Recently, the National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) launched its redesigned website. The agency’s web team has worked for the past year to design a site that will make access to information about NIFA’s grants and programs easier than ever. The new website is compatible with a variety of mobile devices so today’s busy users can get their information on-the-go.
“This web revision comes at a time when most Americans, including farmers and other agricultural professionals, find resources online. The new website is user-friendly and offers excellent search tools, thus, making information easily accessible,” said Sonny Ramaswamy, NIFA director.
New features on the web include a grants search tool accessible from the homepage, a new “Tools” section that explains the various NIFA web applications and databases, and an “Impacts” page that highlights the outcomes NIFA grantees have achieved in finding innovative solutions in key areas such as food security, food safety, climate change, health, and more.
“It is important that we not only meet our stakeholders’ information needs, but ensure that we meet them where they are—on their smartphones, tablets, or desktops,” said Alison Amor, NIFA web director.
“In addition to being device-friendly, the new site features a modern design and dynamic content that is written in easy-to-understand language,” Amor said.
According to Amor, the NIFA web team received valuable input during the planning stages from key audiences, such as land-grant universities, non-profit organizations, and industry stakeholders.
“NIFA is one of the first “finger-friendly” USDA websites, created with new technology in mind that is accessible on and designed for multiple platforms,” Amor said. “We are excited to present our new website, but there’s more work to be done. We are now starting the second phase of our redesign, which will bring more improvements in the months to come. In the meantime, we urge our public and partners to visit us at www.nifa.usda.gov.”
