WASHINGTON, D.C. — The U.S. Department of Agriculture opened applications for a new $125 million grant program aimed at modernizing aging agricultural research facilities at land-grant universities, marking one of the largest recent federal investments in the nation’s agricultural research infrastructure.
The fiscal 2026 funding opportunity, administered by USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture, will support planning, renovation, expansion, and construction projects designed to address decades of deferred maintenance and expand research capacity at eligible institutions.
The funding was authorized through President Donald Trump’s Working Families Tax Cuts Act, which provides $125 million annually for the Research Facilities Act program. Federal officials said the investment is intended to strengthen the research network that supports U.S. agriculture, food production, and rural economies.
“A nation that cannot feed itself is not secure and for too long, many of our land-grant universities have faced aging facilities and mounting deferred maintenance costs that threaten their ability to conduct world-class agricultural research,” Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins said.
The program requires applicants to provide a dollar-for-dollar non-federal cash match and limits eligible entities to one funded project at a time.
Funding will be distributed across four project categories. Planning grants will range from $100,000 to $200,000 for activities such as site assessments and preliminary design work. Small facility upgrades will receive between $250,000 and $2 million, while mid-scale construction and expansion projects will be eligible for $2 million to $10 million.
The largest awards, designated for major research complexes, will range from $10 million to $30 million and may fund new buildings, specialized laboratories, and controlled-environment research facilities.
Education Secretary Linda McMahon joined Rollins and university leaders for a roundtable discussion at USDA headquarters as the funding opportunity was announced. The administration said the initiative is intended to strengthen agricultural research, workforce development, and innovation at land-grant institutions.
USDA Under Secretary for Research, Education, and Economics Scott Hutchins said the program is designed to ensure future agricultural research is conducted in facilities equipped with modern technology and scientific tools.
“For 164 years, USDA has partnered with America’s great land-grant and agricultural universities to produce the discoveries, service, and education needed to keep the nation fed and to fuel U.S. agricultural progress around the world,” NIFA Director Jaye Hamby said.
Applications are due July 17, 2026.
Additional information is available through USDA’s Research Facilities Act Program webpage:
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