Office for Research Advancement

Equipment Grant Program (EGP)

The Equipment Grant Program (EGP) serves to increase access to shared-use special purpose equipment/instruments for fundamental and applied research for use in the food and agricultural sciences programs at institutions of higher education, including State Cooperative Extension Systems. The program seeks to strengthen the quality and expand the scope of fundamental and applied research at eligible institutions, by providing them with opportunities to acquire one major piece of equipment/instruments that support their research, training, and extension goals and may be too costly and/or not appropriate for support through other NIFA grant programs.

The EGP does not support the acquisition of suites of equipment to outfit research laboratories /facilities or to conduct independent experiments simultaneously. Similarly, the EGP does not fund common, general-purpose ancillary equipment that would normally be found in a laboratory and/or is relatively easily procured by the organization or through other NIFA grant programs. Rather, it is intended to help fund items of equipment that will upgrade infrastructure. Moreover, EGP does not fund research projects, including research that uses the equipment acquired with support from the program nor does it support the operation and maintenance of facilities.

Timeline of application:

Limited Submission: 2 -  For FY 2023, an eligible institution may not submit more than two applications to this program as a lead institution

• Research Office Notice of Intent Deadline - March 31,2023 1:59 pm pacific time - firm deadline.
•  Agency deadline: May 3, 2023

The general guidance for the preparation of the notice of intent to Research Advancement:

COVER SHEET (1 page) -please use an 11-point or higher font with one-inch margins.

• Solicitation Name and Descriptive Title
• Project Summary:  3 or 4 sentences or bullet points that provide an overview of the equipment you wish to purchase, how it will enable innovative research, and the potential impact on research capacity at the institution.
• Key PI/co-PIs:  5 or 6 sentences or bullet points that highlight team expertise as it relates to the project.
• Budget:  Estimated total request. 
• Justification for agency support: A few sentences on why this research fits with the RFP. 
  • Proposals to the EGP must involve acquisition of a single, well-integrated piece of equipment/instrument. Well-integrated means that the ensemble of equipment that defines the instrument enables specific fundamental or applied research experiments in the food and agricultural sciences, including data science and data systems; separating or removing an element or component of such an integrated instrument would preclude that research from occurring or succeeding. An instrument acquired with support from EGP is expected to be fully operational by the conclusion of the first year of the project.

PROJECT DESCRIPTION (1 page) - please use an 11-point or higher font with one-inch margins.

Problem statement: Clear and concise statement of:

• Proposed Activities: Describe the project to be undertaken and provide the technical specifications of the research activities and timelines that will be undertaken. Briefly describe the 1) research areas that will use the equipment; 2) degree to which the planned uses of the proposed equipment will advance innovative fundamental and/or applied research activities at the organization; and 3) potential contributions to the food and agricultural sciences.
• Innovativeness of the Proposed Approach: How will this equipment support innovative research, and if appropriate, multiple research programs, cross-disciplinary collaboration, and/or broad-use with potential for significant local, regional, or national impact?
• Research Capacity: How will availability of this equipment increase research capacity at the institution, at nearby institutions, or access to the equipment by institutions or individuals traditionally underrepresented in the proposed areas of research?
• Institutional Commitment:  Describe the institution’s commitment to operation and maintenance of the equipment, the adequacy of institutional resources (administrative, facilities, and/or materials) available to maintain the equipment, and plans for continued use beyond the period of USDA support.
• Abbreviated CV or biographical sketch of the principal investigator – separate page

• Optional - Suggest one or two names to serve on the internal review committee.

Apply using SMARTSHEET FORM