The purpose of the NNF program, Assistance Listing 10.210, is to provide funding to support new graduate (master’s, DVM, or doctoral) student training and completion of degree programs to develop human capital to participate in meeting the mission of the USDA to increase the pipeline of domestic agricultural students. The NNF program offers funding for eligible full-time students pursuing graduate studies at the master’s, DVM, or doctoral levels within the food and agricultural sciences. The NNF program awards institutional grants to offer funding for eligible full-time students pursuing graduate studies at the master’s, DVM, and/or doctoral levels within the food and agricultural sciences. Fellows must be new graduate students (‘new’ is defined in Part III A); and citizens, nationals, or permanent residents of the United States. Awards made by the NNF program are specifically intended to support graduate programs that engage outstanding students who are citizens, nationals, or permanent residents of the United States of America to pursue and complete their degrees in areas where there is a need for the development of scientific and professional expertise in the food and agricultural sciences. NNF awards invest in graduate training and relevant experiential learning for individuals who demonstrate their potential to successfully complete graduate degree programs in disciplines relevant to the mission of the USDA.
Food and Agricultural Sciences National Needs Graduate and Postgraduate Fellowships
National Institute of Food and Agriculture · Opportunity number USDA-NIFA-HEP-011737
Details summarized from the official notice as of Oct 15, 2026. Always confirm eligibility, deadlines and requirements in the official notice before applying.
Independent platform. Not affiliated with or endorsed by any government agency. Data from public federal sources.
Key facts
| Opportunity number | USDA-NIFA-HEP-011737 |
|---|---|
| Agency | National Institute of Food and Agriculture Department of Agriculture |
| Assistance listing (ALN, formerly CFDA) | 10.210 |
| Posted | Aug 13, 2026 |
| Deadline | Oct 15, 2026 |
| Award ceiling | $705,000 |
| Award floor | $78,000 |
| Expected number of awards | 28 |
| Estimated total program funding | $14,000,000 |
| Cost sharing or matching required | No |
| Funding type | Grant |
| Category | Agriculture |
| Last updated here | Oct 15, 2026 |
Summary from the notice
Who can apply
The official notice lists these applicant types as eligible:
- Others named in the notice (see the eligibility text)
Not listed as eligible
- Small businesses
- Nonprofits
- Colleges and universities
- State governments
- Local governments
- Tribal governments and organizations
- Larger for-profit companies
- Individuals
Unless the eligibility text in the notice names you, this opportunity is probably not for you.
Eligibility details from the notice
Applicants for the NNF 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. 1. Applicant Eligibility Land-grant Institutions and other colleges and universities having a demonstrable capacity to carry out the teaching of food and agricultural sciences and confer a graduate degree in at least one discipline or area of food and agricultural sciences are eligible to apply. Institutions offering degrees should be accredited by an agency or association recognized by the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Education. Research foundations maintained by an eligible college or university are eligible. Award recipients may subcontract to organizations not eligible to apply, provided such organizations are necessary for the conduct of the project. Individuals are not eligible to apply for these grants to support their own graduate education. 2. Student Eligibility The awarded institutions develop selection criteria for graduate students in the NNF application, and it is the awarded institution’s responsibility to provide fellowships to high-caliber students in superior academic standing according to the developed criteria. For...
Registrations you will likely need
Most applications submitted through Grants.gov need the following. Registration can take several weeks, so start early. The notice lists the exact requirements.
- SAM.gov registration for your organization, which also gives you a Unique Entity ID (UEI). Registration is free.
- A Login.gov account, which Grants.gov uses for sign-in.
- A Grants.gov applicant registration linked to your organization's UEI.
Related open opportunities
Tribal Colleges Extension Program Special Emphasis
National Institute of Food and Agriculture · USDA-NIFA-SLBCD-012281
Emergency Citrus Disease Research and Extension Pre-Applications
National Institute of Food and Agriculture · USDA-NIFA-SCRI-012018
1890 Institution Teaching, Research, and Extension Capacity Building Grants Program
National Institute of Food and Agriculture · USDA-NIFA-CBGP-011698
Capacity Building Grants for Non-Land-Grant Colleges of Agriculture Program
National Institute of Food and Agriculture · USDA-NIFA-NLGCA-011938
Small Business Innovation Research and Small Business Technology Transfer Programs Phase II
National Institute of Food and Agriculture · USDA-NIFA-SBIR-012221