Cochran Fellowship Program FY2026
US state cooperative institutions and other U.S. colleges and universities can receive up to $150,000 to support applied research, extension, and education collaborations with foreign counterparts in selected emerging market economies to help expand U.S. agricultural exports.
⚑ Applicant class is limited to U.S. state cooperative institutions and other U.S. colleges/universities under 7 U.S.C. § 3103. · Active SAM.gov registration required at submission; inactive/expired/pending/excluded registrations are ineligible. · Program supports collaborations with foreign counterparts in selected emerging market economies.
Unit fits — one characterization, each unit's own rules
| IPPRA | 56 good | outside portfolio topics; signature methods: community engaged; social/behavioral work is minor; funds applied research |
| Physical Sciences & Engineering (demo) | 55 good | technical depth: minor; funds applied research |
| Tom Love Innovation Hub | 20 weak | funds applied research |
Description
The U.S. Department of Agriculture, Foreign Agricultural Service, Fellowship Programs, announces this funding opportunity to support the Cochran Fellowship Program by issuing a new award. This opportunity is available to State cooperative institutions or other colleges and universities in the United States, as defined at 7 U.S.C. § 3103. This program is intended to support applied research, extension, and education collaborations between U.S. researchers and their foreign counterparts from selected emerging market economies.
Benefits to the United States:
• This program makes America more prosperous by increasing American agricultural exports to new or expanded overseas markets.
Eligibility
State cooperative institutions or other colleges and universities in the United States, as defined at 7 U.S.C. § 3103.All applicants must have an active registration in the U.S. Government System for Award Management (www.sam.gov) before the application submission deadline of the announcement. Applicants with inactive, expired, pending, or excluded listings will be deemed ineligible. Exceptions, waivers, or extensions will not be considered. More information about SAM.gov registration can be found in Section 9, Other Information.
Apply
View on Grants.gov → CONTACT: Kendra Arrington Grantor <Desiree.Lawrence@usda.gov>
Proposal brief SEE AN EXAMPLE →
A one-page internal memo: fit assessment, submission requirements, document scaffold, and next steps dated back from the deadline — tailored to your project idea if you add one.
Proposal shell · USDA NIFA conventions SEE A USDA EXAMPLE →
Funder-faithful document skeletons — USDA NIFA's document set with section headings, page limits, reviewer guidance, and writing prompts; add a project idea to get [DRAFT] starter bullets. Download as .md for Word or Overleaf.