FY21-Youth-Farm-RFA-508.pdf

REQUEST FOR APPLICATION

Youth Farm Safety Education and Certification

(YFSEC)

FUNDING YEAR:

APPLICATION DEADLINE:

LETTER OF INTENT DEADLINE:

FUNDING AVAILABILITY

Fiscal Year 2021

February 12, 2021

Not Applicable

Approximately $300,000

CATALOG OF FEDERAL

DOMESTIC ASSISTANCE NUMBER:

10.500

INITIAL ANNOUNCEMENT

National Institute of Food and Agriculture, United States (U.S.) Department of Agriculture

(USDA).

Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance. The Youth Farm Safety Education and Certification Program is listed in the Assistance Listings under the Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance number 10.500.

Table 1: Key Dates and Deadlines Task Description Deadline

Application: 5:00 P.M. Eastern, February, 12, 2021 [Ref to Part I § C of this

RFA]

Letter of Intent: Not Required

Applicants Comments: Within six months from the issuance of this notice (NIFA may not consider comments received after the sixth month)

Stakeholder Input. The National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) seeks comments on all request for applications (RFAs) so it can deliver programs efficiently, effectively, with integrity, and with a focus on customer service. NIFA considers comments, to the extent possible when developing RFAs and use comments to help 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)).

Applicants may submit written comments to Policy@ usda.gov (email is for comments only).

Please use the following subject line: Response to the YFSEC RFA.

Centers of Excellence. Applicants are encouraged to visit the NIFA’s Center of Excellence (COE) for information on COE designation process, including COE criteria, and a list of programs offering COE opportunities. A recording of COE outreach and COE implementation webinars are also available.

https://nifa.usda.gov/sites/default/files/resource/Agricultural-Research-Extension-and-Education-Reform-Act-of-1998.pdf https://nifa.usda.gov/sites/default/files/resource/Agricultural-Research-Extension-and-Education-Reform-Act-of-1998.pdf https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=(title:7%20section:7613%20edition:prelim)%20OR%20(granuleid:USC-prelim-title7-section7613)&f=treesort&edition=prelim&num=0&jumpTo=true mailto:Policy@nifa.usda.gov https://nifa.usda.gov/centers-excellence https://nifa.usda.gov/centers-excellence

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

NIFA requests applications for the Youth Farm Safety Education and Certification (YFSEC) Program for fiscal year (FY) 2021 to support national efforts for delivering timely, pertinent, and appropriate farm safety education to youth seeking employment or who are already employed in agricultural production. The appropriated amount available for NIFA to support these grants in FY 2021 is approximately $300,000.

This RFA is being released prior to the passage of a full appropriations act for FY 2021.

Enactment of additional continuing resolutions or a full appropriations act may affect the availability or level of funding for this program. The anticipated amount available for grants in FY 2021 is approximately $300,000.

This notice identifies the objectives for Youth Farm Safety Education and Certification projects, deadlines, funding information, eligibility criteria for projects and applicants, and application forms and associated instructions.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

INITIAL ANNOUNCEMENT

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

PART I. FUNDING OPPORTUNITY DESCRIPTION

A. Legislative Authority B. Purpose and Priorities

PART II. AWARD INFORMATION

A. Available Funding B. Types of Application C. Project and Grant Types D. Ethical Conduct of Funded Projects

PART III. ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION

A. Eligibility Requirements B. Cost Sharing or Matching C. Centers of Excellence

PART IV. APPLICATION AND SUBMISSION

A. Method of Application B. Content and Form of the Application C. Funding Restrictions

PART V. APPLICATION REVIEW REQUIREMENTS

A. NIFA’s Evaluation Process B. Evaluation Criteria C. Center of Excellence D. Organizational Management Information E. Application Disposition

PART VI. AWARD ADMINISTRATION

A. General B. Administrative and National Policy Requirements

PART VII. OTHER INFORMATION

A. Use of Funds and Changes in Budget B. Confidential Aspects of Applications and Awards C. Regulatory Information

APPENDIX I: AGENCY CONTACT

APPENDIX II: GLOSSARY OF TERMS

APPENDIX III: DEFINITIONS

TABLE OF TABLES

Table 1: Key Dates and Deadlines Table 2: Program Key Information Table 3. Steps to Obtain Application Materials Table 4: Help and Resources Table 5: Key Application Instructions

PART I. FUNDING OPPORTUNITY DESCRIPTION

A. Legislative Authority The Youth Farm Safety Education and Certification (YFSEC) program is authorized under section 3(d) of the Smith-Lever Act of 1914 [7 U.S.C. 343(d)] as amended.

B. Purpose and Priorities NIFA’s non-formal education programs and services in farm safety promote rural health and seek to strengthen economic vitality. A critically important component of effective farm safety initiatives is engagement of agricultural and human social and behavioral sciences in mitigating agricultural hazards to workers. Non-formal education programs in the area of youth farm safety provide timely safety information to rural youth, their families, and their on-farm employers, as well as increased access to opportunities for protection of youth health and promotion of safe agricultural practices. To date, Agricultural and Human Sciences educators and other relevant partners, supported by innovative communication platforms, have developed and implemented diverse youth farm safety education and certification initiatives in order to protect and enhance resiliency among youth and ensure long-term vitality of agricultural communities. The goals and objectives of NIFA’s YFSEC competitive grant program, Assistance Listing 10.500, are to provide funding for just such projects.

Since the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Agriculture (NIFA) began funding the YFSEC program in 2001, the program has supported projects that focus on identifying and developing educational resources that mitigate agricultural hazards to young workers, regardless of their knowledge, experience, ability, ethnicity, or culture. Over the years, two complete curricula were developed through the YFSEC program: one from the Pennsylvania State University and one from Purdue University. These curricula are based on core competencies as identified by agricultural safety experts to operate agricultural machinery safely.

In FY 2013 and per stakeholder request, the YFSEC program moved further to develop a coordinated, national approach to agricultural safety and health education for youth. In that effort, NIFA made awards in support of a multi-institution, multi-state project entitled Safety in Agriculture for Youth (SAY), led by Pennsylvania State University. Between 2013 and 2016, the SAY project has met the needs of the YFSEC programs in implementing a national approach to youth farm safety education and certification by: (1) Establishing four stakeholder groups (Content Identification, Curriculum Alignment, Outreach, and Marketing) that engaged experts from various sectors and leadership positions within academia, public health and the agricultural industry; (2) Establishing a National Steering Committee to help identify curriculum and testing gaps, certification needs, and industry recognized credentials; (3) Developing a youth farm safety tool that assesses alignment of existing youth farm safety curricula with the Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources (AFNR) Career Cluster Content Standards; (4) Developing and implementing a National Clearinghouse for gathering of national youth farm safety and education curricula and testing; (5) Working closely with members of the SAY National Steering Committee to developed a national outreach strategy to promote awareness and utilization of the farm safety materials by diverse stakeholder audiences; and (6) Annually assessing resources required to sustain the Clearinghouse and to continue national dialogue about youth farm safety https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=(title:7%20section:343%20edition:prelim)%20OR%20(granuleid:USC-prelim-title7-section343)&f=treesort&edition=prelim&num=0&jumpTo=true education and certification needs. In FY 2016, an award was made through a competitive grant process to build upon and strengthen SAY activities and accomplishments to date, as well as identify and address curricula and outreach gaps. Specifically, the project set out to: a) enhance the viability and utility of the Curriculum Alignment Submission Tool (CAST); b) strengthen the SAY National Clearinghouse by increasing curricula and other resources available through the clearinghouse, enhancing outreach to stakeholders, and identifying and communicating to others gaps in curricula and resources; c) supporting outreach and marketing activities of the CareerSafe OSHA 10-Hour General Industry (Agriculture) course; and d) enhance operations of the National Steering Committee for the SAY project.

Handling of baseline data and data collection will be addressed in the Data Management Plan (DMP) in accordance with the Part IV(C) of this RFA.

eXtension. YFSEC encourages (but does not require) projects that develop content suitable for delivery through eXtension.

YFSEC aligns with the USDA Science Blueprint strategy in Theme 5 to “Develop an effective and diverse U.S. agriculture workforce that contributes to safer, heathier, vibrant, sustainable and innovative communities.”

The YFSEC is aligned with the following USDA Strategic Goals:

Strategic Goal 1: Ensure USDA Programs Are Delivered Efficiently, Effectively, With Integrity and a Focus on Customer Service;

Strategic Goal 2: Maximize the Ability of American Agricultural Producers to Prosper by Feeding and Clothing the World; and Strategic Goal 4: Facilitate Rural Prosperity and Economic Development;

Additional requirements on expected performance goals, indicators and targets may be required as a condition of award.

Table 2: Program Key Information Title Description Program Code: RB Program Code Name: Youth Farm Safety CFDA Number 10.500 Project Type: Extension Grant Type: Standard Application Deadline February 12, 2021 Grant Duration: Approximately 48 Months Anticipated # of Awards: Approximately 3 Maximum Award Amount: Approximately $100,000/year

Program Area Description The YFSEC program proposals are expected to continue with the coordinated national approach to agricultural safety and health education for youth. In FY 2021, NIFA is soliciting applications for the YFSEC program that will help build upon and strengthen accomplishments made to date by the SAY project, as well as identify and address curricula and outreach gaps.

All proposals should show how their proposed activities build on current curricula and outreach efforts in the following areas:

https://impact.extension.org/ https://www.usda.gov/sites/default/files/documents/usda-strategic-plan-2018-2022.pdf

Curriculum Alignment Submission Tool https://ag-safety.extension.org/user-directions-for-the-say-curriculum-alignment-submission-tool/ an online instrument, developed by the SAY project, that allows educational authors to submit their agricultural safety and health curricula for possible inclusion in the national clearinghouse.

SAY National Clearinghouse which consists of two different types of educational products:

formal curricula and other supporting resources that are indexed based on their alignment to AFNR Career Cluster Content Standards. The main purpose of the clearinghouse is to serve educators, employers, and parents looking for specific agricultural safety and health resources.

In FY 2021, applicants to the YFSEC program need to describe how their projects will contribute to one or more of the following:

Increase the number of curricula and resources available through the clearinghouse;

Enhance outreach to agricultural educators working with youth to help integrate youth safety information available through the clearinghouse into the classroom;

Enhance outreach to youth and training of youth; and Enhance outreach to faculty at institutions of higher education.

OSHA 10-Hour General Industry (Agriculture) Course, a web-based course developed for entry level workers and employers through collaboration between OSHA and the SAY project.

Students who successfully complete the course receive a printable certificate, as well as an OSHA 10-Hour General Industry wallet card from the OSHA Training Institute.

Priority consideration will be given to proposals with multi-institution, multi-state partnerships.

Collaboration among 1862, 1890, and 1994 Land Grant Institutions within or across state lines on a joint application is encouraged. Collaborations with institutions/organizations/centers not eligible to apply as leads (such is the case with 1994 Land Grant institutions) on a joint application are also encouraged. All applications involving such collaboration must demonstrate a clear and meaningful involvement in the project for each institution/organization/center throughout the 4-year project period.

http://extension.psu.edu/business/ag-safety/youth-safety/say-project http://www.careersafeonline.com/index.php/component/content/article/9-courses/90-osha-10-hour-general-industry-ag

PART II. AWARD INFORMATION

A. Available Funding

The anticipated amount available for YFSEC in FY2021 is approximately $300,000. The funds will be awarded through a competitive grant process. USDA is not committed to fund any particular application or to make a specific number of awards. This RFA is being released prior to the passage of a full appropriations act for FY 2021. Enactment of additional continuing resolutions or a full appropriations act may affect the availability or level of funding for this program. The anticipated amount available for grants in FY 2021 is approximately $300,000.

The Automated Standard Application for Payments, operated by the Department of Treasury, Bureau of Fiscal Service, is the designated payment system for awards resulting from this RFA.

B. Types of Application NIFA will evaluate applications using the criteria described in Part V of this RFA. Application for FY2021 is limited to the following application types to be awarded on a continuation basis:

1. New application: New applications will be evaluated using the criteria described in Part V of this RFA and are subject to the due dates herein (see Appendix III for definition).

2. Resubmitted application: Resubmitted applications must include the respond to the previous review panel summary and are subject to the same criteria and due dates herein.

Resubmitted applicants must enter the NIFA-assigned proposal number of the previously submitted application in the Federal Field (Field 4) on the application form (see Appendix III for definition).

C. Project and Grant Types The following describes the types of projects or grants that are eligible for funding:

All YFSEC projects are Extension projects expected to lead to measurable, documented changes in learning, actions, or conditions in an identified audience or stakeholder group. Within that context, in FY 2021 the YFSEC program will focus on supporting Extension projects that will build upon accomplishments made to date by the SAY project. Specifically, the program will support three (3) types of projects:

1) SAY National Clearinghouse Project – to continue efforts made to date with SAY Clearinghouse, curricula submission and review, marketing of the Clearinghouse, and SAY National Steering Committee. Proposed budgets must not exceed $100,000 per year for project periods of up to 4 years.

2) YFSEC Instructor Training Project – to support recruitment and training of youth farm safety instructors in currently available youth farm safety curricula. Grantees leading this type of project are required to incorporate evaluation of instructor training and to submit, at the end of their project period, information about and results from tested curricula to the SAY National Clearinghouse. Proposed budgets must not exceed $100,000 per year for project periods of up to 4 years.

3) YFSEC Youth Training Project – to continue with development of new/enhancement of current youth farm safety curricula, implementation/piloting of those curricula with youth, and evaluation of youth training. Grantees leading this type of project are required to submit, at the end of their project period, developed and tested curricula to the SAY https://www.fiscal.treasury.gov/fsservices/gov/pmt/asap/asap_home.htm

National Clearinghouse. Proposed budgets must not exceed $100,000 per year for project periods of up to 4 years.

All projects should plan to share their activities and progress with the SAY National Steering Committee (SAY NSC) during annual meetings of SAY NSC at NIFA. These meetings will be organized by the SAY Clearinghouse project in collaboration with NIFA.

Given that the primary source of funding for the YFSEC program is Federal funds, grantees are encouraged to contract with hotels for lodging at or below the Federal per diem rate for SAY NSC meetings and any other meetings relevant to the project and that require travel. NIFA retains the right to disallow use of NIFA funds for any travel that is not reasonable under the Uniform Guidance (2 CFR 200).

In FY 2021, the YFSEC program expects to fund up to three projects, one in each: SAY National Clearinghouse, YFSEC Instructor Training, and YFSEC Youth Training. The program has also established a maximum award size of $100,000 per year for up to four years for each project type. Please note that grant applications requesting more than $100,000 per year and/or proposing project periods greater than 4 years will not be considered for funding. Similarly, grant applications with no secured letters of commitment from partner organizations/institutions will not be reviewed.

D. Ethical Conduct of Funded Projects 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. Award recipients must, upon request, make available to NIFA the policies, procedures, and documentation to support the conduct of the training. See Responsible and Ethical Conduct of Research for further information.

https://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?SID=e12ce7ead3421edf64649d2689ccf68d&mc=true&node=pt2.1.200&rgn=div5 https://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?SID=e12ce7ead3421edf64649d2689ccf68d&mc=true&node=pt2.1.422&rgn=div5 https://nifa.usda.gov/responsible-and-ethical-conduct-research https://nifa.usda.gov/responsible-and-ethical-conduct-research

PART III. ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION

A. Eligibility Requirements Applicants for the YFSEC must meet all the requirements discussed in this RFA. Failure to meet the eligibility criteria by the application deadline may result in exclusion from consideration or, preclude NIFA from making an award. For those new to Federal financial assistance, NIFA’s Grants Overview provides highly recommended information about grants and other resources to help understand the Federal awards process.

Applications may be submitted only by Cooperative Extension Services (CES) at 1862 Land- Grant Colleges and Universities and 1890 Land-Grant Colleges and Universities, including the University of the District of Columbia, Tuskegee University, West Virginia State University, and Central State University.

Award recipients may subcontract to organizations not eligible to apply (such as 1994 Land- Grant Colleges, Hispanic-Serving Institutions, eXtension) provided such organizations are necessary for the conduct of the project.

The 1862 and 1890 Land Grant institutions may partner with each other and/or other Land Grant institutions (e.g., 1994 Land Grants) and non-Land Grant Institutions on joint proposals.

Duplicate or Multiple Submissions – In the case of duplicate or multiple submissions, only the most current version will be accepted. For those new to Federal financial assistance, NIFA’s Grants Overview provides highly recommended information about grants and other resources to help understand the Federal awards process.

B. Cost Sharing or Matching No Match Required - The YFSEC program has NO matching requirement. NIFA will not factor matching resources into the review process as an evaluation criterion.

C. Centers of Excellence Pursuant to Section 7214 of the Agricultural Act of 2014 (Pub. L. 113-79) and 7 U.S.C. Sec 5925f, NIFA will recognize and prioritize COE applicants that carry out research, extension, and education activities that relate to the food and agricultural sciences. A COE is composed of one or more of the following entities that provide financial or in-kind support to the COE.

1. State agricultural experiment stations;

2. Colleges and universities;

3. University research foundations;

4. Other research institutions and organizations;

5. Federal agencies;

6. National laboratories;

7. Private organizations, foundations, or corporations;

8. Individuals; or

9. Any group consisting of two or more of the entities described in (1) through (8).

https://nifa.usda.gov/resource/grants-overview https://nifa.usda.gov/resource/grants-overview https://fns-prod.azureedge.net/sites/default/files/Agriculture%20Act%20of%202014.pdf https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=(title:7%20section:5925f%20edition:prelim)%20OR%20(granuleid:USC-prelim-title7-section5925f)&f=treesort&edition=prelim&num=0&jumpTo=true https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=(title:7%20section:5925f%20edition:prelim)%20OR%20(granuleid:USC-prelim-title7-section5925f)&f=treesort&edition=prelim&num=0&jumpTo=true

PART IV. APPLICATION AND SUBMISSION

A. Method of Application Applicants must apply to this RFA electronically; no other method or response is accepted. The electronic application for this RFA and additional resources are available on Grants.gov and Grants 101. Table 3 provides instructions on how to obtain an electronic application. Part II § 1 of the NIFA Grants.gov Application Guide (Application Guide) contains detailed information regarding the Grants.gov registration process.

Table 3. Steps to Obtain Application Materials Steps Action

Step One: Register New Users to Grants.gov must register early with Grants.gov prior to submitting an application (Register Here).

Step Two:

Download Adobe

Download and Install Adobe Reader (see Adobe Software Compatibility for basic system requirements)

Step Three: Find Application

Using this funding opportunity number USDA-NIFA-SLBCD-008054, search for application here: Opportunity Package.

Step Four: Assess Readiness

Contact an AR prior to starting an application to assess the organization’s readiness to submit an electronic application.

Table 4: Help and Resources Grants.gov Support NIFA Support

Grants.gov Online Support Telephone support: 800-518-4726 Toll- Free or 606-545-5035 Email support: support@grants.gov Self-service customer based support:

Grants.gov iPortal Key Information: Customer service business Hours 24/7, except federal holidays.

Email: Policy@usda.gov Key Information: Business hours: Monday thru Friday, 7a.m. – 5p.m. ET, except federal holidays

B. Content and Form of the Application The Application Guide is part of the corresponding application package for this RFA. The RFA overrides the Application Guide if there is a discrepancy between the two documents. NIFA will accept subsequent submissions to an application until the application deadline. However, applicants that do not meet the application requirements, to include partial applications, risk being excluded from NIFA’s review. NIFA will assign a proposal number to all applications that meet the requirements of this RFA. Applicants must refer to the proposal number when corresponding with NIFA. Table 5 outlines other key instructions for applicants.

https://www.grants.gov/ https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/learn-grants/grants-101/pre-award-phase.html/ https://apply07.grants.gov/apply/opportunities/instructions/PKG00249520-instructions.pdf https://www.grants.gov/ https://www.grants.gov/ https://www.grants.gov/ https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/register.html https://get.adobe.com/reader/ https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/adobe-software-compatibility.html https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/search-opportunity-package.html https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/support.html mailto:support@grants.gov https://grants-portal.psc.gov/Welcome.aspx?pt=Grants https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/snow-dismissal-procedures/federal-holidays/ https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/snow-dismissal-procedures/federal-holidays/ mailto:Policy@usda.gov https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/snow-dismissal-procedures/federal-holidays/ https://apply07.grants.gov/apply/opportunities/instructions/PKG00249520-instructions.pdf

Table 5: Key Application Instructions Instruction References

(All references are to the Application Guide)

Attachments must be in a portable document format (PDF) format.

Part III § 3

Check the manifest of submitted files to verify attachments are in the correct format.

Part III § 6.1

Conduct an administrative review of the application before submission.

Part VII

Follow the submission instructions. Part IV § 1.5

Provide an accurate email address, where designated, on the SF-424 R&R.

Part IV § 1.5

Contact the Grants.gov helpdesk for technical support, and keep a record of the correspondence.

N/A

Contact NIFA if applicant does not received correspondence from NIFA regarding an application within 30 days of the application deadline.

N/A

SF 424 R&R Cover Sheet. See Part V § 2 and Part V § 2.21of the Application Guide for the required certifications and assurances.

SF 424 R&R Project/Performance Site Location(s). See Part V § 3 of the Application Guide.

R&R Other Project Information Form. See Part V § 4 of the Application Guide.

Field 7. Project Summary (PS)/Abstract. The PS must show how the project goals align with the project goals of the YFSEC program. See Part V § 4.7 of the Application Guide for instructions and suggested templates. Proposals must include a Project Summary/Abstract page of 400 words or less. The summary page should include the following, in the order listed here:

• Project title;

• Names of PD, Co-PDs, and key project personnel and their affiliated institutions;

• Names of partnering institutions and organizations (if not already listed);

• A brief description of the proposed project, including the relevance of the project to the goals of the YFSEC Program needs;

• Funding amount requested by year and in total; and

• Whether the proposal includes a request for Center of Excellence consideration.

Field 8. Project Narrative (PN). The PN must not exceed [18] 1.5 spaced pages of written text and up to [5] 1.5 spaced additional pages for figures and tables (the font size for tables should be no smaller than 11 points, Times New Roman). The page limits outlined here ensure fair and equitable competition. Appendices to the PN are allowed if they are directly germane to the https://apply07.grants.gov/apply/opportunities/instructions/PKG00249520-instructions.pdf https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/support.html https://apply07.grants.gov/apply/opportunities/instructions/PKG00249520-instructions.pdf https://apply07.grants.gov/apply/opportunities/instructions/PKG00249520-instructions.pdf proposed project. Do not add appendices to circumvent the page limit. The Project Narrative must have distinct sections, titled and presented in the following order:

(a) Introduction;

(b) Objectives, Activities, and Timeline;

(c) Division of Labor;

(d) Performance Measurement/Evaluation Plan;

(e) Management Plan;

(f) Budget and Budget Justification;

(g) Project Sustainability Plan; and

(h) Centers of Excellence Request and Justification (if applicable).

(a) Introduction

Justify the need for the project by describing the nature and magnitude of the issue the project is seeking to address. Provide the most recent relevant data, including data on the incidence of injuries and health issues among the farming youth population. Provide references for data. Explain and substantiate any assumptions made.

In addition, please address the following elements:

o Briefly discuss related programs currently available and how your project will address existing gaps and limitations among currently available programs/services.

o Clearly identify population(s) your proposed project will reach out to and serve.

o If proposing to work with specific minority groups, describe prior experience your team has had in addressing the needs of that target audience. Describe your ability and readiness to provide appropriate (i.e., ethnically-, racially-, linguistically- and socio-economically-sensitive) education, training, and outreach for such an audience(s). For example, if you will be serving Spanish-speaking or Native American communities, how will you ensure that your outreach and services are culturally appropriate and understandable?

o Justify your institution’s and team’s ability to meet the gaps and limitations in services by detailing your accomplishments from similar projects. If the project involves collaboration between Land Grant Institutions, clearly identify each institution’s relevant previous work that speaks to its ability to successfully participate on the proposed project.

o Identify your project partners. Provide justification for their selection. Clearly state the organizations’ previous and current work that make it a good fit for the proposed project.

o If the proposed project is currently funded by the YFSEC program or has been funded by the YFSEC program in the past, you must include also the following in your Introduction section:

A brief history of the current/past project and main project outcomes and/or impacts;

If your project has had a gap in funding from NIFA, explain how and at what level you were able to sustain the project since it last received funding from

NIFA.

(b) Objectives, Activities, and Timeline

Provide a clear description of the project objectives and activities. Please use a Logic Model. The following elements must be addressed:

o Objectives must address program priorities listed in Part I, Section B.

o Explain how the activities will help to achieve the objectives and the intended target audience.

o Clearly show the relationships between objectives, inputs, activities, desired outcomes, and anticipated impacts.

o The sum of activities under each objective must lead to completion of those objectives within the 4-year maximum project duration. Group activities and associated outcomes and impacts by project year (FY 2021, FY 2022, FY 2023, and FY 2024).

o When describing project outcomes to be tracked, indicate when (e.g., before and/or after a given activity) you plan to monitor your project outcomes and how you intend to measure them. Outcomes monitoring plan should allow you to annually review outcomes achieved and to use results to inform, refine and adjust future project plans as needed.

Provide a Timeline to demonstrate the duration and the sequence of project activities, as well as division of labor (as noted in the next section of this RFA). Each objective may have multiple activities. Chart against a quarterly scale, so that the Timeline depicts four

(4) years and 16 quarters.

Identify implementation challenges and project procedures limitations you might encounter during the course of the proposed projects. Briefly describe how you plan to address those challenges and limitations.

(c) Division of Labor

List State Cooperative Extension System and other partner organizations collaborating on the project. For each, briefly describe type of activities for which they will provide leadership. For further details regarding division of labor, refer readers to the project timeline.

Within the project timeline, include a column that shows responsibilities of the respective organizations under appropriate objectives/activities.

Land-Grant Institutions submitting joint applications must demonstrate that the institutions’ roles and responsibilities in regard to main aspects of project development, implementation and outcome evaluation will be equitable and appropriate.

Applicants proposing SAY National Clearinghouse projects should describe in this section the projected composition and role(s) of their SAY National Steering Committee.

(d) Performance Measurement/Evaluation Plan

Proposals should contain a strong performance measurement plan that clearly states the goals of the project and explains how project activities will lead to results (both outputs and outcomes). The plan will identify the project’s most significant outcomes and explain the methods by which those outcomes will be measured. We strongly recommend that these plans include or refer to the project’s logic model. Please be as specific as possible in describing the linkages among activities, outputs, and different types of outcomes (e.g., changes in participant knowledge, awareness, competency, and behavior or changes in condition).

NIFA encourages projects to consider including an evaluator/evaluation-skilled person on the project who can assist with development of a performance measurement plan and, if funds are available, help carry out that plan. The purpose of the performance measurement is to help determine whether a project has achieved its objectives, whether it has reached intended outcomes, and what level of performance has been achieved.

(e) Management Plan

Provide a brief summary of key staff who will manage the proposed project, their individual roles on the project, and percent of time they will be dedicating to the project.

If the percentages are expected to change in Years 2, 3, or 4 of the proposed projects, please indicate so and provide an explanation.

Describe how the relationship between the State Cooperative Extension System and the partner organizations will be managed. If the proposed project represents a collaboration between two or more Land Grant Institutions, provide an explanation of how the relationship between the agencies will be managed.

Describe the fiscal and administrative oversight provided by the Land Grant Institution(s) and the partner organizations.

Indicate who on the team will provide the project outcomes evaluation oversight.

(f) Budget (as below #6. R&R Budget) and Budget Justification

There is a direct relationship between the items in the budget and budget justification, as well as between budget justification and the objectives/activities contained in the Project Narrative.

Every item in the budget needs to be justified in the proposal. The amount of detail depends on the nature of the project and the breakdown of costs.

Proposed budgets must not exceed $100,000 per year level or request funding for more than 4 years in total.

Budget breakdown and justification need to be provided for each year of funding being requested.

Annual budgets should include estimated 2-day travel costs to attend a SAY NSC meeting at NIFA (Washington, DC). Annual budgets of applications proposing to conduct SAY National Clearinghouse project should also include estimated costs associated with organizing annual meetings of the SAY NSC, to be held at NIFA.

Projects that represent a collaboration between two or more Land Grant Institution need to include at least one representative from each of the institutions at the annual meetings of SAY NSC.

In Budget Justification, costs (e.g., personnel, materials, travel, etc.) are to be broken down and itemized rather than shown as lump sums.

(g) Project Sustainability Plan

Describe steps you will undertake during the course of the proposed project activities to assess options and opportunities for project’s sustainability beyond the life of the NIFA YFSEC grant. Include your proposed project sustainability activities in the proposal timeline.

Identify opportunities (e.g., resources, trainings, collaborations) you plan to tap-into/develop/enhance during the life of the proposed project that will help you sustain program operations after NIFA funding has expired.

Describe how you plan to track your project sustainability planning efforts during the course of the proposed project implementation.

(h) Center of Excellence Request and Justification

For consideration as a COE, you must provide a brief justification statement, as part of your Project Narrative and within the page limits provided, which describes how you meet the standards of a COE, based on the following criteria:

(A)The ability of the COE to ensure coordination and cost effectiveness by reducing unnecessarily duplicative efforts in the research, teaching, and extension activities outlined in this application;

(B)In addition to any applicable matching requirements, the ability of the COE to leverage available resources by using public-private partnerships among agricultural industry groups, institutions of higher education, and the federal government in the proposed research and/or extension activities outlined in this application. Resources leveraged should be commensurate with the size of the award;

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

(D) The ability or capacity of the COE 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.

Response to previous review: The response to previous review must not exceed [2] 1.5 spaced pages. This does not count towards the page limit for the PN.

1. Field 12, Add Other Attachments. See Part V § 4.12 of the Application Guide.

• Letter(s) of Commitment from Collaborators on the Proposed Project (e.g., 1862, 1890 or 1994 Land Grant Institutions, Minority Serving Institutions, eXtension.) The letters must state the partner institution’s readiness to collaborate on the proposed project and describe the partner’s specific role on the project.

(Note: If partnering with eXtension, you must have a letter of acknowledgement from eXtension and a letter of commitment from the Ag Safety and Health Community of Practice.)

R&R Senior/Key Person Profile (Expanded). See Part V § 5 of the Application Guide for profile requirements, details about the biographical sketch, and suggested support templates.

R&R Personal Data. This information is voluntary and is not a precondition of award (see Part V § 6 of the Application Guide).

R&R Budget. See Part V § 7 of the Application Guide.

1. Match – The YFSEC program has NO matching requirement. NIFA will not factor matching resources into the review process as an evaluation criterion.

2. Indirect costs (IDC) – Not Allowed.

Data Management Plan. A DMP is required for this program. Applicants should clearly articulate how the project director (PD) and co-PDs plan to manage and disseminate the data generated by the project. The DMP will be considered during the merit review process (see Part V § B of this RFA, Part III § 3.1 of the Application Guide and NIFA’s Data Management Plan).

Supplemental Information Form. See Part VI § 1 of the Application Guide.

1. Field 2. Program to which the applicant is applying. Enter the program name (“Youth

Farm Safety”) and the program code (“RB”). Accurate entry is critical.

2. Field 8. Conflict of Interest List. See Part VI § 1.8 of the Application Guide.

Representations Regarding Felony Conviction and Tax Delinquent Status for Corporate Applicants. This is required for corporate applicants. See Part VI § 2 of the Application Guide for a description of the term, “corporation.”

https://apply07.grants.gov/apply/opportunities/instructions/PKG00249520-instructions.pdf https://apply07.grants.gov/apply/opportunities/instructions/PKG00249520-instructions.pdf https://apply07.grants.gov/apply/opportunities/instructions/PKG00249520-instructions.pdf https://apply07.grants.gov/apply/opportunities/instructions/PKG00249520-instructions.pdf https://apply07.grants.gov/apply/opportunities/instructions/PKG00249520-instructions.pdf https://nifa.usda.gov/resource/data-management-plan-nifa-funded-research-projects https://apply07.grants.gov/apply/opportunities/instructions/PKG00249520-instructions.pdf

C. Funding Restrictions No Indirect Cost (IDC). IDC is not authorized for this RFA. Pursuant to Section 1473 of the National Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching Policy Act of 1977 (NARETPA), as amended, 7 U.S.C. 3319, indirect costs and tuition remission are not allowable costs under Section 3(d) of Smith-Lever funded projects, and no funds will be approved for this purpose. Costs that are a part of an institution’s indirect cost pool (e.g., administrative or clerical salaries) may not be reclassified as direct costs for the purpose of making them allowable.

NIFA has determined that grant funds awarded under this authority may not be used for the renovation or refurbishment of research, education, or Extension space; the purchase or installation of fixed equipment in such space; or the planning, repair, rehabilitation, acquisition, or construction of buildings or facilities.

Unallowable costs include, but are not limited to, the following examples:

1. Entertainment Costs not permitted include banquets, award ceremonies, and meals for persons not traveling on behalf of the project except when provided to maintain the continuity of a meeting, tickets to shows or sporting events, and alcoholic beverages.

2. Awards and Certificates of Achievement are disallowed by 2 CFR 200, the Uniform Administrative Requirement, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards.

3. Facility Costs not permitted include the renovation or refurbishment of research, education, or extension space; the purchase or installation of fixed equipment in such space; or the planning, repair, rehabilitation, acquisition, or construction of buildings or facilities.

4. Any expense not directly related to the program or project is considered unallowable.

Examples include child-care services, kitchen help hired to prepare refreshments, and promotional or appreciation gifts such as clothing, coffee mugs, or bags.

https://nifa.usda.gov/sites/default/files/resource/nar77.pdf https://nifa.usda.gov/sites/default/files/resource/nar77.pdf https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=(title:7%20section:3319%20edition:prelim)%20OR%20(granuleid:USC-prelim-title7-section3319)&f=treesort&edition=prelim&num=0&jumpTo=true https://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?SID=5ed5161551e899e37c5ce301d267f5e3&mc=true&node=pt2.1.200&rgn=div5 https://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?SID=5ed5161551e899e37c5ce301d267f5e3&mc=true&node=pt2.1.200&rgn=div5

PART V. APPLICATION REVIEW REQUIREMENTS

A. NIFA’s Evaluation Process NIFA evaluates each application in a two-part process. First, we screen each application to ensure that it meets the administrative requirements as set forth in this RFA. Second, a scientific peer- review process will be used to technically evaluate applications that meet the administrative requirements using a review panel (see NIFA Peer Review Process)..

Scientific Peer Review Process:

NIFA selects reviewers for the review panel based upon their training and experience in relevant scientific, extension, or education fields, taking into account the following factors:

• the level of relevant formal scientific, technical education, or extension experience of the individual, as well as the extent to which an individual is engaged in relevant research, education, or extension activities;

• the need to include experts from various areas of specialization within relevant scientific, education, or extension fields;

• the need to include other experts (e.g., producers, range or forest managers/operators, and consumers) who can assess relevance of the applications to targeted audiences and to program needs;

• the need to include experts from a variety of organizational types (e.g., colleges, universities, industry, state and Federal agencies, and private profit and non-profit organizations) and geographic locations;

• the need to maintain a balanced composition with regard to minority and female representation and an equitable age distribution; and

• the need to include reviewers who can judge the effective usefulness of each application to producers and the general public.

After each peer review panel has completed its deliberations, the responsible program staff of NIFA will recommend that your project is either approved for support from currently available funds or declined due to insufficient funds or unfavorable review.

NIFA reserves the right to negotiate with the PD/PI and/or the submitting organization or institution regarding project revisions (e.g., reductions in the scope of work, funding level, period, or method of support) prior to recommending any project for funding.

After the review process has been completed, NIFA sends copies of reviews, not including the identity of reviewers, and a summary (if applicable) of the review panel comments to the PD.

Conflicts of interest. NIFA takes extreme care to prevent any actual or perceived conflicts of interest that may influence the review or evaluation (see NIFA Peer Review Process for Competitive Grant Applications).

B. Evaluation Criteria NIFA will use the following criteria to evaluate this RFA:

https://nifa.usda.gov/sites/default/files/resource/NIFA-Peer-Review-Process-for-Competitive-Grant-Applications_0.pdf

a) Potential for Advancing Impact Upon and Outreach to Youth and Instructors (25 points).

This criterion is used to assess the likelihood that the project will have an impact upon and advance the outreach to youth and/or youth farm safety instructors. Elements considered include those required for the Introduction section of proposals (see Part IV.

B. (a)).

b) Proposed Objectives, Activities, and Timeline (25 points).

This criterion relates to the soundness of the proposed approach including objectives, methodology, plan of operation, timetable, logic model, outputs, desired outcomes, and anticipated impacts. Elements considered include those required for the Objectives, Activities and Timeline section of proposals (see Part IV. B.(b)).

c) Proposed Division of Labor (10 points)

This criterion relates to the adequacy of the lead and partner organizations to conduct the proposed project and the division of activities for which each entity in the collaboration will provide leadership, whether the institutions’ roles and responsibilities in regards to main aspects of project development, implementation and outcome evaluation are equitable and appropriate. Elements considered include those required for the Division of Labor section of proposals (see Part IV. B.(c)).

d) Proposed Performance Measurement Plan (10 points)

This criterion is used to assess soundness of the proposed performance measurement plan, whether the project’s expected outcomes are identified and whether the methods by which those outcomes will be measured are clearly noted. Elements considered include those required for the Performance Measurement/Evaluation Plan section of proposals (see Part IV. B.3(d)).

e) Proposed Management Plan (10 points)

This criterion relates to the adequacy of the lead and partner organizations to conduct the proposed project, the number and qualifications of key persons who will develop and carry out the project, and the qualifications of project personnel who will provide oversight and the assessment of project results and reporting of those results. Elements considered include those required for the Management Plan section of proposals (see Part IV. B.3 (e)).

f) Budget and Cost-Effectiveness (10 points)

This criterion relates to the extent to which the total budget adequately supports the project and is cost effective. Elements considered include the necessity and reasonableness of costs to carry out project activities and achieve project objectives; the appropriateness of budget allocations between the applicant and any collaborating institution(s); the adequacy of time committed to the project by key project personnel;

and the degree to which the project maximizes the use of limited resources. Elements considered include those required for the Budget and Budget Justification section of proposals (see Part IV. B.(f)).

g) Proposed Project Sustainability Plan (10 points) This criterion assesses soundness and feasibility of the steps to be undertaken during the course of the proposed project activities to assess options and opportunities for project’s sustainability beyond the life of the NIFA YFSEC grant. Elements considered include those required for the Budget and Budget Justification section of proposals (see Part IV.

B.3.(g)).

C. Center of Excellence In addition to evaluating applicants using the criterion listed in Part V § B of this RFA, NIFA will use the COE standards described in this RFA to evaluate applicants that rank highly meritorious and requested to be considered as a COE. In instances where applicants are found to be equally meritorious with the application of a non-COE applicant, NIFA will prioritize the COE applicant meeting the COE criteria. NIFA will effectively use the COE prioritization as a “tie breaker.” Applicants that rank highly meritorious but who did not request consideration as a COE or who are not deemed to have met the COE standards may still receive funding.

Applicants that meet the COE requirements will have the COE…