FY22-HSI-ARP-RFA-508-MOD1-8-8.pdf

REQUEST FOR APPLICATIONS

Hispanic-Serving Institutions Education

Grants Program

MODIFICATIONS: Page 1-3, 6-8, 10-15, 18, and 20-21

FUNDING YEAR: Fiscal Year 2022 and 2023

APPLICATION DEADLINE: Fiscal Year 2022:

Workforce Development in Meat and Poultry Processing Centers of Excellence:

August 29, 2022 Regular: January 26, 2022 Collaboration: January 27, 2022 Conference: January 28, 2022

Fiscal Year 2023:

Regular: January 25, 2023 Collaboration: January 26, 2023 Conference: January 27, 2023

ANTICIPATED FUNDING: $14,000,000 $12,000,000

Up to $4,000,000 is available for Workforce Development in Meat and Poultry Processing Centers of Excellence Projects

FUNDING OPPORTUNITY NUMBER: USDA-NIFA-HSI-008701

ASSISTANCE LISTING NUMBER: 10.223

LETTER OF INTENT DEADLINE: Not Required

INITIAL ANNOUNCEMENT

National Institute of Food and Agriculture United States Department of Agriculture

Assistance Listing: The Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSI) Education Grants Program is listed in the Assistance Listings under number 10.223.

Table 1: Key Dates and Deadlines

Task Description Deadline

Application: Fiscal Year 2022: Workforce Development in Meat and Poultry Processing Centers of Excellence: August 29, 2022;

Regular: January 26, 2022;

Collaboration: January 27, 2022;

Conference: January 28, 2022 (All at 5:00 P.M. Eastern)

Fiscal Year 2023: Regular: January 25, 2023;

Collaboration: January 26, 2023; January 27, 2023 (All at 5:00 P.M. Eastern) [Ref to Part I § C of this RFA]

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 (DEIA). NIFA recognizes research, education, and extension efforts will have the greatest impacts when programs are grounded in DEIA. 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 Hispanic-Serving Education Grants Program RFA.

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%3A7%20section%3A7613%20edition%3Aprelim)%20OR%20(granuleid%3AUSC-prelim-title7-section7613)&f=treesort&edition=prelim&num=0&jumpTo=true mailto:Policy@usda.gov

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

This notice identifies the objectives for Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSI) Education Grants Program projects, deadlines, funding information, eligibility criteria for projects and applicants, and application forms and associated instructions. In FY 2022, NIFA requests HSI applications to promote and strengthen the ability of HSIs to carry out higher education programs that attract, retain, and graduate outstanding students capable of enhancing the nation’s food, agriculture, natural resources, and human sciences professional and scientific work force.

The anticipated amount available for grants in FY 2022 is $14,000,000 approximately $12 million. There will be up to $4,000,000 in additional funding available for the Workforce Development in Meat and Poultry Processing Centers of Excellence grant type. This RFA is being released prior to the passage of a full appropriations act for FY 2022. Enactment of additional continuing resolutions or a full appropriations act may affect the availability or level of funding for this program. The HSI Education Grants Program Supplemental Information file can be found on the program’s funding webpage under “relevant documents” at HSI; the document includes expanded information on:

1. Educational Need Areas Supported

2. Eligible Student Recipient

3. Collaboration Projects: Linkages and Activities

4. USDA Agencies

5. Mission Critical Occupations

6. Suggested HSI Project Evaluation Plan https://nifa.usda.gov/funding-opportunity/hispanic-serving-institutions-education-grants-program-hsi

TABLE OF CONTENTS

INITIAL ANNOUNCEMENT

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

TABLE OF FIGURES

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

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. Organizational Management Information D. 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 Table 6. Number of Students Supported by Level of Study

TABLE OF FIGURES

Figure 1. Recommended Format for Submitting Expected Impacts

PART I. FUNDING OPPORTUNITY DESCRIPTION

A. Legislative Authority Section 1455 of National Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching Policy Act of 1977 (NARETPA), reauthorized by section 7121 of the Agricultural Improvement Act of 2018, provides the Secretary of Agriculture with the authority to make competitive grants to Hispanic- Serving Institutions for the purpose of promoting and strengthening their ability to carry out education, applied research, and community development programs. This program is administered under the provisions of section 1455 of NARETPA (7 U.S.C. 3241) pursuant to section 815 of Public Law 104-127 and Public Law 110-246.

Per section 7128 of the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 (Pub. L. 110-246), projects and activities funded under this program are no longer required to be part of a consortia of Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs) to be supported by the grant.

Additional funding is available from the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021; Pub. L. No. 117-2, § 1001 for the Workforce Development in Meat and Processing Centers of Excellence grant type.

B. Purpose and Priorities The purpose of the HSI Education Grants Program is to encourage innovative teaching or education proposals with potential to impact and become models for other institutions that serve underrepresented students, at the regional or national level. Projects supported by this program:

1. Attract and support undergraduate and graduate students from underrepresented groups to prepare them for careers related to the food, agricultural and natural resources systems and sciences in the United States.

2. Enhance the quality of postsecondary instruction within the above disciplines.

3. Provide opportunities and access to food and agricultural careers in the public and private sector.

4. Align the efforts of HSIs and other non-profit organizations to support academic development and career attainment of underrepresented groups.

The HSI Education Grants Program is aligned with the following USDA Strategic Plan FY 2022- 2026:

1. Strategic Goal 2: Ensure America’s Agricultural System is Equitable, Resilient, and Prosperous

2. Strategic Goal 4: Provide All Americans Safe, Nutritious Food

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

Leadership Skills Development. The development of leadership skills, knowledge, and qualities are necessary to prepare students for agricultural and related careers in the private sector, government, and academia. HSI Education Grants Program teaching applications must demonstrably incorporate a leadership development component to equip students with technical and leadership abilities upon graduation. Specific activities may include:

https://nifa.usda.gov/sites/default/files/resource/nar77.pdf https://www.congress.gov/bill/115th-congress/house-bill/2/text https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=(title%3A7%20section%3A3241%20edition%3Aprelim)%20OR%20(granuleid%3AUSC-prelim-title7-section3241)&f=treesort&edition=prelim&num=0&jumpTo=true https://www.congress.gov/110/plaws/publ246/PLAW-110publ246.pdf https://www.congress.gov/110/plaws/publ246/PLAW-110publ246.pdf https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/1319 https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/1319 https://www.usda.gov/sites/default/files/documents/usda-fy-2022-2026-strategic-plan.pdf https://www.usda.gov/sites/default/files/documents/usda-fy-2022-2026-strategic-plan.pdf http://www.extension.org/ https://extension.org/

1. Developing practical applications to increase understanding of leadership roles, including critical thinking, problem solving, and communication skills; ethics and professionalism;

and working in teams;

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

3. Providing opportunities for mentoring and shadowing; and

4. Organizing leadership academies, workshops, trainings, etc.

Eligible institutions may propose projects in any discipline(s) or subject matter area(s) of the food and agricultural sciences. More specific information on what is considered food, agriculture, and natural resources sciences, and allowable program activities can be found in “HSI Education Grants Program Supplemental Information.”

Table 2: Program Key Information

Title Description Program Code: NJ

Program Code Name: Hispanic-Serving Institutions Education Grants Program (HSI)

CFDA Number 10.223 Project Type: Education/Teaching Projects

Grant Type: Workforce Development in Meat and Poultry Processing Centers of Excellence, Regular

Application Deadline Fiscal Year 2022: Workforce Development in Meat and Poultry Processing Centers of Excellence: August 29, 2022 Regular: January 26, 2022 Collaboration: January 27, 2022 Conference: January 28, 2022 (All at 5:00 P.M. Eastern)

Fiscal Year 2023:

Regular: January 25, 2023 Collaboration: January 26, 2023 Conference: January 27, 2023 (All at 5:00 P.M. Eastern)

Grant Duration: Generally 36-60 Months – Workforce Development in Meat and Poultry Processing Centers of Excellence Generally 48 Months – Regular and Collaboration Generally 36 Months – Conference

Anticipated # of Awards: Regular – 10; Collaboration – 2-4;

Conference – 2

Maximum Award Amount: Workforce Development in Meat and Poultry Processing Centers of Excellence – Approx.

https://www.nifa.usda.gov/sites/default/files/HSI%20Education%20Grants%20Program%20Supplemental%20Information%2011.12.2021-508.pdf

$950,000;

Regular – Approx. $250,000; Collaboration – Approx. $1,000,000; Conference – Approx.

$50,000;

For FY 2022 and FY 2023, an institution may not submit more than two Collaboration and two Conference applications to this program, as a lead institution each year. There is no limit on the number of Regular applications to be submitted by an institution.

For FY 2022 and FY 2023, only two awards will be made to the same lead institution, with up to one being a Collaboration award each year. Conference awards are excluded from this award limitation.

To receive an award in FY 2022 and FY 2023, the lead institution may not have more than five USDA/NIFA HSIs-funded active awards as lead institution, excluding projects in No-Cost Extension status, in the year in which an application is submitted.

For the Workforce Development in Meat and Poultry Processing Centers of Excellence a limit of two applications may be submitted per lead institution. The five HSI award limit is waived for this special grant type.

The HSI Education Grants Program develops human capital relevant to the HSI goals listed above. The specific Educational Need Areas that support those goals are:

1. Curricula Design, Degree Programs, Materials Development, and Library Resources

2. Faculty Preparation and Enhancement for Teaching

3. Instruction Delivery Systems

4. Scientific Instrumentation for Teaching

5. Student Experiential Learning

6. Student Recruitment and Retention

More detailed information on these Educational Need Areas and participant eligibility can be found in “HSI Education Grants Program Supplemental Information.”

Disciplines. The HSI Education Grants Program will support applications from any number of disciplines in the food and agricultural sciences. More specific information on what is considered food, agriculture, and natural resources sciences, and allowable program activities can be found in “HSI Education Grants Program Supplemental Information.” Other disciplines will be considered provided there is strong justification on their relationship with the agricultural enterprise.

Social and behavioral science disciplines. Projects that integrate social and behavioral sciences with biological sciences to provide experiential learning opportunities for students in community development programs are encouraged. Incorporation of social and behavioral sciences is important for addressing many of the challenges facing agriculture and rural communities, such as increasing global demand for food production in the face of limited natural resources, improving health and reducing obesity by engaging in heathy diets, and alleviating poverty by fostering economic opportunity.

Applications may propose, as part of a formal education and teaching program, that students gain experience with applied research and extension outreach activity. Activities supported should better position the institution(s) involved to engage in its (their) role as an HSI and reach out to the current or potential underrepresented student population. Applicants must describe in the https://www.nifa.usda.gov/sites/default/files/HSI%20Education%20Grants%20Program%20Supplemental%20Information%2011.12.2021-508.pdf https://www.nifa.usda.gov/sites/default/files/HSI%20Education%20Grants%20Program%20Supplemental%20Information%2011.12.2021-508.pdf budget narrative how these funds will be allocated. Projects with budget requests exceeding the budgetary guidelines will not be reviewed.

PART II. AWARD INFORMATION

A. Available Funding The anticipated amount available for the HSI Education Grants Program in FY 2022 is approximately $14,000,000 $12 million. There will be up to $4,000,000 in addition funding available for the Workforce Development in Meat and Poultry Processing Centers of Excellence grant type. This RFA is being 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 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. Applications for FY 2022 and FY 2023 are 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 response 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. In FY 2022 and FY 2023, the HSI grant program will only accept Education/Teaching Projects. Single-function Education/Teaching Projects develop human capital relevant to overall program goals for U.S. agriculture. Projects should focus on developing skills necessary for entry- and mid-level technical employment or for entering graduate programs in food and agricultural sciences.

2. Grant Types. There are three grant types for the HSIs Education Grants Program: Regular, Collaboration, and Conference grants.

a. Regular grant. The Regular Grants support targeted, original, scientific Education/Teaching Projects. Applicants would be eligible HSI institutions (two or four-year institutions, independent branch campuses, or branch institutions of a State system) with project activities to be undertaken principally on behalf of and for the benefit of the lead HSI. Applicants may partner with other HSI or non-HSI without the requirement of sharing grant funds with other project partners. Grants will be funded at up to approximately $250,000 total for a period of four years. Regular project applicants may request additional funding (up to $25,000) only to provide financial assistance to one student only beyond their participation in the project increasing the award total up to approximately $275,000. For more details, please see Section IV.B.R&R Other Project Information Form.2.k.iv.

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

Bridge grants, a subset of regular grants, may be available to enhance institutional capacity with the goal of strengthening the capacity of the applicant’s education programs and the competitiveness of future grant applications. To be considered for a Bridge grant, applicant institutions must have not previously received HSI funds.

Bridge applications will be reviewed and ranked with the rest of the regular grant applications and will be selected for funding by the review team based on their potential for enhancing agricultural education and the capacity of the applicant institution to be successful in future grant competitions. Awards made under this option will be funded at up to approximately $200,000 for a project period of four years.

b. Collaboration Grant. Collaboration Grants for this program must be submitted by a group of two or more HSIs forming a linkage arrangement for the purpose of carrying out common objective(s) on the group’s behalf. The arrangement must be formed in order to promote and strengthen the institutional abilities to carry out higher education programs related to the food and agricultural sciences.

Grants are designed to help institutions develop competitive projects and to attract new students into careers in high-priority areas of national need. To ensure the cost-effectiveness of funded projects, the institutions will work together to recruit and graduate a minimum of fifteen undergraduate and ten graduate students from underrepresented groups in an Associate, Baccalaureate, MS or PhD degree program.

The twenty-five students must be recruited during the duration of the grant.

Collaboration Grants will be funded up to approximately $1,000,000 total, for a project period of four years.

All partners must have a significant role in the collaboration and each institution’s budget needs to be appropriate to support its activities. More information regarding partnership and allowed activities can be found in “HSI Education Grants Program Supplemental Information.”

c. Conference Grants. Conference Grants support scientific meetings that bring together educators to identify research, education/teaching, and/or extension needs, update information, or advance an area of education/teaching. Individual conference grants must not exceed $50,000 total for a project period of up to three years. Conference grants are not renewable. Indirect costs are not permitted on Conference Grant awards.

In FY 2022, one of the conference grants will be awarded to an institution to bring together a diverse and representative group of HSIs for a HSI Assessment and Evaluation conference. Applications are expected to propose a conference that will emphasize research and practice as related to educational assessment and evaluation of projects funded through the NIFA HSI Education Grants program. Projects should focus on the following areas:

a. Measuring to what extent previously funded projects from the NIFA HSI Education Grants Program achieve the following program goals to guide currently funded and future project applicants:

1. Attract and support undergraduate and graduate students from underrepresented groups to prepare them for careers related to the food, https://www.nifa.usda.gov/sites/default/files/HSI%20Education%20Grants%20Program%20Supplemental%20Information%2011.12.2021-508.pdf https://www.nifa.usda.gov/sites/default/files/HSI%20Education%20Grants%20Program%20Supplemental%20Information%2011.12.2021-508.pdf agricultural and natural resources systems and sciences in the United States.

2. Enhance the quality of postsecondary instruction within the above disciplines.

3. Provide opportunities and access to food and agricultural careers in the public and private sector.

4. Align the efforts of HSIs and other non-profit organizations to support academic development and career attainment of underrepresented groups.

b. Capturing the outcomes and impacts of NIFA funds on student recruitment, retention, and graduation and faculty professional development, including retention and promotion.

c. Disseminating and reporting outcomes, impacts, and best practices to federal agencies, the greater HSI community, and other stakeholders.

d. Promoting and strengthening the ability of HSIs to carry out education, applied research, and related community development programs.

Conference activities should bring together participants from a range of backgrounds and institution types to learn ways to evaluate and assess their projects, discuss challenges facing HSIs, and provide opportunities for participants to discuss their own experiences. Invitees will be determined in collaboration with the agency with a minimum of twenty-five institutions expected to attend. The conference date will be determined with guidance from program staff to accommodate agency and stakeholder needs.

Conference applications focused on assessment and evaluation should include 1) a comprehensive plan for outreach and ensuring attendance of a diverse and representative group of HSIs and stakeholders and 2) a robust dissemination plan for the conference proceedings.

The awardee is required to develop conference proceedings which will include, but not limited to, a) a detailed conference agenda, b) a list of the individuals, and their institutional affiliations, who participated as speakers or attendees in the formally planned sessions of the meeting, c) a summary of topics discussed, including current trends in evaluation methodology and recommendations of products that can assure preservation of and ready access to information and outputs from projects, and conclusions, and d) an analysis of HSIs’ future research, education, and extension needs in food and agriculture sciences as determined by the participants.

d. Workforce Development in Meat and Poultry Processing Centers of Excellence Grants In FY 2022, grants will be awarded to institutions to fund workforce development for meat and poultry processing plants. The goals for these meat and poultry processing workforce development awards are to build a pipeline of well-trained workers and support safe workplaces with competitive wages.

Applications are expected to propose projects that contribute to a safe and resilient meat and poultry supply chain with a trained, credentialed, and diverse workforce that addresses the employment needs of local and regional facilities operating at capacity.

Applications will only be accepted for collaborations of two or more HSIs.

Collaborations with a community college partner are strongly encouraged. All partners must have a significant role in the collaboration and each institution’s budget needs to be appropriate to support its activities and students. More information regarding partnership and allowed activities can be found in “HSI Education Grants Program Supplemental Information.”

Education/teaching projects will be accepted. Education/teaching projects with research and/or extension components will also be considered as applicable.

Projects should focus on:

a. Developing a workforce prepared for entrance and career advancement in entry-and mid-level technical employment in meat and poultry processing. Examples of jobs include, but are not limited to, meat and poultry processing workers, food inspectors, quality control personnel, consumer safety inspectors, occupational health and safety specialists, first-line supervisors, machinists, and other production and operating workers. More information on jobs in Animal Slaughtering and Processing can be found at the Bureau of Labor Statistics:

https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/naics4_311600.htm and in Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) Career Profiles: https://www.fsis.usda.gov/careers/job-opportunities/career-profiles

b. Training students to create and manage small-scale processing plants or mobile processing units serving specialized communities. Applications can focus on aspects such as selecting and purchasing meat animals that will yield high amounts of quality food, growing and finishing harvest-ready animals, humane handling and slaughter, food safety and laws governing the process, environmentally conscious disposal of animal residues, and business considerations of the operations. Students should learn to create efficiencies, reduce costs, add value, and increase profit.

Workforce development can include, but is not limited to, the creation, expansion, or implementation of current or new curricula and instructional delivery systems, experiential learning, internships, development of assessment tools, and evaluation.

Experiential learning opportunities are expected as an integral part of the application.

Partnerships with secondary schools, community colleges, technical schools, and other educational entities to recruit and enroll students are encouraged to create a pipeline or coordinated strategy/effort. Projects should also include linkages with employers and industry, particularly smaller processors – in order to ensure program participants are ultimately successful in finding employment.

Education levels must include industry-accepted credentials, certificates leading to associate degrees, associate degrees leading to baccalaureate degrees, and baccalaureate degrees. Applicants should ensure the project is cost-effective, and that the collaborating institutions will work together to recruit https://www.nifa.usda.gov/sites/default/files/HSI%20Education%20Grants%20Program%20Supplemental%20Information%2011.12.2021-508.pdf https://www.nifa.usda.gov/sites/default/files/HSI%20Education%20Grants%20Program%20Supplemental%20Information%2011.12.2021-508.pdf https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/naics4_311600.htm https://www.fsis.usda.gov/careers/job-opportunities/career-profiles https://www.fsis.usda.gov/careers/job-opportunities/career-profiles and graduate a minimum number of 100 student participants total from underrepresented groups with a minimum of 20 of those students completing their bachelor’s education during the length of the grant. Projects could include a component to increase the number of faculty available and/or enhance the teaching ability of existing faculty to increase training capability.

All curriculum developed should be culturally appropriate to the groups most represented locally with special consideration for English-language learners and include the development of instructional materials in other languages (e.g., Spanish).

Applicants are strongly encouraged to work with the industry to identify areas of training demands before and during the curriculum development to address needs of different positions available in the processing plant. All curricula must align with existing guidelines at FDA, FISMA, USDA, and other regulatory agencies.

Additional information:

a. For this grant type, meat and poultry relate to pork, beef, other specialty meats, poultry, or any combination of these animal proteins, but not aquaculture and fisheries.

b. Projects are expected to allocate a reasonable portion of the funds to student support, including items such as participant stipends, course enrollment, hands-on training, laboratory use fees, credential testing fees, and other costs that will allow the participant to attain the credential or degree they are being trained for. The project should build in technical assistance, advising, mentoring, and support activities (i.e. child care) to build a safety net and ensure participant program completion.

c. Renovation of existing facilities will be permitted up to 10 percent of the total award.

d. Purchase of equipment must be for training of students as part of student experiential learning. Equipment acquisition-only projects are not allowed. Equipment purchase for research training will be considered if well justified and directly tied to the teaching of students.

e. Priority will be given to projects that involve partnerships with industry, local or federal government, economic development organizations, and/or workforce-focused nonprofit organizations that will produce tangible results during the period of performance.

f. Applications that target high-unemployment geographic areas or underrepresented groups are encouraged.

g. Applications should include substantial mentoring of program participants and include components of worker safety.

h. Graduate students can only be included as program participants as part of faculty development activities, with involvement in mentoring and teaching activities, to produce faculty from underrepresented groups.

Proposals must meet eligibility criteria for Centers of Excellence (COE). To be recognized as a COE, Applications must justify the following as it relates to the implementation of the proposed activities:

a. The ability of the project to ensure coordination and cost effectiveness by reducing unnecessarily duplicative efforts regarding research, education, and extension.

b. The ability of the award to leverage available resources by using public-private partnerships among agricultural industry groups, institutions of higher education, and the federal government, in addition to any applicable matching requirements.

Resources leveraged should be commensurate with the size of the award.

c. The planned scope and capability of the applicant to implement teaching initiatives to increase awareness and effectively disseminate solutions to target audiences through extension activities.

d. The ability or capacity of the institution to increase economic returns to rural communities by identifying, attracting, and directing funds to high-priority agricultural issues.

Applicants of regular, collaboration or conference grants are encouraged, but not required, to partner with a USDA agency in order to leverage resources and expertise to the proposed project.

Application Submission and Award Limitations For FY 2022 and FY 2023, an institution may not submit more than two Collaboration and two Conference applications to this program, as a lead institution each year. There is no limit on the number of Regular applications submitted by an institution.

For FY 2022 and FY 2023, only two awards will be made to the same lead institution, with up to one being a Collaboration award each year. Conference awards are excluded from this award limitation.

For the Workforce Development in Meat and Poultry Processing Centers of Excellence, up to two applications may be submitted per lead institution. The five HSI award limit is waived for this special grant type.

In order to receive an award in FY 2022 and FY 2023, the lead institution may not have more than five USDA/NIFA HSI-funded active awards as lead institution, excluding projects which are in “No-Cost Extension” status in the year in which an application is submitted.

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.

https://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?SID=3f96ab05cf1fc2d2713e5e46755e7696&mc=true&node=pt2.1.422&rgn=div5&se2.1.422_12 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 HSI Education Grants Program must meet all the requirements discussed in this RFA. Applications may only be submitted by Hispanic-Serving Institutions. To be considered an HSI, institutions must have a minimum of 25 percent undergraduate full-time Hispanic enrollment. Failure to meet an eligibility criterion by the application deadline may result in the application being excluded from consideration and, even though an application may be reviewed, will preclude NIFA from making an award.

Duplicate or Multiple Submissions – duplicate or multiple submissions are 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 No Match Required – The HSI Education Grants Program has NO matching requirement.

NIFA will not factor institutional matching resources into the review process as an evaluation criterion.

https://nifa.usda.gov/resource/grants-overview

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-HSI-008701, 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 iPortalgrantapplicationquestions@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, 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 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/ mailto:grantapplicationquestions@usda.gov https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/snow-dismissal-procedures/federal-holidays/ https://apply07.grants.gov/apply/opportunities/instructions/PKG00249520-instructions.pdf applicants that do not meet the application requirements, to include partial applications, risk 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 30 days of the application deadline.

N/A

SF 424 R&R Cover Sheet. See Part V § 2 and Part V § 2.17of the Application Guide for the required certifications and assurances.

SF 424 R&R Project/Performance Site Location(s). See Part V § 3 of the Application Guide.

R&R Other Project Information Form. See Part V § 4 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 HSI and must not exceed 1 single-spaced page. The summary must include the following:

a. Project Title: Title character limit is 140 characters. Descriptive of the project;

b. Project Code: NJ;

c. Project Director (and any) Co-Project Director(s) (include institutional affiliation for each) Project’s Degree Level;

d. Priority Need Area: (See Part I, B);

e. Educational Need Area: (See Part I, B);

f. Primary Discipline/Subject Matter: (the primary academic major focus of the project)

g. Partners: If Collaboration Project or Workforce Development for Meat and Poultry

Processing Centers of Excellence, list all partners that will share grant funding; and

h. Total Funds Requested: List by partner https://apply07.grants.gov/apply/opportunities/instructions/PKG00249520-instructions.pdf https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/support.html https://apply07.grants.gov/apply/opportunities/instructions/PKG00249520-instructions.pdf

i. Summary Text: Provide a very concise (approx. 250 word) summary of your project to include: Problem the project will address, number of intended beneficiaries and an impact statement in quantitative and qualitative terms.

See Part V § 4.7 of the Application Guide for instructions and suggested templates.

2. Field 8. Project Narrative (PN). The PN and full application must not exceed the total page limit of 25 double-spaced pages. The total page limit will include the double-spaced pages of written text, figures, and tables. Font size for written text should be no smaller than 12 points, Times New Roman. Tables may be single-spaced and 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:

a. Potential for Advancing the Quality of Education: NIFA’s programs are intended to promote advances in the food and agricultural sciences. If relevant to the overall goals of the program, applicants may include international partnerships or engagement activities. Applicants must clearly describe how the proposed international activities will support the objectives and desired domestic outcomes.

i. Institutional Long-Range Goals. Discuss how the project will contribute to the achievement of the institution's long-term (five- to ten-year) goals, explain how the project will help satisfy the institution's high priority objectives, or how the project is linked to and supported by the institution's strategic plan.

ii. Identification of Educational Problem(s) and Project Impact. Clearly identify and explain how the proposed project will address at least one of the Educational Need Areas listed in Part I, B. Briefly explain the project’s anticipated, overall impact on improving the quality of food and agricultural sciences education and how it will advance the goals of the HSI Education Grants Program.

iii. Project Justification. Clearly state the specific instructional problem or opportunity to be addressed. Describe how and by whom the focus and scope of the project were determined. Summarize the body of knowledge justifying the need for the proposed project. Discuss how the project will be of value at the State, regional, national, or international level(s). Describe any ongoing or recently completed significant activities related to the proposed project for which previous HSI funding was received under this program.

iv. Innovation. Describe the application’s creative approach to improving the quality of food and agricultural sciences education, solving a higher education problem, or advancing educational equity.

v. Multidisciplinary and/or Problem-based Focus. Identify the Discipline(s) (described in Part I, B) supported. Discuss whether the project may be adapted by or serve as a model for other institutions.

vi. Level of Study. Include a table describing the expected number of students benefiting, from this project and the level of education, such as associate, baccalaureate, master’s, or doctoral degrees, at each of the institutions participating in the program. Please include in your project narrative a table similar to the one presented below (Table 6) to summarize the students supported by level of study. Collaboration grants must include and clearly present the twenty-five students they will recruit and graduate. For the Workforce Development in Meat and Poultry Processing Centers of Excellence grants, the collaborating institutions will work together to recruit and graduate a minimum number of 100 student participants total from underserved groups with a minimum of 20 of those students completing their bachelor’s education during the length of the grant.

Table 6. Number of Students Supported by Level of Study

Institutions Participating in the Project (1 to X)

K to 12 K-12 Teachers

Associate Arts/ Associate in Science

Bachelor’s in Science

Master’s in Science

Doctoral Degree

Institution 1

Institution 2

Institution 3

Institution 4

b. Proposed Approach and Cooperative Linkages:

Objectives. Cite and discuss the specific performance objectives of the project.

Indicate how they align with the HSI Education Grants Program objectives.

Performance-based objectives should be used as they will inform the evaluation plan.

NOTE: You can use the ABCD method for creating a performance objective (Heinich, Molenda, Russell, & Smaldino, 2001. Instructional Media and Technologies for Learning) to systematically think about writing appropriate performance objectives towards your project goals:

i. A is for audience - Who are the learners? Are they adult learners? Are they workshop participants? Are they young students? How many? At what level?

ii. B is for behavior – What learning is overt and observable?

iii. C is for condition – How? In what context or under what circumstances will learning occur? Will the audience be expected to know pieces of information to accomplish learning?

iv. D is for degree – How much will be accomplished? How well or to what level does this learning need to be perfected?

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

d. Timetable; Provide a timetable of activities for conducting the project. Identify all important project milestones and dates as they relate to project start-up, execution, evaluation, dissemination, and close-out.

e. Products, Results, and Measurable Outcomes; Explain the expected products and results (outcomes) and their potential impact. (Important Note: “Products” may be actual items or services acquired with funds, e.g., “…developed three, new Web-based courses containing supplemental materials;” “Results” are intended or unintended consequences of the project, e.g., “...additional course materials now available online to reinforce student learning during non-classroom hours;” and “Outcomes/Impacts” are a measure of the results by comparing what might have happened in the absence of the funded project, e.g., “…an observed, overall increase in student learning based upon 8% higher average test scores of those students who both attended class and used the supplemental, web-based course materials.”) Quantify outputs and/or outcomes.

f. Evaluation Plans; Provide a methodology and implementation plan for evaluating the accomplishment of stated products, results and measurable outcomes during the project. Indicate the criteria, and corresponding weight of each, to be used in the evaluation process, describe any data to be collected and analyzed, and explain the methodology that will be used to determine the extent to which the needs underlying the project are met. Identify data to be used as baseline data. Demonstrate that the project’s impact on improving education will be evaluated. More detailed information on a suggested evaluation plan can be found in “HSI Education Grants Program Supplemental Information.”

Baseline Data: For quantitative, baseline, student enrollment, degrees granted and employment data to make comparisons in meeting HSI Education Grants Program goals, applicants could reference the Food and Agricultural Education Information System (FAEIS) resource at: http://faeis.ahnrit.vt.edu/.

Independent Evaluator: Grantees are encouraged to obtain an independent evaluation to secure appropriate documentation of the project’s outcomes and impacts. Regular projects could use up to 5 percent of their grant funds for this purpose. Collaboration projects could use up to 1.5 percent of their grant funds for this purpose.

Results of evaluated metrics, products, outcomes, and impact data, including a detailed student count by Classification of Instructional Program (CIP) codes, should be submitted as part of the project’s annual progress report and final technical report via NIFA’s REEport system.

g. Logic model; Applications for projects must include the elements of a logic model detailing the activities, outputs, and outcomes of the proposed project. This information may be provided as a narrative or formatted into a logic model chart.

The logic model planning process is a tool that should be used to develop your project before writing your application. More information and resources related to the logic model planning process are provided at Generic Logic Model for NIFA Reporting.

h. Collaborating USDA agency; Document, if applicable, how applicants will find and partner with a sponsoring USDA agency to leverage grant funds and/or contribute towards the proposed project overall goals and objectives.

Dissemination Plans; Applications must include a description of how the applicant plans to communicate project accomplishments (products, results and impacts, etc.)

to the broadest extent throughout the academic community.