January 29, 2018 | USDA

WASHINGTON, Jan. 29, 2018 – The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) today announced support for research, education, teaching, and extension projects that increase participation by women and underrepresented minorities from rural areas in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields. Funding is made through NIFA’s Women and Minorities in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Fields (WAMS) Grant Program.

The WAMS program seeks to develop and implement robust collaborations that improve the economic health and viability of rural communities across the nation. Funded projects will lead to the development of a robust and diverse food and agricultural workforce that is highly competent in the application of STEM knowledge and skills, with increased participation of women and minorities.

NIFA intends to support projects with a target audience of K-14 students. State agricultural experiment stations, colleges and universities, university research foundations, other research institutions and organizations, federal agencies, national laboratories, private organizations or corporations, and individuals may apply.

All proposals accepted in NIFA’s competitive grant programs undergo an external peer review process in which a panel of experts from within the respective field in question takes part. Specific details on panel meetings, review formats, and evaluation criteria may vary among programs.

There is $400,000 in available funding to support WAMS programming. The deadline for applications is Mar. 28, 2018. Please see the funding opportunity for details.

NIFA’s mission is to invest in and advance agricultural research, education, and extension to solve societal challenges. NIFA’s investments in transformative science directly support the long-term prosperity and global preeminence of U.S. agriculture. To learn more about NIFA’s impact on agricultural sciences, visit www.nifa.usda.gov/Impacts, sign up for email updates, or follow us on Twitter @USDA_NIFA, #NIFAImpacts.