15-hsi final to post.pdf

Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSI) Education Grants Program

FY 2015 Request for Applications

Application Deadline:

Strengthening Projects Deadline: April 16, 2015 Standard Projects Deadline: April 21, 2015 Collaboration Deadline: April 23, 2015

ELIGIBILITY: See Part III, A of RFA

NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF FOOD AND AGRICULTURE; U.S. DEPARTMENT OF

AGRICULTURE

HISPANIC-SERVING INSTITUTIONS EDUCATION GRANTS PROGRAM

CATALOG OF FEDERAL DOMESTIC ASSISTANCE: This program is listed in the Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance under 10.223, Hispanic-Serving Institutions Education Grants Program.

DATES: All Strengthening Project applications must be received by 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time on April 16, 2015. All Standard Project applications must be received by 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time on April 21, 2015. All New Collaboration Project applications must be received by 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time on April 23, 2015. Applications received after this deadline will normally not be considered for funding (see Part IV, C. of this RFA). Comments regarding this request for applications (RFA) are requested within 6 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) seeks your comments about this RFA. We will consider the comments when we develop the next RFA for the program, if applicable, and we’ll use them 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)).

Submit written stakeholder comments by the deadline set forth in the DATES portion of this Notice to: Policy@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 Hispanic-Serving Institutions Education Grants Program RFA.

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: NIFA requests applications for the Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSI) Education Grants Program for fiscal year (FY) 2015 to promote and strengthen the ability of Hispanic-Serving Institutions to carry out higher education programs that attract, retain, and graduate outstanding students capable of enhancing the nation’s food, agricultural, and natural resource scientific and professional work force. The amount available for support of this program in FY 2015 is approximately $9.2 million.

This notice identifies the objectives for HSI projects, the eligibility criteria for projects and applicants, and the application forms and associated instructions needed to apply for a HSI grant.

mailto:Policy@nifa.usda.gov

Table of Contents

PART I—FUNDING OPPORTUNITY DESCRIPTION

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

PART II—AWARD INFORMATION

A. Available Funding B. Types of Applications C. Grant Types D. Responsible and Ethical Conduct of Research

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 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

APPENDIX A FOR PROJECT EVALUATION AND REPORTING:

PART I—FUNDING OPPORTUNITY DESCRIPTION

A. Legislative Authority and Background

Section 1455 of National Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching Policy Act of 1977 (NARETPA), reauthorized by section 7115 of the Agricultural Act of 2014, provides the Secretary of Agriculture with the authority to make competitive grants to Hispanic-Serving Institutions for the purpose of promoting and strengthening Hispanic-Serving Institutions ability to carry out education, applied research, and community development programs. This program is administered under the provisions of section 1455 of (NARETPA) (7 U.S.C. 3241) pursuant to section 815 of Public Law 104-127 and Public Law 110-246.

Per section 7128 of the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 (Pub. L. 110-246), activities funded under this program are no longer required to benefit a consortia of Hispanic-Serving Institutions to be supported by the grant. Consequently, the definition of a “Strengthening Project” under the HSI Education Grants Program has been revised to a project where the applicant or applicant and one other Hispanic-Serving Institution will be involved in the execution of the project.

Stakeholder Input Solicitation

The process of gathering and reviewing stakeholder input for NIFA’s HSI Education Grants Program is ongoing and occurs in a variety of formal and informal settings. Regardless of the setting, the goal for gathering stakeholder has five major objectives, and helps national program staff to achieve the following: 1) Determine programmatic priorities for this competitive grants program 2) Improve peer review processes and merit review processes; 3) Ensure that programmatic goals are meeting the needs of NIFA as well as its partners, collaborators, and other stakeholders; 4) Strengthen partnerships and collaborations with all stakeholders – including university, industry, and government partners; and 5) Ensure our efforts are neither redundant nor duplicative.

Grant programs in NIFA are developed and modified using extensive stakeholder input obtained via several mechanisms such as hosting listening sessions at the Project Director’s meetings, at the North America Colleges and Universities annual meeting, RFA input request, informational webinars, and through informal conversations and discussions with our federal, academic, and industry partners. This request for applications also takes in consideration feedback received on April 7, 2014 during a public meeting at the Washington Marriot at Metro Center Hotel from 9:00 until 10:00 am regarding before the HACU Capitol Forum.

B. Purpose and Priorities

Purpose

The Department of Agriculture is designated as the lead Federal Agency that supports higher education in the food and agricultural sciences. In this context, NIFA has specific responsibility to initiate and support projects to strengthen higher education teaching programs in the food and agricultural sciences.

The Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSI) Education Grants Program directly aligns with the Research, Education, and Economics Action Plan (March 2014 version) (http://www.ree.usda.gov/ree/news/USDA_REE_Action_Plan_03-2014.pdf) and specifically addresses: Goal 6 – Education and Science Literacy. The HSI program is also aligned with the NIFA Strategic plan (2014-2018) (http://nifa.usda.gov/about/pdfs/strat_plan_2014.pdf ), specifically addressing Strategic Goal No 1, (Science – Catalyze exemplary and relevant research, education, and extension programs); Subgoal 1.7 – (Ensure the development of human capital, communities, and a diverse workforce through research, education, extension and engagement programs in food and agricultural sciences to support a sustainable agriculture system).

The purpose of NIFA’s HSI Education Grants Program is to support innovative teaching or education proposals with potential to impact Hispanic-Serving Institutions to become models for other institutions that serve underrepresented students, at the regional or national level. While research and extension activities may be included in a funded HSI Education project, the primary focus must be to improve teaching, enrollment, and graduation rates within a degree-granting program.

HSI Education projects should develop human capital relevant to overall program goals for U.S.

agriculture. An education or teaching activity is formal classroom instruction, laboratory instruction, and practicum experience in the food and agricultural sciences and other related matters. Project activities should include student recruitment and services, curriculum development, instructional materials and equipment, and innovative teaching methodologies.

Priorities

In order to support the future workforce needs of the food and agriculture sector, the HSI Grants Program must align with NIFA priorities. NIFA has refocused its mission by directing agricultural sciences research, education, and extension programs to address the following six Priority Areas:

1. Agricultural and Natural Resources Science for Climate Variability and Change

2. Food Security and Hunger

3. Food Safety

4. Water for Agriculture

5. Childhood Obesity and Prevention

6. Sustainable Bioenergy

In addition, legislatively, the purpose of this program is to promote and strengthen the ability of Hispanic-Serving Institutions to carry out education, applied research, and related community development programs. NIFA intends this program to address educational needs, as determined by each institution, within a broadly defined area of food and agricultural sciences and related disciplines.

C. Program Description

1. HSI Education Grant Program Objectives.

http://www.ree.usda.gov/ree/news/USDA_REE_Action_Plan_03-2014.pdf http://nifa.usda.gov/about/pdfs/strat_plan_2014.pdf

In addition, grant applications must address how the proposed projects will be able to contribute to the goals above by aligning the projects to the following HSI Education Grants Program Objectives:

a. Strengthen institutional educational capacities to develop and enhance curriculum, faculty, instruction delivery systems, and infrastructure including libraries and scientific instrumentation, in order to respond and serve the needs of underrepresented students in identified State, regional, national, or international educational needs in the food and agricultural sciences;

b. Recruit, retain, and support undergraduate and graduate students from underrepresented groups in order to prepare them for careers related to the food, agricultural, and natural resource systems of the United States;

c. Facilitate cooperative initiatives between two or more Hispanic-Serving Institutions or between Hispanic-Serving Institutions and public or the private sector, in order to maximize the development and use of resources and to improve the food and agricultural sciences teaching programs; and

d. Support the activities of Hispanic-serving institutions to enhance educational equity for underrepresented students.

2. Educational Need Areas

There are different educational need areas that HSI projects should focus on and develop in order to contribute to the HSI education program goals and objectives. If addressing more than one Educational Need Area in the application, please list, in the Project Summary, the most representative area first, (See Part IV, B.3). All these Educational Need Areas present opportunities for USDA collaboration and involvement.

Projects addressing the HSI Program Objectives (Part I, C.3.) or Educational Need Areas below must demonstrate how proposed activities will provide more efficient and effective approaches than existing institutional programs in order to increase both the quality and quantity of targeted students.

Applicants should propose to improve mainstream instructional practices and address future needs within the food and agricultural sciences system. Applicants should consider projects that meet the various Educational Need Areas:

(a) Curricula Design, Materials Development, and Library Resources (including development of courses of study and degree programs).

The purpose of this strategy is to promote new and improved curricula, materials, and library resources to increase the quality of and continuously renew the academic programs of HSIs in the food, natural resources, and agricultural sciences. The overall objective is to stimulate the development and facilitate the use of exemplary education models and materials that incorporate the most recent advances in subject matter, research on teaching and learning theory, and instructional technology and to demonstrate the benefit of new technologies. Proposals may emphasize, but are not limited to: the development of courses of study, degree programs, and instructional materials; the use of new approaches to the study of traditional subjects; the introduction of new subjects or new applications of knowledge pertaining to the food and agricultural sciences; or the acquisition of books and journals relating to the food and agricultural sciences.

(b) Faculty Preparation and Enhancement for Teaching.

The purpose of this strategy is to advance faculty development in the areas of teaching competency and leadership, subject matter expertise, or student recruitment and advising skills. Proposals may emphasize, but are not limited to: obtaining experience with recent developments and new applications in a field; expanding competence in innovative technologies and new methods of instruction delivery or student advising skills; or pursuing further graduate-level study in a field related to the food and agricultural sciences. Each faculty recipient of support for developmental activities must be an "eligible participant" as defined in the definitions section of this RFA. Training of faculty and encouraging faculty to develop them in Leadership in Agriculture to serve as role models is encouraged.

(c) Instruction Delivery Systems.

The purpose of this strategy is to encourage the use of alternative methods of delivering instruction to enhance the quality, effectiveness, and cost efficiency of teaching programs. Proposals may emphasize, but are not limited to: incorporating alternative instructional methodologies that respond to differences in student learning styles; inter-institutional collaborating in such a manner to deliver instruction in ways that maximize program quality and reduce unnecessary duplication; and considering and implementing innovative instructional techniques, methodologies, and delivery systems in response to advances in knowledge and technology. This includes the development of capacity for distance education in these particular areas in which institutions partner with one another to optimize resources in offering high quality distance educational opportunities.

(d) Scientific Instrumentation for Teaching.

The purpose of this strategy is to provide students in science-oriented courses the necessary experience with suitable, up-to-date equipment in order to involve them in work central to scientific understanding and progress. Proposals may emphasize, but are not limited to: acquiring new, state-of-the-art instructional laboratory and other classroom equipment to help assure the achievement and maintenance of outstanding food and agricultural sciences higher education programs; upgrading existing equipment;

or replacing non-functional or clearly obsolete equipment.

(e) Student Experiential Learning.

The purpose of this strategy is to further the development of student scientific and professional competencies through experiential learning programs outside the formal classroom that provide students with opportunities to solve complex problems in the context of real-world situations. Proposals may emphasize knowledge and applications that provide student graduates with skills desired by employees, but are not limited to:

preparing future graduates to advance knowledge and technology, enhancing quality of life, conserving resources, and revitalizing the Nation's economic competitiveness;

advancing student decision-making and communication skills; and improving real-life technological expertise. Applicants are encouraged to find a USDA agency, non-profit, and/or private sector organization to assist in the development of these student experiential learning activities, including international experiences.

(f) Student Recruitment and Retention The purpose of this strategy is to strengthen student recruitment and retention programs in order to promote and strengthen the Nation's scientific, professional, and technical work force in the food and agricultural sciences. Proposals may emphasize, but are not limited to: supplementing efforts to attract increased numbers of outstanding academic underrepresented students to prepare for careers as food and agricultural scientists, professionals, and technicians; promoting opportunities for students from Hispanic- Serving Institutions to engage in a robust exchange of ideas and a more effective use of the full breadth of the Nation's intellectual resources; or mentoring programs and other initiatives (including financial assistance) to attract and retain outstanding students.

Strengthening project applicants may request funding (up to $25,000) to provide financial assistance to one student beyond their participation in the project that will address this purpose.

3. Student Eligibility

Each student recipient must be enrolled at an eligible institution and meet the requirement of an "eligible participant" as defined in the definitions section of this solicitation. The following criteria must be taken into consideration when selecting scholarship recipients:

• Be a citizen or national of the United States, as defined in the definition section;

• Must be attending a public or other non-profit Hispanic-Serving Institution as defined in the definitions section of this RFA;

• Leadership activities and community service;

• Desire to pursue a career at USDA or in food and agricultural sciences;

• Major related to the food and agricultural sciences;

• Participation in HSI's Education Grants Program Activities;

• G.P.A.;

• Essay indicating interest in food and agricultural sciences; and

• Potential for adding diversity.

A student earning a two-year degree could be sponsored to complete a four-year degree or a student earning a four-year degree could be sponsored to complete a master's degree. The student should be selected within the first 18 months of the award and encouraged to complete funded schoolwork within 54 months of the initial award date (4.5 years). Two-year colleges must have an articulation agreement allowing the student to complete a bachelor’s or professional degree at the selected granting institution.

4. Disciplines and Subject Matter Areas Supported

In the FY 2014 Farm Bill, USDA and NIFA will continue to be committed to identifying and meeting research, education, and extension priorities in the following six discipline areas:

1. Plant Health and Production and Plant Products – Plant systems

2. Animal Health and Production and Animal Products - Animal systems

3. Food Safety, Nutrition, and Health - Nutrition, food safety and quality, and health

4. Renewable Energy, Natural Resources, and Environment – Natural resources and environment

5. Agriculture Systems and Technology - Engineering products and processes

6. Agriculture Economics and Rural Communities – Markets, trade and policy

Eligible institutions may, within the Educational Need Area targeted for support, propose projects in any discipline(s) or subject matter area(s) of the food, agriculture, natural resources or human sciences. According to Section 1404(9) of NARETPA as amended by Section 7101 of Public Law 110-246, the term "food and agricultural sciences" means basic, applied, and developmental teaching activities in food and fiber, agricultural, renewable energy and natural resources, forestry, and physical and social sciences, or rural economic, community, or business development including activities relating to the following: (1) Animal health, production, and well-being; (2) Plant health and production; (3) Animal and plant germ plasm collection and preservation; (4) Aquaculture; (5) Food safety; (6) Soil and water conservation and improvement;

(7) Forestry, horticulture, and range management; (8) Nutritional sciences and promotion; (9) Farm enhancement, including financial management, input efficiency, and profitability; (10) Home economics; (11) Rural human ecology; (12) Youth development and agricultural education, including 4–H clubs; (13) Expansion of domestic and international markets for agricultural commodities and products, including agricultural trade barrier identification and analysis; (14) Information management and technology transfer related to agriculture; (15) Biotechnology related to agriculture; and (16) The processing, distributing, marketing, and utilization of food and agricultural products.

5. Levels of Study Supported Applications must be directed to formal, for-credit academic programs at the undergraduate and/or graduate levels of study.

6. Institutional Collaboration Applicants are encouraged to collaborate with a USDA agency. USDA agencies are listed below:

Farm Service Agency (FSA); Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS); Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS); Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS); Rural Development Agency (RD); the Food and Nutrition Service (FNS); Economic Research Service (ERS); Forest Service (FS); Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyard Administration (GIPSA); Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS); Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS); Risk Management Agency (RMA); Agricultural Research Service (ARS);

and the National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) to leverage grant funds and/or contribute towards overall goals and objectives.

Examples of collaborative activities with USDA could include but are not limited to internships, USDA Career Days, Hispanic-Serving Institution student visits or tours, and USDA staff presentations to students and faculty. The USDA Office of Human Capital Management has identified 20 Mission Critical Occupations (MCO’s) in its FY 2008 Federal Equal Opportunity Recruitment Program Plan. Using this information the HSI Education Grant Program encourages collaboration on food, agriculture, natural resources and human science fields, which are primarily the top fifteen occupations listed below:

1. Forestry Technician

2. General Biological Scientists

3. Biological Science Technician

4. Soil Conservation Specialist

5. Soil Conservation Technician

6. Forestry Specialist

7. Dietician and Nutritionist Specialist

8. Consumer Safety Specialist

9. Soil Science Specialist

10. Veterinary Medical Officer

11. General Business and Industry

12. Statistician Specialist

13. Consumer Safety Inspection

14. Food Inspection Specialist

15. Agricultural Commodity Grader

All projects are also required to provide opportunities for Leadership Skills Development. The development of leadership skills, knowledge and qualities are necessary for preparing students for agricultural related careers in private sector, government and academia. Applications must demonstrably incorporate a leadership development component to ensure that students are equipped with both technical and leadership abilities upon graduation.

Specific activities may include:

• Developing practical applications to increase understanding of leadership roles, including critical thinking, problem solving, and communication skills, ethics and professionalism, and working in teams,

• Connecting the academic classroom experience with daily leadership roles and organizational activities,

• Providing opportunities for mentoring and shadowing, and

• Organizing leadership academies, workshops, trainings, etc.

PART II—AWARD INFORMATION

A. Available Funding

The amount available for support of this program in FY 2015 is approximately $9.2 million. The funds will be awarded through a grant. 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://fms.treas.gov/index1.html.

B. Types of Applications

In FY 2015, applications may be submitted to the HSI Program as one of the following two types of requests:

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

2. Resubmitted application. This is an application that had previously been submitted to the HSI Program but not funded. Project Directors (PDs) must respond to the previous review panel summary (See Response 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 the area to which they are assigned, and will be reviewed according to the same evaluation criteria as new applications. Applications that do not address comments from previous reviewers in an attachment will not be accepted or considered for funding.

Important References

As you prepare your application, please refer to the following three references:

• In order to address the shortage of the agriculture workforce, particularly from underrepresented groups, a useful guide for applicants is the NRC report on the “New Biology for the 21st Century” (http://www.nap.edu/catalog/12764.html).

• For supporting their proposal and improving their project, applicants are also strongly encouraged to refer to the recommendations for change from the National Academy of Science 2009 report entitled, Transforming Agricultural Education for a Changing World. This report recommends that academic institutions with undergraduate programs in agriculture implement the following nine steps to better meet the needs of students, employers, and the broader society. These recommendations are:

o Implement Strategic Planning;

o Broaden Treatment of Agriculture in the Overall Curriculum;

http://fms.treas.gov/index1.html http://www.nap.edu/catalog/12764.html http://dels.nas.edu/ag_education/recommendations.shtml%23plan http://dels.nas.edu/ag_education/recommendations.shtml%23curr o Broaden the Student Experience;

o Prepare Faculty to Teach Effectively;

o Reward Exemplary Teaching;

o Build Stronger Connections among Institutions;

o Start Early—K-12 Outreach;

o Build Strategic Partnerships; and o Focus Reviews of Undergraduate Programs in Agriculture.

For information on the full report, please refer to http://dels.nas.edu/ag_education/report.shtml and click on recommendations.

• Also refer to a 2009 whitepaper on Human Capacity Development prepared by the

Academic Programs Section of the Association of Public and Land Grant Universities.

Copies of the whitepaper 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

C. Grant Types

Only Education projects will be accepted for funding in FY 2015.

There are three grant types: Strengthening, Standard, and Collaboration. Approximately one-third of the funds available will be used to fund Strengthening projects. The intent of the projects is to build capacity at participating institutions and to promote collaboration, open communication, the exchange of information, and the development of resources that accelerate education of underrepresented students.

Activities supported should better position the institution(s) involved to engage on its (their) role as a Hispanic-Serving Institution and reach out to the current or potential underrepresented student population. Applicants must describe in the budget narrative how these funds will be allocated. Projects with budget requests exceeding the budgetary guidelines will not be reviewed.

1. Strengthening Project for this program may be submitted by a single Hispanic-Serving Institution (two or 4-year degree granting College or University), a set of Hispanic-serving Institutions, or a Hispanic-Serving Institution as a lead working with other non-Hispanic-Serving Institutions. The lead institution must be an HSI. These funds are expected to enhance institutional capacity with the goal of leading to future funding in the project area, as well as strengthen the competitiveness of the applicant’s education activities. The educational activities should be designed to: (1) increase the pool of highly-qualified underrepresented students in professional careers in the food and agricultural sciences and USDA’s workforce; (2) make more state-of the-art scientific knowledge readily available to the Hispanic-Serving Institutions; (3) provide technical and financial assistance through grant and scholarship programs to recruit and retain talented students and faculty; and (4) provide support for utilizing and developing the professional faculty and staff as a source of expertise deemed important.

http://dels.nas.edu/ag_education/recommendations.shtml%23stud http://dels.nas.edu/ag_education/recommendations.shtml%23prep http://dels.nas.edu/ag_education/recommendations.shtml%23teach http://dels.nas.edu/ag_education/recommendations.shtml%23connect http://dels.nas.edu/ag_education/recommendations.shtml%23early http://dels.nas.edu/ag_education/recommendations.shtml%23partner http://dels.nas.edu/ag_education/recommendations.shtml%23review http://dels.nas.edu/ag_education/report.shtml http://www.aplu.org/NetCommunity/Document.Doc?id=1639

2. Standard Project is a project in which a group of up to three Hispanic-Serving Institutions form a bridging arrangement for the purpose of carrying out common objective(s) on the group’s behalf in order to promote and strengthen their abilities to carry out higher education programs related to the food, agricultural, and natural resources and human sciences. Grants are designed to help institutions develop competitive projects, and to attract new students into careers in high-priority areas of national need. These institutions will work together to support fifteen undergraduate and ten graduate students from underrepresented groups to complete Baccalaureate, and MS or PhDs when applicable in the disciplines and subject matter areas supported. Each project will recruit, retain, and graduate at least 25 students in a discipline (or closely aligned field) at the baccalaureate or graduate level.

3. Collaboration is an application from four or more Hispanic-Serving Institutions that will build linkages to generate a critical mass of expertise to address an activity focused to carry out higher education programs related to the food, agricultural, and natural resources and human sciences. Projects that assemble critical mass of expertise to enhance education programs on NIFA Priority Areas (see Part I B, above) with the goal of leading to larger integrated funding applications in the future is encouraged. A successful collaborative project that builds linkages to generate critical mass of expertise is expected to increase cost effectiveness, achieve economies of scale, strengthen the scope and quality of a project’s impact, and reach a larger number of institutions and students. Awards will be made based on funding available for FY 2015.

Collaboration projects will fund and conduct recruitment activities to select 50 students (44 B.S., 5 M.S., and 1Ph.D.) interested in food, agriculture, natural resources and human sciences.

In addition, applicants could apply for a one time conference funds to support a meeting that will bring together HSIs educators, scientists, and administrators to identify education needs, best practices, or advance an area of science. These supplemental funds are not expected to exceed $50,000 for one conference and are not renewable. Indirect costs are not permitted on conference supplements.

Standard and Collaboration Projects shall:

• Seek to bring together a team of HSIs to develop and implement a Hispanic-serving initiative to recruit, retain, and support undergraduate and graduate students from underrepresented groups.

• Aim to coordinate efforts and integrate activities among individuals, institutions, states, and regions. Applications should clearly articulate how a Standard or Collaboration award will complement and/or link with existing programs or projects to make a significant impact on the education of underrepresented students. Fund and conduct recruitment activities to select at least 25 students interested in careers in food, agriculture, natural resources and human sciences. Include a K-12 outreach and recruitment component supporting the development of a student pipeline.

• Track students and document student progress to show 90 percent retention until graduation.

• Recruit an advisory board, including a minimum of five representatives from different institutions that have doctoral programs on the field selected.

• Applications shall include summer programs for screening potential undergraduate or graduate students and enroll them in an agriculture related program that includes completion of a degree.

• Negotiate summer paid internships off campus with USDA/affiliate agency each summer and document efforts and results or local non-profit organizations serving the food and agriculture community and use existing student programs available.

• The intent of the Standard and Collaboration projects is to build capacity at participating institutions and to promote collaboration, open communication, the exchange of information, and the development of resources that accelerate education of underrepresented students.

• Encourage more effective partnerships and reduce duplication of efforts among participating academic institutions;

• Develop an advisory board that includes at least 5 members from different graduate programs on the discipline.

• Leverage funding to maximize the number of students participating in the project;

• Document measurable impacts and target audiences;

• Develop a project website with information on the students funded;

• Work with USDA to develop a plan for Summer Internship placement;

• Assist participating students to develop a resume;

• Hold USDA internship application workshops for students twice a year;

• Participate on a meta-analysis for collaboration proposals. Request and receive

Institutional Research Board (IRB) approval.

• This grant program also supports the goals and objectives of the “100,000 Strong” study abroad initiatives (http://100kstrong.org; http://www.100kstrongamericas.org), and grant applicants may consider the same in their applications.

Guidance for undergraduate and graduate student’s activities:

• Cross-institutional and multi-disciplinary exchanges that will give graduate students brief exposure to work at a collaborating institution and a new team;

• Summer internships (or research/extension experience) opportunities that provide actual field work for undergraduate students;

• Opportunities to serve as institutional ambassadors to recruit other students into their programs;

• At both the undergraduate and graduate levels, curricula and training should incorporate the principles of professionalism and professional ethics.

• A degree-appropriate understanding of the scientific method, experiment design and methods, analyzing, interpreting, and communicating data;

• General communication skills; international experience leading to an understanding of the global and societal aspects.

• Lead to measurable, documented changes in learning, actions, or conditions; and

• Provide academic guidance and tutoring as required as well as an internship search.

• Include in the application travel support for four students to attend professional conferences and make presentations.

• Assist students to maintain academic good standing of a 3.0 GPA or higher with a minimum of 15 credit hours a semester as an undergraduate.

• Provide assigned Faculty (compensated) mentoring.

• Provide students the opportunity to engage in research with faculty.

• Recruit students to replace any drop outs and meet the minimum students’ goal.

http://100kstrong.org/ http://www.100kstrongamericas.org/

Collect student letter of commitment stating expectation for reimbursement if they do not fulfill the requirements of their program participation.

Application Submission Limitations

For the FY 2015 program, an applicant may not submit as a lead institution more than four Strengthening applications, two Standard applications, and two Collaboration application. Only two awards will be made to an institution as a lead. Only one Standard and Collaboration application will be funded per institution.

Individually accredited institutions can only participate in two Standard applications.

Individually accredited institutions can only participate in one Collaboration application.

Project Duration

No project may be active for longer than five (5) years, including no-cost extensions.

a. Strengthening Project will be fully funded for durations of 48 months.

b. Standard Projects will be funded for 12 months and up to $250,000 per year with the opportunity for renewal for three additional years at a similar level, for a maximum of four years or $1,000,000, based on the availability of funds for this purpose and the projects’ previous performance.

c. Collaboration Projects will be funded for 12 months and up to $500,000 per year, including indirect costs, with the opportunity for renewal for three additional years at a similar level, for a total of four years and $2,000,000, based on availability of funds and previous performance.

Award Size

The award size varies by type of project as follows:

a. Strengthening Project. An applicant may request up to $250,000 (total, not per year) for a Strengthening Project. Additional funds up to $25,000 may be requested by the applicant to take advantage of their position as an HSI to recruit and support one outstanding student. Therefore, the total or maximum for a Strengthening grant award size is $275,000, including indirect costs.

Applicants must describe in the budget narrative how these funds will be allocated. Note that the funds requested do not have to be divided equally between institutions or among project years.

We expect to fund about 12 Strengthening proposals, depending on funding availability.

b. Standard Projects. Standard Projects will not exceed $250,000 per year for each of the 4 years totaling up to $1,000,000, including indirect costs, if funded for 4 years. Applicants must describe in the budget narrative how these funds will be allocated to the participating HSIs.

Grantees will have the opportunity for renewal at a similar level based on the availability of funds and the project’s previous year performance towards the accomplishment of specified timelines and outcomes. We expect to fund about 7 Standard proposals, depending on funding availability.

c. Collaboration Projects. Collaboration proposals will be funded up to $500,000 per year for up to four years and will require the participation of at least four HSIs. Grantees will have the opportunity for renewal at a similar level based on the availability of funds and the project’s previous year performance towards the accomplishment of specified timelines and outcomes.

We expect to fund about seven Collaboration proposals, depending on the availability of funds.

Distribution of funds among participating members will be decided by the applicants.

Subcontract Arrangements. If it will be necessary to enter into a formal subcontract agreement with another institution, financial arrangements must be detailed in the “R&R Sub-award Budget Attachment(s) Form.” Annual and cumulative budgets and a cumulative budget justification are required for each subcontract agreement. Refer to Part V, 8. of the NIFA Grants.gov Application Guide for instructions on completing this form. A Letter of Commitment signed by the Authorized Representative of the subcontracting institution is also required.

D. Responsible and Ethical Conduct of Research

The responsible and ethical conduct of research (RCR) is critical for excellence, as well as public trust, in science and engineering. Consequently, we consider education in RCR essential to the preparation of future scientists. In accordance with sections 2, 3, and 8 of 2 CFR Part 422, institutions that conduct USDA-funded extramural research must foster an atmosphere conducive to research integrity, bear primary responsibility for prevention and detection of research misconduct, and maintain and effectively communicate and train their staff regarding policies and procedures. In the event an application to NIFA results in an award, the Authorized Representative (AR) assures, through acceptance of the award that the institution will comply with the above requirements. Per award terms and conditions, grant recipients shall, upon request, make available to NIFA the policies, procedures, and documentation to support the conduct of the training.

Note that the training referred to herein shall be either on-campus or off-campus training. The general content of the ethics training will, at a minimum, emphasize three key areas of research ethics: authorship and plagiarism, data and research integration, and reporting misconduct. Each institution will be responsible for developing its own training system, as schools will need flexibility to develop training tailored to their specific student needs. Grantees should consider the Collaborative Institutional Training Initiative (CITI) program for RCR (https://www.citiprogram.org/rcrpage.asp). Typically this RCR education addresses the topics of:

Data Acquisition and Management - collection, accuracy, security, access; Authorship and Publication; Peer Review; Mentor/Trainee Responsibilities; Collaboration; Conflict of Interest;

Research Misconduct; Human Subject Research; and Use of Animals in Research.

https://www.citiprogram.org/rcrpage.asp

PART III—ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION

A. Eligible Applicants

Awards may only be made to public or other non-profit Hispanic-Serving Institutions as defined in the definitions section of this RFA. To be eligible for competitive consideration for an award under this program, a Hispanic-Serving Institution must at the time of application certify that it has an enrollment of undergraduate full-time equivalent students that is at least 25 percent Hispanic students. By submitting an application, the applicant organization certifies that it is eligible to receive funding under this program.

If an institution cannot accept Federal funds directly, it must submit a letter stating that it will accept the award, but that funds must be administered through a fiscal agent organization. This agent must be identified in the letter from the applicant and the letter must be countersigned by an authorized representative of the fiscal agent organization. The letter should include the fiscal agent’s point of contact, address, telephone number, fax number and e-mail address. Both the fiscal agent organization and the applicant school or institution must submit complete organizational management information (see Part V, D.).

Nevertheless, the legal recipient of the award must be a Hispanic-Serving Institution.

(Submission of fiscal agent information (above) is not requested now, but will be required, before an award is made.) An applicant’s failure to meet an eligibility criterion by the time of an application deadline may result in the application being excluded from consideration or, even though an application may be reviewed, will preclude NIFA from making an award.

1. Branch Institutions

For the purposes of this program, the individual branches of a State university system or public system of higher education that are separately accredited as degree granting institutions are treated as separate institutions eligible for awards. Accreditation must be by an agency or association recognized by the Secretary, U.S. Department of Education. Institutions also must be legally authorized to offer at least a two-year program of study creditable toward an associate’s or bachelor’s degree. Separate branches or campuses of a college or university that are not individually accredited as degree granting institutions are not treated as separate institutions.

2. Subcontracts

Award recipients may subcontract to organizations not eligible to apply provided such organizations are necessary for the conduct of the project. Budget for subcontractors must be included with the corresponding budget narrative.

B. Cost Sharing or Matching

In accordance with section 1492 of the National Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching Policy Act of 1977 (7 U.S.C. 3371), as added by section 7128 of the Agricultural Act of 2014 (Pub. L. 113-79), for grants awarded after October 1, 2015, the recipient of an award from the HSI program must provide funds, in-kind contributions, or a combination of both, from sources other than funds provided through such grant in an amount that is at least equal to the amount awarded by NIFA. The matching funds requirement does not apply to grants awarded:

1. To a research agency of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA); or

2. To an entity eligible to receive funds under a capacity and infrastructure program

(as defined in section 251(f)(1)(C) of the Department of Agriculture Reorganization Act of 1994, 7 U.S.C. 6971(f)(1)(C)), including a partner (see Part VIII, E. Definitions for definition of partnership) of such an entity.

Entities eligible to receive funds under a capacity and infrastructure program and exempt from the matching funds requirement include:

a. 1862 Land-grant Institutions, including State Agricultural Experiment

Stations receiving funding under the Hatch Act of 1887

b. 1890 Land-grant Institutions

c. 1994 Land-grant Institutions

d. Recipients of Continuing Animal Health and Disease, Food Security, and

Stewardship Research, Education, and Extension Program Funds — Capacity and Infrastructure Program (CIP)

e. Hispanic-Serving Agricultural Colleges and Universities (HSACU)

f. Insular Area Schools Eligible to Receive Funds from the Distance

Education/Resident Instruction Grant Programs

g. Recipients of McIntire-Stennis Cooperative Forestry Program Funds

h. Non-Land Grant Colleges of Agriculture (NLGCA) – (for exemption from the new matching requirement, these applications must include NLGCA certification, see instructions for requesting certification at http://www.nifa.usda.gov/form/form.html, and for attaching the certification in Part IV, C. of this RFA)

i. Recipients of funds under a program established under section 1417(b) of the National Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching Policy Act of 1977 (7 U.S.C. 3152(b)), including: (1) 1890 Institution Teaching, Research, and Extension Capacity Building Grants Program; (2) Higher Education Challenge Grants Program; (3) Higher Education Multicultural Scholars Program; and (4) Food and Agricultural Sciences National Needs Graduate and Postgraduate Fellowship Grants Program

j. Individual public or private, nonprofit Alaska Native-Serving and Native Hawaiian-Serving Institutions of higher education (see 20 U.S.C. 1059d).

A proposal submitted in response to this RFA may indicate that the work will be completed by multiple entities as a collaborative partnership. All partners must have a substantial involvement in the project throughout the life of the project. If a partnership among multiple entities is proposed, the proposal must clearly identify the following:

1) A narrative of each entity’s clearly established role in the project;

2) How each entity involved as a partner on the project will contribute to execution of project objectives, determination of experimental design, development of the http://www.nifa.usda.gov/form/form.html project work plan and time table, and submission of collaborative, timely reports;

and

3) A comprehensive project budget that reflects each entity’s financial or third party in-kind contribution (see section 2 of 7 CFR 3430 or section 96 of 2 CFR part200) to the total project budget costs.

If a proposal indicates that the work on the project will be completed by multiple entities as partners, and at least one entity is exempt from the matching requirement under #2 above, the entire project will be exempt from the matching requirement regardless of whether all entities involved are otherwise exempt. Any partner entity can serve as the lead entity on the project. All partners must be significantly involved in the project.

After proposals have been recommended for award, NIFA will determine if the submitted proposal and proposed division of work reflects substantial involvement of all entities involved. If a proposal is recommended for award to a lead entity not otherwise exempt from the matching requirement and the proposal does not reflect substantial involvement of at least one partner that is exempt under #2 above, then the matching requirement will apply. Exemption from the matching requirement for an entity not otherwise exempt is limited to the project for which it is a partner.

Waiver of Match - NIFA may waive the matching funds requirement for a recipient for one year with respect to a competitive grant that involves research or extension activities that are consistent with the priorities established by the National Agricultural Research, Education, Extension and Economics Advisory Board for the year involved. To determine whether proposed activities are consistent with the priorities of the NAREEEAB, please refer to the 2014 Research, Education and Economics Action Plan.

Instructions for requesting a waiver are included in Part IV, C. of this RFA.

http://www.ree.usda.gov/ree/news/USDA_REE_Action_Plan_03-2014.pdf

PART IV—APPLICATION AND SUBMISSION INFORMATION

A. Electronic Application Package Only electronic applications may be submitted via Grants.gov to NIFA in…