FY22-AFRI-SAS-RFA-508.pdf

REQUEST FOR APPLICATIONS

Agriculture and Food Research Initiative

Sustainable Agricultural Systems

FUNDING YEAR: Fiscal Year 2022

APPLICATION DEADLINE: July 28, 2022

ANTICIPATED FUNDING: $80,000,000

AVERAGE AWARD RANGE: Up to $10,000,000

FUNDING OPPORTUNITY NUMBER: USDA-NIFA-AFRI-009002

ASSISTANCE LISTING NUMBER: 10.310

LETTER OF INTENT DEADLINE: April 27, 2022

INITIAL ANNOUNCEMENT

National Institute of Food and Agriculture United States Department of Agriculture

Assistance Listing: Agriculture and Food and Research Initiative Sustainable Agricultural Systems RFA is listed in the Assistance Listings under number 10.310.

Table 1: Key Dates and Deadlines Task Description Deadline

Application: 5:00 P.M. Eastern, July 28, 2022

Letter of Intent: 5:00 P.M. Eastern, April 27, 2022

Applicants Comments: Within six months from the issuance of this notice (NIFA may not consider comments received after the sixth month)

Stakeholder Input. The National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) seeks comments on all request for applications (RFAs) so it can deliver programs efficiently, effectively, with integrity, and with a focus on customer service. NIFA considers comments, to the extent possible when developing RFAs and use comments to help 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)).

Applicants may submit written comments to Policy@usda.gov (email is for comments only).

Please use the following subject line: Response to the AFRI Sustainable Agricultural Systems

RFA.

Centers of Excellence. Applicants are encouraged to visit the NIFA’s Centers of Excellence (COE) webpage for information on the COE designation process, including COE criteria, and a list of programs offering COE opportunities. Recordings of COE outreach and COE implementation webinars are also available.

https://nifa.usda.gov/resource/agricultural-research-extension-and-education-reform-act-1998 https://nifa.usda.gov/resource/agricultural-research-extension-and-education-reform-act-1998 https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=(title:7%20section:7613%20edition:prelim)%20OR%20(granuleid:USC-prelim-title7-section7613)&f=treesort&edition=prelim&num=0&jumpTo=true mailto:Policy@usda.gov https://nifa.usda.gov/centers-excellence https://nifa.usda.gov/centers-excellence https://nifa.usda.gov/resource/centers-excellence-prior-webinars

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

The Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (AFRI) is USDA’s flagship competitive grant program that provides funding for fundamental and applied research, education, and extension projects in the food and agricultural sciences. Within AFRI, the long-term purpose of the Sustainable Agricultural Systems (SAS) Request for Applications (RFA) is to help transform the U.S. food and agricultural system to increase agricultural production while also reducing its environmental footprint. Achieving these goals will require transdisciplinary approaches to address current and future agricultural challenges within the context of the economic, societal, and environmental attributes of sustainability.

There is an increasing need to foster holistic and systems approaches to mitigate the climate crisis;

improve agricultural productivity; ensure a safe, affordable, and nutritious supply of food; invigorate and realize the promise of the bioeconomy; and promote the development of a skilled agricultural workforce.

Solving agricultural challenges will require a convergence of science, technology, workforce availability, and policy. Advances in sciences, technology, data sciences and artificial intelligence, knowledge of infrastructure, and collaborative approaches offer unprecedented opportunities for meeting the challenges of the growing population. Transformation of our nation’s agricultural systems can ensure continued productivity while conserving natural resources and minimizing the environmental and carbon footprint of agriculture. Transforming agricultural systems requires an investment in human capital to catalyze a resilient, profitable, and sustainable local and regional food and agricultural systems that ensure equitable access to producers and consumers

For FY 2022, applications in response to the AFRI SAS RFA must focus on systems approaches that significantly improve the local and regional supply of climate-smart, sustainable, safe, nutritious, and accessible food and other agricultural products while fostering economic revitalization in America. These creative and visionary approaches must address current needs of resilient and robust food systems and anticipate future social, cultural, behavioral, economic, health, and environmental impacts. Additionally, the outcomes of the proposed work should result in societal benefits, including improved rural prosperity and enhanced quality of life for those involved in food and agricultural value chains from production to use and consumption. The specific goals addressed in this RFA include: Climate-Smart Agriculture and Forestry (CSAF), Strengthening the Bioeconomy, and Nutrition Security.

The amount available for new grants in this FY 2022 AFRI SAS RFA is approximately $80 million, for awards of up to $10 million each.

The AFRI SAS RFA covers one grant review cycle in FY 2022 using funding from the FY 2022 budget. This RFA is being released prior to the passage of an FY 2022 appropriations act; enactment of additional continuing resolutions or a full appropriations act may affect the availability or level of funding for this program.

The AFRI SAS RFA solicits proposals for Coordinated Agricultural Project and Strengthening Coordinated Agricultural Project (Food and Agricultural Science Enhancement/FASE) Grants. See Part I § C for grant and project types solicited and Part II § C for a detailed description of each individual grant type and project type.

This notice identifies the objectives for AFRI SAS projects, deadlines, funding information, eligibility criteria for projects and applicants, and application forms and associated instructions.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

TABLE OF CONTENTS

TABLE OF TABLES

PART I. FUNDING OPPORTUNITY DESCRIPTION

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

PART II. AWARD INFORMATION

A. Available Funding B. Application Restrictions C. Project and Grant Types D. Ethical Conduct of Funded Projects

PART III. ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION

A. Eligibility Requirements B. Request for Determination of Status C. Cost Sharing or Matching D. Centers of Excellence

PART IV. APPLICATION AND SUBMISSION

A. Letter of Intent B. Method of Application C. Content and Form of the Application D. Funding Restrictions

PART V. APPLICATION REVIEW REQUIREMENTS

A. NIFA’s Evaluation Process B. Evaluation Criteria C. Centers of Excellence D. Organizational Management Information E. Application Disposition

PART VI. AWARD ADMINISTRATION

A. General B. Administrative and National Policy Requirements

PART VII. OTHER INFORMATION

A. Use of Funds and Changes in Budget B. Confidential Aspects of Applications and Awards C. Regulatory Information

APPENDIX I: AGENCY CONTACT

APPENDIX II: GLOSSARY OF TERMS

APPENDIX III: DEFINITIONS

APPENDIX IV: OTHER AFRI RESOURCES

TABLE OF TABLES

Table 1: Key Dates and Deadlines Table 2: Program Key Information Table 3. Steps to Obtain Application Materials Table 4: Help and Resources Table 5: Key Application Instructions

PART I. FUNDING OPPORTUNITY DESCRIPTION

A. Legislative Authority Section 2(b) of the Competitive, Special, and Facilities Research Grant Act (hereafter referred to as the Act) (7 U.S.C. 3157), as amended, authorizes the Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (AFRI), a competitive grant program to provide funding for fundamental and applied research, education, and extension to address food and agricultural sciences in the following six 2018 Farm Bill priority areas:

1. Plant health and production and plant products;

2. Animal health and production and animal products;

3. Food safety, nutrition, and health;

4. Bioenergy, natural resources, and environment;

5. Agriculture systems and technology; and

6. Agriculture economics and rural communities.

To the maximum extent practicable, NIFA, in coordination with the Under Secretary for Research, Education, and Economics (REE), will make grants for high priority research, education, and extension, taking into consideration, when available, the determinations made by the National Agricultural Research, Extension, Education, and Economics Advisory Board (NAREEEAB) pursuant to the Competitive, Special, and Facilities Research Grant Act (7 U.S.C.

3157). The Secretary delegates the authority to the Under Secretary in 7 CFR 2.21, and the Under Secretary delegates that authority to NIFA.

B. Purpose and Priorities The purpose of AFRI is to invest in research, education, and extension work by awarding grants to solve key problems of local, regional, national, and global importance in sustaining conventional, organic, and urban agricultural systems. The project supported by AFRI address topics such as farm/ranch production efficiency, profitability and sustainability; bioenergy and bio-based products; forestry; aquaculture; rural communities and entrepreneurship; human nutrition; biotic and abiotic constraints on food production; food safety; reducing food waste and food loss; physical and social sciences; family and consumer sciences and rural human ecology;

development of circular economies, and genetic improvement of plants and animals. Through this support, AFRI advances knowledge in both fundamental and applied sciences important to agriculture and forestry. Additionally, AFRI supports work in education and extension activities that deliver science-based knowledge to end users, allowing them to make informed, practical decisions. The AFRI Sustainable Agricultural Systems (SAS) RFA provides funding for integrated research, education, and extension projects.

Food and agricultural systems are under the constraints of a growing population, natural resource availability, climate change, and complex demands of ensuring nutritional security and food safety in a global economy. Addressing these constraints requires integration of research, education, and extension programs using agroecological approaches that increase agricultural and natural resource sustainability. The term ''sustainable agriculture'' (7 U.S.C. 3103) means a combined system of plant and animal production practices having a site-specific application that will, over the long-term, achieve the following goals: 1) satisfy human food and fiber needs; 2) enhance environmental quality and the natural resource base upon which the agricultural https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=(title:7%20section:3157%20edition:prelim)%20OR%20(granuleid:USC-prelim-title7-section3157)&f=treesort&edition=prelim&num=0&jumpTo=true https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=(title:7%20section:3157%20edition:prelim)%20OR%20(granuleid:USC-prelim-title7-section3157)&f=treesort&edition=prelim&num=0&jumpTo=true https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=(title:7%20section:3157%20edition:prelim)%20OR%20(granuleid:USC-prelim-title7-section3157)&f=treesort&edition=prelim&num=0&jumpTo=true https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-7/subtitle-A/part-2/subpart-C/section-2.21 https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=(title:7%20section:3103%20edition:prelim)%20OR%20(granuleid:USC-prelim-title7-section3103)&f=treesort&edition=prelim&num=0&jumpTo=true economy depends; 3) make the most efficient use of nonrenewable resources and on-farm resources and integrate, where appropriate, natural biological cycles and controls; 4) sustain the economic viability of farm operations; and 5) enhance the quality of life for farmers and society.

AFRI encourages projects addressing enhancement of sustainability of agricultural systems.

Stakeholder Input The AFRI Stakeholder Feedback page has information on AFRI-related stakeholder input.

Background AFRI is NIFA’s flagship competitive grants program for food and agricultural sciences.

The AFRI initiative is implemented through funding offered through the AFRI Foundational and Applied Science, Sustainable Agricultural Systems, and Education and Workforce Development Requests for Applications for addressing critical societal issues.

This AFRI RFA will support projects that significantly advance foundational and applied sciences for the following USDA priorities:

1. Addressing climate change via climate smart agriculture and forestry;

2. Advancing racial justice, equity, and opportunity;

3. Creating more and better market opportunities; and

4. Tackling food and nutrition insecurity.

The AFRI SAS RFA is aligned with the following USDA Strategic Plan Goals:

1. Strategic Goal 2: Maximize the ability of American agricultural producers to prosper by feeding and clothing the world;

2. Strategic Goal 3: Promote American agricultural products and exports;

3. Strategic Goal 4: Facilitate rural prosperity and economic development;

4. Strategic Goal 5: Strengthen the stewardship of private lands through technology and research;

5. Strategic Goal 6: Ensure productive and sustainable use of our National Forest System

Lands; and

6. Strategic Goal 7: Provide all Americans access to a safe, nutritious, and secure food supply.

Advancing Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility. NIFA recognizes research, education, and extension efforts will have the greatest impacts when equity is grounded in the programs. NIFA is committed to enhancing diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility of programs and encourages individuals from underserved communities to apply to funding opportunities as lead, co-lead, or subaward recipient(s), and to engage as leaders in the peer panel review process to support the development of strong networks and collaborations. NIFA encourages applications that engage diverse communities and have broad impacts through research, education, extension, and integrated activities to address current and future challenges.

Extension Foundation (formerly eXtension). AFRI Sustainable Agricultural Systems encourages (but does not require) projects that develop content suitable for delivery through Extension Foundation.

Global Engagement. NIFA supports global engagement that advances U.S. agricultural goals.

NIFA recognizes that collaboration with international partners may be necessary to attain the https://nifa.usda.gov/resource/afri-stakeholder-feedback https://www.usda.gov/ https://www.usda.gov/sites/default/files/documents/usda-strategic-plan-2018-2022.pdf http://www.extension.org/ https://extension.org/ agency's goals for U.S. agriculture, promote global competence of our nation’s future agricultural workforce, and promote safe and nutritious food security in a growing world.

Therefore, although application to this RFA is limited to eligible U.S. institutions, applicants may collaborate with international partners, to include subcontracts to international partners or other institutions. Applications must clearly demonstrate benefits to the United States (AFRI programs see International Partnerships).

Indigenous traditional ecological knowledge is considered an acceptable topic of research, education, and extension for projects funded by this RFA, in pursuit of the aforementioned priorities, goals, and objectives.

Table 2: Program Key Information Title Description

Program Code: A9201 Program Code Name: Sustainable Agricultural Systems

CFDA Number 10.310 Project Type: Integrated Projects only (must include Research, Education, and

Extension components within project) Grant Type: Coordinated Agricultural Project and FASE (Strengthening

Coordinated Agricultural Project) Grants only Letter of Intent Deadline Thursday, April 27, 2022

Application Deadline Thursday, July 28, 2022 Grant Duration: Up to 60 Months

Anticipated # of Awards: 8 Maximum Award Amount: $10,000,000

C. Program Area Description The purpose of the AFRI SAS program area is to promote the sustainable supply of abundant, affordable, safe, nutritious, and accessible food and other agricultural products, while enhancing employment and economic opportunities and improving the long-term health and well-being of Americans.

This AFRI RFA will support projects that significantly advance foundational and applied sciences for the following USDA priority outcomes:

1. Climate-Smart Agriculture and Forestry (CSAF): Improve mitigation, adaptation, and resiliency of agricultural and forestry production systems to climate change.

2. Strengthening the Bioeconomy: Develop sources of clean energy and other high-value biobased products from agricultural feedstocks to foster economic development and prosperity, especially in underserved communities.

3. Nutrition Security: Enhance the contribution of food and agriculture to improve health of the nation through resilient local and regional food systems, adoption, and application of new or existing technologies, tools, education, and other resources to ensure access to adequate, safe, nutritious, and affordable food.

The AFRI SAS RFA is soliciting creative and visionary projects developed by transdisciplinary teams that integrate research, education, and extension activities and effectively use a systems https://nifa.usda.gov/resource/afri-international-partnerships approach to promote convergence of science and technology to solve challenges to current and future food and agricultural production systems. Projects that use genomics, prescriptive interventions, artificial intelligence, data systems management, and/or automation for providing solutions in the topic areas of focus are encouraged. In addition, the economic sustainability of food systems, including the training or retraining of a skilled workforce to sustain them, is an overarching priority for the projects funded in response to this RFA. Projects focusing on plant or animal species or commodities that are important to underserved communities, farmers, or ranchers, small- or medium-sized farms or ranches and can derive measurable benefits to these communities are encouraged.

Agricultural systems are inclusive of supply chains from production to consumption of food and other agricultural products, and from traditional open-field farms, ranches, and managed forests to controlled production in built environments across the rural-urban continuum. Consideration must be given to how new strategies or other technical interventions may alter existing systems and the future implications of unintended effects. Applicants must demonstrate that the changes resulting from the proposed efforts will enhance the viability of the food and agricultural value chain. This could include improving agroecosystem services, food safety and nutritional quality, profitability, and the health and well-being of people and communities. The systems may include approaches that reduce the environmental footprint of agriculture including, but not limited to, water and nutrient use, greenhouse gas emissions, and energy use. These systems must also include workforce training programs that respond to local and regional employment needs and opportunities as well as allow participants to train, retrain, or transition to current and emerging job opportunities in their communities.

Projects must use a systems approach that recognizes and uses the convergence of rapidly advancing science and technology (e.g., biotechnology, omics, data science, artificial intelligence, nanotechnology, information science, cognitive science, and public engagement) to address these complex and intertwined problems, to ensure the economic, environmental, and social well-being goals of sustainable agriculture. SAS projects must enhance the availability of a skilled workforce through development and deployment of formal and non-formal education, immersive-learning activities, and training of the current and next generation of the agricultural workforce. This includes training or retraining current and future farmers, workers, and scientists who must be equipped to use new skills, technologies, and experiences to find and implement solutions to global food and agricultural challenges. Educational activities should include broad types of learning and engagement (e.g., hands-on learning, experiential, and other newer methods of teaching and disseminating information), emphasize leadership and development of interpersonal and team skills, and include virtual options, as appropriate.

Extension and other engagement should produce significant behavioral changes leading to impacts such as sustainable production and consumption practices and improving public health and well-being. Targeted communities should be engaged in the design, approach, and feedback loops of project activities directly affecting them.

Projects must plan to employ meaningful performance metrics that measure progress during the grant period toward the long-term goals described below. These metrics can include how the proposed system and its components contribute to productivity and profitability, reduced environmental footprint, enhanced natural resources, food safety and quality, nutritional security, human health and well-being, a skilled workforce, more sustainable jobs in the agricultural sector, or discernable benefits to underserved communities.

Applications must address one or more of the following long-term goals:

1. Climate-Smart Agriculture and Forestry (CSAF): Improve mitigation, adaptation, and resiliency of agricultural and forestry production systems to climate change. Agricultural, rangeland, aquaculture, and forestry systems are increasingly threatened by climate change and extreme weather events while being relied upon to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions and sequester carbon. Climate-smart agriculture and forestry systems must be developed to tackle these challenges. Socially, economically, and environmentally sustainable CSAF must overcome diminishing natural resources, reduce inequities experienced by underserved communities, reduce loss of natural habitats and biodiversity, support sustainable agricultural intensification, and meet accelerating demands for food and other agricultural products. Effective CSAF approaches will consider agroecological principles, improvements to climate models and measurements, technological advancements, availability of a skilled workforce, and socioeconomic opportunities and barriers to CSAF systems. Innovations should consider profitability, production, and the sustainable use of the natural resource base. Projects supporting this goal must also develop, implement, or enhance understanding of one or more of the following and are encouraged to coordinate with USDA Climate Hubs:

a) Greenhouse Gas Mitigation: Reduce greenhouse gas emissions to 50% of current rates by 2030 and achieve net-zero emissions from agriculture and forestry by 2050.

Reducing greenhouse gases that have short atmospheric residence times (such as methane), increasing carbon sequestration, and reducing forest fires are important targets for investigation.

b) Markets & Socioeconomics: Improve market opportunities for CSAF. Opportunities exist to create CSAF supply chains and products, develop carbon and other ecosystem service markets, and reduce food loss and waste. Improving greenhouse gas measurements and climate modeling will underpin efficient markets.

c) Regionally Appropriate Climate Adaptation and Resilience: Develop resilient agricultural, rangeland, aquaculture, and/or forestry systems that can adapt to climate change while considering incremental climate changes and extreme weather events.

Better predicting climate-related stressors; advancing appropriate management, tools, and technologies; and translating climate knowledge for stakeholders are essential for CSAF systems.

2. Strengthening the Bioeconomy: Foster economic development and prosperity in rural

America by developing and advancing production of clean, renewable, and sustainable energy and biobased products from forests and agriculture. The development of a sustainable and resilient circular bioeconomy has been hampered by the scarcity of well-paid employment opportunities in rural communities, especially among underserved communities, as well as infrastructure susceptibility to climate shocks, increasing costs for https://www.climatehubs.usda.gov/ transportation, and access to economically-viable technologies. New or improved production systems need to be developed to create cost-competitive and sustainable biobased products and supply chains that strengthen the American rural economy using circular principles. Circular economy implementation generates economic gains while alleviating pressure on the environment through recycling materials and capturing value (e.g., zero-waste, carbon neutral) along the supply chain. Biobased products should be manufactured from agricultural byproducts and coproducts, waste streams, emerging crops or livestock, forest, or fishery feedstocks and have a reduced or mitigative capacity in environmental impact based on life cycle and other environmental analyses. Projects should focus on engaging local communities to develop new or improved production and distribution systems inclusive of promoting economic equity, lowering environmental impacts, and the development of more effective formal and non-formal education/training methods and programs to strengthen the workforce pipeline for the bioeconomy. Projects supporting this goal must address all of the following:

a) Sustainable Bioenergy and Biobased Products: Develop new and/or improved approaches for the production and manufacturing of clean energy (particularly sustainable aviation fuels) and sustainable biobased products that improve food, feed, fiber, industrial, or value-added products.

b) Resilience and Robustness of Food and Agricultural System: Develop innovative approaches that increase the adaptability of the bioeconomy to disruptions (including abiotic and biotic stressors). Innovations in community-based local and regional collaborations are appropriate to this topic.

c) Potential Sustainability Impacts: Use new or improved modeling or assessment techniques (including artificial intelligence) to determine short- and long-term sustainability benchmarks, impacts, and outcomes of new or improved production systems compared to existing production systems. Models and analytic tools should be capable of capturing the value and impact of products and byproducts at each point, from manufacture to disposal, in the local and regional context. Assessments of the system circularity should examine feedstock production, storage, transportation, manufacturing processes, economic viability, labor supply and training, environmental impacts, and effects on communities, particularly underserved communities.

3. Food and Nutrition Security: Enhance the importance of food and agriculture to health of the nation through resilient local and regional food systems, adoption, and application of new or existing technologies, tools, education, and other resources to ensure access to adequate, safe, nutritious, and affordable food. This goal emphasizes local and regional food systems including applications with strategies to develop shorter food supply chains for nutritious foods that are equitable, culturally appropriate, and compatible with community needs. Underserved communities such as racial and ethnic minority populations, lower-income populations, and rural and remote populations suffer the greatest disparities in food insecurity. Food insecurity often coexists with diet-related chronic diseases including heart disease, diabetes, and cancers. Inequitable impacts of climate change also coexist with food and nutrition insecurity. Addressing food and nutrition insecurity is interrelated with challenges and opportunities with food production systems. Applications addressing this goal should be designed to challenge social determinants of health through integrated research, education, and extension/outreach activities including 4-H or other forms of positive youth development programs and to address food and nutrition security among the nation’s most vulnerable populations.

Projects addressing this goal must develop, implement, or enhance understanding of at least one of the following:

a) Local and Regional Food Systems: Build resilient local and regional food systems that foster and support agricultural innovation that ensures America’s agricultural system is equitable, nutritious, and prosperous. Design culturally and contextually appropriate approaches to reduce food supply chain disruption with an emphasis on mitigating the effects of climate and other disasters on food systems and fostering resilient food systems in disaster-prone areas.

b) Nutrition-Sensitive Climate-Smart Agriculture: Promote productive, profitable, and nutrition-sensitive climate-smart production practices that increase returns on investment for farmers/producers and mitigate economic cost and food waste, particularly among underserved farmers. Promote nutritious crops while ensuring more sustainable production in terms of soil health, nutrient density, and crop resiliency to climate variabilities.

c) Nutrition Security & Diet-Related Health Disparities: Develop innovative approaches to address upstream social determinants of health with an emphasis on fostering connections with sustainable agricultural systems that integrate robust partnerships and efforts led by or with strong representation from underserved populations.

Descriptions and examples of the three goals given above are meant to be guidance for project development, rather than being prescriptive. The project teams are expected to define the scope of their systems, system components, and detailed metrics that are directed at achieving one or more of the three goals in this RFA. SAS projects addressing any of these goals are expected to develop new formal and non-formal education/training activities for youth and adults resulting in high quality employment skills and opportunities, particularly for underserved communities and youth.

1. Program Area Additional Information: Letter of Intent (LOI) submission is required and must be submitted by an integrated project eligible institution (see Part III § A). LOI format is defined in Part IV § A. LOIs must include:

a) the specific program goal(s) (i.e., Climate-Smart Agriculture and Forestry, Bioeconomy, and/or Nutrition Security) being addressed by the project within the “specific objectives” section of the LOI;

b) description of the objectives and deliverables addressed by the project, including short, medium, and long-term objectives within the “specific objectives” section of the LOI;

c) description of the scope of systems and justification of components under investigation within the “approach” section of the LOI;

d) description of how the project will be integrated (i.e., integrate research, education and extension) within the “approach” section of the LOI;

e) clear descriptions and justification of the methods for the transdisciplinary approach to be used to achieve the desired goal(s) also within the “approach” section of the LOI; and

f) description of the short, medium, and long-term benefits to the food, forest, or agricultural system within the “potential impact and expected outcomes” of the

LOI.

2. Competitive proposals will present a clear explanation of the system(s) chosen that will be selected and the associated problems that will be addressed through research, extension, or education. Proposals will explain the scope of the systems as well as the full extent of expected impacts. Applicants may choose to address at least one or, typically, more than one of the emphasis areas described in this Program Area Priority. A range of appropriate outcomes and impacts is expected for these projects.

3. Improved assessment tools for monitoring conditions and evaluating the effects of adaptive management practices on increased resilience at different scales are also needed to support effective decision-making. Potential adaptive management practices may have multiple economic, ecological, or social effects on both urban and rural populations and may require new approaches to developing interdisciplinary educational curricula or extension programs to achieve optimum workforce development and adoption by stakeholders.

4. Projects should enhance access and interest in food and agricultural education for communities, especially those underrepresented in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM). Funded projects are expected to develop tools, techniques, and/or formal and non-formal education practices that can be adopted and implemented by education professionals in the classroom, at home or by extension specialists, or other non-formal education professionals. Funded projects should enhance economic prosperity by training or retraining the agricultural workforce to meet local and regional employment needs and opportunities.

5. Projects must provide a clear description of how transdisciplinary approaches will be deployed to achieve the goals of the project as defined in Appendix III. Proposals must demonstrate transdisciplinary linkages necessary to address the complex challenges in developing sustainable agricultural systems.

6. All applications must adhere to the requirements beginning in Part IV.

a) A Management Plan (Part IV § C.3.f “Field 12. Other Attachments” for additional information) must include project governance, a stakeholder advisory board, involvement of an external evaluator, and progress reporting. The plan must clearly articulate with an organizational chart how the project will be governed. A well thought-out strategy must be put in place to enhance coordination, collaboration, communication, data sharing and reporting among members of the project team and stakeholder groups. The management plan must include an advisory group of principal stakeholders, partners, and professionals to assess and evaluate the quality, expected measurable outcomes, and potential impacts for the proposed research, education and extension. An external evaluator must be employed, with a specified amount of funding set aside for evaluation support. Success in meeting objectives must be demonstrated through proposed project metrics. Reporting requirements must include a description of key achievements including the publicly available and compatible technologies, information, and data products.

b) A Data Management Plan (see Part IV § C.3.f. “Field 12. Other Attachments” for additional information) must include making data publicly available with persistent identifiers or compatible with other open databases and sources. Machine readable data management plans produced using tools such as the DMPTool are strongly encouraged. A reasonable budget allocation for data management is allowed as a direct cost. Each Project Director (PD) must attend an inaugural PD meeting to share and coordinate their data management strategies with PDs from other funded projects to increase the value of the collective data through compatibility and sharing with regard to FAIR data standards, privacy, security and ethics.

c) A Logic Model (see Part IV, C. 3. f. “Field 12. Other Attachments” for additional information) must include elements detailing the activities, outputs, and outcomes of the proposed project. The logic model planning process is a tool that should be used to develop a project before writing the application. This information may be provided as a narrative or formatted into a logic model chart. For more information and resources, see Integrated Programs’ Logic Model Planning Process located on the NIFA website.

7. Applications from and collaborations with small to mid-sized institutions, minority-serving institutions, and/or institutions within the Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR) states are encouraged.

8. For this program area, successful projects will integrate all three functions of the agricultural knowledge systems (i.e., Research, Education, and Extension) within a project focused on a problem or challenge. Each application should be planned, developed, and written in a manner that reflects the input and expertise of the entire integrated project team. Each integrated activity should be represented by one or more objectives within the application, with no more than two-thirds of a project’s budget being allocated to any single function.

9. Educational activities should develop human capital skilled for the sustainable agricultural systems of the future and must meet the definition described in Appendix III of this RFA as well as the guidelines for education described for integrated project types (see “AFRI Project Types” in the attachments list on the AFRI RFA Resources page). In addition, educational components should make use of innovative approaches such as stackable credential frameworks, novel experiential learning opportunities, on-the-job training, development of leadership skills (e.g., critical thinking, problem solving, communication), use of transdisciplinary and multi-institutional teams, online educational resources, citizen science, apps, or educational games. Investigators are strongly encouraged to engage a diverse population of education professionals and students in these activities, including underserved and nontraditional students. Applications strengthening community college level education are encouraged.

10. Extension activities must meet the definition described in Appendix III of this RFA and the guidelines for extension described for integrated project types (see “AFRI Project Types” in the attachments list on the AFRI RFA Resources page). In addition, extension components must include:

https://dmptool.org/ https://www.go-fair.org/fair-principles/ https://nifa.usda.gov/resource/integrated-programs-logic-model-planning-process https://nifa.usda.gov/resource/afri-request-applications-resources

a) A high degree of engagement among researchers, extension or other engagement personnel, and relevant stakeholders, from inception through implementation of the project;

b) Approaches that consider the factors that impact decision making (e.g., assess individual, stakeholder group, or community needs; develop strategies that incentivize changes in practices to manage lands, crops and/or systems; promote adoption of new technologies and other interventions based on knowledge of user preferences); and

c) Innovative approaches to disseminate project results and/or best management practices.

d) Extension activities may include positive youth development programs such as 4-H.

11. Applications must:

a) Clearly identify the systems addressed in the project and provide justification for why that system, its scope, and components, were selected. Where possible, each application must describe the prioritization process used to determine which systems and components to investigate in terms of the food and agricultural production practices, supply chain components, consumption end uses, and impacts on people.

b) Describe a meaningful approach for blending research, education, and extension expertise and other extension and implementation approaches throughout the project to address principal objectives.

c) Provide evidence that the project is aligned with AFRI priorities established by the Farm Bill, as listed in Part I § A of this RFA.

d) Describe expected solutions or improvements and how these will be assessed and measured in their project.

e) Address the potential costs of proposed solutions identified in the proposal and describe how solutions can be scaled to be used in the short- and long-term based on technical, economic, and social feasibility.

f) Explain how the project will strengthen agricultural and food production systems and how results will be adopted or applied at a local, regional, or national level.

12. During the proposal review process, the diversity of agricultural systems and long-term goals included may be taken into consideration when making final awards.

13. NIFA supports global engagement that advances U.S. agricultural goals. To attain the agency's goals for U.S. agriculture, global competence of our nation’s agricultural workforce, and safe and nutritious food security in a growing world, NIFA recognizes that collaboration with international partners through AFRI can contribute to advances in U.S.

agriculture. Thus, applications in response to this RFA may include collaborations with international partners but may only be submitted by eligible U.S. institutions. Such applications may include subcontracts to international partners or other institutions and must clearly demonstrate benefits to the United States. Additional guidance on including international activities is provided on the AFRI International Partnerships website.

14. Applicants are encouraged to consult the definitions and examples of the food and agricultural systems in the National Academy of Sciences report on “A Framework for Assessing Effects of the Food System.”

https://www.nap.edu/catalog/18846/a-framework-for-assessing-effects-of-the-food-system https://www.nap.edu/catalog/18846/a-framework-for-assessing-effects-of-the-food-system

PART II. AWARD INFORMATION

A. Available Funding The anticipated amount available for the Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (AFRI) Sustainable Agricultural Systems (SAS) RFA in FY 2022 is approximately $80,000,000 for integrated projects. This RFA is released prior to the passage of an appropriations act for FY 2022. Enactment of additional continuing resolutions or an appropriations act may affect the availability or level of funding for this program

USDA is not committed to fund any application or to make a specific number of awards. The Automated Standard Application for Payments, operated by the Department of Treasury, Bureau of Fiscal Service, is the designated payment system for awards resulting from this RFA.

B. Application Restrictions NIFA will evaluate applications using the criteria described in Part V of this RFA. Application for FY 2022 is limited to the following applications types:

1. New application: New applications will be evaluated using the criteria described in Part V of this RFA and are subject to the due dates herein (see Appendix III for definition).

2. Resubmitted application: Resubmitted applications must include the respond to the previous review panel summary and are subject to the same criteria and due dates herein.

Resubmitted applicants must enter the NIFA-assigned proposal number of the previously submitted application in the Federal Field (Field 4) on the application form (see Appendix III for definition).

C. Project and Grant Types The following describes the types of projects or grants that are eligible for funding:

1. Project Types. Applicants must propose one of the AFRI project types specified within the relevant program area descriptions in Part I § C of this RFA. Only project types specifically solicited under each program area or program area priority described in Part I § C of this RFA will be considered for review. A detailed description of the project types available across AFRI is located on the AFRI RFA Resources page (“AFRI Project Types” in the attachments list).

2. Grant Types. Applicants must select the appropriate AFRI grant type specified within the relevant Program Area Descriptions in Part I § C of this RFA. Only grant types specifically solicited under each program area or program area priority described in Part I § C of this RFA will be considered for review. A detailed description of the grant types (Standard Grants, Coordinated Agricultural Projects, Conference Grants, Collaborative Grants, and FASE Grants) available across AFRI is located on the AFRI RFA Resources page (“AFRI Grant Types” in the attachments list).

D. Ethical Conduct of Funded Projects 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 https://www.fiscal.treasury.gov/fsservices/gov/pmt/asap/asap_home.htm https://nifa.usda.gov/resource/afri-request-applications-resources https://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?SID=3f96ab05cf1fc2d2713e5e46755e7696&mc=true&node=pt2.1.422&rgn=div5#se2.1.422_12 recipients must, upon request, make available to NIFA the policies, procedures, and documentation to support the conduct of the training. See Responsible and Ethical Conduct of Research for further information.

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

PART III. ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION

A. Eligibility Requirements Applicants for the Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (AFRI) Sustainable Agricultural Systems (SAS) RFA must meet all the requirements discussed in this RFA. Failure to meet the eligibility criteria by the application deadline may result in exclusion from consideration or, preclude NIFA from making an award. For those new to Federal financial assistance, NIFA’s Grants Overview provides highly recommended information about grants and other resources to help understand the Federal awards process.

1. Integrated Projects Eligible applicants for Integrated Projects include:

a) colleges and universities;

b) 1994 Land-Grant Institutions; and

c) Hispanic-serving agricultural colleges and universities (see NIFA's Hispanic-Serving

Agricultural Colleges and Universities page).

For item a) under Integrated Projects, the terms "college" and "university" mean an educational institution in any state which

i) admits as regular students only persons having a certificate of graduation from a school providing secondary education, or the recognized equivalent of such a certificate;

ii) is legally authorized within such state to provide a program of education beyond secondary education;

iii) provides an educational program for which a bachelor’s degree or any other higher degree is awarded;

iv) is a public or other nonprofit institution; and

v) is accredited by a nationally recognized accrediting agency or association.

A research foundation maintained by a college or university is eligible to receive an award under this program.

2. Food and Agricultural Science Enhancement Grants

Part II § C.2 of this RFA contains the eligibility details for Food and Agricultural Science Enhancement (FASE) Grants. Note that under FASE program, Strengthening Coordinated Agricultural Project and Strengthening Standard Grants are solicited in this RFA.

Applicants must respond to the program area priorities and deadlines found in Part I § C of this RFA. Grant recipients may subcontract to organizations not eligible to apply provided such organizations are necessary for the conduct of the project. Failure to meet an eligibility criterion by the application deadline may result in the application being excluded from consideration or, even though an application may be reviewed, will preclude NIFA from making an award (see Part III § B).

Duplicate or Multiple Submissions – duplicate or multiple submissions is not allowed. NIFA will disqualify both applications if an applicant submits duplicate or multiple submissions. For those new to Federal financial assistance, NIFA’s Grants Overview provides highly https://nifa.usda.gov/resource/grants-overview https://nifa.usda.gov/hispanic-serving-agricultural-colleges-and-universities-hsacu https://nifa.usda.gov/hispanic-serving-agricultural-colleges-and-universities-hsacu https://nifa.usda.gov/resource/grants-overview recommended information about grants and other resources to help understand the Federal awards process.

B. Request for Determination of Status

1. Minority–Serving Institution If an institution is applying for a Strengthening Grant (see Part II § C. 2) and wants the Secretary to consider a group, beyond one included in the minority definition (See Appendix III), then documentation (see below) must be submitted as part of the requestor’s Letter of Intent (if required) and the full application package (Part IV, C) by the applicable program area or program area priority deadline. The Secretary of Agriculture (or designated individual) will use the information in the documentation to determine whether the group or groups identified are qualified as a minority group for the purpose of receiving a Strengthening Grant under the FASE program (for Strengthening Grants information, refer to the AFRI RFA Resources page, “AFRI Grant Types” in the attachments list).

Documentation for the request for determination as a minority-serving institution must include the following and be provided in the order specified below:

a) A description of each minority group being submitted for determination;

b) Data or studies supporting this group’s designation as a minority group; and

c) Data indicating that enrollment of the minority group(s) exceeds 50 percent of the total enrollment at the academic institution, including graduate and undergraduate and full-and part-time students.

2. Multi-Campus Institution

All institutions grouped under one main campus as listed in “Table 1 Most Successful Institutions” in the attachments list in the AFRI RFA Resources page, unless located in an Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR) state (See “AFRI Grant Types” in the attachments list in the AFRI RFA Resources page), are excluded from eligibility for all strengthening funds.