15-organic transitions to post.pdf

Integrated Research, Education, and Extension Competitive Grants Program – Organic Transitions

2015 Request for Applications

APPLICATION DEADLINE: April 16, 2015

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

AGRICULTURE

ORGANIC TRANSITIONS

INITIAL ANNOUNCEMENT

CATALOG OF FEDERAL DOMESTIC ASSISTANCE: This program is listed in the Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance under 10.303.

DATES: Notification of Intent to Submit (NOI) emails are due by 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time on March 26, 2015. Applications must be received by 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time on April 16, 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 Organic Transitions RFA.

As part of the National Institute of Food and Agriculture’s (NIFA) strategy to successfully implement the 2014 Farm Bill, NIFA is soliciting stakeholder input on NIFA’s centers of excellence strategy. Between January and March 2015 NIFA will hold webinars to collect stakeholder input about the centers of excellence strategy in fiscal year (FY) 2015. Upcoming dates for the informational outreach webinars are February 26, 2015 and March 5, 2015, they will also be announced on the NIFA website. The full transcript of the webinars will also be available on the NIFA website. NIFA will also request to receive input through an advertised call-in number, fax and email. All comments and suggestions for the FY 2015 centers of excellence should be received by March 30, 2015.

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: NIFA requests applications for the Integrated Research, Education, and Extension Competitive Grants Program – Organic Transitions (ORG) for fiscal year (FY) 2015 to solve critical organic agriculture issues, priorities, or problems through the integration of research, education, and extension activities in program areas. According to the 2015 Appropriations Bill, H.R. 83, the amount anticipated to be available to support this program in FY 2015 is approximately $4 million.

mailto:Policy@nifa.usda.gov http://www.nifa.usda.gov/ http://www.nifa.usda.gov/

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

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Important Information Regarding Organic Transitions Policies and Procedures

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• Proposals with significant overlap in objectives and scope cannot be submitted to both ORG and OREI (Organic Agriculture Research and Extension Initiative) programs.

• Use the Project Summary template provided by grants.gov. Failure to use the correct format or exceeding the word limit may result in the rejection of the proposal.

• Review of Co-PD roles will be included in project review. Please be clear about Co-PDs vs sub-contractors.

• Proposals must include a data management plan that clearly describes how the data will be disseminated and accessible to the public

Table of Contents

PART I—FUNDING OPPORTUNITY DESCRIPTION

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

PART II—AWARD INFORMATION

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

PART III—ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION

A. Eligible Applicants B. Cost Sharing or Matching C. Multiple Submissions D. Centers of Excellence

PART IV—APPLICATION AND SUBMISSION INFORMATION

A. Notice of Intent to Submit an Application B. Electronic Application Package and Content and Form of Applications Submission C. Content and Form of Application Submission D. Submission Dates and Times E. Funding Restrictions F. Other Submission Requirements

PART V—APPLICATION REVIEW REQUIREMENTS

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

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

Section 406 of the Agricultural Research, Extension, and Education Reform Act of 1998 (AREERA) (7 U.S.C. 7626), as reauthorized by Section 7302 of the Agricultural Act of 2014 (H.R. 2642; Pub.L.113–79), authorized the Secretary of Agriculture to establish a competitive grants program that provides funding for integrated, multifunctional agricultural research, extension, and education activities. Subject to the availability of appropriations to carry out this program, the Secretary may award grants to colleges and universities [as defined by section 1404 of the National Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching Policy Act of 1977 (NARETPA) (7 U.S.C. 3103)], as amended, on a competitive basis for projects that address priorities in United States agriculture and involve integrated research, education, and extension activities, as determined by the Secretary in consultation with the National Agricultural Research, Extension, Education, and Economics Advisory Board (NAREEEAB). The RFA will be developed each fiscal year based on these established priorities and approaches to solving the critical agricultural issues. Section 7206 of the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 amended section 406(b) of AREERA to add the 1994 Land-Grant Institutions as eligible to apply for grants under this authority. Section 7129 of the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 (FCEA) (Pub. L.

110-246) amended section 406(b) of AREERA (7 U.S.C. 7626(b)), adding Hispanic-serving agricultural colleges and universities (HSACU) as eligible entities for competitive funds awarded under this authority (see Part III, A. for more information).

The overall goal of the ORG program is to support the development and implementation of research, extension and higher education programs to improve the competitiveness of organic livestock and crop producers, as well as those who are adopting organic practices. NIFA administers the ORG program by determining priorities in U.S. agriculture through Agency stakeholder input processes in consultation with the NAREEEAB. In FY 2015, ORG will continue to prioritize environmental services provided by organic farming systems in the area of soil conservation, pollinator health, and climate change mitigation, including greenhouse gases (GHG), as well as the development of educational tools for Cooperative Extension personnel and other agricultural professionals who advise producers on organic practices, and the development of cultural practices and other allowable alternatives to substances recommended for removal from the National Organic Program’s National List of Allowed and Prohibited Substances. It is expected that all projects will integrate research, education and extension activities, as appropriate to project goals, although some projects may be weighted more heavily than others in one or more of these areas. However, all proposals should have activities and impact in at least two of these three areas: research, education and extension.

The ORG program directly aligns with USDA Strategic Plan (http://www.usda.gov/documents/usda-strategic-plan-fy-2014-2018.pdf) and specifically addresses Strategic Goal 1 – Assist rural communities to create prosperity so they are self-sustaining, re-populating, and economically thriving, Objective 1.2 – Increase agricultural opportunities by ensuring a robust safety net, creating new markets, and supporting a competitive agricultural system. ORG is aligned with the Research, Education, and Economics Action Plan http://www.usda.gov/documents/usda-strategic-plan-fy-2014-2018.pdf

(http://www.ree.usda.gov/ree/news/USDA_REE_Action_Plan_03-2014.pdf) and specifically addresses: Goal 1 – Sustainable Intensification of Agricultural Production, Subgoals 1A, 1B, 1D (which focus on Crop and Animal Production, Health, Outreach and Markets); Goal 2 - Responding to Climate and Energy Needs, Subgoal 2A (which focuses on Climate Variability);

Goal 3 – Sustainable Use of Natural Resources, Subgoal 3A (which focuses on Water); Goal 5 – Food Safety; Goal 6 – Education and Science Literacy; and Goal 7 – Rural Prosperity/Rural- Urban Interdependence by supporting systems-based research to enhance the sustainability of food production, including environmental, economic, and social factors. ORG is aligned with the NIFA Strategic plan (http://nifa.usda.gov/about/pdfs/strat_plan_2014.pdf ), and specifically addresses Strategic Goal 1 (Science), by advancing our Nation’s ability to achieve global food security and fight hunger (Subgoal 1.1).

B. Program Purpose

The goal of the ORG program is to support the development and implementation of research, extension, and higher education programs to improve the competitiveness of organic livestock and crop producers, as well as those who are adopting organic practices.

In FY 2015, ORG anticipates funding standard Integrated Research, Education, and Extension projects with a project period of 1 to 3 years. Budgets may not exceed $200,000 per year with the total amount awarded not to exceed $500,000. NIFA expects to make a total of seven to eight awards.

Practices and systems to be addressed include those associated with organic crops, organic animal production (including dairy), and organic systems that integrate plant and animal production. Applications are expected to contain descriptions of stakeholder involvement in problem identification, planning, implementation, and evaluation. Applicants are strongly encouraged to assemble project teams that include those with expertise in Research, Education, Extension, and Evaluation and to utilize a systems approach. Projects should plan to deliver applied production information to producers, students, or their information providers, such as Extension agents/educators, agricultural consultants, or college teaching faculty.

C. Program Priorities

Organic agricultural systems and practices provide many environmental services and environmental stewardship is a key principle in organic farming. For example, the use of cover crops, crop rotation, and erosion control; proper manure management; and livestock operation guidelines are cross-compliant with many Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) practice standards. How specific practices and combinations of practices interact in organic systems—including their contributions to conservation outcomes and climate change mitigation potential—is neither well documented nor understood, especially in the case of long-term organic soil management. The most meaningful metrics or models to quantify these services in organic systems are also not clear. A better understanding and documentation of these outcomes will allow for the adjustment of organic practices in order to optimize environmental services and to quantify and document those services in the areas of conservation practices, pollinator health, http://www.ree.usda.gov/ree/news/USDA_REE_Action_Plan_03-2014.pdf http://nifa.usda.gov/about/pdfs/strat_plan_2014.pdf and climate change mitigation, including the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. This information will help farmers better assess the financial benefits and costs of their practices and improve their ability to qualify for current and future incentives in the climate change and environmental markets. This process will also help justify consumer expectations that organically-grown and certified food is produced using the most environmentally-sound and sustainable production practices possible.

To be successful and sustainable, organic agriculture also needs essential ecosystem processes and components, such as biodiversity, to be intact. This requires better understanding and assessment of the contribution of organic agricultural systems to maintaining biodiversity.

However, for organic agriculture to provide these ecosystem benefits, producers need viable crop management tools. The National Organic Program (NOP) maintains a list of management tools, including fertilizers, cultural practices and pesticides, for certified organic growers.

Recommendation for removal of specific tools from the NOP National List of Allowed and Prohibited Substances (www.ams.usda.gov/AMSv1.0/nop) creates the need for research-based alternatives. NOP has specifically requested research directed to finding replacements for these materials, which are critical for many segments of the industry—from producers already certified for organic production to those in transition or considering transition. The NOP National Organic Standards Board (NOSB) maintains a list of research priorities that is updated annually.

2013 priorities: http://www.ams.usda.gov/AMSv1.0/getfile?dDocName=STELPRDC5104964;

2014 Priorities:

http://www.ams.usda.gov/AMSv1.0/getfile?dDocName=STELPRDC5108951Research findings will not have their intended impact on the organic agriculture industry unless they reach—and are adopted by—producers, requiring an aggressive Extension effort. Stakeholders have cited the need for Extension tools to help transitioning producers and their advisors, as few resources are available to guide growers during this critical period.

Priority Areas for FY 2015: Proposals within the Legislative Authority above will be accepted for consideration by panels. In FY 2015, priority will be given to proposals in the following areas (1-4 below):

Priority 1: Documenting and understanding the effects of organic practices such as crop rotation, livestock-crop integration, organic manure, mulch and/or compost additions, cover crops, and reduced or conservation tillage on ecosystem services, greenhouse gas mitigation, and biodiversity. Project examples include:

1) optimizing tillage, cover crop and rotation practices to reduce erosion and increase carbon sequestration during the transition to organic agricultural systems and practices;

2) assessing the environmental, conservation, greenhouse gas emission reduction, and/or climate change mitigation potential of pasture-based organic dairy systems;

3) examining soil dynamics in fields under long-term organic soil management compared to that during the transition;

4) generating data sets on nitrous oxide emissions from organic systems using various sources of nitrogen, rotation practices, and tillage levels; and http://www.ams.usda.gov/AMSv1.0/nop http://www.ams.usda.gov/AMSv1.0/getfile?dDocName=STELPRDC5104964 http://www.ams.usda.gov/AMSv1.0/getfile?dDocName=STELPRDC5108951

5) evaluating the effect of transitioning to organic production on biodiversity, including pollinators.

Priority 2: Improved technologies, methods, model development, and other metrics to document, describe, and optimize the environmental services and climate change mitigation ability of organic farming systems. Project examples include:

1) developing tools that could be used to select an optimal suite of organic practices for a particular farming system;

2) developing better tools to assess the contributions of organic practices in future carbon markets; and

3) comparing estimates of conservation outcomes, environmental services, soil carbon sequestration potential, and/or greenhouse gas mitigation determined by current models during the transition to areas under long-term organic management.

Priority 3: Develop cultural practices and other allowable alternatives to substances recommended for removal from NOP’s National List of Allowed and Prohibited Substances (www.ams.usda.gov/AMSv1.0/nop). This may include effective substitutes or new technologies, cultural practices, cultivars, or breeds that render the substance in question less limiting to production under organic growing conditions. We encourage a systems approach, but will also consider proposals that are narrower in scope.

Priority 4: Barriers to organic transition: Projects under this priority should address major barriers that limit the transition to organic agriculture in a given region or specific crop or animal production systems. The constraint must be identified by growers and other stakeholders. Project examples include:

1) Innovative crop management strategies, including those that limit unintended contamination from genetically engineered material (GMO).

2) Development and validation of new tools (machine, equipment, product) or adaptation of existing technology to address unique issues in organic production.

Important Notes for All Priorities:

1) Fieldwork to set up treatments or collect data on organic practices must be done on certified organic land. Refer to the USDA National Organic Program (www.ams.usda.gov/AMSv1.0/nop) for organic production standards. However, as appropriate to project objectives, comparisons can include land in transition to organic certification and land not managed using organic practices. Similarly, the use of conventional production technologies (including the use of GMOs) for comparative purposes or proof of concept is permissible if cross-contamination with the organic and transitional treatments is prevented.

2) Projects should use combinations of Research, Education, and Extension activities and describe expected outcomes and impacts. All projects must develop and implement an http://www.ams.usda.gov/AMSv1.0/nop http://www.ams.usda.gov/AMSv1.0/nop evaluation plan that captures project outcomes and demonstrates the impact of the project. The evaluation section should describe how the project evaluator or evaluation team will determine whether project goals have been met and if so, their impacts.

Evaluation should be based on benchmarks, indicators, or expected outcomes related to project goals and activities, such that project goals are related to activities and to outputs, outcomes, and impacts (immediate, short-term, and intermediate-term expected changes).

The budget must include adequate resources for project evaluation and evaluation procedures must be adequately described in the methods section.

3) If appropriate, projects should include a plan to ensure continuation of the effort beyond the funding period.

4) Proposals with significant overlap in objectives and scope cannot be submitted to both

ORG and OREI (Organic Agriculture Research and Extension Initiative) programs.

Additional information on the scope of OREI and ORG may be found at the following link: http://www.nifa.usda.gov/nea/plants/pdfs/orei_org_synop_9_2014.pdf http://www.nifa.usda.gov/nea/plants/pdfs/orei_org_synop_9_2014.pdf

PART II—AWARD INFORMATION

A. Available Funding

Pursuant to H.R. 83, the Consolidated and Further Continuing Appropriations Act of 2015 the anticipated amount available to support this program in FY 2015 is approximately $4 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://www.nifa.usda.gov/business/method_of_payment.html.

B. Types of Applications

In FY 2015, applications may be submitted to the ORG 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 Organic Transitions Program. We will review all new applications 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 Organic Transitions 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, and according to the same evaluation criteria.

C. Project Types

ORG anticipates funding standard Integrated Research, Education, and Extension projects with a project period of 1 to 3 years. Budgets may not exceed $200,000 per year with the total amount awarded not to exceed $500,000. NIFA expects to make a total of seven to eight awards.

Integrated projects aim to resolve problems through the application of science-based knowledge and address needs identified by stakeholders. Integrated projects clearly identify anticipated outcomes and have a plan for evaluating and documenting the success of the project. An Integrated Project should include at least two of the three functions of the agricultural knowledge system (Research, Extension, and Education) focused around a problem or issue; however, single-function projects with sufficient justification will be considered. The functions addressed in the project should be interwoven throughout the life of the project, should complement and reinforce each other and should be interdependent and necessary for the success of the project.

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

Starting in FY 2015 Integrated Research, Education, and Extension projects must include a data management plan that clearly describes how the data will be disseminated and accessible to the public.

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

Colleges and universities (as defined in section 1404 of NARETPA) (7 U.S.C. 3103) are eligible to submit applications to the ORG program. Section 1404 of NARETPA was amended by section 7101 of the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 (Public Law 110-246) to define Hispanic-serving Agricultural Colleges and Universities (HSACUs) (defined in 7 CFR 3430, and referred to in Part VIII, E.), and to include research foundations maintained by eligible colleges or universities.

For the purposes of this program, the terms “college” and “university” mean an educational institution in any state which (1) admits as regular students only persons having a certificate of graduation from a school providing secondary education, or the recognized equivalent of such a certificate; (2) is legally authorized within such state to provide a program of education beyond secondary education; (3) provides an educational program for which a bachelor’s degree or any other higher degree is awarded; (4) is a public or other nonprofit institution; and (5) is accredited by a nationally recognized accrediting agency or association. Applications also may be submitted by 1994 Land-Grant Institutions (defined in 7 CFR 3430), HSACUs, and research foundations maintained by eligible colleges or universities. The 2014 Farm Bill required NIFA to establish an ongoing process allowing public colleges and universities that offer 4-year or advanced degrees in the food and agricultural sciences to apply for designation as NLGCA institutions. Hispanic Serving Agricultural Colleges and Universities (HSACUs) are given the opportunity to opt out of their status to be considered for designation as a NLGCA; however, this decision will be binding on them until September 30, 2018.

Pursuant to section 406 of the Agricultural Research, Extension, and Education Reform Act of 1998 (AREERA) (7 U.S.C. 7626) which authorized the Integrated Research, Education, and Extension Competitive Grant Program, all four year Hispanic Serving Institutes (HSIs) are eligible to apply for Integrated Projects as identified in the FY 2015 ORG RFA. Two year HSIs may be eligible to apply only if the institution has been certified as a HSACU for the fiscal year in which funding is being provided. Approximately by January 2015, list of the institutions certified and therefore eligible to apply as HSACUs for grants under FY 2015 RFAs, including this RFA, will be made available at www.nifa.usda.gov/nea/education/in_focus/hispanic_if_hispanic_HSACU.html. Institutions appearing on this list are granted HSACU certification by the Secretary for the period starting October 1, 2014, and ending September 30, 2015. Certifications are valid for FY 2015 only.

Additional questions on HSACU eligibility can be addressed to Lisa DePaolo, Policy Specialist, by email at LDePaolo@nifa.usda.gov or phone at (202) 401-5061.

Award recipients may subcontract to organizations not eligible to apply provided such organizations are necessary for the conduct of the project. Failure to meet an eligibility criterion by the time of application deadline will result in the application being excluded from consideration or, even though an application may be reviewed, will preclude NIFA from making an award.

http://www.nifa.usda.gov/nea/education/in_focus/hispanic_if_hispanic_HSACU.html mailto:LDePaolo@nifa.usda.gov

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, 2014, the recipient of an award from the Organic Transitions 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. Instructions for requesting certification are available 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 http://www.nifa.usda.gov/form/form.html 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 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 part 200) 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 (NAREEEAB) 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.

C. Multiple Submissions

Duplicate, essentially duplicate or predominantly overlapping applications submitted to both ORG and OREI in any one fiscal year will not be reviewed. In addition, applicants may not submit to ORG an application that is considered duplicate, essentially duplicate, or predominantly overlapping with an application submitted to another NIFA program in the same fiscal year.

D. Centers of Excellence

Pursuant to Section 7214 of the Agricultural Act of 2014 (Pub. L. 113-79), beginning in Fiscal Year 2015, for applicable competitive research and extension programs, NIFA will be recognizing and providing priority in the receipt of funding to applications from “centers of http://www.ree.usda.gov/ree/news/USDA_REE_Action_Plan_03-2014.pdf excellence” that have been established for purposes of carrying out research, extension, and education activities relating to the food and agricultural sciences. In July of 2014, NIFA held listening sessions and accepted written comments from stakeholders to inform NIFA’s implementation of the centers of excellence provision. Information from the webinars and a summary of the input gathered are available on NIFA’s website at http://www.nifa.usda.gov/about/offices/legis/cntr_ex_webinar_documents.html.

A center of excellence is composed of 1 or more of the following entities that provide financial or in-kind support to the center of excellence. Therefore, an eligible applicant who wishes to be considered as a center of excellence must be one of the following entities that provides financial or in-kind support to the Center being proposed, as described in the grant application.

(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, foundations, or corporations;

(H) individuals; or

(I) any group consisting of 2 or more of the entities described in (A) through (H).

Only CAP grants and standard grant applicants may be considered for COE designation. See Part IV, C. of this RFA for additional requirements that eligible applicants must meet to be considered a center of excellence.

http://www.nifa.usda.gov/about/offices/legis/cntr_ex_webinar_documents.html

PART IV—APPLICATION AND SUBMISSION INFORMATION

A. Notice of Intent to Submit an Application

Prospective applicants are asked to email a Notice of Intent to Submit an Application by 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time on March 26, 2015. This notification is not required and does not enter into the review of a subsequent application, but will inform the review process. It will not be used for screening for project appropriateness or applicant eligibility, nor will feedback be offered.

This email should include the following information IN THE BODY OF THE EMAIL:

1. Descriptive tentative title of proposed research

2. Name of the Project Director and Applicant Institution name

3. Names of other potential co-Project Directors and their affiliations, if applicable.

Please note all people listed as co-PD or co-PI should be eligible and able to fulfill the role of PD/PI for the project if the need arises.

4. Priority area(s) addressed (see Part I. C. for specific details)

5. Likely type of proposal (resubmission or new)

6. Subject line of email should read: ORG – Intent to Submit

7. E-mail should be sent to organicprograms@nifa.usda.gov

B. Electronic Application Package and Content and Form of Applications Submission

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

We urge you to submit early to the Grants.gov system. For an overview of the Grants.gov application process see http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/grant-application-process.html.

Only materials submitted through grants.gov will be included in the review. Materials such as letter of support, missing components sent by fax, email, or other means will not be included in the review packet.

New Users of Grants.gov

Prior to preparing an application, we recommend that the Project Director/Principal Investigator (PD/PI) first contact an Authorized Representative (AR, also referred to as Authorized Organizational Representative or AOR) to determine if the organization is prepared to submit electronic applications through Grants.gov. If not (e.g., the institution/organization is new to the electronic grant application process through Grants.gov), then the one-time registration process must be completed PRIOR to submitting an application. It can take as long as 2 weeks to complete the registration process so it is critical to begin as soon as possible. In such situations, the AR should go to “Register” in the top right corner of the Grants.gov web page (or go to http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/register.html) for information on registering the institution/organization with Grants.gov. Part II.1. of the NIFA Grants.gov Application Guide contains detailed information regarding the registration process. Refer to item 2 below to locate the “NIFA Grants.gov Application Guide”.

mailto:organicprograms@nifa.usda.gov http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/grant-application-process.html http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/grant-application-process.html http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/register.html

Steps to Obtain Application Package Materials

To receive application materials:

1. You must download and install a version of Adobe Reader compatible with Grants.gov to access, complete, and submit applications. For basic system requirements and download instructions, see http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/support/technical-support/software/adobe-reader-compatibility.html. Grants.gov has a test package that will help you determine whether your current version of Adobe Reader is compatible.

To obtain the application package from Grants.gov, go to http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/apply-for-grants.html. Under Step 1 click on “Download a Grant Application Package,” and enter the funding opportunity number

Funding Opportunity Number: USDA-NIFA-ICGP-004958 in the appropriate box and click “Download Package.” From the search results, click “Download” to access the application package.

Contained within the application package is the “NIFA Grants.gov Application Guide.”

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 you require assistance to access the application package (e.g., downloading or navigating Adobe forms) or submitting the application, refer to resources available on the Grants.gov website (http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/applicant-resources.html). Grants.gov assistance is also available at:

Grants.gov customer support 800-518-4726 Toll-Free or 606-545-5035

Business Hours: 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Closed on federal holidays.

Email: support@grants.gov

Grants.gov iPortal (see https://grants-portal.psc.gov/Welcome.aspx?pt=Grants):

Top 10 requested help topics (FAQs), Searchable knowledge base, self-service ticketing and ticket status, and live web chat (available 7 a.m. - 9 p.m. ET). Get help now!

Have the following information available when contacting Grants.gov:

• Funding Opportunity Number (FON)

• Name of agency you are applying to

• Specific area of concern http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/support/technical-support/software/adobe-reader-compatibility.html http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/support/technical-support/software/adobe-reader-compatibility.html http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/apply-for-grants.html http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/applicant-resources.html http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/applicant-resources.html http://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/snow-dismissal-procedures/federal-holidays/ mailto:support@grants.gov https://grants-portal.psc.gov/Welcome.aspx?pt=Grants https://grants-portal.psc.gov/Welcome.aspx?pt=Grants https://grants-portal.psc.gov/Welcome.aspx?pt=Grants

C. Content and Form of Application Submission

You should prepare electronic applications following Parts V and VI of the NIFA Grants.gov Application Guide. This guide is part of the corresponding application package (see Section A.

of this Part). The following is additional information needed 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., PDF) in Part III section 3. of the guide. ANY PROPOSALS THAT ARE NON-COMPLIANT WITH THE REQUIREMENTS (e.g., content format, PDF file format, file name restrictions, and no password protected files) WILL BE AT RISK OF BEING EXCLUDED FROM NIFA REVIEW. Partial applications will be excluded from NIFA review. We will accept subsequent submissions of an application until close of business on the closing date in the RFA (see Part V, 2.1 of the NIFA Grants.gov Application Guide for further information).

For any questions related to the preparation of an application, review the NIFA Grants.gov Application Guide and the applicable RFA. If assistance is still needed for preparing application forms content, contact:

• Email: electronic@nifa.usda.gov

• Phone: 202-401-5048

• Business hours: Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. – 5 p.m. ET, excluding federal holidays.

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.

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 NIFA Grants.gov Application Guide.

3. R&R Other Project Information Form Information related to the questions on this form is dealt with in detail in Part V, 4. of the NIFA Grants.gov Application Guide.

a. Field 7. Project Summary/Abstract. The summary should also include the relevance of the project to the goals of ORG. See Part V. 4.7 of NIFA Grants.gov Application Guide for further instructions and a link to a suggested template. The program recommends using the Project Summary template provided by grants.gov. Failure to use the correct format or exceeding the word limit may result in the rejection of the proposal.

b. Field 8. Project Narrative.

PLEASE NOTE: The Project Narrative shall not exceed 20 pages of written text, figures, and tables regardless of whether it is single- or double-spaced. This maximum (20 pages) has been mailto:electronic@nifa.usda.gov established to ensure fair and equitable competition. The Project Narrative must include all of the following:

(a) Response to the previous panel review: An application with substantive similarities to a prior, unsuccessful project should be presented as a resubmission. Resubmitted applications must provide a detailed response to the previous panel review. The response should be as concise as possible, but there is no limit to the number of pages that may be submitted. The response to the previous review is not counted against the page limit of the Project Narrative. A NIFA-issued proposal number must be included in the response to the previous review.

(b) Introduction: Include a clear statement of the long-term goals and supporting objectives of the proposed activities. Summarize the body of knowledge or past activities substantiating the need for the proposed project. Describe ongoing or recently completed significant activities related to the proposed activity, including the work of key project personnel. Include preliminary data/information pertinent to the proposed project. In addition, include in-depth information on the following, when applicable:

(1) Estimates of the magnitude of the issues and their relevance to stakeholders and to ongoing state-federal food and agricultural Research, Education, and Extension programs;

(2) Description of the role stakeholders, including end users, play in problem identification, planning, and implementation and evaluation as appropriate; and

(3) Reasons for performing the work at the proposing institution.

(c) Objectives: Include clear, concise, complete, and logically arranged statements of specific aims of the proposed effort, including the suitability of scale and transferability of project results or developed materials beyond the project scale. Projects must include specific objectives for Research, Education, and Extension functions (as appropriate); include evidence of necessary involvement from interdisciplinary teams; and demonstrate the extent to which partnerships with other institutions (federal, state, other) are developed.

(d) Methods: Explicitly state the procedures or methods to be applied to the proposed effort.

Include, but do not necessarily limit to:

(1) Description of how the project will solicit and use stakeholder involvement;

(2) Description of the proposed project activities and the sequence in which they are to be carried out;

(3) Review of Co-PD roles will be included in project review. Please be clear about Co-PDs vs sub-contractors.

(4) Techniques and methodology to be employed in the project, including their feasibility and rationale;

(5) Results expected within a reasonable time frame;

(6) How you will monitor and evaluate (as appropriate) Research, Extension, and Education activities;

(7) How you will analyze and interpret data;

(8) Limitations to proposed procedures;

(9) Pitfalls that might be encountered;

(10) Suitability of scale and transferability of project results or developed materials beyond the project scale;

(11) Details of plans to communicate results to stakeholders and the public; and

(12) Plan to sustain activities beyond this funding period

(e) Project Timetable: Outline all important phases as a function of time, year-by-year, for the entire project, including periods beyond the grant funding period. Include specific, measurable goals or projected accomplishments for each year of ORG funding and expected impacts or outcomes of the work.

Center of Excellence Justification

Applicants who wish to be considered as centers of excellence must provide a brief justification statement, as part of their Project Narratives and within the page limits provided, describing how they meet the standards of a center of excellence, based on the following criteria:

(A) the ability of the center of excellence to ensure coordination and cost effectiveness by reducing unnecessarily duplicative efforts regarding research, teaching, and extension in the implementation of the proposed research and/or extension activity outlined in this application;

(B) in addition to any applicable matching requirements, the ability of the center of excellence to leverage available resources by using public-private partnerships among agricultural industry groups, institutions of higher education, and the Federal Government in the implementation of the proposed research and/or extension activity outlined in this application.

Resources leveraged should be commensurate with the size of the award;

(C) the planned scope and capability of the center of excellence to implement teaching initiatives to increase awareness and effectively disseminate solutions to target audiences through extension activities in the implementation of the proposed research and/or extension activity outlined in this application; and

(D) the ability or capacity of the center of excellence to increase the economic returns to rural communities by identifying, attracting, and directing funds to high-priority agricultural issues in support of and as a result of the implementation of the proposed research and/or extension activity outlined in this application.

Additionally, where practicable (not required), center of excellence applicants should describe proposed efforts to improve teaching capacity and infrastructure at colleges and universities (including land-grant colleges and universities, cooperating forestry schools, certified Non-Land Grant Colleges of Agriculture (NLGCA) (list of certified NLGCA is available at http://www.nifa.usda.gov/funding/pdfs/nlgca_colleges.pdf), and schools of veterinary medicine).

c. Field 12. Other Attachments.

Non-Land Grant College of Agriculture (NLGCA) Certification. PDF Attachment. Applicants claiming exemption from the new matching requirement as NLGCA, must attach the NLGCA certification letter they requested and received from NIFA. Title the attachment 'NLGCA Certification' and save file as 'NLGCACertification'. To request certification as an NLGCA, complete the form at http://www.nifa.usda.gov/form/form.html. Note that certification can take up to 30 days from submission of request form.

4. R&R Senior/Key Person Profile (Expanded) Information related to the questions on this form is dealt with in detail in Part V, 5. of the NIFA Grants.gov Application Guide. This section of the Guide includes information about the people who require a Senior/Key Person Profile, and details about the Biographical Sketch and the Current and Pending Support, including a link to a suggested…