Opportunity Information: Apply for USDA NIFA VSGP 006543
The Veterinary Services Grant Program (VSGP) is a discretionary grant opportunity administered by the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) (CFDA 10.336) aimed at strengthening access to veterinary care where it is most limited. Its central goal is to develop, implement, and sustain veterinary services in order to relieve veterinarian shortage situations across the United States and the U.S. Insular Areas. In practical terms, the program is designed to help communities that struggle to attract or retain veterinarians, while also supporting veterinary work that protects public health, such as disease surveillance, prevention, and other services tied to animal health systems that can affect people, agriculture, and local economies.
Eligibility is restricted to specific types of applicants, and proposals must clearly show that the activities will either (1) substantially relieve veterinarian shortage situations or (2) support or facilitate private veterinary practices that are engaged in public health activities. Under the Education, Extension, and Training program area, eligible applicants include veterinary organizations or specialty boards recognized by the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA), AVMA-accredited colleges or schools of veterinary medicine, university research foundations or veterinary medical foundations, departments of veterinary science or comparative medicine that are accredited by the U.S. Department of Education, state agricultural experiment stations, and state, local, or tribal government agencies. This track is essentially intended for institutions and organizations that can build workforce capacity, expand training pipelines, provide education or outreach, and strengthen systems that help veterinary professionals serve shortage regions more effectively.
A second eligibility pathway is the Rural Practice Enhancement program area, which is more directly tied to on-the-ground clinical practice in rural communities. Eligible applicants here include for-profit or nonprofit entities located in the United States, or individuals, who operate a veterinary clinic providing veterinary services in a rural area as defined in federal law (the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act, 7 U.S.C. 1991(a)). To qualify, the clinic operator must also align with one of two specific shortage-related conditions: either they are a current Veterinary Medicine Loan Repayment Program (VMLRP) awardee (from any year) and apply in relation to the shortage area where they are obligated to serve, or they are not a current VMLRP awardee but apply in relation to a veterinarian shortage situation that was designated as "Open" on the VMLRP shortage map in 2018. In other words, this portion of the program is tightly targeted to rural clinics and practitioners working in recognized shortage locations, using the VMLRP shortage designations as the formal reference point.
Across all program areas, the opportunity allows award recipients to subcontract with organizations that are not themselves eligible applicants, as long as those partners are necessary to carry out the project. That flexibility is meant to support practical collaboration, such as hiring specialized trainers, evaluators, technical assistance providers, or other entities needed to deliver services effectively. At the same time, the program emphasizes that eligibility is strictly enforced: failing to meet any eligibility requirement by the application deadline can lead to the application being removed from consideration or prevent NIFA from making an award.
Key administrative details from the listing include the funding opportunity title "Veterinary Services Grant Program (VSGP)," funding opportunity number USDA NIFA VSGP 006543, and a closing date of June 1, 2018 (with a creation date of March 22, 2018). The funding instrument type is a grant, and the activity category is agriculture. The listing does not provide an award ceiling or expected number of awards in the provided text, so applicants would normally need to consult the full notice for budget limits, project periods, matching requirements (if any), and evaluation criteria.Apply for USDA NIFA VSGP 006543
- The National Institute of Food and Agriculture in the agriculture sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Veterinary Services Grant Program (VSGP)" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 10.336.
- This funding opportunity was created on 2018-03-22.
- Applicants must submit their applications by 2018-06-01. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- Eligible applicants include: Others.
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Veterinary Services Grant Program (VSGP) FAQs
What is the Veterinary Services Grant Program (VSGP)?
The Veterinary Services Grant Program (VSGP) is a discretionary grant opportunity administered by the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) (CFDA 10.336). Its purpose is to strengthen access to veterinary care where it is most limited by developing, implementing, and sustaining veterinary services that relieve veterinarian shortage situations across the United States and the U.S. Insular Areas.
What is the main goal of VSGP?
The central goal is to relieve veterinarian shortage situations by supporting projects that expand or sustain veterinary services in areas that struggle to attract or retain veterinarians, and by supporting veterinary work tied to public health (such as disease surveillance and prevention) that affects people, agriculture, and local economies.
Who administers this grant opportunity?
The program is administered by the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA).
What is the CFDA number for this program?
The CFDA number listed for VSGP is 10.336.
What types of activities does VSGP prioritize?
Proposals must clearly demonstrate that the project activities will either (1) substantially relieve veterinarian shortage situations, or (2) support or facilitate private veterinary practices that are engaged in public health activities.
Where can VSGP-funded work take place?
The program is aimed at addressing veterinarian shortage situations across the United States and the U.S. Insular Areas.
What does the program mean by "public health activities" in a veterinary context?
Based on the listing, public health-related veterinary activities include work such as disease surveillance, prevention, and other services tied to animal health systems that can affect people, agriculture, and local economies.
Is eligibility limited?
Yes. Eligibility is restricted to specific applicant types depending on the program area, and the program emphasizes that eligibility is strictly enforced.
What happens if an applicant does not meet eligibility requirements by the deadline?
The listing states that failing to meet any eligibility requirement by the application deadline can result in the application being removed from consideration or can prevent NIFA from making an award.
What are the main program areas described in the listing?
The listing describes two eligibility pathways/program areas: (1) the Education, Extension, and Training program area, and (2) the Rural Practice Enhancement program area.
Who is eligible under the Education, Extension, and Training program area?
Eligible applicants under this program area include: veterinary organizations or specialty boards recognized by the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA); AVMA-accredited colleges or schools of veterinary medicine; university research foundations or veterinary medical foundations; departments of veterinary science or comparative medicine accredited by the U.S. Department of Education; state agricultural experiment stations; and state, local, or tribal government agencies.
What is the intent of the Education, Extension, and Training track?
This track is intended for institutions and organizations that can build workforce capacity, expand training pipelines, provide education or outreach, and strengthen systems that help veterinary professionals serve shortage regions more effectively.
Who is eligible under the Rural Practice Enhancement program area?
Eligible applicants include for-profit or nonprofit entities located in the United States, or individuals, who operate a veterinary clinic providing veterinary services in a rural area as defined in federal law (the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act, 7 U.S.C. 1991(a)).
How is "rural area" defined for the Rural Practice Enhancement program area?
The listing ties the rural area definition to federal law: the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act, 7 U.S.C. 1991(a).
Are there additional conditions for Rural Practice Enhancement applicants beyond operating a rural clinic?
Yes. The clinic operator must also align with one of two shortage-related conditions tied to the Veterinary Medicine Loan Repayment Program (VMLRP) shortage designations.
What are the two shortage-related conditions for Rural Practice Enhancement eligibility?
To qualify, the applicant must either: (1) be a current VMLRP awardee (from any year) and apply in relation to the shortage area where they are obligated to serve, or (2) not be a current VMLRP awardee but apply in relation to a veterinarian shortage situation that was designated as "Open" on the VMLRP shortage map in 2018.
How does the VMLRP shortage map relate to this opportunity?
For the Rural Practice Enhancement program area, the VMLRP shortage designations are used as the formal reference point for identifying eligible shortage situations, including those designated as "Open" on the 2018 VMLRP shortage map for non-VMLRP awardees.
Can award recipients subcontract work to organizations that are not eligible applicants?
Yes. The opportunity allows award recipients to subcontract with organizations that are not themselves eligible applicants, as long as those partners are necessary to carry out the project.
What is an example of a permissible subcontracting partner or role under this listing?
The listing notes that subcontracting flexibility is intended to support collaboration such as hiring specialized trainers, evaluators, technical assistance providers, or other entities needed to deliver services effectively.
What is the funding instrument type for this opportunity?
The funding instrument type listed is a grant.
What activity category is this opportunity associated with?
The activity category listed is agriculture.
What is the funding opportunity title?
The funding opportunity title is "Veterinary Services Grant Program (VSGP)."
What is the funding opportunity number?
The funding opportunity number is USDA NIFA VSGP 006543.
What are the key dates listed for this opportunity?
The listing includes a creation date of March 22, 2018, and a closing date of June 1, 2018.
Does the provided listing include an award ceiling or expected number of awards?
No. The provided text states that an award ceiling and the expected number of awards are not included in the excerpt provided.
Where should applicants look for budget limits, project periods, matching requirements, and evaluation criteria?
The listing indicates that applicants would typically need to consult the full notice for details such as budget limits, project periods, matching requirements (if any), and evaluation criteria.
Does the program focus only on rural areas?
The listing includes a rural-focused eligibility pathway (Rural Practice Enhancement), but the overall program goal is framed around veterinarian shortage situations across the United States and the U.S. Insular Areas, with a broader emphasis on expanding and sustaining access to veterinary services where they are most limited.
Is this opportunity intended to support private veterinary practices?
Yes. One of the two required proposal justifications is that the project will support or facilitate private veterinary practices that are engaged in public health activities.
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| Food and Agricultural Sciences National Needs Graduate and Postgraduate Fellowship (NNF) Grants Program Apply for USDA NIFA HEP 006673 Funding Number: USDA NIFA HEP 006673 Agency: National Institute of Food and Agriculture Category: Agriculture Funding Amount: $262,500 |
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