NIFA Veterinary Services Grant Program

The Veterinary Services Grant Program from the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture will support projects to develop and sustain food animal veterinary services and alleviate vet shortages in the United States.

Grants will be awarded in two categories – Education, Extension, and Training (EET) and Rural Practice Enhancement (RPE). Approximately 10 awards will be made in each category. EET applicants may request up to $250,000; RPE applicants may request up to $125,000. There is no matching requirement. All applications must be submitted through Grants.gov by March 21, 2024 at 5:00 PM ET.

Education, Extension and Training Grants

EET grants are intended for programs to assist veterinarians, vet technicians, and students gain the skills needed to alleviate the shortage of veterinary services in the United States and Insular Areas.

Eligibility

This grant is open to:

  • Colleges or schools of veterinary medicine accredited by the American Veterinary Medical Association
  • Departments of veterinary science or departments of comparative medicine accredited by the U.S. Department of Education
  • University research foundations or veterinary medical foundations
  • State, regional, or national organizations supporting food animal veterinary programs. 
  • Allied or professional food animal veterinary organizations recognized by the American Veterinary Medical Association
  • State agricultural experiment stations or Research Farms  
  • State, local, or tribal government agencies

Potential Activities

https://vet.purdue.edu/hospital/farm-animal/

Potential uses of grant funds may include:

  • Training in food safety, public health, or food animal medicine
  • Modifying veterinary courses, including updates for remote learning and faculty recruitment and retention
  • Training vet residents, interns, and externs
  • Continuing education, including remote learning opportunities
  • Outreach to 11th and 12th grade students on education and career opportunities in food animal medicine

Rural Practice Enhancement Grants

RPE grants will support private clinics in Veterinarian Shortage Situations expand their capacity to provide food/large animal veterinary services.

Eligibility

This grant is open to clinics in rural veterination shortage situtations as definded by the Veterinary Medicine Loan Repayment Program (VMLRP). Type II shortage situtations are rural. Type I and III situtations will need to consult the USDA’s Rural Community Development Initiative to determine eligibility.

Applicants may include:

  • For-profit or nonprofit vet clinics and hospitals
  • Clinics or hospital that employ a current VMLRP grantee

Potential Activities

https://vetmed.iastate.edu/vmc/large-animal/food-animal-camelid

Potential uses of grant funds may include:

  • Veterinary office equipment
  • Clinical equipment
  • Overhead expenses associated directly with providing services in the shortage area (up to 50% of total budget)
  • Establishing mobile vet facilities
  • Outreach to 11th and 12th grade students on education and career opportunities in food/large animal medicine and herd health management
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