FY22-CYFAR-4HM-PDTA-RFA-508.pdf

REQUEST FOR APPLICATIONS

Children, Youth, and Families at Risk 4-H

Military Partnership Professional Development and Technical Assistance

Program

FUNDING YEAR: Fiscal Year 2022

APPLICATION DEADLINE: June 23, 2022

ANTICIPATED FUNDING: $450,000

FUNDING OPPORTUNITY NUMBER: USDA-NIFA-SLBCD-009044

ASSISTANCE LISTING NUMBER: 10.521

LETTER OF INTENT DEADLINE: Not Required

INITIAL ANNOUNCEMENT

National Institute of Food and Agriculture United States Department of Agriculture

Assistance Listing: The Children, Youth, and Families at Risk 4-H Military Partnership Professional Development and Technical Assistance Program is listed in the Assistance Listings under number 10.521.

Table 1: Key Dates and Deadlines Task Description Deadline

Application: 5:00 P.M. Eastern, June 23, 2022 Letter of Intent: Not Required

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

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, institutions, and organizations 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.

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 Children, Youth, and Families at Risk 4- H Military Partnership Professional Development and Technical Assistance Program RFA.

Centers of Excellence. Applicants are encouraged to visit the NIFA’s Centers of Excellence (COE) for information on COE designation process, including COE criteria, and a list of programs offering COE opportunities. A recording 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

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

NIFA requests applications for the CYF AR 4-H Military Partnership Professional Development and Technical Assistance Program (CMPC-PDTA) for fiscal year (FY) 2022 to support the implementation and capacity of the 4-H Military Partnership and Outreach Support Program.

The amount available for CMPC-PDTA in FY 2019 is approximately $450,000. This is a new three (3) year continuation award. Subsequent annual increments of funding will be contingent upon satisfactory progress by the awardee and the availability of funding.

This notice identifies the objectives for Youth and Families at Risk 4-H Military Partnership Professional Development and Technical Assistance Program 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

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. Cost Sharing or Matching C. Centers of Excellence

PART IV. APPLICATION AND SUBMISSION

A. Method of Application B. Content and Form of the Application C. 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 C. Expected Program Outputs and Reporting 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

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

Funding for the CYFAR 4-H Military Partnership Professional Development and Technical Assistance Program is authorized under section 3(d) of the Smith-Lever Act of May 8, 1914, as amended (7 U.S.C. 341, et seq.). Section 7609 of the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 (Pub.

L. 115-334) added the 1994 Land-grant Institutions (as defined in section 532 of the Equity in Educational Land-Grant Status Act of 1994 (7 U.S.C., Section 301 note) as eligible to compete for and receive CYFAR funding. Section 7403 of the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act (FCEA) of 2008 amended section 3(d) of the Smith-Lever Act of 1914 (7 U.S.C. 343(d)) in regard to eligibility. The eligibility to compete for CYFAR funding was broadened to include 1890 Land-grant Colleges and Universities, including Tuskegee University, West Virginia State University, and Central State University. Eligibility was also provided to the University of the District of Columbia per Section 208 of the District of Columbia Public Postsecondary Education Reorganization Act.

Since 2009, NIFA has partnered with the United States military service branches to marshal resources of the Cooperative Extension 4-H programs to develop capacity for supporting and sustaining programs for military-connected youth who are identified as at-risk youth. CYF AR military-connected youth programs have been funded in forty-seven states, the District of Columbia, and 2 territories and reach over 100,000 military-connected youth through 4-H positive youth development experiences in 4-H clubs, camps, and other 4-H opportunities.

B. Purpose and Priorities

The CYFAR 4-H Military Partnership Professional Development and Technical Assistance Program (CMPC-PDTA) has three strategic objectives:

1. To provide professional development and technical assistance to the Land-grant institutions and Cooperative Extension Systems, in collaboration with other organizations, to ensure continued development and implementation of the 4-H program on military installations. The CMPC-PDTA program, collaboratively institutions and Cooperative Extension Systems, in collaboration with other organizations, to ensure continued development and implementation of the 4-H program on military installations. The CMPC-PDTA program, collaboratively through the Extension system will provide the components of professional development and technical assistance in keeping with the CYF AR Guiding Principles: (see Children, Youth, and Families at Risk Program Guiding Principles).

2. To support the development of Cooperative Extension's educational 4-H positive youth development programs (in local, often rural communities) for military-connected youth based on identified needs and soundly grounded in research.

3. To integrate 4-H Military Partnership programming into ongoing Extension programs for children, youth, and families - ensuring that military-connected youth continue to be a part of Extension 4-H programs and have access to resources and educational opportunities.

In alignment with the overall purpose of the program, the strategic objectives must be accomplished through the following activities:

https://nifa.usda.gov/sites/default/files/Smith-Lever%20Act.pdf https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=(title:7%20section:341%20edition:prelim)%20OR%20(granuleid:USC-prelim-title7-section341)&f=treesort&edition=prelim&num=0&jumpTo=true https://www.congress.gov/bill/115th-congress/house-bill/2/text https://www.congress.gov/bill/103rd-congress/house-bill/4806/text https://www.congress.gov/bill/103rd-congress/house-bill/4806/text https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?path=/prelim@title7/chapter13/subchapter1&edition=prelim https://www.congress.gov/bill/110th-congress/house-bill/2419 https://www.congress.gov/bill/110th-congress/house-bill/2419 https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=(title:7%20section:343%20edition:prelim)%20OR%20(granuleid:USC-prelim-title7-section343)&f=treesort&edition=prelim&num=0&jumpTo=true https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/STATUTE-88/pdf/STATUTE-88-Pg1423.pdf https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/STATUTE-88/pdf/STATUTE-88-Pg1423.pdf https://nifa.usda.gov/sites/default/files/program/CYFAR%20guiding_principles.pdf https://nifa.usda.gov/sites/default/files/program/CYFAR%20guiding_principles.pdf

1. Professional Development:

Through a stakeholder input process, professional development training needs, including mental health, must be identified and based on the stakeholder input, a professional development plan must be created outlining training opportunities delivered through diverse methods and an evaluation plan for training. The overall professional development plan shall be designed to maximize expertise and capacity of Extension faculty, local and regional staff, and at the national level for 4-H military liaisons, military service staff working with land-grant institutions and those involved in working with military-connected youth.

2. Communication:

A plan for communication must be created outlining various strategies to increase meaningful communication across the partnership including the development and dissemination of marketing materials.

3. Evaluation:

An evaluation plan must be created detailing what will be measured, how data will be collected and maintained will be accomplished for partners' programs, and a process for providing training and technical assistance for issues related to evaluation and measuring impacts and an Annual Report and Impact Statements must be completed and published for dissemination.

Three (3) Year Plan of Work CMPC-PDTA applicants will describe how the strategic objectives with activities will be implemented over three years. The Plan of Work will be included in the Project Narrative.

The CYFAR 4-H Military Partnership Professional Development and Technical Assistance is aligned with the following: USDA Strategic Plan found at (https://www.usda.gov/sites/default/files/documents/usda-fy-2022-2026-strategic-plan.pdf).

Specifically, Goal 6: Attract, Inspire, and Retain an Engaged and Motivated Workforce that’s Proud to Represent USDA.

Handling of baseline data and data collection will be addressed in the Data Management Plan (DMP) in accordance with the Part IV(B) of this RFA.

For a program informational webinar please visit the NIFA calendar for dates, event registration, and link.

https://www.usda.gov/sites/default/files/documents/usda-fy-2022-2026-strategic-plan.pdf https://nifa.usda.gov/grants/upcoming-request-applications-calendar

Table 2. Program Key Information Title Description

Program Code: MC Program Code Name: Youth At Risk

CFDA Number 10.521 Project Type: Extension Projects Grant Type: Regular Grant

Application Deadline June 23, 2022 Grant Duration: 12 Months

Anticipated # of Awards: 1 Maximum Award Amount: $450,000

Pursuit, application, and preservation of traditional ecological knowledge is an acceptable method to pursue the objectives of this program. NIFA welcomes (but does not require) applicants to work with the Extension Foundation for the development and delivery of content for the public and for Extension professionals nationwide through Connect Extension, or a National Cooperative Extension Project website. NIFA encourages outreach through virtual methods.

https://gcc02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fextension.org%2F&data=04%7C01%7C%7Ca20ab3b70b594250729308d9b8d16d39%7Ced5b36e701ee4ebc867ee03cfa0d4697%7C0%7C0%7C637744031880128218%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000&sdata=O1FPITwYnPL9bUoa6KlWT3HGCAodXoe4WabAWYMPwUs%3D&reserved=0 https://gcc02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fconnect.extension.org%2F&data=04%7C01%7C%7Ca20ab3b70b594250729308d9b8d16d39%7Ced5b36e701ee4ebc867ee03cfa0d4697%7C0%7C0%7C637744031880128218%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000&sdata=BvJWf0GqWsEOZBxeTIFyE0pVGEuxR95tkXzOccIQKeA%3D&reserved=0 https://gcc02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fextension.org%2Fnational-cooperative-extension-projects%2F&data=04%7C01%7C%7Ca20ab3b70b594250729308d9b8d16d39%7Ced5b36e701ee4ebc867ee03cfa0d4697%7C0%7C0%7C637744031880128218%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000&sdata=%2BNLyg2ocosC8NESorX3VwJSeDDNnw9IturIgC2JMlNk%3D&reserved=0 https://gcc02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fextension.org%2Fnational-cooperative-extension-projects%2F&data=04%7C01%7C%7Ca20ab3b70b594250729308d9b8d16d39%7Ced5b36e701ee4ebc867ee03cfa0d4697%7C0%7C0%7C637744031880128218%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000&sdata=%2BNLyg2ocosC8NESorX3VwJSeDDNnw9IturIgC2JMlNk%3D&reserved=0

PART II. AWARD INFORMATION

A. Available Funding The amount available for CYFAR 4-H Military Partnership Professional Development and Technical Assistance Program (CMPC-PDTA) in FY2022 is approximately $450,000 of this three-year continuation award. USDA is not committed to fund any particular 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 FY2022 is limited to the following application types:

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

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).

NIFA may choose to issue a new award on a continuation basis. A continuation award is an award instrument by which NIFA agrees to support a specified level of effort for a predetermined period of time with a statement of intention to provide additional support at a future date, provided that performance has been satisfactory, appropriations are available for this purpose, and continued support would be in the best interest of the federal government and the public.

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 an Extension Project. Extension Projects conduct programs and activities that deliver science-based knowledge and informal educational programs to people, enabling them to make practical decisions. Extension Projects may also include related matters such as certification programs, in-service training, client recruitment and services, curriculum development, instructional materials, and equipment, and innovative instructional methodologies appropriate to informal educational programs. See Part 1 § B of this RFA.

2. Grant Types. Applicants must select the appropriate regular grant. Regular Grant supports targeted original scientific Research, Education/Teaching, Extension, or Integrated Projects. An eligible, individual institution, independent branch campus, or branch institution of a state system may submit a grant application for project activities to be undertaken principally on behalf of its own students or faculty, and to be managed https://www.fiscal.treasury.gov/fsservices/gov/pmt/asap/asap_home.htm primarily by its own personnel. The applicant executes the project without the requirement of sharing grant funds with other project partners.

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 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.

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PART III. ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION

A. Eligibility Requirements Applicants for the CYFAR 4-H Military Partnership Professional Development and Technical Assistance Program 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. The following Land-grant Colleges and Universities are eligible for funding: 1994 Land-grant Institutions, 1890 Land-grant Institutions, and 1862 Land-grant Institutions.

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 recommended information about grants and other resources to help understand the Federal awards process.

B. Cost Sharing or Matching

1. No Match Required - The CYFAR 4-H Military Partnership Professional Development and Technical Assistance Program has NO matching requirement. NIFA will not factor matching resources into the review process as an evaluation criterion.

C. Centers of Excellence Pursuant to Section 7214 of the Agricultural Act of 2014 (Pub. L. 113-79), NIFA will recognize and prioritize COE applicants that carry out research, extension, and education activities that relate to the food and agricultural sciences. A COE is composed of one or more of the following entities that provide financial or in-kind support to the COE:

1. State agricultural experiment stations.

2. Colleges and universities.

3. University research foundations.

4. Other research institutions and organizations.

5. Federal agencies.

6. National laboratories.

7. Private organizations, foundations, or corporations.

8. Individuals; or

9. Any group consisting of two or more of the entities described in (1) through (8).

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PART IV. APPLICATION AND SUBMISSION

A. Method of Application Applicants must apply to this RFA electronically; no other method or response is accepted. The electronic application for this RFA and additional resources are available on Grants.gov and Grants 101. Table 3 provides instructions on how to obtain an electronic application. Part III of the NIFA Grants Application Guide contains detailed information regarding the Grants.gov registration process. The NIFA Grants Application Guide is contained in the specific funding opportunity package, or a sample of the guide can be found here. When applying for a NIFA award, it is important to reference the version of the guide that is included in the specific funding opportunity application package.

Table 3. Steps to Obtain Application Materials Steps Action

Step One: Register New Users to Grants.gov must register early with Grants.gov prior to submitting an application (Register Here).

Step Two:

Download Adobe

Download and Install Adobe Reader (see Adobe Software Compatibility for basic system requirements).

Step Three: Find Application

Using this funding opportunity number: USDA-NIFA-SLBCD-009044, search for application here: Opportunity Package.

Step Four: Assess Readiness

Contact an AR prior to starting an application to assess the organization’s readiness to submit an electronic application.

Table 4. Help and Resources

Grants.gov Support NIFA Support Grants.gov Online Support Telephone support: 800-518-4726 Toll- Free or 606-545-5035 Email support: support@grants.gov Self-service customer-based support:

Grants.gov iPortal grantapplicationquestions@usda.gov Key Information: Customer service business Hours 24/7, except federal holidays.

Email: grantapplicationquestions@usda.gov

Key Information: Business hours: Monday thru Friday, 7a.m. – 5p.m. ET, except federal holidays

B. Content and Form of the Application The application guide is part of the corresponding application package for this RFA. The RFA overrides the application guide if there is a discrepancy between the two documents. NIFA will accept subsequent submissions to an application until the application deadline. However, applicants that do not meet the application requirements, to include partial applications, risk https://www.grants.gov/ https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/learn-grants/grants-101/pre-award-phase.html/ https://nifa.usda.gov/resource/nifa-grantsgov-application-guide https://www.grants.gov/ https://nifa.usda.gov/resource/nifa-grantsgov-application-guide https://www.grants.gov/ https://www.grants.gov/ https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/register.html https://get.adobe.com/reader/ https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/adobe-software-compatibility.html https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/search-opportunity-package.html https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/support.html mailto:support@grants.gov https://grants-portal.psc.gov/Welcome.aspx?pt=Grants mailto:grantapplicationquestions@usda.gov https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/snow-dismissal-procedures/federal-holidays/ https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/snow-dismissal-procedures/federal-holidays/ mailto:grantapplicationquestions@usda.gov https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/snow-dismissal-procedures/federal-holidays/ being excluded from NIFA’s review. NIFA will assign a proposal number to all applications that meet the requirements of this RFA. Applicants must refer to the proposal number when corresponding with NIFA. Table 5 outlines other key instructions for applicants.

Table 5. Key Application Instructions Instruction References

(All references are to the Application Guide)

Attachments must be in a portable document format (PDF) format.

Part IV

Check the manifest of submitted files to verify attachments are in the correct format.

Part IV

Conduct an administrative review of the application before submission.

Part IV

Follow the submission instructions. Part V

Provide an accurate email address, where designated, on the SF-424 R&R.

Part V

Contact the Grants.gov helpdesk for technical support and keep a record of the correspondence.

N/A

Contact NIFA if applicant does not receive correspondence from NIFA regarding an application within 75 days of the application deadline.

N/A

SF 424 R&R Cover Sheet. See Part V of the Application Guide for the required certifications and assurances.

SF 424 R&R Project/Performance Site Location(s). See Part V of the Application Guide.

R&R Other Project Information Form. See Part V of the Application Guide.

1. Field 7. Project Summary (PS)/Abstract. The PS must show how the project goals align with the project goals of the CYFAR 4-H Military Partnership Professional Development and Technical Assistance Program. See Part V of the Application Guide for instructions and suggested templates.

2. Field 8. Project Narrative (PN). The PN must not exceed 12 1.5 spaced pages of written text and up to 7 1.5 spaced additional pages for figures and tables (the font size for tables should be no smaller than 11 points, Times New Roman). The page limits outlined here ensure fair and equitable competition. Appendices to the PN are allowed if they are directly germane to the proposed project. Do not add appendices to circumvent the page limit. The PN must include all the following):

https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/support.html https://nifa.usda.gov/resource/nifa-grantsgov-application-guide

a. Statement of Need and Background

i. Demonstrate an understanding of the nature of the issue this project is seeking to address.

ii. Describe how the overall project will effectively address the audience(s) to be served.

iii. Detail the characteristics of the institution(s) that make it particularly qualified to conduct the proposed work; describe ongoing or recently completed significant activities related to the proposed project, expert knowledge and experience with positive youth development, issues and challenges among military youth, implementing youth programs, relevant research and evaluation, capacity building through relevant professional development as well as experience working with military Services.

b. Plan of Work Projects should provide a clear description of the project objectives and activities listed in Part 1, Section B each year for (3) three years within a Plan of Work. The plan should clearly describe how the applicant will accomplish the following over the duration of the project:

i. Professional Development: Through a stakeholder input process, professional development training needs must be identified; and

ii. Based on the stakeholder input, a professional development plan must be created outlining training opportunities delivered through diverse methods and an evaluation plan for training. The overall professional development plan shall be designed to maximize expertise and capacity of Extension faculty, local and regional staff, and at the national level for 4-H military liaisons, military service staff working with land-grant institutions and those involved in working with military-connected youth.

iii. Communication: A plan for communication must be created outlining various strategies to increase meaningful communication across the partnership including the development and dissemination of marketing materials.

iv. Evaluation: An evaluation plan must be created detailing what will be measured, how data will be collected and maintained will be accomplished for partners' programs, and a process for providing training and technical assistance for issues related to evaluation and measuring impacts. An Annual Report and Impact Statements must be completed and published for dissemination.

v. Project Management: Provide a brief summary of key personnel, their project functions, qualifications and expertise along with timelines, reporting, and collaborative efforts. Provide a listing of partners and their corresponding roles within the project.

c. Budget and Budget Narrative.

i. There should be a direct relationship between the items in the budget and budget narrative, as well as between budget narrative and the objectives/activities contained in the Project Narrative.

ii. Every item in the budget must be justified in the proposal.

iii. Budget breakdown and budget narrative should be provided for each project year (Year 1 and Year 2). The project start date must be September 1, 2022, and the end date must be August 31, 2025.

NOTE: The budget narrative does not have to count toward the maximum page count stated in R&R Other Project Information Form. Page 12. Number 2.

d. Centers of Excellence Justification; Applicants requesting consideration of COE status must include their justification at the end of their Project Narratives and within the page limits provided for the project narratives.

3. Field 12, Add Other Attachments. See Part V of the Application Guide.

R&R Senior/Key Person Profile (Expanded). See Part V of the Application Guide for profile requirements, details about the biographical sketch, and suggested support templates.

R&R Personal Data. This information is voluntary and is not a precondition of award (see Part V of the Application Guide).

R&R Budget. See Part V of the Application Guide.

1. Match – Not Required

2. Indirect costs (IDC) – Not Required

Data Management Plan. A DMP is required for this program. Applicants should clearly articulate how the project director (PD) and co-PDs plan to manage and disseminate the data generated by the project. The DMP will be considered during the merit review process (see Part V § B of this RFA, NIFA’s Data Management Plan). If you need help in preparing a data management plan or have questions about what constitutes a data management plan for this role (including questions about data privacy, etc.), please contact the NIFA program contacts listed at the end of this RFA.

Supplemental Information Form. See Part V of the Application Guide.

1. Field 2. Program to which the applicant is applying. Enter the program name (CYFAR

4-H Military Partnership Professional Development and Technical Assistance Program) and the program code “MC”. Accurate entry is critical.

2. Field 8. Conflict of Interest List. See Part V of the Application Guide.

Representations Regarding Felony Conviction and Tax Delinquent Status for Corporate Applicants. This is required for corporate applicants. See Part VI § 2 of the Application Guide for a description of the term, “corporation.”

C. Funding Restrictions

No Indirect Cost (IDC). IDC is not authorized for this RFA.

https://nifa.usda.gov/resource/nifa-grantsgov-application-guide https://nifa.usda.gov/resource/data-management-plan-nifa-funded-research-projects

PART V. APPLICATION REVIEW REQUIREMENTS

A. NIFA’s Evaluation Process NIFA evaluates each application in a two-part process. First, we screen each application to ensure that it meets the administrative requirements set forth in this RFA. All administrative requirements must be met in order for the application to proceed to the next level of review.

Second, a scientific peer-review process will be used to technically evaluate applications that have met the administrative requirements using a review panel (see NIFA Peer Review Process).

Scientific Peer Review Process:

NIFA selects reviewers for the review panel based upon their training and experience in relevant scientific, extension, or education fields, taking into account the following factors:

1. the 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.

2. the need to include experts from various areas of specialization within relevant scientific, education, or extension fields.

3. the need to include other experts (e.g., producers, range or forest managers/operators, researchers,

4. public health practitioners, educators, consumers, and commercial reviews) who can assess relevance of the applications to targeted audiences and to program needs.

5. the need to include experts from a variety of organizational types (e.g., colleges, universities, industry, state and Federal agencies, and private profit and non-profit organizations) and geographic locations.

6. the need to maintain a balanced composition with regard to minority and female representation and an equitable age distribution; and

7. the 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 program staff of NIFA will recommend that your project is either approved for support from currently available funds or declined due to insufficient funds or unfavorable review.

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

After the review process has been completed, NIFA sends copies of reviews, not including the identity of reviewers, and a summary (if applicable) of the review panel comments to the PD.

Conflicts of interest. NIFA takes extreme care to prevent any actual or perceived conflicts of interest that may influence the review or evaluation (see NIFA Peer Review Process for Competitive Grant Applications).

https://nifa.usda.gov/sites/default/files/resource/NIFA-Peer-Review-Process-for-Competitive-Grant-Applications_0.pdf https://nifa.usda.gov/resource/nifa-peer-review-process-competitive-grant-applications

B. Evaluation Criteria NIFA will use the following criteria to evaluate this RFA:

1. Potential for successfully supporting the implementation and capacity of the 4-H Military Partnership and Outreach Support Program This criterion is used to assess the likelihood that the project team will succeed in: (1) providing the overall management of this project including partnerships and management of project staff: and (2) completing the activities and products described in Part I-Funding Opportunity Description, Section B., based on statement of need and background as well as experience with positive youth development, issues and challenges among military youth, implementing youth programs, relevant research and evaluation, capacity building through relevant professional development as well as experience working with military Services. Factors include those identified in the project narrative.

2. Proposed Approach This criterion is used to assess the soundness and sustainability of the proposed Plan of Work to successfully support the implementation and capacity of the 4-H Military Partnership and Outreach Support Program including objectives and activities and project management. Factors include those identified in the project narrative.

3. Budget and Budget Narrative This criterion is used to assess the extent to which the total 3-year budget adequately supports the project and is cost effective based on budget outline provided. Elements considered include: the necessity and reasonableness of costs to carry out project activities and achieve project objectives and the adequacy of time committed to the project by key project personnel. Factors include those identified in the project narrative.

A reviewer’s written evaluation entails two levels of assessment. First, the reviewer summarizes how well the application addressed each evaluation criterion. After the application has been assessed for strengths and weaknesses of each criterion, the reviewer then evaluates the overall likelihood that the project will have significant outcome and impact. These written reviews are used to begin panel discussions with other reviewers serving on the peer review panel. Through these discussions, peer review panelists come to consensus on the final rating and ranking of proposals. A complete description of NIFA’s peer review process can be found at the NIFA website: NIFA Peer Review Process for Competitive Grant Applications. Evaluation criteria that will be used in reviewing applications submitted in response to this RFA will encompass all areas of the project summary and narrative as outlined and described in Part IV, B. (R&R Other Project Information Form), Fields 7-12. As such, proposals will be evaluated on whether or not they include information requested in this RFA; the quality of information provided; and the feasibility of project’s successful completion given proposed objectives, associated activities, time, and partner(s)’ commitments.

C. Centers of Excellence In addition to evaluating applicants using the criterion listed in Part V § B of this RFA, NIFA will use the COE standards described in this RFA to evaluate applicants that rank highly meritorious and requested to be considered as a COE. In instances where applicants are found to be equally meritorious with the application of a non-COE applicant, NIFA will prioritize the COE applicant meeting the COE criteria. NIFA will effectively use the COE prioritization as a

“tie breaker.” Applicants that rank highly meritorious but who did not request consideration as a COE or who are not deemed to have met the COE standards may still receive funding.

Applicants that meet the COE requirements will have the COE designation in their notice of award. Entities recognized as COE will maintain that distinction for the duration of their period of performance or as identified in the terms and conditions of that award.

D. Organizational Management Information Applicants must submit specific management information relating to an applicant prior to an award and update the information as needed. Applicants may only have to update their information if they had previously provided the information under this or another NIFA program.

NIFA provides the requisite forms during the pre-award process. Although an applicant may be eligible for award under this program, 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, or a determination that an applicant is not responsible).

E. Application Disposition Applicants may withdraw at any time before NIFA makes a final funding decision. NIFA will retain all applications, including withdrawn applications and unfunded applications.

PART VI. AWARD ADMINISTRATION

A. General Within the limit of funds authorized, the NIFA awarding official will make grants to responsible and 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 must 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, 7 CFR Part 3430, subparts A through E.

Award Notice. The award document will provide pertinent instructions and information as described in 2 CFR 200.211 (see NIFA’s Terms and Conditions).

B. Administrative and National Policy Requirements Several federal statutes and regulations apply to grant applications and the projects outlined in this RFA (some are listed here: Federal Regulations). Unless specifically noted by statue or award-specific requirements, NIFA Policy Guide applies to all NIFA awards.

C. Expected Program Outputs and Reporting Requirements

1. CMPC-PDTA reporting requirements include the following: all web posted reports will be Section 508 Compliant. All reports published on the Internet must comply with Section 508 of the United States Workforce Rehabilitation Act of 1973.

2. Annual Report

3. Impact Statements https://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?SID=1a74011311d649ff6313ca273791b131&mc=true&node=pt7.15.3430&rgn=div5 https://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?SID=1a74011311d649ff6313ca273791b131&mc=true&node=pt7.15.3430&rgn=div5 https://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/retrieveECFR?gp=&SID=c44a1f8f16917d78ba5ba676eac5fdc3&mc=true&r=SECTION&n=se2.1.200_1211 https://nifa.usda.gov/terms-and-conditions https://nifa.usda.gov/federal-regulations https://nifa.usda.gov/policy-guide

PART VII. OTHER INFORMATION

A. Use of Funds and Changes in Budget Delegation of fiscal responsibility. Unless the terms and conditions of the award state otherwise, awardees may not in whole or in part delegate or transfer to another person, institution, or organization the responsibility for use or expenditure of award funds.

Changes in Budget or Project Plans. In accordance with 2 CFR 200.308, awardees must request prior approval from NIFA for the following program or budget-related reasons (the awardee is subject to the terms and conditions identified in the award):

1. Change in the scope or the objective of the project or program without prior written approval (even if there is no associated budget revision requiring).

2. Change in a key person specified in the application or the federal award.

3. Disengagement from the project for more than three months, or a 25 percent reduction in time devoted to the project.

4. Inclusion of costs that require prior approval in accordance with 2 CFR 200 Subpart E

(Cost Principles), or 45 CFR Part 75 Appendix IX, (Principles for Determining Costs Applicable to Research and Development under Awards and Contracts with Hospitals), or 48 CFR, unless waived by the federal awarding agency, 48 CFR Part 31, Contract Cost Principles and Procedures;

5. Transfer of funds budgeted for participant support costs to other categories of expense (2 CFR 200.456 Participant support costs);

6. Sub-awarding, transferring or contracting out of any work under a federal award, including fixed amount sub-awards (see 2 CFR 200.333, Fixed Amount Sub-awards), unless described in the application and funded in the approved federal awards. This provision does not apply to the acquisition of supplies, material, equipment, or general support services.

7. Changes in the approved cost-sharing or matching provided by the non-federal entity; and

8. The need for additional federal funds to complete the project.

B. Confidential Aspects of Applications and Awards When an application results in an award, it becomes a part of NIFA transaction records, which are available to the public. Information that the Secretary of Agriculture determines to be confidential, privileged, or proprietary in nature will be held in confidence to the extent permitted by law. Therefore, applicants should clearly mark any information within the application they wish to have considered as confidential, privileged, or proprietary. NIFA will retain a copy of an application that does not result in an award for three years. Such an application will be released only with the consent of the applicant or to the extent required by law. An applicant may withdraw at any time prior to the final action thereon.

C. Regulatory Information This program is not subject to the provisions of Executive Order 12372, which requires intergovernmental consultation with state and local officials. Under the provisions of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. Chapter 35), the collection of information requirements contained in this notice have been approved under OMB Document No. 0524- 0039.

https://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?SID=3af89506559b05297e7d0334cb283e24&mc=true&node=se2.1.200_1308&rgn=div8 https://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?SID=dc069d42776cd3451f66232d56026057&mc=true&node=pt2.1.200&rgn=div5#sp2.1.200.e https://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?SID=dc069d42776cd3451f66232d56026057&mc=true&node=pt2.1.200&rgn=div5#sp2.1.200.e https://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?node=pt45.1.75#ap45.1.75_1521.ix https://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?node=pt45.1.75#ap45.1.75_1521.ix https://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?node=pt45.1.75#ap45.1.75_1521.ix https://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?SID=4d9d83a5cef52c19c5ff83421fa48a4b&mc=true&tpl=/ecfrbrowse/Title48/48tab_02.tpl https://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?SID=4d9d83a5cef52c19c5ff83421fa48a4b&mc=true&node=pt48.1.31&rgn=div5 https://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?SID=4d9d83a5cef52c19c5ff83421fa48a4b&mc=true&node=pt48.1.31&rgn=div5 https://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?SID=875f7422535a157681c65d5ff44deb32&mc=true&node=pt2.1.200&rgn=div5#se2.1.200_1456 https://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?SID=9eaf9554e1f32bf0d83aca55646e9b7e&mc=true&node=pt2.1.200&rgn=div5#se2.1.200_1333 https://www.fws.gov/policy/library/rgeo12372.pdf https://www.reginfo.gov/public/reginfo/pra.pdf http://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?path=/prelim@title44/chapter35&edition=prelim https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2018/10/29/2018-23552/submission-for-omb-review-comment-request https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2018/10/29/2018-23552/submission-for-omb-review-comment-request

APPENDIX I: AGENCY CONTACT

Program Contacts Bonita Williams, Ph.D.

bonita.williams@usda.gov

(816) 926-1685

Christopher Petty, M.S.

christopher.petty@usda.gov

(816) 599-8668

Andrea Wikiera, M.A.

andrea.wikiera@usda.gov

(816) 400-8959

For administrative questions related to;

1. Grants.gov, see Part IV of this RFA

2. Other RFA or application questions, please email grantapplicationquestions@usda.gov

3. Awards under this RFA, please email awards@usda.gov

U.S. Postal Mailing Address:

National Institute of Food and Agriculture U.S. Department of Agriculture P.O. Box 419205, MS 10000 Kansas City, MO 64141-6205

Courier/Package Delivery Address:

National Institute of Food and Agriculture United States Department of Agriculture 2312 East Bannister Road, MS 10000 Kansas City, MO 64141-3061 mailto:bonita.williams@usda.gov mailto:bonita.williams@usda.gov mailto:christopher.petty@usda.gov mailto:andrea.wikiera@usda.gov mailto:grantapplicationquestions@usda.gov mailto:awards@usda.gov

APPENDIX II: GLOSSARY OF TERMS

Glossary of Terms Authorized Representative – AR Agricultural Research, Extension, and Education Reform Act of 1998 – AREERA Coordinated Agricultural Project – CAP Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance – CFDA Centers of Excellence – COE Children, Youth, and Families at Risk – CYFAR Children, Youth, and Families at Risk 4-H Military Partnership Professional Development and Technical Assistance Program – CMPC-PDTA Data Management Plan – DMP National Institute of Food and Agriculture – NIFA Request for Application – RFA Research, Education, and Economics – REE United States Department of Agriculture – USDA

APPENDIX III: DEFINITIONS

Refer to 7 CFR 3430 Competitive and Noncompetitive Non-formula Federal Assistance Programs – General Award Administrative Provisions for additional definitions.

Definitions Continuation Award:

An award instrument by which NIFA agrees to support a specified level of effort for a predetermined period of time with a statement of intention to provide additional support at a future date, provided that performance has been satisfactory, appropriations are available for this purpose, and continued support would be in the best interest of the federal government and the public.

Matching:

The process through which a grant recipient match awarded USDA funds with cash and in-kind contributions on a dollar-for-dollar basis. The matching funds must derive from non-Federal sources.

New Application:

An application not previously submitted to a program.

Renewal Application:

A project application that seeks additional funding for a project beyond the period that was approved in an original or amended award.

Resubmitted Application:

A project application that was previously submitted to a program, but the application was not funded.

Resubmitted Renewal Application:

A project application that requests additional funding for a project beyond the period that was approved in the original award. This is an application that had previously been submitted for renewal to but not funded.

https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-7/subtitle-B/chapter-XXXIV/part-3430 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-7/subtitle-B/chapter-XXXIV/part-3430