Not allowed: the official notice rules out construction or equipment costs
- Who can apply
- Set by the official notice: see Who can apply below
- Where
- Anywhere in the U.S., including Tennessee
How this fits you
- Available in Warren County (nationwide program)
- No match required
- Past Tennessee awards on file: 16
Tell us who you are to see whether you're eligible.
About this grant
The NLGCA Program, under assistance listing number 10.326, will assist NLGCA institutions in maintaining and expanding their capacity to conduct education, research, outreach, and integrated activities relating to agriculture, renewable resources, and other similar disciplines. NLGCA institutions may use the funds to maintain and expand capacity:
1. to successfully compete for funds from Federal grants and other sources to carry out educational, research, outreach, 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; and
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, and integrated activities by providing matching funds to leverage grant resources, and 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; and
c. the development of graduate assistantships.
Who can apply, from the official notice
Applicants for the NLGCA Program must meet all the requirements discussed in this NOFO. Failure to meet the eligibility criteria by the application deadline may result in exclusion from consideration or preclude NIFA from making an award. For those new to Federal financial assistance, NIFA’s About Grants provides highly recommended information about grants and other resources to help understand the Federal awards process.
Applications may only be submitted by an NLGCA certified as such by NIFA at the time of application. A current list of NLGCAs certified by NIFA can be found on the NLGCA Program webpage or the NLGCA List webpage. Section 7102 of the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 removed the opt-in, opt-out language that had previously required Hispanic-Serving Agricultural Colleges and Universities (HSACU) and McIntire-Stennis Colleges and Universities to relinquish that status if they wanted to pursue NLGCA designation (See Part I, A for legislative authority). There are no longer any such limitations, and HSACUs as well as McIntire-Stennis Colleges and Universities may request NLGCA designation. Non-land-grant colleges and universities may subcontract to organizations not eligible to apply, provided such organizations are necessary for the conduct of the project. All institutions certified as NLGCA prior to December 21, 2018, must reapply for certification and meet the new criteria for NLGCA certification contained in the Federal Register Notice.
In order for an institution to qualify as a NLGCA, it must be a public college or university offering a baccalaureate or higher degree in the study of agricultural sciences, forestry, or both, among the 32 specified Areas of Study: Agricultural and domestic animal services; agricultural and extension education services; agricultural and food products processing; agricultural business and management; agricultural communication or agricultural journalism; agricultural economics; agricultural engineering; agricultural mechanization; agricultural production operations; agricultural public services; agriculture; animal sciences; applied horticulture or horticulture operations; aquaculture; equestrian/equine studies; floriculture or floristry operations and management; food science; forest sciences and biology; forestry; greenhouse operations and management; international agriculture; natural resource...
Official notice: https://simpler.grants.gov/opportunity/79a2890c-dfe4-4217-9fdf-8fdd7fe89adc · Printed from grantme.click/grants/3a901343-3ee6-4270-8aab-f085a1687e77
View on Grants.gov Add deadline to my calendar
Your schedule, working back from the deadline
- Oct11
Check that your SAM.gov registration is active (or start it now)
Grants.gov: allow up to 10 business days for SAM registration, weeks or months if information isn't verified. It must be renewed every year. Grants.gov - Oct20
Ask partners for letters of support or commitment
Suggested: partners need about three weeks to write and sign letters. - Nov3
Finish a complete draft for a final review
Suggested: leave about a week for someone else to read the draft. - Nov8
Submit
Grants.gov: submit at least 24–48 hours before the deadline: uploads fail, systems slow down, errors need fixing. Grants.gov blog - Nov10
Deadline
From the funder.
Save this grant to put these dates in My grants and your private calendar.
Writing the need statement? Warren County facts with citations.
What the official notice requires
Pulled from the official notice FY26-NLGCA-NOFO-P.pdf (38 pages) so you can see the requirements at a glance. Each item shows the notice's own words. Open the page to read it in context.
Registrations you need first (1)
Grants.gov · p. 19
“The electronic application for this NOFO and additional resources are available on Grants.gov and Grants 101.” Open page 19
The deadline is in 30 days. If your registration isn't already active, it may not be ready in time, so check it today. Get-ready checklist
What to submit
Evaluation plan · p. 16
“LCI projects must include a statement on expected impacts of the project as well as an Evaluation Plan to measure success.” Open page 16
Form SF-424 · p. 20
“Part IV Provide an accurate email address, where designated, on the SF-424 R&R.” Open page 20
Project abstract or summary · p. 20
“Project Summary (PS)/Abstract.—The 250-word PS must show how the project goals align with the project goals of the NLGCA and indicated project type (Research, Education, Outreach, or Integrated).” Open page 20
Logic model · p. 23
“Logic Model—Applications must include a logic model detailing the inputs, activities, outputs, and outcomes of the proposed project, as well as potential external factors that may affect progress on the proposed project.” Open page 23
Timeline or schedule of completion · p. 24
“A description of mentoring activities that may include, but are not limited to, peer mentoring or layered mentoring, whereby a set of mentees are progressively mentored by others at a higher level in their careers and incorporate into the overall project…” Open page 24
Data management plan · p. 24
“Data Management Plan (DMP)—PDF Attachment—2-Page Limit—Title the attachment “Data Management Plan” in the document header and save file as “Data Management Plan.” A DMP is required for this program (see NIFA’s Data Management Plan).” Open page 24
Resumes or bios of key staff · p. 25
“Biographical Sketch—The following are additional instructions of information to include: 1.” Open page 25
Length limits
NOFO: 25 pages max · p. 23
“Response to Previous Review (if applicable)—This requirement only applies to Resubmitted Applications as described in Part II, B of this NOFO and does not count against the 25-page limit of the PN.” Open page 23
PDF Attachment: 2 pages max · p. 24
“Mentoring Plan (MP)—PDF Attachment—2-Page Limit—Title the attachment as “Mentoring Plan” and save file as “Mentoring Plan.” The proposal must include a 1- to 2- page MP for all recipients of stipends and fellowships and for training programs.” Open page 24
Leadership Support: 2 pages max · p. 24
“Leadership Support—PDF Attachment—No Page Limit—Title the attachment “Leadership Support” in the document header and save file as “Leadership Support.” Provide signed documentation (not to exceed 2 pages per institution/organization) from” Open page 24
Formatting rules
12-point font, 1-inch margins · p. 21
“Project Narrative (PN).—The PN must not exceed a total page limit of 25 pages, using 1-inch margins on all sides and 12-point font with double line spacing, including written text, figures, and tables.” Open page 21
single-spaced · p. 21
“The only exception is that tables may be single-spaced with a font size no smaller than 11 points.” Open page 21
Cost share or match
Cost share / match · p. 18
“Cost Sharing or Matching No Match Required—The NLGCA has no matching requirement.” Open page 18
Dates in the notice
November 10, 2026 · p. 9
“Collaborative–Large-scale Comprehensive Initiative (LCI) Application Deadline November 10, 2026 Grant Duration: 1.” Open page 9
Mistakes that get applications rejected (1)
Could get your application rejected: To ensure fair competition, applications that are not compliant with these formatting specifications will... · p. 21
“To ensure fair competition, applications that are not compliant with these formatting specifications will not be accepted for review.” Open page 21
Files from the official listing
The notice, forms and templates the agency attached.
- FY26-NLGCA-NOFO-P.pdf (459 KB)
FY2026-Capacity-Building-Grants-for-Non-Land-Grant-Colleges-of-Agriculture-Program-NOFO
Who in Tennessee has won this program
15 awards to Tennessee groups in 4 counties since 2018 · 0 in Warren County. Largest shown:
| Past winner | Where | Amount | Fiscal year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Middle Tennessee State University | Murfreesboro, Rutherford County | $750K | 2023 |
| University of Tennessee | Martin, Weakley County | $745K | 2024 |
| Middle Tennessee State University | Murfreesboro, Rutherford County | $686K | 2021 |
| Tennessee State University | Nashville, Davidson County | $600K | 2026 |
| State of Tennessee | Nashville | $594K spent that year | 2025 |
| Tennessee State University | Nashville, Davidson County | $450K | 2026 |
| Tennessee Technological University | Cookeville, Putnam County | $300K | 2026 |
| University of Tennessee | Martin, Weakley County | $300K | 2022 |
| University of Tennessee | Martin, Weakley County | $294K | 2021 |
| Tennessee Technological University | Cookeville, Putnam County | $285K | 2018 |
| University of Tennessee | Martin, Weakley County | $279K | 2018 |
| Middle Tennessee State University | Murfreesboro, Rutherford County | $268K | 2020 |
Source: USAspending.gov; Federal Audit Clearinghouse. Past awards show who this program funds. They don't guarantee future awards.
Tennessee groups that got this money through a state agency or another organization
This federal money also reaches local groups as pass-through grants. 1 pass-through grant on file · 0 in Warren County. Largest shown:
| Past winner | Where | Through | Amount | Fiscal year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| State of Tennessee | Nashville | Illinois State University | $2,943 spent that year | 2024 |
Source: USAspending.gov pass-through reports (the first recipient reports each one of $30,000 or more).
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About the federal program
Capacity Building for Non-Land Grant Colleges of Agriculture (NLGCA)
Program number 10.326 (the federal Assistance Listing number) · U.S. Department of Agriculture, National Institute of Food and Agriculture · Project grant
How applications are judged
NIFA evaluates each application in a two-part process. First, each application is reviewed to ensure that it meets the administrative requirements set forth in the NOFO. Second, a peer-review process (https://www.nifa.usda.gov/nifa-peer-review-process-competitive-grant-applications) will be used to evaluate the scientific and technical merit of applications that have meet the administrative requirements.
After each peer review panel has completed deliberations, the responsible NIFA program staff will either recommend an application for support from available funds or decline an application due to insufficient funds or unfavorable review.
Match
None required (federal program listing).
Examples of funded projects
Fiscal year 2025: 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.