Opportunity Information: Apply for USDA NIFA RHSE 011696
The Rural Health and Safety Education Competitive Grants Program (ALN 10.516) is a discretionary grant opportunity run by the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) that focuses on improving quality of life in rural communities through practical education and outreach. The program is built around the idea that rural prosperity is closely tied to rural health and safety, especially in areas connected to food, agriculture, natural resources, and the human sciences. In plain terms, the grant is meant to help rural residents, organizations, and local systems gain useful knowledge and tools that support safer, healthier lives and stronger community well-being, while also encouraging better coordination across federal agencies, other levels of government, educational institutions, and private organizations working in rural places.
The opportunity emphasizes rural development through education, information-sharing, and dissemination of reliable, actionable resources about rural conditions. Projects supported by RHSE are expected to strengthen the ability of rural communities to address health and safety challenges that intersect with agriculture and natural-resource-based livelihoods. While the provided description does not list specific project topic areas or required activities in detail, the framing makes clear that funded work should connect health and safety education to the realities of rural life and rural economies, and it should produce benefits that are practical and visible at the community level.
Eligibility is limited to specific land-grant institutions. Applications may be submitted by 1862 and 1890 Land-grant Colleges and Universities eligible under the Acts of July 2, 1862 and August 30, 1890, and the notice explicitly includes examples such as Central State University, Tuskegee University, and West Virginia State University. Tribal Colleges and Universities designated as 1994 Land-grant Institutions under the Educational Land-Grant Status Act of 1994 (as amended) are also eligible to apply. Although only these institutions can serve as applicants, award recipients are allowed to subcontract to other organizations that are not themselves eligible to apply, as long as those partners are necessary to carry out the proposed project work. This structure is designed to keep the lead responsibility with the land-grant institution while still allowing meaningful collaboration with local and specialized partners.
Key compliance and submission rules are highlighted in the announcement. Applicants must meet all requirements stated in the Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO), and failing to satisfy eligibility criteria by the application deadline can lead to exclusion from consideration or make an award impossible. The program also prohibits duplicate or multiple submissions, meaning an applicant should not submit more than one version of the same application or multiple competing applications where the NOFO disallows it. In addition, USDA states it will not accept competitive applications for grants or cooperative agreements that involve dangerous gain-of-function research as defined in Section 8 of Executive Order 14292, which functions as a strict screening constraint for any proposal that might touch sensitive biological research areas.
From a funding standpoint, this opportunity is listed under Funding Opportunity Number USDA NIFA RHSE 011696, with an original closing date of June 23, 2026. The award ceiling is $350,000, and NIFA expects to make around 10 awards. The opportunity was created on April 22, 2026. Applicants who are newer to federal funding are directed to NIFA resources such as its "About Grants" materials, which are intended to help organizations understand federal financial assistance processes, expectations, and compliance responsibilities.Apply for USDA NIFA RHSE 011696
- The National Institute of Food and Agriculture in the agriculture sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Rural Health and Safety Education Competitive Grants Program" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 10.516.
- This funding opportunity was created on 2026-04-22.
- Applicants must submit their applications by 2026-06-23. (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 $350,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 10 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Others.
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Rural Health and Safety Education (RHSE) Competitive Grants Program (ALN 10.516) - FAQs
What is the Rural Health and Safety Education Competitive Grants Program (RHSE)?
The Rural Health and Safety Education Competitive Grants Program (RHSE) is a discretionary grant opportunity administered by the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA). It focuses on improving quality of life in rural communities through practical education, outreach, and the sharing of reliable, actionable information.
What is the main goal of this grant program?
The program aims to strengthen rural health and safety by supporting education and outreach that helps rural residents, organizations, and local systems gain useful knowledge and tools. The intent is to support safer, healthier lives and stronger community well-being in ways that are practical and visible at the community level.
How does RHSE define its connection to rural prosperity?
The program is framed around the idea that rural prosperity is closely tied to rural health and safety, particularly in areas connected to food, agriculture, natural resources, and the human sciences. RHSE supports work that links health and safety education to the realities of rural life and rural economies.
What kinds of activities does RHSE support?
Based on the information provided, RHSE emphasizes education, information-sharing, outreach, and dissemination of reliable, actionable resources about rural conditions. Projects are expected to improve the ability of rural communities to address health and safety challenges, especially those intersecting with agriculture and natural-resource-based livelihoods.
Does the description list specific required topic areas?
No. The provided description does not list specific project topic areas or required activities in detail. However, it clearly indicates that funded work should connect health and safety education to rural conditions and deliver practical community-level benefits.
Who is eligible to apply for RHSE funding?
Eligibility is limited to specific land-grant institutions. Applications may be submitted by 1862 and 1890 Land-grant Colleges and Universities eligible under the Acts of July 2, 1862 and August 30, 1890, and by Tribal Colleges and Universities designated as 1994 Land-grant Institutions under the Educational Land-Grant Status Act of 1994 (as amended).
Are there examples of eligible 1890 institutions mentioned?
Yes. The notice explicitly includes examples such as Central State University, Tuskegee University, and West Virginia State University.
Can organizations that are not land-grant institutions apply directly?
No. Only the eligible land-grant institutions described in the opportunity can serve as applicants.
Can the lead applicant partner with other organizations?
Yes. Award recipients are allowed to subcontract to other organizations that are not themselves eligible to apply, as long as those partners are necessary to carry out the proposed project work.
Why does RHSE allow subcontracting to non-eligible organizations?
The structure is designed to keep lead responsibility with an eligible land-grant institution while still allowing meaningful collaboration with local and specialized partners needed to implement the project.
What compliance rules do applicants need to pay attention to?
Applicants must meet all requirements stated in the Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO). The announcement emphasizes that failing to satisfy eligibility criteria by the application deadline can exclude an application from consideration or make an award impossible.
What happens if eligibility requirements are not met by the deadline?
Failing to satisfy eligibility criteria by the application deadline can lead to exclusion from consideration or make an award impossible, according to the opportunity description.
Are duplicate or multiple submissions allowed?
No. The program prohibits duplicate or multiple submissions. An applicant should not submit more than one version of the same application or multiple competing applications where the NOFO disallows it.
Does the opportunity include any restrictions related to certain types of research?
Yes. USDA states it will not accept competitive applications for grants or cooperative agreements that involve dangerous gain-of-function research as defined in Section 8 of Executive Order 14292.
What is the funding opportunity number for this RHSE program?
The funding opportunity number is USDA NIFA RHSE 011696.
What is the Assistance Listing Number (ALN) for this program?
The Assistance Listing Number (ALN) for this program is 10.516.
What is the application closing date?
The original closing date listed for this opportunity is June 23, 2026.
When was this funding opportunity created?
The opportunity was created on April 22, 2026.
What is the maximum award amount (award ceiling)?
The award ceiling is $350,000.
How many awards does NIFA expect to make?
NIFA expects to make around 10 awards.
Is this grant focused on direct services or education?
Based on the information provided, the emphasis is on practical education, outreach, information-sharing, and dissemination of reliable resources that communities can use to improve health and safety in rural contexts.
Does RHSE encourage coordination with other organizations or agencies?
Yes. The program description notes the importance of encouraging better coordination across federal agencies, other levels of government, educational institutions, and private organizations working in rural places.
Where can new applicants learn more about the federal grants process for NIFA?
Applicants newer to federal funding are directed to NIFA resources such as its "About Grants" materials, which are intended to help organizations understand federal financial assistance processes, expectations, and compliance responsibilities.
Which document controls the detailed requirements for applying?
The Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) is identified as the source of requirements that applicants must meet.
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