FY '19 SPECA.pdf

Secondary Education, Two-Year Postsecondary Education, and Agriculture in the K-12 Classroom Challenge Grants Program (SPECA)

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

APPLICATION DEADLINE: April 16, 2019

ELIGIBILITY: See Part III, A of RFA

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

AGRICULTURE

Secondary Education, Two-Year Postsecondary Education, and Agriculture in the K-12 Classroom Challenge 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 10.226.

DATES: Applications must be received by 5 p.m. Eastern Time on April 16, 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: We at the National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) seek your comments about this RFA. We will consider your comments when we develop the next RFA for the program, if applicable, and we’ll use them to meet the requirements of section 103(c)(2) of the Agricultural Research, Extension, and Education Reform Act of 1998 (7 U.S.C.

7613(c)(2)). Submit your written 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 Secondary Education, Two-Year Postsecondary Education, and Agriculture in the K-12 Classroom Challenge Grants Program

RFA.

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: NIFA requests applications for the Secondary Education, Two- Year Postsecondary Education, and Agriculture in the K-12 Classroom Challenge Grants Program (SPECA) for Fiscal Year (FY) 2019 to promote and strengthen food, agriculture, natural resource, and human (FANH) science education. The anticipated amount available for grants in FY 2019 is approximately $800,000. This RFA is being released prior to the passage of an appropriations act for FY 2019. Enactment of additional continuing resolutions or an appropriations act may affect the availability or level of funding for this program.

This notice identifies the objectives for SPECA projects, deadline dates, funding information, eligibility criteria for projects and applicants, application forms and associated instructions needed to apply for a SPECA 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 E. Project Duration F. Number and Size of Grant Awards G. Application Submission and Award Limitations H. Funding Limitations per Institutions

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

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: Grant Types 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 (FANH) sciences. Authority for this program is contained in section 1417(b)(1) of NARETPA (7 U.S.C. 3152(j)).

B. Purpose and Priorities

The Secondary Education, Two-Year Postsecondary Education, and Agriculture in the K-12 Classroom Challenge Grants Program (SPECA) directly aligns with 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.

The purpose of the SPECA program is to award grants to -

1. Enhance the quality of K-14 instruction in order to help meet current and future national food, agricultural, natural resources, and human (FANH) sciences workplace needs; and

2. Increase the number and diversity of students who will pursue and complete a 2 or 4-year degree in the food, agricultural, natural resources and human (FANH) sciences.

SPECA-funded projects encourage academic institutions, in partnership with organizations and employers to identify and address challenges facing the FANH sciences education and workforce community.

As noted in the 2016 National Academies (NAS) Press Report, Barriers and Opportunities for 2-Year and 4- Year STEM Degrees and the 2016 NAS workshop on Creating the Future Workforce in Food, Agriculture, and Natural Resources, the talent pipeline for the agriculture workforce begins well before college admission and a focus on secondary programs holds tremendous potential to increase not only the number, but the diversity of students entering baccalaureate programs, a requisite for the innovation needed in the FANH sciences.

Accordingly, SPECA-funded project activities shall support the creation, adaptation, and adoption of learning materials and teaching strategies to operationalize what we know about how students learn. Many of these concepts are identified in the National Research Council’s publication: How People Learn. SPECA-funded projects shall also focus on imparting both technical knowledge as well as ‘soft’ skills such as communication, team work, and problem solving, as these are abilities expected by employers. These concepts may be found in the publication Comparative Analysis of Soft Skills: What is Important for New Graduates?

https://www.usda.gov/sites/default/files/documents/usda-strategic-plan-2018-2022.pdf https://www.usda.gov/sites/default/files/documents/usda-strategic-plan-2018-2022.pdf https://www.nap.edu/catalog/21739/barriers-and-opportunities-for-2-year-and-4-year-stem-degrees https://www.nap.edu/catalog/21739/barriers-and-opportunities-for-2-year-and-4-year-stem-degrees https://www.nap.edu/catalog/21739/barriers-and-opportunities-for-2-year-and-4-year-stem-degrees http://dels.nas.edu/Upcoming-Workshop/Creating-Future-Workforce-Food/AUTO-1-86-81-F?bname=banr http://dels.nas.edu/Upcoming-Workshop/Creating-Future-Workforce-Food/AUTO-1-86-81-F?bname=banr http://www.nap.edu/catalog/9853/how-people-learn-brain-mind-experience-and-school-expanded-edition http://www.aplu.org/members/commissions/food-environment-and-renewable-resources/CFERR_Library/comparative-analysis-of-soft-skills-what-is-important-for-new-graduates

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. SPECA applicants must demonstrably incorporate a leadership development component to equip students with technical and leadership abilities upon graduation.

Specific activities may include:

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

Incorporation of Social Sciences and Enhancing Impacts

The SPECA Program supports social and behavioral science disciplines. SPECA projects that integrate social and biological sciences to provide experiential learning opportunities for students in applied research and related community development programs 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 lifestyles and consuming heathy diets; and alleviating poverty by fostering economic opportunity.

Global Engagement

NIFA supports global engagement that advances U.S. agricultural goals. To attain the agency's goals for U.S. agriculture, global competence of our nation’s agricultural workforce, and safe and nutritious food security in a growing world, NIFA recognizes that collaboration with international partners can contribute to advances in U.S. agriculture. In an increasingly interconnected world, these U.S. advances may have global importance. Thus, applications in response to NIFA programs are strongly encouraged to include collaborations with international partners, but may only be submitted by eligible U.S. institutions. Such applications may include subcontracts to international partners or other institutions and must clearly demonstrate benefits to the U.S. Additional guidance on including international activities is provided on the NIFA Global Engagement Programs webpage” https://nifa.usda.gov/program/global-engagement-programs.

eXtension

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

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

C. Program Area Description

Key Information:

Program Code – SPECA Program Code Name – Secondary and Two-Year Postsecondary Education Challenge Code of Federal Domestic Assistance- 10.226 Requested Project Types – Education/ Teaching Projects Requested Grant Types – Regular and Collaborative Grants only

Table 1: Grant Types

Letter of Intent not required for this program

Program Area Contact – Dr. Victoria LeBeaux, (202)-720-2067.

victoria.s.lebeaux@nifa.usda.gov

1) Program Category

Your project must support academic instruction with a primary focus in at least one of the following three K-14 Grade Levels:

(a) Agriculture in the K-12 Classroom (AITC): Projects specifically developed by or for the state AITC program (https://www.agclassroom.org/affiliates/contacts.cfm).

(Note: A letter of support from the relevant state AITC organization endorsing your project, clarifying the absence of duplication with existing materials or projects, and explaining its implementation process into the academic system must accompany applications submitted in this Program Category);

(b) Secondary School: Projects with a specific focus on any of the academic grades 9 through 12;

(c) Junior or Community College: Projects with a specific focus on associate degree level (2-year postsecondary) activities.

A SPECA-funded project must focus on any of the K-14 grade levels. Projects with a target audience of baccalaureate or higher-level students or teachers should, instead, be referred to the Higher Education Challenge Grants Program offered through NIFA at:

http://nifa.usda.gov/funding-opportunity/higher-education-challenge-hec-grants-program.

Grant Application Type

Maximum # of Applications per year per institution

Maximum Award

Submission Due Date (5:00pm Eastern)

Regular No Limit $50,000 April 16, 2019 Collaborative Type 1 No Limit $150,000 April 16, 2019 Collaborative Type 2 No Limit $300,000 April 16, 2019 mailto:victoria.s.lebeaux@nifa.usda.gov https://www.agclassroom.org/affiliates/contacts.cfm http://nifa.usda.gov/funding-opportunity/higher-education-challenge-hec-grants-program http://nifa.usda.gov/funding-opportunity/higher-education-challenge-hec-grants-program

2) Educational Need Areas

When preparing a SPECA-funded project, the rationale for choosing a particular Educational Need Area below 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 for the SPECA program are:

(a) Curriculum Development, Instructional Delivery Systems, and Expanding Student

Career Opportunities: To promote new and improved curricula and materials to increase the quality of, and continuously renew, the Nation's K-14 academic programs in the FANH sciences. Projects shall 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 may include, but are not limited to, the following strategies:

• The development of innovative course content, including innovative ways to integrate scientific research experiences into K-14 curricula;

• The use of new approaches to the study of traditional subjects or the introduction of new FANH sciences subjects;

• 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;

• Opportunities for students to complete apprenticeships, internships, career mentoring experiences, or other participatory learning experiences. Targeted summer programs providing a bridge to 4-year FANH sciences degrees for underrepresented high-school students are encouraged; and

• Creating career placement or higher education academic counseling activities to encourage graduates to pursue postsecondary FANH sciences degrees.

(b) Faculty Preparation and Enhancement for Teaching. To 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 targeted faculty recipients must be relevant to the identified educational needs of the students, who will be the beneficiaries of such faculty development. 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 may include, but not limited to, the following strategies:

• Engaging graduate students enrolled in agricultural education degree program (and/or existing faculty in agricultural education) to more effectively interact with K-14 FANH science programs;

• Creating 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; and

• Exploring web-based approaches for faculty professional development.

(c) Facilitating Interaction with other Academic Institutions. To promote K14 focused activities that form linkages between secondary, 2-year postsecondary, and baccalaureate degree-granting institutions to maximize the use of resources supporting outstanding education in the FANH sciences. Activities should focus on ensuring completion of secondary degrees, enrollment into postsecondary programs and/or transfer to a 4-year institution. Partnerships, collaborative arrangements, and shared resources between institutions (including course credit sharing arrangements) are encouraged.

Examples of projects strategies include:

• Development and use of articulation agreements, 2+2 or 2+2+2 arrangements

(policies and programs designed to foster credit transfer between high schools, community colleges, and four-year institutions), 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 postsecondary FANH sciences degree; and

• A project that will result in establishing and implementing programs or procedures (faculty sharing, articulation agreements, electronic exchange of coursework, etc.) to disseminate curricula, instructional methods, or training practices to faculty across the state or region.

Additional Information

1. SPECA- funded projects shall engage more than a single course or an individual instructor.

2. Any individual (eligible participant) receiving Federal funds must be a citizen or national of the United States, as defined in this RFA (see Part VIII, D.).

3. Applicants are encouraged to collaborate with an agency or research facility, including a

USDA agency, to leverage grant funds and/or contribute towards overall goals and objectives. USDA agencies may be found at https://www.usda.gov/our-agency/agencies https://www.usda.gov/our-agency/agencies

PART II—AWARD INFORMATION

A. Available Funding

The anticipated amount available for SPECA grants in FY 2019 is approximately $800,000.

This RFA is being released prior to the passage of an appropriations act for FY 2019.

Enactment of additional continuing resolutions or an appropriations act may affect the availability or level of funding for this program. 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

In FY 2019, you may submit applications to the SPECA Program as one of the following types of requests:

New application. This is a project application that has not been previously submitted to the SPECA 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 of this RFA, 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

Applicants may submit one of the following three types of projects: Regular, Collaborative Type 1, or Collaborative Type 2.

1. Regular Projects:

• Applicants may request up to $50,000 (total, not per year) for a Regular Grant.

• Applicant executes the project without the requirement of sharing grant funds with other project partners.

2. Collaborative Grant Type 1 (CG1) (Applicant + One or more Partners)

• Applicants may request up to $150,000 (total, not per year) for a Collaborative

Grant Type 1 (CG1) project.

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

• Applicant executes the project with assistance from at least one additional partner.

The partners must share grant funds (see explanation of required fund distribution percentage among partners in the definition of a Collaborative Grant Type 1 in Part

VIII, D).

Documented Impacts of CG1 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 graduates;

• Expansion of the number of students who enroll in postsecondary courses in FANH sciences;

• Enhanced retention rates of students exposed to CG1 project activities; and

• An informed FANH sciences community and others about the effectiveness of this

CG1 project through a comprehensive project evaluation, using the indicators and methods defined in this grants program.

CG1 projects must include both the R&R Fed and Non-Fed Budget and the R&R Fed and Non-Fed Subaward Budget Attachment Forms. The forms should 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 should be further itemized in the Budget Justification. Funds do not have to be divided equally among project years.

3. Collaborative Grant Type 2 (CG2) (Applicant + Two or more Partners)

• Applicants may request up to $300,000 (total, not per year) for a Collaborative Grant

Type 2 (CG2) project.

• Applicant executes the project with assistance from at least two additional partners.

The additional partners must share grant funds (see explanation of required funds distribution percentage among partners in the definition of a CG2 in Part VIII, D.).

• 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 K-14 grade levels. 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.

Documented 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 graduates, while addressing the specific state or regional opportunity defined in the grant application;

• Expansion of the number of students who enroll in postsecondary courses in FANH sciences;

• Enhanced retention rates of students exposed to CG2 project activities; and

• An informed FANH sciences community and others about the effectiveness of this

CG2 project through a comprehensive project evaluation, using the indicators and methods defined in this grants program.

CG2 projects must include both the R&R Fed and Non-Fed Budget and the R&R Fed and Non-Fed Subaward Budget Attachment Forms. The forms should clearly identify the total grant funding anticipated for the applicant and each partner to demonstrate the required cost sharing percentage. All expenditures for the applicant and all partners should be further itemized in the Budget Justification. Applicants do not have to divide funds equally among project years.

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. See https://nifa.usda.gov/responsible-and-ethical-conduct-research for more information.

E. Project Duration

Regular and CG1 project periods may range from 24 to 36 months, including time to evaluate the results and report the impacts. CG2 projects are required to have project periods of 36 months.

Note: For project budget and timeline purposes, the project “start date” should not occur prior to September 30, 2019.

F. Number and Size of Grant Awards

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. Depending upon available funding, there may be a limit of one CG2 project awarded each year.

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, NIFA may require revised budgets and revised plans of work before making an award.

G. Application Submission and Award Limitations

Each eligible individual institution, independent branch campus, and branch institution of a State system may submit one application.

H. Funding Limitations per Institution

For FY 2019, NIFA will make only one award per eligible institution. Only one active SPECA award at a time can be held by any single institution.

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: (1) public secondary schools, (2) public or private nonprofit junior and community colleges, (3) institutions of higher education, or (4) nonprofit organizations (Attach IRS 501(c)(3) status under R&R ‘Other Project Information’ Field 12 Other Attachments). Failure to meet an eligibility criterion by the application deadline may result in the application being excluded from consideration or, even if an application is reviewed, NIFA will be precluded 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.

School boards are not eligible as legal recipients of the award.

B. Cost Sharing or Matching

The Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 (HR 2) removed the matching requirements for some NIFA competitive grants imposed by the Agricultural Act of 2014. Therefore, there are changes to the matching requirements for some funds awarded in 2019.

For FY 2019, NIFA does not require matching support for the SPECA 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

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.html.

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 it is determined that the organization is not prepared to submit electronic application, a one-time registration process is required PRIOR to submitting an application. This will apply, if the institution/organization is new to the electronic grant application process through Grants.gov. It can take as long as two weeks to complete the registration process so it is critical to begin as soon as possible.

If registration is required, 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/search-opportunity-package.html and enter the funding opportunity number where appropriate

Funding Opportunity Number: USDA-NIFA-SAECP-006697.

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.

https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/learn-grants/grants-101/pre-award-phase.html 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/search-opportunity-package.html

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:

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. ET).

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. 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 application 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 questions related to the preparation of an application, review the NIFA Grants.gov Application Guide and the applicable RFA. If further assistance needed, contact:

• Email: electronic@nifa.usda.gov

• Phone: 202-401-5048

• Business hours: Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. – 5 p.m. ET, excluding Federal holidays.

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

a. Field 7. Project Summary/Abstract.

Application will not be accepted for review if the project summary/abstract is not included, missing information, or not in PDF format.

Please use the project summary/abstract template available in the ‘Program Specific Resources’ section of the SPECA program webpage:

https://nifa.usda.gov/program/secondary-education-two-year-postsecondary-education-and-agriculture-k-12-classroom

Include the following information:

Project Title;

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

Program Category: (see Part I, C.1.);

Educational Need Area: (Part I, C.2.);

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);

Discipline Codes & Academic Discipline (see Table 2 below);

Grant Type: Regular, Collaborative 1, or Collaborative 2 Total Funds Requested: List total Federal funds requested for this application. (If this project is a collaborative project, also list each partner’s total funds requested next to the institution/organization’s name); and

Partners: If a collaborative proposal, list all partner institutions/organizations that will share grant funding. (Note: Each Partner so identified needs to have their budget information submitted on a separate subaward budget attachment);

Summary Text: Provide a very concise (max. 250 word) summary of your project.

https://nifa.usda.gov/program/secondary-education-two-year-postsecondary-education-and-agriculture-k-12-classroom https://nifa.usda.gov/program/secondary-education-two-year-postsecondary-education-and-agriculture-k-12-classroom

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) E Agriscience (includes Agricultural/Biological Engineering) F Food Science/Technology and Manufacturing G General Food, Agriculture and Human Sciences(includes multidisciplinary problems) H Human Sciences/ Family and Consumer Sciences I International Education/Research (enhancement of US programs) J Entomology - Animal L Environmental Sciences/ Management M Agribusiness(includes Management, Marketing, and Agricultural Economics) N Human Nutrition P Plant Sciences and Horticulture Q Aquaculture S Agricultural Social Sciences (includes Agricultural Education, Agricultural Communications and

Rural Sociology) T Entomology - Plant W Water Science

Application will be excluded if the summary text exceeds 250 words.

Summary text should include:

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

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

Products: What will be produced?

Outcome/Impact: What is the intended result (consequence) of your project?

b. Field 8 Project Narrative.

The Project Narrative shall not exceed 20 double-spaced pages of written text and up to 5 additional pages for figures and tables. We have established this maximum (25 double-spaced pages) to ensure fair and equitable competition.

Applications will not be accepted for review if the project narrative is not included, exceeds 25 total double-spaced pages, or is not in PDF format.

The Project Narrative in this Field 8 attachment contains the major description of your project. It follows the SPECA program’s Evaluation Criteria (Part V. B).

Accordingly, please provide your responses in the format outlined below:

Project Narrative Format

To facilitate application review and evaluation, please ensure that the Project Narrative include the following, underlined wording as headings in your attached

Project Narrative, followed by your response for each item.

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 (Your impact shall be a change you can measure at the project’s conclusion.). Clearly identify and explain how the proposed project will address your Educational Need Area described in Part I, C.2.

b. Project Justification: Summarize the body of knowledge justifying the need for the proposed project. Describe any ongoing or recently completed, significant activities related to the proposed project for which funding was received under a previous SPECA award.

c. Institutional Long-range Goals: Demonstrate how the institution/organization attributes a high priority to the project; discuss how the project will: (1) contribute to the achievement of the institution/organizations’ long-term (five- to ten-year) goals; (2) help satisfy the institution’s high-priority objectives; and (3) be linked to/supported by the institution's strategic plan.

d. Innovation: Describe the proposal’s creative approach to improving the quality of FANH sciences education, solving an education problem, or promoting programs that advance equal opportunity for all students. Using either actual experiences or literature background information, show why you selected this approach.

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. Products, Results, and Measurable Outcomes: Outline the expected products/results and their outcome (impact) on strengthening FANH sciences education in the United States. Make sure to differentiate among the three terms:

1. “Products” may be actual items or services acquired with funds, e.g., “…developed three, new Web-based courses”;

2. “Results” are accomplishments related to the products, e.g., “...additional course materials now available online to reinforce student learning during non-classroom hours”; and

3. “Impacts” are the benefits to your audience. Impacts are the consequences of your project and the most critical elements in your Evaluation Plan. They are a measure of the results by comparison to what might have happened in the absence of the funded project, e.g., “…an observed, overall increase in student learning based upon 8% higher average test scores of those students who both attended class and used the supplemental, Web-based course materials”).

d. 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 SPECA Program Goals from Part I, A. Describe any data to be collected and analyzed. Demonstrate how the project will improve education. This section shall clearly indicate how you plan to measure impacts.

(See:https://nifa.usda.gov/sites/default/files/resources/SPECA%20Proposal%20 Evaluation%20Plan%20Development.pdf or additional resources on how to create evaluation plans)

e. 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. 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. (See Part I.C.4. for additional Dissemination Plan information)

f. Partnerships and Collaborative Efforts: Explain how the project will maximize partnership and collaborative efforts to strengthen FANH sciences education. Provide evidence, via letters from the parties involved in the partnership or collaborative arrangement.

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 that necessary institutional/organizational resources (administrative, facilities, equipment, and/or materials), and other appropriate resources, will be made available to the project. Demonstrate how the institutional/organizational resources to be https://nifa.usda.gov/sites/default/files/resources/SPECA%20Proposal%20Evaluation%20Plan%20Development.pdf https://nifa.usda.gov/sites/default/files/resources/SPECA%20Proposal%20Evaluation%20Plan%20Development.pdf made available to the project, when combined with the support requested from USDA, will be adequate to carry out the activities of the project.

c. Continuation Plans: Discuss the likelihood of, or specific plans for, continuation or expansion of the project beyond the period of USDA support.

For example, does the institution’s/organization's long-range budget or academic plan provide for the realistic continuation or expansion of the initiative undertaken by this project after the grant period ends, are plans for eventual self- support built into the project, are plans being made to institutionalize the program if it meets with success, and are there indications of other continuing non-Federal support.

d. 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.

4. 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 the total budget is 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 I, C.2.), applicants should 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.

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. Include the items below as applicable.

• Data Management Plan. A Data Management Plan (DMP) is required and is to clearly articulate how the project director (PD) and co-PDs plan to manage and disseminate the data generated by the project. The DMP will be considered during the merit review process (see Part V, B.). See PART III Section 3.1 of the NIFA Grants.gov Application Guide for NIFA attachment specifications. The requirements for preparation and inclusion of a DMP in your application is included on the following web page, https://nifa.usda.gov/resource/data-management-plan-nifa-funded-research-projects. Also included on the web page are FAQs and information about accessing examples of DMPs.

• Response to Previous Review – PDF Attachment. 1 Page Limit. Title the attachment as ‘Response to Previous Review’ in the document header and save file as ‘Response to Previous Review’. This requirement only applies to “Resubmitted Applications” as described under Part II, B., “Types of Applications”. PDs must respond to the previous review panel summary on no more than one page. If desired, additional comments may be included in the text of the Project Narrative, subject to the page limitations of that section.

• Appendices to Project Narrative – PDF Attachment. Title the attachment as ‘Appendices’ in the document header and save file as ‘Appendices’.

Appendices to the Project Narrative are allowed if they are directly germane to the proposed project. The addition of appendices should not be used to circumvent the text and/or figures and tables page limitations.

• Collaborative Arrangements – PDF Attachment. Title the attachment as

‘Collaborative Arrangements’ in the document header and save file as ‘Collaborative Arrangement’. If it is necessary to enter into formal consulting or collaborative arrangements with others, such arrangements should be fully explained and justified. If the consultant(s) or collaborator(s) are known at the time of the application, a vitae or resume should be provided. In addition, evidence (e.g., letter of support signed by the AR of the consultant/collaborating organization) should be provided that the collaborators involved have agreed to render these services. The applicant also will be required to provide additional information on consultants and collaborators in the budget portion of the application.

• IRS 501(c)(3) Status – PDF Attachment. Title the attachment as ‘IRS 501

(c)(3) Status’ in the document header and save file as ‘IRS501(c)(3)Status’.

• Expected Outcomes – PDF Attachment. Title the attachment “Expected Outcomes” in the document header and name the file to be saved as “Expected Outcomes”. Please use a format, similar to what is provided below, to submit expected impacts and attach it as the last page of the application.

Table 3: Expected Outcomes

Expected outcomes during entire grant period Expected Number

1. Number of products to be developed through grant funds during the grant period (i.e., curricula, academic programs, recruitment/retention programs, materials, experiential learning opportunities) https://nifa.usda.gov/resource/data-management-plan-nifa-funded-research-projects https://nifa.usda.gov/resource/data-management-plan-nifa-funded-research-projects

2. Number of faculty supported by this grant for professional development during the grant period: participation in sabbaticals, workshops, conferences, etc.

3. Number of students who will indirectly benefit from the products produced from the grant during the grant period (i.e., using the curriculum/instrumentation, enrolled in the program, recruited or retained but not paid by the grant using scholarships, fellowships and assistantships).

4. R&R Senior/Key Person Profile (Expanded)

Detailed information related to the questions on this form is available in Part V, 5 of the NIFA Grants.gov Application Guide. This section of the guide includes instructions about senior/key person profile requirements, and details about the biographical sketch and the current and pending support, including a link to a suggested template for the current and pending support.

Biographical Sketch - The following are additional instructions of information to include:

1) Author identifier (ORCID, https://orcid.org/) of the researcher if available.

2) Digital Object Identifier (DOI) of all publications where possible.

You may also include a list of data publications or published data products relevant to the proposed project, following recommended data citation format.

5. R&R Personal Data

As noted in Part V, 6 of the NIFA Grants.gov Application Guide, the submission of this information is voluntary and is not a precondition of award.