The NEXTGEN Program is focused on supporting and preparing students for careers in the food, agriculture, natural resources, and human sciences across research, education, and extension.
Donor Name: National Institute of Food and Agriculture
State: All States
County: All Counties
Territory: Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands
Type of Grant: Grant
Deadline: 10/25/2022
Size of the Grant: $20,000,000
Grant Duration: 60 months
Details:
The primary goal of the From Learning to Leading: Cultivating the Next Generation of Diverse Food and Agriculture Professionals Program (NEXTGEN) is to enable 1890 institutions, 1994 institutions, Alaska Native-serving institutions and Native Hawaiian-serving institutions, Hispanic-serving institutions (specifically, the certified Hispanic-serving agricultural colleges and universities (HSACUs)), and insular area institutions of higher education located in the U.S. territories to build and sustain the next generation of the food, agriculture, natural resources, and human sciences (FANH) workforce including the future USDA workforce primarily through providing student scholarship support, meaningful paid internships, fellowships, and job opportunity matching, and also facilitating opportunities to learn the processes and pathways leading to training and employment in the federal sector.
The NEXTGEN program places special emphasis on federal government sector employment in order to close the gaps in diversity and also between supply and demand of professionals in these fields. Through meaningful, experiential learning experiences, scholarships, and student engagement activities, the NEXTGEN Program will support eligible institutions listed in Section 1006(b)(4)(A-E) of the Act to prepare students as well as other communities of learners to join the agricultural workforce as skilled, professional and/or scientific members of the sector. The primary areas of focus include:
- Paid experiential learning opportunities (i.e., internships, fellowships, career development activities, apprenticeships, and experiential learning opportunities, such as mentoring, shadowing, hands-on-learning, interviews, peer-to-peer engagement) in food, agriculture, natural resource, and human sciences across research, education, and extension and at USDA for undergraduate and graduate students and other communities of learners;
- Scholarships to support the recruitment, retention, and graduation of students completing a degree, certification, and/or credential in food, agriculture, natural resource, and human sciences;
- Non-formal education activities that cultivate interest in and exposure to careers across food, agriculture, natural resources, human sciences, and allied disciplines among youth and other communities of learners on non-traditional academic or career paths, such as return-to-work program participants, older adults seeking employment, and formerly incarcerated individuals. Examples of activities include hosting a Jr. Minorities in Agriculture, Natural Resources, and Related Sciences (MANRRS}) Chapter, sponsoringfield trips, K-12 school gardens, extension demonstrations, service projects, or positive youth development activities, such as 4-H;
- Innovative recruitment, retention, and initiatives to attract students to majors and career paths in food, agriculture, natural resources, and human sciences and improve understanding of the processes and pathways leading to training opportunities and employment in the federal sector, particularly at USDA.
Funding Information
- Award Ceiling: $20,000,000
- Award Floor: $500,000
- Duration: 60 Months
Eligibility Criteria
Section 1006 of the American Rescue Plan, as amended by Section 22007 of the Inflation Reduction Act (Pub.L 117-169) defines eligible applicants as 1890 land-grant institutions, 1994 land-grant institutions, Alaska Native serving institutions and Native Hawaiian serving institutions, Hispanic-serving institutions [specifically, the certified Hispanic-serving agricultural colleges and universities (HSACUs)], and insular area institutions of higher education located in the U.S. territories.
For more information, visit Grants.gov.
