Higher Education Challenge Grants Program

The Higher Education Challenge Grants Program aims to strengthen institutional capacities in the food and agricultural sciences by promoting and supporting higher education in these fields. The program focuses on developing human capital to meet current and future national food and agricultural sciences workplace needs. Eligible applicants include U.S. public or private nonprofit colleges and universities offering a baccalaureate or first professional degree in at least one discipline or area of the food and agricultural sciences. The program supports various project types, including Education/Teaching Projects, and provides funding for planning activities, standard grants, and collaborative grants. Key aspects of the program include: * Developing human capital in the food and agricultural sciences * Strengthening institutional capacities, including curriculum, faculty, scientific instrumentation, instruction delivery systems, and student recruitment and retention * Addressing state, regional, national, or international educational needs in the food and agricultural sciences * Supporting cooperative initiatives between eligible institutions and units of state government or organizations in the private sector * Designing and implementing food and agricultural sciences programs to build teaching, research, and extension capacity at colleges and universities * Conducting undergraduate scholarship programs to meet national and international needs for training food and agricultural sciences scientists and professionals * Increasing the number and diversity of students who will pursue and complete a postsecondary degree in the food and agricultural sciences * Enhancing the quality of instruction for baccalaureate degrees, master’s degrees, and first professional degrees in veterinary sciences.