FAMU recently received $4,073,123 in grants from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. One is an 1890 Facilities Grant (FG) for $982,622. FAMU also received a total of $3,100,829 for 12 grants awarded to the institution through the 1890 Institution Research, Extension and Teaching Capacity Building Grants (CBG) Program.Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced the awards to FAMU and 17 other historically black land-grant colleges and universities last week. He said that money is designated to help strengthen the research, teaching and extension at the schools. He believes the funds will help HBCUs such as FAMU recruit and train students for careers in agriculture.
"Our 1890 historically black land-grant universities play a critical role teaching students to meet the high quality, innovative research needs that are vital to the wellbeing of our nation's food, fuel and fiber," Vilsack said. "These awards mark a substantial investment in addressing the robust and varied research challenges facing American agriculture today, but more importantly it is also an investment in our future scientists and engineers, farmers and foresters."
USDA's National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) provides support to historically black colleges and universities that were designated at as land-grant universities in the Second Morrill Act in 1890. Grants to these 1890 universities support research, extension and teaching in the food and agricultural sciences by building the institutional capacities of these schools.
The 1890 Institution Research, Extension and Teaching Capacity Building Grants (CBG) Program strengthens the linkages among the 1890 universities, other colleges and universities, USDA, and private industry. It focuses on advancing cultural diversity in the scientific and professional workforce by attracting and educating more students from underrepresented groups.
The 1890 Facilities Grants Program provides funds for acquiring and improving food sciences facilities and equipment, including libraries. Grants enable 1890 land-grant universities to be well-equipped to fully address research, extension, and academic needs.
In FY 2010, NIFA awarded $32,514,064 through the 1890 CBG Program and $18,979,200 through the 1890 Facilities Grants Program.