1. Help Center
  2. NEXTGEN
  3. Frequently Asked Questions

What type of programs does NEXTGEN seek to support?

From Learning to Leading: Cultivating the Next Generation of Diverse Food and Agriculture Professionals Program (NEXTGEN) USDA-NIFA-ARPAED-009362

NEXTGEN Programs Seek to Support Projects that…

  • provide resources and support to students and other communities of learners through the eligible institutions pursuing academic and career paths in food, agriculture, natural resources, and human sciences (FANH) leading to increased graduation and credential completion rates and participation rates in internships, fellowships, career development opportunities, and experiential learning opportunities;
  • develop directed and meaningful interactions between research, education, and extension/outreach that will directly impact the recruitment and retention of students in FANH and USDA training and employment opportunities; 
  • build awareness of the range of agriculture-related career opportunities in FANH and at USDA, as well as understanding of processes and pathways to Federal employment; 
  • develop and facilitate meaningful domestic and/or international experiential learning opportunities which cultivate the acquisition of technical, leadership, and employability skills required to enter the FANH and USDA workforce; 
  • create opportunities for skills-based training and certifications for high-demand occupations in FANH for audiences outside of the college environment including apprenticeship programs; 
  • extend knowledge on the wide range of career opportunities across the diverse sectors of food, agriculture, natural resources, and human sciences and at USDA by training advisors on those opportunities and connecting participants to USDA personnel and internship and scholarship opportunities through career development activities; 
  • attract and engage K-12 youth and other communities of learners that are underrepresented in FANH through non-formal education opportunities, including positive youth development activities, such as 4-H, AmeriCorps, and the Youth Conservation Corps; 
  • increase awareness and understanding of diverse food and agricultural systems, and the rural economy both from local, regional, and global perspectives including indigenous traditional ecological knowledge; 
  • build and sustain partnerships among organizations, that have a vested public interest in developing a diverse workforce in FANH; and/or develop or adapt innovative teaching, training and advising practices, curricula, learning materials, recruitment, mentoring, retention, or branding strategies to attract students from underserved communities to majors and career paths in FANH; 
  • increase knowledge and learning about effective student pathways and implementation of internship experiences, processes, and programs to inform USDA’s commitment to attracting, hiring, and retaining an engaged, motivated, and diverse workforce.

Read more on page 9-10 of the RFA available at grants.gov.


All italicized text in this FAQ  reflects information directly quoted from the RFA. This work is supported through an agreement between the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) and the Extension Foundation serving as the Technical Assistance Advisor for From Learning to Leading: Cultivating the Next Generation of Diverse Food and Agriculture Professionals (NEXTGEN). Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this publication/website  are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the view of the U.S. Department of Agriculture.