1890 INSTITUTION TEACHING AND RESEARCH

CAPACITY BUILDING GRANTS PROGRAM

ANNUAL SUMMARY

FY 1998

Higher Education Programs

Science and Education Resources Development

Cooperative State Research, Education,

and Extension Service

U.S. Department of Agriculture

September 1998

1890 INSTITUTION TEACHING AND RESEARCH CAPACITY BUILDING GRANTS PROGRAM

Overview of Program

The 1890 Institution Teaching and Research Capacity Building Grants Program was launched in FY 1990 to achieve three major goals: (1) to strengthen linkages among the 1890 institutions, other colleges and universities, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), and private industry; (2) to advance cultural diversity of the food and agricultural scientific and professional work force by attracting and educating more students from underrepresented groups; and (3) to enhance the quality of teaching and research programs at the 1890 institutions to more readily establish them as full partners in the U.S. food and agricultural sciences higher education system. It is designed to be a high impact program and is unique in that it is the only Federal initiative targeted specifically towards strengthening the quality of programs in the food and agricultural sciences at the historically black land-grant institutions.

The 1890 land-grant institutions and Tuskegee University are uniquely qualified to contribute to the cultural diversity of the food and agricultural scientific and professional work force. Founded to provide mainstream educational opportunities in many disciplines to the black community while promoting respect for cultural diversity, these colleges and universities today enroll and educate not only African-American students, but Asian, Hispanic, and other American and international students. Similarly, their faculty represent a diverse array of ethnic and cultural backgrounds.

Now in its ninth year, the Capacity Building Grants Program has achieved notable success and is attributed priority status by the USDA/1890 Task Force appointed by the Secretary of Agriculture. Since 1990, the Program has awarded almost $78 million (77,707,694) to the 1890 Institutions and Tuskegee University in support of 386 projects -- $37,290,093 for 217 teaching projects and $40,417,601 for 169 research projects.

The Capacity Building Grants Program is administered by the Higher Education Programs office in the Science and Education Resources Development division of the Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service. This program is competitive in nature and provides support to the 1890 Institutions and Tuskegee University for teaching and research projects in targeted high-priority areas. It encourages matching support from non-Federal sources and also requires cooperation with one or more USDA agency(ies) in developing a proposal and carrying out a project, thereby strengthening departmental partnerships and linkages with these important minority institutions.

The projects funded during the first eight years of the program are well underway at all of the recipient institutions. Research projects are focusing on such areas as biotechnology, human nutrition, aquaculture, plant science, and animal science. Teaching projects are addressing innovative student recruitment, educational delivery systems, and curricula enhancement strategies in such areas as agribusiness management and marketing, regulatory sciences, plant and soil sciences, and veterinary science.

FY 1998 Program

In FY 1998, $9,200,000 were appropriated for this program. One hundred and ninety-one (191) proposals were received in FY 1998 representing a total funding request of approximately $46 million. These included 120 research proposals and 71 teaching proposals. Grant applications were reviewed by a peer review panel comprised of 51 experts representing university educators and research scientists, Federal Government professionals and individuals from the private sector who possessed outstanding expertise in the food and agricultural sciences as well as comprehensive knowledge of the 1890 university system.

Of the $8,771,766 available for project grants,$4,441,658 were allocated to support 25 teaching projects and $4,330,108 were allocated to support 17 research projects. Awards were made to 15 of the 17 1890 land-grant institutions and Tuskegee University. Targeted need areas for teaching projects included curricula design and materials development, faculty preparation and enhancement, instruction delivery systems, student experiential learning, scientific instrumentation for teaching, and student recruitment and retention within the fields of agriculture, natural resources, forestry, veterinary medicine, family and consumer sciences, and closely allied disciplines. Research areas included studies and experimentation in the food and agricultural sciences, establishment of centralized research support systems, and development of improved technology delivery systems for producers and consumers in the food and agricultural sciences network.

To ensure the highest quality of management in carrying out the Capacity Building Grants Program, a full-time National Program Leader within the Higher Education Programs office is assigned to manage the program. The incumbent serves as a member of the Executive Team of the USDA/1890 Task Force. Additionally, the National Program Leader is readily available to interact with representatives appointed by different USDA agencies to work with the 1890 Institutions and Tuskegee University in developing proposals and in carrying out funded projects. Grant applications in FY 1998 revealed that the 1890 institutions have made significant progress in strengthening proposal development and grantsmanship skills since the previous year. This is important as the Department of Agriculture endeavors to assist these institutions in becoming more competitive with all other colleges and universities for other sources of support. Eleven USDA agencies (see attached list) will serve as cooperators on the 42 funded projects.

The attached tables provide detailed information on FY 1998 awards.

AGENCY ABBREVIATIONS

ARS Agricultural Research Service

AMS Agricultural Marketing Service

CSREES Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service

ERS Economic Research Service

FAS Foreign Agricultural Service

FCS Food and Consumer Service

FNS Food and Nutrition Service

FS Forest Service

NRCS Natural Resources Conservation Service

OPPM Office of Procurement and Property Management

RBS Rural Business - Cooperative Service

Teaching Awards

Research Awards

TOTAL FY 1998 FUNDS AWARDED BY STATE

STATE INSTITUTION TEACHING RESEARCH TOTAL AWARDED

Alabama Alabama A&M University $179,843 -0- $179,843

Tuskegee University $517,690 $194,288 $711,978

Arkansas University of Arkansas-PB $156,091 $269,988 $426,079

Delaware Delaware State University $180,000 -0- $180,000

Florida Florida A&M University $353,301 $526,699 $880,000

Georgia Fort Valley State University $559,244 $269,986 $829,230

Kentucky Kentucky State University $180,000 $452,448 $632,448

Louisiana Southern University $373,443 $181,411 $554,854

Maryland University of Maryland-ES $341,067 $538,933 $880,000

Mississippi Alcorn State University -0- $279,785 $279,785

North Carolina North Carolina A&T State Univ. $532,782 -0- $532,782

Oklahoma Langston University -0- $538,733 $538,733

Tennessee Tennessee State University -0- $808,894 $808,894

Texas Prairie View A&M University $712,433 -0- $712,433

Virginia Virginia State University $355,764 $268,943 $624,707

TOTALS $4,441,658 $4,330,108 $8,771,766

NOTE: Institutional Maximum is $880,000 and no institution may receive more than four grants

9/24/97