Opportunity Information: Apply for USDA NIFA HEMS 010574
The Higher Education Multicultural Scholars Program (MSP) is a competitive scholarship grant opportunity run by the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) that focuses on strengthening the pipeline of talent in the food and agricultural sciences. Its central goal is to increase multicultural diversity within the future scientific and professional workforce tied to agriculture, food systems, and related disciplines, while also supporting broader educational achievement. Rather than funding individual students directly, the program provides grant funding to eligible colleges and universities so they can recruit, select, and financially support undergraduate students (and students pursuing a D.V.M.) who are preparing for careers in food and agricultural science fields.
This is a discretionary grant program (Funding Opportunity Number: USDA NIFA HEMS 010574) listed under CFDA 10.220, with an award ceiling of $250,000 and an expected total of about five awards in this cycle. The original application closing date shown in the source information is 2024-04-01, and the opportunity was created on 2024-02-01. In practical terms, institutions compete for funding by proposing a project that describes how they will identify scholars, provide scholarship support, and help those scholars progress toward and complete degrees that feed into the food and agricultural workforce.
Eligibility to apply is limited to institutions, not individuals. Eligible applicants include Land-Grant Institutions, colleges and universities with significant minority enrollments, other colleges and universities, and institutes or research foundations that are maintained by an eligible college or university. A key requirement is that the applicant institution must confer a bachelor’s degree or a D.V.M. in at least one discipline within the food and agricultural sciences. The program text emphasizes that institutions that have not applied in the past are especially encouraged to submit proposals. It also notes that project directors who have received MSP awards within the last five years are not automatically barred from applying again, but any new proposal must be substantively different in scope and objectives from projects funded under the same project director within that five-year window. Because of statutory limits, extensions beyond a five-year period are not permitted, though institutions may apply for new awards with a new scope of work in future years when funding is available. Award recipients are also allowed to subcontract with organizations that are not themselves eligible applicants, as long as those partners are necessary to carry out the project.
Student support under MSP is administered by the funded institution, which selects and appoints scholars within program guidelines. Students must meet several baseline eligibility rules: they must be U.S. citizens, U.S. nationals, or permanent residents; they must be accepted for enrollment or already enrolled at an institution receiving an MSP grant, or be at a two-year institution that has an articulation, bridging, or similar formal transfer/collaborative agreement with an MSP-funded baccalaureate institution. Scholars must be enrolled full-time (as defined by the institution) in a food and agricultural sciences program leading to an undergraduate degree or a D.V.M. during each term they receive support. The program allows limited flexibility when institutional policy permits it, such as waiving formal registration for a period if the scholar remains on track academically and is engaged full-time in approved activities like internships or study abroad experiences. Scholars also must maintain good academic standing and make satisfactory progress toward degree completion as determined by the institution, must not have been previously enrolled in an academic program in the food and agricultural sciences at the same degree level, and must demonstrate a strong interest in pursuing a career as a food or agricultural scientist or professional (as judged by the grantee institution).
A notable administrative requirement is the timeline for putting scholarship dollars to work. Institutions receiving MSP funds must identify scholars and begin awarding scholarships within twelve months of the grant’s effective start date. If the institution cannot allocate scholarship funds within that first year, it must notify the NIFA Program Office and obtain approval for the delay. The opportunity materials also stress that failing to meet eligibility requirements by the application deadline can lead to an application being excluded from consideration or, even if reviewed, can prevent NIFA from making an award, underscoring the importance of confirming institutional eligibility and compliance early in the application process.Apply for USDA NIFA HEMS 010574
- The National Institute of Food and Agriculture in the agriculture sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Higher Education Multicultural Scholars Program" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 10.220.
- This funding opportunity was created on 2024-02-01.
- Applicants must submit their applications by 2024-04-01. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $250,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 5 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Others.
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Higher Education Multicultural Scholars Program (MSP) - FAQs
What is the Higher Education Multicultural Scholars Program (MSP)?
The Higher Education Multicultural Scholars Program (MSP) is a competitive scholarship grant opportunity administered by the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA). It is designed to strengthen the pipeline of talent in food and agricultural sciences by increasing multicultural diversity in the future scientific and professional workforce connected to agriculture, food systems, and related disciplines, while also supporting broader educational achievement.
Does MSP provide scholarships directly to students?
No. MSP does not fund individual students directly. Instead, it awards grant funding to eligible colleges and universities. Those institutions then recruit, select, and financially support eligible undergraduate students and students pursuing a D.V.M. under MSP guidelines.
Who applies for MSP funding?
Applications are submitted by eligible institutions (not by individual students). Institutions compete for funding by proposing a project that explains how they will identify scholars, provide scholarship support, and help scholars progress toward and complete degrees that feed into the food and agricultural workforce.
What is the funding opportunity number and CFDA listing for this program?
This is a discretionary grant program with Funding Opportunity Number USDA NIFA HEMS 010574, listed under CFDA 10.220.
What is the maximum award amount under this opportunity?
The award ceiling listed for this cycle is $250,000.
How many awards are expected in this cycle?
The opportunity information indicates an expected total of about five awards in this cycle.
When was this opportunity created, and what is the application closing date shown?
The opportunity was created on 2024-02-01. The application closing date shown in the source information is 2024-04-01.
Which institutions are eligible to apply?
Eligibility is limited to institutions. Eligible applicants include Land-Grant Institutions, colleges and universities with significant minority enrollments, other colleges and universities, and institutes or research foundations that are maintained by an eligible college or university.
Is there a degree-conferral requirement for applicant institutions?
Yes. A key requirement is that the applicant institution must confer a bachelor’s degree or a D.V.M. in at least one discipline within the food and agricultural sciences.
Are institutions that have never applied to MSP encouraged to apply?
Yes. The program text specifically emphasizes that institutions that have not applied in the past are especially encouraged to submit proposals.
Can the same project director apply again if they received an MSP award recently?
Project directors who have received MSP awards within the last five years are not automatically barred from applying again. However, any new proposal must be substantively different in scope and objectives from projects funded under the same project director within that five-year window.
Can MSP-funded projects be extended beyond five years?
No. Due to statutory limits, extensions beyond a five-year period are not permitted.
If extensions are not allowed, can an institution apply again in future years?
Yes. The materials indicate that institutions may apply for new awards with a new scope of work in future years when funding is available.
Can an MSP award recipient subcontract with partners that are not eligible applicants?
Yes. Award recipients are allowed to subcontract with organizations that are not themselves eligible applicants, as long as those partners are necessary to carry out the project.
What types of students can be supported under MSP?
MSP-funded institutions can support undergraduate students and students pursuing a D.V.M. who are preparing for careers in food and agricultural science fields, as selected and appointed by the grantee institution within program guidelines.
What citizenship or residency status must MSP scholars have?
Students supported under MSP must be U.S. citizens, U.S. nationals, or permanent residents.
Do students have to be enrolled at the MSP-funded institution to receive support?
Students must be accepted for enrollment or already enrolled at an institution receiving an MSP grant, or they may be at a two-year institution that has an articulation, bridging, or similar formal transfer/collaborative agreement with an MSP-funded baccalaureate institution.
Is full-time enrollment required for MSP scholar support?
Yes. Scholars must be enrolled full-time (as defined by the institution) in a food and agricultural sciences program leading to an undergraduate degree or a D.V.M. during each term they receive support.
Is any flexibility allowed if a scholar is not formally registered for a period?
Limited flexibility may be allowed when institutional policy permits it. For example, formal registration may be waived for a period if the scholar remains on track academically and is engaged full-time in approved activities such as internships or study abroad experiences.
What academic performance requirements apply to MSP scholars?
Scholars must maintain good academic standing and make satisfactory progress toward degree completion as determined by the institution.
Can a student receive MSP support if they were previously enrolled in a food and agricultural sciences program at the same degree level?
No. Scholars must not have been previously enrolled in an academic program in the food and agricultural sciences at the same degree level.
Do students need to show a career interest related to food and agricultural sciences?
Yes. Scholars must demonstrate a strong interest in pursuing a career as a food or agricultural scientist or professional, as judged by the grantee institution.
Who selects and appoints MSP scholars?
The funded institution administers student support and selects and appoints scholars within program guidelines.
How quickly must an institution begin awarding scholarships after receiving an MSP grant?
Institutions receiving MSP funds must identify scholars and begin awarding scholarships within twelve months of the grant’s effective start date.
What happens if an institution cannot allocate scholarship funds within the first year?
If scholarship funds cannot be allocated within the first year, the institution must notify the NIFA Program Office and obtain approval for the delay.
What are the consequences of failing to meet eligibility requirements by the application deadline?
The opportunity materials stress that failing to meet eligibility requirements by the application deadline can lead to an application being excluded from consideration or, even if reviewed, can prevent NIFA from making an award. This highlights the importance of confirming eligibility and compliance early in the process.
What does the institutional project typically need to describe?
Institutions compete by proposing a project describing how they will identify scholars, provide scholarship support, and help scholars progress toward and complete degrees that lead into the food and agricultural workforce.
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