Opportunity Information: Apply for USDA NIFA VSGP 009745
The Veterinary Services Grant Program (VSGP) is a competitive grant opportunity from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, National Institute of Food and Agriculture (USDA NIFA) that focuses on reducing shortages of food animal veterinary services, especially in rural areas officially identified as veterinarian shortage situations. The program is built around a practical goal: strengthen the pipeline and day-to-day capacity of veterinarians and support staff so more communities have reliable access to food animal veterinary care. In addition to rural shortage areas, the program also covers U.S. insular areas, recognizing that geographic isolation can create similar gaps in veterinary coverage and infrastructure.
VSGP funds projects that help veterinarians, veterinary students, veterinary technicians, and veterinary technician students gain specialized skills and access resources that make service delivery more feasible and effective. This can include education and extension efforts, hands-on training pathways, and practice enhancement initiatives, such as providing additional personnel support or purchasing equipment that expands what a clinic can do locally. The overall intent is to bolster private veterinary practices that provide food animal services, improving service availability, supporting animal health and welfare, and reinforcing related priorities like food safety and public health.
The program supports several main types of activities. First, it can fund the establishment or expansion of accredited veterinary education and training pathways, including residency and fellowship programs, as well as internship and externship opportunities that are carried out in coordination with accredited colleges of veterinary medicine. Second, it supports continuing education and extension efforts for veterinarians, veterinary technicians, and other relevant health professionals, including telemedicine and other distance-based approaches that can reach practitioners who cannot easily travel for training. Third, it allows funding to cover travel and living expenses for veterinary students and trainees (interns, externs, fellows, residents) and veterinary technicians, which helps remove financial barriers to participating in rural or specialized training experiences. Fourth, it includes an outreach component aimed at exposing high school juniors and seniors (grades 11 and 12) to education and career opportunities in food animal medicine, helping build long-term interest in the field and strengthen the future workforce.
Administratively, this opportunity is a discretionary grant program in the agriculture funding category (CFDA 10.336). The funding opportunity number is USDA NIFA VSGP 009745. The maximum award amount listed is $250,000, with an expected 18 awards under the referenced cycle. The opportunity record indicates it was created on January 31, 2023, with an original closing date of March 29, 2023. Eligibility is described broadly as "Others" with additional clarification provided in the full announcement, which suggests that applicants may include a range of institutions and organizations involved in veterinary education, training, extension, or practice support, depending on the detailed eligibility language in the official request for applications.Apply for USDA NIFA VSGP 009745
- The Department of Agriculture, National Institute of Food and Agriculture in the agriculture sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Veterinary Services Grant Program" 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 Jan 31, 2023.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Mar 29, 2023. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $250,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 18 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).
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Veterinary Services Grant Program (VSGP) FAQs
1) What is the Veterinary Services Grant Program (VSGP)?
The Veterinary Services Grant Program (VSGP) is a competitive grant opportunity from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, National Institute of Food and Agriculture (USDA NIFA). It is designed to reduce shortages of food animal veterinary services, with a particular focus on rural areas that are officially identified as veterinarian shortage situations.
2) What problem is VSGP intended to address?
VSGP is intended to strengthen the pipeline and day-to-day capacity of veterinarians and support staff so more communities have reliable access to food animal veterinary care. It targets places where there are gaps in veterinary coverage and service capacity, especially in rural shortage areas.
3) Which geographic areas does VSGP focus on?
The program focuses on rural areas officially identified as veterinarian shortage situations. It also covers U.S. insular areas, recognizing that geographic isolation can create similar shortages and infrastructure gaps.
4) Who does VSGP aim to support through funded projects?
VSGP funds projects that help veterinarians, veterinary students, veterinary technicians, and veterinary technician students gain specialized skills and access resources that improve the feasibility and effectiveness of service delivery.
5) What types of projects or activities can VSGP fund?
Based on the opportunity description, VSGP supports several main categories of activities, including:
- Establishing or expanding accredited veterinary education and training pathways
- Residency and fellowship programs
- Internship and externship opportunities coordinated with accredited colleges of veterinary medicine
- Continuing education and extension efforts (including telemedicine and other distance-based approaches)
- Travel and living expenses for students and trainees (interns, externs, fellows, residents) and veterinary technicians
- Outreach to high school juniors and seniors (grades 11 and 12) about food animal medicine education and careers
- Practice enhancement initiatives such as additional personnel support or equipment purchases that expand local clinical capacity
6) Does VSGP support veterinary practice enhancement?
Yes. The program description includes practice enhancement initiatives, such as providing additional personnel support or purchasing equipment that expands what a clinic can do locally, with the intent of improving food animal service availability.
7) Can VSGP funds be used for education and training programs like residencies, fellowships, internships, or externships?
Yes. VSGP can fund the establishment or expansion of accredited veterinary education and training pathways, including residency and fellowship programs, as well as internship and externship opportunities. These are described as being carried out in coordination with accredited colleges of veterinary medicine.
8) Does the program support continuing education and extension efforts?
Yes. VSGP supports continuing education and extension efforts for veterinarians, veterinary technicians, and other relevant health professionals.
9) Are telemedicine or distance-based training approaches eligible under VSGP?
Yes. The program description specifically includes telemedicine and other distance-based approaches as part of continuing education and extension efforts, particularly for reaching practitioners who cannot easily travel for training.
10) Can the grant cover travel and living expenses for participants?
Yes. VSGP allows funding to cover travel and living expenses for veterinary students and trainees (interns, externs, fellows, residents) and veterinary technicians. This is described as a way to reduce financial barriers to rural or specialized training experiences.
11) Does VSGP include any outreach aimed at younger students?
Yes. The program includes an outreach component intended to expose high school juniors and seniors (grades 11 and 12) to education and career opportunities in food animal medicine, supporting long-term workforce development.
12) What is the broader purpose or intended impact of VSGP funding?
The overall intent is to bolster private veterinary practices that provide food animal services by improving service availability, supporting animal health and welfare, and reinforcing related priorities such as food safety and public health.
13) Is VSGP a competitive grant?
Yes. The opportunity is described as a competitive grant program.
14) Which federal agency administers VSGP?
VSGP is a USDA NIFA (U.S. Department of Agriculture, National Institute of Food and Agriculture) grant program.
15) Is this a discretionary grant program?
Yes. The opportunity is described as a discretionary grant program.
16) What funding category does this opportunity fall under?
The opportunity is listed in the agriculture funding category.
17) What is the CFDA number for VSGP?
The CFDA number provided is 10.336.
18) What is the funding opportunity number for this VSGP announcement?
The funding opportunity number provided is USDA NIFA VSGP 009745.
19) What is the maximum award amount under this opportunity?
The maximum award amount listed is $250,000.
20) How many awards are expected in the referenced cycle?
The opportunity indicates an expectation of 18 awards under the referenced cycle.
21) When was this opportunity record created?
The record indicates it was created on January 31, 2023.
22) What was the original closing date listed for this opportunity?
The original closing date shown is March 29, 2023.
23) Who is eligible to apply for VSGP based on the information provided?
Eligibility is described broadly as "Others," with additional clarification expected in the full announcement. The description suggests applicants may include a range of institutions and organizations involved in veterinary education, training, extension, or practice support, depending on the detailed eligibility language in the official request for applications.
24) Where should applicants look for the exact eligibility rules and requirements?
The opportunity description indicates that additional eligibility clarification is provided in the full announcement (the official request for applications). The detailed eligibility language in that document governs who can apply.
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