FY_2017 SPECA_.pdf

Secondary Education, Two-Year

Postsecondary Education, and Agriculture in the K-12 Classroom Challenge Grants Program

2017 Request for Applications (RFA)

APPLICATION DEADLINE: March 10, 2017

ELIGIBILITY: See Part III, A of RFA

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

AGRICULTURE

Secondary Education, Two-Year Postsecondary Education, and Agriculture in the K-12

Classroom Challenge Grants Program

INITIAL ANNOUNCEMENT

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

Federal Domestic Assistance under 10.226.

DATES: Applications must be received by 5 p.m. Eastern Time on March 10, 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 Secondary Education, Two-Year Postsecondary Education, and Agriculture in the

K-12 Classroom Challenge Grants Program RFA.

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: NIFA requests applications for the Secondary Education, Two-Year

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

Program for fiscal year (FY) 2017 to promote and strengthen agriscience and agribusiness education.

The anticipated amount available for grants in FY 2017 is approximately $858,500. 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 SPECA projects, deadline dates, funding information, eligibility criteria for projects and applicants, and application forms and associated instructions needed to apply for a SPECA grant.

mailto:Policy@nifa.usda.gov

Table of Contents

PART I—FUNDING OPPORTUNITY DESCRIPTION

A. Legislative Authority 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 and Award Limitations H. Funding Limitations per Institutions 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 D. Responsible and Ethical Conduct of Research 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(j)).

In accordance with statutory authority, subject to the availability of funds, the USDA Secretary, who has delegated the authority to the Director of the National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA), the Secondary Education, Two-Year Postsecondary Education and Agriculture in the K-12 Classroom

(SPECA) Challenge Grants Program will award grants to: (a) promote and strengthen secondary and

2-year postsecondary agriscience and agribusiness education in the K-12 Classroom in order to help ensure a qualified workforce to serve the U.S. food and agricultural sciences system; and (b) promote complementary and synergistic linkages among secondary, 2-year postsecondary, and higher education programs in the food, and agricultural sciences in order to promote excellence in education and to encourage more young Americans to pursue and complete a baccalaureate or higher degree in the food and agricultural sciences.

Background The SPECA Challenge Grants Program is a NIFA-administered competitive grants program focused on improving formal, K-14 food, agricultural, natural resource, and human (FANH) sciences education. SPECA-funded projects ensure a competent and qualified workforce will exist to serve the

FANH sciences system. At the same time, SPECA-funded projects improve the economic health and viability of communities through the development of degree programs emphasizing new and emerging employment opportunities. Finally, SPECA 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).

SPECA Program Goals:

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

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

B. Purpose and Priorities

The SPECA program directly aligns with the Research, Education, and Economics Action Plan (March 2014 version)

(http://www.ree.usda.gov/ree/news/USDA_REE_Action_Plan_03-2014.pdf ) and specifically addresses: Goal 6 – Education and Science Literacy. The SPECA program is also aligned with the

NIFA Strategic Plan (2014-2018) (http://nifa.usda.gov/about/pdfs/strat_plan_2014.pdf ), specifically addressing Strategic Goal No 1, (Science – Catalyze exemplary and relevant research, education, and extension programs); Sub-goal 1.7 – (Ensure the development of human capital, communities, and a http://www.ree.usda.gov/ree/news/USDA_REE_Action_Plan_03-2014.pdf http://nifa.usda.gov/about/pdfs/strat_plan_2014.pdf diverse workforce through research, education, extension and engagement programs in food and agricultural sciences to support a sustainable agriculture system).

SPECA-funded projects 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. SPECA-funded projects with the potential to demonstrate a state or regional impact on increasing the number, quality, diversity, and retention of K-14 level students who pursue a higher FANH sciences degree, are highly encouraged.

As noted in the 2016 National Academies Press Report, Barriers and Opportunities for 2-Year and 4-

Year STEM Degrees and the 2012 President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology

(PCAST) report to the President on Agricultural Preparedness and the Agriculture Research

Enterprise, the talent pipeline for the agriculture workforce begins well before college admission and a focus on secondary programs holds tremendous potential to increase not only the number, but the diversity, of students entering baccalaureate programs, a requisite for the innovation needed in the

FANH sciences.

Accordingly, SPECA-funded project activities shall support the creation, adaptation, and adoption of learning materials and teaching strategies to operationalize what we know about how students learn.

Many of these concepts are identified in the National Research Council’s publication: How People

Learn. SPECA-funded projects shall also focus on imparting both technical knowledge as well as

‘soft’ skills such as communication, team work, and problem solving, as these are abilities expected by employers. These concepts may be found in the publication: Comparative Analysis of Soft Skills:

What is Important for New Graduates?

C. Program Area Description

1. Program Category Your project must support for-credit, academic instruction with a primary focus in at least one of the following three K-14 Grade Levels:

(a) Agriculture in the K-12 Classroom: Projects specifically developed by or for the state

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

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

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

A SPECA-funded project must focus on any of the K-14 grade levels. Projects with a target audience of baccalaureate or higher level students or teachers should, instead, be referred to the Higher

Education Challenge Grants Program offered through NIFA at: http://nifa.usda.gov/funding-opportunity/higher-education-challenge-hec-grants-program https://www.nap.edu/catalog/21739/barriers-and-opportunities-for-2-year-and-4-year-stem-degrees https://www.nap.edu/catalog/21739/barriers-and-opportunities-for-2-year-and-4-year-stem-degrees http://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/default/files/microsites/ostp/pcast_agriculture_20121207.pdf http://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/default/files/microsites/ostp/pcast_agriculture_20121207.pdf http://www.nap.edu/catalog/9853/how-people-learn-brain-mind-experience-and-school-expanded-edition http://www.nap.edu/catalog/9853/how-people-learn-brain-mind-experience-and-school-expanded-edition http://www.aplu.org/members/commissions/food-environment-and-renewable-resources/CFERR_Library/comparative-analysis-of-soft-skills-what-is-important-for-new-graduates/file http://www.aplu.org/members/commissions/food-environment-and-renewable-resources/CFERR_Library/comparative-analysis-of-soft-skills-what-is-important-for-new-graduates/file http://nifa.usda.gov/funding-opportunity/higher-education-challenge-hec-grants-program http://nifa.usda.gov/funding-opportunity/higher-education-challenge-hec-grants-program

2. Educational Need Areas When preparing a SPECA-funded project, the rationale for choosing a particular Educational Need

Area below must be explained in the context of how the project can contribute to the development of a cadre of students who will either pursue higher degrees in FANH sciences or be prepared to enter the FANH sciences workforce.

Educational Need Areas for the SPECA program are:

A. Curriculum Development, Instructional Delivery Systems and Expanding Student Career

Opportunities: 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 K-14 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:

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

The use of new approaches to the study of traditional subjects or the introduction of new

FANH sciences subjects;

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

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

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

B. Faculty preparation and enhancement for teaching. 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.).

NIFA encourages the submission of applications that coordinate the recruitment and development of faculty/student teams to participate in research activities at host research institutions and laboratories.

In such instances, the SPECA grantee will administer the grant project in coordination with research staff at a USDA and/or other agency or research facility.

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

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

Establishing systems that improve student learning across a curriculum, and identifying ways to redesign curricula to meet goals for achieving improved student learning and competencies;

and

Exploring web-based approaches for faculty professional development.

C. Facilitating Interaction with Other Academic Institutions. This Need Area promotes K14 focused activities that promote linkages between secondary, 2-year postsecondary, and baccalaureate degree-granting institutions to maximize the use of resources supporting outstanding education in the

FANH sciences. Activities should focus on ensuring completion of secondary degrees, enrollment into postsecondary programs and/or transfer to a 4-year institution. Partnerships, collaborative arrangements and shared resources between institutions (including course credit sharing arrangements) are encouraged.

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 postsecondary FANH sciences degree (Note: projects that directly recruit secondary school or 2-year postsecondary graduates into baccalaureate-level programs are not supported by this grants program); and

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

Additional Information

(a) Unallowable Costs: Promotional items (e.g., T-shirts and other give-a-ways) and food functions

(e.g., cookouts or other social meal gatherings) are considered ‘entertainment’ expenses, and are not allowed under this grants program. Note: Restricted items (like those mentioned directly above) are not permitted for use as an applicant’s contribution to meeting the matching funds requirement.

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

(c) Stipends to support students’ experiential, academic learning activities outside of the traditional classroom are permitted (as long as such activities are clearly related to a student’s degree program and are not extracurricular). Stipends may be requested for materials or supplies to facilitate a student’s broad exposure to research/field techniques and methodologies, as well as for reasonable travel expenses and per diem related to student educational experiences (e.g., field trips, data collection, and scientific meetings) directly supporting this funded project. In order for the students to be provided a stipend, they must be currently matriculating in the institution(s) where the projects are being implemented. Stipends may not be used for tuition or scholarships.

Any application primarily focused on providing student stipends should also include a plan demonstrating how such student stipends will continue into the future once current grant funds expire. SPECA does not encourage projects that cannot be sustained.

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

(e) Applicants are encouraged to collaborate with an agency or research facility, including a USDA agency, to leverage grant funds and/or contribute towards overall goals and objectives. USDA agencies are: Farm Service Agency (FSA); Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS); Food Safety and

Inspection Service (FSIS); Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS); Rural Development

Agency (RD); the Food and Nutrition Service (FNS); Economic Research Service (ERS); Forest

Service (FS); Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyard Administration (GIPSA); Agricultural

Marketing Service (AMS); Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS); Risk Management

Agency (RMA); Agricultural Research Service (ARS); and the National Agricultural Statistics

Service (NASS).

(f) Funded project outcomes are expected to continue after NIFA funding ends.

PART II—AWARD INFORMATION

A. Available Funding

The anticipated amount available for SPECA grants in FY 2017 is approximately $858,500. 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 applications to the SPECA Program as one of the following types of requests:

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

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

Resubmitted application. This is an application that had previously been submitted to the SPECA

Program but not funded. Project Directors (PDs) must respond to the previous review panel summary

(see Response to Previous Review, Part IV). We must receive resubmitted applications by the relevant due dates. We will evaluate resubmitted applications in competition with other pending applications in the appropriate area to which they are assigned and review them according to the same evaluation criteria (Part V, B) as new applications.

C. Project Types

In FY 17, the SPECA program will only accept Education/Teaching projects, as follows:

Education/Teaching Projects

Single-function Education/Teaching Projects develop human capital relevant to overall program goals for U.S. agriculture. Projects should 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 activity or teaching activity is formal classroom instruction, laboratory instruction, and practicum experience in the food and agricultural sciences and other related matters such as faculty https://www.fiscal.treasury.gov/fsservices/gov/pmt/asap/asap_home.htm development, curriculum development, instructional materials and equipment, and innovative teaching methodologies.

D. Grant Types

Applicants may submit one of the following four types of projects:

Planning Activity Grants

* 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 $25,000 (total, not per year) for up to two years and are not renewable. Indirect costs are not permitted on Planning Activity grant awards. Planning

Activity Grants should be designed to facilitate strategic planning session(s) required of faculty, industry, professional association, community leaders, and 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. 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.

Regular Grants

Regular Grants support targeted original scientific Education/Teaching projects. The applicant executes the project without the requirement of sharing grant funds with other project partners.

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

Collaborative Grants

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. The partners must share grant funds (see explanation of required funds distribution percentage among partners in the definition).

o Collaborative Grant Type 1 (CG1) (Applicant + One or more Partners) *Formerly “Joint

Project”

Applicants may request up to $150,000 (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. The partners must share grant funds (see explanation of required funds distribution percentage among partners in the definition of a Collaborative Grant Type 1 in Part VIII, D.).

Note: CG1 projects must include both the R&R Fed and Non-Fed Budget and the R&R Fed and

Non-Fed Subaward Budget Attachment Forms. The forms should clearly identify the total grant funding anticipated for the applicant and each partner to demonstrate the required sharing percentage.

All expenditures for the applicant and all partners should be further itemized in the Budget

Justification. Funds do not have to be divided equally among project years.

o Collaborative Grant Type 2 (CG2) (Applicant + Two or more Partners) *Formerly

“Large-Scale Comprehensive Initiative (LCI)” Project

Applicants may request up to $300,000 (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 (see explanation of required funds distribution percentage among partners in the definition of a CG2 in Part VIII, D.). A CG2 project differs from a CG1 in project scope and impact. CG2 projects must support a multi-partner approach to solving a major state or regional challenge in FANH sciences education at K-14 grade levels.

CG2 projects are characterized by multiple partners (each providing a specific expertise) organized and led by a strong applicant with documented project management knowledge and skills to organize and carry out the initiative.

Note: CG2 projects must include both the R&R Fed and Non-Fed Budget and the R&R Fed and

Non-Fed Subaward Budget Attachment Forms. The forms should clearly identify the total grant funding anticipated for the applicant and each partner to demonstrate the required sharing percentage.

All expenditures for the applicant and all partners should be further itemized in the Budget

Justification. Funds do not have to be divided equally among project years.

Documented Impacts of CG2 projects must include, but are not limited to:

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

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

Enhanced retention rates of students exposed to CG2 project activities;

An informed FANH sciences community and others about the effectiveness of this CG2 project through a comprehensive project evaluation, using the indicators and methods defined in this grants program, that informs the;

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 required to have project periods of 36 months.

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/Conference, 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 and Award Limitations

There is no limit on the number of applications that may be submitted by an eligible applicant.

However, a successful applicant institution/organization will only be awarded a maximum of two

(2) grants per year under this program. A successful CG2 grant applicant institution/organization will only be awarded a maximum of one CG2 grant in any one, annual SPECA 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 active, CG2 grant in effect at any time.

H. Funding Limitations per Institutions

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

PART III—ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION

A. Eligible Applicants

Applications may only be submitted by: (1) public secondary schools, (2) public or private nonprofit junior and community colleges, (3) institutions of higher education, or (4) nonprofit organizations

(Attach IRS 501(c)(3) status under R&R ‘Other Project Information’ Field 12 Other Attachments).

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

If an institution/organization cannot accept Federal funds directly, it must submit a letter stating that it will accept the award, but that funds must be administered through a fiscal agent organization. This agent must be identified in the letter from the applicant and the letter must be countersigned by an authorized representative of the fiscal agent organization. The letter should include the fiscal agent’s point of contact, address, telephone number, fax number and e-mail address. Both the fiscal agent organization and the applicant school or institution/organization must submit complete management information (see Part V, D.).

Nevertheless, the legal recipient of the award (as identified on the applicant’s SF 424 (R&R)

Cover Sheet) must be an eligible public secondary school, public or private nonprofit junior or community college, institution of higher education or nonprofit organization, as noted above.

(Submission of fiscal agent information (above) is not requested with the application, but will be required before an award is made.)

Please note: Fiscal agents and school boards are not eligible as legal recipients of the award.

B. Cost Sharing or Matching

In accordance with Section 1492 of the National Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching

Policy Act of 1977 (7 U.S.C. 3371), as added by section 7128 of the Agricultural Act of 2014 (Pub.

L. 113-79), for grants awarded after Oct. 1, 2014, the recipient of an award from the SPECA program must provide funds, in-kind contributions, or a combination of both, from sources other than funds provided through such grant in an amount that is at least equal to the amount awarded by NIFA unless one of the exemptions described herein is applicable. Note that NIFA included information at http://www.nifa.usda.gov/business/awards/matching_require.html to further assist you in determining if you must meet the new matching requirement.

The matching funds requirement does not apply to grants awarded:

1. To a research agency of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA); or

2. To an entity eligible to receive funds under a capacity and infrastructure program (as defined in section 251(f)(1)(C) of the Department of Agriculture Reorganization Act of 1994, 7 U.S.C. 6971(f)(1)(C)), including a partner (see Part VIII, D., Definitions, for definition of partnership) of such an entity.

http://www.nifa.usda.gov/business/awards/matching_require.html

Entities eligible to receive funds under a capacity and infrastructure program and exempt from the matching funds requirement include:

a. 1862 land-grant institutions, including State Agricultural Experiment Stations receiving funding under the Hatch Act of 1887

b. 1890 land-grant institutions

c. 1994 land-grant institutions

d. Entities eligible to receive funds under the of Continuing Animal Health and

Disease, Food Security, and Stewardship Research, Education, and Extension

Program Funds — Capacity and Infrastructure Program (CIP)

e. Hispanic-Serving Agricultural Colleges and Universities (HSACU)

f. Insular area schools eligible to receive funds from the Distance

Education/Resident Instruction Grant Programs

g. Entities eligible to receive funds under the of McIntire-Stennis Cooperative

Forestry Program Funds

h. Non-Land Grant Colleges of Agriculture (NLGCA) – (for exemption from the new matching requirement, these applications must include NLGCA certification, see instructions for requesting certifications at http://www.nifa.usda.gov/form/form.html and for attaching the certification, in

Part IV, B of this RFA)

i. Entities eligible to receive funds under a program established under Section

1417(b) of the National Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching Policy

Act of 1977 (7 U.S.C. 3152(b)), including: (1) 1890 Institution Teaching, Research, and Extension Capacity Building Grants Program; (2) Higher

Education Challenge Grants Program; (3) Higher Education Multicultural

Scholars Program; and (4) Food and Agricultural Sciences National Needs

Graduate and Postgraduate Fellowship Grants Program

j. Individual public or private, nonprofit Alaska Native-Serving and Native

Hawaiian-Serving Institutions of higher education (see 20 U.S.C. 1059d).

Proposal submissions to this RFA may indicate that multiple entities will complete work as a collaborative partnership. All partners must have a substantial involvement in the project throughout the life of the project. Proposals for partnerships among multiple entities must clearly identify the following:

1) A narrative that clearly establishes each entity’s role in the project;

2) How each project partner will contribute to execution of project objectives; determine experimental design; develop the project work plan and time table; and submit collaborative, timely reports; and

3) A comprehensive project budget that reflects each entity’s financial or third party in-kind contribution (see section 2 of 7 CFR 3430 or section 96 of 2 CFR part 200) to the total project budget costs.

If a proposal indicates that multiple entities, as partners, complete work on the project, and at least one entity is exempt from the matching requirement under #2 above, the entire project will be exempt from the matching requirement. Any partner entity may serve as the lead entity on the project. All partners must be significantly involved in the project.

http://www.nifa.usda.gov/form/form.html

NIFA will examine proposals recommended for award to determine if the proposed division of work reflects substantial involvement of all entities involved. If a proposal is recommended for award to a lead entity that is not otherwise exempt from the matching requirement, and the proposal does not reflect substantial involvement of at least one partner that is exempt under #2 above, then the matching requirement will apply. Exemption from the matching requirement for an entity not otherwise exempt is limited to the project for which it is a partner.

Waiver of Match: NIFA may waive the matching funds requirement for a recipient for one year for a competitive grant that involves research or extension activities that are consistent with the priorities established by the National Agricultural Research, Education, Extension and Economics Advisory Board (NAREEEAB) for the year involved. Refer to the 2014

Research, Education and Economics Action Plan to determine whether proposed activities are consistent with the priorities of the NAREEEAB. See R&R Budget under Part IV, B, of this

RFA.

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

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-SAECP-006187

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

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.

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 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/ 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.

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

Please use the project summary/abstract template available as a pdf fillable form available at:

http://nifa.usda.gov/sites/default/files/speca_project_summary_template_1.pdf

Include the following information:

Project Title;

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

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

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

Projected number of students or faculty to be served by the project during the project period (i.e., using a new curriculum, instructional delivery system, student career opportunity; benefitting from a partnership between institutions; etc.)

Primary Discipline Code/Academic Discipline: (Select one from the list below);

Discipline Codes & Academic Discipline

G - General Food, agricultural and human sciences

(includes multidisciplinary projects)

M - Agribusiness (includes Management, Marketing, & Agricultural Economics)

E - Agriscience (includes

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

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, Collaborative 1 or Collaborative 2 http://nifa.usda.gov/sites/default/files/speca_project_summary_template_1.pdf

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

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

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

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

Summary text should include:

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

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

Products: What will be produced?

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

Describe 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.

b. Field 8. Project Narrative.

The Project Narrative for Regular and Collaborative grants shall not exceed 10 pages of single space text (excluding up to a maximum of 5 additional pages for supporting figures and tables).

Applications will not be accepted for review if the project narrative is not included, exceeds 15 total pages, or is not in PDF format.

For Planning Activity Grants: The project narrative shall not exceed 7 pages of single space text

(excluding up to a maximum of 3 additional pages for supporting figures and tables). Planning

Activity Grant applications will not be accepted for review if the project narrative is not included, exceeds 10 total pages, or is not in PDF format.

The Project Narrative in this Field 8 attachment contains the major description of your project. It follows the SPECA program’s Evaluation Criteria (Part V. B). Accordingly, please provide your responses in the following format:

(Note: To facilitate application review and evaluation, include the following, underlined wording as headings in your attached Project Narrative, followed by your response for each item.)

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 project’s conclusion.). Clearly identify and explain how the proposed project will address your Educational Need Area described in

Part I, C.2.

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

c. Institutional Long-range Goals: Demonstrate how the institution/organization attributes a high priority to the project; discuss how the project will contribute to the achievement of the institution/organizations’:

- long-term (five- to ten-year) goals

- how the project will help satisfy the institution’s high-priority objectives

- how the project is linked to/supported by the institution's strategic plan.

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

2. Proposed Approach and Cooperative Linkages:

a. Plan of Operation and Methodology: Describe procedures for accomplishing the objectives of the project. Describe plans for management of the project to ensure its proper and efficient administration. Describe the way in which resources and personnel will be used to conduct the project.

b. Timetable: Identify all important project milestones (performance targets that indicate when project goals will be met) and…