Agriculture and Food Research Initiative Competitive Grants Program Education and Workforce Development

The Agriculture and Food Research Initiative - Education and Workforce Development (EWD) focuses on developing the next generation of research, education, and extension professionals in the food and agricultural sciences. The National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) requests applications for the AFRI’s Education and Workforce Development program areas to support: 1. professional development opportunities for K-14 educational professionals; 2. non-formal education that cultivates food and agricultural interest in youth; 3. workforce training at community, junior, and technical colleges; 4. training of undergraduate students in research and extension; 5. fellowships for predoctoral candidates; 6. fellowships for postdoctoral scholars; and 7. education and workforce development workshop grants.

Program Details

National Institute of Food and Agriculture is a federal agency that offers the Agriculture and Food Research Initiative Competitive Grants Program Education and Workforce Development grant program to support arts and cultural programs, social services, workforce, and workforce training. This funding opportunity is available nationally and is administered by National Institute of Food and Agriculture through Grants.gov. Organizations seeking funding for arts and cultural programs, social services, workforce, and workforce training should review the details below and confirm their eligibility before preparing an application.

Eligibility

Eligible applicants include eligible organizations. Organizations that meet the eligibility criteria are encouraged to apply and to review the full program guidelines before submission. Because eligibility rules and funding priorities can change between cycles, applicants should always confirm the current requirements with National Institute of Food and Agriculture or on Grants.gov before investing time in an application.

Funding and Timeline

Funding available: $10K – $650K. The application deadline is December 31, 2026 (156 days remaining). Applicants should allow sufficient time to gather required documentation, including organizational information, project descriptions, budgets, and supporting materials as specified in the program guidelines. Submitting a complete application well ahead of the deadline reduces the risk of disqualification on technical or administrative grounds.

Program Focus

This grant supports arts and cultural programs, social services, workforce, and workforce training. This grant is associated with NAICS industry classifications: 111, 112, 541712, 115, 611430. Organizations operating in these sectors are encouraged to review eligibility. Funded projects are expected to demonstrate measurable outcomes aligned with the program's stated objectives. Grant recipients may be required to submit progress reports and final evaluations as a condition of the award, and to retain records for audit and compliance purposes.

How to Apply

Eligible organizations can apply through Grants.gov. Create a free organization profile on GrantRegister to see whether this grant matches your organization's NAICS code, entity type, location, and focus area, and to receive a weekly digest of every open grant you qualify for.

GrantRegister maintains a complete, authoritative registry of US federal, state, and foundation grant opportunities — matched automatically to your organization profile and delivered every Monday.

Eligibility

• Funded by USDA-NIFA
• Programs related to workforce training

Award details

Award range: $10K – $650K. Applications close on December 31, 2026 (156 days remaining).

Categories

Arts Culture · Social Services · Workforce · Workforce Training