19_Veterinary_35.pdf

Veterinary Services Grant Program (VSGP)

FY 2019 Request for Applications (RFA)

APPLICATION DEADLINE: May 29th, 2019

ELIGIBILITY: See Part III, A of RFA

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

AGRICULTURE

VETERINARY SERVICES GRANT PROGRAM

INITIAL ANNOUNCEMENT

CATALOG OF FEDERAL DOMESTIC ASSISTANCE: This program is listed in the Assistance Listings under the Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance number 10.336.

DATES: Applications must be received by 5 p.m. Eastern Time on May 29th, 2019.

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 six months from the issuance of this notice. Comments received after that date will be considered to the extent practicable.

STAKEHOLDER INPUT: We at the National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) seek your comments about this RFA. We will consider your 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 your written stakeholder comments by the deadline set forth in the DATES portion of this notice via email to Policy@nifa.usda.gov. (This email address is only for receiving comments regarding this RFA and not for requesting information or forms.) In your comments, please state that you are responding to the Veterinary Services Grant Program RFA.

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: NIFA requests applications for the Veterinary Services Grant Program (VSGP) for fiscal year (FY) 2019 to develop, implement and sustain veterinary services and relieve veterinarian shortage situations in the United States and U.S. Insular Areas.

The anticipated amount available for grants in FY 2019 is approximately $3 million.

This notice identifies the objectives for VSGP projects, deadline dates, funding information, eligibility criteria for projects and applicants, and application forms and associated instructions needed to apply for a VSGP.

Please visit the VSGP webpage for information on applicant webinars.

mailto:Policy@nifa.usda.gov https://nifa.usda.gov/program/veterinary-services-grant-program

Table of Contents

PART I—FUNDING OPPORTUNITY DESCRIPTION

B. Purpose and 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

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 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. Use of Funds; Changes

2. Changes in Budget or Project Plans B. Confidential Aspects of Applications and Awards C. Regulatory Information D. Definitions E. Materials Available on the Internet

PART I—FUNDING OPPORTUNITY DESCRIPTION

A. Legislative Authority

Section 7104 of the 2014 Farm Bill (P.L. 113-79) added section 1415B to the National Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching Policy Act of 1977 (NARETPA), as amended, (7 U.S.C. 3151b) to establish the Veterinary Services Grant Program (VSGP). This amendment authorizes the Secretary of Agriculture to make competitive grants to qualified entities and individual veterinarians that carry out programs in veterinarian shortage situations and for the purpose of developing, implementing, and sustaining veterinary services. The first funding for the VSGP was included in the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2016 (P.L. 114-113).

B. Purpose and Priorities

Veterinarians play significant roles in assuring food and fiber animal health and wellbeing, food safety and security, public health, and producer profitability, especially in rural areas of the U.S.

where most livestock production occurs. The VSGP, and companion Veterinary Medicine Loan Repayment Program (VMLRP) authorized by the National Veterinary Medical Services Act (NVMSA), were born out of concerns that long-term maldistributions in the veterinary workforce have left some rural communities with insufficient access to livestock veterinary services. By appropriating funds in FY 2005 to implement the NVMSA (previously authorized in 2003), Congress sought to lessen one cause of this workforce problem, i.e., the tremendous educational debt burden of graduating veterinarians. This incentive program helped reduce educational debt of veterinarians in exchange for service in designated veterinary shortage areas. However, it has been widely acknowledged that there are other important factors contributing to the maldistribution of veterinarians serving the agricultural sector besides debt burden. Among these are limited access to specialized education and training which will enable veterinarians and veterinary technicians to provide services in designated veterinarian shortage situations, and insufficient practice-enhancing equipment and personnel resources to enable veterinary practices to expand or improve access to veterinary services in rural veterinarian shortage situations.

To complement the work being done under the VMLRP, and more comprehensively address this shortage problem, the VSGP is designed to support education and extension activities and practice enhancement initiatives that will enable veterinarians, veterinary students, veterinary technicians, and veterinary technician students to gain specialized skills and provide practices with additional resources (e.g., equipment, personnel) needed to more effectively mitigate veterinary service shortages in the U.S. Ultimately, this program will bolster the capacity of private practitioners to provide food animal veterinary services in designated rural veterinarian shortage situations.

The purpose of VSGP is to develop, implement, and sustain veterinary services and relieve veterinarian shortage situations in the U.S., which includes insular areas (see Part VIII, D of this RFA for a definition of “insular area”). Grants will be made available on a competitive basis to:

1. Establish or expand accredited veterinary education programs, veterinary residency and fellowship programs, or veterinary internship and externship programs carried out in coordination with accredited colleges of veterinary medicine.

2. Provide continuing education and extension, including veterinary telemedicine and other distance-based education, for veterinarians, veterinary technicians, and other health https://nifa.usda.gov/vmlrp-map professionals needed to strengthen veterinary programs and enhance food safety and public health.

3. Cover travel and living expenses of veterinary students, veterinary interns, externs, fellows, and residents, and veterinary technician students attending training programs in food safety, public health or food animal medicine.

Grants will also be made available to establish, expand and better equip for-profit or nonprofit veterinary practices or individuals operating a veterinary clinic or providing veterinary services in a certain veterinarian shortage situation, as designated through the Veterinary Medicine Loan Repayment Program, that is situated in a rural area, as defined in section 343(a) of the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act (7 U.S.C. 1991(a)).

This program aligns with USDA Strategic Goal #4, Facilitate Rural Prosperity and Economic Development.

The VSGP supports Goal 4 (Objective 4.1: to expand rural business opportunity and rural quality of life).

The VSGP aligns with the USDA Research, Education and Economics Action Plan and specifically addresses Goal 1B, Goal 5, Goal 6 and Goal 7.

PART II—AWARD INFORMATION

A. Available Funding

The anticipated amount available for grants in FY 2019 is approximately $3 million. The funds will be awarded through a competitive grant process. There is no commitment by USDA to fund any particular application or to make a specific number of awards.

NIFA plans to allocate approximately 2/3 ($2 million) of the FY 2019 VSGP funds for Education, Extension and Training grants and approximately 1/3 ($1 million) for Rural Practice Enhancement grants. NIFA reserves the right to adjust these allocations based on the number of meritorious applications received within each program area.

The Automated Standard Applications for Payment System (ASAP), operated by the Department of Treasury’s Bureau of the Fiscal Service, is the designated payment system for awards resulting from this RFA. For more information see https://www.fiscal.treasury.gov/fsservices/gov/pmt/asap/asap_home.htm.

B. Types of Applications

In FY 2019, both new and resubmitted applications will be accepted.

New application. This is an application that has not been previously submitted to the VSGP. We will review all new applications competitively using the screening for administrative requirements, review panel evaluation of proposals using evaluation criteria and selection process described in Part V—Application Review Requirements.

Resubmitted application. This is an application that had previously been submitted to the VSGP Program but not funded. Project Directors (PDs) must respond to the previous review panel summary (see Response to Previous Review, Part IV). We must receive resubmitted applications by the relevant due dates. We will evaluate resubmitted applications in competition with other pending applications in the appropriate area to which they are assigned and review them according to the same evaluation criteria (Part V, B) as new applications.

C. Project Types

Applications will be accepted for two project types: (1) Education, Extension and Training and

(2) Rural Practice Enhancement.

1. Education, Extension and Training (EET) Grants

Program Code – VSGPE Program Code Name – VSGP Education Application Deadline – May 29th, 2019 (5:00 p.m., ET) Proposed Budget Requests – Budgets must be between $75,000 and $250,000, including indirect costs, for project periods of 2-4 years. Applications with budget requests outside these ranges will not be reviewed.

https://www.fiscal.treasury.gov/fsservices/gov/pmt/asap/asap_home.htm

Indirect costs are limited under this program. Please refer to Part IV, D. of this RFA for detailed information about the indirect cost limitations under this program. Additionally, see Part V section 7.9 of the NIFA Grants.gov Application Guide for further indirect cost information.

Program Area Priority –Education, Extension and Training grants will support the following types of activities and programs, to relieve veterinary shortage situations or facilitate or support veterinary practices engaged in public health activities for any of the following purposes:

To allow veterinary students, veterinary interns, externs, fellows, and residents, and veterinary technician students to cover expenses (other than the types of expenses described in the rural practice enhancement program area) of attending training programs in food safety, public health or food animal medicine.

To establish or expand accredited veterinary education programs (including faculty recruitment and retention), veterinary residency and fellowship programs, or veterinary internship and externship programs carried out in coordination with accredited colleges of veterinary medicine.

To provide continuing education and extension, including veterinary telemedicine and other distance-based education, for veterinarians, veterinary technicians, and other health professionals needed to strengthen veterinary programs and enhance food safety.

Although these grants can last 2 to 4 years, they do not have a minimum service commitment to a designated county.

Examples of activities may include development and implementation of:

Traditional or non-traditional learning opportunities;

Non-degree educational training programs;

Courses associated with existing degree programs;

Continuing education.

In FY 2019, focus will be placed on programs for the following:

Veterinary students enrolled in an accredited veterinary degree program.

Veterinary interns, veterinary externs, veterinary fellows, veterinary residents, veterinary technician students and veterinary technicians.

Early-career veterinarians who, at the time they initiate the activities proposed in the application, are within 5 years of graduation from a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) or equivalent degree program.

Proposals should emphasize educational content that teaches:

Veterinary practice enhancement techniques and strategies that benefit the health of agricultural animals, Best practices for delivering quality veterinary services in rural areas, and/or Veterinary approaches to foster food safety, epidemiology, or veterinary public health.

Note: For the purposes of this RFA, please refer to Part VIII, D of this RFA for definitions of “Education activity” and “Extension activity.”

Other Program Area Requirements:

Applicants are encouraged to coordinate with other qualified entities and to be creative and innovative in their approach.

The purpose of the proposed educational activities must be to substantially relieve veterinary shortage situations, or facilitate or support veterinary practices engaged in public health activities, in the U.S.

Application narratives must include formal evaluation plans (as described in Part IV.B.) to document the anticipated reach and impact(s) of each educational activity. These plans should be participant-centered and implemented during the term of the project.

In FY 2019, applications that propose to develop new degree programs will not be funded.

2. Rural Practice Enhancement (RPE) Grants

***NOTE: Rural Practice Enhancement Grants require a three-year service commitment***

Program Code – VSGPR Program Code Name – Rural Practice Enhancement Application Deadline – May 29th, 2019 (5:00 p.m., ET) Proposed Budget Requests – Budgets must be between $75,000 and $125,000 for project periods of 3-4 years.

Applications with budget or project duration requests outside these ranges will not be reviewed.

Indirect costs are not permitted for Rural Practice Enhancement grants.

All funds may be requested to support equipment costs. Equipment is defined in 2 CFR200 as tangible personal property having a useful life of more than one year and a per-unit acquisition cost of $5,000 or more.

Program Area Priority –Rural Practice Enhancement grants will support the development and provision of veterinary services to substantially relieve designated rural (as defined in Part I, B.)

veterinary shortage situations (as defined in the following section) in the U.S. Funds may be used for one or more of the following:

A. Equip veterinary offices •Applicants must explain how requested equipment will be used to provide veterinary care for agricultural animals in rural veterinarian shortage situations

B. Share in reasonable directs costs of operating a qualifying veterinary practice Direct costs of operating a qualified veterinary practice may include, but are not limited to: salary and fringe benefits for veterinarian(s) support personnel, office rent, vehicle fuel supporting ambulatory services, maintenance contracts on equipment used to treat food animals, expendable medical and office supplies, computer software, utility expenses, and business consultant fees.

Establish mobile veterinary facilities in which a portion of the mobile facilities will address education or extension needs. Mobile veterinary facilities include, but are not limited to a vehicle equipped to provide mobile veterinary services, a trailer squeeze chute or other animal restraint devices.

It is imperative that applicants make a compelling case in their Project Narratives (See Part III, B (3)(b) of this RFA) describing how the equipment, mobile facilities, personnel or other resources supported by the grant will contribute substantially toward public health objectives and/or mitigation of the veterinary service needs described in the shortage situation.

Other Program Area Requirements:

Direct costs of operating a qualified veterinary practice cannot exceed 50% of the total budget. These costs must be directly associated with providing service to a veterinarian shortage area. Applications with budgets that request greater than 50% for direct costs of operating a qualified veterinary practice will not be reviewed.

Requests for direct costs of operating a qualified veterinary practice support must be justified, item by item, in the Budget Narrative (See Part IV, B.6).

Funds cannot be used to construct new buildings or facilities or to acquire, expand, remodel, or alter an existing building or facility, including site grading and improvement and architect fees.

If funds are requested to establish mobile veterinary facilities, activities to address the required education or extension needs must be described in the Project Narrative section and may include: experiential learning opportunities for veterinary or veterinary technician students, interns, or externs; courses, seminars, lectures or other events for producer groups, the public, community organizations or academic institutions; or participation in emergency preparedness events.

Applicants who are current VMLRP awardees from any year (i.e., you have a VMLRP service obligation at the time you submit this application) must propose to serve the same shortage area to which they are obligated under their VMLRP award.

Applicants who do not have a current VMLRP award must apply with reference to a single shortage situation that is designated, as ‘Open’ under the VMLRP shortage situations in 2019.

The ID of the shortage situation the applicant is proposing to serve must be clearly listed in the project title and abstract.

Shortage situations must qualify as rural (as defined in Section 343(a) of the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act (7 U.S.C. 1991(a))). By definition, VMLRP type II shortage situations are rural. For type I shortage situations, use the USDA Rural Development’s Business Program’s Rural Community Development Initiative (RCDI) map to assess “rural” eligibility. The map can be found here. (Select Rural Business at top, then the link for RCDI, accept the disclaimer and zoom into the area of interest.)

Regardless of award amount, successful applicants must commit to spending three years mitigating the veterinary service shortage applied for, at the percent full time equivalent (FTE) specified in the shortage situation form (which can be found for each shortage here).

Except in certain extenuating circumstances beyond the awardee’s control, the three-year term of service cannot be moved to a different shortage situation/location. In the event of extenuating circumstances impacting ability to meet service obligations, awardees must contact NIFA for guidance.

VMLRP participants, applicants, and practices employing VMLRP participants are eligible to receive VSGP rural practice enhancement awards; however, percent FTE cannot be counted twice. For these recipients, NIFA may extend the project period to accommodate cumulative service agreement terms (see FAQs).

Only one award will be given per veterinarian shortage situation and only one award per applicant.

A VSGP RPE award will not be made for a shortage area in which a VMLRP awardee is serving except to that VMLRP awardee.

D. Responsible and Ethical Conduct of Research

In accordance with sections 2, 3, and 8 of 2 CFR Part 422, institutions that conduct USDA-https://nifa.usda.gov/vmlrp-shortage-situations https://eligibility.sc.egov.usda.gov/eligibility/welcomeAction.do 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. Award recipients shall, upon request, make available to NIFA the policies, procedures, and documentation to support the conduct of the training. See https://nifa.usda.gov/responsible-and-ethical-conduct-research for further information.

https://nifa.usda.gov/responsible-and-ethical-conduct-research https://nifa.usda.gov/responsible-and-ethical-conduct-research https://nifa.usda.gov/responsible-and-ethical-conduct-research

PART III—ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION

A. Eligible Applicants

Applications may only be submitted by the entities listed below if they carry out programs or activities that will: 1) substantially relieve veterinarian shortage situations; or 2) support or facilitate private veterinary practices engaged in public health activities.

For Education, Extension, and Training Program Area:

• a State, national, allied, or regional veterinary organization or specialty board recognized by the American Veterinary Medical Association;

• a college or school of veterinary medicine accredited by the American Veterinary Medical Association;

• a university research foundation or veterinary medical foundation;

• a department of veterinary science or department of comparative medicine accredited by the Department of Education;

• a State agricultural experiment station; or Research Farm (1890 institutions)

• a State, local, or tribal government agency.

For Rural Practice Enhancement Program Area:

A for-profit or nonprofit entity located in the United States that, or individual who, operates a veterinary clinic providing veterinary services, (i) in a rural area, as defined in section 343(a) of the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act (7 U.S.C. 1991(a)), and (ii) is either a current VMLRP awardee from any year (i.e., those with a current service obligation at the time of this application) and applies with reference to the single shortage area to which they are obligated to serve; or is not a current VMLRP awardee and applies with reference to a single veterinarian shortage situation (VMLRP shortage map webpage) designated as ‘Open’ under the VMLRP in 2019. Shortage area designation MUST be included in the proposal title and narrative and in the appropriate field on the form.

For all program areas, 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 application deadline may result in the application being excluded from consideration or will preclude NIFA from making an award.

B. Cost Sharing or Matching

NIFA does not require matching support for this program and matching resources will not be factored into the review process as evaluation criteria.

https://www.avma.org/Pages/home.aspx https://www.avma.org/Pages/home.aspx https://www.avma.org/Pages/home.aspx

PART IV—APPLICATION AND SUBMISSION INFORMATION

A. Electronic Application Package

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

We urge you to submit early to the Grants.gov system. For information about the pre-award phase of the grant lifecycle please see here.

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 two weeks to complete the registration process so it is critical to begin as soon as possible. In such situations, the AR should go to “Register,” in the top right corner of the Grants.gov web page (or go to https://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.”

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 https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/adobe-software-compatibility.html. Grants.gov has a test package that will help you determine whether your current version of Adobe Reader is compatible.

2. To obtain the application package from Grants.gov, go to https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/search-opportunity-package.html and enter the funding opportunity number where appropriate

Funding Opportunity Number: USDA-NIFA-VSGP-006700

Click “Search.” On the displayed page, click the corresponding link to continue. A Grant Application Package is tied to a particular funding opportunity. You may move forms amongst different Grant Application Packages but you may ONLY submit an application to the particular funding opportunity to which the Grant Application Package is associated.

https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/learn-grants/grants-101/pre-award-phase.html http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/register.html) http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/register.html) https://get.adobe.com/reader/ http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/adobe-https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/search-opportunity-package.html

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 (https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/support.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. EST).

Have the following information available when contacting Grants.gov:

• Funding Opportunity Number (FON)

• Name of agency you are applying to

• Specific area of concern

B. Content and Form of Application Submission

Electronic applications are to be prepared 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 you need 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. Grants.gov does not check for NIFA required attachments or whether attachments are in PDF format; see Part III, Section 6.1 of the guide for how to check the manifest of submitted files. 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.

https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/support.html https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/snow-dismissal-procedures/federal-holidays/ mailto:support@grants.gov https://grants-portal.psc.gov/Welcome.aspx?pt=Grants mailto:electronic@nifa.usda.gov https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/snow-dismissal-procedures/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. See Part V, Section 2.17 of the NIFA Grants.gov Application Guide for the required certifications and assurances (e.g., Prohibition Against Entities Requiring Certain Internal Confidentiality Agreements).

2. SF 424 R&R Project/Performance Site Location(s) Detailed information related to the questions on this form is available in Part V, 3 of the NIFA Grants.gov Application Guide.

3. R&R Other Project Information Form Detailed information related to the questions on this form is available in Part V, 4 of the NIFA

Veterinarians handling vertebrate animals only for clinical purposes should indicate that vertebrate animals are not being used on the corresponding Assurance Forms. This assurance element applies only to vertebrate animal use specifically for teaching or research. If, however, any handling of animals beyond activities necessary for clinical assessment is proposed, for example, to meet the requirement for a portion of services including education and extension, the applicant should indicate that vertebrate animals are being used and approval of the proposed activities by an Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) will be required.

a. Field 7. Project Summary/Abstract.

The project summary/abstract must be submitted as a pdf document and the following items must be included in the summary (please include underlined text along with your responses):

1) Project Title: (Note: For Rural Practice Enhancement applications this will be the shortage ID code for example, Delaware 287).

2) Project Director, and any Co-Project Director(s): For Education, Extension and Training applications include institutional affiliation for each. For Rural Practice Enhancement applications only the person responsible for managing award funds, typically the applying veterinarian or veterinary practice owner, should be included here.

3) Total Funds Requested.

4) Collaborators: Education, Extension and Training applications only, if applicable.

5) Summary Text: Concise (250 words or less) overview of problem(s) being addressed, objectives, approach and relevance to the purpose and goals of VSGP.

See Part V. 4.7 of NIFA Grants.gov Application Guide for further instructions. Use the above Summary/Abstract template subheadings rather than the template in the guide.

NOTE: The project summary/abstract of successful applications will be published by USDA and, therefore, should not contain proprietary or private information.

Before submitting an application, the applicant must review the summary/abstract attachment to ensure compliance with the specified word limit, pdf format, and shortage id (only for rural practice enhancement applications). All summary text exceeding 250 words and rural practice enhancement applications missing the shortage id in the project title will not be reviewed.

b. Field 8. Project Narrative. (PDF format is required)

For Education, Extension and Training applications:

The Project Narrative shall not exceed 12 PAGES of written text, regardless of whether it is single- or double-spaced, and up to three (3) additional pages for figures and tables. We have established this maximum (15 pages) to ensure fair and equitable competition. The Project Narrative must include all of the following:

NOTE: Appendices to the Project Narrative are allowed if they are directly germane to the proposed project. Do not add appendices to circumvent the page limit. Applicants that do not address the items listed below risk being excluded from NIFA review.

a. The Project Narrative must include all of the following:

1) Problem Identification and Significance: Clearly state the specific problem to be addressed and its importance to relieving shortage situations.

2) Background: Include a clear statement of the long-term goal(s) and supporting objectives of the proposed activities. Summarize the body of knowledge or other past activities that substantiate the need for the proposed project. Describe ongoing or recently completed significant activities that relate to the proposed project including the work of key project personnel. Include preliminary data/information pertinent to the proposed project. In addition, this section should include in-depth information on the following, when applicable:

a) Estimates of the magnitude of the issues to be addressed and their relevance to livestock producers and other stakeholders, and to ongoing local community, state, and Federal food and agricultural education and extension programs or needs.

b) The role of public and private stakeholders in problem identification, planning, implementation, and evaluation as appropriate.

c) Reasons for the work being done by the proposed entity(ies).

3) Objectives: All applications must include a statement(s) of specific aims of the proposed effort in clear, concise, complete, and logically arranged terms.

4) Methods: Explicitly state the procedures or methodology you will apply to the proposed effort. This section should include but not necessarily be limited to, descriptions of:

a) Stakeholder involvement in problem identification, planning, implementation and evaluation;

b) If applicable, plans for coordination and/collaboration with other qualified entities and their roles and responsibilities (see item 5 management and collaboration plan below);

c) Proposed project activities, listed sequentially;

d) Techniques to be employed in this project, including their feasibility and rationale;

e) Plans to communicate results to stakeholders and the public;

f) Pitfalls that might be encountered; and g) limitations to proposed procedures.

5) Project Evaluation Plan. Explicitly state the outputs and outcomes expected from the proposed project. Explain the data gathering procedures that will be used to monitor and assess progress toward intended project outcomes. When describing the measurement instruments you plan to use (surveys, interviews, focus groups, measures of class performance, cost-benefit analyses, etc.), be sure to mention why they are appropriate to gauging success. Evaluation plans must contain baseline data when available or describe how baseline data will be obtained for monitoring outcomes. A plan for tracking students/trainees after graduation and/or to assess the communities they will be serving to measure impact your project has on addressing shortage situations should be described. Finally, the Evaluation Plan should contain measures of (1) student/trainee learning or engagement (2) the number of students/trainees impacted by your project as a result of the proposed activities (3) the number of students/trainees serving or planning to serve shortage situations and

(4) return on investment i.e., the trainee’s impacts relieving veterinary shortage situations.

6) Management and Collaboration Plan. Applicants are encouraged to use approximately two of the 15 pages for this section. It is critical to have a clearly articulated management plan that describes the roles and functions of all key personnel and, where applicable, partners, collaborators and organizations, as related to the proposed project. See “Definitions” (Part VIII, D.) for definitions of Partner and Collaborator. For projects proposing coordination between two or more entities, include: time allocated by each partner for attainment of objectives; key roles of each partner and collaborator; and plan for administration of the proposed project and its maintenance and partnerships. Describe the plans for coordination, communication, data sharing and reporting among members of the project team and stakeholder groups. Describe the commitment of the organization and partners to this project; and how the collaboration and its impact will be sustained beyond the period of the award. An applicant’s failure to provide the requested information in the Management and Collaboration Plan may preclude NIFA from making an award. In addition, letters of commitment signed by the Authorized Representative (AR) of the partnering organizations demonstrating that the partners involved have agreed to abide by the Management Plan should be provided (see “Other Attachments” below).

7) Project Timetable: The proposal should outline all important phases and major milestones as a function of time, year by year, for the entire project, including periods beyond the grant funding period.

The following table summarizes the sections of the Project Narrative for Education, Extension and Training applications, suggests an approximate number of pages to allocate to each section, and shows the evaluation criteria most relevant to each section:

Table 1: Education, Extension, and Training Project Narrative

Narrative Section Suggested # of Pages

Related Evaluation Criteria (see Part V, B. of this RFA)

Problem Identification and Significance 1 Relevancy Background 1.5 Relevancy; Expertise, Experience and Institutional Resources Objectives 1 Relevancy; Technical Merit Methods 4 Technical Merit; Collaborations;

Achievability Project Evaluation Plan 2 Technical Merit Management and Collaboration Plan 2 Achievability; Expertise, Experience and Institutional Resources Project Timetable 0.5 Achievability

For Rural Practice Enhancement applications:

The Project Narrative must be submitted as a pdf attachment, and must not exceed six (6) pages of written text, regardless of whether it is single- or double-spaced and up to two (2) additional pages for figures and tables. We have established this maximum (eight (8) pages) to ensure fair and equitable competition. Use Table 2 (next page) as a guideline for organizing the project narrative.

Application will be evaluated carefully based upon what is included in this section.

NOTE: Appendices to the Project Narrative are allowed if they are directly germane to the proposed shortage mitigation plan. Do not add appendices to circumvent the page limit.

Applicants that do not address the items listed below risk being excluded from NIFA review.

The Project Narrative must include all of the following:

1) Problem Identification: Clearly state the specific problem(s) faced by you or your practice to address the shortage situation applied for. Include scope of your current practice (# of clients, # of farms, # of farm calls weekly, monthly and yearly, how it is equipped, etc.).

2) Introduction: Include a clear statement of the goal(s) and supporting objectives of the proposed rural practice enhancement activities. Provide supporting information that substantiates the need for the proposed resources by describing, 1) ongoing or recently completed significant activities and, 2) current staffing relative to serving the proposed shortage situation. Include preliminary data/information pertinent to acquisitions and implementation of the proposed enhancements in veterinary service, such as in-depth information on the following, if applicable:

a) Estimates of the magnitude of the impact of the proposed practice enhancements on local livestock, livestock operators, and local economic vitality, and to ongoing state-federal interests including health of animal populations, food safety, food security, and public health.

b) The role of local community leaders and producers in identifying best strategies to mitigate veterinary service shortages, and most effective methods of evaluating effectiveness of strategies employed.

c) Reasons why the applicant is professionally, geographically and functionally poised to effectively relieve the veterinary shortage applied for.

3) Objectives: All applications must include a statement(s) of overarching aims, and goals and corresponding specific objectives of the proposed effort in clear, concise, complete, and logically arranged terms. For example, describe what is expected to be accomplished in each of the 3 or 4 years of the grant project period. Objectives should focus on the project period and may also consider any potential long-term impacts beyond the period of funding.

4) Approach: Explicitly describe the strategies, tactics and/or business plan you will employ, using the resources specifically acquired through support from this grant, to achieve stated goals and objectives. Where applicable, this section may include, but not necessarily be limited to, descriptions of:

a. planned stakeholder/client involvement in veterinary service prioritization, planning, implementation and evaluation;

b. proposed specific activities, listed sequentially;

c. business or veterinary services (including consultants) to be employed, including feasibility and rationale;

d. expected results for the veterinarian shortage situation supported by appropriate metrics (e.g., percent increase in clientele base or service radius; increase in number of livestock served; decreased rates of morbidity or mortality, or other measures of animal health and productivity; number of community outreach events presented and number of attendees, projected impact on clientele profits and/or sustainability, projected return on investment from equipment purchased or staff supported;

e. education or extension activities that will be offered (if funds are requested to establish mobile facilities) including the amount of time that will be devoted to these activities;

f. methods used to collect, analyze and interpret evaluation/impact data;

g. plans to communicate results to stakeholders and the public;

h. pitfalls that might be encountered; and

i. limitations to proposed activities.

5) Project Timetable: The proposal should outline important phases and major milestones as a function of time, year by year, for the entire project, including periods beyond the grant funding period. Timetable must meet the minimum 3-4 years.

The following table summarizes the sections of the Project Narrative for Rural Practice Enhancement applications, suggests an approximate number of pages to allocate to each section, and shows the evaluation criteria most relevant to each section:

Table 2: Rural Practice Enhancement Project Narrative

Narrative Section Suggested # of Pages

Related Evaluation Criteria (see Part V, B. of this RFA)

Problem Identification 0.5 Technical Merit Introduction 1 Expertise and Experience; Technical Merit Objectives 1 Technical Merit Approach 3 Technical Merit Project Timetable 0.5 Technical Merit

c. Field 12. Add Other Attachments See Part V. Section 4.12 of the NIFA Grants.gov Application Guide (Field 12 on the form) for instructions regarding mandatory Felony Convictions or Tax Delinquent Status.

Response to Previous Review. This requirement only applies to "Resubmitted Applications” Part II, B., "Types of Applications" identifies the type of application(s) that may be submitted in response to this RFA. PDs must respond to the previous review summary on no more than one page titled "RESPONSE TO PREVIOUS REVIEW" and save file as “ResponsetoPreviousReview”. If desired, additional comments may be included in the text of the Project Narrative subject to the page limitations of that section.

For Education, Extension and Training applications:

Commitment Letters – PDF attachment(s). No page limit. For projects proposing partnering, collaboration or coordination, letters of commitment from all participating parties (signed by the AR of the collaborating organization) stating that the collaborators involved have agreed to their stated roles in the project and have agreed to abide by the Management and Collaboration Plan. Letters from other organizations or people whose participation is important to the success of the project, committing those collaborators to specific roles, are also encouraged. Title the attachment(s) as ‘Letter of Commitment – Organization Name’ in the document header and save file as ‘LetterofCommitment_OrganizationName’. Other more general letters of support (i.e., from those who are not committing to a specific role in the project) are not needed and should not be included.

For Rural Practice Enhancement applications:

Rural Development Map Screen shot – PDF attachment(s). No page limit. Rural Practice Enhancement proposals for shortages situations other than Type II need to demonstrate that the shortage location is considered rural per Section 343(a) of the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act (7 U.S.C. 1991(a)). This can be done by providing a screen shot from the USDA-Rural Development’s Business Program’s Rural Community Development Initiative (RCDI) eligibility map. The map can be found at https://eligibility.sc.egov.usda.gov/eligibility/welcomeAction.do. Select business programs under Property Eligibility on the left then the link for RCDI, accept the disclaimer and zoom into the area of interest and capture a screen shot.

1. R&R Senior/Key Person Profile (Expanded) Detailed information related to the questions on this form is available in Part V, 5 of the NIFA Grants.gov Application Guide. This section of the guide includes instructions about senior/key https://eligibility.sc.egov.usda.gov/eligibility/welcomeAction.do person profile requirements, and details about the biographical sketch and the current and pending support, including a link to a suggested template for the current and pending support.

VMLRP recipients must include % FTE commitment for that program.

2. R&R Personal Data – As noted in Part V, 6 of the NIFA Grants.gov Application Guide, the submission of this information is voluntary and is not a precondition of award. Part V.6 also notes the importance and use of the information.

3. R&R Budget

This form contains the itemized listing and description of your project’s budget request, including any sub-contractual or consulting costs. Please note that allowable consultants’ rate of pay is limited to $629 per eight hour day. Complete all applicable fields for each 12 month period.

Accompanying this form is the budget narrative/justification which outlines the rationale for each item listed and its associated cost. Detailed information related to the questions on this form is available in Part V, 7 of the NIFA Grants.gov Application Guide.

For further information and instructions regarding indirect costs, refer to Part V, section 7.9 of the NIFA Grants.gov Application Guide. For indirect cost funding restrictions, refer to Part IV, D. of this RFA.

4. Supplemental Information Form Detailed information related to the questions on this form is available in Part VI, 1 of the NIFA

a. Field 2. Program to which you are applying. Enter the program code name (e.g., VSGP

Education) and the program code (e.g., VSGPE) according to the chart below. Note accurate entry of the program code is very important for the proper and timely processing of the application.

Table 3: Program Names and Codes

Program Code Name Program Code VSGP Education VSGPE VSGP Rural Practice Enhancement VSGPR

b. Field 8. Conflict of Interest List. See Part VI, 1.8 of the NIFA Grants.gov Application Guide for further instructions and a link to a suggested template.

5. Representations Regarding Felony Conviction and Tax Delinquent Status for Corporate

Applicants

This is a required form for corporate applicants. See Part VI, 2 of the NIFA Grants.gov Application Guide for a description of the term, “corporation,” and detailed information related to the questions on this form.

C. Submission Dates and Times

We recommend that you conduct an administrative review of the application before submission of it via Grants.gov to ensure that it complies with all preparation instructions. An application checklist is included in Part VII of the NIFA Grants.gov Application Guide to assist with this review.

While the checklist should be used to check the application for completeness, the application should be checked for the following required item(s). This is not an exhaustive list of required items; it only serves to highlight items critical to VSGP review. Applications that fail to include these items will not be accepted for review. The list includes:

• Summary/Abstract

• Narrative with all required sections o For Education, Extension and Training applications: Problem Identification and Significance; Background; Objectives; Methods; Project Evaluation Plan;

Management and Collaboration Plan; Project Timetable o For Rural Practice Enhancement applications: Problem Identification, Introduction, Objectives, Approach, Project Timetable

• Other (program area-specific) documents

• Budget for each 12-month period and final cumulative budget

• Budget Narrative

In addition, applications will not be accepted for review if they do any of the following:

• Exceed the maximum pages allowed for Project Narrative.

• Exceed the funding limits of the federal budget request for the type of application proposed

($75,000 - $125,000 for RPE and $75,000 - $$250,000 for EET).

• Propose objectives or methods/approach that do not fit the purpose of VSGP.

• Fail to include the shortage ID in the project title for Rural Practice…