Higher Education - Multicultural Scholars Grant Program

The Higher Education Multicultural Scholars Program provides support to students to help them complete their bachelor's degree in the Food, Agriculture, Natural Resources, Human (FANH) Sciences or Doctor of Veterinary Medicine in order to successfull

The Higher Education Multicultural Scholars Program provides funding for colleges and universities to support students through scholarships, mentorship, and experiential learning opportunities.

Only the following are eligible to apply: Land-Grant Institutions, Colleges and universities having significant minority enrollments, other colleges and universities, and Institutes or research foundations maintained by an eligible college or university. Institutions that have not previously applied are especially encouraged to do so. Applicants must be institutions that confer a bachelor's or D.V.M. degree in at least one of the disciplines in the food and agricultural sciences. Awards are made to eligible colleges and universities. Individuals are not eligible to apply for these grants. Project Directors who have received MSP awards in the last five years may also apply. However, the respective proposal must differ substantively in scope and objectives from previously funded MSP projects in the last five years by the same Project Director.

Only the following are eligible to apply: Land-Grant Institutions, Colleges and universities having significant minority enrollments, other colleges and universities, and Institutes or research foundations maintained by an eligible college or university. Institutions that have not previously applied are especially encouraged to do so. Applicants must be institutions that confer a bachelor's or D.V.M. degree in at least one of the disciplines in the food and agricultural sciences. Awards are made to eligible colleges and universities. Individuals are not eligible to apply for these grants. Project Directors who have received MSP awards in the last five years may also apply. However, the respective proposal must differ substantively in scope and objectives from previously funded MSP projects in the last five years by the same Project Director.

Competitive annual grants to selected U.S. institutions of higher education provide for a limited number of four-year undergraduate scholarships to support minority students pursuing baccalaureate degrees in the food and agricultural sciences. Institutions also receive an annual cost-of-education allowance for each scholar supported by a grant. The scholars are selected by the institutions and students must apply for the scholarships through procedures established by the individual institutions. No scholarship grants are made directly to students and students cannot apply directly to USDA for scholarships. Scholarship monies may be used for tuition, fees, room, board, and other educational expenses as announced in a Federal Register notice inviting applications for new awards. The institutional cost-of-education allowance may be used by the selected institutions to defray program expenses including, but not limited to, travel and publications costs incurred for student recruitment, and salaries of project personnel.

Indirect cost is not allowable. Pursuant to 7 U.S.C. 3152(b), no indirect costs may be recovered under the MSP Program. Funds are restricted to the clearly designated uses found within the NOFO. For Award Category No. 2 Proposals, the budget sharing criteria are: (i) no single institution may receive more than forty percent (40%) and (ii) any institution may not receive less than fifteen percent (15%) of the requested funding for the baccalaureate and/or D.V.M. degree level training project (see Part II, C of the NOFO). When grant is for SEL that will be used by To-Be-Recruited Scholars: The SEL funds for To-Be-Recruited Scholars will be withheld until the Project Director has submitted, to the MSP Grants Program Office, all of the required documentation for eligibility of the MSP/SEL Scholar(s) for the SEL as well as the required specifics outlined in the NOFO for the SEL. The information must be submitted for approval, no less than 90 days prior to the use of the SEL funds (see Part IV, B., 3, b, Section 1 of the NOFO).

Grants are awarded for a five (5) year period, however, scholars are supported for four (4) years during that five (5) year period. One (1) year of the grant period is available for student recruitment and for short interruptions of a scholar's educational advancement due to personal circumstances or emergencies. In accordance with statutory time limits, project periods, including no-cost extensions of time, are not to exceed five (5) years. RFAs are generally released annually. Hence, the RFAs provide the most current and accurate information available. Any specific instructions in the Competitive RFAs supersede the general information provided in the CFDA database.

All NOFOs are published on the NIFA website and Grants.gov. Applicants must complete the SAM.gov and Grants.gov registration process prior to applying. See the program NOFO for any program specific pre-application requirements.

NIFA evaluates each application in a two-part process. First, each application is reviewed to ensure that it meets the administrative requirements set forth in the NOFO. Second, a peer-review process (https://www.nifa.usda.gov/nifa-peer-review-process-competitive-grant-applications) will be used to evaluate the scientific and technical merit of applications that have meet the administrative requirements. After each peer review panel has completed deliberations, the responsible NIFA program staff will either recommend an application for support from available funds or decline an application due to insufficient funds or unfavorable review.

Within the limit of funds authorized, the NIFA awarding official will make grants to responsible and eligible applicants whose applications are judged most meritorious under the procedures set forth in this NOFO. The date specified by the NIFA awarding official as the effective date of the grant must be no later than September 30 of the federal fiscal year in which the project is approved for support and funds are appropriated for such purpose, unless otherwise permitted by law. The project need not be initiated on the grant effective date, but as soon thereafter as practical so that project goals may be attained within the funded project period. Award Notice. The award document will provide pertinent instructions and information as described in 2 CFR 200.211 (see NIFA's Terms and Conditions).

From 30 to 60 days. Contact the National Program Leader (NPL) - Headquarters Office regarding dates for specific deadlines, start and end dates, and range of approval/disapproval time.

Specific details are provided in the Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO), which are generally published annually.