The purpose of the Smith-Lever Special Needs Competitive Grants Program (SLSNCGP), Assistance Listing 10.511, is to support innovative, education-based approaches to address disaster preparedness and potential responses to natural, human-made, or technological disasters or disaster threats that pose risks to communities.

Applications may only be submitted by 1862 Land-grant Institutions in the 50 states and the U.S. territories, American Samoa, Guam, Micronesia, Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.An eligible individual institution, independent branch campus, or branch institution of a State system may submit a grant application for project activities to be undertaken principally on behalf of its own students or faculty, and to be managed primarily by its own personnel. The applicant executes the project without the requirement of sharing grant funds with other project partners.Award recipients may subcontract to organizations not eligible to apply, provided such organizations are necessary for the conduct of the project. The 1862 Land-grant Institutions may partner with each other as well as with other Land-grant Institutions (e.g., 1890s and 1994s), non-Land-grant Institutions, and non-governmental organizations within their state or their region on joint proposals.Failure to meet an eligibility criterion by the application deadline may result in the application being excluded from consideration or, even though an application may be reviewed, will preclude NIFA from making an award.

NIFA Support Email grantapplicationquestions@usda.gov