Capacity Building Grants for Non-Land-Grant Colleges of Agriculture Program 2026

USDA-NIFA

About this grant

The Capacity Building Grants for Non-Land-Grant Colleges of Agriculture Program, under USDA-NIFA assistance listing 10.326, assists 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 funds 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. The program also supports disseminating information relating to priority concerns to members of the agriculture and renewable resources communities, the public, and other interested entities. Additionally, funds support encouraging members of these communities to participate in priority education, research, outreach, and integrated activities through matching funds to leverage grant resources, purchase or acquisition of equipment and infrastructure (excluding building alterations, repairs, renovations, or construction), professional growth and development of faculty, and development of graduate assistantships.

Eligibility

Applicants must be non-land-grant colleges and universities certified by NIFA as NLGCA at the time of application. A current list of certified NLGCAs can be found on the NLGCA Program webpage. To qualify as a NLGCA, an institution must be a public college or university offering a baccalaureate or higher degree in the study of agricultural sciences, forestry, or both, among 32 specified areas of study including agricultural business and management, agricultural economics, agricultural engineering, animal sciences, aquaculture, food science, forestry, natural resources management, plant sciences, soil science, and wood science, among others. Hispanic-Serving Agricultural Colleges and Universities (HSACU) and McIntire-Stennis Colleges and Universities may request NLGCA designation without relinquishing their status. All institutions certified as NLGCA prior to December 21, 2018, must reapply for certification and meet new criteria. Non-land-grant colleges and universities may subcontract to organizations not eligible to apply if such organizations are necessary for project conduct.

Key requirements

• ✓Applicant must be a Non-Land-Grant College of Agriculture (NLGCA) institution
• ✓Funds support capacity-building for education, research, outreach, and integrated activities in agriculture and renewable resources
• ✓Eligible uses include equipment/infrastructure acquisition, faculty professional development, graduate assistantships, and matching funds for leveraging additional grants
• ✓Projects must address priority concerns of national, regional, state, or local interest
• ✓Funds cannot be used for building alterations, repairs, renovations, or construction

Funder contact

The notice names a programme contact you can speak to before applying.

Frequently asked questions

How much funding does USDA-NIFA offer?

Capacity Building Grants for Non-Land-Grant Colleges of Agriculture Program offers $30K – $750K.

When is the Capacity Building Grants for Non-Land-Grant Colleges of Agriculture Program deadline?

Applications close 10 Nov 2026.

Who can apply for Capacity Building Grants for Non-Land-Grant Colleges of Agriculture Program?

Eligibility covers organisations in US; university. See the eligibility criteria above for the full conditions.

Relevant sectors

About this sector

Regenerative agriculture funding supports soil health, cover cropping, reduced tillage, agroforestry and grazing practices that store carbon and restore land. It comes through agricultural support schemes, research programmes and supply-chain initiatives run with food companies. Applicants often need farmer partners, field trial plans and a way to monitor soil outcomes.