FY '19 NLGCA RFA.pdf

Capacity Building Grants for Non-Land Grant Colleges of Agriculture Program

(NLGCA)

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

APPLICATION DEADLINE: October 1, 2019

ELIGIBILITY: See Part III, A of RFA

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

AGRICULTURE

CAPACITY BUILDING GRANTS FOR NON-LAND GRANT COLLEGES OF

AGRICULTURE PROGRAM (NLGCA)

INITIAL ANNOUNCEMENT

CATALOG OF FEDERAL DOMESTIC ASSISTANCE: This program is listed in the Assistance Listings under the Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance number 10.326.

DATES: Applications must be received by 5 p.m. Eastern Time on October 1, 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 Capacity Building Grants for Non-Land Grant Colleges of Agriculture Program RFA.

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: NIFA requests applications for the Capacity Building Grants for Non-Land Grant Colleges of Agriculture Program (NLGCA) for Fiscal Year (FY) 2019 to make competitive grants to NLGCA Institutions to assist in maintaining and expanding their capacity to conduct education, research, and outreach/extension activities related to food, agriculture, natural resources, and human sciences (FANH). The FY 2019 anticipated amount available for grants is approximately $4.7 million.

This notice identifies the objectives for NLGCA projects, deadline dates, funding information, eligibility criteria for projects and applicants, and application forms and associated instructions needed to apply for a NLGCA 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. NIFA’s Evaluation Process B. Evaluation Criteria C. Organizational Management Information D. Application Disposition A. General B. Administrative and National Policy Requirements C. Expected Program Outputs and Reporting Requirements

PART VII—AGENCY CONTACTS

PART VIII—OTHER INFORMATION

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

Table of Tables

Table 1: NLGCA Grant Types Table 2: Academic Codes and Disciplines

Table of Figures Figure 1: Expected Outcomes

PART I—FUNDING OPPORTUNITY DESCRIPTION

A. Legislative Authority This program is administered under the provisions of Section 1473F of the National Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching Policy Act of 1977 (NARETPA), as added by Section 7138 of the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008, (7 USC 3319i).

Section 7102 of the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 (Pub. L. 115-334) amended the definition of Non-Land-Grant College of Agriculture (NLGCA). On May 16, 2019, NIFA implemented those changes and invited new requests for NLGCA designation (see the Federal Register Notice for additional information). All institutions certified as NLGCA prior to December 21, 2018 must reapply for certification and meet the new criteria for NLGCA certification contained in the Federal Register Notice.

B. Purpose and Priorities The National Institute of Food & Agriculture (NIFA) is designated as the lead Federal Agency that supports higher education in the food, agricultural, natural resources, and human sciences (FANH). In this context, NIFA has specific responsibility to initiate and support projects to strengthen higher education teaching programs in the food and agricultural sciences.

The purpose of this program is to assist NLGCA Institutions in maintaining and expanding their capacity to conduct education, research, and outreach/extension activities relating to the FANH sciences. NLGCA Institutions may use the funds to maintain and expand capacity:

1. To successfully compete for funds from Federal grants and other sources to carry out educational, research, and outreach/extension activities that address priority concerns of national, regional, State, and local interest;

2. To disseminate information relating to priority concerns to:

a. interested members of the agriculture, renewable resources, and other relevant communities;

b. the public; and

c. any other interested entity;

3. To encourage members of the agriculture, renewable resources, and other relevant communities to participate in priority education, research, and outreach/extension activities by providing matching funding to leverage grant funds; and

4. Through:

a. the purchase or other acquisition of equipment and other infrastructure (not including alteration, repair, renovation, or construction of buildings);

b. the professional growth and development of the faculty of the NLGCA Institution;

and

c. the development of graduate assistantships.

NIFA is soliciting applications for the NLGCA Program that will align to the mission and goals of 2018-2022 USDA Strategic Plan, 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.

https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2019/05/16/2019-10105/designation-as-a-non-land-grant-college-of-agriculture?utm_content=&utm_medium=email&utm_name=&utm_source=govdelivery&utm_term= https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2019/05/16/2019-10105/designation-as-a-non-land-grant-college-of-agriculture?utm_content=&utm_medium=email&utm_name=&utm_source=govdelivery&utm_term= https://nifa.usda.gov/webform/request-non-land-grant-college-agriculture-designation https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2019/05/16/2019-10105/designation-as-a-non-land-grant-college-of-agriculture?utm_content=&utm_medium=email&utm_name=&utm_source=govdelivery&utm_term= https://www.usda.gov/sites/default/files/documents/usda-strategic-plan-2018-2022.pdf

Program Priorities. Applications that address the national challenge to increase the number and diversity of students entering food and agriculture-related science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) disciplines are encouraged.

Applications are encouraged that will result in building linkages with other institutions (including other colleges and universities, units of State governments, 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 part II.C.). The goals of such joint initiative 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

Leadership Skills Development. The development of leadership skills, knowledge, and qualities are necessary to prepare students for agricultural and related careers in the private sector, government, and academia. NLGCA teaching applications must demonstrably incorporate a leadership development component to equip students with technical and leadership abilities upon graduation.

Specific activities may include:

1. Developing practical applications to increase understanding of leadership roles, including critical thinking, problem solving, and communication skills; ethics and professionalism;

and working in teams;

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

3. Providing opportunities for mentoring and shadowing; and

4. Organizing leadership academies, workshops, trainings, etc.

Incorporation of Social Sciences and Enhancing Impacts. The NLGCA Program supports social and behavioral science disciplines and applications that embrace multi-disciplinary efforts that integrate biological and social sciences. The social and behavioral sciences are 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. The incorporation of social sciences can result in relevant expertise and professional skills employers anticipate and value.

Global engagement. NIFA supports global engagement that advances U.S. agricultural goals. To attain the agency's goals for U.S. agriculture, promotion of global competence of our nation’s future agricultural workforce, and safe and nutritious food security in a growing world, NIFA recognizes that collaboration with international partners can contribute to advances for U.S.

agriculture. Thus, applications in response to this program’s RFA may include collaborations with international partners, but may only be submitted by eligible U.S. institutions. Such applications may include subcontracts to international partners or other institutions. Applications must clearly demonstrate benefits to the U.S. Additional guidance on including international activities is provided on the International Partnerships website.

https://nifa.usda.gov/resource/afri-international-partnerships

NLGCA encourages, but does not require, projects that develop content suitable for delivery through eXtension (https://extension.org/).

C. Program Area Description

Key Information.

Program Code Name: Capacity Building Grants for Non-Land Grant Colleges of Agriculture Program Code: NLGCA

CFDA: 10.326

Maximum # of Awards per Institution: 2 Maximum # of Applications per institution: N/A Submission Due Date: October 1, 2019 (5:00 pm Eastern Time)

Table 1: NLGCA Grant Types Grant Types Project Duration Total Maximum Award

Regular 2-3 years $150,000 Planning/Conference 2-3 years $30,000 Collaborative-Joint 3 years $300,000 Collaborative- Large-scale Comprehensive Initiative

(LCI)

3 years $750,000

Grant Types. This RFA has the following grant types:

1. Regular. This is an award instrument by which NIFA agrees to support a specified level of effort for a predetermined project period without the announced intention of providing additional support at a future date.

2. Planning Activity/Conference. Applicants in this grant type may request up to $30,000 (total conference, not per year) 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 D.3.a. and b. A Planning Activity/Conference grant application may not be submitted in the same year for which a collaborative grant application for the same project is also submitted.

3. Collaborative. Collaborative grants support projects with at least one additional partner or a multi-partner approach 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 must be organized and led by a strong applicant with documented project management knowledge and skills to organize and carry out the initiative. The partners must share grant funds (see explanation of required funds distribution percentage among partners in the definition).

a. Joint Grants (Applicant + One or more partners). Applicants may request up to

$300,000 (total, not per year) for a Joint Project Proposal. In a joint grant, the applicant executes the project with assistance from at least one additional partner.

The partner(s) must share grant funds (see explanation of required funds https://extension.org/ distribution percentage among partners in the definition of a Joint Project Proposal in Part VIII, D.).

b. Large-scale Comprehensive Initiatives (LCI) (Applicant + two or more partners).

Applicants may request up to $750,000 (total, not per year) for a large-comprehensive initiative (LCI) Project Proposal. In an LCI Grant, the applicant executes the project with assistance from at least two additional partners. Additional partners must share grant funds (see explanation of required funds distribution percentage among partners in the definition of a LCI Project Proposal in Part VIII, E.). An LCI project differs from a Joint Project Proposal in project scope and impact. LCI Project Proposals must support a multi- partner approach to solving a major state or regional challenge facing the agricultural sciences at the postsecondary level. LCI Project Proposals are characterized by multiple partners (each providing a specific expertise) organized and led by a strong applicant with documented project management ability to organize and carry out the initiative.

Note: LCI Projects must include both the R&R Budget and the R&R Subaward Budget Attachment Forms. The forms must clearly identify the total grant funding anticipated for the applicant and each partner to demonstrate the required sharing percentage. All expenditures for the applicant and all partners must be further itemized in the Budget Justification.

LCI Project Proposal funds do not have to be divided equally among project years, nor do they need to be divided equally among project partners. LCI projects must include a statement on expected impacts of the project as well as an Evaluation Plan to measure success.

PART II—AWARD INFORMATION

A. Available Funding The amount available for NLGCA grants in FY 2019 is approximately $4.7 million. There is no commitment by USDA to fund any particular application or to make a specific number of awards. The Automated Standard Application for Payments, operated by the Department of Treasury, Bureau of Fiscal Service, is the designated payment system for awards resulting from this RFA.

B. Types of Applications In FY 2019, applications may be submitted to the NLGCA Program as one of the following types:

New application. This is a project application that has not been previously submitted to the NLGCA 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 had previously been submitted to the NIFA but not funded. Project Directors (PDs) must respond to the previous review panel summary (see Response to Previous Review, Part IV). We must receive resubmitted applications by the relevant due dates. We will evaluate resubmitted applications in competition with other pending applications in the appropriate area to which they are assigned and review them according to the same evaluation criteria (Part V, B) as new applications. If you are submitting a resubmission application, enter the NIFA-assigned proposal number of the previously-submitted application in the Federal field (Field 4 on the form).

C. Project and Grant Types Project Types. The NLGCA Program is accepting applications for four project types (described below in this subpart):

1. Education

2. Research

3. Outreach/Extension

4. Integrated

Each of the project types include need areas. Applications must demonstrate how the chosen project type and need area will support the legislatively authorized purpose of this program, listed in Part I § B of this RFA. Projects must address a demonstrated and/or documented issue/problem/challenge of national, regional, state, or local interest within the FANH sciences.

This can be undertaken through a variety of mechanisms, approaches, or strategies within the Activity Type.

1. Education Projects: Applications with an education/teaching focus must address at least one of the Education Need Areas within this subsection. Proposed education focused activities must support for-credit coursework (academic curriculum), leading to a degree within the broadly defined FANH sciences. Projects must be innovative; have potential for adoption by other academic institutions; exhibit broad-based applicability beyond a single course or an individual instructor; have a strong potential for institutionalization;

https://www.fiscal.treasury.gov/fsservices/gov/pmt/asap/asap_home.htm and must be supported by evidence based studies, publications, or practices. Education Need Arears include:

a. Curriculum Design, Materials Development, Library Resources and Instruction

Delivery Systems. To enhance the NLGCA Institution’s capacity to promote new and improved curricula, instructional materials, and other learning resources to increase the quality of curricula in order to attract, recruit, and retain students in the FANH sciences fields. The objective of the need area is to stimulate the development and use of exemplary education models and materials incorporating the most recent advances in subject matter and research on teaching and learning theory. Projects can include integration of research, education and extension/outreach and be multidisciplinary.

Learner-centered instructional techniques, or other improvements in teaching and student learning are encouraged. Projects must demonstrate how the product or education program will reach large audiences efficiently and effectively, provide hands-on learning experiences, extend learning beyond the classroom, reinforce recent research on how to motivate students to learn, retain, apply, and transfer knowledge, skills, and competencies, and/ or integrate and synthesize knowledge.

The choice for which strategy to employ must be based on the most current research or studies and references must be included.

Projects may emphasize, but are not limited to: the development of courses of study, degree programs, and instructional materials; 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; the use of new approaches to the study of traditional subjects; the introduction of new subjects; or new applications of knowledge pertaining to agriscience and agribusiness content. The end goal is to have these activities fully institutionalized so they can be sustained and not just a one-time activity, in order to show impacts on the institution’s educational capacity.

b. Scientific Instrumentation for Education. To provide students and faculty in science oriented courses with suitable and modern equipment that involves them in work essential for food and agricultural sciences education and research programs.

Applications may include, but are not limited to: acquiring new, state-of-the-art instructional, laboratory, classroom, and research scientific equipment; upgrading existing equipment, or replacing non-functional or obsolete equipment. See section IV § D of this RFA for additional funding restrictions.

c. Student Recruitment, Retention, and Educational Equity. 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 professional and technical workforce in the food and agricultural sciences. Applications may include, but are not limited to: projects to attract increased numbers of students from under-represented groups; engagement with communities/collaborators/or other partners in utilizing or employing students and graduates; development and/or implementation of agricultural and science literacy programs at the high school level;

and, mentoring programs and other initiatives for student retention.

d. Experiential Learning. To further the development of student scientific and professional competencies through experiential learning programs. The projects might include, but are not limited to: experiential learning in laboratory research or field-based internships that support topics in FANH sciences; establish instructional methodologies which engage students in experiential learning opportunities (i.e.

service learning, case studies, or undergraduate research projects); or career and higher education counseling.

e. Professional Development for Faculty Members. To enhance the NLGCA Institution’s capacity to advance faculty development in the areas of teaching competency and leadership, subject matter expertise, or student recruitment and advising skills, in order to better advise and provide students the experience or knowledge that will encourage them to pursue advanced postsecondary degrees in the FANH sciences, or prepare them for the food and agricultural sciences workforce.

Training of targeted faculty recipients can be formal or informal and must be relevant to the identified educational needs of the students, who will be the beneficiaries of such faculty development. Any faculty recipient of support must meet the requirements of an eligible participant.

f. Collaborative Interaction with Other Academic Institutions. To enhance the NLGCA institution’s capacity to promote partnerships with secondary, two-year postsecondary, or other postsecondary academic institutions to support postsecondary instruction (i.e., providing coursework targeted at undergraduate students, but that may also be available for advanced placement credit for secondary students; for transfer credit from associate-degree programs into baccalaureate-level programs; or for postsecondary faculty development that includes research sabbaticals), in order to encourage and facilitate transfer and matriculation into postsecondary programs within the food and agricultural sciences. Emphasis between secondary and higher education institutions may focus on, but is not limited to, the development and use of articulation agreements, 2+2 or 2+2+2 arrangements, advanced placement credit transfer, or the sharing of faculty and facilities. Partnerships, collaborative arrangements and shared resources between institutions (including course credit sharing arrangements) are encouraged.

Projects must contribute to the academic community’s understanding about how new strategies are transferred to diverse settings and about how they impact student learning. Evaluation plans shall explore opportunities for adapting new strategies in diverse educational settings. Projects that specifically address challenges to achieving widespread adoption of proven practice are especially encouraged. Note:

NLGCA grant funding cannot be used to provide student scholarships or other tuition-remission activity.

2. Research Projects: Applications with a research focus must address at least one of the Research Need Areas discussed in this subsection. Research Need Areas may encourage student assistantships. Such student learning opportunities must emphasize team-oriented, problem-solving, decision-making situations in the context of addressing real-world research experiences. Projects addressing student assistantships must: (1) demonstrate how the experience will produce qualified and well trained graduates; (2) contain an evaluation process involving both the faculty or mentor to assure that students meet project objectives; and (3) document that the field of science under consideration is experiencing a shortage of scientific and professional personnel, and how the project plans to address this deficiency. Individual students may be supported under this opportunity for up to three years (including summers, semesters, or semester breaks).

Requested project funds may be used as stipends for students while they are working in research/field settings. (NLGCA funds cannot be used to fund student scholarships or other tuition-remission activity). Students will be required to prepare written and oral summaries of the experiential learning gained through this opportunity. To attract high-caliber students, stipends should be competitive with alternative employment options. A modest amount of funds may be requested for materials/supplies to facilitate a student’s broad exposure to research/field techniques and methodologies. Recipients are encouraged to take advantage of any related paid internship opportunities provided by County, State, Federal, business and industry sources. Research Need Areas include:

a. Studies and Experimentation in Food and Agricultural Sciences. To advance the body of knowledge within the FANH sciences, projects addressing this need area are encouraged to focus on multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary research activities addressing systems oriented, critical issues, rather than single, discipline-specific research studies.

b. Applied Studies in the Food and Agricultural Sciences. 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.

c. Centralized Research Support Systems. To innovate and establish centralized research support systems (including but not limited to: technology-based information delivery systems, digital or physical storage and maintenance of data, and expert service centers) that meet national needs or serve regions of NLGCA institutions, or provide research support more economically, thereby freeing up resources for other research uses.

3. Outreach/Extension Projects: Applications with an outreach/extension focus must address at least one of the Outreach/Extension Need Areas discussed in this subsection.

Outreach/Extension projects generally focus on a primary, targeted, beneficiary consisting of individuals and communities outside of a formal, academic program setting.

Applications may choose to develop studies that have relevancy and application within the communities that these institutions serve. Outreach/Extension Need Areas include the following:

a. 4-H, or Other, Similar Youth Development Activity. To cultivate important life skills in youth that build character and assist them in making appropriate life and career choices. At-risk youth targeted in such projects must be encouraged to participate in academic retention and enrichment programs.

b. FANH Sciences. To improve research and educational programs that help individuals learn new ways to produce income through alternative enterprises; improve marketing strategies and management skills; and assist farmers, ranchers, and foresters to improve productivity through sound resource management strategies and marketing.

c. Leadership Development. To train outreach/extension professionals and volunteers to deliver programs in agriculture, gardening, health and safety, family and consumer issues; and to support Agriculture in the Classroom, 4-H youth development, or other similar programs that encourage greater involvement and leadership roles within the community.

d. Natural Resources. To inform landowners and homeowners how to use natural resources wisely and to protect the environment with educational programs.

e. Human, Family, and Consumer Sciences. To help families become resilient and healthy by teaching nutrition, food preparation skills, positive child care, parenting, family communication, financial management, and health care strategies.

f. Community and Economic Development. To assist local governments, community, and non-profit organizations to investigate and create viable options for economic and community development.

g. Technology-based Information Delivery Systems. To promote 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.

4. Integrated Projects. An Integrated Project includes at least two of the three functions of the agricultural knowledge system (i.e., education, research, and outreach/extension) within a project. The functions addressed in the project must be focused around a problem or issue and must be interwoven throughout the life of the project to complement and reinforce one another. The functions must be interdependent and necessary for the success of the project and no more than two-thirds of the project’s budget may be focused on a single component.

For Integrated projects that include an Education component, note that routine use of graduate and postdoctoral students as personnel on research projects is not considered education for the purposes of this program. Only students actively engaged in the scholarship of research or outreach/extension projects are considered as education.

Actively engaged students may contribute to presentations, articles, posters, and other expressions of scholarship that reflect their own work on the PD’s project.

For Integrated projects that include an Outreach/Extension component, activities will synthesize and incorporate a wide range of relevant research results. However, research-related activities such as publication of papers or speaking at scientific meetings are not considered “Outreach/Extension” for the purpose of an Integrated 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 must, upon request, make available to NIFA the policies, procedures, and documentation to support the conduct of the training. See Responsible and Ethical Conduct of Research for further information.

https://ecfr.io/Title-02/pt2.1.422 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 only be submitted by a Non-Land Grant College of Agriculture (NLGCAs) certified as such by the National Institute of Food and Agriculture at the time of application. A current list of NLGCA’s certified by NIFA can be found at the NLGCA List Resource webpage.

Award recipients may subaward to organizations not eligible to apply to this grants program, providing such organizations are necessary for the conduct of the project.

All institutions certified as NLGCA prior to December 21, 2018 must reapply for certification and meet the new criteria for NLGCA certification contained in the Federal Register Notice.

In order for an institution to qualify as a NLGCA, it must be a public college or university offering a baccalaureate or higher degree in the study of agricultural sciences, forestry, or both, which is any of the 32 specified areas of study: Agricultural and domestic animal services;

Agricultural and extension education services; Agricultural and food products processing;

Agricultural business and management; Agricultural communication or agricultural journalism;

Agricultural economics; Agricultural engineering; Agricultural mechanization; Agricultural production operations; Agricultural public services; Agriculture; Animal sciences; Applied horticulture or horticulture operations; Aquaculture; Equestrian/Equine Studies; Floriculture or floristry operations and management; Food science; Forest sciences and biology; Forestry;

Greenhouse operations and management; International agriculture; Natural resource economics;

Natural resources management and policy; Natural resources or conservation; Ornamental horticulture; Plant nursery operations and management; Plant sciences; Range science and management; Soil sciences; Turf and turfgrass management; Urban forestry; and Wood science and wood products or pulp or paper technology. If you are not sure if you are eligible to request NLGCA designation, you can look at the NLGCA Eligibility Flow Chart.

In addition, Section 7102 of the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 removed the opt-in, opt-out language that had previously required Hispanic Serving Agricultural Colleges and Universities (HSACU) and McIntire-Stennis Colleges and Universities to relinquish that status if they wanted to pursue NLGCA designation. There are no longer any such limitations.

To request that NIFA provide certification of NLGCA status, an Authorized Representative must go to the Non-Land-Grant University designation webpage and complete a web-based form indicating the institution meets the qualifications. Within 30 days of submission, NIFA will provide the administrative point of contact specified on the request, with a certification of NLGCA designation or a response indicating why the request for certification is being denied.

For the purposes of this program, the individual branches of a college or university that are separately accredited as degree-granting institutions as indicated per the Official List of Certified Non-Land Grant Colleges of Agriculture, are treated as separate institutions, and are therefore eligible to apply for NLGCA Program 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, and are therefore not eligible to submit an application.

Accreditation must be conferred by an agency or association recognized by the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Education.

https://nifa.usda.gov/resource/nlgca-list https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2019/05/16/2019-10105/designation-as-a-non-land-grant-college-of-agriculture?utm_content=&utm_medium=email&utm_name=&utm_source=govdelivery&utm_term= https://nifa.usda.gov/resource/nlgca-eligibility-flow-chart https://www.nifa.usda.gov/webform/request-non-land-grant-university-designation

NLGCA applicants may submit (as the lead applicant) any number of applications in response to this RFA; however, your institution will be limited to a maximum of two grant awards as the lead (applicant) institution. Your institution may participate in any number of NLGCA-funded projects as a partner institution in any given year. However, a Project Director is limited to one funded-project, for which they are the lead Project Director in the FY.

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.

B. Cost Sharing or Matching NIFA does not require matching support for this grants program and matching resources will not be factored into the review process as evaluation criteria.

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

PART IV—APPLICATION AND SUBMISSION INFORMATION

A. Electronic Application Package Applicants must apply to this RFA electronically; no other method or response is accepted. The electronic application for this RFA and additional resources are available on Grants.gov and Grants 101.

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 long 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-software-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-NLGCA-006780.

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 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:

https://www.grants.gov/ https://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-software-compatibility.html https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/adobe-software-compatibility.html https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/download-application-package.html https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/support.html

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:

a. Funding Opportunity Number (FON)

b. Name of agency you are applying to

c. 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:

a. Email: electronic@nifa.usda.gov

b. Phone: 202-401-5048

c. Business hours: Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. – 5 p.m. ET, 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. See Part V, Section 2.17of 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 Grants.gov Application Guide.

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/

a. Field 7. Project Summary/Abstract.

The 250-word summary should also include the relevance of the project to the goals of NLGCA, and should indicate project type (research, education, extension or integrated) and the relevant need area. See Part V. 4.7 of NIFA Grants.gov Application Guide for further instructions and a link to a suggested template. The summary should also include one or two codes from the following list of discipline codes (if your project includes an international component you must include I as one of the codes):

Table 2: Academic Codes and Disciplines Code Discipline 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

b. Field 8. Project Narrative.

NOTE: The Project Narrative shall not exceed 18 pages of written text (planning grants should not exceed 10 pages) and up to five additional pages for figures and tables. We have established this maximum 23 pages) to ensure fair and equitable competition. Formatting of the Project Narrative is: 12 pt. font, New Times Roman, 1-inch margins, 1.5 spaced. Tables and Charts can be 10 pt. font and single spacing. The Project Narrative must include all of the following:

1) Introduction: Include a clear statement of the long-term goal(s) and supporting objectives of the proposed activities. Summarize the body of knowledge or other past activities that substantiate the need for the proposed project. Describe ongoing or recently completed significant activities that relate to the proposed project including the work of key project personnel. Include preliminary data/information pertinent to the proposed project. In addition, this section is to include in-depth information on the following, when applicable:

a. Estimates of the magnitude of the issues and the relevance to stakeholders and ongoing state-federal food and agricultural research, education, and extension programs;

b. Reasons for performing the work at the proposing institution; and

c. If international activities are included in this application, you must describe the indicators you will use to assess proposed international activities (e.g., partnerships, exchanges, travel); see Part I. B.

2) Objectives: All applications must include a statement(s) of specific aims of the proposed effort in clear, concise, complete, and logically arranged terms.

3) Methods: Explicitly state the procedures or methodology you will apply to the proposed effort. This section is to include, but not necessarily be limited to, descriptions of:

a. Stakeholder involvement in problem identification, planning, implementation, and evaluation;

b. Proposed project activities, listed sequentially;

c. Techniques to be employed in this project, including their feasibility and rationale;

d. Expected results;

e. How extension and education activities will be evaluated;

f. How data will be analyzed or interpreted;

g. Plans to communicate results to stakeholders and the public;

h. Pitfalls that might be encountered; and

i. Limitations to proposed procedures.

4) Project Timetable: The proposal outline is to include all important phases as a function of time, year by year, for the entire project, including periods beyond the grant funding period.

5) Evaluation Plan: All projects, with the exception of planning grants, must have an evaluation plan as part of the Project Narrative (see Part IV, B.3., Field 8, 2.d.). The evaluation plan must include both a strategy for monitoring the project as it evolves (to provide feedback to guide these efforts), as well as a strategy for evaluating the effectiveness of the project in achieving its goals and for identifying positive and negative findings when the project is completed.

The project budget must 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.

The evaluation results will be reported both annually and in the final performance report (Part VI. D.). In addition to other measures that are project specific, the evaluation must include:

a. Student/faculty or other stakeholder learning and engagement;

b. The number of students/faculty or other stakeholders impacted by the project as a result of the proposed activities, either directly (through stipends, experiential learning opportunities, workshops, teaching experiences, etc.) or indirectly (through taking a developed course or program, or participating in a recruitment or retention program);

c. A summation of who benefited the most (and the least) from the project;

d. An explanation of what revisions, improvements, or enhancements you would make, funding permitting, to increase the value of this project in the future; and

e. Ideas about how to make projects like yours more cost-effective.

6) Logic Model: Applications must include a logic model detailing the activities, outputs, and outcomes of the proposed project. This information should be formatted into a logic model chart. The logic model planning process is a tool that should be used in developing projects before writing the proposal. Up to two additional pages are allowed for this information. More information and resources related to the logic model planning process are provided at https://nifa.usda.gov/resource/logic-model-planning-process.

Response to Previous Review (if applicable): This requirement only applies to Resubmitted Applications or Resubmitted Renewal 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 23 page Project Narrative, as…