1890 Programs and Initiatives
The 1890 land-grant Institutions, established through the Second Morrill Act, deliver programs to strengthen extension, teaching, and research nationally within the food and agricultural sciences. They are crucial in national efforts to attract more students into careers in agriculture, food, natural resources and human sciences.
The USDA's National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) supports the 1890 land-grant universities through congressional authorizations and appropriations. These efforts include funding and support related to institutional capacity building, research, scholarships and more.
Some of Those Programs Include:
- Centers of Excellence at 1890 Institutions
- 1890 Institution Teaching, Research, and Extension Capacity Building Grants Program
- 1890 Facilities Grants Program
- Evans-Allen Research Program
- 1890 Extension Formula Grants
- 1890 Scholarships Program
Click here to learn more about these programs and initiatives.
A Strong Foundation for Land-Grants
Today, the 1890s Foundation , the “19 Strong,” advocates for the 19 land-grant universities established under the Second Morrill Act of 1890, ensuring that communities across the nation benefit from high-impact research, teaching, and outreach. These institutions carry forward a legacy of innovation born from a promise to deliver practical education in agriculture and mechanical arts to Black Americans in the post–Civil War era.
As North Carolina’s designated 1890 land-grant institution, North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University was chartered in 1891 and today stands as the nation’s largest historically Black university, enrolling over 14,000 students. A&T leads the country in producing Black engineers at the bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral levels, and through its College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences and statewide Cooperative Extension network, the university tackles critical challenges in food security, climate resilience, and community empowerment in partnership with the USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) .
Today, the 1890s Foundation, the “19 Strong,” advocates for the 19 land-grant universities established under the Second Morrill Act of 1890, ensuring that communities across the nation benefit from high-impact research, teaching, and outreach. These institutions carry forward a legacy of innovation born from a promise to deliver practical education in agriculture and mechanical arts to Black Americans in the post–Civil War era.
As North Carolina’s designated 1890 land-grant institution, North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University was chartered in 1891 and today stands as the nation’s largest historically Black university, enrolling over 14,000 students. A&T leads the country in producing Black engineers at the bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral levels, and through its College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences and statewide Cooperative Extension network, the university tackles critical challenges in food security, climate resilience, and community empowerment in partnership with the USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA).
