Veterinary Services Grant Program in United States

Grant Purpose

• The purpose of VSGP is to complement the VMLRP to address this veterinary shortage problem through two types of grants.
  • Education, extension, and training (EET) grants are initiatives that will enable veterinarians, veterinary students, veterinary technicians, and veterinary technician students to gain specialized skills through formal coursework, clinical training, and practice enhancement to mitigate veterinary service shortages more effectively in the United States and Insular Areas.
  • Rural practice enhancement (RPE) grants ultimately bolster the capacity of a private clinic (with or without a veterinarian’s student loan repayment obligation) that can provide food/large animal veterinary services for a designated veterinarian shortage area.
• Grants will be made available on a competitive basis to:
  • Enhance or expand accredited veterinary education programs, veterinary residency and fellowship programs, or veterinary internship and externship programs carried out in coordination with accredited colleges of veterinary medicine.
  • Provide continuing education and extension, including virtual and other forms of distance-based education, for veterinarians, veterinary technicians, and other health professionals needed to strengthen veterinary programs and enhance food safety and public health,
  • Cover travel and living expenses of veterinary students, veterinary interns, externs, fellows, and residents, and veterinary technician students attending training programs in food safety, public health, or food animal medicine.
  • To expose students in grades 11 and 12 to education and career opportunities in food animal medicine.
  • Expand or enhance private practice capabilities, services, and resources.

Strategic Goal and Priorities

• The VSGP is aligned with the following:
  • USDA Strategic Plan FY 2022-2026 goals:
    • Strategic Goal 2: Ensure America’s Agriculture System is Equitable, Resilient, and Prosperous;
    • Strategic Goal 4: Provide All Americans Safe and Nutritious Food;
    • Strategic Goal 5: Expand Opportunities for Economic Development and Improve Quality of Life in Rural and Tribal Communities
  • USDA Science and Research Strategy, 2023–2026 priorities:
    • Priority 3 – Bolstering Nutrition Security and Health
    • Priority 5 – Translating Research into Action: Education and Workforce Development

Program Area Description

• NIFA is soliciting applications under the following program areas:
  • Education, Extension and Training (EET) Grants
  • Rural Practice Enhancement (RPE) Grants

Funding Information

• The amount available for VSGP in FY2024 is approximately $3,822,070.
• Award Ceiling: $250,000
• Award Floor: $75,000

Eligibility Criteria

• Applications may only be submitted by the entities if they carry out programs or activities that will: 1) substantially relieve veterinary shortage situations; and 2) support or facilitate private veterinary practices engaged in the care of food animals and address food safetyand public health concerns for the community.
• Eligible Applicants for EET
  • State, regional, or national organization supporting food animal veterinary programs.
  • Allied or professional food animal veterinary organization recognized by the American Veterinary Medical Association,
  • College or school of veterinary medicine accredited by the American Veterinary Medical Association,
  • University research foundation or veterinary medical foundation,
  • Department of veterinary science or department of comparative medicine accredited by the U.S. Department of Education,
  • State agricultural experiment station or Research Farm (1890 institutions),
  • State, local, or tribal government agency.
• Eligible Applicants for RPE
  • For-profit or non-profit entity located in the United States or an Insular Area, such as a veterinary clinic or hospital, that provides mixed/large animal veterinary services in a rural area within a current VMLRP shortage area.
  • Clinic or hospital that employs a current VMLRP awardee with a current service agreement at the time of the application and applies with reference to the single shortage area to which they are obligated to serve. If this is done, the clinic will be obligated to retain that VMLRP awardee for the 36-month duration of the VSGP award or forfeit the awarded funds (with proration for time served) upon their departure.
  • RPE awards are made to clinics, not individuals. Therefore, only a clinic (even if a solo practitioner), may apply for and be awarded an RPE grant.
  • Shortage situations must qualify as rural.

For more information, visit Grants.gov.