Distance Education Grants for Institutions of Higher Education in Insular Areas (DEG)

Distance Education Grants for Institutions of Higher Education in Insular Areas (DEG) is sponsored by U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA).

The purpose of the DEG program is to strengthen the capacity of institutions of higher education in insular areas to carry out resident instruction, curriculum, and teaching programs in the food and agricultural sciences through distance education technology. Projects funded by the DEG program support the creation, adaptation, and adoption of learning materials and teaching strategies.

Distance Education Grants for Institutions of Higher Education in Insular Areas | NIFA The lifecycle of grants and cooperative agreements consists of four phases: Pre-Award, Award, Post-Award, and Close Out. The National Institute of Food and Agriculture is committed to serving its stakeholders, Congress, and the public by using new technologies to advance greater openness.

The Data Gateway enables users to find funding data, metrics, and information about research, education, and Extension projects that have received grant awards from NIFA. This website houses a large volume of supporting materials. In this section, you can search the wide range of documents, videos, and other resources.

Technical Assistance Webinar: The Equipment Grants Program (EGP) The Equipment Grants Program seeks to provide eligible institutions with the opportunity to acquire a shared-use piece of equipment/instrument that supports their research, research training, and extension goals. The National Institute of Food and Agriculture provides leadership and funding for programs that advance agriculture-related sciences.

Distance Education Grants for Institutions of Higher Education in Insular Areas The purpose of the DEG program, under assistance listing number 10. 322, is to strengthen the capacity of institutions of higher education in insular areas to carry out resident instruction, curriculum, and teaching programs in the food and agricultural sciences through distance education technology.

Projects funded by the DEG program support the creation, adaptation, and adoption of learning materials and teaching strategies to operationalize best practices for student learning. DEG-funded projects must also focus on imparting both technical knowledge as well as employability skills like communication, teamwork, and problem solving. Technical Assistance Webinar Dates may vary.

Please see NOFO for exact details. If you need a reasonable accommodation to access information related to this grant opportunity, please contact the Information Contact listed on this page no later than ten (10) days before the closing date. If you need a reasonable accommodation for the webinar or event related to this grant opportunity, please contact the event host.

NIFA offers language access services, such as interpretation and translation of vital information, free of charge. If you need interpretation or translation services, please visit NIFA Language Access Services and request service no later than ten (10) days before the closing date.

Insular Area Competitive Grant Programs Other or Additional Information (See below) More Information on Eligibility Eligible institutions include colleges/universities located in an Insular Area conducting teaching/extension programs in at least one discipline/area of food & agricultural sciences.

Eligible public- or state-funded, Non-Land-grant institutions must submit a letter signed by the institution's Authorized Representative certifying that it meets the requirements in this NOFO. An eligible institution means an institution of higher education, as defined in section 101(a) of the Higher Education Act of 1995 (20 U.S.C.

1001(a)), that is located in an Insular Area and that has a demonstrable capacity to carry out teaching and extension programs in the food, agriculture, natural resources and human sciences. All public or non-profit 2-year and 4-year accredited institutions of higher education that offer certificate/degree programs in FANH sciences and located in the Insular Area are eligible.

Individual land-grant colleges and universities, and other institutions that have secured land-grant status through Federal legislation, and which are located in Insular Areas are automatically eligible for awards under the DEG grant program as direct individual applicants.

Individual branches of a State university system or public system of higher education that are separately accredited as degree-granting institutions are treated as separate, individual institutions eligible to apply for and receive awards, provided they otherwise satisfy the definition of “eligible institution” as specified above.

Independent branch campuses of individual institutions may apply for and receive grant awards under this program, provided that they otherwise satisfy the definition of “eligible institution” as specified above.

An “independent branch campus” means a unit of a 2-year or 4-year institution of higher education that is geographically apart from the main campus, is permanent in nature, offers courses for credit and programs leading to an associate or bachelor’s degree, and is autonomous to the extent that it has its own faculty and administrative or supervisory organization and its own budgetary and hiring authority.

Wednesday, April 29, 2026 For more Information Contact grantapplicationquestions@usda. gov Funding Opportunity Number Assistance Listing Number REEIS-NRP-Program Funded Projects Estimated Total Program Funding Cost Sharing or Matching Requirement Percent of Applications Funded Page last updated: May 26, 2026 Your feedback is important to us.