Request for Applications: Equipment Grants Program (United States)

Deadline: 3-May-24

National Institute of Food and Agriculture invites applications for the Equipment Grants Program to increase access to shared special purpose equipment/instruments for scientific research for use in the food and agricultural sciences programs in the Nation’s institutions of higher education, including State Cooperative Extension Services.

The program seeks to improve the quality and expand the scope of fundamental and applied research at eligible institutions, by providing organizations with opportunities to acquire equipment/instruments that supports the research, research training, and extension goals of the organization. The program emphasizes shared-use instrumentation that will enhance the capabilities of researchers and extension agents both within and outside the proposing organization. EGP is designed to strengthen the fundamental and/ or applied research capacity (extension) of institutions by funding the purchase of one shared-use piece of equipment that may be too costly and/or not appropriate for support through other NIFA grant programs. An instrument acquired with support from EGP is expected to be fully operational by the conclusion of the first year of the project.

Proposals to the EGP are for the acquisition of a single, well-integrated piece of equipment/instrument. Well-integrated research instrument means that the ensemble of equipment that defines the instrument enables specific fundamental or applied research experiments in the food and agricultural sciences, including data science and data systems. It also means that separating or removing an element or component of such an integrated instrument would preclude any experiments from occurring or succeeding. Requests for computer equipment are allowed only if the equipment is part of a well-integrated instrument.

Strategic Goals and Priorities

• The EGP is aligned with the following USDA Strategic Goals FY 2022-2026:
  • Strategic Goal 1: Combat Climate Change to Support America’s Working Lands, Natural Resources and Communities
  • Strategic Goal 2: Ensure America’s Agricultural System is Equitable, Resilient, and Prosperous
  • Strategic Goal 3: Foster an Equitable and Competitive Marketplace for All Agricultural Producers
  • Strategic Goal 4: Provide All Americans Safe, Nutritious Food
• The EGP is aligned with the following USDA Science and Research Strategy, 2023–2026 priorities:
  • Priority 1. Accelerating Innovative Technologies & Practices
  • Priority 2. Driving Climate-Smart Solutions
  • Priority 3. Bolstering Nutrition Security & Health
  • Priority 4. Cultivating Resilient Ecosystems
  • Priority 5. Translating Research into Action

Funding Information

• Enactment of a continuing resolution, appropriations act, or other authorizing legislation may affect the availability or level of funding for this program. The amount available for the Equipment Grants Program in FY 2024 is approximately $4,800,000. These funds are available for equipment grants. USDA is not committed to fund any particular application or to make a specific number of awards.
• The EGP will only support Standard Grants where:
  • Standard Grant: funding request from $25,000 up to $500,000 total budget for the acquisition of a single, well-integrated piece of equipment/instrument and a project duration of 48 months. An instrument acquired with support from EGP is expected to be fully operational by the conclusion of the first year of the project period; the remainder of the project period will document impacts and outcomes of the investment.
  • Equipment Grants applications will be considered in two categories: $25,000-$250,000 budget applications, and $250,001 up to $500,000 budget applications. All Equipment Grants Program applications will be reviewed using the same evaluation criteria, with separate funding considerations given to $25,000-$250,000 budget applications and $250,000 up to $500,000 budget applications.

Eligibility Criteria

• Eligibility is limited to the following institutions:
  • College or University
    • In general. The terms “college” and “university” mean an educational institution in any State, the District of Columbia, and any insular area which, (i) admits as regular students only persons having a certificate of graduation from a school providing secondary education, or the recognized equivalent of such a certificate, (ii) is legally authorized within such State to provide a program of education beyond secondary education, (iii) provides an educational program for which a bachelor’s degree or any other higher degree is awarded, (iv) is a public or other nonprofit institution, and (v) is accredited by a nationally recognized accrediting agency or association.
    • Inclusions. The terms “college” and “university” include a research foundation maintained by a college or university.
  • State Cooperative Institution including:
    • 1862 and 1890 land-grant institutions;
    • State-certified Schools of Forestry as stipulated in accordance with 16 U.S.C. 582a et seq. (the McIntire-Stennis Act of 1962);
    • State Agricultural Experiment Stations located in the 50 States, the District of Columbia and the Insular Areas in accordance with 7 U.S.C. 361a et seq. (the Hatch Act of 1887);
    • “Cooperative extension services” meaning the organizations established at the land-grant colleges and universities under the Smith-Lever Act of May 8, 1914 (38 Stat. 372–374, as amended; 7 U.S.C. 341–349), and section 209(b) of the Act of October 26, 1974 (88 Stat. 1428, as amended; D.C. Code, sec. 31–1719(b));
    • Accredited schools or colleges of veterinary medicine or State agricultural experiment stations that conduct animal health and disease research in accordance with section 1433(c) of the National Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching Policy Act of 1977;
    • Hispanic-serving institutions; and
    • Eligible institutions in insular areas including, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico; Guam; American Samoa; the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands; the Federated States of Micronesia; the Republic of the Marshall Islands; the Republic of Palau; and the Virgin Islands of the United States.

For more information, visit Grants.gov.