FY '19 HEC RFA.pdf

Higher Education Challenge (HEC)

Grants Program

Fiscal Year (FY) 2019 Request for Applications (RFA)

APPLICATION DEADLINE: May 27, 2019

ELIGIBILITY: See Part III, A of RFA

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

AGRICULTURE

Higher Education Challenge (HEC) Grants Program

INITIAL ANNOUNCEMENT

CATALOG OF FEDERAL DOMESTIC ASSISTANCE: This program is listed in the Assistance Listings under the Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance number 10.217.

DATES: Applications must be received by 5 p.m. Eastern Time on May 27, 2019.

Applications received after this deadline will normally not be considered for funding (see Part IV, C of this RFA). Comments regarding this request for applications (RFA) are requested within six months from the issuance of this notice. Comments received after that date will be considered to the extent practicable.

STAKEHOLDER INPUT: The National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) seeks your comments about this RFA. We will consider your comments when we develop the next RFA for the program, if applicable, and we’ll use them to meet the requirements of section 103(c)(2) of the Agricultural Research, Extension, and Education Reform Act of 1998 (7 U.S.C. 7613(c)(2)).

Submit your written stakeholder comments by the deadline set forth in the DATES portion of this notice via email to Policy@nifa.usda.gov. (This email address is only for receiving comments regarding this RFA and not for requesting information or forms.) In your comments, please state that you are responding to the Higher Education Challenge (HEC) Grants Program RFA.

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: NIFA requests applications for the Higher Education Challenge

(HEC) Grants Program for fiscal year (FY) 2019 to enable colleges and universities to provide the quality of education necessary to produce baccalaureate or higher degree level graduates capable of strengthening the nation’s food and agricultural scientific and professional workforce.

The anticipated amount available for grants in FY 2019 is approximately $4.5 million.

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

mailto:Policy@nifa.usda.gov

Table of Contents

PART I—FUNDING OPPORTUNITY DESCRIPTION

A. Legislative Authority

B. Purpose and Priorities C. Program Area Description

PART II—AWARD INFORMATION

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

D. Responsible and Ethical Conduct of Research

PART III—ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION

A. Eligible Applicants

B. Cost Sharing or Matching

PART IV—APPLICATION AND SUBMISSION INFORMATION

A. Electronic Application Package

B. Content and Form of Application Submission C. Submission Dates and Times

D. Funding Restrictions

E. Other Submission Requirements

PART V—APPLICATION REVIEW REQUIREMENTS

A. General

B. Evaluation Criteria C. Conflicts of Interest and Confidentiality

D. Organizational Management Information E. Application Disposition

PART VI—AWARD ADMINISTRATION

A. General B. Award Notice C. Administrative and National Policy Requirements

D. Expected Program Outputs and Reporting Requirements

PART VII—AGENCY 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

Table of Tables

Table 1 Key Information Table 2 - Academic Codes and Disciplines Table 3 - Expected Outcomes

PART I—FUNDING OPPORTUNITY DESCRIPTION

A. Legislative Authority

Section 1405 of the National Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching Policy Act of 1977

(NARETPA), as amended, (7 U.S.C. 3121) designates the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) as the lead Federal agency for agriculture research, extension and teaching in the food, agricultural, natural resources, and human sciences. Authority for this program is contained in section 1417(b)(1) of NARETPA (7 U.S.C. 3152(b)(1)). Section 1417 of NARETPA authorizes the Secretary of Agriculture, who has delegated the authority to the Director of NIFA, to make competitive grants to strengthen institutional capacities to respond to identified state, regional, national or international educational needs to formulate and administer programs to enhance college and university teaching in agriculture, natural resources, forestry, veterinary medicine, and family and consumer sciences., disciplines closely allied to the food and agricultural system, and rural economic, community and business development.

B. Purpose and Priorities

HEC directly aligns with 2018-2022 USDA Strategic Plan; specifically, Strategic Goal #4 -- Facilitate Rural Prosperity and Economic Development; Objective 4.1: Expand rural business opportunity and rural quality of life with access to capital; improved infrastructure, broadband access and connectivity; and support for workforce availability.

Applications submitted to this grants program must state how the funded project will address the HEC Program Goals :

1. To enhance the quality of instruction for baccalaureate degrees, master’s degrees, and first professional degrees in veterinary sciences, in order to help meet current and future workforce needs in the food, agricultural, natural resources, and human (FANH) sciences.

2. To increase the number and diversity of students who will pursue and complete a postsecondary degree in the FANH sciences.

HEC is a NIFA-administered competitive grants program focused on improving formal, baccalaureate, or master’s degree level FANH sciences education, and first professional degree-level education in veterinary medicine (DVM). HEC projects provide funding to eligible applicants to help ensure a competent, qualified and diverse workforce will exist to serve the FANH sciences system. At the same time, HEC-funded projects improve the economic health and viability of communities through the development of degree programs emphasizing new and emerging employment opportunities. Finally, HEC projects address the national challenge to increase the number and diversity of students entering the FANH sciences (i.e., having a FANH sciences workforce representative of the nation’s population).

The HEC projects are expected to: (a) produce measurable impacts aligned with HEC program goals, (b) promote innovative, educational practices within the FANH sciences that improve how students learn, and (c) include a rigorous evaluation component to assess that project outcomes are met. Institutions must demonstrate capacity for, and a significant ongoing commitment to, the teaching of food, agricultural and human sciences generally, and to the specific need and/or discipline(s) for which a grant is requested. Projects should encourage academic institutions, in partnership with organizations and employers, to work collectively to identify and address a state or regional challenge or opportunity facing the FANH sciences education and workforce community. Additionally, projects should encourage broad participation of students traditionally underrepresented in the FANH sciences. An application must convince a peer panel of a compelling educational challenge; clearly indicate how the methodology is both unique and with merit; offer significant promise of adoption by others; and include a plan for how the project impacts will be sustained once grant funds end.

C. Program Area Description

Key Information:

Program Code – ER

Program Code Name – Higher Education Challenge Grants Program Code of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) – 10.217 Requested Project Types – Education/Teaching Projects

Requested Grant Types – Planning Activity, Standard Grant, Collaborative Grant Type 1 (CG1), Collaborative Grant Type 2 (CG2)

Application Deadline –Monday, May 27, 2019 Letter of Intent – Not required for this program

*All applicants should consider this chart when preparing applications to the HEC program.

Program Name: Higher Education Challenge

Program Code: ER

CFDA: 10.217

Table 1: Key Information

Grant Type Maximum # of

Applications

Maximum # of

Grants per Institution

Project

Duration

Total

Maximum

Award

Planning Activity No limit 2 total grants Up to 24 months $30,000

Standard No limit 2 total grants 24 to 36 months $150,000

Collaborative 1

(CG1)

No limit 2 total grants 24 to 36 months $300,000

Collaborative 2

(CG2)

No Limit 1 Collaborative 2 grant and 1 other HEC grant type

36 months $750,000

Additional Information:

The total number of grants awarded by this grant program will depend on the number and type of meritorious applications submitted in response to this notice. There is no predetermined number of proposals that may be awarded in any grant cycle.

Based on the project scope and budget of all applications selected for awards, the actual, individual grant amounts awarded by NIFA under this grants program may differ from the funds requested by the applicant. In such cases, revised budgets and revised plans of work may be required by NIFA before an award is made.

There is no limit on the number of applications that may be submitted by an applicant institution. However, a successful applicant institution/organization will only be awarded a maximum of two grants per year under this program. No more than one CG2 grant will be awarded to an institution/organization in any one, annual HEC grants program competition, and generally, an individual academic (or other) unit (a college, school of agriculture, etc.) within the institution/organization may only have one active, CG2 grant in effect at any time.

There are no limits on the total grant program funds that may be awarded to any one institution/organization in successive years of this competition. Successful award recipients may apply for additional awards in subsequent years either as a lead applicant or collaborator.

Projects must primarily focus on baccalaureate, masters, or DVM level education. However, a project may also include an ancillary, target impact on either secondary, or two-year postsecondary students. Projects with a primary target audience of K-14 students or teachers should consider the Secondary Education, Two-Year Postsecondary Education and Agriculture in the K-12 Classroom (SPECA) Grants Program offered through NIFA at:

https://nifa.usda.gov/funding-opportunity/secondary-education-two-ye ar-postsecondary-education-and-agriculture-k-12.

Social and Behavioral Sciences

HEC supports social and behavioral science disciplines. Projects that integrate social and biological sciences are encouraged. Incorporation of social and behavioral sciences is important for addressing many of the challenges facing agriculture and rural communities, such as increasing global demand for food production in the face of limited natural resources; improving health and reducing obesity by engaging in heathy diets; and alleviating poverty by fostering economic opportunity.

Leadership Skills Development

All projects are required to provide leadership skills opportunities. The development of leadership skills, knowledge and qualities are necessary for preparing students for agricultural related careers in government, academia, and the private sector. Projects must demonstrably incorporate a leadership development component to ensure that students are equipped with both technical and leadership abilities. Specific activities may include:

Developing practical applications to increase understanding of leadership roles, including critical thinking, problem solving, and communication skills, ethics and professionalism, https://nifa.usda.gov/funding-opportunity/secondary-education-two-year-postsecondary-education-and-agriculture-k-12 https://nifa.usda.gov/funding-opportunity/secondary-education-two-year-postsecondary-education-and-agriculture-k-12 https://nifa.usda.gov/funding-opportunity/secondary-education-two-year-postsecondary-education-and-agriculture-k-12 and working in teams;

Connecting the academic classroom experience with daily leadership roles and organizational activities;

Providing opportunities for mentoring and shadowing; and

Organizing leadership academies, workshops, trainings, etc.

Global Engagement

NIFA supports advances in U.S. food, agriculture, and forestry. In an increasingly interconnected world, these U.S. advances have global importance, and may require information and cooperation from beyond our borders. Therefore, you are encouraged to include international partnerships or engagement in proposals, as appropriate. When proposing international activities, applications must clearly describe and demonstrate how the international activities will add value to meeting the HEC domestic objectives and metrics for reporting beneficial outputs and outcomes. Additional guidance (Frequently Asked Questions, descriptions of existing MOUs and other resources), for enhancing the potential for global engagement is provided on the Center for International Programs webpage.

eXtension

NIFA encourages, but does not require, projects that develop content suitable for delivery through eXtension.

https://nifa.usda.gov/program/global-engagement-programs https://nifa.usda.gov/program/global-engagement-programs https://extension.org/

PART II—AWARD INFORMATION

A. Available Funding

The anticipated amount available for HEC grants in FY 2019 is approximately $4.5 million.

There is no commitment by USDA to fund any particular application or to make a specific number of awards.

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

B. Types of Applications

NIFA will only accept new and resubmitted proposals under this RFA:

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

Resubmitted application. This is an application that was previously submitted to HEC, but not funded. Project Directors (PDs) must respond to the previous review panel summary (see

Response to Previous Review, Part IV, B, 3, b., Field 8). Resubmitted applications must be received by the relevant due dates, will be evaluated in competition with other pending applications, and will be reviewed according to the same evaluation criteria as new applications.

C. Project and Grant Types

1. Project Types

The HEC program will only accept Education/Teaching Projects.

An education or teaching project must develop human capital in order to help meet current and future national food, agriculture, natural resource and human (FANH) science workplace needs.

HEC projects must 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 2019 are defined below:

Educational Need Areas

Projects must engage more than a single course or an individual instructor when addressing at least one of the three Educational Need Areas listed below. The rationale for selecting the Educational Need Area(s) must be explained in the context of how the project can contribute to the development of a cadre of students who will either pursue higher degrees in the FANH sciences or be prepared to enter the FANH sciences workforce.

Educational Need Areas are as follows:

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

a. Curriculum Development, Instructional Delivery Systems and Expanding Student Career Opportunities: Projects should promote new and improved curricula and materials to increase the quality of, and continuously renew, the nation's academic programs in the FANH sciences. Additionally, projects should stimulate the development, and facilitate the use, of exemplary education models and materials that incorporate the most recent advances in subject matter research, research on teaching and learning theory, and instructional technology.

Examples of eligible projects in this Need Area include:

Development of courses of study, degree programs, and instructional materials;

Use of new approaches to the study of traditional subjects;

Introduction of new subjects, or new applications of knowledge, pertaining to the FANH sciences;

Hands-on learning experiences and methods to extend learning beyond the classroom and provide students with opportunities to solve complex problems in the context of real-world situations; or

Opportunities for students to complete apprenticeships, internships, career mentoring experiences, or other participatory learning experiences.

Projects are to develop students’ analytical, interpersonal, leadership, communications, problem-solving, computational, and decision-making skills and abilities. Projects that focus on integrated, multidisciplinary, learner-centered instruction should be considered.

Furthermore, projects are expected to reach large audiences efficiently and effectively;

reinforce recent research on how to motivate students to learn, retain, apply, and transfer knowledge, skills, and competencies; and integrate and synthesize knowledge from several disciplines.

b. Faculty Preparation and Enhancement for Teaching. Projects should advance faculty development in the areas of teaching competency, subject matter expertise, pedagogy, responsiveness to changes in student demographic composition and learning styles, and student recruitment and advising skills. Training of faculty must be relevant to the identified educational needs of students. Any individual recipient of federal funds must be an "eligible participant" as defined in the definitions section of this RFA (Part VIII, D.).

Examples of eligible projects in this Need Area include activities that enable teaching faculty to:

Develop a self-sustaining model for faculty professional development that better prepares new faculty for teaching careers, or provides retraining for experienced faculty;

Gain experience with recent developments or innovative technology relevant to their teaching responsibilities;

Work with scientists or professionals in government, industry, or other colleges or universities to learn new applications in a field;

Expand competence with new methods of information delivery;

Create assessments that document student learning outcomes or that identify conceptual areas or skills particularly challenging to students, followed by appropriate changes in instructional approaches to effectively address these issues; or

Increase utilization of teaching methods that address the special needs of non-traditional students or students from groups that are underrepresented in the FANH sciences workforce.

c. Facilitating Interaction with Other Academic Institutions . This need area promotes linkages between baccalaureate degree-granting institutions to maximize the use of resources supporting outstanding education in the FANH sciences. Additionally, this need area supports linkages between baccalaureate degree-granting institutions, secondary, and/or 2-year postsecondary institutions to make instruction targeted at undergraduate students available to secondary students as advanced placement credit or as transfer credit from associate-degree programs into baccalaureate-level programs. Faculty research sabbaticals at other academic institutions that will enhance teaching and advising are also supported.

Examples of eligible projects in this Need Area may include:

Development and use of articulation agreements, 2+2 or 2+2+2 arrangements, advanced placement credit transfer, or the sharing of faculty and facilities; a project that focuses on developing and implementing comprehensive, multi-institutional practices proven to recruit and retain K-14 level students with a focus on cultivating those students to pursue a 4-year FANH sciences degree.

A program to reduce duplication of similar educational resources across institutions and to increase instructional efficiencies. Examples may include multi-institutional or interstate approaches to curriculum development, faculty sharing, cross enrollments, joint degrees, regionalization of academic programs, regional and national workshops and symposia, and similar methodologies.

2. Grant Types

Applicants may submit proposals for one of the following grant types:

a. Planning Activity

Planning Activity Grants support meetings that bring together FANH educators to identify education/teaching needs, update information, or advance an area of education/teaching.

Support for a limited number of meetings covering subject matter encompassed by this solicitation will be considered for partial or, if modest, total support. Individual planning activity grants must not exceed $30,000 for up to two years and are not renewable. Indirect costs are not permitted on Planning Activity grant awards. Planning Activity Grants may be used to facilitate strategic planning session(s) required of faculty, industry, professional association, community leaders, or other necessary participants for the specific purpose of developing a formal plan leading to a subsequent submission of a Collaborative Grant as described directly below in C.2.c. of this section. A Planning Activity grant application may not be submitted in the same year for which a Collaborative Grant application for the same project is also submitted.

b. Standard Grant

Standard Grants support targeted original education/teaching projects. An eligible, individual institution, independent branch campus, or branch institution of a State system may submit a 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. The applicant executes the project without the requirement of sharing grant funds with other project partners. Applicants may request up to $150,000 (total, not per year) for a Standard

Grant application.

c. Collaborative Grants

Collaborative Grants support projects with at least one additional partner or a multi-partner approach to enhance education/teaching programs. Collaborative Grants should build linkages to generate a critical mass of expertise, skill and technology to address education/teaching programs related to the FANH sciences. Grants can reduce duplication of efforts and/or build capacity and should be organized and led by a strong applicant with documented project management knowledge and skills to organize and carry out the initiative.

Collaborative Grant Type 1 (CG1) (Applicant + One Partner). Applicants may request up to $300,000 (total, not per year) for a CG1 project. In this type of project, the applicant executes the project with assistance from one additional partner. The partners must share grant funds. Specifically, the applicant institution will transfer at least one-half of the awarded funds to the other institution participating in the project.

Collaborative Grant Type 2 (CG2) (Applicant + Two or more Partners). Applicants may request up to $750,000 (total, not per year) for a CG2 project. The applicant executes the project with assistance from at least two additional partners. The additional partners must share grant funds. The applicant institution/organization submitting a CG2 proposal must retain at least 30 percent but not more than 70 percent of the awarded funds and no cooperating entity may receive less than 10 percent of awarded funds. A CG2 project differs from a CG1 in project scope and impact. CG2 projects must support a multi-partner approach to solving a major state or regional challenge in FANH sciences education at the baccalaureate, masters or DVM level. CG2 projects are characterized by multiple partners (each providing a specific expertise) organized and led by a strong applicant with documented project management knowledge and skills to organize and carry out the initiative.

Reported impacts of CG2 projects must include (but are not limited to) the following:

An assessment of significant progress toward addressing the national challenge of increasing the number and diversity of FANH sciences baccalaureate or higher degree graduates, while addressing the specific state or regional opportunity defined in the grant application;

Documented enhanced retention rates of students in FANH majors exposed to CG2 Project activities;

A comprehensive project evaluation, using the indicators and methods defined in this RFA, that informs the baccalaureate, masters or DVM FANH sciences community and others about the effectiveness of this CG2 Project through the dissemination of results via publications, blogs, conferences/meetings, etc.;

A description of completed or ongoing activities supported by this CG2 Project accompanied with a description of those same activities that will be sustained once grant funds end; and

A description of any related activities expected to occur as an outgrowth of this funded project.

D. Responsible and Ethical Conduct of Research

In accordance with sections 2, 3, and 8 of 2 CFR Part 422, institutions that conduct USDA-funded extramural research must foster an atmosphere conducive to research integrity, bear primary responsibility for prevention and detection of research misconduct, and maintain and effectively communicate and train their staff regarding policies and procedures. In the event an application to NIFA results in an award, the Authorized Representative (AR) assures, through acceptance of the award that the institution will comply with the above requirements. Award recipients shall, upon request, make available to NIFA the policies, procedures, and documentation to support the conduct of the training.

For information about the Responsible and Ethical Conduct of Research, see https://nifa.usda.gov/responsible-and-ethical-conduct-research.

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

PART III—ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION

A. Eligible Applicants

Applications may be submitted by: (a) U.S. public or private nonprofit colleges and universities offering a baccalaureate or first professional degree in at least one discipline or area of the FANH sciences; (b) land-grant colleges and universities, (including land grant institutions in the Insular Areas); (c) colleges and universities having significant minority enrollments and a demonstrable capacity to carry out the teaching of food and agricultural sciences; and (d) other colleges and universities having a demonstrable capacity to carry out the teaching of food and agricultural sciences.

An applicant also must meet the definition of an Eligible Institution/Organization as stated in this RFA (see Part VIII, E., Definitions). For the purposes of this program, the individual branches of a state university or other system of higher education that are separately accredited as degree-granting institutions are treated as separate institutions, and are therefore eligible for HEC awards. Separate branches or campuses of a college or university that are not individually accredited as degree-granting institutions are not treated as separate institutions. An institution eligible to receive an award under this program includes a research foundation maintained by an eligible college or university. Accreditation must be by an agency or association recognized by the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Education.

United States citizenship is not required of faculty that wish to serve as a PD, co-PD, or key personnel on a HEC grant.

Any individual (eligible participant) receiving Federal funds (for developmental activities) must be a citizen or national of the United States, as defined in this RFA (see Part VIII, Definitions). Failure to meet an eligibility criterion by the time of application deadline may result in the application being excluded from consideration or, even though an application may be reviewed, will preclude NIFA from making an award.

The following applies to CG1 and CG2 applicants only: The applicant institution must meet the definition of “eligible institution” as specified in §3405.2(i); the other institutions participating in a CG1 and CG2 project proposals are not required to meet the definition of “eligible institution” as specified in §3405.2(i), nor required to meet the definition of

“college” or “university” as specified in §3405.2(f).

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

Failure to meet an eligibility criterion by the application deadline may result in the application being excluded from consideration or, even though an application may be reviewed, will preclude NIFA from making an award.

For those new to Federal financial assistance, a grants overview page is available on the

NIFA website. This page includes information about free Grants 101 Training and other resources that are highly recommended for those seeking an understanding of Federal awards.

https://nifa.usda.gov/resource/grants-overview

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.

We urge you to submit early to the Grants.gov system. For information about the pre-award phase of the grant lifecycle see https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/learn-grants/grants-101/pre-award-phase.ht ml.

New Users of Grants.gov

Prior to preparing an application, we recommend that the Project Director/Principal Investigator (PD/PI) first contact an Authorized Representative (AR, also referred to as Authorized

Organizational Representative, or AOR) to determine if the organization is prepared to submit electronic applications through Grants.gov. If not (e.g., the institution/organization is new to the electronic grant application process through Grants.gov), then the one-time registration process must be completed PRIOR to submitting an application. It can take as lo ng as two weeks to complete the registration process so it is critical to begin as soon as possible. In such situations, the AR should go to “Register,” in the top right corner of the Grants.gov web page (or go to https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/register.html), for information on registering the institution/organization with Grants.gov. Part II,1 of the NIFA Grants.gov Application Guide contains detailed information regarding the registration process. Refer to item 2, below, to locate the “NIFA Grants.gov Application Guide.”

Steps to Obtain Application Package Materials

To receive application materials:

1. You must download and install a version of Adobe Reader compatible with Grants.gov to access, complete, and submit applications. For basic system requirements and download instructions, see https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/adobe-soft ware-compatibility.html. Grants.gov has a test package that will help you determine whether your current version of Adobe Reader is compatible.

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

Funding Opportunity Number: USDA-NIFA-CGP-006735.

Click “Search.” On the displayed page, click the corresponding link to continue. A Grant

Application Package is tied to a particular funding opportunity. You may move forms amongst different Grant Application Packages but you may ONLY submit an application to the particular funding opportunity to which the Grant Application Package is associated.

Contained within the application package is the “NIFA Grants.gov Application Guide.”

This guide contains an introduction and general Grants.gov instructions, information https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/learn-grants/grants-101/pre-http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/learn-grants/grants-101/pre-award-phase.html http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/learn-grants/grants-101/pre-award-phase.html https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/register.html https://get.adobe.com/reader/ https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/adobe-http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/adobe-software-compatibility.html about how to use a Grant Application Package in Grants.gov, and instructions on how to complete the application forms.

If you require assistance to access the application package (e.g., downloading or navigating Adobe forms) or submitting the application, refer to resources available on the Grants.gov website (https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/support.html). Grants.gov assistance is also available at:

Grants.gov customer support 800-518-4726 Toll-Free or 606-545-5035 Business Hours: 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Closed on federal holidays.

Email: support@grants.gov

Grants.gov iPortal (see https://grants-portal.psc.gov/Welcome.aspx?pt=Grants):

Top 10 requested help topics (FAQs), Searchable knowledge base, self-service ticketing and ticket status, and live web chat (available 7 a.m. - 9 p.m. EST).

Have the following information available when contacting Grants.gov:

Funding Opportunity Number (FON)

Name of agency you are applying to Specific area of concern

B. Content and Form of Application Submission

Electronic applications are to be prepared following Parts V and VI of the NIFA Grants.gov

Application Guide. This guide is part of the corresponding application package (see Section A of this part). The following is additional information you need to prepare an application in response to this RFA. If there is discrepancy between the two documents, the information contained in this RFA is overriding.

Note the attachment requirements (e.g., PDF) in Part III, Section 3 of the guide. ANY

PROPOSALS THAT ARE NON-COMPLIANT WITH THE REQUIREMENTS (e.g., content format, PDF file format, file name restrictions, and no password protected files)

WILL BE AT RISK OF BEING EXCLUDED FROM NIFA REVIEW. Grants.gov does not check for NIFA required attachments or whether attachments are in PDF format; see

Part III, Section 6.1 of the guide for how to check the manifest of submitted files. Partial applications will be excluded from NIFA review. We will accept subsequent submissions of an application until close of business on the closing date in the RFA (see Part V, 2.1 of the

NIFA Grants.gov Application Guide for further information).

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

Email: electronic@nifa.usda.gov Phone: 202-401-5048 Business hours: Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. – 5 p.m. ET, excluding federal ho lidays.

https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/support.html http://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/snow-dismissal-procedures/federal-holidays/ mailto:support@grants.gov https://grants-portal.psc.gov/Welcome.aspx?pt=Grants mailto:electronic@nifa.usda.gov https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/snow-dismissal-procedures/federal-holidays/

1. SF 424 R&R Cover Sheet

Information related to the questions on this form is dealt with in detail in Part V, 2 of the NIFA

Grants.gov Application Guide. See Part V, Section 2.18 of the NIFA Grants.gov Application Guide for the required certifications and assurances (e.g., Prohibition Against Entities Requiring Certain Internal Confidentiality Agreements).

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

Grants.gov Application Guide.

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

a. Field 7. Project Summary/Abstract.

The summary should also include the relevance of the project to the goals of HEC. See Part V.

4.7 of NIFA Grants.gov Application Guide for further instructions and a link to a suggested template.

Project Summary/Abstract is required in all applications and is limited to one page and 250 words. A Project Summary that exceeds this page requirement will not be accepted for review.

The summary must include the relevance of the project’s goals to the HEC program.

b. Field 8. Project Narrative.

NOTE: The Project Narrative must not exceed 20 pages of written text and up to 5 additional pages for figures and tables. Figures and tables may come after the 20 pages of text, or be intertwined with the text (but they must not exceed 5 pages). We have established this maximum (25 pages) to ensure fair and equitable competition. You are encouraged to include a one-page table of contents in the project narrative, which will not count toward the narrative’s page limitation. After you convert the narrative to PDF format you should verify it is within the required page limit. Project narratives that exceed this page limit requirement will not be accepted for review.

Response to Previous Review (if applicable)

This requirement only applies to resubmitted applications as described in Part II, B. The Project

Narrative attachment is to include two components: 1) a one-page response to the previous review (containing the previous proposal number in the first line) titled “Response to Previous Review” as the first page of the attachment and 2) the 25-page Project Narrative, as required (see Part IV, B. 3. b., above). The one-page “Response to Previous Review” does not count against the 25-page limit of the Project Narrative. In resubmitted applications, the response to previous review should come before the narrative cover page (which is discussed below).

The narrative cover page (first page of the Project Narrative) must include the information below, and will not count towards the page limit of the Project Narrative.

Project Title;

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

Educational Need Area: (Part II, C.1.);

Projected number of students or faculty to be served by the project during the project period (i.e., using a new curriculum, instructional delivery system, student career opportunity; benefitting from a partnership between institutions; etc.)

Primary Discipline Code/Academic Discipline: (Select one from the list below);

Grant Type: Planning Activity, Standard, CG1, or CG2. (See ‘Definitions’, Part VIII. E.);

Total Funds Requested: (List total Federal funds requested for this application. If this project is a CG1 Or CG2 Project Proposal, also list each partner’s total funds requested next to the institution/organization’s name); and

Partners: If CG1 or CG2 Project Proposal, list all partner institutions/organizations that will share grant funding.

Table 2: Academic Codes and Disciplines

A Animal Sciences

B Related Biological Sciences (includes General/Basic Biotechnology, Biochemistry, and Microbiology)

C Conservation and Renewable Natural Resources (includes Forestry)

D Soil Sciences

E Agricultural/Biological Engineering

F Food Science/Technology and Manufacturing

G General Food, agricultural and human sciences (includes multidisciplinary projects)

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

I International Education/Research (enhancement of U.S. programs)

J Entomology – Animal

L Environmental Sciences/Management

M Agribusiness (includes Management, Marketing, and Agricultural Economics)

N Human Nutrition

O Other (Describe only if not listed above)

P Plant Sciences and Horticulture

Q Aquaculture

S Agricultural Social Sciences (includes Agricultural Education, Agricultural Communications, and Rural Sociology)

T Entomology – Plant

V Veterinary Medicine/Science

W Water Science

X Data Science and Artificial Intelligence

Prepare the application using a standard size (8 1/2” x 11”) page, one-inch margins, no type smaller than 12 point font, and 1.5 line spacing. Use an easily readable font face (e.g., Arial, Times New Roman). Information may not be appended to an application to circumvent page limitations prescribed for the Project Narrative.

In new applications, the narrative cover page should come before the table of contents. In resubmitted applications, please use this order: 1) response to previous review, 2) narrative cover page, 3) table of contents.

The Project Narrative must include all of the following:

1. Potential for Advancing the Quality of Education; Significance of the Problem

a. Identification of Educational Problem and Project Impact. Briefly state: (1) the specific instructional problem/challenge (or opportunity) to be addressed; (2) the anticipated project audience; and (3) the project’s target objectives (what change in education is proposed?) and its anticipated, overall impact on improving the quality of FANH sciences education

b. Project Justification: Summarize the body of knowledge justifying the need for the proposed project. Discuss how the project’s Educational Need Area (Part II, C.1) will be of value at the state, regional, national, or international level(s). Where applicable, explain how it will improve the FANH science capabilities of students. Describe any previously funded projects that are ongoing or recently completed that are related to the proposed project.

c. Institutional long-range Goals: Explain how the project will help satisfy the institution/organization's high-priority objectives, or how the project is linked to and supported by the institution/organization's strategic plan.

d. Innovation: Describe the proposal’s creative approach to improving the quality of FANH sciences education, solving an educational problem, or promoting programs that advance equal opportunity for all students. Support your choice, with actual experiences or literature.

e. Multidisciplinary and/or Problem-based Focus: Indicate how the project is relevant to multiple disciplines in FANH sciences education and how the project will enhance students’ understanding of complex agricultural systems. Also, discuss whether the project may be adapted by, or serve as a model for other institutions.

2. Proposed Approach and Cooperative Linkages

a. Plan of Operation and Methodology. Describe procedures for accomplishing the objectives of the project. Describe plans for management of the project to ensure its proper and efficient administration. Describe the way in which resources and personnel will be used to conduct the project.

b. Timetable. Identify all important project milestones (performance targets that indicate when project goals will be met) and dates as they relate to project start-up, execution, evaluation, dissemination, and closeout.

c. Evaluation Plans. State the methodologies to be used in assessing the accomplishment of stated products, results, and measurable impacts from the project. Discuss the strategies and metrics for evaluating progress toward meeting the two HEC goals from Part I, A.

Describe any data to be collected and analyzed. Demonstrate how the project will improve education. This section must clearly indicate how you plan to measure impacts.

This is optional for Planning Activity grant applications . The following guidance will assist you with developing your evaluation plan:

The evaluation may also include assessment of other outcomes, particularly if the project aims to change organizational structures, create cost-efficiencies, or achieve other ends. Explain the data gathering procedures that will be used to monitor and assess progress toward intended project goals. When describing the measurement instruments you plan to use (surveys, interviews, focus groups, assessments of e-portfolios or capstone projects, measures of class performance, scores on standardized tests, cost-benefit analyses, etc.), be sure to mention why they are appropriate to gauging success.

The evaluation plan section should make a convincing case to reviewers that at the conclusion of the grant, the grantee could report the extent to which learning and engagement outcomes, professional development goals, and/or organizational outcomes have been achieved. Reviewers will be looking for evidence that the applicant thought about how to measure both successes and failures and what adjustments could be made to enhance program outcomes in the future.

Collection of this evidence is critical to achieving HEC’s goal of making data about educational improvements and innovation available to the education community.

The project budget should contain funding to either hire an outside project evaluator, or to present convincing evidence that an appropriate evaluator is already on staff and available to provide assistance with assessment and evaluation throughout the life of the project. As a guide, up to 10 percent of grant funds may be used to support this purpose. Be mindful if you chose this option to avoid conflicts of interest.

d. Dissemination Plans. The application must document how project accomplishments

(products, results and impacts, etc.) will be published or otherwise disseminated to the broadest extent throughout the academic community. This may include educational journals or other professional discipline publications, and presentations at regional or national conferences and workshops, including the HEC Project Directors’ Meeting.

Discuss the institution/organization’s commitment to disseminate project results and products and the potential for institutionalization. Identify target audiences and explain methods of communication. This is optional for Planning Activity grant applications.

e. Partnerships and Collaborative Efforts. Explain how the project will maximize partnership and collaborative efforts to strengthen FANH sciences education (e.g., involvement of faculty in related disciplines at the same institution, CG1 or CG2 projects with other educational institution/organizations, or cooperative activities with business or industry). Provide evidence, via letters from the parties involved in the partnership or collaborative arrangement.

f. Potential Pitfalls, Limitations, and Alternatives (if applicable). Identify and explain any potential challenges that might impede progress during the duration of the project.

Additionally, describe any potential strategies or alternatives that might be implemented to address such challenges. This section is optional for all applications and therefore, it will not count against the applicant during the evaluation process.

3. Institutional Capability and Capacity Building

a. Institutional/organizational Commitment and Capability. Demonstrate that the program administration is committed to this project and has the capability to ensure its completion.

b. Institutional/organizational Resources. Document the necessary institutional/organizational resources (administrative, facilities, equipment, and/or materials), and other appropriate resources, that will be made available to the project.

Demonstrate how these resources, when combined with the support requested from USDA, will be adequate to carry out the activities of the project.

c. Academic Enhancement. Document how this project will improve and strengthen teaching at the institution (including any partner institutions/organizations). Include how any project performance target(s) identified above (2.b., Timetable) will be incorporated into academic instruction at the institution. Discuss how the benefits to be derived from the project will transcend the applicant institution/organization or the grant period.

d. Continuation Plans. Discuss the likelihood of, or specific plans for, continuation or expansion of the project beyond the period of USDA support. Describe how the institution’s/organization's long-range budget or academic plan provides for the realistic continuation or expansion of the initiative undertaken by this project after the grant period ends. Explain the plans for eventual self-support built into the project, and the plans to institutionalize the program if it is successful. Describe any indications of other continuing non-federal support. Provide details of the expected outcomes, and the targeted audience that would benefit from the continuation of this project.

This is optional for Planning Activity grant applications.

4. Key Personnel

Discuss the adequacy and specific attributes and project responsibilities of each key person associated with the project. Also include the background and qualifications of those personnel who will be responsible for assessing project results and administering the project evaluation and reporting process.

5. Budget and Cost-effectiveness

a. Budget. In addition to the separate, required budget forms and budget justification, discuss how the budget specifically supports the proposed project activities. Explain how such budget items as professional or technical staff time and salary, travel, equipment, etc., are necessary and reasonable to achieve project objectives. Justify that all funds requested from USDA are allocated adequately between the applicant and any collaborating institution/organization(s), and will be appropriate to carry out the activities of the project. If the application addresses more than one Educational Need Area (see Part II, C.1.), you must include estimates of the proportion of the funds requested from

USDA that will support each respective area.

b. Cost-effectiveness. Justify the project's cost-effectiveness. Show how the project maximizes the use of limited resources, optimizes educational value for the dollar, achieves economies of scale, or leverages additional funds. For example, discuss how the project has the potential to generate a critical mass of expertise and activity focused on a need area.

c. Field 12. Add Other Attachments See Part V. Section 4.12 of the NIFA Grants.gov Application Guide (Field 12 on the form) for instructions for this field.

Appendices to…