AIC 2021 Application Checklist.docx

USDA AGRICULTURE INNOVATION CENTER GRANT PROGRAM

FY 2021 APPLICATION CHECKLIST

Note that this checklist is not a substitute for the Notice Inviting Applications for the Agriculture Innovation Demonstration Center Grants, as published in the Federal Register on June 28, 2021. This checklist has been prepared to assist you with developing your application, but you MUST read all the requirements in the Notice, where they are described more completely. In the event of a conflict between this Checklist and the Notice, the Notice will always prevail. Also, please do not submit this checklist as part of your application. It is meant for your internal use only as you prepare your application. We also strongly encourage you to use the Application Template to ensure that you provide complete information. Therefore, this Checklist is set up to work in conjunction with that Template. The Template includes the information in a different order than what is listed in the Notice to streamline the Agency’s review process.

Template Location Notes

Template: Appendix A This form must be completed through Grants.gov and will automatically be submitted with your application. We include a placeholder in Appendix A of the Application Template.

Template: Appendix B This form must be completed through Grants.gov and will automatically be submitted with your application. We include a placeholder in Appendix B of the Application Template.

Make sure you include your matching funds, estimated costs by quarter and for the second year, if applicable, and your indirect costs.

Template: Appendix C A separate signature is not required.

Template: Appendix D If you do not use the template, copy the language from 2 CFR Part 418, Appendix A.

Template: Appendix E and Appendix M Enter the information requested on the template. Attach your most recent audit separately. We include a placeholder for the audit as Appendix M. You must provide a copy of the audit. If your audit is publicly available and you decide to include a website link instead of a file with your submission and we cannot access the audit, your application will be ineligible for funding. We will not troubleshoot bad links or do our own searches for your audit. It is your responsibility to provide it.

And D.2(f) Template: Appendix F See the Notice for the requirement for your organization type. You will need to include either a legal citation or a Certificate of Good Standing and Articles of Incorporation.

☐ Verification of Matching Funds ☐ Amount ☐ Source ☐ Time Period of Availability ☐ Purpose Notice: Sections C.2 and D.2(g) Template: Appendix G If any third parties will be providing contributions, you must get signed letters from those organizations and attach those letters to your Grants.gov submission. Remember that you must provide at least one-third of the total project costs as matching funds. Total project costs include grant and matching funds. So if you request $1,000,000 in grant funds, you must provided at least $500,000 in matching funds.

and D.2(h) Template: Appendix H You must explain how your Center will be independently governed, including how the Center will carry out personnel decisions, hire/fire employees and contractors, set policies and procedures, develop and approve its budget, and select its own Board of Directors.

☐ Board of Directors For representatives from two largest organizations:

☐ Names of Organizations Represented ☐ Purpose of organizations ☐ Number of members in your State ☐ Names of Representatives ☐ Explanation of how you determined that these two organizations had the most, or second most, members in your State.

For the representative from the State Department of Agriculture or State Legislator:

☐ Name of representative ☐ Title and Job Responsibility if from the Department of Ag OR District the legislator represents if a State Legislator

For representatives of commodity organizations:

☐ Names of four representatives ☐ Names of the organizations the four individuals represent ☐ Copy of information used to demonstrate the four commodities are produced in your State

☐ Signed statements from all seven representatives Notice: Sections C.3 and D.2(i) Template: Appendix I Remember that there are seven total members on your Board of Directors that need to be identified in this section: Two from general agricultural organizations, one from the State Dept. of Ag. OR a State Legislator, and four from commodity organizations.

☐ Existing Capability to Provide Services ☐ Type of service provided ☐ Date service provided ☐ Role of Center/Key Personnel in providing the service ☐ Number of times service was provided ☐ Outcome of the services Notice: Sections C.3 and D.2(j) Template: Appendix J You need to describe the applicant’s capability to provide Producer Services OR if the applicant doesn’t have at least three years of experience, you need to describe the experience of the key personnel. You don’t need to provide a narrative and a chart description. It is easier for our reviewers to look at a chart, but you have the option to provide a narrative instead. If you use the template, you can delete the section you are not using.

☐ Support of the Agricultural Community ☐ Support letter 1 ☐ Support letter 2 ☐ Support letter 3 Notice: Sections C.3 and D.2(k) Template: Appendix K Remember that the support letters need to come from organizations that have a focus on agriculture, that are based in the project’s service area, and that serve the same group of producers that the Center plans to provide services to.

☐ Strategic Coordination ☐ Arrangements in place with end users ☐ Arrangements with entities that have technical research capabilities ☐ Support from the agricultural community ☐ Delivery plan Notice: Sections C.3 and D.2(l) Template: Appendix L Remember to provide specific information for this section and address all three areas of alliances and coordination. Specific information means things like the names of the organizations the Center will be working with and the types of arrangements in place, like contracts, memoranda of understanding, referral processes, and partnership agreements. And include information about your delivery plan too.

☐ Title Page ☐ Title ☐ Contact information ☐ Other information Notice: Section D.2(m) Template: p. 1

Template: p. 2 The Microsoft Word version of the Template is set up to automatically adjust the Table of Contents based on section headings if you click on the TOC and select Update. If you do not use the template, we encourage you to include placeholder pages for all attached files to ensure that all information is represented and that we can find it when we review your application.

☐ Executive Summary ☐ Brief description of the project ☐ List of tasks to be completed ☐ Any other relevant information

Notice: Section D.2(o) Template: p. 4 Cannot exceed one page.

☐ Goals of the Project ☐ List each Producer Service ☐ Identify at least one specific goal related to helping producers with value-added marketing Notice: Section D.2(p) Template: p. 5 Remember your goal(s) must relate to increasing and improving the ability of local agricultural producers to develop a market or process for Value-Added agricultural commodities or products.

☐ Work Plan ☐ Narrative description of tasks ☐ Key personnel ☐ Time periods ☐ Expected outcomes ☐ Services to new customers or new services to existing customers Notice: Sections C.3, D.2(q), and D.6 Template: p. 11 Make sure you check the Notice to read through all the information that needs to be in the work plan. Section D.6 includes funding restrictions. Also remember that one of the scoring criteria relies on this part of the application, so include details that speak to the things the criteria will look at. The template includes the work plan as part of the Scoring Criteria for ease of review.

☐ Budget Justification ☐ Personnel expenses ☐ Fringe benefits expenses ☐ Contractual ☐ Other ☐ Travel ☐ Supplies ☐ Indirect Costs ☐ Matching Funds ☐ Program Income Notice: Section D.2(r) Template: p. 19

Make sure you identify each budget category and provide a narrative explanation. The Notice provides additional guidance on what should be included in this section.

☐ Scoring Criteria ☐ Ability to Deliver ☐ Successful Track Record ☐ Work Plan/Budget ☐ Qualifications of Key Personnel ☐ Local Support ☐ Future Support Notice: Sections D.2(t) and E.1 Template: p. 6 Make sure you read the Notice to understand how each criterion will be scored and what information you should provide.

USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer and lender.

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