FY 2017 Higher Education RFA_modified.pdf

Higher Education Challenge (HEC) Grants

Program

MODIFIED: Page 7 (04/06/2017)

FY 2017 Request for Applications (RFA)

APPLICATION DEADLINE: May 30, 2017

ELIGIBILITY: See Part III, A of RFA

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

AGRICULTURE

Higher Education Challenge (HEC) Challenge Grants Program

INITIAL ANNOUNCEMENT

CATALOG OF FEDERAL DOMESTIC ASSISTANCE: This program is listed in the

Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance under 10.217.

DATES: Applications must be received by 5 p.m. Eastern Time on May 30, 2017.

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 Higher Education Challenge Grants

Program (HEC) RFA.

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: NIFA requests applications for the Higher Education Challenge

Grants Program (HEC) for fiscal year (FY) 2017 to enable colleges and universities to provide the quality of education necessary to produce baccalaureate or higher degree level graduates capable of strengthening the Nation’s food and agricultural scientific and professional workforce.

The anticipated amount available for grants in FY 2017 is approximately $4.5 million. This

RFA is being released prior to the passage of an appropriations act for FY 2017. 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 HEC projects, deadline dates, funding information, eligibility criteria for projects and applicants, and application forms and associated instructions needed to apply for a HEC grant.

New in 2017: NIFA is implementing a ‘Just In Time’ (JIT) Pilot.

This pilot is to explore if a streamlined application submission process will reduce the administrative burden on applicants and determine what, if any, impact it has on the efficiency of the overall application and award process. Under this pilot, some information (i.e., Current and

Pending support, Matching Support, Felony Tax Certification, Subcontract Statement of Work, and Subcontract Letter of Intent) is not required to be included as part of an application submitted in response to this RFA. However, if a proposed project is recommended for an award, mailto:Policy@nifa.usda.gov only then will the information be required to be submitted to NIFA. Following the pilot, NIFA will analyze information to determine whether to implement this approach more broadly.

Table of Contents

PART I—FUNDING OPPORTUNITY DESCRIPTION

A. Legislative Authority and Background B. Purpose and Priorities C. Program Area Description

PART II—AWARD INFORMATION

A. Available Funding B. Types of Applications C. Project Types D. Grant Types E. Project Duration F. Number and Size of Grant Awards G. Application Submission & Award Limitations H. Funding Limitations per Institution I. Responsible and Ethical Conduct of Research

PART III—ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION

A. Eligible Applicants B. Cost Sharing or Matching

PART IV—APPLICATION AND SUBMISSION INFORMATION

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

PART V—APPLICATION REVIEW REQUIREMENTS

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

PART VI—AWARD ADMINISTRATION

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

PART VII—AGENCY CONTACT

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

PART I—FUNDING OPPORTUNITY DESCRIPTION

A. Legislative Authority and Background

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

(NARETPA), as amended, (7 U.S.C. 3121) designates the U.S. Department of Agriculture

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

B. Purpose and Priorities

HEC directly aligns with USDA Strategic Goals 1, 2, 3, and 4 of the USDA Strategic Plan (2014

– 2018). The program aligns with the USDA Research, Education, and Economics Action Plan and specifically addresses Goal 6. HEC also is aligned with the NIFA Strategic Plan (2014-

2018) specifically addressing Strategic Goal No 1.

Applications submitted to this grants program must state how the funded project will address the

HEC Program Goals:

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

2. To increase the number and diversity of students who will pursue and complete a postsecondary degree in the food, agricultural, natural resources and human (FANH) sciences.

The Higher Education Challenge Grants Program (HEC) is a NIFA-administered competitive grants program focused on improving formal, baccalaureate or master’s degree level food, agricultural, natural resources, and human sciences (FANH) education and first professional degree-level education in veterinary medicine (DVM). HEC projects provide funding to eligible applicants to help ensure a competent, qualified and diverse workforce will exist to serve the

FANH sciences system. At the same time, HEC-funded projects improve the economic health and viability of communities through the development of degree programs emphasizing new and emerging employment opportunities. Finally, HEC projects address the national challenge to increase the number and diversity of students entering the FANH sciences (i.e., having a FANH sciences workforce representative of the Nation’s population).

The HEC projects are expected to: (a) produce measurable impacts aligned with HEC program goals, (b) promote innovative, educational practices within the FANH sciences that improve how students learn, and (c) include a rigorous evaluation component to assess that project outcomes are met. Institutions must demonstrate capacity for, and a significant ongoing commitment to, the teaching of food, agricultural and human sciences generally, and to the specific need and/or discipline(s) for which a grant is requested. An application must convince a peer panel of a compelling educational challenge; clearly indicate how your methodology is both unique and with merit; offer significant promise of adoption by others; and include a plan for how the project impacts will be sustained once grant funds end.

Projects are to encourage academic institutions, in partnership with organizations and employers, to work collectively to identify and address a state or regional challenge or opportunity facing the FANH sciences education and workforce community; propose comprehensive and coordinated activities to address that challenge or opportunity; make a significant positive impact on the challenge or opportunity being addressed, with the expectation that benefits will continue to accrue after NIFA funding ends; encourage broad participation of students traditionally underrepresented in the FANH sciences; be grounded by concepts documented in relevant background literature promoting innovations in education and student learning; and show an awareness of relevant prior institutional experience and expertise.

Projects with the potential to demonstrate a state or regional impact on increasing the number, quality, diversity, and retention of baccalaureate, master’s degree, and DVM students, are highly encouraged. Accordingly, projects that are submitted by (or are in partnership with) eligible, minority-serving academic institutions are encouraged.

Activities could include, but are not limited to, developing, evaluating, and disseminating:

Exceptional educational, laboratory, or related curricular materials in areas that contribute to any of the FANH sciences disciplines;

Instructional delivery methods to improve student retention of academic content; and/or

Professional development approaches to improve the capacity of faculty and teaching assistants to provide effective and up-to-date instruction.

Accordingly, 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.

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?

Social and Behavioral Sciences

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

Leadership Development

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

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

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

Providing opportunities for mentoring and shadowing; and

Organizing leadership academies, workshops, trainings, etc.

Global Engagement

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

MOUs and other resources), for enhancing the potential for global engagement is provided on the Center for International Programs (https://nifa.usda.gov/program/global-engagement-programs) webpage.

eXtension

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

C. Program Area Description

1. Program Category Projects must support for-credit, academic instruction with a primary focus in one of the following program categories:

a) Baccalaureate degree-level projects in the food, agricultural, natural resources, and human sciences;

b) Master’s degree-level projects in the food, agricultural, natural resources, and human sciences;

c) First professional degree-level projects in Veterinary Medicine (DVM).

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

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

http://nifa.usda.gov/funding-opportunity/secondary-education-two-year-postsecondary-education-and-agriculture-k-12.

Projects shall engage more than a single course or an individual instructor.

2. Educational Need Areas

Projects must focus on at least one of the three Educational Need Areas listed below. The rationale for selecting the Educational Need Area(s) must be explained in the context of how the project can contribute to the development of a cadre of students who will either pursue higher degrees in the FANH sciences or be prepared to enter the FANH sciences workforce.

Educational Need Areas are as follows:

1. Curriculum Development, Instructional Delivery Systems and Expanding Student

Career Opportunities: The purpose of this initiative is to promote new and improved curricula and materials to increase the quality of, and continuously renew, the Nation's academic programs in the FANH sciences. The overall objective is to 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:

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

Use of new approaches to the study of traditional subjects;

Introduction of new subjects, or new applications of knowledge, pertaining to the

FANH sciences;

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

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

Expanding and enriching courses which are of a practicum nature; or

Other approaches to achieve HEC program goals.

http://nifa.usda.gov/funding-opportunity/secondary-education-two-year-postsecondary-education-and-agriculture-k-12 http://nifa.usda.gov/funding-opportunity/secondary-education-two-year-postsecondary-education-and-agriculture-k-12

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

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

reinforce recent research on how to motivate students to learn, retain, apply, and transfer knowledge, skills, and competencies; and integrate and synthesize knowledge from several disciplines. (Applicants are encouraged to find a USDA and/or other agency, non-profit, and/or private sector organization to assist in the development of student experiential learning activities.)

2. Faculty Preparation and Enhancement for Teaching. The purpose of this Need Area is 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, E.).

Examples of eligible projects include, but are not limited to, those which enable teaching faculty to:

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

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

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

Obtain personal experience working with new ideas and technique;

Expand competence with new methods of information delivery;

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

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

Other approaches to achieve HEC goals.

3. Facilitating Interaction with Other Academic Institutions. This Need Area promotes linkages between baccalaureate degree-granting institutions to maximize the use of resources supporting outstanding education in the FANH sciences. Additionally, this

Need Area supports linkages between baccalaureate degree-granting institutions, secondary, and/or 2-year postsecondary institutions to make instruction targeted at undergraduate students available to secondary students as advanced placement credit or as transfer credit from associate-degree programs into baccalaureate-level programs.

Faculty research sabbaticals at other academic institutions that will enhance teaching and advising are also supported.

Examples of eligible projects in this Need Area may include, but are not limited to, the following strategies:

Development and use of articulation agreements, 2+2 or 2+2+2 arrangements, advanced placement credit transfer, or the sharing of faculty and facilities; a project that focuses on developing and implementing comprehensive, multi-institutional practices proven to recruit and retain K-14 level students with a focus on cultivating those students to pursue a 4-year FANH sciences degree (HEC grant funding may not be used to provide student scholarships or other tuition-remission activity);

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

Other approaches to achieve HEC goals.

PART II—AWARD INFORMATION

A. Available Funding

The anticipated amount available for HEC grants in FY 2017 is approximately $4,500,000. This

RFA is being released prior to the passage of an appropriations act for FY 2017. 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 2017, you may submit the following types of applications to HEC:

New application. This is a project application that has not been previously submitted to the

HEC. We will review all new applications competitively using the screening for administrative requirements, review panel evaluation of proposals using evaluation criteria and selection process described in Part V—Application Review Requirements.

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

Response to Previous Review, Part IV, B.3.c., Field 12). Resubmitted applications must be received by the relevant due dates, will be evaluated in competition with other pending applications, and will be reviewed according to the same evaluation criteria as new applications.

C. Project Types

Applicants may only submit proposals for Education/Teaching Projects.

Single-function Education Projects develop human capital relevant to overall program goals for

U.S. agriculture. Projects must focus on developing skills necessary for entry- and mid-level technical employment or for entering graduate programs in food, agriculture, natural resources and human sciences.

An education project or teaching project is formal classroom instruction, laboratory instruction, and practicum experience in the food and agricultural sciences and other related matters such as faculty development, student recruitment and services, curriculum development, instructional materials and equipment, and innovative teaching methodologies.

Education/Teaching Projects may include any of the following activities:

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

Institutional capacity building through faculty development and instructional delivery programs for higher education instructors. Educational activities may include curriculum and instructional materials development; externship opportunities that allow teachers to learn about industry environments and expectations for entry level workers; and opportunities to learn modern pedagogy and innovative teaching methodologies;

Facilitating interaction with other academic institutions to maximize the use of resources supporting outstanding education in the FANH sciences, such as linkages between baccalaureate degree granting institutions, secondary, and/or 2-year postsecondary institutions to make instruction targeted at undergraduate students available to secondary students as advanced placement credit or as transfer credit from associate - degree programs into baccalaureate - level programs; or

Experiential learning for students enrolled in Baccalaureate, Masters and DVM degree programs.

Educational activities must show direct alignment with one of the following:

Increasing the number of graduates with the necessary technical skills for entry-level positions in food, agriculture, natural resources and human sciences;

Improving the technical competencies needed for the workforce to ensure that U.S.

agriculture remains globally competitive; or

Enhancing the diversity of the workforce in food, agriculture, natural resources and human sciences.

Routine use of graduate and postdoctoral students as personnel on research projects is not considered education for the purposes of this program. Only students actively engaged in the scholarship of the research/extension projects are considered as education. Actively engaged students could contribute to presentations, articles, posters, and other expressions of scholarship that reflect their own work on the PD’s project.

The activities for Education Projects must show direct alignment with increasing technical competency in priority area(s) to ensure that the U.S. remains globally competitive in the knowledge age.

D. Grant Types

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

1. Planning Activity

*Formerly “Conference/Planning Proposal”

Planning Activity Grants support scientific meetings that bring together educators to identify education/teaching needs, update information, or advance an area of education/teaching. Support for a limited number of meetings covering subject matter encompassed by this solicitation will be considered for partial or, if modest, total support.

Individual planning activity grants should not exceed $30,000 for up to two years and are not renewable. Indirect costs are not permitted on Planning Activity grant awards.

Applicants may request up to $30,000 (total planning activity, not per year) to facilitate strategic planning session(s) required of faculty, industry, professional association, community leaders, or other necessary participants for the specific purpose of developing a formal plan leading to a subsequent submission of a Collaborative Grant as described directly below in D.3 and D.4 of this section. A Planning Activity grant application may not be submitted in the same year for which a Collaborative Grant application for the same project is also submitted.

2. Regular Grant

*Formerly “Regular Project Proposal”

Regular Grants support targeted original Education/Teaching projects. An eligible, individual institution, independent branch campus, or branch institution of a State system may submit a grant application for project activities to be undertaken principally on behalf of its own students or faculty, and to be managed primarily by its own personnel.

The applicant executes the project without the requirement of sharing grant funds with other project partners. Applicants may request up to $150,000 (total, not per year) for a

Regular Grant application.

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

*Formerly “Joint Project”

NIFA defines collaborative grants as follows:

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

Applicants to HEC should consider the following in regards to CG1 applications:

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

Type 1 (CG1) project. In this type of project, the applicant executes the project with assistance from at least one additional partner. Only the applicant institution must meet the definition of an eligible institution as specified in this RFA; other entities participating in a CG1 project proposal are not required to meet the definition of an eligible institution. The partners must share grant funds. Specifically, the applicant institution will transfer at least one-half of the awarded funds to the other institutions participating in the project.

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

*Formerly “Large-Scale Comprehensive Initiative (LCI)” Project

Applicants to HEC should consider the following in regards to CG2 applications:

Applicants may request up to $750,000 (total, not per year) for a Collaborative Grant

Type 2 (CG2) project. In this type of project, the applicant executes the project with assistance from at least two additional partners. The additional partners must share grant funds. Specifically, the applicant institution/organization submitting a CG2 proposal must retain at least 30 percent but not more than 70 percent of the awarded funds and no cooperating entity may receive less than 10 percent of awarded funds. Only the applicant institution must meet the definition of an eligible institution as specified in this RFA; other entities participating in a CG2 project proposal are not required to meet the definition of an eligible institution. A CG2 project differs from a CG1 in project scope and impact. CG2 projects must support a multi-partner approach to solving a major state or regional challenge in FANH sciences education at the baccalaureate, masters or DVM level. CG2 projects are characterized by multiple partners (each providing a specific expertise) organized and led by a strong applicant with documented project management knowledge and skills to organize and carry out the initiative.

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

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

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

Project activities;

A comprehensive project evaluation, using the indicators and methods defined in this grants program, that informs the baccalaureate, masters or DVM FANH sciences community and others about the effectiveness of this CG2 Project;

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

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

E. Project Duration

Planning Activity project periods may range from 12 to 24 months.

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 expected to use the full, 36 month period.

For project budget and timeline purposes, the project start date should not occur prior to

August 2017.

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. There is no predetermined number of Planning Activity, Regular, or Collaborative Project Proposals that may be awarded in any grant cycle.

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

G. Application Submission & Award Limitations

There is no limit on the number of applications that may be submitted by an applicant. However, a successful applicant institution/organization will only be awarded a maximum of two (2) grants per year under this program. No more than one (1) CG2 grant will be awarded to an institution/organization in any one, annual HEC grants program competition, and generally, an individual academic (or other) unit (a college, school of agriculture, etc.) within the institution/organization may only have one (1) active, CG2 grant in effect at any time.

H. Funding Limitations per Institution

There are no limits on the total grant program funds that may be awarded to any one institution/organization in successive years of this competition. Successful award recipients may apply for additional awards in subsequent years either as a lead applicant or as a partner on a project (note CG2 project focus restriction in item G, directly above).

I. 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 http://nifa.usda.gov/responsible-and-ethical-conduct-research for more information.

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

PART III—ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION

A. Eligible Applicants

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

An applicant also must meet the definition of an Eligible Institution/Organization as stated in this

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

Any individual (eligible participant) receiving Federal funds above must be a citizen or national of the United States, as defined in this RFA (see Part VIII, Definitions). Where eligibility is claimed under 8 U.S.C. 1101(a) (22), documentary evidence from the Immigration and

Naturalization Service as to such eligibility must be made available to NIFA upon request.

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

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

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

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

B. Cost Sharing or Matching

A grant recipient is required to match 25% of the USDA funds awarded. Matching funds must come from non-Federal sources, and are not required to come in any particular amount from any one source.

If a project is recommended for an award, matching documentation will be requested from the application. An award will not be issued unless all matching funds over the life of the grant are secured with match support documentation. There can be no contingencies on the matching amount. Refer to Section IV.B.6 for more information regarding the information and documentation that will be required.

The applicant must establish the value of matching contributions in accordance with applicable cost principles. Refer to 2 CFR Part 200, “Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost

Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards,” for further guidance and other requirements relating to matching and allowable costs.

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 http://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 not (e.g., the institution/organization is new to the electronic grant application process through Grants.gov), then the one-time registration process must be completed PRIOR to submitting an application. It can take as long as two weeks to complete the registration process so it is critical to begin as soon as possible. In such situations, the AR should go to “Register,” in the top right corner of the Grants.gov web page (or go to 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/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 http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/download-application-package.html and enter the funding opportunity number

Funding Opportunity Number: USDA-NIFA-CGP-006325

From the search result, click “Select Package” to access the application package. A

Grant Application Package is tied to a particular funding opportunity. You may submit an application ONLY to the particular funding opportunity to which the Grant

Application Package is associated.

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

This guide contains an introduction and general Grants.gov instructions, information about how to use a Grant Application Package in Grants.gov, and instructions on how to complete the application forms.

http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/learn-grants/grants-101/pre-award-phase.html http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/learn-grants/grants-101/pre-award-phase.html http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/register.html https://get.adobe.com/reader/ http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/adobe-software-compatibility.html http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/adobe-software-compatibility.html http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/download-application-package.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-tools-and-tips.html). Grants.gov assistance is also available at:

Grants.gov customer support

800-518-4726 Toll-Free or 606-545-5035

Business Hours: 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Closed on federal holidays.

Email: support@grants.gov

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

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

Have the following information available when contacting Grants.gov:

Funding Opportunity Number (FON)

Name of agency you are applying to

Specific area of concern

B. Content and Form of Application Submission

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 you need to prepare an application in response to this RFA. If there is discrepancy between the two documents, the information contained in this RFA is overriding.

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

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

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

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

NIFA Grants.gov Application Guide for further information).

For any questions related to the preparation of an application, review the NIFA Grants.gov

Application Guide and the applicable RFA. If assistance is still needed for preparing application forms content, contact:

Email: electronic@nifa.usda.gov

Phone: 202-401-5048

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

As part of the Just-In-Time (JIT) pilot, some information is not requested as part of the application but submission will be required if the project is recommended for award. The information includes: (1) Current and Pending Other Support; (2) Felony Tax

Certification; (3) Match Support documentation; (4) specific Subcontract Information http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/applicant-tools-and-tips.html http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/applicant-tools-and-tips.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/

(such as, Statement of Work, Letter of Intent); and (5) annual breakdowns of budget. Such applicants will have thirty (30) days to provide the JIT documents when notified by NIFA.

1. SF 424 R&R Cover Sheet

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

Grants.gov Application Guide. See Part V, Section 2.18 of the NIFA Grants.gov Application

Guide for the required certifications and assurances (e.g., Prohibition Against Entities Requiring

Certain Internal Confidentiality Agreements).

2. SF 424 R&R Project/Performance Site Location(s)

Detailed information related to the questions on this form is available in Part V, 3 of the NIFA

Grants.gov Application Guide.

3. R&R Other Project Information Form

Detailed information related to the questions on this form is available in Part V, 4 of the NIFA

a. Field 7. Project Summary/Abstract. (Required Attachment – Must be PDF format).

Information related to the completion of the project summary is included in Part V. 4.7 of the NIFA Grants.gov Application Guide. An application that is submitted without the project summary will not be accepted for review. Applications will not be accepted for review if the project summary is not included or not in PDF format.

To ensure uniformity of all applicants, all applicants are encouraged to use the HEC project summary/abstract template that is available as a pdf fillable form at the following link: http://nifa.usda.gov/sites/default/files/HEC_Project%20Summary%20Template.pdf.

Project Summary/Abstract is required in all applications and is limited to one (1) page and 250 words. Project Summary that exceeds this page limit requirement will not be accepted for review. The summary must include the relevance of the project’s goals to the HEC program.

Please see the following bullet points that will assist you in completing the HEC project summary template (all underlined sections must be addressed):

Indicate the Project Title;

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

Indicate your project’s Program Category: (see Part I, C.1.);

Indicate your project’s Educational Need Area: (Part I, C.2.);

Indicate the 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.)

Indicate your project’s primary Discipline Code/Academic Discipline: (Select one from the list below);

http://nifa.usda.gov/sites/default/files/HEC_Project%20Summary%20Template.pdf

Discipline Codes & Academic Discipline

G - General Food, agricultural and human sciences

(includes multidisciplinary projects) M - Agribusiness (includes Management, Marketing, and Agricultural Economics) E - Agricultural/Biological Engineering S - Agricultural Social Sciences (includes Agricultural

Education, Agricultural Communications, and Rural Sociology)

A - Animal Sciences Q - Aquaculture C - Conservation and Renewable Natural Resources

(includes Forestry) J - Entomology – Animal T - Entomology – Plant

L - Environmental Sciences/Management F - Food Science/Technology and Manufacturing N - Human Nutrition H - Human Sciences/Family and Consumer Sciences

(excludes Human Nutrition) I - International Education/Research (enhancement of U.S. programs) P - Plant Sciences and Horticulture B - Related Biological Sciences (includes

General/Basic Biotechnology, Biochemistry, and Microbiology)

D - Soil Sciences V - Veterinary Medicine/Science W - Water Science O - Other (Describe only if not listed above)

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

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

Partners: If CG1 or CG2 Project Proposal, list all partner institutions/organizations that will share grant funding (Note: Each identified partner must have their budget information submitted on a separate subaward budget attachment);

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

Application will not be accepted for review if the summary text exceeds 250 words.

Summary text should include:

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

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

o Products: What will be produced?

o Outcome/Impact: What is the intended result (consequence) of your project? This should be described as the primary benefits to your audience. Note:

outcomes/impacts should be measurable, and should be included in your project’s assessment/evaluation plan to demonstrate how you will assess whether or not these benefits were achieved (See explanation of terms in Part IV, B. 3. Field 8.

2.c., below).

b. Field 8. Project Narrative.

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

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

The Project Narrative must include all of the following:

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

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