AmeriCorps improves lives, strengthens communities, and fosters civic engagement through service and volunteering. AmeriCorps brings people together to tackle some of the country’s most pressing challenges through national service and volunteerism. AmeriCorps members and AmeriCorps Seniors volunteers serve with organizations dedicated to the improvement of communities and those serving. AmeriCorps helps make service a cornerstone of our national culture. This funding announcement is an opportunity for communities to apply for funding to engage adults ages 55 and older in tackling the community’s most pressing needs through the AmeriCorps Seniors RSVP program. This is an open competition across all states and territories.
Community and Economic DevelopmentDisaster ReliefEducation
This Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) invites applications from institutions/organizations that propose to establish core centers that are part of an integrated and existing program of nutrition and/or obesity research. The Nutrition Obesity Research Centers (NORC) program is designed to support and enhance the national research effort in nutrition and obesity. NORCs support three primary research-related activities: Research Core services, a Pilot and Feasibility (P and F) program, and a Scientific Catalyst program. All activities pursued by Nutrition Obesity Research Centers are designed to enhance the efficiency, productivity, effectiveness, and multidisciplinary nature of research in nutrition and obesity.
Nutrition and FoodHealth and MedicalResearch and Evaluation
The CalAgPlate program funds projects that support agricultural education, agricultural career awareness and development, agriculture career training, and agriculture leadership development to assist students at the kindergarten through twelfth grade (K-12), post-secondary, and adult education levels. Supporting these educational and training areas will provide participants with further agricultural opportunities.
Funding and Duration: The CA Dept. of Food and Agriculture anticipates that up to $230,000 will be awarded to projects to support agricultural education and training. Grant amounts range from $2,500-195,500. The maximum grant duration is one (1) year, six (6) months and grant funds cannot be expended before January 1, 2027, or after June 30, 2028. CDFA reserves the right to offer an award amount less than the amount requested. * NOTE: Non-profit programs administered or managed by a university, such as the 4-H Youth Development Program are exempt from this limitation. Two funding opportunities available: Tier 1 – California Adopted Agricultural Education Programs Up to 85 percent ($195,500) of total available grant award funding is reserved for the California FFA Association; the non-profit organization that represents state-adopted Agricultural Education Programs (Education Code Sections 52450-52454). These programs have proven to be effective on a statewide basis in meeting the priorities and intent of the CalAgPlate program. Tier 1 grant awards range from $10,000 to $195,500 per project. Tier 2 – Local/Community/State Agricultural Education Programs Up to 15 percent ($34,500) of available funding will be awarded to eligible Local/Community/State Agricultural Education Programs. This Tier is open to non-profit organizations, as well as state, local, and Indian tribal government agencies within California which promote and administer agricultural education and leadership programs targeting K-12, post-secondary, and adult education. Individual schools and school districts are encouraged to partner with eligible non-profit organizations. Institutes of higher learning are ineligible to directly apply*, however, they can partner with eligible organizations on a proposed CalAgPlate project. Tier 2 grant awards range from $2,500 to $10,000 per project. Funding Category I: Agricultural Education In this funding category, CDFA will consider projects that enhance and benefit agricultural education opportunities for students and educators. Examples:• Agricultural curriculum development and implementation• School/community garden enrichment programs• Interactive agriculture learning experiences, outdoor agricultural education programs (e.g., farms/ranches)• Agriculture demonstrations/activities (e.g., exhibits). Funding Category II: Agricultural Career Awareness, Development and Training In this funding category, CDFA will consider projects that advance, promote and support agricultural career development and training for high school and college students. Examples:• Interactive training experiences and mentorship programs• Practical career preparation and career advancement opportunities• Outreach programs and career expos• Informational workshops for next-generation/beginning farmers. Funding Category III: Agricultural Leadership Development In this funding category, CDFA will consider projects that provide leadership experiences and skills for participants that encourage agricultural leadership development. Examples:• Agricultural leadership conferences• Agricultural leadership training programs• Education tours focusing on agricultural policy issues/areas.
The TCEP-SE under assistance listing 10.517, provides informal, community-focused extension pilot projects at 1994 Institutions. Pilot projects may focus on community needs that address emerging issues such as agricultural productivity, improving food systems, community vitality, workforce and economic development, public health and well-being, engaging Tribal youths, and preparing the next generation of Tribal agriculture leaders.
Farming and AgricultureArts and CultureHigher Education
In FY 2026, the ECDRE program, under Assistance Listing 10.309, is soliciting proposals to develop effective tactics and strategies to control HLB and its disease complex for financially sustainable citrus production in the United States. All projects funded by the ECDRE program will incorporate collaborative approaches that integrate available knowledge to develop new solutions that can be deployed by growers to manage and prevent HLB infection in the near term.
Farming and AgricultureArts and CultureDisaster Relief
The 2026 CNIP RFP is focused on increasing California-grown fresh fruit and vegetable purchases at Certified Farmers’ Markets and California Small Businesses* by shoppers using CalFresh (SNAP) benefits and sustaining proposals in high need areas.
The California Department of Food and Agriculture’s (CDFA) Office of Farm to Fork is currently accepting proposals for the 2026 California Nutrition Incentive Program (CNIP) competitive grant solicitation. Authority for CNIP is derived from California Food and Agriculture Code Section 49010-49016. CNIP was established to encourage the purchase and consumption of fresh California grown fruits, vegetables, and nuts by nutrition benefit clients. For the 2026 CNIP Request for Proposal (RFP), CDFA is seeking project proposals from eligible entities to distribute nutrition incentives to shoppers using their CalFresh (SNAP) benefits to purchase fresh, California grown fruits and vegetables at direct marketing outlets (Certified Farmers’ Markets, Certified Mobile Farmers’ Market, Community Supported Agriculture programs, and farm stands) and small businesses in California. CalFresh shoppers should be able to receive the incentive at the time of purchase. Projects that reach low-access areas and low-income populations, particularly communities where a large proportion of the population is eligible for CalFresh and experiences high rates of diet-related diseases, will be prioritized. CDFA reserves the right to fund a portion of the selected proposals, in whole or in part, without further competition. If project funding and timeline allows, CDFA will combine selected proposals into a unified state application for submission to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) National Institute of Food and Agriculture Gus Schumacher Nutrition Incentive Program (GusNIP). Eligibility is limited to the following entities or combination of eligible entities: a. Certified Farmers’ Markets authorized by USDA to accept SNAP benefits b. Community Supported Agriculture Programs (CSAs) authorized by USDA to accept SNAP benefits c. Certified mobile farmers’ market authorized by USDA to accept SNAP benefits d. Farm Stands authorized by USDA to accept SNAP benefits e. Small businesses authorized by USDA to accept SNAP benefits such as retail stores f. Non-profit organizations that are applying on behalf of organizations that fall into categories (a), (b), (c), (d) and/or (e) Certified Farmers’ Markets are described in Food and Agriculture Code Section 47004, Community-Supported Agriculture programs are defined in Section 47060, Farm Stands are defined in Section 47050, and Certified Mobile Farmers’ Markets are defined in Section 47007. Small Businesses are defined by California Government Code Section Government Code Section 14837 (d) (1) (A): “Small business” means an independently owned and operated business that is not dominant in its field of operation, the principal office of which is located in California, the officers of which are domiciled in California, and which, together with affiliates, has 100 or fewer employees, and average annual gross receipts of ten million dollars ($10,000,000) or less over the previous three years, or is a manufacturer, as defined in subdivision (c), with 100 or fewer employees. Commencing January 1, 2019, the average annual gross receipts threshold shall be fifteen million dollars ($15,000,000).”
Community and Economic DevelopmentNutrition and FoodHealth and Medical
The 1890 CBG program, under Assistance Listing Number 10.216 is designed specifically to build the institutional teaching, research, and extension capacities of the eligible institutions through cooperative programs with Federal and non-Federal entities. The 1890 CBG Program supports Executive Order 14283 , “White House Initiative to Promote Excellence and Innovation at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU),” in order to foster excellence and innovation at HBCUs.
Farming and AgricultureArts and CultureNutrition and Food
The NLGCA Program, under assistance listing number 10.326, will assist NLGCA institutions in maintaining and expanding their capacity to conduct education, research, outreach, and integrated activities relating to agriculture, renewable resources, and other similar disciplines. NLGCA institutions may use the funds to maintain and expand capacity:
1. to successfully compete for funds from Federal grants and other sources to carry out educational, research, outreach, and integrated activities that address priority concerns of national, regional, State, and local interest;
2. to disseminate information relating to priority concerns to:
a. interested members of the agriculture, renewable resources, and other relevant communities;
b. the public; and
c. any other interested entity;
3. to encourage members of the agriculture, renewable resources, and other relevant communities to participate in priority education, research, outreach, and integrated activities by providing matching funds to leverage grant resources, and through:
a. the purchase or other acquisition of equipment and other infrastructure (not including alteration, repair, renovation, or construction of buildings);
b. the professional growth and development of the faculty of the NLGCA Institution; and
c. the development of graduate assistantships.
Farming and AgricultureArts and CultureHigher Education
The USDA SBIR/STTR programs, Assistance Listing number 10.212, support scientific excellence and technological innovation through investment of Federal research funds to build a strong national economy by stimulating technological innovation in the private sector; strengthening the role of small business in meeting Federal research and development needs; and increasing the commercial application of Federally supported research results. Further, the objective of the STTR program is to stimulate formal cooperative partnerships of ideas and technologies between small businesses and partnering research institutions (e.g., Universities and Federal laboratories).
The HSI Education Grants Program, under assistance listing number 10.223, will promote and strengthen the ability HSIs to carry out education, applied research, and related community development programs. This program encourages innovative teaching, education, or related community development proposals with the potential to impact and become models for other institutions at the regional or national level. Applications may propose, as part of a formal education and teaching program, that students gain experience with an applied research and community outreach activity. While HSIs are the only eligible entities to apply for this NOFO, funded projects should benefit the entire population at the institution, not solely the Hispanic population.