11-wams.pdf

Women and Minorities in Science, Technology, Engineering and

Mathematics Fields Program (WAMS)

FY 2011 Request for Applications

Application Deadline: May 10, 2011

WAMS Program:

Telephone: 202-720-1973

Email: WAMS@nifa.usda.gov

Internet:

http://www.csrees.usda.gov/fo/womenandminoritiesinsciencetechnologyengineeringandmathematics.cfm

Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number (CFDA):

10.318

NIFA Funding Opportunity Number:

USDA-NIFA-WAMS-003415

mailto:WAMS@nifa.usda.gov http://www.csrees.usda.gov/fo/womenandminoritiesinsciencetechnologyengineeringandmathematics.cfm

NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF FOOD AND AGRICULTURE;

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

WOMEN AND MINORITIES IN SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING

AND MATHEMATICS FIELDS PROGRAM (WAMS)

INITIAL ANNOUNCEMENT

CATALOG OF FEDERAL DOMESTIC ASSISTANCE: This program is listed in the

Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance under 10.318.

DATES: Applications must be received by close of business (COB) on May 10, 2011

(5:00 pm Eastern Time). Applications received after this deadline will normally not be considered for funding. Comments regarding this request for applications (RFA) are requested within six months from the issuance of this notice. Comments received after that date will be considered to the extent practicable.

STAKEHOLDER INPUT: The National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) requests comments regarding this RFA from any interested party. These comments will be considered in the development of the next RFA for the program, if applicable, and will be used to meet the requirements of section 103(c)(2) of the Agricultural Research, Extension, and Education Reform Act of 1998 (7 U.S.C. 7613(c)(2)). This section requires the Secretary to solicit and consider input on a current RFA from persons who conduct or use agricultural research, education and extension for use in formulating future RFAs for competitive programs. Written stakeholder comments on this RFA should be submitted in accordance with the deadline set forth in the DATES portion of this Notice.

Written stakeholder comments should be submitted by mail to: Policy and Oversight

Division; Office of Grants and Financial Management; National Institute of Food and

Agriculture; USDA; STOP 2299; 1400 Independence Avenue, SW; Washington, DC

20250-2299; or via e-mail to: RFP-OGFM@nifa.usda.gov. (This e-mail address is intended only for receiving comments regarding this RFA and not requesting information or forms.) In your comments, please state that you are responding to the Women and

Minorities in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics Fields Program

(WAMS) Grants Program RFA.

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: NIFA requests applications for the Fiscal Year 2011

Women and Minorities in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics Fields

Program (WAMS) to support research and extension activities that increase the number of women and underrepresented minorities from rural areas who will pursue and complete a postsecondary degree in science, technology, engineering or mathematics

(STEM) disciplines.

Specifically, the purpose of the WAMS grant program is to support research and extension projects that provide STEM knowledge, skills and competencies to women and mailto:RFP-OGFM@nifa.usda.gov underrepresented minorities from rural areas with successful placement: (a) in the workforce in STEM fields, or (b) as innovators and entrepreneurs adding value to the

STEM fields in areas that have relevancy to the USDA Secretary‘s priorities of

Sustainable Energy; Climate Change; Food Safety; Nutrition and Childhood Obesity; and

Global Food Security.

This RFA is being released prior to the passage of an Appropriations Act for FY 2011.

Enactment of additional continuing resolutions or an Appropriation Act may affect the availability or level of funding for this program. It is anticipated that approximately

$364,000 will be made available to support the WAMS program.

Eligible applicants are strongly encouraged to develop public-private alliances and advisory groups that allow coordination and access to resources which will ensure successful placement of WAMS participants in STEM fields that address USDA mission science. Where possible, projects that also contribute to the economic viability of rural communities are also encouraged.

This notice identifies the objectives for WAMS projects, the eligibility criteria for projects and applicants, and the application forms and associated instructions needed to apply for a WAMS award. NIFA additionally requests stakeholder input from any interested party for use in the development of the next RFA for this program.

Table of Contents

PART I—FUNDING OPPORTUNITY DESCRIPTION

A. Legislative Authority and Background B. Purpose and Priorities C. Program Area Description

PART II—AWARD INFORMATION

A. Available Funding B. Types of Applications C. Project Types

PART III—ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION

A. Eligible Applicants B. Cost Sharing or Matching

PART IV—APPLICATION AND SUBMISSION INFORMATION

A. Electronic Application Package B. Content and Form of Application Submission C. Submission Dates and Times D. Funding Restrictions E. Other Submission Requirements

PART V—APPLICATION REVIEW REQUIREMENTS

A. General B. Evaluation Criteria C. Conflicts of Interest and Confidentiality D. Organizational Management Information

PART VI—AWARD ADMINISTRATION

A. General B. Award Notice C. Administrative and National Policy Requirements D. Expected Program Outputs and Reporting Requirements

PART VII—AGENCY CONTACT

PART VIII—OTHER INFORMATION

A. Access to Review Information B. Use of Funds; Changes C. Confidential Aspects of Applications and Awards D. Regulatory Information E. Definitions

PART I—FUNDING OPPORTUNITY DESCRIPTION

A. Legislative Authority and Background

Legislative authority for the Women and Minorities in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Fields (WAMS) program is contained in Section 7204 of the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 (FCEA) (Pub. L. 110-246), which amends Section 1672 of the Food, Agriculture, Conservation, and Trade Act of 1990 (7

U.S.C. 5925) which authorizes the Secretary of Agriculture to make competitive grants to support research and extension activities to increase participation by women and underrepresented minorities from rural areas in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, with priority given to eligible institutions that carry out continuing programs funded by the Secretary.

B. Purpose and Priorities

Changes to the FY 2011 RFA:

1. Added an academic and vocational focus with priority given to applications where women and underrepresented minority beneficiaries are encouraged to pursue academic studies – or research and extension activities – in any of the five NIFA

Challenge Areas listed below in Part I, B.

2. Added three Program Areas to focus WAMS applications on:

a. successful recruitment or retention strategies encouraging secondary or two-year postsecondary women and underrepresented minority graduates from rural areas to matriculate into postsecondary academic degree-granting programs within STEM disciplines listed in the five NIFA

Priority Areas (below), and/or

b. successful research and extension activities for women and underrepresented minority students from rural areas to gain experiential learning opportunities within STEM disciplines listed in the five NIFA

Challenge Areas, and/or

c. successful career guidance programs or motivating women and underrepresented minority employees from rural areas currently working in non-STEM occupations to obtain any necessary, postsecondary degree coursework, research or extension training needed to switch to STEM-related occupations within disciplines listed in the five NIFA Challenge

Areas.

3. Due to this grant program‘s focus on encouraging the completion of postsecondary education for viable, long-term STEM employment, eligible

WAMS applicants are encouraged to work with academic institutions to foster collaborative applications that lead to the student beneficiary attaining a postsecondary degree. Academic institution collaborations are expected to establish and maintain sustained, long-term recruitment and retention strategies ensuring the identification and selection of qualified women and underrepresented minority students from rural areas. Partnerships with Federal and State agencies, national laboratories, private industries and corporations, and other, relevant entities, are strongly encouraged, and deemed important to the success of the

WAMS beneficiaries.

The USDA-NIFA has recently refocused its mission to direct food and agricultural sciences research, education, and extension programs toward addressing societal challenges in the following five Challenge Areas:

1. Global Food Security

2. Climate Change

3. Sustainable Energy

4. Childhood Obesity Prevention

5. Food Safety

The Women and Minorities in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics

Fields Program (WAMS) is a NIFA-administered competitive grants program supporting research and extension projects to increase participation by women and underrepresented minorities from rural areas in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics fields related to the food and agricultural sciences. Guided by the five compelling NIFA

Challenge Areas, WAMS-funded projects ensure a competent and qualified workforce to guide the food and agricultural sciences system. At the same time, WAMS-funded projects improve the economic health and viability of rural communities through the development of research and extension initiatives focused on new and emerging employment opportunities in STEM occupations. Finally, WAMS projects address the national challenge to increase the number and diversity (i.e., having a food and agricultural sciences workforce representative of the Nation‘s population) of students entering food and agriculture related STEM disciplines. Where possible, projects that also contribute to the economic viability of rural communities are also encouraged.

To sustain viable, long-term STEM employment, WAMS student beneficiaries seeking research and extension opportunities should be pursuing a postsecondary degree supporting a STEM discipline. Therefore, applications submitted to this grants program must state how the funded project will address both of the following WAMS Grant

Program Goals:

1. Develop successful academic recruitment and retention programs increasing the number of women and underrepresented minorities from rural areas who will pursue and complete a postsecondary degree in science, technology, engineering or mathematics (STEM) disciplines funded by the U.S Secretary of Agriculture, and for FY 2011, encourage projects focused on any of the five NIFA Challenge

Areas listed in Part I, B; and

2. Foster partnerships among academic institutions and employers that develop sustainable research or extension initiatives to increase the participation of women and underrepresented minorities from rural areas in experiential learning opportunities leading to STEM-related careers in disciplines funded by the U.S

Secretary of Agriculture, and for FY 2011, encourage projects focused on any of the five NIFA Challenge Areas listed in Part I, B.

To contribute to America‘s competitiveness, WAMS target beneficiaries – women and minorities from rural areas – will have a greater probability of placement into the workforce where they can have a direct impact on improving the rural economy.

Applicants must address the following items within specified sections of the ‗R&R Other

Project Information‘ Form (Part IV, B.3.):

1. Address one of the three Program Areas (below, Part I, C.1.);

2. Within the Project Evaluation Plan (Part I, C.2.), discuss how project activities will advance the two WAMS Program Goals (above); and

3. Document how project accomplishments (products, results and impacts, etc.) will be published or otherwise disseminated to the broadest extent throughout the academic community and the public (Part I, C.3., Dissemination and Continuation

Plans).

Note: Your project‘s Program Area and primary NIFA Challenge Area must appear on the required Project Summary/Abstract. The applicant must follow the format suggested in Part IV, B.3. Field 7, for completing this Project Summary/Abstract.

Applicant institutions/organizations must demonstrate capacity for and a significant ongoing commitment to, the teaching of the food and agricultural sciences generally, and to the specific discipline(s) for which a grant is requested.

C. Program Area Description

1. Program Areas:

A WAMS project should focus on at least one of the following three Program Areas:

(a) Recruitment/Retention Strategies: Projects specifically developed to identify, advise, and place women and underrepresented minority students from rural areas into postsecondary academic degree-granting programs within STEM disciplines addressing the five NIFA Challenge Areas in Part I, B above, and ensure their continued success through mentoring activities.

(b) Research and Extension Strategies: Projects specifically developed to identify, advise, and place women and underrepresented minority students from rural areas into experiential learning opportunities within STEM disciplines listed in the five NIFA Challenge Areas, above, and ensure their continued success through mentoring activities. Where possible, projects that also contribute to the economic viability of rural communities are also encouraged.

(c) Career Guidance Programs or Motivational Strategies: Projects specifically developed to identify, advise, and select women and underrepresented minority employees from rural areas currently working in non-STEM occupations to obtain any necessary, postsecondary academic coursework, research or extension training needed to switch to STEM-related occupations addressing the five NIFA Challenge Areas, above.

WAMS-funded projects encourage academic institutions, organizations, and employers to collectively identify and address a state, regional or national opportunity in STEM fields within the food and agricultural sciences with the potential to address any of the five NIFA Challenge Areas. An application submitted to the WAMS grants program should propose comprehensive and coordinated activities involving appropriate academic institutions and employers to address that challenge or opportunity. WAMS-funded project activities should demonstrate a state, regional or national impact on increasing the number of women and underrepresented minorities from rural areas who pursue STEM employment.

For the WAMS grant program to have a sustained impact on women and minorities from rural areas, projects must encourage student beneficiaries to pursue an academic foundation of postsecondary academic coursework relevant to the occupational competencies required in the STEM workforce. Accordingly, a

WAMS-funded project must first focus upon ensuring women and underrepresented minorities from rural areas selected to participate in this grants program have the appropriate academic credentials. A project narrative describing a WAMS-funded initiative must be creative in addressing the educational pipeline issues related to participation in STEM fields of women and underrepresented groups for rural areas. Examples of initiatives that WAMS might support include, but are not limited to:

Implementing academic, research or extension training programs and providing related services to engage and encourage participation by women and underrepresented minorities from rural areas in STEM fields;

Developing and administering training programs for educators, career counselors, and industry representatives in recruitment and retention strategies to increase and retain women and underrepresented minority students and job entrants into STEM fields; and

Supporting education-to-workforce programs for women and underrepresented minorities from rural areas that provide counseling, job shadowing, mentoring, and entrepreneurial internship opportunities to guide participants in academic, research or extension training and work experience needed for STEM careers. Where possible, projects that also contribute to the economic viability of rural communities are encouraged.

In any WAMS initiative, collaborative partnerships among applicants and Federal and State agencies, national laboratories, or private industries and corporations, will ensure more viable opportunities for WAMS project beneficiaries to develop knowledge, skills and competencies that are relevant to the STEM workforce needs.

2. Project Evaluation Plan

All projects, regardless of the scope or program component they address, must have an evaluation plan that includes strategies for: (a) monitoring the project as it evolves to provide feedback to guide these efforts, (b) evaluating the effectiveness of the project in achieving its goals, and (c) identifying positive and negative findings when the project is completed.

The complexity of the evaluation will depend on the scope of the project. Grantees are encouraged to obtain an independent evaluation to secure appropriate documentation of the project‘s outcomes and impacts. Such efforts should be led by knowledgeable and experienced individuals. Up to 10 percent of grant funds may be used to support this purpose.

In addition to measuring progress toward achieving specific project outcomes, the

Evaluation Plan must also include a strategy for assessing how the project advances the two WAMS Program Goals identified in Part I, B. It should state the overall goal of the project, identify the measurable objectives, and indicate the outcome measures that will determine the success of the project and the relevance of these to the WAMS

Program Goals. At a minimum, the project assessment should indicate a projected number of students impacted by the project as a result of the proposed activities.

The following suggested evaluation examples are derived from the Department of

Education‘s Report of the Academic Competitiveness Council, May 2007, Federal

STEM Goals and Metrics, Education Undergraduate National Goals and Metrics

(http://www2.ed.gov/about/inits/ed/competitiveness/acc-mathscience/index.html).

a. To demonstrate progress toward increasing the number of graduates, the following metric is suggested: first provide baseline data for the year preceding the grant award showing the number and/or percentage of students who declare and/or complete a major program of study within your unit; and second, provide similar data for the final year of the grant and include an assessment of the impact of your project on changes from the baseline data. List the expected number of students benefiting from this project and their level of education, a table is recommended.

b. Suggested resources to obtain quantitative, baseline, student enrollment, degrees granted and employment data for comparison purposes; postsecondary institutions may find appropriate information in the Food and Agricultural Education

Information System (FAEIS) at: http://faeis.ahnrit.vt.edu/, and from the publication: Employment Opportunities for College Graduates in Food, Renewable Energy, and the Environment United States, 2010-2015 at:

http://www2.ed.gov/about/inits/ed/competitiveness/acc-mathscience/index.html http://faeis.ahnrit.vt.edu/ http://www.ag.purdue.edu/usda/employment/pages/default.aspx. Other, similar source(s) may also be consulted.

c. Applications should include a logic model detailing the activities, outputs, and outcomes of the proposed project. This information may be provided as a narrative or formatted into a logic model chart. The logic model planning process is a tool that should be used to develop your project before writing your proposal.

More information and resources related to the logic model planning process are provided at http://www.nifa.usda.gov/about/strat_plan_logic_models.html.

Additional Resources for Project Evaluation

NSF 02-057: The 2002 User-Friendly Handbook for Project Evaluation, a basic guide to quantitative and qualitative evaluation methods for educational projects http://www.nsf.gov/pubs/2002/nsf02057/start.htm

Field-Tested Learning Assessment Guide (FLAG): This website is designed for

Science, Math, Engineering, and Technology Instructors who are interested in new approaches to evaluating student learning, attitudes, and performance. It has a primer on assessment and evaluation, classroom assessment techniques, discipline-specific tools, and resources - all in a searchable, downloadable data base, http://www.flaguide.org/

American Evaluation Association. Online Resources

(http://www.eval.org/resources.asp)

3. Dissemination and Continuation Plans

Include in the project‘s Dissemination Plan a description of how the applicant plans to communicate project accomplishments (products, results and impacts, etc.) to the broadest extent throughout the academic community. This plan may include educational journals or other professional discipline publications, and presentations at regional or national conferences and workshops.

Include in the project‘s Continuation Plan a statement describing how project outcomes are expected to continue after NIFA funding ends. This Plan should include expected outputs and how these will become institutionalized in the academic program. Describe any strategies for adapting or expanding these outputs for a larger audience. Provide details of these changes, the expected outcomes, and the targeted audience from the expanded project.

4. Available Program Area Reference Materials

WAMS project activities should support the creation and adaptation of teaching strategies, research opportunities or extension projects that operationalize what we know about how students learn. Many of these concepts are identified in the National

Research Council‘s publication: How People Learn, available at:

http://books.nap.edu/catalog.php?record_id=9853. Projects should also promote faculty expertise and encourage widespread implementation of educational innovation. This solicitation especially encourages projects with the potential to http://www.ag.purdue.edu/usda/employment/pages/default.aspx http://www.nifa.usda.gov/about/strat_plan_logic_models.html http://www.nsf.gov/pubs/2002/nsf02057/start.htm http://www.nsf.gov/cgi-bin/good-bye?http://www.flaguide.org/ http://www.nsf.gov/cgi-bin/good-bye?http://www.eval.org/resources.asp http://books.nap.edu/catalog.php?record_id=9853 transform classroom practices at the institutional level, to address current understanding of how students learn most effectively, and in response, how faculty adopt instructional approaches.

To enhance America‘s competitiveness, the STEM workforce has to be prepared in new ways to leverage nontraditional partnerships in disciplines, and sectors. WAMS projects will give beneficiaries the ability to address complex issues, including renewable energy, climate change and food safety. The following reference materials will be helpful in supporting your application and improving your proposed WAMS project. A new National Academies Report on The New Biology for the 21st

Century: Ensuring the United State Leads the Coming Biology Revolution

(http://books.nap.edu/catalog.php?record_id=12764) is a highly recommended reference as it provides vision for addressing the major societal challenges of food, climate, energy, and health. The report lays out potential for the coordinated and focused approach needed, using integrative support and ownership, to address fundamental problems faced by society. The WAMS program is an opportunity to begin to give attention to the recommendations to produce future innovations and innovators in STEM fields integral to the food and agricultural systems domain.

The National Academy of Science 2009 report entitled, Transforming Agricultural

Education for a Changing World recommends that academic institutions with undergraduate programs in agriculture implement nine steps to better meet the needs of students, employers, and the broader society. For information on the full report, please refer to http://dels.nas.edu/ag_education/report.shtml and click on recommendations.

A 2009 white paper on Human Capacity Development prepared by the Academic

Programs Section of the Association of Public and Land Grant Universities also provides recommendations that are useful in developing the agricultural workforce.

Copies of the white paper entitled ―Human Capacity Development - The Road to

Global Competitiveness and Leadership in Food, Agriculture, Natural Resources, and

Related Sciences (FANRRS),‖ can be found at:

http://www.aplu.org/NetCommunity/Document.Doc?id=1639. A WAMS project can benefit more women and underrepresented minorities from rural areas by leveraging the educational activities of beneficiaries of funded WAMS projects.

For the purpose of the WAMS program, underrepresented minority means any ethnic group – African American, Alaskan Native, American Indian, Asian-American, Hispanic American, Native Hawaiian, Pacific Islander, or any other group – whose representation among food and agricultural professionals in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields is disproportionately less than their proportion in the general population as indicated in standard statistical references, or as documented on a case-by-case basis by national survey data submitted to and accepted by the Secretary.

https://www.aplu.org/NetCommunity/page.redir?target=http%3a%2f%2fbooks.nap.edu%2fcatalog.php%3frecord_id%3d12764&srcid=5487&srctid=1&erid=371600 https://www.aplu.org/NetCommunity/page.redir?target=http%3a%2f%2fbooks.nap.edu%2fcatalog.php%3frecord_id%3d12764&srcid=5487&srctid=1&erid=371600 http://books.nap.edu/catalog.php?record_id=12764 http://dels.nas.edu/ag_education/report.shtml http://www.aplu.org/NetCommunity/Document.Doc?id=1639

5. Stakeholder Input on WAMS Grants Program

To align WAMS projects with workforce opportunities in STEM fields, as part of the

WAMS application, a detailed plan is required that describes, establishes, and implements a process for gathering Stakeholder input regarding the focus of the planned activities of this program. Accordingly, each applicant must:

a) Report actions taken to seek Stakeholder input (includes from Federal, State, and local programs; public-private partners; and others) that encourages their participation;

b) Provide a brief statement on the process used by the recipient institution to identify individuals and groups who are Stakeholders and to collect input from them; and

c) Provide a statement of how collected input was considered.

Each applicant must submit with the application, a report not to exceed one page

(double spaced) that describes actions to seek stakeholder input on priorities to address participation of women and underrepresented minorities from rural areas in

STEM fields relevant to the USDA mission, and how this was considered in setting proposed project goals. See Part IV, B, 3(f) for information on attaching this report to the application.

The Women and Minorities in STEM Fields Program encourages projects that develop content suitable for delivery through eXtension

(http://about.extension.org/mediawiki/files/5/51/EXECUTIVE_SUMMARY_-

_March_14%2C_2006_-_YEAR_2.pdf). This content is for end users, as opposed to staff development, and must align with the eXtension Implementation Plan (available at http://about.extension.org/wiki/Planning). Funds may be used to contribute to existingCommunities of Practice (COPs) (http://about.extension.org/wiki/Glossary

_of_eXtension_Terms#Community_of_Practice_.28CoP.29:) or form new COPs that focus on the STEM workforce in USDA mission areas (for examples of developing COPs and guidance on forming COPs, see http://cop.extension.org/wiki/Main_Page).

http://about.extension.org/mediawiki/files/5/51/EXECUTIVE_SUMMARY_-_March_14%2C_2006_-_YEAR_2.pdf http://about.extension.org/mediawiki/files/5/51/EXECUTIVE_SUMMARY_-_March_14%2C_2006_-_YEAR_2.pdf http://about.extension.org/wiki/Planning http://about.extension.org/wiki/Glossary_of_eXtension_Terms#Community_of_Practice_.28CoP.29 http://about.extension.org/wiki/Glossary_of_eXtension_Terms#Community_of_Practice_.28CoP.29 http://cop.extension.org/wiki/Main_Page

PART II—AWARD INFORMATION

A. Available Funding

This RFA is being released prior to the passage of an Appropriations Act for FY 2011.

Enactment of additional continuing resolutions or an Appropriation Act may affect the availability or level of funding for this program. It is anticipated that approximately

$364,000 will be made available to support the WAMS program.

There is no commitment by USDA to fund any particular application or to make a specific number of awards.

Awards issued as a result of this RFA will have designated the Automated Standard

Applications for Payment System (ASAP), operated by the Department of Treasury‘s

Financial Management Service, as the payment system for funds. For more information see http://www.nifa.usda.gov/business/method_of_payment.html.

B. Types of Applications

In FY 2011, applications may be submitted to the WAMS program as one of the following types of requests:

(1) New application. This is a project application that has not been previously submitted to the WAMS Program. All new applications will be reviewed competitively using the selection process and evaluation criteria described in Part V—Application Review

Requirements.

(2) Resubmitted application. This is a project application that had previously been submitted to the WAMS Program but not funded. Applicants must respond to the previous review panel summary, (see Responses to Previous Review, Part IV).

Resubmitted applications must be received by the relevant due dates, will be evaluated in competition with other pending applications in appropriate area to which they are assigned, and will be reviewed according to the same evaluation criteria as new applications.

C. Project Types

WAMS applications may be submitted in one of two project types: (i) Regular Projects;

and (ii) Joint Projects:

Project periods for either project type may range from 18 to 36 months. Recipients may be eligible for no-cost extensions, but no carry over or extension is permitted for these projects beyond five years. Any unexpended funds must be returned to the U.S. Treasury.

Projects should conclude no sooner than 18 months after the award start date to allow sufficient time to evaluate project results and to report project impacts.

http://www.nifa.usda.gov/business/method_of_payment.html

1. Regular Projects (Single Institution/Organization)

Applicants may request between $75,000 to $150,000 (total, not per year) for a Regular

Project. In a Regular Project, the applicant executes the project without the requirement of sharing grant funds with other project partners.

2. Joint Projects (Applicant + Two or more Partners)

Applicants may request up to $300,000 (total, not per year) for a Joint Project. In a Joint

Project, the applicant executes the project with assistance from at least two additional partners. To demonstrate a substantial involvement with the project, the applicant institution/organization submitting a joint project must retain at least 30 percent of the awarded funds, but no more than 70% of the awarded funds, and no cooperating entity may receive less than 10 percent of awarded funds.

The total number of grants awarded by this grant program will depend on the number and type of meritorious applications submitted in response to this notice. There is no predetermined number of Regular or Joint Project that may be awarded in any competition.

Based on the project scope and budget of all applications selected for awards, the actual, individual grant amounts awarded by NIFA under this grants program may differ from the funds requested by the applicant. In such cases, revised budgets and revised plans of work may be required by NIFA before an award is made.

There is no limit on the number of applications that may be submitted by an Eligible

Applicant. However, a successful applicant institution/organization will only be awarded a maximum of one (1) grant per fiscal year under this program.

There are no limits on the total grant program funds that may be awarded to any one institution/organization in successive years of this competition. Successful award recipients may apply for additional awards in subsequent years either as a lead applicant or as a joint partner on a project.

PART III—ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION

A. Eligible Applicants

Applications may be submitted by eligible applicants and may be a collaborative state, tribal, local, or regionally-based network or partnership of public or private entities.

Eligible applicants are: (a) State agricultural experiment stations; (b) colleges and universities; (c) university research foundations; (d) other research institutions and organizations; (e) Federal agencies; (f) national laboratories; (g) private organizations or corporations; (h) individuals; or (i) any group consisting of 2 or more of the entities described in subparagraphs (a) through (h). Priority will be given to eligible institutions that carry out continuing programs funded by the Secretary.

An applicant‘s failure to meet an eligibility criterion by the time of an application deadline will result in NIFA failing to review, or even though an application may be reviewed, will preclude NIFA from making an award.

Award recipients may subcontract portions of the project to organizations not eligible to apply, provided such organizations are necessary for the conduct of the project.

For institutions of higher education, individual branches of a State university system, or other system of higher education, separately accredited as degree granting institutions, are treated as separate institutions, and are therefore eligible to apply for WAMS Program awards. Separate branches or campuses of a college not individually accredited as degree-granting institutions are not treated as separate institutions, and are therefore, not eligible to apply for WAMS Program awards. Accreditation must be by an agency or association recognized by the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Education.

B. Cost Sharing or Matching

Grant recipients are required to match the USDA funds awarded on dollar-for-dollar basis from non-Federal sources with cash and in-kind contributions (see Part IV, B. 6. for details).

NIFA may waive the matching funds requirement for a grant if NIFA determines that:

(a) the results of the project, while of particular benefit to a specific agricultural commodity, are likely to be applicable to agricultural commodities generally; or

(b) the project involves a minor commodity, the project deals with scientifically important research, and the grant recipient is unable to satisfy the matching funds requirement.

PART IV—APPLICATION AND SUBMISSION INFORMATION

A. Electronic Application Package

Only electronic applications may be submitted via Grants.gov to NIFA in response to this

RFA.

Prior to preparing an application, it is suggested that the Project Director (PD) first contact their organization‘s Authorized Representative (AR) (also referred to as the

Authorized Organizational Representative or AOR) to determine if the organization is prepared to submit electronic applications through Grant.gov. If the organization is not prepared, then the one-time registration process must be completed PRIOR to submitting an application. It can take as much as two weeks to complete the registration process so it is critical to begin as soon as possible. In such situations the AR should go to ―Get

Registered‖ on the Grants.gov left navigation bar (or go to www.grants.gov/applicants/get_registered.jsp) for information on registering the institution/organization with Grants.gov. A quick reference guide listing the steps is available in a 4-page PDF document at the following website:

http://www.grants.gov/section910/Grants.govRegistrationBrochure.pdf

The steps to access application materials are as follows:

1. In order to access, complete and submit applications, applicants must download and install a version of Adobe Reader compatible with Grants.gov. This software is essential to apply for NIFA Federal assistance awards. For basic system requirements and download instructions, please see http://www.grants.gov/help/download_software.jsp. To verify that you have a compatible version of Adobe Reader, Grants.gov established a test package that will assist you in making that determination. Grants.gov Adobe Versioning Test

Package: http://www.grants.gov/applicants/AdobeVersioningTestOnly.jsp.

2. The application package must be obtained via Grants.gov, go to http://www.grants.gov, click on ―Apply for Grants‖ in the left-hand column, click on ―Step 1: Download a Grant Application Package and Instructions,‖ enter the funding opportunity number, USDA-NIFA-WAMS-003415, in the appropriate box and click ―Download Package.‖ From the results, click ―Download‖ again to access the application package.

Contained within the application package is the ―NIFA Grants.gov Application

Guide: A Guide for Preparation and Submission of NIFA Applications via

Grants.gov.‖ This Guide contains an introduction and general Grants.gov instructions, information about how to use a Grant Application Package in

Grants.gov, and instructions on how to complete the application forms.

If assistance is needed to access the application package (e.g., downloading or navigating Adobe forms), refer to resources available on the Grants.gov Web site first (http://grants.gov/). Grants.gov assistance is also available as follows:

http://www.grants.gov/applicants/get_registered.jsp http://www.grants.gov/section910/Grants.govRegistrationBrochure.pdf http://www.grants.gov/help/download_software.jsp http://www.grants.gov/applicants/AdobeVersioningTestOnly.jsp http://www.grants.gov/ https://apply.grants.gov/forms_apps_idx.html http://grants.gov/

Grants.gov customer support

Toll Free: 1-800-518-4726

Business Hours: 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Closed on Federal Holidays

Email: support@grants.gov

See http://www.nifa.usda.gov/funding/electronic.html for additional resources for applying electronically.

B. Content and Form of Application Submission

Electronic applications should be prepared following Part V and VI of the document entitled ―A Guide for Preparation and Submission of NIFA Applications via Grants.gov.‖

This guide is part of the corresponding application package (see Section A. of this Part).

The following is additional information needed in order to prepare an application in response to this RFA. If there is discrepancy between the two documents, the information contained in this RFA is overriding. Note the attachment requirements

(e.g., portable document format) in Part III section 3 of the Guide. ANY

PROPOSALS CONTAINING NON-PDF DOCUMENTS WILL BE AT RISK OF

BEING EXCLUDED FROM NIFA REVIEW. Partial applications will be excluded from NIFA review. With documented prior approval, resubmitted applications will be accepted until close of business on the closing date in the RFA. If you do not own

PDF-generating software, Grants.gov provides online tools to assist applicants.

Users will find a link to ―Convert Documents to PDF‖ on http://grants.gov/assets/PDFConversion.pdf.

1. SF 424 R&R Cover Sheet

Information related to the questions on this form is dealt with in detail in Part V, 2. of the

NIFA Grants.gov Application Guide.

Field 8. Type of Application – Only ‗New‘ or ‗Resubmitted‘ applications are permitted.

Field 12. Proposed Project Start Date and End Date – A project‘s duration should be at least 18 months (to allow time for assessment and evaluation). The statutory time limit for projects is 36 months. The effective date for projects must be on or before

September 1, 2011.

Field 15. Estimated Project Funding –

Total Estimated Project Funding = Amount of Federal funds requested (See Part II.

C. for maximum award amounts permitted.)

Total Federal & Non-Federal Funds = Federal funds + Matching Funds (Note: The

Matching Requirement for this program is 100% (see Part III. B.))

Field 20. Pre-application – Not applicable to the WAMS program. No attachments needed.

http://www.grants.gov/aboutgrants/federal_holidays.jsp mailto:support@grants.gov http://www.nifa.usda.gov/funding/electronic.html http://grants.gov/assets/PDFConversion.pdf

2. SF 424 R&R Project/Performance Site Location(s)

Information related to the questions on this form is dealt with in detail in Part V, 3. of the

3. R&R Other Project Information

Information related to the questions on this form is dealt with in detail in Part V, 4. of the

Field 7. Project Summary/Abstract – (PDF Attachment)

Title the attachment ‗Project Summary‘ in the document header and save file as

‗Project Summary‘. Include the following underlined text along with your responses:

List the Project Title (must be descriptive of the proposed project);

List the Project Director (and any) Co-Project Director(s) (include institutional/organizational affiliation for each);

List your project‘s Program Area: (see Part I, C.1.; list only one Program Area);

List your project‘s primary NIFA Challenge Area: (see Part I, B.; list only one

Area)

Joint Project: Yes or No? (See ‗Definitions‘, Part VIII. E.);

Partners: If Joint Project, list all partner institutions/organizations that will share grant funding (Note: Each Partner so identified needs to have their budget information submitted on a separate subaward budget attachment);

Total Funds Requested: (List total Federal funds requested for this application. If this project is a Joint Project Proposal, also list each partner‘s total funds requested next to the institution/organization‘s name); and

Summary Text - Provide a very concise (250 word) summary of your project to include:

a. Purpose: What is the major problem your project will address?

b. Audience: Who are the intended beneficiaries? Who will be impacted?

c. Products: What will be produced? and

d. Outcome/Impact: What is the intended result (consequence) of your project? Describe as the primary benefits to your audience. Note:

outcomes/impacts should be measurable, and should be included in your project‘s assessment/evaluation plan to demonstrate you will assess whether or not these benefits were achieved.

b. Field 8. Project Narrative (PDF attachment).

Title the attachment ‗Project Narrative‘ in the document header and save file as

‗ProjectNarrative‘.

PLEASE NOTE: The Project Narrative shall not exceed 15 pages of written text

(excluding up to a maximum of 5 additional pages for supporting figures and tables).

This maximum (20-page limit) ensures fair and equitable competition. Reviewers will be instructed not to review material in excess of this limit.

This page limitation applies regardless of whether figures or tables are included. All pages, including those with figures and tables, should be numbered sequentially.

Applications exceeding the applicable page limitation will not be reviewed. The page limit has been established to ensure fair and equitable competition.

The Project Narrative in this Field 8 attachment contains the major description of your project. It follows the WAMS program Evaluation Criteria (Part V. B).

Accordingly, please provide your responses in the following format: (Note: To facilitate application review and evaluation, include the following, underlined wording as headings in your attached Project Narrative, followed by your response for each item.)

1. Relevancy – A. Introduction: The introduction should include a clear statement of how the project will address the two WAMS Program Goals from Part I, B.

Documentation should also include the long-term goal(s) and supporting objectives of the proposed project. Discuss the potential long-range impacts of the proposed project on the participation of women and underrepresented minorities from rural areas in STEM fields, relevant to the USDA mission.

Describe in detail the applicant‘s experience with USDA-funded programs in serving the identified audiences of women and underrepresented minorities in rural areas. Explain and document how the project addresses collaborations that align with the proposed project‘s objectives and WAMS Program Goals.

2. Expected Outcomes and Evaluation: Identify appropriate methodologies for reviewing and evaluating the project in relation to meeting WAMS Program

Goals and expected project outcomes. Provide information that would include key elements that describe how you plan to assess an increase in participation of women and underrepresented minorities from rural areas in STEM fields. What change(s) occurred as a result of the project as determined by comparison of the baseline pre-project to post-project? To what extent is the pathway reproducible, scalable, and portable? The development of a Logic Model as the proposed project is planned and executed will strengthen the potential for successful project outcomes. This information may be provided as a narrative or formatted into a logic model chart. The logic model planning process is a tool that should be used to develop your project before writing your proposal. See Part IV, B.3 (f) for details on where to attach this information to your application. More information and resources related to the logic model planning process are provided at:

http://www.nifa.usda.gov/about/strat_plan_logic_models.html. Discuss plans to identify successes and build upon and disseminate them.

3. Technical Merit – Target Audience(s) and STEM Fields. Compare the numbers of students (or faculty) currently involved in food and agricultural activities with the expected number you plan will be directly impacted by this project‘s activities. Justify the need for the proposed project by: (a) identifying the beneficiary target audience(s) and by (b) explaining their needs (size, region, potential economic value of trained beneficiaries, etc); and (c) by briefly summarizing all the other similar WAMS research and extension training http://www.nifa.usda.gov/about/strat_plan_logic_models.html programs that are available for the identified target audience. Make sure to clarify project objectives and outcomes, and to ensure these are aligned with the WAMS program purpose, priorities, and goals. Define any available baseline data on women and underrepresented minorities impacted by this funded project and describe information gathered from which variations will be measured. Identify who is being impacted by the project activities; which NIFA Challenge Areas are to be addressed; and indicate new careers or entrepreneurial enterprise by participants in STEM fields. State what percentage of your budget will be allocated to serving these group(s). Address the following, appropriate project issues in this section: (a) project necessity, innovation, and originality; (b) for proposed projects with research components, identify the scientific approach and potential to increase knowledge not only in STEM research but also in attracting women and minorities from rural areas in areas of STEM fields relevant to the

USDA mission; (c) for proposed projects with extension components, identify the approach and potential to increase technology transfer not only in STEM but also in attracting women and minorities from rural areas in areas of STEM fields relevant to the USDA mission; (d) adequacy of the proposed activities to meet the needs of the targeted audience including suitability and feasibility of the approach; and (e) expected outcomes of the project in terms of the number of women and underrepresented minorities from rural areas trained and placed in the

STEM workforce, the value of their enterprise, and the needs of the targeted audience.

4. Achievability - Rationale and Significance. What is the: (a) probability of project success; and (b) probability of project sustainability beyond the life of the grant. Concisely present the rationale behind the proposed project. Describe the alignment of the proposed project with the WAMS program purpose, priorities, and goal. Any novel ideas or contributions that the proposed project offers should also be discussed in this section.

5. Key personnel – Document key project personnel‘s prior experience in research, extension, education, outreach, mentoring, and training of women and underrepresented minorities from rural areas. Also, include qualifications of key personnel to carry out the administration of the proposed project and institutional experience and competence.

6. Adequacy of available or obtainable support personnel, facilities, and instrumentation – Document that additional personnel, collaborations, facilities and other resources are available, committed and well-positioned to achieve the integration needed to ensure that the WAMS project will recruit, lead/train and place the target audience in STEM fields at the level and scale(s) to increase

America‘s competitiveness.

7. Adequacy of Plans for Management of the proposed project – Include a project timeline. Explain how the project timeline provides for: (a) sufficient time and resources to meet project objectives; (b) effective functioning of collaboration(s), (c) participatory evaluation of project activities, including the development and use of outcomes-based measures and reporting, (d) a plan for tracking success of participants in STEM fields, and (e) a proven marketing plan to communicate activities, outputs, and impacts to wide-ranging audiences.

c. Field 9. Bibliography & Cited References - (Optional PDF Attachment. No Page

Limit). Title the attachment as ‗Bibliography & References Cited‘ in the document header and save file as ‗Bibliography&References Cited‘.

All work cited in the text, including that of key personnel, should be referenced in this section of the application. All references must:

Be complete;

Include titles and all co-authors;

Conform to an acceptable journal format; and

Be listed in alphabetical order using the last name of the first author or listed by number in the order of citation.

References are not considered in the page limitation for the Project Narrative.

d. Field 10.