Higher Education Challenge Grants Program Summary -- FY 1998

                      Higher Education Challenge Grants
                                Program Summary


                                    FY 1998


                          Higher Education Programs
                  Science and Education Resources Development
          Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service
                       U.S. Department of Agriculture


                                   July 1998

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                FY 1998 HIGHER EDUCATION CHALLENGE GRANTS PROGRAM

The Higher Education Challenge Grants Program, administered by the USDA Office
of Higher Education Programs, is designed to stimulate and enable colleges and
universities to provide the quality of education necessary to produce graduates
capable of strengthening the Nation's food and agricultural scientific and professional
work force.  It is intended that projects supported by the program will:  (1) address a
regional, State, national, or international educational need; (2) involve a creative or
novel approach toward addressing the need which can serve as a model to others; (3)
encourage and facilitate better working relationships in the university science and
education community, as well as between universities and the private sector, to
enhance program quality and supplement available resources; and  (4) result in
benefits which will likely transcend the project duration and USDA support.

Proposals may be submitted by all U.S. colleges and universities that have a
demonstrable capacity to carry out teaching in the food and agricultural sciences at
the baccalaureate and first professional degree levels.  Each grantee must have a
significant ongoing commitment to the food and agricultural sciences and to the
specific subject areas for which such a grant is used.  Generally, the food and
agricultural sciences consist of agriculture, natural resources, forestry, family and
consumer sciences, veterinary medicine, and closely allied disciplines.

In FY 1998, $4,039,822  were available to support projects which addressed the
undergraduate or first professional level of  study in the following targeted areas:  (1)
curricula design and materials development; (2) faculty preparation and
enhancement for teaching; (3) instruction delivery systems; and (4) student
experiential learning.

A total of 71 different institutions from 45 States submitted 164 proposals for
consideration for funding in the ninth year of the program.  In May 1998, the grant
applications were evaluated by a 38-member peer review panel.  The panel was
comprised of faculty members of land-grant and nonland-grant institutions or with a
joint appointment at ARS laboratories.  Panelists  represented various academic areas
including business, agriculture, natural resources, forestry, veterinary medicine,
family and consumer sciences, and closely allied disciplines.  Funds were available to
support a total of 44 grants based on the peer review deliberations.  The 44 grants
were awarded to 33 lead institutions in 29 States.  Twelve of the projects funded in FY
1998 were joint projects involving three or four institutions.  When the collaborating
institutions are included with the lead institutions, a total of 40 institutions from 31
States, one military academy, and one U.S. territory  are being supported under the
FY 1998 Higher Education Challenge Grants Program.


Source:  Higher Education Programs / Cooperative State Research, Education and 
         Extension Service / Science and Education Resources Development / 
         U.S. Department of Agriculture