USDA and the U.S. Department of Education opened eligibility for land-grant universities and other institutions to apply for grants aimed at upgrading agricultural research facilities. The program—funded through the Research Facilities Act—offers access to up to $30 million from a $121 million pool for facility property improvements. Facilities managers can request funding for project planning, small upgrades, mid-scale construction and large-scale projects, with a required dollar-for-dollar nonfederal match to reinforce local stewardship. USDA and Education said the goal is food and agricultural research carried out in state-of-the-art facilities equipped with cutting-edge tools. The application deadline is July 17, and planning grants are described as a first step that may need to be followed by later rounds to complete construction. Grant sizes vary from $100,000 to $200,000 for planning through $250,000 to $2 million for small upgrades, $2 million to $10 million for mid-scale construction, and $10 million to $30 million for large projects. Applicants must also explain how the institution will sustain operations and maintenance after the grant period, and the program rules limit recipients to one award at a time.