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Program Solicitation

Alaska Native-Serving and Native Hawaiian-Serving Institutions Education Competitive Grants Program

(ANNH)

Fiscal Year 2011

Closing Date: March 3, 2011

ANNH Program:

Telephone: 202-720-1973 Internet: http://www.nifa.usda.gov/funding/rfas/alaska.html

Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number (CFDA)

10.228 ALASKA NATIVE SERVING AND NATIVE HAWAIIAN SERVING

INSTITUTIONS EDUCATION COMPETITIVE GRANTS PROGRAM

NIFA Funding Opportunity Number

USDA-NIFA-AHSI-003407

United States Department of Agriculture

National Institute of Food and Agriculture http://www.nifa.usda.gov/funding/rfas/alaska.html�

NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF FOOD AND AGRICULTURE;

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

ALASKA NATIVE-SERVING AND NATIVE HAWAIIAN-SERVING INSTITUTIONS

EDUCATION COMPETITIVE GRANTS PROGRAM

INITIAL ANNOUNCEMENT

CATALOG OF FEDERAL DOMESTIC ASSISTANCE: This program is listed in the Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance under 10.228.

DATES: Applications must be received electronically by Grants.gov by close of business (COB) on March 3, 2011 (5:00 p.m. Eastern Time). Applications received after this deadline will normally not be considered for funding. 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: The National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) is requesting comments regarding this RFA from any interested party. These comments will be considered in the development of the next RFA for the program, if applicable, and will be used 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)). This section requires the Secretary to solicit and consider input on a current RFA from persons who conduct or use agricultural research, education and extension for use in formulating future RFAs for competitive programs. Written stakeholder comments on this RFA should be submitted in accordance with the deadline set forth in the DATES portion of this Notice.

Written stakeholder comments should be submitted by mail to: Policy and Oversight Division;

Office of Grants and Financial Management; National Institute of Food and Agriculture, USDA;

STOP 2299; 1400 Independence Avenue, SW; Washington, DC 20250-2299; or via e-mail to:

RFA-OGFM@nifa.usda.gov (This e-mail address is intended only for receiving comments regarding this RFA and not requesting information or forms.) In your comments, please state that you are responding to the Alaska Native-Serving and Native Hawaiian-Serving Institutions Education Competitive Grants Program RFA.

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: NIFA requests applications for the Alaska Native-Serving and Native Hawaiian-Serving Institutions Education Competitive Grants Program (ANNH) for fiscal year (FY) 2011 to promote and strengthen the ability of Alaska Native-Serving Institutions and Native Hawaiian-Serving Institutions to carry out education, applied research, and related community development programs. This RFA is being released prior to the passage of an Appropriations Act for FY 2011. Enactment of additional Continuing Resolutions or an Appropriations Act may affect the availability or level of funding for this program. It is anticipated that the amount available for support of this program in FY 2011 will be approximately $3,000,000.

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This notice identifies the objectives for ANNH projects, the eligibility criteria for projects and applicants, and the application forms and associated instructions needed to apply for an ANNH grant. NIFA additionally requests stakeholder input from any interested party for use in the development of the next RFA for this program.

Table of Contents

PART I—FUNDING OPPORTUNITY DESCRIPTION

A. Legislative Authority and Background B. Purpose and Priorities

PART II—AWARD INFORMATION

A. Available Funding B. Types of Applications C. Project Types

PART III—ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION

A. Eligible Applicants B. Cost Sharing or Matching

PART IV—APPLICATION AND SUBMISSION INFORMATION

A. Electronic Application Package B. Content and Form of Application Submission C. Submission Date and Time D. Funding Restrictions E. Other Submission Requirements

PART V—APPLICATION REVIEW REQUIREMENTS

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

PART VI—AWARD ADMINISTRATION

A. General B. Award Notice C. Administrative and National Policy Requirements D. Expected Program Outputs and Reporting Requirements

PART VII—AGENCY CONTACT

PART VIII—OTHER INFORMATION

A. Access to Review Information B. Use of Funds and Changes C. Confidential Aspects of Applications and Awards D. Regulatory Information E. Definitions

PART I—FUNDING OPPORTUNITY DESCRIPTION

A. Legislative Authority and Background

This program is administered under the provisions of section 759 of Public Law 106-78 (7 U.S.C. 3242) which was amended and re-designated as section 1419B of the National Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching Policy Act (NARETPA) of 1977 (7 U.S.C.

3155). As legislatively reauthorized in the Public Law 110-246, the purpose of this program continues to promote and strengthen the ability of eligible Alaska Native-Serving Institutions and Native Hawaiian-Serving Institutions to carry out education, applied research, and related community development programs within a broadly defined area of food and agricultural sciences and related disciplines. In FY 2011, the Secretary will make competitive grant awards to individual eligible institutions or consortia of eligible institutions in Alaska and in Hawaii, with funds awarded equally to each of the states of Alaska and Hawaii.

B. Purpose and Priorities

The purpose of this program is to promote and strengthen the ability of Alaska Native-Serving Institutions and Native Hawaiian-Serving Institutions to carry out education, applied research, and related community development programs. NIFA intends this program to address educational needs, as determined by each institution, within a broadly defined area of food and agricultural sciences and related disciplines.

Food and agricultural sciences are defined to include programs in basic, applied, and developmental research, extension, and teaching activities in food and fiber, agricultural, renewable natural resources, forestry, and physical and social sciences, including activities relating to but not limited to the following: (1) Animal health, production, and well-being.

(2) Plant health and production. (3) Animal and plant germ plasm collection and preservation.

(4) Aquaculture. (5) Food safety. (6) Soil and water conservation and improvement. (7) Forestry, horticulture, and range management. (8) Nutritional sciences and promotion. (9) Farm enhancement, including financial management, input efficiency, and profitability. (10) Home economics. (11) Rural human ecology. (12) Youth development and agricultural education, including 4–H clubs. (13) Expansion of domestic and international markets for agricultural commodities and products, including agricultural trade barrier identification and analysis.

(14) Information management and technology transfer related to agriculture. (15) Biotechnology related to agriculture. (16) The processing, distributing, marketing, and utilization of food and agricultural products. (See Part VIII, E. Definitions).

Priority will be given to those projects that: enhance educational equity for under-represented students; strengthen institutional educational capacities; prepare students for careers related to the food, agricultural, and natural resource systems of the United States; and maximize the development and use of resources to improve food and agricultural sciences teaching programs.

Grants shall be used:

(1) To support the activities of consortia of Alaska Native-Serving or Native Hawaiian-Serving Institutions to enhance educational equity for under-represented students;

(2) To strengthen institutional education capacities, including libraries, curriculum, faculty, scientific instrumentation, instruction delivery systems, and student recruitment and retention, in order to respond to identified State, regional, national, or international educational needs in the food and agriculture sciences;

(3) To attract and support undergraduate and graduate students from under-represented groups in order to prepare them for careers related to the food, agricultural, and natural resource systems of the United States, beginning with the mentoring of students from K-12, and continuing with the provision of financial support for students through their attainment of a doctoral degree; and

(4) To facilitate cooperative initiatives between at least two or more Alaska Native-Serving or Native Hawaiian-Serving Institutions, which may work in cooperation with one or more other entities including units of State government and private sector organizations, to maximize the development and use of resources, such as faculty, facilities, and equipment, to improve food and agricultural sciences teaching programs.

Applicants are encouraged to submit applications that will result in building linkages with other institutions (including other colleges and universities, units of State government, and private sector entities) having a significant, ongoing commitment to the food and agricultural sciences generally and to the specific Need Area(s) for which a grant is requested (see below). The goals of such joint initiatives should include maximizing the development and use of limited resources (including faculty, facilities, and equipment) by: generating a critical mass of expertise and activity focused on a targeted Need Area(s); increasing cost-effectiveness through achieving economies of scale; strengthening the scope and quality of a project’s impact; and promoting coalition building likely to transcend the project’s lifetime and lead to future ventures.

Priority Need Area:

The FY 2011 ANNH grant opportunity encourages the applicant’s consideration of priorities and recommendations presented by NIFA, National Academy of Sciences, and Association of Public and Land-Grant Universities (APLU) Whitepaper:

1. NIFA priorities are: Global Food Security and Hunger; Climate Change; Sustainable Energy; Childhood Obesity; and Food Safety. ANNH encourages the development and/or enhancement of these educational priority areas for timely innovations and needed solutions in support of the nation’s food, fuel, and fiber production system (See Part VIII, E. Definitions under NIFA Priorities).

2. The 2009 National Academy of Sciences Report on Agricultural Education, Transforming Agricultural Education for a Changing World, recommends that academic institutions with undergraduate programs in agriculture implement the following nine steps to better meet the needs of students, employers, and the broader society. For information on the full report, refer to http://dels.nas.edu/ag_education/report.shtml and click on recommendations. The list of recommendations follows:

• Implement Strategic Planning

• Broaden Treatment of Agriculture in the Overall Curriculum

• Broaden the Student Experience

• Prepare Faculty to Teach Effectively

• Reward Exemplary Teaching

• Build Stronger Connections among Institutions

• Start Early K-12 Outreach

• Build Strategic Partnerships

• Focus Reviews of Undergraduate Programs in Agriculture

3. Academic Programs Section of APLU Whitepaper. “Human Capacity Development:

The Road to Global Competitiveness and Leadership in Food, Agriculture, Natural Resources, and Related Sciences (FANRRS),” can be found at:

http://www.aplu.org/NetCommunity/Document.Doc?id=1639.

It outlines opportunities for NIFA, including:

Strategic Goal 1: Increase supply of trained graduates in the Food and Agricultural Sciences: Inspire, Insure Access, and Enhance Academic Capacity of Students from all groups in the United States to excel in the Agricultural and Natural Resources Sciences (K–12, Community College, and Higher Education Systems).

1. Advance Changes in Curriculum and Teaching.

2. Create AG*STEM Programs.

3. Establish a National Young Scholars Program.

4. Develop Youth Leadership programs.

5. Integrate Global Experiences.

Strategic Goal 2: Enhance Human Capacity Development: Integrate Research and Extension Engagement into the Undergraduate Experience.

1. Involve Undergraduates in Authentic Research.

2. Strengthen Service Learning through Integration with Extension.

3. Integrate Distance Learning and extension.

Strategic Goal 3: Renew the Academy: Address the Needs for Doctoral-level Professionals in the Food, Agriculture, Natural Resources, and Related Sciences.

1. Develop Initiatives to Renew the Academy.

2. Design and Implement Programs to Prepare Future Faculty.

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3. Achieve Broader Impacts through Meaningful Promotion, Review and Implementation of Integrated Programs. A paradigm shift is required in the attitudes of program leaders, academic investigators and panel reviewers if true integration of education, research and extension is to be achieved.

Strategic Goal 4: Expand Learning and Engagement: Leverage Information, Communications and Instructional Technology.

1. Develop New Technologies for Learning.

2. Add Capacity to Distance Education Consortia.

3. Increase Funding for Acquisition of New Technology.

Applications are being solicited for the ANNH under the following areas:

1. Educational Need Areas

ANNH projects should focus on one or more of the Need Areas listed below. Please note that at least one of these Need Areas must be indicated on the Project Summary (See Part IV, B.3).

Need Areas for FY 2011 are defined below:

a. Curricula Design, Materials Development, and Library Resources.

The purpose of this initiative is: to promote the development of courses of study and degree programs, new and improved curricula, and instructional materials and technology; to promote the acquisition of library resources including books and journals relating to the food and agricultural sciences; and to stimulate the use of new approaches to the study of traditional subjects, new research on teaching and learning theory, and new applications of knowledge. The overall objective is to increase the quality of, and continuously renew, the academic programs of Alaska Native-Serving and Native Hawaiian-Serving Institutions in the food and agricultural sciences.

b. Faculty Preparation and Enhancement for Teaching.

The purpose of this initiative is to advance faculty development in the areas of teaching competency and leadership, subject matter expertise, or student recruitment and advising skills.

Applications may emphasize, but are not limited to: obtaining experience with recent developments and new applications in a field; expanding competence in innovative technologies and new methods of instruction delivery; developing new skills in a field of science or education including student advising skills; or pursuing graduate-level study in a field related to the food and agricultural sciences.

Each faculty recipient of support for developmental activities must be an “eligible participant” as defined in Part VIII, E. Definitions.

c. Instruction Delivery Systems.

The purpose of this initiative is to encourage the use of alternative methods of delivering instruction to enhance the quality, effectiveness, and cost efficiency of teaching programs.

Applications may emphasize, but are not limited to: incorporating alternative instructional methodologies that respond to differences in student learning styles; inter-institutional collaborations that deliver instruction in ways that maximize program quality and reduce unnecessary duplication; and consideration and implementation of innovative instructional techniques, methodologies, and delivery systems in response to advances in knowledge and technology.

d. Scientific Instrumentation for Teaching and Research.

The purpose of this initiative is to provide students and faculty in science-oriented courses with suitable, up-to-date equipment in order to involve them in work central to scientific understanding and progress. Applications may emphasize, but are not limited to: acquiring new, state-of-the-art instructional, laboratory, classroom, and research scientific equipment to help assure the achievement and maintenance of outstanding food and agricultural sciences education programs, upgrading existing equipment, or replacing non-functional or clearly obsolete equipment.

e. Student Experiential Learning.

The purpose of this initiative is to further the development of student scientific and professional competencies through experiential learning programs that provide students with opportunities to solve complex problems in the context of real-world situations. Applications may emphasize, but are not limited to: preparing future graduates to advance knowledge and technology, enhancing quality of life, conserve resources, and addressing community and economic development issues. Projects should focus on advancing student decision-making and communication skills, and improving real-life technological expertise. Activities may include, but are not limited to, internships, practicum experiences, study abroad opportunities, and participation with faculty on applied research and related community development projects.

f. Student Recruitment, Retention, and Educational Equity (including the provision of student financial assistance).

The purpose of this initiative is to enhance educational equity for under-represented students, and to strengthen student recruitment and retention programs in order to promote the future strength of the Nation's scientific, professional, and technical work force in the food and agricultural sciences. Applications may emphasize, but are not limited to: initiating new projects or supplementing current efforts to attract increased numbers of students from under-represented groups to attend college in order to prepare them for careers as food and agricultural scientists, professionals, and technicians; promoting opportunities for students from under-represented groups, their families, and communities to engage in a robust exchange of ideas on more effective use of the full breadth of the Nation's intellectual resources; agricultural and science literacy programs at the high school level to attract students to college and careers in the food and agricultural sciences; mentoring programs and other initiatives for student retention; and the provision of student financial support to attend college.

Each student recipient of monetary support for education costs or developmental purposes must be enrolled at an eligible institution and meet the requirement of an "eligible participant" as defined in Part VIII, E., Definitions.

g. Applied Studies in the Food and Agricultural Sciences.

The purpose of this initiative is to apply the body of knowledge in those natural and social sciences that comprise the food and agricultural sciences to address real-world problems, including applied research activities focusing on community and economic development issues related to food, nutrition, conservation, and renewable natural resources. Illustrative examples include, but are not limited to:

(i) Conduct plant or animal breeding programs to develop better crops, forests, or livestock (e.g., more disease resistant, more productive, yielding higher quality products);

(ii) Conceive, design, and evaluate new bio-processing techniques for eliminating undesirable constituents from or adding desirable ones to food products;

(iii) Propose and evaluate ways to enhance utilization of the capabilities and resources of ANNH institutions to promote rural development (e.g., exploitation of new technologies by small rural businesses);

(iv) Identify control factors influencing consumer demand for agricultural products;

(v) Analyze social, economic, and physiological aspects of nutrition, housing, and life-style choices, and of community strategies for meeting the changing needs of different population groups; and

(vi) Study other identified State, regional, community, national and global problems such as human nutrition, sustainable agriculture, bio-energy, climate change, food safety, food security, biotechnology, agribusiness management and marketing, and aquaculture (see Part I. B on areas of priorities).

h. Applied Research Support Systems.

The purpose of this initiative is to establish centralized support systems to meet State, regional, or community needs, or serve clientele that cannot otherwise afford or do not have ready access to the support in question, or to provide such support more economically thereby freeing up resources for other applied research uses. Examples include, but are not limited to:

(i) Storage, maintenance, characterization, evaluation, and enhancement of germplasm for use by animal and plant breeders (including those using the techniques of biotechnology);

(ii) Computerized data banks of important scientific information (e.g., epidemiological, demographic, nutrition, weather, economic, crop yields, animal migration patterns); and

(iii) Expert service centers for sophisticated and highly specialized methodologies (e.g., evaluation of nutritional quality of foods, toxicology, taxonomic identifications, consumer preferences and demographics).

i. Technology Delivery Systems.

The purpose of this initiative is to promote innovations and improvements in the delivery of benefits of food and agricultural sciences to producers and consumers, particularly those who are currently disproportionately low in receipt of such benefits. Examples include, but are not limited to:

(i) Computer-based decision support systems to assist small-scale farmers, ranchers, headers, or fishermen to take advantage of relevant technologies, programs, policies, etc.; and

(ii) Efficacious delivery systems for nutrition information or for resource management assistance for low-income families and individuals.

j. Other Applied Research and Community Development Applications.

The purpose of this initiative is to encourage other creative projects, outside the areas previously outlined, that are designed to provide needed enhancement to the capacity of ANNH institutions to conduct applied research and related community development projects.

2. Disciplines and Subject Matter Areas Supported

Eligible institutions may, within the Educational Need Areas targeted for support, propose projects in any Discipline(s) or subject matter area(s) of the food and agricultural sciences as noted below:

General Food and Agricultural Sciences; Agribusiness Management and Marketing (includes Agricultural Economics); Agricultural/Biological Engineering; Agricultural Social Sciences (includes Agricultural Education, Agricultural Communications, and Rural Sociology); Animal Sciences; Aquaculture; Conservation and Renewable Energy and Natural Resources (includes Forestry and Ecology/Wetlands); Entomology, Animal; Entomology, Plant; Environmental Sciences/Management; Food Science/Technology and Manufacturing (including Food Safety);

Human Nutrition; Human Sciences/Family and Consumer Sciences (excludes Human Nutrition);

International Education/Research (enhancement of U.S. programs); Plant Sciences and Horticulture (including Turf Sciences); Related Biological Sciences (includes General/Basic Biotechnology, Biochemistry, and Microbiology); Soil Sciences; Veterinary Medicine/Science;

Water Science/Water Resources; (including Water Quality and Watershed Management); and "other" relevant and subject matter areas. Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) disciplines that support the disciplines listed above are encouraged.

A proposed project may address a single Need Area or multiple Need Areas, may focus on one or multiple levels of study, and may focus on a single discipline or subject matter area or multiple disciplines or subject matter areas, in any combination.

ANNH encourages projects that develop content suitable for delivery through eXtension (http://about.extension.org/mediawiki/files/5/51/EXECUTIVE_SUMMARY_- _March ). This content is for end users, as opposed to staff development, and must align with the eXtension Implementation Plan (available at

_14%2C_2006_-_YEAR_2.pdf http://about.extension.org/wiki/Planning). Funds may be used to contribute to existing Communities of Practice (COPs) (http://about.extension.org/wiki/Glossary_of_eXtension_Terms#Community_of_Practice_.28Co P.29:) or form new COPs that focus on Stakeholder /Land Grant Institutions Partnership:

Integrated Research, Extension and Education (for examples of developing COPs and guidance on forming COPs, see http://cop.extension.org/wiki/Main_Page).

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PART II—AWARD INFORMATION

A. Available Funding

There is no commitment by USDA to fund any particular application or to make a specific number of awards. It is anticipated that approximately $3,000,000 will be available to fund applications in FY 2011. This RFA is being released prior to the passage of an Appropriations Act for FY 2011. Enactment of additional Continuing Resolutions or an Appropriations Act may affect the availability or level of funding for this program.

Awards issued as a result of this RFA will have designated the Automated Standard Applications for Payment System (ASAP), operated by the Department of Treasury’s Financial Management Service, as the payment system for funds. For more information see http://www.nifa.usda.gov/business/method_of_payment.html.

B. Types of Applications

In FY 2011, applications may be submitted to the ANNH Program as one of the following types of requests:

(1) New application. This is a project application that has not been previously submitted to the ANNH Program. All new applications will be reviewed competitively using the selection process and evaluation criteria described in Part V—Application Review Requirements.

(2) Renewal application. This is a project application that requests additional funding for a project beyond the period that was approved in an original or amended award. Applications for renewed funding must contain the same information as required for new applications. Renewal applications must be received by the relevant due dates, will be evaluated in competition with other pending applications in appropriate area to which they are assigned, and will be reviewed according to the same evaluation criteria as new applications.

(3) Resubmitted application. This is an application that had previously been submitted to the ANNH Program but not funded. Project Directors (PDs) must respond to the previous review panel summary (see Response to Previous Review, Part IV, B.3c). Resubmitted applications must be received by the relevant due dates, will be evaluated in competition with other pending applications in appropriate area to which they are assigned, and will be reviewed according to the same evaluation criteria as new applications.

C. Project Types

1. Regular Grant

An eligible, individual institution, independent branch campus, or branch institution of a State system may submit a Regular Grant application for project activities to be undertaken principally on behalf of its own students or faculty, and to be managed primarily by its own personnel.

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2. Consortium Grant

To facilitate inter-institutional cooperation and collaborative initiatives, two or more eligible, individual institutions, independent branch campuses, or branch institutions of a State system within a State may form a consortium, or use an existing consortium of which they are members, and submit a Consortium Grant application under a consortium agreement. In such cases, one institution or fiscal agent is to be designated as the “lead institution”. The designated lead institution, fiscal agent, and PD, will receive the award on behalf of all the consortium members, will be responsible for managing the grant, and may allocate awarded funds among the consortia members. Eligible consortium members may be sub-grantees of the primary award. Other entities not eligible to receive an award directly from NIFA under this program may also participate in fulfilling grant objectives and receive a sub-grant via the designated lead institution.

A Consortium Grant application must contain a separate plan of work and a separate budget for each consortium member receiving funds as a sub-grantee, as well as an overall project plan of work and overall budget from the lead institution. Sub-grantees may not normally receive less than 10 percent of total grant funds. Applications proposing that sub-grantees receive less than 10 percent of total grant funds must be fully justified. Only in exceptional instances will NIFA approve involvement by sub-grantees at a lower level.

Sub-grantee arrangements by the lead institution with consortium members and others must be approved in advance by NIFA. The cumulative amounts of any such arrangements may not be for more than 70 percent of total grant funds.

3. Project Duration

A project application may request funding for a project period from 12 months to 36 months duration (from one to three years). Statutory limit on awards is 5 years.

4. Number and Size of Grant Awards

The number of grants awarded in FY 2011 will depend on the number of applications recommended for funding in response to this notice.

NIFA estimates that awards for Regular Grant applications will be in the range of $150,000 to $450,000 each. Budget forms submitted with grant applications should reflect this estimate.

NIFA estimates that awards for Consortium Grant applications will be in the range of $300,000 to $1,500,000. Note that the amount of grant funds going to eligible consortium members as sub-grantees does NOT have to be the same for each sub-grantee; however, a sub-grantee will not normally receive less than 10 percent and the applicant institution submitting an application must retain at least 30 percent but not more than 70 percent of the awarded funds. Requests for deviations from these restrictions must be fully justified for review and approval by the panel of reviewers and NIFA before a final decision is made on the application. Such approval will be made only under the most exceptional circumstances.

Note that actual amounts awarded by NIFA under the ANNH grants program may differ from the amounts requested in an application submitted to the program, and that revised budgets and revised plans of work may be required by NIFA before an award is made.

5. Proposal Submission Limitations

Each eligible, individual institution, independent branch campus, and branch institution of a State system may submit, or be a party to, a maximum of two applications for funding. An institution (or its fiscal agent) may submit one application as an individual institution (see Part II, C.1., Regular Grant) and also may be a party to one other application as part of a consortium arrangement (see Part II, C.2., Consortium Grant). Institutions may not apply as part of more than one consortium arrangement.

6. Grant Limitations per Institution

For the FY 2011 program, each eligible, individual institution, independent branch campus, and branch institution of a State system may receive, or be a party to, a maximum of two grant awards – one Regular Grant and one Consortium Grant – under the ANNH program. This ceiling includes sub-grant awards made under a consortium arrangement (i.e., an institution may participate as the lead institution or as a sub-grantee on a Consortium Grant, and also receive one Regular Grant on its own). USDA may fund an institution simultaneously under both applications. Institutions that received a grant under this program in a prior year are still eligible to receive a grant this year.

7. Funding Limitations per Institution

For FY 2011, there are no limits on the total funds that may be awarded to any one institution.

However, applicants should take note of the proposal submission limitations (see C. 5.) and anticipated range of awards (see C.4.)

PART III—ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION

A. Eligible Applicants

1. Individual Institutions

Individual public or private, nonprofit Alaska Native-Serving and Native Hawaiian-Serving Institutions of higher education that meet the definitions of Alaska Native-Serving Institution or Native Hawaiian-Serving Institution established in Title III, Part A of the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended (20 U.S.C. 1059d.) are eligible institutions under this program.

2. Branch Institutions of a State System

For the purposes of this program, the individual branches of a State university system or public system of higher education that are separately accredited as degree granting institutions are treated as separate, individual institutions eligible to apply for and receive awards, provided that they otherwise satisfy the definition of Alaska Native-Serving Institution or Native Hawaiian- Serving Institution as specified above.

3. Independent Branch Campuses

Independent branch campuses of individual institutions may apply for and receive grant awards under this program, provided that they otherwise satisfy the definition of Alaska Native-Serving Institution or Native Hawaiian-Serving Institution as specified above. An “independent branch campus” means a unit of a 2-year or 4-year institution of higher education that is geographically apart from the main campus, is permanent in nature, offers courses for credit and programs leading to an associate or bachelor’s degree, and is autonomous to the extent that it has its own faculty and administrative or supervisory organization and its own budgetary and hiring authority.

4. Consortium Arrangements

Two or more eligible, individual institutions, independent branch campuses, or branch institutions of a State system may form a consortium to carry out education, applied research, and related community development programs in the food and agricultural sciences as allowed under this program. In addition to the individual eligible institutions (or independent branch campuses, etc.), such a consortium also may include units of State government and private sector entities. A consortium established for such purposes may apply for and receive a consortium grant under the ANNH grants program.

An existing consortium consisting of at least two or more eligible, individual institutions, independent branch campuses, or branch institutions of a State system, which demonstrates its ability to carry out allowed activities and its commitment to the goals of the ANNH grants program, also may apply for and receive a Consortium Grant under the ANNH grants program.

Such a consortium also may include units of State government and private sector entities.

5. Demonstration or Certification of Eligibility

At the time of application, each primary applicant will be required to demonstrate or certify that it is an eligible institution under the ANNH program. If the applicant is a new or existing consortium, each member of the consortium must demonstrate or certify that they are eligible, individual institutions, independent branch campuses, or branch institutions of a State system as defined in paragraphs 1-3 above.

If an institution has received a “Designation as an Eligible Institution” letter for FY 2011 funding under the Title III, Part A, Alaska Native-Serving Institutions Program or the Native Hawaiian- Serving Institutions Program from the U.S. Department of Education, the institution may submit a copy of the letter along with its application to satisfy the demonstration of eligibility requirement.

If an institution currently has a Title III, Part A grant from the U.S. Department of Education that does not end prior to September 30, 2011, the institution may submit a copy of the “Notice of Award” letter for that grant along with its application to satisfy the demonstration of eligibility requirement.

Otherwise, an institution must submit a letter, signed by the institution’s Authorized Representative (AR) certifying that it meets the requirements of an Alaska Native-Serving Institution or Native Hawaiian-Serving Institution as defined in paragraph 1 above. The AR must certify that:

a. The institution, or parent institution in the case of an independent branch campus, is legally authorized by the State in which it is located to provide an educational program for which it awards an associate’s or bachelor’s degree, or that it is a junior or community college;

b. The institution, or parent institution in the case of an independent branch campus, is accredited by a nationally recognized accrediting agency or association determined by the Secretary of Education to be a reliable authority as to the quality of training offered, or making reasonable progress toward such accreditation;

c. At least 50 percent of enrolled degree students are receiving need-based assistance under

Title IV of the Higher Education Act, or that a substantial percentage of students are receiving Pell Grants in comparison with the percentage of students receiving Pell Grants at all similar institutions (institution of higher education, or junior or community college);

d. Unless waived by the Secretary of Education, the average educational and general expenditures per full-time equivalent undergraduate student are low in comparison with the average educational and general expenditures per full-time equivalent student at institutions that offer similar instruction; and

e. For an Alaska Native-Serving Institution, at the time of application, it has an enrollment of undergraduate students that is at least 20 percent Alaska Native students (where the term “Alaska Native” has the meaning given the term in section 7306 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 [20 U.S.C. 7546]); or

f. For a Native Hawaiian-Serving Institution, at the time of application, it has an enrollment of undergraduate students that is at least 10 percent Native Hawaiian students (where the term “Native Hawaiian” has the meaning given the term in section 7207 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 [20 U.S.C. 7517]).

Eligibility documentation must be submitted with the application. See Part III A 5.

6. Fiscal Agent

If an institution cannot accept Federal funds directly, it must submit a letter stating that it will accept the award, but that funds must be administered through a fiscal agent. This agent must be identified in the letter from the applicant and the letter must be countersigned by a representative of the fiscal agent organization. The letter should include the fiscal agent’s point of contact, address, telephone number, fax number and e-mail address. Both the fiscal agent and the applicant institution must submit complete management information (see Part V, D.).

Nevertheless, the legal recipient of the award must be an eligible, individual institution, independent branch campus, or branch institution of a State system, or a consortium of eligible institutions. (Submission of fiscal agent information (above) is not requested now, but will be required, before an award is made.)

Please note that consortia may designate fiscal agents for the members of the consortia and allocate funds among the consortia members.

Examples of fiscal agent arrangements include, but are not limited to, the following scenarios:

a. A State university system or a public system of higher education may apply on behalf of an eligible, individual institution, independent branch campus, or branch institution in its State.

In such cases, the State system will act as fiscal agent for the eligible institution under a Regular Grant award to advance the purposes of the ANNH grants program.

b. A research foundation or other, similar foundation established and maintained by an eligible, individual institution to facilitate the application and management of externally funded grant awards may apply on behalf of its eligible, parent institution. In such cases, the foundation will act as fiscal agent for the eligible, individual institution under a Regular Grant award to advance the purposes of the ANNH grants program.

c. A State university system or a public system of higher education may apply on behalf of two or more eligible, individual institutions, independent branch campuses, or branch institutions in its State under a consortium arrangement. In such cases, the State system will act as fiscal agent for the eligible institutions under a Consortium Grant award to advance the purposes of the ANNH grants program.

d. A research foundation, or other similar foundation, established and maintained by an eligible, individual institution to facilitate the application and management of externally-funded grant awards, may apply on behalf of its parent institution and at least one additional eligible, individual institution, independent branch campus, or branch institution of a State system under a consortium arrangement. In such cases, the foundation will act as fiscal agent for the eligible institutions under a Consortium Grant award to advance the purposes of the ANNH grants program.

Award recipients may subcontract to organizations not eligible to apply provided such organizations are necessary for the conduct of the project.

B. Cost Sharing or Matching

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

PART IV—APPLICATION AND SUBMISSION INFORMATION

A. Electronic Application Package

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

Applicants are advised to submit early to the Grants.gov system.

New Users of Grants.gov

Prior to preparing an application, it is suggested that the PD/PI first contact an Authorized Representative (AR)(also referred to as Authorized Organizational Representative or AOR) to determine if the organization is prepared to submit electronic applications through Grant.gov. If the organization is not prepared (e.g., the institution/organization is new to the electronic grant application process through Grants.gov), then the one-time registration process must be completed PRIOR to submitting an application. It can take as much as two weeks to complete the registration process so it is critical to begin as soon as possible. In such situations the AR should go to “Get Registered” on the Grants.gov left navigation bar (or go to http://www.grants.gov/applicants/get_registered.jsp) for information on registering the institution/organization with Grants.gov. A quick reference guide listing the steps is available as a 4-page PDF document at the following website:

http://www.grants.gov/section910/Grants.govRegistrationBrochure.pdf.

Steps to Obtain Application Package Materials

The steps to access application materials are as follows:

1. In order to access, complete and submit applications, applicants must download and install a version of Adobe Reader compatible with Grants.gov. This software is essential to apply for NIFA Federal assistance awards. For basic system requirements and download instructions, please see http://www.grants.gov/help/download_software.jsp.

To verify that you have a compatible version of Adobe Reader, Grants.gov established a test package that will assist you in making that determination. Grants.gov Adobe Versioning Test Package:

http://www.grants.gov/applicants/AdobeVersioningTestOnly.jsp.

2. The application package must be obtained via Grants.gov, go to http://www.grants.gov, click on “Apply for Grants” in the left-hand column, click on “Step 1: Download a Grant Application Package and Instructions”, enter the funding opportunity number USDA-NIFA-AHSI-003407 in the appropriate box and click “Download Package”.

From the search results, click “Download” to access the application package.

Contained within the application package is the “NIFA Grants.gov Application Guide: A Guide for Preparation and Submission of NIFA Applications via Grants.gov”. This Guide contains an introduction and general Grants.gov instructions, information about http://www.grants.gov/applicants/get_registered.jsp� http://www.grants.gov/section910/Grants.govRegistrationBrochure.pdf� http://www.grants.gov/help/download_software.jsp� http://www.grants.gov/applicants/AdobeVersioningTestOnly.jsp� http://www.grants.gov/� how to use a Grant Application Package in Grants.gov, and instructions on how to complete the application forms.

• Grants.gov customer support Toll Free: 1-800-518-4726 Business Hours: 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Closed on Federal Holidays Email: support@grants.gov

See http://www.nifa.usda.gov/funding/electronic.html for additional resources for applying electronically.

B. Content and Form of Application Submission

Electronic applications should be prepared following Parts V and VI of the document entitled “A Guide for Preparation and Submission of NIFA Applications via Grants.gov”. This guide is part of the corresponding application package (see Section A. of this Part). The following is additional information needed in order to prepare an application in response to this RFA. If there is discrepancy between the two documents, the information contained in this RFA is overriding.

Note the attachment requirements (e.g., portable document format) in Part III section 3. of the Guide. ANY PROPOSALS CONTAINING NON-PDF DOCUMENTS WILL BE AT RISK OF BEING EXCLUDED FROM NIFA REVIEW. Partial applications will be excluded from NIFA review. With documented prior approval, resubmitted applications will be accepted until close of business on the closing date in the RFA.

If you do not own PDF-generating software, Grants.gov provides online tools to assist applicants. Users will find a link to “Convert Documents to PDF” on http://grants.gov/assets/PDFConversion.pdf.

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

• Email: electronic@nifa.usda.gov

• Phone: 202-401-5048

• Business hours: Monday through Friday, 7:00 am – 5:00 pm Eastern Time, excluding

Federal holidays.

1. SF 424 R&R Cover Sheet Information related to the questions on this form is dealt with in detail in Part V, 2. of the NIFA Grants.gov Application Guide.

2. R&R Project/Performance Site Location(s) Information related to the questions on this form is dealt with in detail in Part V, 3. of the NIFA Grants.gov Application Guide.

http://www.grants.gov/aboutgrants/federal_holidays.jsp� mailto:support@grants.gov� http://www.nifa.usda.gov/funding/electronic.html� http://grants.gov/assets/PDFConversion.pdf� http://www.csrees.usda.gov/fo/funding.cfm� mailto:electronic@nifa.usda.gov�

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

a. Field 7. Project Summary/Abstract. Briefly summarize the project objectives and include all measurable project outcomes. The summary should also include the relevance of the project to the goals of ANNH, and state which Need Areas and subject Disciplines the project addresses (See Part I, B.).

Include the following underlined text along with your responses:

List the Project Title;

List the Project Director (and any) Co-Project Director(s) (include institutional affiliation for each);

List your project’s Degree Level: (i.e. associates of science, bachelors of science, masters of science, etc.);

List your project’s Priority Need Area: (Part I, B.);

List your project’s Educational Need Area: (Part I, B.1.);

List your project’s primary Discipline/Subject Matter: (the academic major where the project’s primary focus will occur; e.g., forestry, animal sciences, food safety, human nutrition,…etc.) (see Part I, B.2.);

List the USDA/NIFA Strategic Goals your project addresses: (see Part VIII, E.);

Consortium Grant: Yes or No? (Do you plan to share Federal grant funds with other partners? See ‘Definitions’, Part VIII. E.);

Partners: If Consortium Grant, list all partner institutions/organizations that will share grant funding (Note: Each Partner so identified needs to have their budget information submitted on a separate Subaward Budget Attachment). If not a Consortium Grant, enter: ‘N.A.’.; and

Total Funds Requested: (List total Federal funds requested for this application. If this project is a Consortium Grant, also list each partner’s total funds requested next to the institution’s name);

Summary Text - Provide a very concise (approx. 250 word) summary of your project to include:

o Purpose: What is the major problem your project will address?

o Audience: Who are the intended beneficiaries? Who will be impacted?

o Products: What will be produced?

o Outcome/Impact: What is the intended result…