fy 2016 tribal extension 1 8 2016 mod.pdf

TRIBAL COLLEGES EXTENSION PROGRAM

SPECIAL EMPHASIS (TCEP)

MODIFICATION: On page 2 and 5 (1/8/2016). Updated Appropriation Language.

2016 Request for Applications (RFA)

Application Due Date: February 29, 2016 by 5:00 pm Eastern Time

Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA): 10.500

Program Name Code: SLBCD

Program Code: NK

Funding Opportunity Number: USDA-NIFA-SLBCD-005518

Funding Amount: Approximately $1.5 Million

Note: Eligibility is restricted to 1994 Land-Grant Institutions as named in the 2014 Farm Bill. Award range is $45,000 to $85,000

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

AGRICULTURE

Tribal Colleges Extension Program--Special Emphasis (TCEP-SE)

INITIAL ANNOUNCEMENT

CATALOG OF FEDERAL DOMESTIC ASSISTANCE: This program is listed in the Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance under 10.500.

DATES: Applications must be received by 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time on February 29, 2016.

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 6 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 the 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 written stakeholder comments by the deadline set forth in the DATES portion of this Notice via e-mail to: Policy@nifa.usda.gov. (This e-mail address is intended only for receiving comments regarding this RFA and not requesting information or forms.) In your comments, please state that you are responding to the Tribal Colleges Extension Program--Special Emphasis (TCEP-SE) RFA.

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: NIFA requests applications for the Tribal Colleges Extension Program--Special Emphasis for fiscal year (FY) 2016. The anticipated amount available for grants in FY 2016 is approximately $1,150,000.

The Special Emphasis grant opportunity is a companion program to the 1994 Tribal Colleges Extension Program – Capacity Grant. The Capacity grant funds the establishment of the 1994 Extension Office at each of the 1994 Land Grant Institutions. This Special Emphasis opportunity is a two-year continuation intended to support additional community outreach projects that address identified needs not covered by the Extension Capacity grant. The Special Emphasis is more competitive than the capacity opportunity and is awarded to those 1994s that are expanding their extension outreach to a larger audience or a more specialized need. Special Emphasis projects often encompass areas such as food, nutrition and obesity reduction, farm and family finance programs, and rural entrepreneurship.

This notice identifies the objectives for Tribal Colleges Extension Program: Special Emphasis (TCEP-SE) projects, the eligibility criteria for projects and applicants, and the application forms and associated instructions needed to apply for a TCEP: Special Emphasis grant.

mailto:Policy@nifa.usda.gov

Table of Contents

PART I—FUNDING OPPORTUNITY DESCRIPTION

A. Legislative Authority and Background B. Purpose and Priorities

PART II—AWARD INFORMATION

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

PART III—ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION

A. Eligible Applicants B. Cost Sharing or Matching

PART IV—APPLICATION AND SUBMISSION INFORMATION

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

PART V—APPLICATION REVIEW REQUIREMENTS

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

PART VI—AWARD ADMINISTRATION

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

PART VII—AGENCY CONTACT

PART VIII—OTHER INFORMATION

A. Access to Review Information B. Use of Funds; Changes C. Confidential Aspects of Applications and Awards D. Regulatory Information E. Definitions F. Materials Available on the Internet

PART I—FUNDING OPPORTUNITY DESCRIPTION

A. Legislative Authority and Background

This program is authorized under Section 534(b) of the Equity in Educational Land-Grant Status Act of 1994 (7 U.S.C. 301 note), as amended by the Agricultural Research, Extension, and Education Reform Act of 1998 (AREERA) (7 U.S.C. 7601). This section amends Section 3 of the Act of May 8, 1914 (Smith-Lever Act) (7 U.S.C. 341 et seq.), as amended. Under this authority, appropriated funds are to be awarded to the 1994 Land-Grant Institutions (hereinafter referred to as 1994 Institutions) for Extension work and funds are to be distributed on the basis of a competitive application process.

B. Purpose and Priorities

NIFA is soliciting applications for the TCEP Special Emphasis grant program. This program is a subset of the Tribal College Extension Capacity Grant providing the 1994 Tribal Land-Grant Colleges and Universities with additional outreach funding to address highly specialized needs within American Indian Communities on or near Tribal lands. Specifically, the TCEP Special Emphasis grant program is designed to 1) integrate information from tribal research activities for practical use and 2) provide support for student internships that include experiential learning opportunities to address community development concerns. Projects will also address Goal #6 of the Research, Education, and Economics Action Plan (Revised 2014) - Education and Science Literacy -by providing science-based training and workshop opportunities. Projects may also address REE goals 1-5 and 7, depending on the type of Extension project funded.

http://nifa.usda.gov/resource/ree-action-plan

PART II—AWARD INFORMATION

A. Available Funding

The anticipated amount available for grants in FY 2016 is approximately $1,150,000. There is no commitment by USDA to fund any particular application or to make a specific number of awards.

Awards issued as a result of this RFA will have designated the Automated Standard Applications for Payment System (ASAP), operated by the Department of Treasury’s Bureau of the Fiscal Service, as the payment system for funds. For more information see http://fms.treas.gov/aboutfms/index.html.

B. Types of Applications

Under this RFA, eligible 1994 institutions may submit a “new” or “resubmitted” application.

New Application. This is an application that has not been previously submitted to the TCEP.

NIFA will review all new applications competitively using the selection process and evaluation criteria described in Part V—Application Review Requirements.

Resubmitted Application. This is an application that had previously been submitted to the TCEP but not funded. Project Directors (PDs) must respond to the previous review panel summary (see Response to Previous Review, Part IV). Resubmitted applications must be received by the relevant due dates and will be reviewed according to the same evaluation criteria as new applications.

C. Project Types

This grant program will only accept applications under the “Special Emphasis” project type.

Special Emphasis projects covers a two-year funding cycle with awards up to $85,000 for each year. The funding cycle will begin in September 2016 with a second award year in September 2017. Additional criteria is as follows:

• Projects should focus on a specific population or identified need. Extension educators may use such means to reach the target community, including face-to-face meetings, electronic, print or radio communications, and workshops. Projects may involve certification programs, in-service training, client recruitment and services, curriculum development, instructional materials and equipment, and/or innovative instructional methodologies appropriate to informal educational programs.

• Proposals that show innovation in addressing community needs will be given special consideration. Any project that will reach a tribal community with informal, science-based training in response to a community concern is qualified for panel review.

Previously funded projects have involved tribal youth development, college preparation, farmer productivity, financial literacy, accident prevention, rural http://fms.treas.gov/aboutfms/index.html entrepreneurship, family and consumer science, and food sovereignty and sustainability.

• Proposals should include an achievable timeline of planned activities and a well-developed evaluation plan. These projects should lead to measurable, documented changes in knowledge, actions, or conditions in an identified audience or stakeholder group.

• The Extension educator provides a leadership role in executing the project and records the project milestones and achievements. The Extension educator and the identified community will set a goal and discuss the ways informal learning could achieve their objectives. The Extension educator will craft a project proposal using his or her knowledge and creativity to address the goal selected by the community. If funded, the Extension educator and the community will carry out their project and evaluate its outcomes upon completion.

TCEP encourages projects that develop content suitable for delivery through the Cooperative Extension System’s eXtension Initiative. Coordination of the development of online content with eXtension in any of the existing relevant Communities of Practice is encouraged, but not a requirement for a successful application. eXtension is an interactive learning environment delivering the best, most researched knowledge from the best land-grant university minds across America. eXtension connects knowledge consumers with knowledge providers - experts who know their subject matter inside out.

To get ideas and suggestions for projects visit the CRIS database http://cris.csrees.usda.gov/cgi-bin/starfinder/0?path=crisassist.txt&id=anon&pass=&OK=OK and search under topic headings of interest to your stakeholders. Also review the Journal of Extension http://www.joe.org/ for ideas on how others have addressed concerns similar to your stakeholders.

http://cris.csrees.usda.gov/cgi-bin/starfinder/0?path=crisassist.txt&id=anon&pass=&OK=OK http://cris.csrees.usda.gov/cgi-bin/starfinder/0?path=crisassist.txt&id=anon&pass=&OK=OK http://www.joe.org/

PART III—ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION

A. Eligible Applicants

Applications may only be submitted by Tribal Colleges or Universities designated as 1994 Institutions under the Equity Educational Land-Grant Status Act of 1994 (7 U.S.C. 301 note, as amended). Award recipients may subcontract to organizations not eligible to apply provided such organizations are necessary for the conduct of the project. Failure to meet an eligibility criterion by the time of application deadline may result in the application being excluded from consideration or, even though an application may be reviewed, will preclude NIFA from making an award.

The qualifying institutions are as follows:

Aaniiih Nakoda College Bay Mills Community College Blackfeet Community College Cankdeska Cikana Community College Chief Dull Knife College College of Menominee Nation College of the Muscogee Nation Dine’ College Fond du Luc Community College Fort Berthold Community College Fort Peck Community College Haskell Indian Nations University Ilisagvik College Institute of American Indian Arts Keweenaw Bay Ojibwa Community College Lac Courte Oreilles Ojibwa Community College Leech Lake Tribal College Little Big Horn College Little Priest Tribal College Navajo Technical University Nebraska Indian Community College Northwest Indian College Oglala Lakota College Saginaw Chippewa Tribal College Salish Kootenai College Sinte Gleska University Sisseton Wahpeton College Sitting Bull College Southwestern Indian Polytechnic Institute Stone Child College Tohono O’Odham Community College Turtle Mountain Community College United Tribes Technical College White Earth Tribal and Community College

B. Cost Sharing or Matching

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

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 an overview of the Grants.gov application process see http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/grant-application-process.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) 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 2 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 http://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 http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/support/technical-support/software/adobe-reader-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 http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/apply-for-grants.html. Under Step 1 click on “Download a Grant Application Package,” and enter the funding opportunity number

Funding Opportunity Number: USDA-NIFA-SLBCD-005518 in the appropriate box and click “Download Package.” From the search results, click “Download” to access the application package.

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

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.

http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/grant-application-process.html http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/grant-application-process.html http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/register.html http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/support/technical-support/software/adobe-reader-compatibility.html http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/support/technical-support/software/adobe-reader-compatibility.html http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/apply-for-grants.html

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 (http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/applicant-resources.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). Get help now!

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

You should prepare electronic applications 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 needed 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 that attachments are in PDF format; see Part III section 6.1 of the guide for how to check the manifest of submitted files. Partial applications will be excluded from NIFA review. We will accept subsequent submissions of an application until close of business on the closing date in the RFA (see Part V, 2.1 of the NIFA Grants.gov Application Guide for further information).

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

• Email: electronic@nifa.usda.gov

• Phone: 202-401-5048

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

http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/applicant-resources.html http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/applicant-resources.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 https://grants-portal.psc.gov/Welcome.aspx?pt=Grants https://grants-portal.psc.gov/Welcome.aspx?pt=Grants mailto:electronic@nifa.usda.gov

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

2. SF 424 R&R Project/Performance Site Location(s) Information related to the questions on this form is dealt with in detail in Part V, 3. of the NIFA Grants.gov Application Guide.

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

a. Field 7. Project Summary/Abstract. The summary should be a short synopsis of the proposed project and include the relevance of the project to the goals of TCEP. See Part V. 4.7 of NIFA Grants.gov Application Guide for further instructions and a link to a suggested template. In addition, please adhere to the following guidelines:

Summary not to exceed 250 words Include the names and affiliated organizations of all PDs and Co-PDs Give a descriptive title of the project Complete the following table and include it as PDF file attachment in Field 12.

Primary project need or strategy area/goal used (check all that apply):

Agriculture 4-H and Youth Development

Leadership Development Natural Resources Family and Consumer Sciences Community and Economic Development Other (please name) Total anticipated number beneficiaries to be served (add sub-totals A-D)

TOTAL NUMBER OF

BENEFICIARIES:

A) Sub-total: farmers to be served TOTAL PRODUCERS:

B) Sub-total: Community members to be served TOTAL COMMUNITY:

C) Sub-total: Youth to be served (Defined as pre-college) TOTAL YOUTH:

D) Sub-total college students to be served by the project: Include those participating in an extension learning opportunity, using developed curriculum or internships, scholarship/fellowships, etc.

TOTAL NUMBER OF

STUDENTS:

b. Field 8. Project Narrative.

NOTE: The Project Narrative shall not exceed eight pages of written text regardless of whether it is single- or double-spaced. We have established this maximum (eight pages) to ensure fair and equitable competition. The Project Narrative must include all of the following:

Response to previous review: Re-submitting applicants should have a brief introduction where they describe how they will address the comments in the previous panel summary.

All Special Emphasis Narratives must include all of the following:

1) Extension plan: Describe project activities and how, if funded, it will complement the existing Extension Capacity award. Give details on who will carry out the work and their timeframe for completing each part of the project.

2) Community and audience analysis: Provide evidence that the proposed project is a verified need within the community to be served. Indicate if the PD and Extension Educator have met with the appropriate Tribal entity, stakeholders or an advisory group and have considered their input.

3) A statement of the potential for public good in Indian country: For this Special Emphasis project, indicate what stakeholders can expect to gain.

a. Equity in information access: Tribal members will receive information otherwise unavailable to them, resulting in improved skills and knowledge.

b. Equity in resource access: Tribal members gain access to resources that would otherwise be unavailable to them.

c. Benefits from changed behavior: Extension program contributes to changes in attitudes, choices or new aspirations.

d. Benefits to those outside of the program: Describe how providing the Extension program to the target audience will benefit the greater Tribal community.

4) Project Review and Evaluation: The evaluation plan should be planned for the end of the two-year grant award cycle. Describe how quantitative metrics and success stories will be captured to demonstrate the level of impact or potential impact of this project. It should be an assessment of both the project’s value to stakeholders and its sustainability.

c. Other Attachments (Field 12. on the Form). Must be attached as a PDF file

• Primary project need or strategy area/goal used – save file as “PrimaryProjectNeed”.

4. R&R Senior/Key Person Profile (Expanded) Information related to the questions on this form is dealt with in detail in Part V, 5. of the NIFA Grants.gov Application Guide. This section of the Guide includes information about the people who require a Senior/Key Person Profile, 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.

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.

6. R&R Budget Information related to the questions on this form is dealt with in detail in Part V, 7. of the NIFA Grants.gov Application Guide.

Applications should include a budget page for both years of the grant (up to $85,000 per year), plus a cumulative budget.

Remember:

• Special Emphasis applications require a budget for both years of funding

• All applications must include a budget narrative that explains proposed expenditures for both years

• All sub-awards, if requested, must include a budget and budget narrative for each year they are part of the grant

• Use this on-line tutorial to answer budget questions http://nifa-connect.nifa.usda.gov/budget/

7. Supplemental Information Form Information related to the questions on this form is dealt with in detail in Part VI, 1. of the NIFA Grants.gov Application Guide.

a. Field 2. Program to which you are applying. Enter the program code name (i.e., enter

“SLBCD”) and the program code (i.e., enter “NK”). Note – USE UPPER CASE - accurate entry of the program code is very important for proper and timely processing of an application.

b. Field 8. Conflict of Interest List. See Part VI, 1.8 of the NIFA Grants.gov Application Guide for further instructions and a link to a suggested template.

C. Submission Dates and Times

Prior to electronic submission of the application via Grants.gov, it is strongly recommended that an administrative review be conducted to ensure that an application complies with all application preparation instructions. An application checklist is included in Part VII of the NIFA Grants.gov Application Guide to assist with this review. Instructions for submitting an application are included in Part IV, Section 1.9 of the NIFA Grants.gov Application Guide.

http://nifa-connect.nifa.usda.gov/budget/

Applications must be received by Grants.gov by 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time on February 29, 2016. Applications received after this deadline will normally not be considered for funding.

If you have trouble submitting an application to Grants.gov, you should FIRST contact the Grants.gov Help Desk to resolve any problems. Keep a record of any such correspondence.

See Part IV. A. for Grants.gov contact information.

Email correspondence is with the AR on the status of submitted applications. Applicants are strongly encouraged to provide accurate e-mail addresses, as designated, on the SF-424 R&R Application for Federal Assistance.

If the AR has not received correspondence from NIFA regarding a submitted application within a week of the established deadline, contact the Agency Contact identified in Part VII of the applicable RFA and request the proposal number assigned to the application. Failure to do so may result in the application not being considered for funding by the peer review panel. Once the application has been assigned a proposal number, this number should be cited on all future correspondence. The Grants.gov application tracker can alert you to matters that may cause your application not reach NIFA. Using the tracker allows you to identify and address issues with your application.

D. Funding Restrictions

Indirect costs are unallowable and no funds will be approved for this purpose. Costs that are a part of the institution’s indirect cost pool may not be reclassified as direct costs for the purpose of making them allowable.

The use of grant funds to plan, acquire, or construct a building or facility, or to acquire land, is not allowed under this program. With prior approval, in accordance with the cost principles set forth in OMB Circular No. A-21, grant funds may be used to purchase equipment, or for improvements, alterations, renovations, or repairs to land, buildings, or equipment, deemed necessary to retrofit existing spaces and resources in order to carry out a funded project under this grant. However, requests to use grant funds for such purposes must demonstrate that such expenditures are not the primary purpose for which the grant request is made. No more than twenty-five percent of the project budget may be used to purchase equipment. Any equipment purchased with Federal funds is the property of the grantee or the sub-grantee, as appropriate.

Neither Equity education nor research projects are supported under the TCEP.

Grants.gov Help 1-800-518-4726

24/7 except on federal holidays support@grants.gov http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/suppor t.html

Grants.gov application tracker h // / b/ / li / mailto:support@grants.gov http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/support.html http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/support.html http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/track-my-application.html http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/track-my-application.html

In addition, the following costs, although not all-inclusive, are not permitted:

• Entertainment

• Meals (except when provided to maintain the continuity of a meeting)

• Tickets to shows or sporting events

• Alcoholic beverages

• Costs associated with banquets and award ceremonies

• Incentives

E. Other Submission Requirements

You should follow the submission requirements noted in Part IV, section 1.9 in the document entitled “NIFA Grants.gov Application Guide.”

For information about the status of a submitted application, see Part III., section 6. of the NIFA Grants.gov Application Guide.

While the checklist should be used to verify application completeness, the application should be checked for the following required item(s). This is not an exhaustive list of required items; it only serves to highlight items that may be overlooked. The list includes:

An Expected Impact Table found in the summary portion of this RFA Standard new application documentation including: Forms available at http://nifa.usda.gov/resource/application-support-templates o For each Project Director and co-PD

A conflict of interest form Current CV or resume Current and Pending Support form o Felony Tax Form Letters of support from community members or relevant organizations A budget and budget narrative for each year of the project as well as a cumulative budget for both the 1994 Institution and the Collaborating institutions receiving funding Take care to ensure all attached files are in PDF format. Any other format will cause Grants.gov to say the attachments are corrupted when the application reaches

NIFA.

http://nifa.usda.gov/resource/application-support-templates

PART V—APPLICATION REVIEW REQUIREMENTS

A. General

Each application is evaluated by NIFA in a 2-step process. First, each application is reviewed to ensure that it meets the administrative requirements as set forth in this RFA. Second, a technical review panel will evaluate applications for program merit and impact.

NIFA selects reviewers based upon their training and experience in relevant scientific, extension, or education fields, taking into account the following factors: (a) The level of relevant formal scientific, technical education, or extension experience of the individual, as well as the extent to which an individual is engaged in relevant research, education, or extension activities; (b) the need to include as reviewers experts from various areas of specialization within relevant scientific, education, or extension fields; (c) the need to include as reviewers other experts (e.g., producers, range or forest managers/operators, and consumers) who can assess relevance of the applications to targeted audiences and to program needs; (d) the need to include as reviewers experts from a variety of organizational types (e.g., colleges, universities, industry, state and federal agencies, and private profit and non-profit organizations) and geographic locations; (e) the need to maintain a balanced composition of reviewers with regard to minority and female representation and an equitable age distribution; and (f) the need to include reviewers who can judge the effective usefulness of each application to producers and the general public.

When each peer review panel has completed its deliberations, the NIFA program staff of the TCEP will recommend that the project: (a) be approved for support from currently available funds or (b) be declined due to insufficient funds or unfavorable review.

NIFA reserves the right to negotiate with the PD/PI and/or with the submitting organization or institution regarding project revisions (e.g., reductions in the scope of work, funding level, period, or method of support) prior to recommending any project for funding.

B. Evaluation Criteria

The following evaluation criteria will be used to review all applications:

Special Emphasis Criteria Points Extension plan 20 Community and Audience Analysis 20 Potential for Public Good In Indian Country 30 Evaluation Plan 20 Budget 10

C. Conflicts of Interest and Confidentiality

During the peer evaluation process, extreme care is taken to prevent any actual or perceived conflicts of interest that may impact review or evaluation. See http://www.nifa.usda.gov/business/competitive_peer_review.html for further information about conflicts of interest and confidentiality as related to the peer review process.

D. Organizational Management Information

Specific management information relating to an applicant shall be submitted on a one time basis, with updates on an as needed basis. This requirement is part of the responsibility determination prior to the award of a grant identified under this RFA, if such information has not been provided previously under this or another NIFA program. We will provide you copies of forms recommended for use in fulfilling these requirements as part of the pre-award process. Although an applicant may be eligible based on its status as one of these entities, there are factors that may exclude an applicant from receiving federal financial and nonfinancial assistance and benefits under this program (e.g., debarment or suspension of an individual involved or a determination that an applicant is not responsible based on submitted organizational management information).

E. Application Disposition

An application may be withdrawn at any time before a final funding decision is made regarding the application. Each application that is not selected for funding, including those that are withdrawn, will be retained by TCEP for a period of three years.

http://www.nifa.usda.gov/business/competitive_peer_review.html

PART VI—AWARD ADMINISTRATION

A. General

Within the limit of funds available for such purpose, the NIFA awarding official shall make grants to those responsible, eligible applicants whose applications are judged most meritorious under the procedures set forth in this RFA. The date specified by the NIFA awarding official as the effective date of the grant shall be no later than September 30 of the federal fiscal year in which the project is approved for support and funds are appropriated for such purpose, unless otherwise permitted by law. The project need not be initiated on the grant effective date, but as soon thereafter as practical so that project goals may be attained within the funded project period.

All funds granted by NIFA under this RFA may be used only for the purpose for which they are granted in accordance with the approved application and budget, regulations, terms and conditions of the award, applicable federal cost principles, USDA assistance regulations, and NIFA General Awards Administration Provisions at 7 CFR part 3430, subparts A through E.

B. Award Notice

The award document will provide pertinent instructions and information including, at a minimum:

(1) Legal name and address of performing organization or institution to which the director has issued an award under the terms of this request for applications;

(2) Title of project;

(3) Name(s) and institution(s) of PDs chosen to direct and control approved activities;

(4) Identifying award number and the Federal Agency Identification Number assigned by NIFA;

(5) Project period, specifying the amount of time NIFA intends to support the project without requiring re-competition for funds;

(6) Total amount of financial assistance approved for the award;

(7) Legal authority (ies) under which the award is issued;

(8) Appropriate Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) number;

(9) Applicable award terms and conditions (see http://www.nifa.usda.gov/business/awards/awardterms.html to view NIFA award terms and conditions);

(10) Approved budget plan for categorizing allocable project funds to accomplish the stated purpose of the award; and http://www.nifa.usda.gov/business/awards/awardterms.html

(11) Other information or provisions deemed necessary by NIFA to carry out its respective awarding activities or to accomplish the purpose of a particular award.

C. Administrative and National Policy Requirements

Several federal statutes and regulations apply to grant applications considered for review and to project grants awarded under this program. These may include, but are not limited to, the ones listed on the NIFA web page - http://nifa.usda.gov/federal-regulations.

NIFA Federal Assistance Policy Guide—a compendium of basic NIFA policies and procedures that apply to all NIFA awards, unless there are statutory, regulatory, or award-specific requirements to the contrary is available at http://nifa.usda.gov/policy-guide.

D. Expected Program Outputs and Reporting Requirements

The output and reporting requirements are included in the award terms and conditions (see http://www.nifa.usda.gov/business/awards/awardterms.html for information about NIFA award terms). If there are any program or award-specific award terms, those, if any, will be identified in the award. Be sure to include both qualitative and quantitative metrics in your documentation. For example, tell about successes, but also include information about number of students, farmers and community members served. If money is saved or earned for the community include this in your reporting.

http://nifa.usda.gov/federal-regulations http://nifa.usda.gov/policy-guide http://www.nifa.usda.gov/business/awards/awardterms.html

PART VII—AGENCY CONTACT

Applicants and other interested parties are encouraged to contact:

Programmatic Contact – Tim Grosser

Title: National Program Leader Unit: Division of Community and Education Location: 4443 Waterfront Centre Full Address and Directions Phone: 202-690-0402 Email: tgrosser@nifa.usda.gov

Administrative/Business Contact – Susan Bowman Title: Branch Chief Unit: Awards Management Division Location: 2240 Waterfront Centre Full Address and Directions Phone: 202-401-4324 Email: sbowman@nifa.usda.gov http://www.csrees.usda.gov/about/visit.html mailto:tgrosser@nifa.usda.gov http://www.csrees.usda.gov/about/visit.html mailto:sbowman@nifa.usda.gov

PART VIII—OTHER INFORMATION

A. Access to Review Information

NIFA will send copies of reviews, not including the identity of reviewers, and a summary of the panel comments to the applicant PD after the review process has been completed.

B. Use of Funds; Changes

1. Delegation of Fiscal Responsibility

Unless the terms and conditions of the award state otherwise, awardees may not in whole or in part delegate or transfer to another person, institution, or organization the responsibility for use or expenditure of award funds.

2. Changes in Project Plans

a. The permissible changes by the awardee, PD(s), or other key project personnel in the approved project shall be limited to changes in methodology, techniques, or other similar aspects of the project to expedite achievement of the project's approved goals. If the awardee or the PD(s) is uncertain as to whether a change complies with this provision, the question must be referred to the Authorized Departmental Officer (ADO) for a final determination. The ADO is the signatory of the award document, not the program contact.

b. The awardee must request, and the ADO must approve in writing, all changes in approved goals or objectives prior to effecting such changes. In no event shall requests be approved for changes that are outside the scope of the original approved project.

c. The awardee must request, and the ADO must approve in writing, all changes in approved project leadership or the replacement or reassignment of other key project personnel, prior to effecting such changes.

d. The awardee must request, and the ADO must approve in writing, all transfers of actual performance of the substantive programmatic work in whole or in part and provisions for payment of funds, whether or not federal funds are involved, prior to instituting such transfers, unless prescribed otherwise in the terms and conditions of the award.

e. The project period may be extended without additional financial support, for such additional period(s) necessary to complete or fulfill the purposes of an approved project, but in no case shall the total project period exceed any applicable statutory limit or expiring appropriation limitation. The terms and conditions of award include information about no-cost extensions of the award and when ADO’s prior approval is necessary.

f. Changes in Approved Budget: Unless stated otherwise in the terms and conditions of award, changes in an approved budget must be requested by the awardee and approved in writing by the ADO prior to instituting such changes, if the revision will involve transfers or expenditures of amounts requiring prior approval as set forth in the applicable Federal cost principles, Departmental regulations, or award.

C. Confidential Aspects of Applications and Awards

When an application results in an award, it becomes a part of the record of NIFA transactions, available to the public upon specific request. Information that the Secretary determines to be of a confidential, privileged, or proprietary nature will be held in confidence to the extent permitted by law. Therefore, any information that the applicant wishes to have considered as confidential, privileged, or proprietary should be clearly marked within the application. The original copy of an application that does not result in an award will be retained by the Agency for a period of three years. Other copies will be destroyed. Such an application will be released only with the consent of the applicant or to the extent required by law. An application may be withdrawn at any time prior to the final action thereon.

D. Regulatory Information

For the reasons set forth in the final Rule related Notice to 2 CFR part 415, subpart C , this program is excluded from the scope of the Executive Order 12372 which requires intergovernmental consultation with State and local officials. Under the provisions of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. chapter 35), the collection of information requirements contained in this Notice have been approved under OMB Document No. 0524- 0039.

E. Definitions

Please refer to 7 CFR 3430, Competitive and Noncompetitive Non-formula Financial Assistance Programs--General Award Administrative Provisions, for applicable definitions for this NIFA grant program.

F. Materials Available on the Internet

NIFA Tribal Programs Page: http://nifa.usda.gov/program/nifa-tribal-programs NIFA Tribal Programs Applicant Support: http://nifa.usda.gov/resource/tribal-applicant-information NIFA Applicant Forms Bank: http://nifa.usda.gov/resource/application-support-templates ERIC (Department of Education) http://eric.ed.gov/ e-Xtension: http://www.extension.org/ Journal of Extension: http://www.joe.org/ http://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?c=ecfr&SID=2a6f6bfbef4c918616eebe5353d0793c&rgn=div5&view=text&node=7:15.1.12.2.13&idno=7#7:15.1.12.2.13.1.17.2 http://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?c=ecfr&SID=2a6f6bfbef4c918616eebe5353d0793c&rgn=div5&view=text&node=7:15.1.12.2.13&idno=7#7:15.1.12.2.13.1.17.2 http://nifa.usda.gov/program/nifa-tribal-programs http://nifa.usda.gov/resource/tribal-applicant-information http://nifa.usda.gov/resource/tribal-applicant-information http://nifa.usda.gov/resource/application-support-templates http://eric.ed.gov/ http://www.extension.org/ http://www.joe.org/