FY 2026 Higher Education Challenge (HEC) Grants Program — U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA).
HEC provides approximately $5.7 million to strengthen higher education programs that prepare students for leadership and professional roles in the U.S. food and agricultural sciences workforce. Projects primarily focus on advanced undergraduate, graduate, doctoral, and veterinary education, with an emphasis on building a skilled domestic workforce.
Awards are expected to run 36–48 months, with maximum funding of $150,000 for Standard Grants, $300,000 for Collaborative Grant Type 1 (CG1), and $750,000 for Collaborative Grant Type 2 (CG2). Approximately 18 awards are anticipated.
🔧 What it supports:
Funding can support curriculum and degree-program development, faculty preparation, innovative teaching approaches, experiential learning, recruitment and retention, instructional resources, leadership development, and collaborations among higher education institutions and industry or government partners.
🎯 Key focus areas include:
Curriculum development tied to career opportunities; faculty teaching capacity; multi-institution partnerships; pathways into advanced agricultural degrees; student recruitment and retention; leadership, technical, problem-solving, and communication skills; and stronger alignment between education and food and agriculture workforce needs.
💡 Why it matters:
HEC is a significant workforce development opportunity for institutions seeking to modernize agricultural education and build stronger talent pipelines into high-skill careers. The larger collaborative awards also create an opportunity to develop sustainable regional partnerships and shared educational infrastructure that can extend beyond a single institution.
📌 How to apply:
Applications are due through Grants.gov by 5:00 p.m. ET on October 15, 2026, using funding opportunity USDA-NIFA-CGP-011315. Applicants should register early and carefully follow the NOFO and NIFA Grants Application Guide. Required materials include a project summary, project narrative and logic model, budget justification, mentoring and data management plans, expected outcomes, key personnel materials, and other supporting documents. No match is required.
👥 Who should consider this:
Land-grant institutions and other accredited colleges and universities that can demonstrate capacity to teach food and agricultural sciences and confer a graduate degree in at least one relevant discipline. University research foundations may also qualify, and collaborative proposals can bring together multiple institutions and aligned partners.
The New Growth Team can help institutions assess fit, develop a strong workforce funding strategy, and provide grant writing support to build a competitive proposal. Click here to reach out and start a quick conversation about positioning your HEC application.