FY22-RHSE-RFA-508-F.pdf

REQUEST FOR APPLICATIONS

Rural Health and Safety Education Competitive

Grants Program

FUNDING YEAR: Fiscal Year 2022

APPLICATION DEADLINE: April 29, 2022

ANTICIPATED FUNDING: $4,000,000

FUNDING OPPORTUNITY NUMBER: USDA-NIFA-RHSE-008841

ASSISTANCE LISTING NUMBER: 10.516

LETTER OF INTENT DEADLINE: Not Required

INITIAL ANNOUNCEMENT

National Institute of Food and Agriculture United States Department of Agriculture

Assistance Listing. The Rural Health and Safety Education (RHSE) program is listed in the Assistance Listings (formerly CFDA) under the number 10.516.

Table 1: Key Dates and Deadlines

Task Description Deadline

Application: Fiscal Year 2022: April 29, 2022, 5:00 P.M. Eastern 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 Agricultural Research, Extension, and Education Reform Act of 1998, Section 103(c)(2), Pub. L. 105– 185, Title I, §103, June 23, 1998, 112 Stat. 527 (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 Rural Health and Safety Education (RHSE) 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://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/PLAW-105publ185/pdf/PLAW-105publ185.pdf https://uscode.house.gov/statviewer.htm?volume=112&page=527 mailto:Policy@usda.gov https://nifa.usda.gov/centers-excellence https://nifa.usda.gov/centers-excellence

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

NIFA requests applications for the Rural Health and Safety Education (RHSE) Competitive Grant Program for Fiscal Year (FY) 2022 to address the needs of rural Americans by providing individual and family health education programs. The anticipated amount for awards in FY 2022 is approximately $4,000,000; approximately $1,000,000 of which will be for competitive external grants for eligible institutions to support the utilization of telehealth, telemedicine, and distance learning strategies for education and training in minority rural communities related to opioids or preventing spread of SARS-CoV-2 and in mitigating infection and transmission of SARS-CoV-2.

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

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 priorities, availability, and/or level of funding for this program.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

INITIAL ANNOUNCEMENT

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

PART I. FUNDING OPPORTUNITY DESCRIPTION

A. Legislative Authority B. Purpose and Priorities

PART II. AWARD INFORMATION

A. Available Funding B. Types of Application 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. Organizational Management Information D. Application Disposition

PART VI. AWARD ADMINISTRATION

A. General B. Administrative and National Policy Requirements

PART VII. OTHER INFORMATION

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

APPENDIX I: AGENCY CONTACT

APPENDIX II: GLOSSARY OF TERMS

APPENDIX III: DEFINITIONS

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 The authority for the Rural Health and Safety Education (RHSE) Competitive Grant Program is under Section 502 (i) of Title V of the Rural Development Act of 1972, as amended (7 U.S.C.

2662(i)).

B. Purpose and Priorities Part of the overall purpose of the Rural Health and Safety Education Program is to foster quality of life in rural communities by providing the essential knowledge necessary for successful programs of rural development, improving coordination among Federal agencies, other levels of government, and institutions and private organizations in rural areas, and developing and disseminating information about rural conditions.

The RHSE program supports quality of life in rural communities across the United States by addressing the relationship between rural prosperity and rural health and safety in the context of food, agriculture, natural resources, and human sciences (including, but not limited to, Traditional Ecological Knowledge). In doing so, the program aligns with and specifically addresses USDA Strategic Goals for FY 2018-2022, Goal 4: Facilitate rural prosperity and economic development, Objective 1: To expand rural business opportunity and rural quality of life with access to capital; improve infrastructure, broadband access and connectivity; and support workforce availability. Additionally, this program aligns with USDA FY 22 Priority B.

Advancing Racial Justice, Equity and Opportunity and Priority D. Tackling Food and Nutrition Insecurity.

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.

Background Approximately 46 million Americans (14 percent of the U.S. population) live in rural areas.

Individuals and families living in rural places can experience disparities related to health, safety, and well-being due to poverty, inadequate access to resources, and geographic isolation. Health disparities are defined as the “differences in [the] incidence, prevalence, morbidity, mortality and burden of diseases and other adverse health conditions that exist among specific population groups in the United States.”1 Availability and access to health care as well as other health resources and services are typically lower in rural areas, collectively. On an individual level, a larger percentage of the rural population reports fair to poor physical and mental health compared to the urban population.2 In addition, income and health disparities tend to disproportionately affect families with children. Despite the challenges rural communities face, there are valuable assets present among rural residents which are important for initiatives designed to enhance quality of life, such as community cohesion, civic engagement, optimism, 1 Office of Minority Health (2011). HHS action plan to reduce racial and ethnic health disparities. A nation free of disparities in health and health care.

2 South Carolina Health Research Center. (2008). Health disparities: A Rural – Urban Chartbook.

https://nifa.usda.gov/sites/default/files/asset/document/Rural%20Development%20Act%20of%201972.pdf https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=(title:7%20section:2662%20edition:prelim)%20OR%20(granuleid:USC-prelim-title7-section2662)&f=treesort&edition=prelim&num=0&jumpTo=true https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=(title:7%20section:2662%20edition:prelim)%20OR%20(granuleid:USC-prelim-title7-section2662)&f=treesort&edition=prelim&num=0&jumpTo=true https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=(title:7%20section:2662%20edition:prelim)%20OR%20(granuleid:USC-prelim-title7-section2662)&f=treesort&edition=prelim&num=0&jumpTo=true https://www.usda.gov/our-agency/about-usda/strategic-goals and hope3 (see Life in Rural America). Implementing community-informed, research-based, educational programs and approaches from a strengths-based perspective in thoughtful collaboration with the health care system is a key strategy to achieving positive health outcomes in rural America.

Effective, evidence-based, non-formal education programs and strategies promote and enhance rural health, thereby strengthening economic vitality and, in the long run, mitigating the effects of rural challenges, such as persistent poverty. Incorporation of social, behavioral, and health sciences in a prevention context is important for addressing many of the health challenges facing rural communities. Effectively planned initiatives responsive to unique contextual needs as well as shared environmental conditions can provide timely and valuable health information to rural residents. Human science educators, in collaboration with relevant partners and stakeholders, can implement quality programs and approaches that empower rural residents to lead healthy lives and promote healthy communities from a systemic perspective. The RHSE competitive grant program provides funding for such initiatives.

Per the authorizing legislation described in Part I (A) of this RFA, the RHSE program addresses the health and well-being of rural America through supporting the development and/or implementation of projects focused on

1. individual and family health education programs with specified contents;

2. rural health leadership development education programs to assist rural communities in developing health care services and facilities and assist community leaders and public officials in understanding their roles and responsibilities; and

3. farm safety education programs to provide information and training to farm workers, timber harvesters, and farm families.

In FY 2022, NIFA is soliciting applications for RHSE in the area of Individual and Family Health Education.

The RHSE program proposals in the individual and family health education area are expected to be health education and capacity-building projects that provide individuals and families living in rural areas with:

1. Information as to the value of good health at any age;

2. Information to increase individual or families’ motivation to take more responsibility for their own health, including in the context of the COVID-19 or SARS-CoV-2 pandemic.

3. Information about and access to health promotion activities.

4. Information to support the utilization of telehealth, telemedicine, and distance learning plans for opioid education and training in minority rural communities.

5. Training for volunteers and health services providers concerning health promotion and health care services for individuals and families in cooperation with state, local and community partners.

3 Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health. (2018). Life in Rural America https://www.rwjf.org/content/dam/farm/reports/surveys_and_polls/2018/rwjf449263

Projects conducted with grants awarded under this program must:

1. be coordinated with the respective State Office of Rural Health and other appropriate programs of the Department of Health and Human Services such as a Federally Qualified Health Center, and

2. provide leadership within the State for the dissemination of appropriate rural health and safety information resources possessed or promoted by the Rural Information Center established at the National Agricultural Library.

Proposals submitted to the RHSE program in FY 2022 may focus on the prevention and/or reduction of opioid misuse and abuse per Congressional guidance for this program. Proposals may also focus on helping prevent spread of SARS-CoV-2 and in mitigating infection and transmission of SARS-CoV-2.

Prevention and/or Reduction of Opioid Misuse and Abuse In January 2022, the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) renewed the opioid crisis public health emergency, which was initially declared in October 2017. Opioid abuse as well as substance abuse disorder generally continues to be a critical issue across the United States.

Opioid use disorder can affect people across the socioeconomic spectrum. Overdose deaths increased to more than 90,000 in 2020, and synthetic opioids were involved in more than 60 percent of all overdose deaths.4 Costs for opioid use disorder and fatal opioid overdose in 2017 were estimated to be $1.02 trillion. The majority of the economic costs attributed to reduced quality of life from opioid use disorder and the value of life lost due to fatal opioid overdose.5 Family instability is another stark consequence of the opioid abuse contributing to the prevalence of adverse childhood experiences, a strain on child welfare systems, and increases in the number of relatives raising children. It is also important to note the high prevalence of polysubstance use within the opioid epidemic.

This epidemic has significantly affected rural communities. In a 2018 survey by the Harvard T.

H. Chan School of Public Health, a majority of rural residents surveyed agree opioid addiction is a serious problem in their community (57%), with about half personally knowing someone who has struggled with opioid addiction (49%).7 Rural adolescents are also more likely to use prescription opioids for a non-medical purpose than are their urban peers.8 Non-medical prescription drug use has been associated with negative social and health consequences among these rural adolescents. Among older adults utilizing opioids, there are intervening factors that place them at risk for opioid misuse and abuse. Extension is uniquely positioned to be a partner in collaborative approaches for health and to deliver prevention outreach and education to all individuals throughout the lifespan.

4 Jesse C. Baumgartner and David C. Radley, “The Drug Overdose Mortality Toll in 2020 and Near-Term Actions for Addressing It,” To the Point (blog), Commonwealth Fund, July 15, 2021, updated Aug. 16, 2021.

5 Florence C, Luo F, Rice K. The economic burden of opioid use disorder and fatal opioid overdose in the United States, 2017. Drug Alcohol Depend. 2021 Jan 1;218:108350. doi: 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2020.108350. Epub 2020 Oct 27. PMID: 33121867; PMCID: PMC8091480.

7 Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health. (2018). Life in Rural America 8 Monnat, S. M. & Rigg, K. K. (2015). Rural Adolescents Are More Likely Than Their Urban Peers to Abuse Prescription Painkillers. Carsey Research, National Fact Sheet #32 https://www.ruralhealthinfo.org/organizations/state-office-of-rural-health https://www.hrsa.gov/opa/eligibility-and-registration/health-centers/fqhc/index.html https://www.hrsa.gov/opa/eligibility-and-registration/health-centers/fqhc/index.html

According to the 2016 Surgeon General’s Report on Alcohol, Drugs, and Health, evidenced-based programs can significantly reduce substance misuse and abuse if implemented well.

However, many schools and communities are using programs with the least evidence. For the RHSE program, all projects and approaches must be research informed. Proposed projects implementing programs and approaches with documented evidence of impact on preventing and/or reducing opioid/substance misuse and abuse are strongly encouraged. Programs and approaches currently developing an evidence base will also be considered.

In FY 2022, we are seeking to continue the support of the implementation of evidence-based, outcome-based educational approaches and programs delivered through Cooperative Extension which promote protective factors and reduce the impact of risk factors leading to the prevention of initiation of substance use, delayed early use, and the progression from use to problematic use or to a substance use disorder. Since the occurrence and context of risk behavior is complex, applicants are encouraged to address intersecting factors that have the potential to also prevent or reduce opioid and substance initiation, misuse, and abuse. Additionally, where appropriate, we would like to encourage collaborative approaches with allied health sciences located at academic institutions, local health care entities, and community organizations.

In FY 2022, the RHSE program will focus on the individual and family health education area and will support: a) projects implementing new programs or approaches focused on the prevention and/or reduction of opioid/substance misuse and abuse or the prevention and/or mitigation of infection and transmission of SARS-CoV-2; b) projects implementing new programs or approaches that support the utilization of telehealth, telemedicine, and distance learning strategies for education and training in minority rural communities related to opioid/substance misuse and abuse or SARS-CoV-2; or c) projects seeking to scale-up to State or multi-state levels already established programs or approaches with demonstrated evidence of impact focused on the prevention and/or reduction of opioid/substance misuse and abuse the prevention and/or mitigation of infection and transmission of SARS-CoV-2. An applicant may form a multi-state partnership to support scaling-up a program or approach.

NIFA will not consider or fund the following types of applications to the FY 2022 RHSE program:

1. Proposals without a plan for measuring participant outcomes;

2. Proposals planned for less than 24 months;

3. Proposals with a focus on topic areas specific to other NIFA grant programs, such as programs under the Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (AFRI), AgrAbility, Farm and Ranch Stress Assistance Network, or Youth Farm Safety;

4. Proposals with a focus on research (other than evaluation related to project outputs, outcomes, and impacts), formal education (K-12, university), or clinical interventions; or

5. Proposals focused on the clinical treatment of individuals with substance use disorders.

Table 2: Program Key Information Title Description

Program Code: LX Program Code Name: Rural Health and Safety Education

Competitive Grants Program CFDA Number 10.516

Project Type: Extension Grant Type: Standard

Application Deadline Fiscal Year 2022: April 29, 2022 Grant Duration: 24 Months

Anticipated # of Awards: 10-11 Maximum Award Amount: $350,000

PART II. AWARD INFORMATION

A. Available Funding The amount available for the Rural Health and Safety Education (RHSE) program in FY 2022 is approximately $4,000,000. This RFA is released prior to the passage of an appropriations act for FY 2022. Enactment of additional continuing resolutions or an appropriations act may affect the availability or level of funding for this program.

USDA is not committed to fund any 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. Types of Application NIFA will evaluate applications using the criteria described in Part V of this RFA. Applications for FY 2022 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.

Resubmitting 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 Requirements and Recommendations The following describes the project requirements and project recommendations:

1. Project requirements include:

a. Implementing research-informed, outcome-based programs and approaches.

b. Utilizing Cooperative Extension as a mode of program outreach and delivery.

c. Serving rural areas. RHSE projects must be implemented in federally classified rural areas. Applicants must identify rural counties in which their programs will be implemented based on the federal classification used. Please select from the following federal classifications to identify rural areas for your project:

i. The 2013 Rural-Urban Continuum Codes system definitions from the Economic Research Service and to obtain the actual codes by state for your proposed project counties, see the 2013 Rural-Urban Continuum Code County table. For each rural county in which your project will be implemented, provide Rural-Urban Continuum Code as found in the table.

Only counties with codes #4-9 are appropriate for inclusion.

ii. The 2010 Rural-Urban Commuting Area (RUCA) Codes from the Economic Research Service classify U.S. census tracts using measures of population density, urbanization, and daily commuting. To obtain the actual codes by state for your proposed project census tracts, see the 2010 Rural-Urban Commuting Area (RUCA) Codes table. For each rural census tract in which your project will be implemented, provide the rural-urban commuting area (RUCA) codes as found in the table. Only census tracts with the codes #4-10 are appropriate for inclusion.

https://www.fiscal.treasury.gov/fsservices/gov/pmt/asap/asap_home.htm https://www.ers.usda.gov/data-products/rural-urban-continuum-codes/documentation.aspx https://www.ers.usda.gov/data-products/rural-urban-continuum-codes/documentation.aspx https://www.ers.usda.gov/data-products/rural-urban-continuum-codes/documentation.aspx https://www.ers.usda.gov/data-products/rural-urban-commuting-area-codes.aspx https://www.ers.usda.gov/webdocs/DataFiles/53241/ruca2010revised.xlsx?v=3621.8 https://www.ers.usda.gov/webdocs/DataFiles/53241/ruca2010revised.xlsx?v=3621.8

d. Plan for coordination of programs. Per the authorizing legislation for the Rural Health and Safety Education Program described in Part I (A) of this RFA, projects are required to coordinate with State Offices of Rural Health or other appropriate programs of the Department of Health and Human Services, such as SAMHSA State Opioid Response (SOR) and Tribal Opioid Response (TOR) providers or HRSA Federally Qualified Health Centers on proposed health education activities and rural population outreach. Projects focusing on SARS-CoV-2 must demonstrate how they will coordinate efforts with the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and/or state, tribal, or local departments of health as appropriate.

e. Reporting on performance. Projects are required to develop and report on performance indicators that demonstrate measurable changes in knowledge and attitudes of project participants. Projects seeking to also capture behavioral changes are highly encouraged. These indicators should demonstrate the project’s success at achieving objectives of the proposed project and overarching goal of the RHSE program. NIFA strongly encourages involving an evaluator on the proposed project to help develop outcome-based performance measures and a plan for evaluating the project’s performance.

f. Utilize a theoretical and/or practice framework(s) to guide program development, implementation and evaluation. Projects should identify an existing framework or model as a guide for their programs’ health education and/or capacity building focus and their Extension outreach strategy. The framework/model must recognize the complex, bidirectional relationship between individual, community, and societal factors.

g. Disseminate information. Appropriate, applicable, and beneficial provide a plan for the dissemination of appropriate rural health and safety information resources across the state(s) that are possessed or promoted by the Rural Information Center established at the National Agricultural Library.

2. Project recommendations include:

As appropriate, applicable, and beneficial, we strongly recommend the proposed projects plan programs and approaches that:

a. Collaborate across extension program areas (i.e., Family & Consumer Sciences, Agricultural and Natural Resources, 4-H/Youth Development, and Community Resource and Economic Development).

b. Include content experts across academic and clinical domains to inform project development, implementation, and evaluation.

c. In addition to the requirement to capture knowledge and behavioral change, where appropriate and relevant, design projects to include policy, systems, and environmental change strategies that can be reasonably implemented and assessed in the duration of the project.

d. Implement adaptations to evidence-based programs sufficiently responsive to the unique stressors, resources, cultural traditions, family practices, and other prevailing sociocultural factors that influence the lives of the target audience and that also adhere to fit and fidelity.

e. Promote principles of health equity and creating a culture of health in the project design within the spaces where projects are implemented.

https://www.ruralhealthinfo.org/organizations/state-office-of-rural-health https://www.hrsa.gov/opa/eligibility-and-registration/health-centers/fqhc/index.html

f. Integrate research-informed activities connected to arts, culture or humanities into proposed programs and approaches, where appropriate and relevant.

g. Promote community empowerment as a tool for sustainability within the project design.

h. Increase professionals’ capacity to engage in health leadership in rural communities, which includes using skills to collaborate, connect, communicate, and build community capacity to address rural health.

i. Increase public access to new ideas and technologies related to either opioid/substance misuse and abuse prevention or prevention and mitigation of transmission of SARS-CoV-2 in rural areas that have been successful or have likelihood of success at the community level; and

j. Increase public health knowledge and engage the health system, leading to actions that promote or enhance rural health and well-being.

k. Increase the utilization of telehealth, telemedicine, and distance learning strategies for education and training in minority rural communities focused on opioids or SARS-CoV-2.

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=2a92efd22ef0832aac897fb4fe407e96&mc=true&node=pt2.1.422&rgn=div5 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 Rural Health and Safety Education (RHSE) 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.

Applications may be submitted by 1862 and 1890 Land Grant colleges and universities that are eligible to receive funds under the Act of July 2, 1862 (7 U.S.C. 301 et seq.), and the Act of August 30, 1890 (7 U.S.C. 321 et seq.), including Central State University, Tuskegee University, and West Virginia State University. Applications also may be submitted by any of the Tribal colleges and universities designated as 1994 Land Grant Institutions under the Educational Land- Grant Status Act of 1994, as amended.

Award recipients may subcontract to organizations not eligible to apply provided such organizations are necessary for the conduct of the project.

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 No Match Required - The RHSE 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).

https://nifa.usda.gov/resource/grants-overview https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=(title:7%20section:301%20edition:prelim)%20OR%20(granuleid:USC-prelim-title7-section301)&f=treesort&num=0&edition=prelim https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=(title:7%20section:321%20et%20seq%20edition:prelim)%20OR%20(granuleid:USC-prelim-title7-section321%20et%20seq)&f=treesort&edition=prelim&num=0&jumpTo=true https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=(title:7%20section:321%20et%20seq%20edition:prelim)%20OR%20(granuleid:USC-prelim-title7-section321%20et%20seq)&f=treesort&edition=prelim&num=0&jumpTo=true https://nifa.usda.gov/resource/grants-overview https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/PLAW-113publ79/html/PLAW-113publ79.htm

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-RHSE-008841, 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

Key Information: Customer service business Hours 24/7, except federal holidays.

Email: grantapplicationquestions@usda.gov

Key Information: Business hours: Monday thru Friday, 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. CT, 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 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.

https://www.grants.gov/ https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/learn-grants/grants-101/pre-award-phase.html/ 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 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://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/snow-dismissal-procedures/federal-holidays/ https://apply07.grants.gov/apply/opportunities/instructions/PKG00249520-instructions.pdf

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 received correspondence from NIFA regarding an application within 30 days of the application deadline.

N/A

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

SF 424 R&R Project/Performance Site Location(s). See Part 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 RHSE. See Part V of the Application Guide for instructions and suggested templates.

2. Field 8. Project Narrative (PN). The PN must not exceed 18 double spaced pages with 1-inch margins of written text in 12 pt. Times New Roman font and up to 6 additional pages for figures and tables (the font size for tables should be no smaller than 12 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. Response to previous review (if applicable): The response to previous review must not exceed two double-spaced pages. This does not count towards the PN page limit.

b. Issue Statement and Planned Approach;

c. Objectives; Activities, Outcomes and Timeline;

d. Division of Labor;

e. Project Performance Assessment Plan;

f. Management Plan;

g. Project Communication and Dissemination;

h. Sustainability; and

i. Centers of Excellence Justification (if applicable) 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 https://apply07.grants.gov/apply/opportunities/instructions/PKG00249520-instructions.pdf

Issue Statement and Planned Approach. Provide a brief justification of the project by describing the nature and magnitude of the rural health/safety issue(s) the project is seeking to address and a brief explanation of how your project will address the issue(s). Make specific notation if your proposal seeks to support the utilization of telehealth, telemedicine, and distance learning strategies for education and training in minority rural communities related to opioids or SARS-CoV-2. Provide the most recent relevant data for the State or States in which your proposed RHSE project will be implemented, including data on the incidence of individual and family health issue(s) relevant to your project.

Provide references for the data. Explain and substantiate any assumptions made.

In addition, please address the following elements:

1. Theoretical and/or practice framework(s): Projects should identify an existing framework or model as a guide for their programs’ health education and/or capacity building focus and their outreach strategy. The framework/model must recognize the complex, bidirectional relationship between individual, community, and societal factors.

2. Projected Gaps/Needs Addressed: Briefly discuss related programs currently available in the state(s) in which the proposed RHSE project will take place and how your project will address gaps and limitations among currently available programs/services. Indicate whether the program has been implemented by Cooperative Extension in other states/regions.

3. Program or Approach Description: Briefly describe the proposed program (i.e., objectives, target audience, delivery methods, etc.) and if the program or approach is existing, include a brief history of the program, cumulative data on individuals served, program outcomes and impacts to date, and program partners. If you are scaling up your programs, please include scaling implementation details.

4. Related Publications: If the program's content has been published in peer-reviewed sources, please provide citations and/or links to pertinent publications. If the program's evaluation results have been published in peer-reviewed sources, please provide citations and/or links to pertinent publications.

5. Rurality: Identify rural areas in which your project will be implemented and the rural population(s) your project will reach out to and serve (e.g., children, adults, ethnic or cultural minority groups, older adults, military families, veterans, farmer/rancher families, physicians/health care providers, etc.).

a. For Rural (Non-metro) classifications systems, see Part II, Section C. of this

RFA.

b. Provide the criteria used to select the population group to be served. Support for targeting these specific groups must be clearly reflected in the data and estimates you already provided for the state(s).

6. Target Audience Experience: Describe your and your partners’ prior experience in addressing the needs of the target audience(s). Describe your team’s ability and readiness to provide appropriate (ethnically-, racially-, linguistically- and socio-economically- sensitive) education, training, and outreach for such audience(s). For example, if you will be serving Spanish-speaking families, or Native American communities, how will you ensure that your outreach and education services are culturally responsive and linguistically appropriate?

7. Team Capacity and Ability: Justify your institution’s and team’s capacity and ability to meet the gaps and limitations in for the issue you have identified by detailing your accomplishments from similar projects. If the project involves collaboration between land-grant institutions and/or other organizations, identify each partners’ relevant previous experiences and successes that speak to its ability to successfully fulfill their role on the proposed RHSE project.

8. Coordination with State Office(s) of Rural Health or other relevant DHHS agency or unit: Describe how your project has/will coordinate with the applicable state office(s) of rural health and other relevant DHHS agency or unit to successfully complete the project.

Objectives, Activities, Outcomes and Timeline Projects should provide a clear description of the project objectives and activities. Please develop a logic model (for example resource, see Logic Model Planning Process. The following elements must be addressed:

Objectives must address program priorities listed in Part I, Section B.

1. Explain how the activities will help to achieve the objectives and which target audience is the intended beneficiary of each.

2. Clearly show the relationships between objectives, inputs, activities, desired outcomes, and anticipated impacts.

3. The sum of activities under each objective must lead to completion of those objectives within the two-year project duration. Arrange activities and associated outcomes and impacts by project year (Year 1 and Year 2).

4. List and describe all intended outcomes to be tracked and monitored (e.g., changes in participant knowledge, awareness, competency, behavior, and condition as well as policy, systems, and environmental change, if applicable).

5. Provide a timeline to demonstrate the duration and the sequence of project activities, as well as division of labor (as noted in the next section of this RFA). Each objective may have multiple activities. Chart against a quarterly scale, so that the timeline depicts two years and eight quarters.

6. Identify implementation challenges and project procedures limitations you might encounter during the course of the proposed projects. Briefly describe how you plan to address those challenges and limitations.

Division of Labor

1. State Cooperative Extension Services and non-Land Grant partners may jointly or individually provide leadership for different objectives and/or activities.

2. If applicable, describe each partner’s role on the project.

3. Briefly describe roles of key staff on the proposed RHSE project and percent of time each will be dedicating to the project. If the percentages are expected to change in Year 2 of the proposed project, please indicate so and provide an explanation.

4. Indicate who on the team will provide the lead and oversight for design, technical assistance, and completion of project outcomes evaluation. We highly recommend including a faculty/professional with expertise/strong experience in developing and implementing program evaluations to lead the design and completion of your RHSE project’s Logic Model, Project Timeline, and outcome evaluation.

https://nifa.usda.gov/resource/logic-model-planning-process

Project Performance Assessment Plan Proposals should contain a strong performance assessment plan. Plans must clearly state the goals of the project and explain how project activities will lead to results (both outputs and outcomes). The plan must also identify the project’s most significant outcomes and explain the methods by which those outcomes will be measured. We strongly recommend that these plans include or refer to the project’s logic model. Please be as specific as possible in describing the linkages among activities, outputs, and different types of outcomes (e.g., changes in participant knowledge, awareness, competency, and behavior or changes in condition and if applicable, policy, system, and/or environmental changes).

Again, NIFA strongly encourages projects to include an evaluator on the project who can help develop an evaluation plan and perform the evaluation. The purpose of the evaluation is to provide sound, reliable insight into the project’s impact or missed opportunities and best practices that could be applied to future projects. For example, a goal of an evaluation might be to explain differences in results across target populations.

Management Plan

1. Describe the fiscal and administrative oversight for the project.

2. If the proposed RHSE project represents collaboration between two or more land-grant institutions and/or non-land grant partners, provide an explanation of how the relationship(s) and communication will be managed.

Project Communication and Dissemination

1. Briefly describe how results from this project will be communicated to State, Regional, and National stakeholders, and the public. For example, consider how interface with Regional Rural Development Centers and State Offices of Rural Health might support your project’s communication and dissemination.

2. Consider how lessons from your proposed project could be used to inform other Cooperative Extension initiatives in health and wellness in your State and at the regional level.

3. Include your main project communication and dissemination activities in the proposal timeline.

Sustainability

1. Describe steps you will take toward project’s sustainability beyond the life of the

NIFA RHSE grant. For example, identify opportunities (such as resources, trainings, partnerships, collaborations, funding streams) you plan to explore/develop/enhance during the life of the proposed project to help you sustain project operations after NIFA funding has expired. If planning to sustain only certain aspects of the project beyond NIFA funding, please clearly identify them. Include your main project sustainability activities in the proposal timeline.

Centers of Excellence Justification (if applicable) Applicants who wish to be considered as centers of excellence must provide a justification statement, at the end of the Project Narrative and within the page limits provided, describing how they meet the standards of a center of excellence, based on the following criteria:

1. The ability of the center of excellence to ensure coordination and cost effectiveness by reducing unnecessarily duplicative efforts regarding research, teaching, and extension in the implementation of the proposed research and/or extension activity outlined in this application.

2. In addition to any applicable matching requirements, the ability of the center of excellence to leverage available resources by using public-private partnerships among agricultural industry groups, institutions of higher education, and the Federal Government in the implementation of the proposed research and/or extension activity outlined in this application. Resources leveraged should be commensurate with the size of the award.

3. The planned scope and capability of the center of excellence to implement teaching initiatives to increase awareness and effectively disseminate solutions to target audiences through extension activities in the implementation of the proposed research and/or extension activity outlined in this application; and

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

Additionally, where practicable (not required), Center of Excellence applicants should describe proposed efforts to improve teaching capacity and infrastructure at colleges and universities (including land-grant colleges and universities, cooperating forestry schools and certified Non-Land Grant Colleges of Agriculture (NLGCA). See the list of Certified Non-Grant Colleges of Agriculture (NLGCA), and schools of veterinary medicine).

Please indicate in this section if you are not pursuing status as a Center of Excellence.

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. 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.

2. Every item in the budget must be justified in the proposal. The amount of detail depends on the nature of the project and the breakdown of costs.

3. Proposed budgets must not exceed $350,000 total or request funding for more than 2 years.

https://nifa.usda.gov/certified-non-land-grant-colleges-agriculture https://nifa.usda.gov/certified-non-land-grant-colleges-agriculture https://apply07.grants.gov/apply/opportunities/instructions/PKG00249520-instructions.pdf https://apply07.grants.gov/apply/opportunities/instructions/PKG00249520-instructions.pdf

4. Budget breakdown and budget narrative should be provided for each project year (Year 1 and Year…