FY 2018 TCRGP_final.pdf

Tribal Colleges Research Grants Program

2018 Request for Applications (RFA)

ELIGIBILITY: 1994 Land-Grant Institutions

Application Due Date: April 23, 2018 by 5:00 pm Eastern Time

Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA): 10.227

Program Name Code: TCRGP

Program Code: ZY

Funding Opportunity Number: USDA-NIFA-TCRGP-006534

Funding Amount: Approximately $1.7 Million

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

AGRICULTURE

Tribal Colleges Research Grants Program

INITIAL ANNOUNCEMENT

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

Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance under 10.227.

DATES: Applications must be received by 5 p.m. Eastern on April 23, 2018. 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 Tribal Colleges Research Grants Program

RFA.

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: NIFA requests applications for the Tribal Colleges Research

Grants Program (TCRGP) for fiscal year (FY) 2018 to enhance research capacity at 1994

American Indian Land-grant Institutions hereafter referred to as 1994s; and develop research projects of tribal, state, or national importance. This RFA has several research options set at funding levels designed to provide 1994s with the opportunity to engage in research at the optimum level commensurate with their institutional capacity. All applications must include at least one research collaborator from the approved list of research institutions.

The anticipated amount available for this grant in FY 2018 is approximately $1.7 million. This

RFA is being released prior to the passage of an appropriations act for FY 2018. 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 TCRGP projects, deadline dates, funding information, eligibility criteria for projects and applicants, and application forms and associated instructions needed to apply for a TCRGP grant.

mailto:Policy@nifa.usda.gov

Table of Contents

PART I—FUNDING OPPORTUNITY DESCRIPTION

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

PART II—AWARD INFORMATION

A. Available Funding B. Types of Applications C. Project and Grant Types D. Responsible and Ethical Conduct of Research

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 E. Materials Available on the Internet

PART I—FUNDING OPPORTUNITY DESCRIPTION

A. Legislative Authority

Legislative authority for TCRGP is contained in the Agricultural Research, Extension, and

Education Reform Act of 1998 (7 U.S.C. 7601) which amends the Equity in Educational Land-

Grant Status Act of 1994 (7 U.S.C. 301). In accordance with the statutory authority, subject to the availability of funds, the Secretary of Agriculture may award competitive grants to 1994s to conduct agricultural research that addresses high priority concerns of tribal, national, or multi-state significance. Section 7404 of the Agricultural Act of 2014, P.L. 113-79, added eligible partners to the authorization for the TCRGP. Please see Part II C., Research Collaboration

Requirement.

B. Purpose and Priorities

By supporting applied research at the 1994s, TCRGP directly aligns with the:

1. USDA Strategic Goals-https://www.usda.gov/our-agency/about-usda/strategic-goals

2. 2016 Research, Economics, and Education Action Plan, Strategic Goal #6 – Education and Science Literacy

3. 2014-2018 NIFA Strategic Plan, Strategic Goal #1 Science - Sub-goal 1.7 -- Ensure the development of human capital, communities, and a diverse workforce through research, education, extension, and engagement programs in food and agricultural sciences to support a sustainable agriculture system

Specifically, TCRCP aims to:

(1) Enhance the institutional infrastructure and faculty expertise in planning and carrying out appropriate applied research projects that address concerns and needs of tribal and reservation communities;

(2) Forge better institutional and faculty collaborations with other land-grant institutions as well as with USDA Agricultural Research Service (ARS) and other research institutions of higher learning;

(3) Address the food, agricultural, natural resources, and human sciences concerns of reservation communities through scientific inquiry and discovery; and

(4) Give American Indian students better prospects for employment and educational achievement by engaging them in laboratory and field research in the food, agricultural and natural resource sciences.

https://www.usda.gov/our-agency/about-usda/strategic-goals https://www.ree.usda.gov/sites/www.ree.usda.gov/files/2017-08/2016USDA_%20REEProgressReportR2.pdf https://nifa.usda.gov/sites/default/files/resource/NIFA%20Strategic%20Plan%20FY2014-FY2018.pdf

TCRGP also focuses on development of leadership skills, knowledge, and qualities that are necessary to prepare students for agricultural and related careers in the private sector, government, and academia. TCRGP intern-focused applications must demonstrably incorporate a leadership development component that equip students with technical and leadership abilities upon graduation.

Specific activities may include:

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

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

• Providing opportunities for mentoring and shadowing; and

• Organizing leadership academies, workshops, trainings, etc.

C. Program Area Description:

Program Code – ZY

Program Code Name – TCRGP

CFDA -- 10.227

Project Types – Single Function Research Projects

Grant Types – Collaboration

The TCRGP develops 1994 institutional research capacity to address American Indian priority issues of concern to the tribal community and reservations. Research options are designed to provide opportunities for institutions with varying degrees of research capacity to participate in the program.

Research Option Maximum Award

New Discovery - Regular $200,000

New Discovery – Enhanced $220,000

Capacity Building Option

Applied Faculty / Community $95,000

Student Led Research $60,000

Formative Research $60,000

PART II—AWARD INFORMATION

A. Available Funding

The anticipated amount available for TCRGP in FY 2018 is approximately $1.7 million.

This RFA is being released prior to the passage of an appropriations act for FY 2018. Enactment of additional continuing resolutions or an appropriations act may affect the availability or level of funding for this program.

For the FY 2018 program, there are no restrictions in the number of applications that an eligible institution may submit. NIFA will only award up to two research awards to any one institution in the New Discovery Research option and up to two awards in the Capacity Building option with a limit of three awards total to any one eligible institution in response to this RFA (Refer to

Part II, C -- Project and Grant Types).

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 2018, you may submit a new or resubmitted application to the TCRGP:

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

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

Resubmitted application. This is a project application that had previously been submitted to the TCRGP but not funded. Project Directors (PDs) must respond to the previous review panel summary (see Response to Previous Review, Part IV). NIFA must receive resubmitted applications by the relevant due dates. NIFA will evaluate resubmitted applications in competition with other pending applications in the appropriate area to which they are assigned and review them according to the same evaluation criteria (Part V, B) as new applications. If you are submitting a resubmission application, enter the NIFA-assigned proposal number of the previously-submitted application in the Federal field (Field 4 on the form).

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

C. Project and Grant Types

1. Project Types:

In FY 2018, the TCRGP will only accept Research Project Types. Research Projects Types include Single-function, applied, and multi-disciplinary.

a. Single-function research projects support applied research conducted by individual investigators, co-investigators within the same discipline, or multidisciplinary teams.

b. Applied research means research that includes expansion of the findings of fundamental research to uncover practical ways in which new knowledge can be advanced to benefit individuals and society.

c. Multi-disciplinary projects are those in which investigators from two or more disciplines collaborate closely to address a common problem. These collaborations, where appropriate, may integrate the biological, physical, chemical, and social sciences.

2. Research Options:

For FY 2018 there are two main research options within this RFA: New Discovery and

Capacity Building.

New Discovery Research Option:

New Discovery projects should be on a level of research complexity that could lead to an enhancement in the body of scientific knowledge and problem solving on relevant issues.

Applicants are expected to possess robust research capacity and faculty expertise to conduct scientific inquiry. Proposed projects are expected to meet the standards of scientific rigor recognized by the greater research community. Research undertakings should be at a standard where results may help solve problems of a regional, state or national level. Data and results should be of a quality appropriate for submission to a peer-reviewed journal. New Discovery projects are also expected to offer meaningful research involvement for 1994 students.

Project periods shall not exceed three years (36 months). The maximum amount for a New

Discovery application involving from 1-4 students is $200,000 total for the entire project period.

The maximum amount for a New Discovery application with significant student involvement

(five or more students) is $220,000 total for the entire project period.

Capacity Building Research Option:

There are three alternatives in the capacity building research option, each with a different funding level. Applicants should choose the option that best fits their needs.

a. Applied Faculty/Community Research ($95,000 maximum) - Funds faculty and student research that addresses practical community needs and opportunities.

Investigations should result in knowledge or best practices useful to the tribal community and readily available to college extension offices, teaching faculty, and community development organizations. Research may be on skillful adaptations of existing knowledge to address unique community needs requiring a culturally sensitive approach.

b. Student Research ($60,000 maximum) - Funds for students to design and implement their own research projects. Project Directors and research collaborators will mentor and train students in research ethics, scientific method, data collection and analysis, presenting posters and publicly sharing research findings. Funded projects should lead to an increase in the number of American Indian students participating in research and gaining scientific skills and knowledge.

c. Formative Research ($60,000 maximum) – Uses rigorous stakeholder input analysis to develop effective ways to influence behavior change in a community, such as adopting healthy diets, practicing farm safety or using sustainable agriculture. Formative research relies on stakeholder input to describe a problem, explain why it happens, or explore what kinds of messages influence behavioral change. It can also help investigators discover which groups are most open to influence. It can be qualitative gathering interviews, talking circles, and focus groups, or the use of quantitative surveys. It can also be a combination of techniques. Formative research results can be used to develop new research projects or to support extension outreach activities.

Student Participation: All Applications must contain a student component. NIFA will not make an award that does not involve some level of 1994 student participation.

Research Collaboration Requirement: All applications must, by congressional authorization, include one of four research partners from the list below. The application must contain a signed collaboration agreement indicating the role the partner will play. Additional partnerships are optional. With the passage of the 2014 Farm Bill, the approved collaborators are:

An 1862 or 1890 land-grant institution;

https://nifa.usda.gov/sites/default/files/resource/lgu_map_6_25_2014_0.pdf

The USDA Agricultural Research Service (ARS) headquarters, state or regional laboratory;

A Non-land-grant College of Agriculture (NLGCA) (as defined in section 1404 of the

National Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching Policy Act of 1977). See requirements and list of certified NLGCA at http://www.nifa.usda.gov/funding/pdfs/nlgca_colleges.pdf ;

A forestry school funded under the McIntire-Stennis Cooperative Forestry Research

Program. The partner must be the McIntire-Stennis funded department and not another entity at the institution.

3. Grant Types

The funding mechanism for this RFA is a collaborative grant. This is an award instrument by which NIFA agrees to support a specified level of effort for a predetermined project period without the announced intention of providing additional support at a future date.

https://nifa.usda.gov/sites/default/files/resource/lgu_map_6_25_2014_0.pdf http://www.nifa.usda.gov/funding/pdfs/nlgca_colleges.pdf

A collaborative grant supports projects with at least one additional partner or a multi-partner approach to enhance research programs at 1994s. Collaborative Grants should build linkages to generate a critical mass of expertise, skill, and technology to address research programs related to the food, agricultural, natural resources, and human sciences.

Grant Duration: The project period may range from 24 to 36 months (two to three years).

The project start date will be 1 September 2018.

Number and Size of Awards: The number of grants awarded in FY 2018 will depend on the amount of funds appropriated to this grant program and the number of applications recommended for funding. Note the actual amount awarded by NIFA may differ from the amount requested in the application.

D. Responsible and Ethical Conduct of Research

In accordance with sections 2, 3, and 8 of 2 CFR Part 422, institutions that conduct USDA-funded extramural research must foster an atmosphere conducive to research integrity, bear primary responsibility for prevention and detection of research misconduct, and maintain and effectively communicate and train their staff regarding policies and procedures. In the event an application to NIFA results in an award, the Authorized Representative (AR) assures, through acceptance of the award that the institution will comply with the above requirements. Award recipients shall, upon request, make available to NIFA the policies, procedures, and documentation to support the conduct of the training. See http://nifa.usda.gov/responsible-and-ethical-conduct-research for more information.

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

PART III—ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION

A. Eligible Applicants

Applications may only be submitted by Tribal Colleges or Universities designated as 1994s under the Equity Educational Land-Grant Status Act of 1994 (7 U.S.C. 301, 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. The eligible 1994s are:

Aaniiih Nakoda College Bay Mills Community College

Blackfeet Community College Cankdeska Cikana Community College

Chief Dull Knife College College of the Menominee Nation

College of the Muscogee Nation Dine’ College

Fond du Lac Tribal and Community College Fort Peck Community College

Haskell Indian Nations University Ilisagvik College

Institute of American Indian Arts Keweenaw Bay Ojibwa Community College

Lac Courte Oreilles Ojibwa Community

College Leech Lake Tribal College

Little Big Horn College Little Priest Tribal College

Navajo Technical University Nebraska Indian Community College

Northwest Indian College Nueta Hidatsa Sahnish College

Oglala Lakota College Saginaw Chippewa Tribal College

Salish Kootenai College Sinte Gleska University

Sisseton Wahpeton College Sitting Bull College

Southwestern Indian Polytechnic Institute Stone Child College

Tohono O’odham Community College Turtle Mountain Community College

United Tribes Technical College White Earth Tribal and Community College

B. Cost Sharing or Matching

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

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 where appropriate

Funding Opportunity Number: USDA-NIFA-TCRGP-006534

Click “Search.” On the displayed page, click the corresponding link to continue. A Grant

Application Package is tied to a particular funding opportunity. You may 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 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 about how to use a Grant Application Package in Grants.gov, and instructions on how to complete the application forms.

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

Electronic applications are to be prepared following Parts V and VI of the NIFA Grants.gov

Application Guide. This guide is part of the corresponding application package (see Section A of this part). The following is additional information you need to prepare an application in response to this RFA. If there is discrepancy between the two documents, the information contained in this RFA is overriding.

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

a. Field 7. Project Summary/Abstract.

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

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

The Project Summary:

Shall not exceed one page;

Shall state the type of application (new or resubmission);

Shall state the research option being addressed (see Part II C,1-Project and Grant Types:

Project Types)

Shall indicate the science subject areas to be addressed;

Shall include the names of research collaborators including PDs, and Co-PDs, and

Shall include the title of the project – should be descriptive of the work to be undertaken

A Project summary that exceeds this page limit requirement will not be accepted for review.

b. Field 8. Project Narrative.

For all TCRGP research options, the project narrative shall not exceed 15 double spaced pages of written text with up to two additional pages for supporting documentation. Applicants must ensure that the page limit is not exceeded after converting to PDF format. Project narratives that exceed this page limit requirement will not be accepted for review. The project narrative must include all of the following:

a. Introduction: Include a clear statement of the long-term goal(s) and supporting objectives of the proposed activities. Summarize the body of knowledge or other past activities that substantiate the need for the proposed project. Describe ongoing or recently completed significant activities that relate to the proposed project including the work of key project personnel. Include preliminary data/information pertinent to the proposed project. In addition, this section is to include in-depth information on the following, when applicable:

(1) Estimates of the magnitude of the issues and the relevance to reservation or tribal community, stakeholders and ongoing state-federal food and agricultural research, education, and extension programs;

(2) The role of tribal stakeholders in problem identification, planning, implementation, and evaluation, as appropriate; and

(3) Indicate likelihood that research capacity will be enhanced at the proposing institution.

b. Objectives: All applications must include a statement(s) of specific aims of the proposed effort in clear, concise, complete, and logically arranged terms.

c. Methods: Explicitly state the procedures or methodology you will apply to the proposed effort. This section is to include

(1) Proposed project activities, listed sequentially

(2) Techniques to be employed in this project, including their feasibility and rationale

(3) Expected results

(4) How data will be analyzed and interpreted

(5) How research capacity enhancement will be evaluated

(6) Plans to communicate results to tribal stakeholders and relevant Indian communities

(7) Role to be played by the collaborating institution (s)

(8) Indicate the role of students in this project.

(9) Outline the expected benefit to the student, and the number to be recruited, trained or mentored by the 1994 or collaborating faculty

(10) Discuss possible limitations of the proposed procedures, obstacles, or unintended consequences and how they will be addressed.

d. Project Timetable: The proposal outline is to include all important phases as a function of time, year by year, for the entire project.

c. Field 12. Add Other Attachments

See Part V. Section 4.12 of the NIFA Grants.gov Application Guide (Field 12 on the form) for instructions regarding mandatory Felony Convictions or Tax Delinquent Status. Remember to also attach your expected outcome forms and any letters of support.

Summary of Expected Outcomes as PDF - ExpectedOutcomes.pdf

Collaborative Agreement – between each institution and signed by respective ARs

Signed letter of support from the Tribal government or department

Felony Convictions and Tax Delinquent Status form

IRB approval – if applicable

Response to previous review – PDF Attachment. 1 page limit – if applicable

Logic model - if applicable Expected Outcomes – PDF Attachment to ‘Field 12’ https://nifa.usda.gov/resource/application-support-templates

Expected Outcomes – PDF Attachment. Title the attachment “Expected Outcomes” in the document header and save file as “ExpectedOutcomes.” Please use a format, similar to what is provided below, to submit expected impacts and attach it as the last page of the application. This data will be requested when a grant is recommended for an award. A fillable version of this document can be found at https://nifa.usda.gov/resource/recommended-format-submitting-expected-impacts

Primary Project Function: (Choose one)

EDUCATION: EXTENSION : RESEARCH:

Total expected outcomes during entire grant period Expected

Number

1. Number of farmers/community members to be served, for example, provided with training and/or new information regarding markets, technology, production practices, etc.

2. Number of products to be developed for the education and training of students through grant funds during the project period

a. curricula, academic programs

b. recruitment/retention programs

c. teaching or educational materials, distance education capability, experiential learning opportunities

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

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

5. Number of male students to be directly supported by this grant (i.e., scholarships, fellowships, assistantships, internships included as a cost in your project budget) for undergraduate or post-graduate education

6. Number of underrepresented1 male students to be supported during the grant period (Provide the best estimate based on past experience)

7. Number of female students to be directly supported by this grant (i.e., scholarships, fellowships, assistantships, internships included as a cost in your project budget) for undergraduate or post-graduate education

8. Number of underrepresented1 female students to be supported during the grant period (Provide the best estimate based on past experience)

9. Number of students supported by this grant (i.e., scholarships, fellowships, assistantships) who are pursuing their degree

a. Two year or other certificates https://nifa.usda.gov/resource/recommended-format-submitting-expected-impacts https://nifa.usda.gov/resource/recommended-format-submitting-expected-impacts

b. Undergraduate or other 4 year degrees

c. Master’s degree

d. Ph.D. degree

e. Postdoctoral training

10. Number of students who will be supported by this grant on an internship or other experiential learning opportunity

a. Domestic experiences, with a government or non-governmental organization that is not affiliated with your university

b. International experiences, including study abroad, educational travel longer than a month, etc.

1underrepresented = those whose representation among food and agricultural professionals is disproportionately less than their proportion in the general population as indicated in standard statistical references, or as documented on a case-by-case basis by national survey data (e.g.

the U.S. Department of Education's Digest of Education Statistics, U.S. Department of

Agriculture’s Food and Agricultural Education Information Systems, etc.).

Note

1. Please provide your best estimate based on past experiences, graduation rates, retention rates, etc.

2. Number of underrepresented students to be supported during the grant period (questions

#6 and #8) should be less than or equal to total number of students supported by the grant

(questions #5 and #7).

3. Response to question #9 should be the sum of 9-A through 9-E.

4. Response to question #10 should be the sum of 10-A and 10-B.

4. R&R Senior/Key Person Profile (Expanded) Detailed information related to the questions on this form is available in Part V, 5 of the NIFA

Grants.gov Application Guide. This section of the guide includes instructions about senior/key person profile requirements, and details about the biographical sketch and the current and pending support, including a link to a suggested template for the current and pending support.

5. R&R Personal Data – As noted in Part V, 6 of the NIFA Grants.gov Application Guide, the submission of this information is voluntary and is not a precondition of award. Part V.6 also notes the importance and use of the information.

6. R&R Budget Detailed information related to the questions on this form is available in Part V, 7 of the NIFA

Applicants shall submit a budget for all years of the grant award (either two or three) including a cumulative budget.

Applicants shall submit a budget narrative for each year and for the cumulative budget.

Applicants shall include separate budget pages for sub-awards to collaborating institutions for all years of the award including a cumulative budget.

The 1994s shall retain 70 percent of the total grant award.

Budgets must follow the amounts indicated in the chosen Research Option:

- New Discovery Research - $200,000 or $220,000 for enhanced student participation

- Applied Faculty/Community Research - $95,000

- Student Research - $60,000

- Formative Research - $60,000

Use this on-line tutorial to answer budget questions:

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

Funding Limitations per Institution:

For each award, the submitting institution must retain at least 70 percent of the overall award

While at least one approved research collaborator is required, there is no requirement to make a sub-award if the collaborator agrees to this arrangement.

For further information and instructions regarding indirect costs, refer to Part V, section

7.9 of the NIFA Grants.gov Application Guide. For indirect cost funding restrictions, refer to Part IV, D. of this RFA.

7. Supplemental Information Form

Detailed information related to the questions on this form is available in Part VI, 1 of the NIFA

a. Field 2. Program to which you are applying. Enter the program code name (TCRGP) and the program code (ZY). Note that accurate entry of the program code is very important for proper and timely processing of an application.

b. Field 8. Conflict of Interest List. See Part VI, 1.8 of the NIFA Grants.gov Application

Guide for further instructions and a link to a suggested template.

C. Submission Dates and Times

We recommend that you conduct an administrative review of the application before submission to Grants.gov to ensure that it complies with all preparation instructions. An application checklist is included in Part VII of the NIFA Grants.gov Application Guide to assist with this review.

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

A cooperative agreement between the 1994s and a required research collaborator (must be signed by the Authorized Representative (AR) of both institutions.

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

An Expected Impact Table found in the project narrative portion of this RFA

A letter of support by a tribal representative stating that the tribe understands the nature of any research to be conducted on tribal lands and concurs with the project’s activities and locations of study

IRB approval or an IRB exemption for human subject studies, including surveys

An animal welfare certification if required (IACUC)

Required forms or documentation are available at https://nifa.usda.gov/resource/application-support-templates o For each Project Director (PD) and co-PD

A conflict of interest documentation (COI)

Current CV or resume

Current and Pending Support

Felony Convictions or Tax Delinquent Status document

A budget and budget narrative for each year of the project as well as a cumulative budget for both the 1994 and the Collaborating institutions receiving funding

Instructions for submitting an application are included in Part IV, Section 1.9 of the NIFA

Applications must be received by Grants.gov – 5 p.m. Eastern Time on April 23, 2018.

Applications received after this due date and time will normally not be considered for funding

If you have trouble submitting an application to Grants.gov, you should FIRST contact the

Grants.gov Help Desk to resolve any problems. Keep a record of any such correspondence.

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

We send email correspondence to the AR regarding the status of submitted applications. We strongly encourage you to provide accurate email addresses, where designated, on the SF-424

R&R Application for Federal Assistance.

If the AR has not received correspondence from NIFA regarding a submitted application within

24-hours of the established deadline of the established deadline, contact the Agency Contact identified in Part VII of the RFA and request the proposal number assigned to the application.

Failure to do so may result in the application not being considered for funding by the peer review panel. Once the application has been assigned a proposal number, you should cite this number on all future correspondence.

The Grants.gov application tracker can alert you to matters that may cause your application not reach NIFA. Using the tracker allows you to identify and address issues with your application.

Grants.gov application tracker http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/track-my-application.html https://nifa.usda.gov/resource/application-support-templates http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/track-my-application.html

D. Funding Restrictions

The maximum funding period is three years. Please see Part 11 C. for the different project types.

Indirect costs for 1994s:

Section 713 of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2017 (Pub. L. 115-31) limits indirect costs to 30 percent of the total federal funds provided (or 42.857 percent of total direct costs) under each award. Similar language may be included in the FY 2018 appropriation, therefore, when preparing budgets, you should limit your request for the recovery of indirect costs to the lesser of your institution’s official negotiated indirect cost rate or the equivalent of 30 percent of total Federal funds awarded. See Part V section 7.9 of the NIFA Grants.gov Application Guide for further indirect cost information.

You should follow the example(s) found at: https://nifa.usda.gov/indirect-costs for information regarding this process. You may elect not to charge indirect costs and, instead, use all grant funds for direct costs. If indirect costs are not charged, the phrase "None requested" should be written in this space.”

Special Notice Regarding Indirect Costs for Grantees and Subcontractors All 1994s must have a valid IDC rate agreement to receive indirect costs. Applicants may obtain an IDC rate agreement from the U.S. Department Health and Human Service. In most cases, first time applicants are encouraged to check with their business office as their institution typically has an IDC rate agreement already in place.

Special Notice for partnership requirement—Distribution of Funds

The 1994s must retain at least 70 percent of the grant award funds.

Special Notice regarding construction and investment

You may not use grant funds awarded under this authority to renovate or refurbish research, education, or extension space; purchase or install fixed equipment in such space; or the plan, repair, rehabilitate, acquire, or construct buildings or facilities.

The use of grant funds to plan, acquire, or construct a building or facility is not allowed under this program. With prior approval, and in accordance with the cost principles set forth in 2 CFR part 200, some grant funds may be used for minor alterations, renovations, or repairs deemed necessary to retrofit existing teaching or research spaces in order to carry out a funded project.

However, requests to use grant funds for such purposes must demonstrate that the work is essential to achieving the major purpose of the project. Grant funds may not be used for endowment investing.

Other Exclusions:

The following costs, although not all-inclusive, are not permitted:

• Entertainment https://nifa.usda.gov/indirect-costs

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

• Tickets to shows or sporting events

• Alcoholic beverages

• Costs associated with banquets and award ceremonies

• Incentives such as bags, buttons, and related promotional items

E. Other Submission Requirements

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

For information about the status of a submitted application, see Part III, Section 6 of the NIFA

PART V—APPLICATION REVIEW REQUIREMENTS

A. General

We evaluate each application in a two-part process. First, we screen each application to ensure that it meets the administrative requirements as set forth in this RFA. Second, a technical review panel will evaluate applications that meet the administrative requirements.

We select reviewers based upon their training and experience in relevant scientific, extension, or education fields, taking into account the following factors:

Level of relevant formal scientific, technical education, or extension experience of the individual, as well as the extent to which an individual is engaged in relevant research, education, or extension activities;

Need to include experts from various areas of specialization within relevant scientific, education, or extension fields;

Need to include other experts (e.g., producers, range or forest managers/operators, and consumers) who can assess relevance of the applications to targeted audiences and to program needs;

Need to include experts from a variety of organizational types (e.g., colleges, universities, industry, local, state and federal agencies, and private profit and non-profit organizations) and geographic locations; and

Need to include reviewers who can judge the effective usefulness of each application to producers and the general public.

After each peer review panel has completed its deliberations, the responsible TCRGP program staff will recommend that your project be approved for support from currently available funds or be declined due to insufficient funds or unfavorable review.

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

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

B. Evaluation Criteria

Applications will be evaluated by the peer review panel based on the evaluation criteria below:

Evaluation Criteria Point Scale:

Criteria Points

Introduction 10

Goal and Objective of the Research 10

Methods 30

Research Capacity Enhancement 10

Level of Student Involvement 10

Project Evaluation Plan 10

Appropriateness of Budget to the Proposed Activities 15

Quality of Application and Clarity of Writing 5

Questions pertaining to the Evaluation Criteria:

1. Introduction: Is the research plan integrated into a land-grant mission or college strategic plan?

a. Is there a hypothesis or statement of inquiry to be tested?

b. Is the hypothesis or statement appropriate to the level of research proposed?

c. Has stakeholder input been sought and utilized?

2. Goals and Objectives:

a. Are there clear, concise, and relevant goal and objective statements?

3. Methods:

a. Is there evidence of appropriate scientific rigor?

b. Is there a clear and complete timeline?

c. Is the experimental design adequately thought out and explained?

d. Is the project adequately researched with appropriate references and citations?

e. Are the data collection protocols, and method of analysis adequately explained?

f. Does the application treat instrumentation, protocols and training to be employed?

g. Is there a plan to communicate results to stakeholders, the Reservation or Tribe and the general public?

h. Does the application anticipate any difficulties or barriers and provide plans to address these situations?

4. Research Capacity Enhancement:

a. Is there a statement on probability of capacity enhancement at the 1994s?

b. Is it reasonable and likely to be achieved?

c. Is there evidence of a qualifying research collaborator and a signed agreement?

5. Level of Student Involvement:

a. Is there an indication of substantive student involvement?

b. Is the Number of students and methods of recruitment indicated?

6. Project Evaluation Plan:

a. Is there a clear plan for measuring success of the proposed project?

b. Are impacts anticipated and quantitative metrics indicated?

7. Appropriateness of Budget to the Proposed Activities:

a. Does the proposed budget support the planned activities?

b. Is the budget complete, clear and free of errors?

8. Quality of Application and Clarity of Writing:

a. Is the application well organized and free of errors?

b. Are the required forms included, signed and complete?

c. Is there a Tribal or Reservation government signed letter of support?

C. Conflicts of Interest and Confidentiality

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

D. Organizational Management Information

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

E. Application Disposition

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

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

PART VI—AWARD ADMINISTRATION

A. General

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

All funds granted by NIFA under this RFA may be used only for the purpose for which they are granted in accordance with the approved application and budget, regulations, terms and conditions of the award, applicable federal cost principles, USDA assistance regulations, and

NIFA General Awards Administration Provisions at 7 CFR part 3430, subparts A through E.

B. Award Notice

The…