FY 2017 Rural Health RFA Final.pdf

Rural Health and Safety Education Competitive Grants Program

In response to the Congressional Directive NIFA received as part of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2017 (Public Law 115-31), funding priority will be given to meritorious applications addressing the opioid abuse epidemic and combatting opioid abuse in rural communities (described in Part I, C, Area 2 of this RFA).

FY 2017 Request for Applications (RFA)

APPLICATION DEADLINE: June 30, 2017

ELIGIBILITY: See Part III, A of RFA

Anticipated funding amount per award: $350,000

Estimated number of awards: 4-5

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

AGRICULTURE

RURAL HEALTH AND SAFETY EDUCATION (RHSE) COMPETITIVE GRANT

PROGRAM

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 p.m. Eastern Time on June 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 RHSE RFA.

Visit the NIFA website to access a factsheet on the Center of Excellence (COE) designation process, including COE criteria, and a list of programs that offered COE opportunities in FY 2017.

You may also review a recording of COE outreach webinars held in February and March of 2015 from the site. We will update COE webpages as appropriate.

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: NIFA requests applications for the Rural Health and Safety Education (RHSE) Competitive Grant Program for fiscal year (FY) 2017 to address the needs of rural Americans by providing individual and family health education programs. The amount anticipated to be available for support of this program in FY 2017 is approximately $2.8 million.

This notice identifies the objectives for RHSE projects, deadline dates, funding information, eligibility criteria for projects and applicants, and application forms and associated instructions needed to apply for a RHSE grant. Proposals will be accepted in two areas: 1) chronic disease prevention and management and 2) the prevention and/or reduction of opioid misuse and abuse.

mailto:Policy@nifa.usda.gov http://nifa.usda.gov/centers-excellence

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. Responsible and Ethical Conduct of Research

PART III—ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION

A. Eligible Applicants B. Cost Sharing or Matching

PART IV—APPLICATION AND SUBMISSION INFORMATION

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

PART V—APPLICATION REVIEW REQUIREMENTS

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

PART VI—AWARD ADMINISTRATION

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

PART VII—AGENCY CONTACT

PART VIII—OTHER INFORMATION

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

PART I—FUNDING OPPORTUNITY DESCRIPTION

A. Legislative Authority and Background

The authority for the RHSE Competitive Grant Program is under Section 502 (i) of Title V of the Rural Development Act of 1972, as amended (7 U.S.C. 2662).

B. Purpose and Priorities

Part of the overall purpose of Title V of the Rural Development Act of 1972 is to foster quality of life in rural communities by providing the essential knowledge necessary for successful programs of rural development, improving coordination among Federal agencies, other levels of government, and institutions and private organizations in rural areas, and developing and disseminating information about rural conditions.

The RHSE program supports quality of life in rural communities across the United States by addressing the relationship between rural prosperity and rural health and safety in the context of food, agriculture, natural resources and human sciences. In doing so, the program aligns with and addresses:

USDA Strategic Plan for FY 2014-2018, Goal 1, Objective 1.1;

2014 USDA’s Research, Education, and Economics (REE) Action Plan, Goal 7, Strategies 3 and 4 of Goal 7;

NIFA Strategic Plan for 2014-2018, Goal 1, Sub-goal 1.7; and NIFA’s Family and Consumer Sciences priorities in the areas of community vitality and family well-being.

Background Currently, 46 million Americans, 15 percent of the U.S. population, live in rural areas. Many individuals and families living in rural areas and communities experience disparities related to health, safety, and well-being. Health disparities are defined as the “differences in [the] incidence, prevalence, morbidity, mortality and burden of diseases and other adverse health conditions that exist among specific population groups in the United States.”1 The health disparities identified in rural areas are attributed, in part, to poverty, inadequate access to resources, and geographic isolation, making the issue of population health, rurality, low resources, and poverty a circular one. Availability and access to health care as well as other health resources and services are typically lower in rural areas, collectively. On an individual level, a larger percentage of the rural population reports fair to poor physical and mental health than the urban population.2 In addition, income and health disparities tend to disproportionately affect families with children. Implementing population-based, preventative, educational programs and resources is a key strategy to achieving positive health outcomes in rural America.

Effective, evidence-based, non-formal education programs and services informed by the human social and behavioral sciences have the ability to promote and enhance rural health, thereby strengthening economic vitality and, in the long run, mitigating the effects of rural poverty. Incorporation of social

1 Office of Minority Health (2011). HHS Action Plan to Reduce Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities. A nation free of disparities in health and health care.

2 South Carolina Health Research Center. (2008). Health disparities: A Rural – Urban Chartbook.

and behavioral sciences in a prevention context is important for addressing many of the health challenges facing rural communities. Effectively planned initiatives can provide timely and valuable health information to rural residents of all ages, with consideration to life stage, cultural differences, health expectations, health literacy, military veteran status, as well as occupational, geographical, and environmental conditions. Human science educators, in collaboration with relevant partners and stakeholders supported by innovative communication platforms, can implement these programs that empower rural residents to lead healthy lives and promote healthy communities. RHSE competitive grant program provides funding for such initiatives.

The RHSE program addresses the health and well-being of rural America through supporting the development and/or implementation of projects focused on (1) individual and family health education programs with specified contents; (2) rural health leadership development education programs to assist rural communities in developing health care services and facilities and assist community leaders and public officials in understanding their roles and responsibilities; and (3) farm safety education programs to provide information and training to farm workers, timber harvesters, and farm families.

In FY 2017, NIFA is soliciting applications for RHSE in the area of Individual and Family Health Education.

C. Program Area Description

The RHSE program proposals in the individual and family health education area are expected to be health education projects that provide individuals and families living in rural areas with:

Information as to the value of good health at any age;

Information to increase individual or families’ motivation to take more responsibility for their own health;

Information about and access to health promotion activities; and Training for volunteers and health services providers concerning health promotion and health care services for individuals and families in cooperation with state, local and community partners.

New for FY 17: Proposals will be accepted in two areas: 1) chronic disease prevention and management and 2) the prevention and/or reduction of opioid misuse and abuse.

Area 1: Chronic Disease Prevention and Management A chronic disease is a disease lasting three months or longer. Chronic diseases, such as heart disease, cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases, and stroke are the leading causes of death in the United States. According to the National Center for Health Statistics, about 40 million Americans are limited in their usual activities due to one or more chronic health conditions.3 Chronic diseases are responsible for 7 of 10 deaths each year, and treating people with chronic diseases accounts for 86% of our nation’s health care costs.4 In addition to being among the most prevalent and costly health conditions, chronic diseases are also among the most preventable of all health problems. Many chronic conditions can be prevented by not smoking, being physically active, and eating nutritious foods.

3 National Center for Health Statistics, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2013) Summary Health Statistics for the U.S. Population: National Health Interview Survey, 2012. Accessed at http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/series/sr_10/sr10_259.pdf 4 Centers for Disease Control. Chronic Diseases: The Leading Causes of Death and Disability in the United States.

Accessed at https://www.cdc.gov/chronicdisease/overview/

Rural health is adversely affected by a number of unique issues which contribute to the prevalence of chronic disease. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) recently reported Americans living in rural areas are more likely to die from five leading causes than their urban counterparts. Four of the five leading causes of death were chronic diseases. Specifically, the CDC study found that in 2014, many deaths among rural Americans were potentially preventable, including approximately 25,000 from heart disease, 19,000 from cancer, 12,000 from unintentional injuries, 11,000 from chronic lower respiratory disease, and 4,000 from stroke.5

Adopting healthy lifestyle behaviors can extend longevity and improve quality of life by preventing chronic disease and injury. However, the limited access to certain services and health communications in rural areas leaves many without information regarding the benefits of such behaviors. Evidence-based programs, resources, and approaches offered through an extension delivery model could address health literacy and provide valuable information and skills on leading healthy lifestyles. Because extension is uniquely positioned to address across the nation, chronic disease prevention and management was chosen as one of six program priorities for Cooperative Extension Health Programs in the Cooperative Extension National Framework for Health and Wellness. This framework was developed as a system wide effort with input from diverse representatives across the system and ultimately adopted by the Extension Committee on Organization and Policy.

All projects and approaches must be research-informed. Proposed projects implementing programs and approaches with documented evidence of impact on chronic disease prevention and management will be given priority consideration. Programs and approaches currently developing an evidence base will also be considered.

Area 2: Prevention and/or Reduction of Opioid Misuse, and Abuse Opioid abuse is a critical issue across the United States. Prescription opioids are a class of pain-reducing medications that include prescription oxycodone, hydrocodone and morphine, among others, and have both benefits as well as potentially dangerous, harmful risks.6 These medications can help manage pain when prescribed for the right condition and when used as prescribed. Heroin is considered an opioid drug as well. Heroin is an illegal, highly addictive drug processed from morphine. In 2014, there were 47,055 drug overdose deaths including 28,647 people who died from a drug overdose involving some type of opioid, including prescription pain relievers and heroin, which is more than in any previous year on record.7 The annual societal costs of opioid overdose, abuse, and dependence have been estimated at $78 billion, a figure that includes direct healthcare costs, costs related to lost productivity, and costs to the criminal justice system.8

This epidemic has significantly affected rural communities. Between 2000 and 2014, there was a 200% increase in the rate of overdose deaths attributable to non-medical pain relievers and heroin.9

5 Centers for Disease Control, 2016. Leading Causes of Death in Nonmetropolitan and Metropolitan Areas — United States, 1999–2014. Accessed at https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/66/ss/ss6601a1.htm?s_cid=ss6601a1_w 6 U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Opioid Medications.

http://www.fda.gov/Drugs/DrugSafety/InformationbyDrugClass/ucm337066.htm 7 Rudd, R. A., Aleshire, N., Zibbel, J. E., & Gladden, R. M. (2016). Increases in drug and opioid overdose deaths — United States, 2000–2014. MMWR, 64(50), 1378-1382.

8 Florence, C. S., Zhou, C., Luo, F., & Xu, L. (2016). The economic burden of prescription opioid overdose, abuse, and dependence in the United States, 2013. Medical Care, 54(10), 901-906.

9 Rudd, R. A., Aleshire, N., Zibbel, J. E., & Gladden, R. M. (2016). Increases in drug and opioid overdose deaths — United States, 2000–2014. MMWR, 64(50), 1378-1382.

According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), people in rural communities are more likely to overdose on prescription pain medications than people in cities, and the rate of opioid-related overdose deaths in non-metro counties is 45 percent higher than in metro counties10. Rural adolescents are also more likely to use prescription opioids non-medically than are their urban peers.11 Non-medical prescription drug use has been associated with social and health consequences among these rural adolescents, including dropping out of school, deteriorating relationships, poorer health status, and mental health challenges.

According to the 2016 Surgeon General’s Report on Alcohol, Drugs, and Health, evidenced-based programs can significantly reduce substance misuse and abuse if implemented well.12 However, many schools and communities are using programs with the least evidence. In FY 2017, we are seeking to support the implementation of evidence-based, outcome-based approaches and programs delivered through an Extension model which promote protective factors and reduce the impact of risk factors leading to the prevention of opioid initiation, misuse, and abuse. Since the occurrence and context of risk behavior is complex, applicants are encouraged to address intersecting factors that have the potential to also prevent or reduce opioid initiation, misuse, and abuse.

All projects and approaches must be research-informed. Proposed projects implementing programs and approaches with documented evidence of impact on preventing and/or reducing opioid misuse and abuse will be given priority consideration. Programs and approaches currently developing an evidence base will also be considered.

NIFA encourages (but does not require) projects that develop content suitable for delivery through eXtension (https://extension.org/), where appropriate based on goals of project.

Program Area Code: LX Application Deadline: June 30, 2017 (5:00 p.m., ET) Proposed Budget Requests: Proposed budgets must not exceed $350,000 total for a two-year project period. Requests exceeding the budgetary guidelines will not be reviewed.

Expected number of awards: Program anticipates making 4-6 awards.

Project Period: 2 years Requested Grant Type: Standard grant Partnerships: In order to achieve RHSE goals for efficiency, meaningful collaborations among 1862, 1890, and 1994 Land-grant institutions within a given State or Region are highly encouraged, as well as collaborations with other relevant organizations. Roles of partnering organizations and their necessity on the project must be clearly described in the proposal.

Additional Program Area Requirements for RHSE Projects:

Project Delivery

The proposed Extension outreach health education projects should include programs and activities that:

10 Mortality and Life Expectancy in Rural America: Connecting the Health and Human Service Safety Nets to Improve Health Outcomes over the Life Course Policy Brief October 2015 11 Monnat, S. M. & Rigg, K. K. (2015). Rural Adolescents Are More Likely Than Their Urban Peers to Abuse Prescription Painkillers. Carsey Research, National Fact Sheet #32.

12 Facing Addiction: Surgeon General’s Report on Alcohol, Drugs, and Health. (2016).

https://extension.org/

Deliver science-based knowledge and tested informal educational programs focused on the prevention and/or reduction of chronic diseases as well as opioid misuse and abuse to rural audiences at individual, family, and/or community levels;

Utilize appropriate theories, models and frameworks rooted in social and behavioral sciences as well as public health in program design and implementation;

Support Extension education to increase health literacy on the causes and consequences of preventable chronic diseases as well as opioid misuse and abuse for individuals and families living in rural communities;

Where appropriate, implement adaptations to evidence-based programs sufficiently sensitive to the unique stressors, resources, cultural traditions, family practices, and other prevailing sociocultural factors that influence the lives of the target audience and that also adhere to fit and fidelity;13

Increase professionals’ capacity to engage in health leadership in rural communities, which includes using skills to collaborate, connect, communicate, and build community capacity to address rural health;

Increase public access to new ideas and technologies related to chronic disease prevention and opioid misuse and abuse prevention in rural areas that have been successful at the community level;

Increase public health knowledge and engage the health system, leading to actions that promote or enhance rural health and well-being; and

Use communication methods (face-to-face, electronic, or combinations of the two) that best fit audience(s) being served.

Coordination with State Offices of Rural Health Per the authorizing legislation for the Rural Health and Safety Education Program, projects shall coordinate with state offices of rural health (https://www.ruralhealthinfo.org/organizations/state-office-of-rural-health) and other appropriate programs of the Department of Health and Human Services on proposed health education activities and rural population outreach.

Linking to National Health and Wellness Frameworks Projects should identify an existing individual and community health framework/model as a guide for their programs’ health education focus and their Extension outreach strategy. The framework/model must recognize the complex, bidirectional relationship between individual, community, and societal factors. The RHSE program encourages applicants to take advantage of guiding frameworks/models already developed by Cooperative Extension, such as the Cooperative Extension’s National Framework for Health and Wellness (see http://www.aplu.org/members/commissions/food-environment-and-renewable-resources/CFERR_Library/national-framework-for-health-and-wellness).

Partnering for Common Health Outcomes and Indicators Projects funded through the RHSE program are encouraged to collaborate with other USDA/NIFA-supported agricultural research and extension programs for the purpose of developing networks and common approaches to measuring health outcomes. Such programs must demonstrate a history of developing health outcomes and impacts of Extension projects at State, Regional, and/or National levels.

Reporting on Performance

13 Facing Addiction: Surgeon General’s Report on Alcohol, Drugs, and Health. (2016).

https://www.ruralhealthinfo.org/organizations/state-office-of-rural-health https://www.ruralhealthinfo.org/organizations/state-office-of-rural-health http://www.aplu.org/members/commissions/food-environment-and-renewable-resources/CFERR_Library/national-framework-for-health-and-wellness http://www.aplu.org/members/commissions/food-environment-and-renewable-resources/CFERR_Library/national-framework-for-health-and-wellness

Projects are expected to develop and report on performance indicators that demonstrate measurable changes in knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors of project participants. These indicators should demonstrate the project’s success at achieving objectives of the proposed project and overarching goal of the RHSE program. NIFA strongly encourages involving an evaluator on the proposed project to help develop outcome-based performance measures and a plan for evaluating the project’s performance.

Serving Rural Counties Projects must identify rural counties in which they will be implemented. For definitions of Rural (Non-metro) counties and county classifications, use one of the following:

The 2013 Rural-Urban Continuum Codes system definitions can be found at http://www.ers.usda.gov/data-products/rural-urban-continuum-codes/documentation.aspx; and to obtain the actual codes by state for your proposed project counties, see the 2013Rural-Urban Continuum Code County table at http://www.ers.usda.gov/data-products/rural-urban-continuum-codes.aspx. For each county in which your project will be implemented, provide Rural-Urban Continuum Code as found in the table. (Only counties with codes #4-9 are appropriate for inclusion.)

The U.S. Census Bureau’s Urban-Rural Classification system definitions can be found at https://ask.census.gov/faq.php?id=5000&faqId=5955. To determine if a geographic area of interest is urban or rural using Census Bureau data, go to https://ask.census.gov/faq.php?id=5000&faqId=6403.

The 2013 National Center for Health Statistics’ Urban-Rural Classification Scheme for Counties, based on the Office of Management and Budget’s (OMB) February 2013 delineation of metropolitan statistical areas (MSA) and micropolitan statistical areas. See http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data_access/urban_rural.htm.

http://www.ers.usda.gov/data-products/rural-urban-continuum-codes/documentation.aspx http://www.ers.usda.gov/data-products/rural-urban-continuum-codes.aspx http://www.ers.usda.gov/data-products/rural-urban-continuum-codes.aspx https://ask.census.gov/faq.php?id=5000&faqId=5955 https://ask.census.gov/faq.php?id=5000&faqId=6403 http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data_access/urban_rural.htm

PART II—AWARD INFORMATION

A. Available Funding

The amount anticipated to be available for NIFA support of this program in FY 2017 is approximately $2.8 million.

The funds will be awarded through competitive grants process described in this RFA. 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 a new or resubmitted application to the RHSE Program:

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

Resubmitted application. This is an application that had previously been submitted to the RHSE Program but not funded. For FY 17, resubmitted applications can only reflect projects which focus on chronic disease prevention and management or preventing opioid misuse and abuse. 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, will be evaluated in competition with other pending applications in appropriate area to which they are assigned, and will be reviewed according to the same evaluation criteria as new applications.

C. Project Types

In FY 2017, the RHSE program will support two project types: a) projects implementing new Extension programs or approaches in the area of individual and family rural health and safety education focused on chronic disease prevention and management or the prevention and/or reduction of opioid misuse and abuse; and b) projects seeking to scale-up to State or multi-state levels already established Extension programs with demonstrated evidence of impact in the area of individual and family rural health and safety education focused on chronic disease prevention and management or the prevention and/or reduction of opioid misuse and abuse. An applicant may form a multi-state partnership to support scaling-up a program. Furthermore, while projects are not limited to implementing Extension-created programs, they are required to 1) use research-informed, outcome-based programs and approaches and 2) use Cooperative Extension as the mode of program outreach and delivery.

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

The following types of applications submitted to the RHSE Program in FY 2017 will not be considered for funding:

Proposals without a plan for evaluating participant outcomes;

Proposals with a focus on topic areas specific to other NIFA grant programs, including

AFRI, such as Food Safety, Childhood Obesity Prevention, Youth Farm Safety or AgrAbility;

Proposals with a focus on research (other than evaluation related to project outputs, outcomes and impacts), formal education (K-12, university), or clinical interventions;

Proposals with a focus on targeting individuals with substance abuse disorders.

In FY 2017, the RHSE program has established a maximum award size of $350,000.

Applications requesting more than the maximum award size will not be considered for funding.

The period of performance for all projects will be two years.

Number of New Awards Anticipated for

Estimated Minimum Award Maximum Award

4-5 $250,000 $350,000

D. Responsible and Ethical Conduct of Research

In accordance with sections 2, 3, and 8 of 2 CFR Part 422, institutions that conduct USDA- funded extramural research must foster an atmosphere conducive to research integrity, bear primary responsibility for prevention and detection of research misconduct, and maintain and effectively communicate and train their staff regarding policies and procedures. In the event an application to NIFA results in an award, the Authorized Representative (AR) assures, through acceptance of the award that the institution will comply with the above requirements. Award recipients must, upon request, make available to NIFA the policies, procedures, and documentation to support the conduct of the training. See http://nifa.usda.gov/responsible-and-ethical-conduct-research for further information. For information about the Responsible and Ethical Conduct of Research, see 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 1862 and 1890 Land Grant colleges and universities that are eligible to receive funds under the Act of July 2, 1862 (7 U.S.C. 301 et seq.), and the Act of August 30, 1890 (7 U.S.C. 321 et seq.), including Central State University, Tuskegee University, West Virginia State University and the University of the District of Columbia. Applications also may be submitted by any of the Tribal colleges and universities designated as 1994 Land Grant Institutions under the Educational Land-Grant Status Act of 1994, 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.

B. Cost Sharing or Matching

NIFA does not require matching or cost sharing support for this program and matching resources will not be factored into the review process as evaluation criteria.

C. Centers of Excellence

Pursuant to Section 7214 of the Agricultural Act of 2014 (Pub. L. 113-79), beginning in Fiscal Year 2015, for applicable competitive research and extension programs, NIFA will recognize and provide priority in the receipt of funding to applications from “centers of excellence” that carry out research, extension, and education activities that relate to the food and agricultural sciences. NIFA held listening sessions in July 2014 and accepted written comments from stakeholders to inform NIFA’s implementation of the COE provision. Information from the webinars and a summary of the input are available on NIFA’s website at http://nifa.usda.gov/centers-excellence.

A COE is composed of one or more of the following entities that provide financial or in-kind support to the COE:

(A) State agricultural experiment stations;

(B) Colleges and universities;

(C) University research foundations;

(D) Other research institutions and organizations;

(E) Federal agencies;

(F) National laboratories;

(G) Private organizations, foundations, or corporations;

http://nifa.usda.gov/centers-excellence

(H) Individuals; or

(I) any group consisting of two or more of the entities described in (A) through (H).

COE designation is available only to CAP and standard grant applicants. Part IV, B., 3. of this RFA contains additional requirements for COE consideration.

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-RHSE-006360

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 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 how to use a Grant Application Package in Grants.gov, and instructions on how to complete the application forms.

If you require assistance to access the application package (e.g., downloading or navigating Adobe forms) or submitting the application, refer to resources available on the Grants.gov website (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.

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/

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 Grants.gov Application Guide.

a. Field 7. Project Summary/Abstract.

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

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

All proposals must include an Abstract of 300 words or less. The abstract should include:

Project title;

Names of PD, Co-PDs, and key project personnel;

Names of affiliated organizations of PD, Co-PDs, and key project personnel;

Names of partnering institutions and organizations (if not already listed);

A brief description of the proposed project, including whether it is a State-level or

Regional-level scaling up effort; and Funding amount requested.

b. Field 8. Project Narrative.

NOTE: The Project Narrative must not exceed 15 pages of written text, regardless of whether it is single- or double-spaced, and up to five additional pages for figures and tables. We have established this maximum (20 pages) to ensure fair and equitable competition. Applications exceeding the applicable page limitation will be disqualified from the review process and not considered for funding.

Grant-writing resources may be accessed at http://nifa.usda.gov/resource/usda-grant-writing-webinar-series-partnership-stakeholders.

The Project Narrative must have eight distinct sections, titled:

1. Issue Statement and Planned Approach;

2. Objectives, Activities, Outcomes and Timeline;

3. Division of Labor;

4. Performance Measurement and Evaluation Plan

5. Management Plan;

6. Budget and Budget Justification;

7. Project Communication and Dissemination, http://nifa.usda.gov/resource/usda-grant-writing-webinar-series-partnership-stakeholders http://nifa.usda.gov/resource/usda-grant-writing-webinar-series-partnership-stakeholders http://nifa.usda.gov/resource/usda-grant-writing-webinar-series-partnership-stakeholders

8. Sustainability; and Optional: Centers of Excellence Request and Justification.

(1) Issue Statement and Planned Approach (20 pts) Provide a brief justification of the project by describing the nature and magnitude of the rural health/safety issues(s) the project is seeking to address and a brief explanation of how your project will address the issue(s). Provide the most recent relevant data for the State or States in which your proposed RHSE project will be implemented, including data on the incidence of individual and family health issue(s) relevant to your project. Provide references for the data. Explain and substantiate any assumptions made.

In addition, please address the following elements:

Health Framework/Theoretical Model: Projects should identify an existing individual and community health framework/model as a guide for their programmatic rural health and safety education focus and their Extension outreach strategy. The framework/ theoretical model must recognize the complex, bidirectional relationship between individual, community, and societal factors. The RHSE program encourages applicants to take advantage of guiding frameworks/models already developed by Cooperative Extension, such as the Cooperative Extension’s National Framework for Health and Wellness (see http://www.aplu.org/members/commissions/food-environment-and-renewable-resources/CFERR_Library/national-framework-for-health-and-wellness; to access the Cooperative Extension Framework for Health and Wellness webinar recording from June 26, 2014, visit https://learn.extension.org/events/1651#.U61ih7Hr6f8 and click on ‘watch recording’).

Projected Gaps/Needs Addressed: Briefly discuss related programs currently available in the state(s) in which the proposed RHSE project will take place and how your project will address gaps and limitations among currently available programs/services. Indicate whether the program has been implemented by Cooperative Extension in other states/regions.

Program or Approach Description: Briefly describe the proposed program (i.e. objectives, target audience, delivery methods, etc.) and if the program or approach is existing, include a brief history of the program, cumulative data on individuals served, program outcomes and impacts to date, and program partners. If you are scaling up your programs, please include scaling implementation details.

Related Publications: If the program's content has been published in peer-reviewed sources, please provide citations and/or links to pertinent publications. If the program's evaluation results have been published in peer-reviewed sources, please provide citations and/or links to pertinent publications.

Rurality: Identify rural counties in which your project will be implemented and the rural population(s) your project will reach out to and serve (e.g., children, adults, ethnic or cultural minority groups, military families, veterans, farmer/rancher families, physicians/health care providers, etc.).

o For Rural (Non-metro) classifications systems, see Part I, Section C. of this RFA.

o Provide the criteria used to select the population group to be served. Support for targeting these specific groups must be clearly reflected in the data and estimates you already provided for the state(s).

http://www.aplu.org/members/commissions/food-environment-and-renewable-resources/CFERR_Library/national-framework-for-health-and-wellness http://www.aplu.org/members/commissions/food-environment-and-renewable-resources/CFERR_Library/national-framework-for-health-and-wellness http://www.aplu.org/members/commissions/food-environment-and-renewable-resources/CFERR_Library/national-framework-for-health-and-wellness https://learn.extension.org/events/1651#.U61ih7Hr6f8 o Provide an estimate for how many individuals you expect to serve directly during each of the two years of the project implementation. Indicate what percentage of your project participants, per year, will be from the specific group(s) you identified earlier.

Team Capacity and Ability: Justify your institution’s and team’s capacity and ability to meet the gaps and limitations in rural health and safety education services by detailing your accomplishments from similar projects. If the project involves collaboration between land-grant institutions and/or other organizations, identify each partners’ relevant previous experiences and successes that speak to its ability to successfully fulfill their role on the proposed RHSE project.

Coordination with State Office(s) of Rural Health: Describe how your project has/will coordinate with the applicable state office(s) of rural health to successfully complete the project.

Target Audience Experience: Describe your and your partners’ prior experience in addressing the needs of the target audience(s). Describe your team’s ability and readiness to provide appropriate (ethnically-, racially-, linguistically- and socio-economically- sensitive) education, training, and outreach for such audience(s). For example, if you will be serving Spanish-speaking families, or Native American communities, how will you ensure that your outreach and education services are culturally-sensitive and linguistically appropriate?

(2) Objectives, Activities, Outcomes and Timeline (30 pts) Projects should provide a clear description of the project objectives and activities. Please develop a logic model (for example resource, see https://nifa.usda.gov/resource/logic-model-planning-process). The following elements must be addressed:

Objectives must address program priorities listed in Part I, Section B.

Explain how the activities will help to achieve the objectives and which target audience is the intended beneficiary of each.

Clearly show the relationships between objectives, inputs, activities, desired outcomes, and anticipated impacts.

The sum of activities under each objective must lead to completion of those objectives within the 2-year project duration. Arrange activities and associated outcomes and impacts by project year (Year 1 and Year 2).

List and describe all intended outcomes to be tracked and monitored (e.g., changes in participant knowledge, awareness, competency, sustained behavioral change and changes in condition).

Provide a timeline to demonstrate the duration and the sequence of project activities, as well as division of labor (as noted in the next section of this RFA). Each objective may have multiple activities. Chart against a quarterly scale, so that the timeline depicts 2 years and 8 quarters.

Identify implementation challenges and project procedures limitations you might encounter during the course of the proposed projects. Briefly describe how you plan to address those challenges and limitations.

(3) Division of Labor (5 pts) State Cooperative Extension Services and non-Land Grant partners may jointly or individually provide leadership for different objectives and/or activities.

If applicable, describe each partner’s role on the project.

Briefly describe roles of key staff on the proposed RHSE project and percent of time each will be dedicating to the project. If the percentages are expected to change in Year 2 of the proposed project, please indicate so and provide an explanation.

Indicate who on the team will provide the lead and oversight for design, technical assistance, and completion of project outcomes evaluation. We highly recommend involving on your proposed project a faculty/professional with expertise/strong experience in developing and implementing program evaluations to lead the design and completion of your RHSE project’s Logic Model, Project Timeline, and outcome evaluation.

(4) Performance Measurement and Evaluation Plan (20 pts) Proposals should contain a strong performance measurement/evaluation plan. Plans should clearly state the goals of the project and explain how project activities will lead to results (both outputs and outcomes). The plan should identify the project’s most significant outcomes and explain the methods by which those outcomes will be measured. We strongly recommend that these plans include or refer to the project’s logic model. Please be as specific as possible in describing the linkages among activities, outputs, and different types of outcomes (e.g., changes in participant knowledge, awareness, competency, and behavior or changes in condition).

NIFA strongly encourages projects to include an evaluator on the project who can help develop an evaluation plan and perform the evaluation. The purpose of the evaluation is to provide sound, reliable insight into the project’s impact or missed opportunities and best practices that could be applied to future projects. For example, a goal of an evaluation might be to explain differences in results across target populations.

(5) Management Plan (5 pts) Describe the fiscal and administrative oversight for the project.

If the proposed RHSE project represents collaboration between two or more Land Grant

Institutions and/or non-land grant partners, provide an explanation of how the relationship(s) and communication will be managed.

(6) Budget (as below #6. R&R Budget) and Budget Justification (10 pts) There should be a direct relationship between the items in the budget and budget justification, as well as between budget justification and the objectives/activities contained in the Project Narrative.

Every item in the budget should be justified in the proposal. The amount of detail depends on the nature of the project and the breakdown of costs.

Proposed budgets must not exceed $350,000 total or request funding for more than 2 years.

Budget breakdown and justification should be provided for each project year (Year 1 and

Year 2). The project start date should be September 1, 2017 and the end date should be August 31, 2019.

Annual budgets should include reasonable expenses for two 2-day trips for project director, project evaluation lead, and one representative from each partner institution receiving funds to attend RHSE investigators meeting in the Washington, DC metro area. The first meeting will occur in winter 2018 and the second in winter 2019.