The Office of Partnerships and Public Engagement works with 1890 historically Black land-grant colleges and universities and Hispanic-Serving institutions to establish opportunities that ensure equitable participation in USDA programs, services and resources for rural and historically underserved students and the communities they live in.
Additionally, these partnerships support capacity-building initiatives that bolster education and career opportunities for students and faculty through scholarships and fellowships designed to help develop a strong pipeline of talent and collaboration for USDA. Please see the program pages below for information on available opportunities.
- USDA 1890s Historically Black Land-Grant Colleges and Universities National Program
- USDA Hispanic-Serving Institutions National Program
USDA Liaisons
To find the USDA Liaison serving the areas indicated on the map above, please visit the Youth in Agriculture page. You can also check this USDA Liaison Directory (PDF, 1.0 MB) for a complete list.
USDA Liaisons serve as key USDA representatives in communities across America. They advise and assist communities, students, faculty, universities and colleges, farmers, ranchers, foresters and others on USDA programs and initiatives. USDA liaisons develop and maintain partnerships with key USDA collaborators to enhance greater outreach between these partners and USDA agencies, mission areas and staff offices.
Community Outreach
OPPE’s liaison network facilitates work between state and federal partners, land-grant universities, Hispanic-serving institutions, historically Black colleges and universities, and other strategic partners to connect USDA programs and opportunities with the communities they are intended to serve.