FY21-AFRI-SAS-RFA.pdf

Agriculture and Food Research Initiative Competitive Grants Program

Sustainable Agricultural Systems (SAS)

Fiscal Year (FY) 2021 Request for Applications (RFA)

LETTER OF INTENT DEADLINE: Varies by Program Area APPLICATION DEADLINE: Varies by Program Area

ELIGIBILITY: See Part III, A of RFA

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

AGRICULTURE

AGRICULTURE AND FOOD RESEARCH INITIATIVE COMPETITIVE GRANTS

PROGRAM

SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURAL SYSTEMS

INITIAL ANNOUNCEMENT

CATALOG OF FEDERAL DOMESTIC ASSISTANCE: This program is listed in the Assistance Listings under the Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance number 10.310.

DATES FOR LETTERS OF INTENT AND APPLICATIONS: The Program Area Descriptions section in Part I, C identifies the applicability of a Letter of Intent (LOI) and, if applicable, the deadline date for its submission. In these instances, it must be received by 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time on the deadline date.

Applications must be received by 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time on the deadline date indicated in the Program Area Descriptions section in Part I, C. Applications received after this deadline will normally not be considered for funding (see Part IV, C). 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 comments by the deadline set forth in the DATES portion of this notice via email to Policy@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 this RFA.

Visit the NIFA Centers of Excellence website to access a factsheet on the Centers of Excellence (COE) designation process, including COE criteria, and a list of programs offering COE opportunities.

NIFA solicits proposed topics for Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (AFRI) RFAs from eligible state and national commodity boards on an ongoing basis. Topics must relate to the established AFRI six priority areas. Topics submitted by the commodity boards that align with NIFA priorities are chosen for inclusion in selected program areas of AFRI RFAs. Details on general information and topic submission resources for inclusion in future AFRI RFAs can be found at NIFA's Commodity Board Provision website.

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 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@usda.gov https://nifa.usda.gov/centers-excellence https://nifa.usda.gov/program/agriculture-and-food-research-initiative-afri https://nifa.usda.gov/commodity-boards

Applicants are encouraged to view the Program Area Descriptions beginning in Part I, C of this RFA for additional details on commodity board-specific priorities and submission of applications relevant to these priorities.

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: The Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (AFRI) is USDA’s flagship competitive grant program that provides funding for fundamental and applied research, education, and extension projects in the food and agricultural sciences. Within AFRI, the long-term purpose of this Sustainable Agricultural Systems (SAS) Request for Applications (RFA) is to help transform the U.S. food and agricultural system to increase agricultural production by 40% in sustainable ways as we approach a world population of 10 billion by 2050, and to do so in the context of economic, societal, and environmental attributes of sustainability.

Solving agricultural challenges will require a convergence of science, technology, and policy to improve agricultural productivity; ensure a safe, affordable, and nutritious supply of food;

invigorate and realize the promise of the bioeconomy; and promote the development of a talented agricultural workforce. Recent advances in plant and animal biology, new technologies, the integration of large and complex sources of data knowledge of infrastructure and markets, and holistic approaches offer unprecedented opportunities for meeting the demands of the growing population. Transformation of our nation’s agricultural systems can ensure continued productivity growth, while conserving natural resources and minimizing the environmental footprint of agriculture. The transformation of food and agricultural systems also requires an investment in human capital to catalyze a secure and profitable global food system that meets the health and nutritional needs of people across rural and urban communities alike.

For FY 2021, applications to the SAS RFA must focus on systems approaches that promote transformational changes in the U.S. food and agricultural system within the context of the long-term goal of increasing American agricultural production by 40% with a reduction in environmental footprint by 50% by 2050. NIFA seeks creative and visionary applications that take a systems approach for projects focused on the themes in the USDA Science Blueprint: (1) sustainable agricultural intensification; (2) agricultural climate adaptation; (3) value-added innovation; and/or (4) food and nutrition translation. These projects are expected to significantly improve the supply of affordable, safe, nutritious, and accessible agricultural products, while fostering economic development and rural prosperity in America. These approaches must demonstrate current needs and anticipate future social, cultural, behavioral, economic, health, and environmental impacts. Additionally, the outcomes of the work being proposed should result in societal benefits, including promotion of rural prosperity and enhancement of quality of life for all those involved in food and agricultural value chains from production to utilization and consumption.

The amount available for new grants in this FY 2021 SAS RFA is approximately $150 million, for awards of up to approximately $10 million each.

This RFA covers one grant review cycle in FY 2021 using funding from FY 2020 and FY 2021 budgets. This RFA is being released prior to the passage of an 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.

https://www.un.org/development/desa/en/news/population/world-population-prospects-2017.html

This RFA solicits Standard Grants, Coordinated Agricultural Projects, and Strengthening Standard and Strengthening Coordinated Agricultural Projects (Food and Agricultural Science Enhancement; FASE), whereas project types solicited in this RFA are Integrated and Research projects. See Part I, C (Program Area Description) for grant and project types solicited, and Part II, C for a detailed description of each individual grant type and project type.

This notice identifies the objectives for the AFRI SAS program including program priorities, deadline dates, funding information, eligibility criteria for projects and applicants, and application forms and associated instructions needed to apply for an AFRI SAS grant.

The deadlines under this RFA are summarized as follows:

Program Code

Program Area Priority Description

2021 Review Cycle Deadlines*

A9201 Sustainable Agricultural Systems

Letter of Intent Deadline – January 7, 2021

Application Deadline – April 1, 2021

A9211 Sustainable Agricultural Systems Program Evaluation

Letter of Intent Deadline – March 4, 2021

Application Deadline – July 1, 2021

* All LOIs and applications must be received by 5 p.m. EST on the deadline date.

Table of Contents

PART I—FUNDING OPPORTUNITY DESCRIPTION

A. Legislative Authority B. Purpose and Priorities C. Program Area Descriptions

PART II—AWARD INFORMATION

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

PART III—ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION

A. Eligible Applicants B. Request for Determination of Status C. Cost Sharing or Matching D. Centers of Excellence

PART IV—APPLICATION AND SUBMISSION INFORMATION

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

PART V—APPLICATION REVIEW REQUIREMENTS

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

PART VI—AWARD ADMINISTRATION

A. General B. Award Notice C. Administrative and National Policy Requirements D. Responsible and Ethical Conduct of Research E. Expected Program Outputs and Reporting Requirements

PART VII—AGENCY CONTACTS

PART VIII—OTHER INFORMATION

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

D. Definitions E. Materials Available on the Internet

APPENDIX I: Most Successful Universities and Colleges Receiving Federal Funds (Table 1) ..38

APPENDIX II: Lowest 1/3 of Universities & Colleges Receiving Federal Funds (Table 2)

APPENDIX III: Flow Chart for Strengthening Grant Eligibility

PART I—FUNDING OPPORTUNITY DESCRIPTION

A. Legislative Authority Section 2(b) of the Competitive, Special, and Facilities Research Grant Act (hereafter referred to as the Act) (7 U.S.C. 3157), as amended, authorizes the Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (AFRI), a competitive grant program to provide funding for fundamental and applied research, education, and extension to address food and agricultural sciences in the following six 2018 Farm Bill priority areas:

1. Plant health and production and plant products;

2. Animal health and production and animal products;

3. Food safety, nutrition, and health;

4. Bioenergy, natural resources, and environment;

5. Agriculture systems and technology; and

6. Agriculture economics and rural communities.

To the maximum extent practicable, NIFA, in coordination with the Under Secretary for Research, Education, and Economics (REE), will make grants for high priority research, education, and extension, taking into consideration, when available, the determinations made by the National Agricultural Research, Extension, Education, and Economics Advisory Board (NAREEEAB) pursuant to the Competitive, Special, and Facilities Research Grant Act (7 U.S.C.

3157). The Secretary delegates the authority to the Under Secretary in 7 CFR 2.21, and the Under Secretary delegates that authority to NIFA.

B. Purpose and Priorities

The purpose of AFRI is to support research, education, and extension work by awarding grants to solve key problems of local, regional, national, and global importance in sustaining conventional, organic, and urban agricultural systems. These include farm efficiency, profitability and sustainability, ranching, bioenergy, forestry, aquaculture, rural communities and entrepreneurship, human nutrition, mitigating impacts of biotic and abiotic constraints on food production, food safety, mitigating food waste and food loss, physical and social sciences, home economics and rural human ecology, biotechnology, and classical breeding. Through this support, AFRI advances knowledge in both fundamental and applied sciences important to agriculture. It also allows AFRI to support education and extension activities that deliver science-based knowledge to end users, allowing them to make informed, practical decisions.

This AFRI RFA provides funding for integrated research, education, and extension projects.

Food and agricultural systems are under the constraints of a growing population, pressure on natural resources, challenges of climate variability and change, and complex demands of ensuring nutritional security and food safety in a global economy. Addressing these challenges requires research, education, extension, and integrated programs in concert with agroecological approaches that increase agricultural and natural resource sustainability. The term ''sustainable agriculture'' (7 U.S.C. 3103) means a combined system of plant and animal production practices having a site-specific application that will, over the long-term, achieve the following goals: 1) satisfy human food and fiber needs; 2) enhance environmental quality and the natural resource base upon which the agricultural economy depends; 3) make the most efficient use of https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=(title:7%20section:3157%20edition:prelim)%20OR%20(granuleid:USC-prelim-title7-section3157)&f=treesort&edition=prelim&num=0&jumpTo=true https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=(title:7%20section:3157%20edition:prelim)%20OR%20(granuleid:USC-prelim-title7-section3157)&f=treesort&edition=prelim&num=0&jumpTo=true https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=(title:7%20section:3157%20edition:prelim)%20OR%20(granuleid:USC-prelim-title7-section3157)&f=treesort&edition=prelim&num=0&jumpTo=true https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=(title:7%20section:3103%20edition:prelim)%20OR%20(granuleid:USC-prelim-title7-section3103)&f=treesort&edition=prelim&num=0&jumpTo=true nonrenewable resources and on-farm resources and integrate, where appropriate, natural biological cycles and controls; 4) sustain the economic viability of farm operations; and 5) enhance the quality of life for farmers and society as a whole. AFRI encourages projects addressing enhancement of sustainability of agricultural systems.

Stakeholder Input The AFRI Stakeholder Feedback page has information on AFRI-related stakeholder input.

Background AFRI is NIFA’s flagship competitive grants program for food and agricultural sciences. Funding is offered through the AFRI Foundational and Applied Science, Sustainable Agricultural Systems, and Education and Workforce Development Requests for Applications for addressing critical societal issues.

This AFRI RFA aligns with the following six USDA Strategic Goals:

1. Strategic Goal 2: Maximize the ability of American agricultural producers to prosper by feeding and clothing the world;

2. Strategic Goal 3: Promote American agricultural products and exports;

3. Strategic Goal 4: Facilitate rural prosperity and economic development;

4. Strategic Goal 5: Strengthen the stewardship of private lands through technology and research;

5. Strategic Goal 6: Ensure productive and sustainable use of our National Forest System

Lands; and

6. Strategic Goal 7: Provide all Americans access to a safe, nutritious, and secure food supply.

The program area priorities in this RFA also align with the themes outlined in the USDA Science Blueprint. The outcomes of projects supported through this RFA are expected to provide foundations for achieving the goals of the USDA Agriculture Innovation Agenda. By emphasizing the use of automation, artificial intelligence and other data-driven approaches, this RFA also addresses the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy’s (OSTP’s) priority to advance Artificial Intelligence and Industries of the Future.

https://nifa.usda.gov/resource/afri-stakeholder-feedback https://www.usda.gov/our-agency/about-usda/strategic-goals https://www.usda.gov/sites/default/files/documents/usda-science-blueprint.pdf https://www.usda.gov/sites/default/files/documents/usda-science-blueprint.pdf https://www.usda.gov/sites/default/files/documents/agriculture-innovation-agenda-vision-statement.pdf https://www.whitehouse.gov/ai/

C. Program Area Descriptions

Total Program Funds – $150 million

In FY 2021, applications are solicited under the following two Program Area Priorities:

1. Sustainable Agricultural Systems Program Area Priority Code – A9201 Proposed Budget Requests

a) Proposed Coordinated Agricultural Projects must not exceed $10 million total per project (including indirect costs) for project periods of up to five years. This program area anticipates making approximately fifteen new awards.

b) Food and Agricultural Science Enhancement (FASE) grants must adhere to the guidelines outlined beginning in Part II, C. 2.

c) Requests exceeding the budgetary guidelines will not be reviewed.

Requested Project Type – Integrated Projects only (must include Research, Education, and

Extension components within a project) Requested Grant Type – Coordinated Agricultural Project and FASE (Strengthening

Coordinated Agricultural Project) Grants only Letter of Intent Deadline – January 7, 2021 (5:00 p.m. Eastern Time) Program Area e-mail Address for Submission of Letter of Intent – AFRI-SAS@usda.gov Application Deadline – April 1, 2021 (5:00 p.m. Eastern Time) Program Area Contacts – Dr. Mathieu Ngouajio and Dr. Megan O'Rourke, AFRI-SAS@usda.gov

Program Area Priority – The purpose of the SAS Program Area is to promote the sustainable supply of abundant, affordable, safe, nutritious, and accessible food and other agricultural products, while enhancing economic opportunities and improving the long-term health and well-being of Americans.

The USDA Science Blueprint provides a strategic framework for leadership and direction in advancing USDA’s scientific mission through 2025. Four of its overarching themes for research, education, and economics are used in this RFA, which solicits applications for projects focused on:

(1) sustainable agricultural intensification;

(2) agricultural climate adaptation;

(3) value-added innovation; and/or

(4) food and nutrition translation.

This RFA is soliciting creative and visionary project applications developed by transdisciplinary teams that integrate research, education, and extension activities and effectively use a systems approach to promote convergence of science and technology to solve challenges to current and future food and agricultural production systems. Economic sustainability of the food systems is an overarching priority for the projects funded in response to this RFA. The RFA also encourages projects that use genome design, prescriptive interventions, artificial intelligence and data, systems management, and/or automation for providing solutions in the topic areas of focus.

mailto:AFRI-SAS@usda.gov mailto:AFRI-SAS@usda.gov https://www.usda.gov/sites/default/files/documents/usda-science-blueprint.pdf

Agricultural systems are inclusive of value chains from production to consumption of food and other agricultural products, and from traditional open-field farms, ranches, and managed forests to controlled production in built environments across the rural-urban continuum. Consideration must be given to how new strategies or other technical interventions may alter existing systems and the future implications of unintended effects. Applicants must demonstrate that the changes resulting from the proposed efforts will enhance the viability of the food and agricultural value chain. This could include improving natural resources quality, food safety and quality, profitability, and the health and well-being of people and communities. The systems may include approaches that reduce the environmental footprint including, but not limited to, soil and ecosystem biodiversity and health, water and nutrient use, greenhouse gases, and energy use.

Projects must use a systems approach that recognizes and utilizes the convergence of rapidly advancing science and technology platforms including biotechnology, data science, artificial intelligence, nanotechnology, information science, cognitive science, public engagement and others to address these complex and intertwined problems, and ensure the economic, environmental, and community well-being goals of sustainable agriculture. Projects must include demonstrable efforts that enhance formal and nonformal education and training. This includes education of the current and next generation of farmers, workers, and scientists who must be equipped to use new skills, technologies, training, and experiences to find and implement solutions to global food and agricultural challenges. Extension and other engagement should produce significant behavioral changes leading to sustainable production and consumption practices and improving the health and well-being of the public.

Projects must plan to employ meaningful performance metrics that measure progress during the grant period toward the long-term goals described below. These metrics can include how the proposed system and its components contribute to productivity and profitability, reduced environmental footprint, enhanced natural resources, food safety and quality, nutritional security, human health and well-being, a skilled workforce, and more sustainable jobs in the agricultural sector.

Applications must address one or more of the following long-term goals:

a. Sustainable Agricultural Intensification

Ensure sustainable food supply with judicious use of resources and minimal environmental impacts using advanced technologies, regenerative agriculture, optimal management practices, and protection of plants and animals from biotic and abiotic stresses. Socially, economically, and environmentally sustainable intensification is necessary to overcome limitations in diminishing natural resources, and to meet accelerating demands for food, feed, fuel, and fiber. Projects supporting this goal must consider the multidimensional aspects of sustainability to address one or more of the following topics.

a1. Solutions to Labor Challenges – Alleviate labor challenges across agricultural supply chains through automation, ensuring farm and processing industry safety, utilizing artificial intelligence, predictive analytics and decision tools, and assessing economic and social impacts. As agricultural production practices and related technologies advance, failure to also address workforce challenges can threaten the food supply chain and the long-term competitiveness of U.S. agriculture. A systems-based approach is required to address current and future labor challenges and ensure the sustainability of U.S. agriculture. Projects must develop, implement, and/or improve understanding of one or more of the following priorities:

o Predictive models, data surveillance programs, or decision support tools to aid in managing labor supply and demand;

o Technologies, breeding, or management strategies that increase automation, labor efficiencies, or create new job opportunities;

o Agricultural equipment for ergonomics, comfort, or safety;

o Social and economic impacts of proposed solutions to labor challenges; and/or o Educational or extension programs or activities to alleviate agricultural labor challenges or enhance worker safety.

a2. Land Stewardship – Improve agroecosystems at farm, regional or landscape scales in the context of land ownership, conservation policy, or other factors. Sustainable intensification must conserve natural resources to ensure the long-term productivity of U.S. agriculture. Innovations in technologies, management, and policies for sustainable intensification and land stewardship must consider the socioeconomic context and impacts of new developments. Land stewardship should enhance natural resources such as soil health and conservation, clean air, clean and sufficient water, or biodiversity. Projects must develop, implement or enhance understanding of one or more of the following:

o Data-driven forecasts or models of changing environmental or climatic conditions;

o Novel plant, animal and/or microbial systems that mitigate the environmental impacts of production;

o Technologies or management strategies that measurably improve ecosystem services while maintaining or improving production efficiency or resiliency;

o Efficient and equitable agricultural trade or environmental markets; and/or o Shifts in producer or consumer behaviors to positively impact environmental and socioeconomic landscapes.

a3. Food and Agricultural Production and Biosecurity – Secure and protect the integrity, reliability, sustainability and profitability of the food, agricultural and forest systems. Agricultural supply chains for feed, food, fiber and forest products are vulnerable to abiotic and biotic stressors and must meet the needs of a growing population. Compromises to these supply chains can threaten agriculture and public health. Innovative approaches can lead to more secure agricultural production systems. Projects supporting this goal must develop, implement, or improve understanding of one or more of the following:

o Methods to control or prevent transboundary, emerging, or reemerging pests or diseases of plants or food animals;

o Technologies, tools, models, management strategies, or decision-support systems to reduce pre-harvest losses or enhance efficient agricultural production, food safety or biosecurity; and/or o Lowering social or economic barriers to, or reducing impacts of, adopting new technologies, tools or management strategies that enhance efficient agricultural production systems.

a4. Resiliency and Robustness of Food and Agricultural Systems – Protect U.S. food and agricultural systems from shocks that disrupt supply chains and cause hardships for producers, processors, distributors, and consumers. COVID-19 and other natural disasters have strained the U.S. food and agricultural sectors and rural communities in multiple ways. Processing, transportation, and procurement may need to adapt to stresses throughout the value chain. Furthermore, the impacts often disproportionately affect socially disadvantaged communities and decrease food and nutritional security.

Novel approaches are needed to ensure the security of U.S. agriculture, forests, and food, and to facilitate decision-making during emergencies. Projects must develop, implement or improve understanding of one or more of the following:

o Systems models and tools to examine impacts of alternative systems to make supply chains more resilient to anticipated or unforeseen threats;

o New technologies, products or markets that enhance resiliency of U.S.

agricultural, forest, or food systems;

o Reductions in food losses caused by bottlenecks in supply chains during disruptions to the food system; and/or o Communities of Practice for collecting, analyzing, and disseminating socioeconomic information to make agricultural, forest or food systems more resilient.

b. Agricultural Climate Adaptation

Allow unmanaged and managed systems to be fully leveraged for mitigating and adapting to climate change. Adaptation to climate change in agricultural, rangeland and forestry systems requires the capacity to better predict climate stressors and their wide-ranging impacts on those systems within and across regions. Effective climate change adaptation will need new technologies, tools, management practices and systems approaches suitable for diverse plant- or animal-based production systems to improve resilience and enhance or maintain natural resources; these tools, practices and approaches should be included in all projects in this area.

Projects supporting this goal are encouraged to coordinate with USDA climate hubs.

Projects must develop or implement one or more of the following:

o Plant and Animal Breeding – Resilient and efficient breeding programs to develop plant and animal germplasm, varieties, and breeds for newly relevant environments and for food system resilience, including topics such as plant breeding for carbon sequestration;

o Soil Health and Management Practices – Systems approaches to develop sustainable soil management practices or models that optimize resiliency, increase carbon sequestration, decrease greenhouse gas emissions per unit of productivity or profitability, and/or measurably improve soil health;

o Pest and Beneficial Management – Understanding, developing, or implementing management strategies for plant or animal pests (e.g., insects, diseases, or weeds) or beneficial organisms under changing climatic conditions;

and/or o Water – Technologies or management regimes with benefits at the farm or watershed-levels that allow for efficient monitoring, treatment, modeling, use, https://www.climatehubs.usda.gov/ reuse, recycling, and allocation of water resources or soil water availability under changing climatic conditions including extreme climatic events such as flooding or drought.

c. Value-added Innovation

Rural Agriculture-based Economy – Foster economic development and prosperity in rural America by catalyzing production of high-value biobased chemicals, food and feed ingredients, and other products using agricultural feedstock, enhancing local human capital, and attracting supportive infrastructure. The continued development of a rural agriculture-based economy encompasses development of biobased products and biomaterials that promote opportunities in agriculture and bioeconomy value chains, renewable energy, and ecosystem services. These high value end products from agricultural byproducts, emerging crops, livestock and forest feedstocks, enable new markets, establish new domestic supply chains and stimulate workforce and rural community development creating jobs and economic opportunities. Of interest in this theme are industrial hemp projects that examine the supply chain as a system, including breeding, cultivation, feedstock logistics, industrial processing of products, and market analysis.

Projects supporting this goal must develop or implement both of the following:

o New and/or improved strategies for biobased products that improve food, feed, industrial or other high value-added products; and o Potential economic benefits over existing products and utilities; this includes addressing the full supply chain for high value-added product systems from feedstock through product formulation to end-user market demand.

d. Food and Nutrition Translation

Changes to food and agricultural systems influence the incidence of foodborne diseases and risks for chronic disease, as well as affect food wastage. Similarly, changes may affect food quality, bioavailable nutrients, and access to food, impacting health, community prosperity, and overall quality of life.

Projects must develop or implement one or more of the following:

o Cost-effective strategies and resources to ensure availability, accessibility, and affordability of safe and nutritious food for the health and prosperity of American communities;

o Pre-harvest and/or post-harvest interventions that may include approaches such as breeding, biocontrol, manipulation of the microbiome, or management strategies that promote food safety, enhance nutritional value, or reduce food waste;

o New approaches to improve understanding and/or engineering the functionality of foods. Work should include consumer outreach and engagement along the food and agriculture continuum; and/or o New knowledge of precision nutrition to provide healthy and accessible diets for distinct identifiable subpopulations and communities, including those with pre-existing conditions and disease risk factors, such as age and genetic composition.

Descriptions and examples of goals given above are meant to be guidance for project development, rather than being prescriptive. The project teams are expected to define the scope of their systems, system components, and detailed metrics that are directed at achieving one or more of the three goals in this RFA.

Program Area Additional Information:

• Letter of Intent (LOI) format is defined in Part IV, A. LOIs must include:

(1) description of the goals and deliverables addressed by the project, including short, medium, and long-term objectives within the “specific objectives”;

(2) description of the scope of systems and justification of components under investigation within the “approach” section of the LOI;

(3) clear descriptions and justification of the methods for the integrated and transdisciplinary approach to be used to achieve the desired goal(s) also within the “approach” section of the LOI; and

(4) description of the benefits to the food, forest, or agricultural system within the “potential impact and expected outcomes” of the LOI.

• Competitive proposals will present a clear explanation of the system(s) chosen that will be selected and the associated problems that will be addressed through research, extension, or education. Proposals will explain the scope of the systems as well as the full extent of expected impacts. Applicants may choose to address at least one or, typically, more than one of the emphasis areas described in this Program Area Priority. A range of appropriate outcomes and impacts is expected for these projects.

• Improved assessment tools for monitoring conditions and evaluating the effects of adaptive management practices on increased resilience at different scales are also needed to support effective decision-making. Potential adaptive management practices may have multiple economic, ecological, or social effects on both urban and rural populations and may require new approaches to developing interdisciplinary educational curricula or extension programs to achieve optimum workforce development and adoption by stakeholders.

• Projects that enhance access and interest in agricultural education for communities underrepresented in STEM education that train or retrain the agricultural workforce are needed to enhance economic prosperity. Funded projects are expected to develop tools, techniques, or practices that can be rapidly adopted at home or by various educators and extension specialists to ensure effective formal and non-formal education.

• Projects must provide a clear description of how transdisciplinary approaches will be deployed to achieve the goals of the project as defined in Part VIII, D. Proposals must demonstrate transdisciplinary linkages necessary to address the complex challenges in developing sustainable agricultural systems.

• All applications must adhere to the requirements beginning in Part IV.

o A Management Plan (see Part IV, C. 3. f. “Field 12. Other Attachments” for additional information) must include project governance, a stakeholder advisory board, involvement of an external evaluator, and progress reporting. The plan must clearly articulate with an organizational chart how the project will be governed. A well-thought out strategy must be put in place to enhance coordination, collaboration, communication, data sharing and reporting among members of the project team and stakeholder groups. The management plan must include an advisory group of principal stakeholders, partners, and professionals to assess and evaluate the quality, expected measurable outcomes, and potential impacts for the proposed research, education and extension. An external evaluator must be employed, with a specified amount of funding set aside for evaluation support. Success in meeting objectives must be demonstrated through proposed project metrics. Reporting requirements must include a description of key achievements including the publicly available and compatible technologies, information, and data products.

o A Data Management Plan (see Part IV, C. 3. f. “Field 12. Other Attachments” for additional information) must include making data publicly available with persistent identifiers or compatible with other open databases and sources. Machine readable data management plans produced using tools such as the DMPTool are strongly encouraged. A reasonable budget allocation for data management is allowed as a direct cost. Each Project Director (PD) must attend an inaugural PD meeting to share and coordinate their data management strategies with PDs from other funded projects to increase the value of the collective data through compatibility and sharing with regard to FAIR data standards, privacy, security and ethics.

o A Logic Model (see Part IV, C. 3. f. “Field 12. Other Attachments” for additional information) must include elements detailing the activities, outputs, and outcomes of the proposed project. The logic model planning process is a tool that should be used to develop a project before writing the application. This information may be provided as a narrative or formatted into a logic model chart. For more information and resources, see Integrated Programs’ Logic Model Planning Process located on the NIFA website.

• Applications from and collaborations with small to mid-sized institutions, minority-serving institutions, and/or institutions within the Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR) states are encouraged. Applications that include collaboration with international partners are also encouraged. For information on NIFA partnerships that may be of interest to applicants, see the AFRI International Partnerships website.

• For this Program Area, successful projects will integrate all three functions of the agricultural knowledge systems (i.e., Research, Education, and Extension) within a project focused around a problem or challenge. Each application should be planned, developed, and written in a manner that reflects the input and expertise of the entire integrated project team. Each integrated activity should be represented by one or more objectives within the application, with no more than two-thirds of a project’s budget being allocated to any single function.

• Extension activities must meet the definition described in Part VIII, D and the guidelines for extension described for integrated project types (see the AFRI RFA Resources page, “AFRI Project Types” in the attachments list). In addition, extension components must include:

o A high degree of engagement among researchers, extension or other engagement personnel, and relevant stakeholders, from inception through implementation of the project;

o Approaches that consider the factors that impact decision making (e.g., assess individual, stakeholder group, or community needs; develop strategies that https://dmptool.org/ https://www.go-fair.org/fair-principles/ https://nifa.usda.gov/resource/integrated-programs-logic-model-planning-process https://nifa.usda.gov/resource/afri-international-partnerships https://nifa.usda.gov/resource/afri-international-partnerships https://nifa.usda.gov/resource/afri-request-applications-resources incentivize changes in practices to manage lands, crops and/or systems; promote adoption of new technologies and other interventions based on knowledge of user preferences); and o Innovative approaches to disseminate project results and/or best management practices.

Extension activities may include positive youth development programs such as 4-H.

• Educational activities must meet the definition described in Part VIII, D and the guidelines for education described for integrated project types (see the AFRI RFA Resources page, “AFRI Project Types” in the attachments list). In addition, educational components should make use of innovative approaches such as curriculum development, novel experiential learning opportunities, development of leadership skills (e.g., critical thinking, problem solving, communication), use of transdisciplinary and multi-institutional teams, online educational resources, citizen science, apps, or educational games. Investigators are strongly encouraged to engage a diverse population of students in these activities, including socially-disadvantaged and nontraditional students.

• Applicants must:

o Clearly identify the systems addressed in their projects and provide justification for why that particular system, its scope, and components, were selected. Where possible, each application must describe the prioritization process used to determine which systems and components to investigate in terms of the food and agricultural production practices, supply chain components, consumption end uses, and impacts on people.

o Describe a meaningful approach for blending research, education, and extension expertise and other extension and implementation approaches throughout the project to address principal objectives.

o Provide evidence that the project is aligned with AFRI priorities outlined in the Farm Bill listed in Part I, A of this RFA.

o Describe expected solutions or improvements and how these will be assessed and measured in their project.

o Address the potential costs of a proposed solution in their project and describe how it can be scaled to be used in the short-and long-term based on technical, economic, and social feasibility.

o Explain how the project will strengthen agricultural and food-production systems and how results will be adopted or applied at a local, regional, or national level.

• During the proposal review process, the diversity of agricultural systems and long-term goals included may be taken into consideration when making final awards.

• NIFA supports global engagement that advances U.S. agricultural goals. To attain the agency's goals for U.S. agriculture, global competence of our nation’s agricultural workforce, and safe and nutritious food security in a growing world, NIFA recognizes that collaboration with international partners through AFRI can contribute to advances in U.S. agriculture. Thus, applications in response to this RFA may include collaborations with international partners but may only be submitted by eligible U.S. institutions. Such applications may include subcontracts to international partners or other institutions and must clearly demonstrate benefits to the U.S. Additional guidance on including international activities is provided on the AFRI International Partnerships website.

https://nifa.usda.gov/resource/afri-request-applications-resources https://nifa.usda.gov/resource/afri-request-applications-resources

• Applicants are encouraged to consult the definitions and examples of the food and agricultural systems in: National Academy of Sciences report on “A Framework for Assessing Effects of the Food System,” and the National Research Council food system definition. For additional resources on AFRI, including SAS, see the NIFA webpage.

2. Sustainable Agricultural Systems Program Evaluation Program Area Priority Code – A9211 Proposed Budget Requests

d) Proposed projects must not exceed $1 million total per project (including indirect costs) for project periods of up to five years. This program area anticipates making up to one award.

e) Food and Agricultural Science Enhancement (FASE) grants must adhere to the guidelines outlined beginning in Part II, C. 2.

f) Requests exceeding the budgetary guidelines will not be reviewed.

Requested Project Type – Research Projects only Requested Grant Type – Standard and FASE (Strengthening Standard) Grants only Letter of Intent Deadline – March 4, 2021 (5:00 p.m. Eastern Time) Program Area e-mail Address for Submission of Letter of Intent – AFRI-SAS@usda.gov Application Deadline – July 1, 2021 (5:00 p.m. Eastern Time) Program Area Contacts – Dr. Robbin Shoemaker and Dr. Ann Stapleton, AFRI-SAS@usda.gov

Program Area Priority – The primary goal of this program area priority is to develop a synthesis and assessment of USDA NIFA’s investments in the Sustainable Agricultural Systems (SAS) program from FY 2018 continuing through FY 2024. This priority calls for proposals to provide a programmatic review of the SAS projects, to include impacts, assessment and evaluation of this Coordinated Agricultural Project (CAP) program in relation to the program goals, the USDA Science Blueprint, the USDA Strategic Goals, and the USDA Agriculture Innovation Agenda. The project should provide an assessment of impacts of the SAS program, a roadmap for future SAS priorities, and education programming to support best practices for SAS project management.

The successful application is expected to develop novel methods for assessing projects of this type and scale.

This synthesis project will provide a robust picture of the outcomes, knowledge, educational curriculum, extension activities and outreach, and tools that were developed as well as determine gaps in providing transdisciplinary advancements in integrated research, education, and extension. The desired outcome is to have a comprehensive analysis to determine the impact of USDA NIFA support of research, education, and extension in relation to identified systems challenges in the sustainability of U.S. agriculture and food production. The awardee will work closely with funded SAS projects and may provide project implementation and unified coordination frameworks or integrate across frameworks that are chosen by individual projects.

Additionally, the awardee will work closely with NIFA staff in the planning and implementation of annual SAS Project Director’s meetings.

It is recommended that the following information sources be used in projects:

• USDA Current Research Information System (CRIS) / NIFA Data Gateway https://www.nap.edu/catalog/18846/a-framework-for-assessing-effects-of-the-food-system https://www.nap.edu/catalog/18846/a-framework-for-assessing-effects-of-the-food-system http://dels.nas.edu/resources/static-assets/materials-based-on-reports/reports-in-brief/FoodSystemRBFINAL.pdf?_ga=2.123273099.1415643114.1503685648-1872386565.1495655675 http://dels.nas.edu/resources/static-assets/materials-based-on-reports/reports-in-brief/FoodSystemRBFINAL.pdf?_ga=2.123273099.1415643114.1503685648-1872386565.1495655675 https://nifa.usda.gov/resource/afri-request-applications-resources mailto:AFRI-SAS@usda.gov mailto:AFRI-SAS@usda.gov https://cris.nifa.usda.gov/ https://nifa.usda.gov/data

• USDA Science Blueprint

• USDA Agriculture Innovation Agenda

• USDA Research, Education, & Economics Information Systems (REEIS)

• USDA NIFA’s Leadership Management Dashboard (LMD)

• Journal articles and education and outreach materials and reports resulting from or related to NIFA SAS projects

• SAS project personnel

Proposals must address all of the following criteria:

1. Identify or develop an analytical approach that can effectively synthesize and assess the success of the portfolio of SAS projects. This must include developing innovative quantitative/qualitative indicators or measures of the array of topics addressed by the projects and a method of assessing the individual and collective effectiveness of the projects and overall portfolio;

2. Identify the key topical areas that have been covered by NIFA’s SAS program investments from FY 2018 to FY 2024, and the effectiveness of these investments in achieving national, departmental, and agency goals;

3. Ascertain the strengths and weaknesses in the portfolio that can inform the direction of future NIFA funding. This assessment should include broad applicability and gaps of portfolio coverage across regions, and disciplines of importance for research, education, and extension opportunities;

4. Identify the key findings and impacts of these SAS projects and emerging directions in food and agriculture science suggested by them. Evaluate whether these projects address the challenges identified at the national level that have been identified by other major organizations and stakeholders;

5. Ascertain and validate the direct and indirect beneficiaries from SAS funding and the impacts on diversity and inclusion in higher education and the agricultural sector;

6. Translational analysis of how the SAS projects can enhance the impact within the broader context of national agricultural imperatives;

7. Identification of barriers that have limited SAS projects from meeting their proposed goals, outputs, and impacts, and educational materials that can be utilized to more broadly implement best management practices across SAS projects; and

8. Establish and implement common metrics of performance that best predict project impacts that can be implemented across the SAS program.

Program Area Additional Information:

• Letter of Intent (LOI) format is defined in Part IV.

• Projects must propose products that will be available for public disclosure. For instance, a project might begin with a national workshop and might culminate in a national conference with proceedings and/or a white paper summarizing the proceedings.

• All applications must include a project management plan and a data management plan that assures preservation of and ready access to information and outputs from the project.

• All applications must budget organizing and conducting an annual project directors meeting for SAS projects to capture progress, identify project derived impacts and if necessary, realignments of the active projects.

https://www.usda.gov/media/press-releases/2020/02/06/usda-casts-vision-scientific-initiatives-through-2025 https://www.usda.gov/media/press-releases/2020/02/20/secretary-perdue-announces-new-innovation-initiative-usda http://www.reeis.usda.gov/ https://nifa.usda.gov/tool/lmd

• Applications may include funds to support travel to USDA NIFA offices to work with National Program staff and USDA systems on the topic.

PART II—AWARD INFORMATION

A. Available Funding The anticipated amount available to support the AFRI program is approximately $425 million in FY 2020 and $425 million for FY 2021. NIFA anticipates approximately $150 million will be available to support program areas in this AFRI Sustainable Agricultural Systems RFA from FY 2020 and FY 2021 appropriations. Of the total amount available to make awards for the AFRI program, no less than 30 percent will be made available to fund integrated research, education, and extension projects. Of the AFRI funds allocated to research activities, no less than 60 percent will be directed toward grants for fundamental (or basic) research and 40 percent toward grants for applied research. Of the AFRI funds allocated to fundamental research, not less than 30 percent will be directed toward research by multidisciplinary teams.