FY24-AFRI-EWD-RFA-P.pdf

REQUEST FOR APPLICATIONS

Agriculture and Food Research Initiative

Competitive Grants Program Education and Workforce Development

FUNDING YEAR: Fiscal Year (FY) 2024

LETTER OF INTENT DEADLINE: Not Applicable

APPLICATION DEADLINE: Varies by Program Area Priority (see Part I C)

ANTICIPATED PROGRAM FUNDING: $49,000,000

FUNDING OPPORTUNITY NUMBER: USDA-NIFA-AFRI- 010693

ASSISTANCE LISTING NUMBER: 10.310

INITIAL ANNOUNCEMENT

National Institute of Food and Agriculture United States Department of Agriculture

Assistance Listing Number: The Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (AFRI) Education and Workforce Development is listed in the Assistance Listings under number 10.310.

Table 1: Key Dates and Deadlines

Task Description Deadline Application: 5:00 P.M. Eastern Time, on the DATE 2024 deadline dates indicated in Part I C Letter of Intent: Not Applicable

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). The National Institute of Food and Agriculture (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. 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 uses comments to help meet the requirements of (7 U.S.C. 7613(c)(2)). Applicants may submit written comments to Policy@usda.gov . Please use the following subject line: Response to the AFRI Education and Workforce Development RFA. The AFRI Stakeholder Feedback page has information on AFRI-related stakeholder input.

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

Commodity Board Co-Funding Topics. NIFA solicits proposed topics for Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (AFRI) RFAs from eligible state and national commodity boards and marketing orders on an ongoing basis. Topics must relate to the established AFRI six priority areas. Topics submitted by the commodity boards and marketing orders that align with NIFA priorities are chosen for inclusion in selected program areas of AFRI RFAs. Details on general information and topic submission resources for inclusion in future AFRI RFAs can be found at NIFA's Commodity Board Provision website. All of the topics submitted by Commodity Boards https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=(title:7%20section:7613%20edition:prelim)%20OR%20(granuleid:USC-prelim-title7-section7613)&f=treesort&edition=prelim&num=0&jumpTo=true mailto:Policy@usda.gov https://nifa.usda.gov/resource/afri-stakeholder-feedback https://nifa.usda.gov/centers-excellence https://nifa.usda.gov/program/agriculture-and-food-research-initiative-afri https://nifa.usda.gov/program/agriculture-and-food-research-initiative-afri https://nifa.usda.gov/commodity-boards this year were submitted for inclusion in only the Foundational and Applied Science RFA and not the current Education and Workforce Development RFA.

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

This notice identifies the objectives for Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (AFRI) Education and Workforce Development (EWD) program 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 2024.

Enactment of a continuing resolution, appropriations act, or other authorizing legislation may affect the availability or level of funding for this program. The amount available for new grants for the 2024 deadlines in this EWD Request for Applications (RFA) is approximately $49 million in AFRI funding. Additional projects submitted under this RFA will be considered should funding become available beyond the amount listed above.

The AFRI is America’s flagship competitive grants program that provides funding for fundamental and applied research, education, and extension projects in the food and agricultural sciences. In 2024, the National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) requests applications for the AFRI’s EWD program area to support:

1. professional development opportunities for K-14 educational professionals;

2. non-formal education that cultivates food and agricultural interest in youth;

3. workforce training at community, junior, and technical colleges;

4. training of undergraduate students in research and extension; and

5. fellowships for predoctoral candidates and postdoctoral scholars.

This RFA solicits Standard Grants and Food and Agricultural Science Enhancement (FASE) Grants, whereas project types solicited in this RFA are Research, Education, Extension, and Integrated Research, Education, and/or Extension projects. Grant types and project types solicited vary by program area priority, and not all grant types are solicited within each program area priority. See Part I C (Program Area Description) for grant and project types solicited by each specific program area priority and Part II C for a description of each individual grant type and project type.

Table 2: Program Area Priorities and Deadlines The deadlines under this RFA are summarized as follows:

Program Area Priority 2024 Review Cycle

Deadlines1

1. Professional Development for Agricultural Literacy (A7501) Thursday, September 12, 2024

2. Agricultural Workforce Training at Community Colleges (A7601) Thursday, September 19, 2024

3. Food and Agricultural Non-formal Education (A7801) Thursday, December 5, 2024

4. Research and Extension Experiences for Undergraduates (A7401) Thursday, August 15, 2024

5. Predoctoral Fellowships (A7101) Thursday, October 24, 2024

6. Postdoctoral Fellowships (A7201) Thursday, September 5, 2024

1 All applications must be received by 5 p.m. Eastern Time on the deadline date.

2024 UPDATES

1. This RFA covers the FY 2024 grant application review cycle. For the FY 2024 cycle, funding from FY 2025 budgets will be used.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

2024 UPDATES

TABLE OF CONTENTS

TABLE OF TABLES

PART I. FUNDING OPPORTUNITY DESCRIPTION

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

1. Professional Development for Agricultural Literacy (PDAL)

2. Agricultural Workforce Training at Community Colleges (AWT)

3. Food and Agricultural Non-Formal Education (FANE)

4. Research and Extension Experiences for Undergraduates (REEU)

5. Predoctoral Fellowships

6. Postdoctoral Fellowships

PART II. AWARD INFORMATION

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

PART III. ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION

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

PART IV. APPLICATION AND SUBMISSION

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

PART V. APPLICATION REVIEW REQUIREMENTS

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

PART VI. AWARD ADMINISTRATION

A. General B. Administrative and National Policy Requirements

PART VII. OTHER INFORMATION

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

APPENDIX I: AGENCY CONTACT

APPENDIX II: GLOSSARY OF TERMS

APPENDIX III: DEFINITIONS

APPENDIX IV: OTHER AFRI RESOURCES

TABLE OF TABLES

Table 1: Key Dates and Deadlines Table 2: Program Area Priorities and Deadlines Table 3: Professional Development for Agricultural Literacy Key Information Table 4: Agricultural Workforce Training at Community Colleges Key Information Table 5: Food and Agricultural Non-Formal Education Key Information Table 6: Research and Extension Experiences for Undergraduates Key Information Table 7: Predoctoral Fellowships Key Information Table 8: Postdoctoral Fellowships Key Information Table 9: Steps to Obtain Application Materials Table 10: Help and Resources Table 11: Key Application Instructions

PART I. FUNDING OPPORTUNITY DESCRIPTION

A. Legislative Authority

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

1. Plant health and production and plant products;

2. Animal health and production and animal products;

3. Food safety, nutrition, and health;

4. Bioenergy, natural resources, and environment;

5. Agriculture systems and technology; and

6. Agriculture economics and rural communities.

To the maximum extent practicable, the National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA), in coordination with the Under Secretary for Research, Education, and Economics (REE), will make grants for high priority research, education, and extension, taking into consideration, when available, the determinations made by the National Agricultural Research, Extension, Education, and Economics Advisory Board (NAREEEAB) pursuant to the Competitive, Special, and Facilities Research Grant Act (7 U.S.C. 3157). The Secretary delegates the authority to the Under Secretary in 7 CFR 2.21, and the Under Secretary delegates that authority to NIFA.

B. Purpose and Priorities The purpose of AFRI (listed in the Assistance Listings under number 10.310) is to support research, education, and extension projects that address key problems of local, regional, national, and global importance in sustaining conventional, organic, urban food, and agricultural and natural systems. These include farm and ranch production efficiency, profitability, and sustainability; bioenergy and bio-based products; forestry; aquaculture; rural communities and entrepreneurship; human nutrition; mitigating impacts of biotic and abiotic constraints on food production; food safety; mitigating food waste and food loss; physical and social sciences; rural human ecology; development of circular/regenerative economies, and genetic improvement of plant and animals. In addition, the economic sustainability of food systems is an overarching priority for the projects funded in response to this Request for Applications (RFA); therefore, projects focusing on plant or animal species or commodities that are important to underserved communities, farmers, ranchers, or small- or medium-sized farms or ranches are also welcome.

Through this support, AFRI advances knowledge in both fundamental and applied sciences important to agriculture. It also allows AFRI to support education and extension activities that deliver science-based knowledge to end users, allowing them to make informed, practical decisions. This AFRI Education and Workforce Development (EWD) RFA provides funding for research-only, education-only, extension-only, and/or integrated research, education, and/or extension projects addressing the six priorities identified in Part I A. Each Program Area priority within this RFA may offer all or some of these project types.

Food and agricultural systems face ever-growing constraints including growing populations;

pressure on natural resources; challenges of climate variability and change; and complex demands of ensuring nutritional security and food safety in a global economy. Addressing these https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=(title:7%20section:3157%20edition:prelim)%20OR%20(granuleid:USC-prelim-title7-section3157)&f=treesort&edition=prelim&num=0&jumpTo=true https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=(title:7%20section:3157%20edition:prelim)%20OR%20(granuleid:USC-prelim-title7-section3157)&f=treesort&edition=prelim&num=0&jumpTo=true https://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?SID=fb71e0bdd8201139683f371c33f35d70&mc=true&node=se7.1.2_121&rgn=div8 challenges requires research, education, extension, and integrated programs in concert with science-based approaches that increase agricultural and natural resource sustainability. The term 'sustainable agriculture' (7 U.S.C. 3103) means a combined system of plant and animal production practices relevant to site-specific application that will achieve the following long-term goals:

1. Satisfy human food and fiber needs;

2. Enhance environmental quality and the natural resource base upon which the agricultural economy depends;

3. Make the most efficient use of nonrenewable resources and on-farm resources and integrate, where appropriate, natural biological cycles and controls;

4. Sustain the economic viability of farm operations; and

5. Enhance the quality of life for farmers and society as a whole.

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

NIFA recognizes that collaboration with international partners may be necessary to attain the agency's goals for U.S. agriculture, promote global competence of our nation’s future agricultural workforce, and promote safe and nutritious food security in a growing world.

Therefore, although application to this RFA is limited to eligible U.S. institutions, applicants may collaborate with international partners, and include subcontracts to international partners or other institutions. Applications must clearly demonstrate benefits to the United States. Additional guidance on including international activities is provided on the AFRI International Partnerships website.

Background AFRI is NIFA’s flagship competitive grants programs for food and agricultural sciences, and funding is offered through the Foundational and Applied Science, Sustainable Agricultural Systems, and Education and Workforce Development Requests for Applications for addressing critical societal issues.

NIFA supports research, education, and extension projects that address key problems of local, regional, national, and global importance. As such, AFRI welcomes projects that enhance the food and agricultural sciences and their role in human diversity, equity and inclusion, agricultural practices that provide for adaptation to ecological perturbation and mitigate climate change, rural economic development and post-pandemic economic revitalization, nutritional security, open and competitive markets, and other topics responsive to current and emerging needs impacting the U.S. Agriculture.

The AFRI Education and Workforce Development RFA is aligned with the following:

FY2022-2026 USDA Strategic Goals:

1. Strategic Goal 1: Combat Climate Change to Support America’s Working Lands, Natural Resources, and Communities;

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

3. Strategic Goal 3: Foster an Equitable and Competitive Marketplace for All Agricultural Producers;

4. Strategic Goal 4: Make Safe, Nutritious Food Available to All Americans;

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5. Strategic Goal 5: Expand Opportunities for Economic Development and Improve Quality of Life in Rural and Tribal Communities;

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

The AFRI EWD RFA is aligned with the following USDA Science and Research Strategy, 2023–2026 priorities::

1. Priority 1: Accelerating Innovative Technologies & Practices;

2. Priority 2: Driving Climate-Smart Solutions;

3. Priority 3: Bolstering Nutrition Security & Health;

4. Priority 4: Cultivating Resilient Ecosystems;

5. Priority 5: Translating Research Into Action.

For a program informational webinar please visit the NIFA calendar for dates, event registration, and link. If you need a reasonable accommodation to participate in any of the informational webinars listed, please contact the event host listed no later than 10 days prior to the event.

Additional requirements on expected performance goals, indicators, and targets may be required as a condition of an award issued per this RFA.

C. Program Area Description The AFRI EWD Program Area RFA addresses projected shortfalls of qualified graduates in the agricultural, food, and renewable natural resources sectors of the U.S. economy (Employment Opportunities for College Graduates). This RFA seeks applications for education and training grants that focus on further enhancing the distinct components of the pipeline for developing the workforce in the food and agricultural sciences. The AFRI EWD Program Area has four overarching goals:

1. Growing Agricultural Literacy and Workforce Development for the Future offers institutional grants to provide K-14 teachers and administrators with increased knowledge of the food and agricultural sciences and help them develop improved curricula to train the agricultural workforce for the future. See Part I C.1 “Professional Development for Agricultural Literacy” (Program Code A7501).

2. Training or Retraining of Agricultural Workers provides institutional training grants to develop a technology- and data-savvy workforce ready for the field and industrial jobs. See Part I C.2 for “Agricultural Workforce Training Grants at Community Colleges” (Program Code A7601).

3. Developing Pathways provides formal or non-formal education experiential learning for students to enter or gain skills applicable to the food and agriculture fields. This RFA seeks to support the development of non-formal education activities that cultivate interest and build public confidence in the safe and enhanced use of technology in food and agricultural sciences. See Part I C.3 for “Food and Agricultural Non-formal Education” (Program Code A7801). This RFA also offers grants that propose formal experiential learning for undergraduates in food, agriculture, or allied disciplines and helps them learn the technical and leadership skills required for employment in the food and agricultural sectors or in graduate programs. See Part I C.4 for “Research and Extension Experiences for https://www.usda.gov/sites/default/files/documents/usda-science-research-strategy.pdf https://nifa.usda.gov/calendar https://www.purdue.edu/usda/employment/ https://www.purdue.edu/usda/employment/

Undergraduates” (Program Code A7401).

4. Advancing Science supports graduate and post-graduate education in food and agriculture disciplines. See Part I C.5 and Part I C.6 for “Predoctoral Fellowships” (Program Code A7101) and “Postdoctoral Fellowships” (Program Code A7201), respectively.

Total EWD Program Funds – Approximately $49 million. Additional projects submitted under this RFA will be considered should funding become available beyond the amount listed above.

Key Information Applicable to all AFRI EWD Program Area Priorities:

1. All applications must adhere to the requirements in Part IV.

2. All applications to the AFRI EWD Program Area must be aligned with at least one of the six AFRI Farm Bill priorities (Part I A) and must address the Program Area Priorities described subsequently.

3. All AFRI EWD projects are required to provide opportunities for development of leadership skills which are necessary for preparing project participants for agriculture-related careers in the private sector, government, and academia. Projects must demonstrably incorporate a leadership development component through competencies, such as critical thinking, problem-solving, teamwork, communication skills, and training in ethics and professionalism.

4. The AFRI EWD Program Area priorities anticipate funding projects with measurable outcomes/objectives. These may include but are not limited to: 1) number and duration of students and participants that are supported directly or undertaking internships, externships, certifications, and other experiential learning opportunities; 2) number of K- 14 teachers, educational professionals, and/or students who indirectly benefit from the projects 3) number of international experiences; 4) number of publications, patents, and workshops; 5) quality of developed curricula materials, or academic programs; 6) success of recruitment and retention programs, especially for underrepresented groups; 7) quality of collaborations developed among institutions; 8) measurable changes in student learning or engagement; and 9) measurable changes in the number of graduates, especially underrepresented individuals, in food and agricultural science disciplines.

5. Applications from, and collaborations with, minority-serving institutions, small to mid-sized institutions, and/or institutions in Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR) states are welcome to apply to these Program Area priorities.

Applications that include collaborations with international partners are also welcome. For information on NIFA international partnerships that may be of interest to applicants, see the AFRI International Partnerships website.

6. Indigenous traditional ecological knowledge is an acceptable topic of research, education, or extension for projects funded by this RFA in pursuit of the priorities, goals, and objectives of each program priority area.

7. A Mentoring Plan (MP) describing peer mentoring, layered mentoring, or similar mentoring activities is required for all Program Area Priorities in this RFA. For predoctoral and postdoctoral fellowships, please consult the specific Program Area priority’s narrative guidance for mentoring plan requirements. If various education levels of students or scholars are represented in the application, the MP must address how mentoring will be different and targeted to the specific education level (youth, https://nifa.usda.gov/resource/afri-international-partnerships

Undergraduate, Graduate, Postgraduate, etc.), as appropriate. The MP should incorporate roles and responsibilities of the Project Director (PD) and Co-Project Directors, description of mentoring activities and timeline, and description of reasonable accommodations provided to program participants. Detailed information regarding the specific requirements of the MP for each Program Area Priority can be found under the description for each Program Area Priority in this RFA and in the “FY 2024 Education and Workforce Development RFA Additional Information for Part IV, C” PDF file in the attachments list on the AFRI RFA Resources page (see Part IV C).

Applications are solicited in the following six Program Area Priorities:

1. Professional Development for Agricultural Literacy (PDAL)

2. Agricultural Workforce Training at Community Colleges (AWT)

3. Food and Agricultural Non-Formal Education (FANE)

4. Research and Extension Experiences for Undergraduates (REEU)

5. Predoctoral Fellowships

6. Postdoctoral Fellowships

For a program informational webinar please visit the NIFA calendar for dates, event registration, and link. If you need a reasonable accommodation to participate in any of the informational webinars listed, please contact the event host listed no later than 10 days prior to the event.

1. Professional Development for Agricultural Literacy (PDAL)

Table 3: Professional Development for Agricultural Literacy Key Information

Title Description Program Code: A7501

Program Code Name: Professional Development for Agricultural Literacy Assistance Listing Number 10.310

Project Type(s): Education, Extension, or Integrated Projects only Grant Type(s): a. Standard Grants and FASE (Strengthening Standard)

Grants only

b. See Part II C.2 for requirements specific to FASE Grant applications.

Application Deadline FY 2024: Thursday, September 12, 2024 (5:00 p.m. Eastern

Time) Grant Duration: 36-48 months

Maximum Award Amount(s):

a. Including indirect costs: $500,000

b. A minimum of 50% of project direct costs requested must be for participant support.

c. Each review cycle may award up to two grants per lead institution.

Program Area Priority

Contact(s):

Dr. Kellyann Jones-Jamtgaard, (816) 599-1916 or kellyann.jonesjamtgaard@usda.gov

Program Area Priority:

The PDAL Program Area Priority seeks to increase the number of K-14 educational professionals trained in the food and agricultural sciences. Participants (teachers, post-https://nifa.usda.gov/resource/afri-request-applications-resources https://usdagcc.sharepoint.com/sites/REE-NIFA-AFRI/Shared%20Documents/RFAs%20-%20FY2023-FY2024/FY23-AFRI-EWD-RFA%202.22.23.docx#_Content_and_Form https://nifa.usda.gov/calendar mailto:kellyann.jonesjamtgaard@usda.gov baccalaureate pre-service teachers, counselors, administrators) are expected to develop and apply skills necessary for integrating food and agricultural science concepts in their classes; explore the opportunities available in food and agricultural science career paths; and/or forge mentorships with professional and business leaders, and faculty at four-year institutions.

Education, Extension, or Integrated Projects must:

a. Promote faculty expertise and encourage widespread implementation of educational innovation at K-14 levels in the food and agricultural sciences. This includes topics that contain elements of the human sciences (e.g., disciplines that address issues challenging individuals, youth, families, and communities).

b. Provide immersive learning experiences (e.g., teacher hands-on research, teacher experiential learning), curriculum development and implementation, and teaching training for K-14 education professionals (e.g., teachers, counselors, administrators) and post-baccalaureate pre-service teachers to create and replicate best practices to improve student success outcomes within the food and agricultural sciences.

1) Projects including curriculum development components must be led by or include key personnel with curriculum development credentials to ensure materials produced comply with the most appropriate pedagogy, teaching standards, and other applicable institutional, state, and national accreditation requirements,

2) For the purposes of this Program Area priority, immersive learning experiences refer to those activities that allow the participant (i.e., K-14 education professionals) to learn by doing and participating in meaningful experiences. After being presented with a problem, participants research, try, solve, and reflect on the process allowing them to apply the lesson more broadly to their classroom, teaching, and lives.

c. Non-exhaustive examples of projects include:

1) Developing self-sustaining models for professional development that better prepare education professionals to provide outstanding teaching, guidance, institutional structures, etc., that enhance student outcomes in the food and agricultural sciences.

2) Changing instructional approaches to effectively identify skill gaps and address conceptual areas particularly challenging to students.

3) Integrating innovations in science and pedagogy into existing professional development programs (e.g., through hands-on research and extension experiences with partner institutions and laboratories).

4) Exploring self-sustaining web-based approaches for professional development for education professionals.

5) Adapting curricula to train or retrain agricultural workforce for the future.

6) Other methods to fill the existing gap of professional development in advanced food and agricultural sciences for education professionals at the K-14 education level.

Program Area Priority Additional Information:

a. Requests exceeding budgetary guidelines will not be reviewed. Unless otherwise stated, grants are not renewable. This Program Area Priority accepts new and resubmitted applications only. Renewal applications are not accepted in this Program Area Priority.

b. Application and submission information, including page limits and narrative font sizes, for this Program Area Priority is available in the “AFRI-EWD-RFA-Additional

Information-for-Part-IV-C-FY24” PDF in the attachments list on the AFRI RFA Resources page. Proposals that do not comply with these instructions may be excluded from review and consideration of funding.

c. A minimum of 50% of project direct costs for PDAL projects must be for participant support, including items such as participant stipends, cost of subsistence (housing, meals) for immersive experiences, reasonable travel, classroom materials and teaching kits, and laboratory use fees.

d. Use of undergraduate or graduate students as project staff is allowed under this Program Area priority as long as the requested effort support is allocable, reasonable, and necessary for the execution of the project. Undergraduate and graduate student tuition remission costs are not allowed.

e. Projects that target elementary and middle school education are welcome.

f. Projects are encouraged to integrate participant social-emotional skill development activities and training for effective in-person and/or virtual teaching.

g. Projects that involve participation from industry and nonprofit organizations through collaborating mentors and/or that connect education professionals, particularly those from schools with limited resources, to existing USDA and Federal resources (e.g., USDA Agricultural Research Service, Forest Service, Federal laboratories, open data resources) to enhance student outcomes in the food and agricultural sciences are welcome.

h. As applicable, off-campus indirect cost rates should be charged if the majority of project activities are taking place off-site.

i. If organized by the program, the PD will be required to attend one NIFA AFRI EWD PD meeting during the performance period of the award. Reasonable travel expenses must be included as part of the project budget. While budgets should account for this travel, NIFA may consider virtual, or hybrid meetings based on local and national pandemic conditions.

j. Reasonable costs for evaluation and hiring of evaluation professionals may be included.

k. A Mentoring Plan (MP) describing peer mentoring, layered mentoring or similar mentoring activities is required for this program. Detailed information regarding the specific requirements of the MP can be found in the “AFRI-EWD-RFA-Additional Information-for-Part-IV-C-FY24” PDF file in the attachments list on the AFRI RFA Resources page (see ). The MP should include:

1. The roles and responsibilities of the PD and Co-Project Directors in managing the mentoring process;

2. Training for and/or credentials of individuals who will serve as mentors (i.e., mentor training). Mentors may be experienced mentors from academia, industry, or government or teaching peers at various levels who are expected to provide guidance, cultural support, and sense of community with the activities and facilitate the amplification of program-specific perspectives and accomplishments of the mentees;

3. A description of mentoring activities that may include, but are not limited to, peer mentoring or layered mentoring, whereby a set of mentees are progressively mentored by others at a higher level in their careers; these activities should be incorporated into the overall project timeline; and

4. A description of processes to ensure reasonable accommodations for program participants with disabilities or challenges with accessing program activities.

https://nifa.usda.gov/resource/afri-request-applications-resources https://nifa.usda.gov/resource/afri-request-applications-resources https://nifa.usda.gov/resource/afri-request-applications-resources

2. Agricultural Workforce Training at Community Colleges (AWT)

Table 4: Agricultural Workforce Training at Community Colleges Key Information

Title Description Program Code: A7601 Program Code

Name:

Agricultural Workforce Training Grants

Assistance Listing Number:

10.310

Project Type(s): Education Projects only

a. Education Projects only for Standard Grants and Strengthening

Standard Grants Grant Type(s): a. Standard Grants, and FASE (Strengthening Standard) Grants only

b. See Part II C.2 for requirements specific to FASE Grant applications.

Application Deadline

FY 2024: Thursday, September 19, 2024 (5:00 p.m. Eastern Time)

Grant Duration: a. 12-24 months for Design Projects Standard Grants and Strengthening Standard Grants

b. 36-48 months for Implementation Projects Standard Grants and Strengthening Standard Grants

Maximum Award Amount(s):

a. Including indirect costs: $250,000 for Design Project Standard Grants and Strengthening Standard Grants

b. Including indirect costs: $650,000 for Implementation Project Standard Grants and Strengthening Standard Grants

c. Each review cycle may award up to two grants, in any project type combination, per lead institution

Program Area Priority Contact(s):

Christopher Green, (856) 328-7396 or christopher.green@usda.gov

The AWT Program Area Priority seeks to develop a workforce ready for the field as well as industry jobs in the food and agricultural sector. Through the development of new workforce training programs, or the expansion, improvement, or renewal of existing workforce training programs at community, junior, and technical colleges/institutes, this program will expand job-based experiential learning opportunities, acquisition of industry-accepted credentials and occupational competencies for students to enable a work-ready labor force for the 21st century.

Proposals aimed towards developing baccalaureate or graduate degree programs or pathways towards these degrees are not supported under this Program Area Priority.

In order to strengthen the capacity of Community Colleges, the AWT program is offering two focus areas: Design and Implementation, with distinct requirements, goals, timelines, and budget maximums. Design projects seek to support faculty and staff to design and develop new credentialed workforce training programs that will train the workforce once the credential is recognized by the cognizant institution. Design projects do not support nor require student activities or training, but the development of training programs. On the other hand, Implementation projects seek to train students to acquire the skills and tools necessary to secure an industry-accepted credential and join the workforce. Implementations projects may update or expand existing workforce training programs, but these activities are restricted to the first year of the grant; the remaining project time must be allocated to student training. AWT applicants must design their proposal based on the focus area that best fits their project’s goals, objectives, and timeline. Applicants need not have applied or received a Design or Implementation project grant to be eligible to apply or receive the other project type award.

Design Projects must address the following:

a. Be developed and carried out by community/junior/technical colleges or institutes with active partnership of employers or other community partners.

b. Design and develop new workforce training programs or stackable-credential frameworks in the food and agricultural sciences at community, junior, and technical colleges or institutes aimed at developing a workforce ready for field and industrial jobs.

c. How the project or frameworks may link high school and community college education to enable participants to gain credentials to join, rejoin or advance in the workforce.

d. Description of the type and relevance of the industry-accepted credential the workforce training program will provide to target participants.

e. Description of the type and relevance of experiential learning opportunities that will allow participants to gain on-the-job training and exposure to work environments.

f. Timeline and plan for the developed program or credential to be recognized by cognizant institutions.

g. Applications must articulate benefits accrued from the design project and provide evidence of a high likelihood that quality future implementation applications will be submitted.

Implementation Projects must address the following:

a. Provide students the skills and tools necessary to secure industry-accepted credentials to join the workforce upon participation completion.

b. Be developed by, or in active partnership with, community/junior/technical colleges/ institutes and their industry partners. All applications to this Program Area priority must demonstrate committed and active partnership with and relevance to industry.

c. Expand and improve existing workforce training programs in the food and agricultural sciences at community, junior, and technical colleges/institutes to develop a workforce ready for field and industrial jobs.

d. Describe the type and relevance of industry-accepted credential(s) the workforce training program will provide to target participants.

e. 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 they are being trained for.

f. Applicants need not have applied or received a Design Project grant to be eligible for an Implementation Project grant.

g. Non-exhaustive examples of projects include:

1. Industry-based training programs/apprenticeships allowing students to earn while they learn;

2. Job-based, experiential learning opportunities that allow students more time working in job simulation or ‘on-the-job’ training environments;

3. Refreshing existing workforce development curriculum or development of stackable credential frameworks to meet the needs of the 21st century agricultural industry;

4. Opportunities for students to utilize appropriate cutting-edge technology and advanced data skills in their learning experiences.

Program Area Priority Additional Information:

a. Requests exceeding budgetary guidelines will not be reviewed. Unless otherwise stated, grants are not renewable. This Program Area rPiority accepts new and resubmitted applications only. Renewal applications are not accepted in this Program Area priority.

b. Application and submission information including page limits and narrative font sizes for this Program Area Priority is available in the “AFRI-EWD-RFA-Additional Information-for-Part-IV-C-FY24” PDF in the attachments list on the AFRI RFA Resources page.

Proposals that do not comply with these instructions may be excluded from review and consideration of funding.

c. Projects including curriculum development components must be led by or include key personnel with curriculum development credentials to ensure materials produced comply with the most appropriate pedagogy, teaching standards, and other applicable institutional, state, and national accreditation requirements.

d. Curriculum for workforce training developed, expanded, or improved under this Program Area Priority must lead participants to earn a technical certificate, stackable credential, 2-year associates or technical degree or other industry accepted credential. (Certificates, training, or coursework for/part of baccalaureate or post-graduate degrees or training are not supported under this Program Area Priority).

e. Funds requested may include but are not limited to support for participant stipends and travel, costs of course enrollment, provider personnel salaries, software, and curricula.

f. Use of 4-year undergraduate or graduate students as project staff is allowed under this Program Area Priority as long as the requested effort support is allocable, reasonable, and necessary for the execution of the project. Four-year undergraduate and graduate student tuition remission costs are not allowed.

g. Projects that involve partnerships with local government, economic development organizations, and workforce-focused nonprofit organizations are welcome.

h. Self-sustaining projects that will continue after grants funds expire are welcome as well as those that target high-unemployment geographic areas or underrepresented groups.

i. As applicable, off-campus indirect cost rates should be charged if most of project activities are taking place off-site.

j. If organized by the program, the PD will be required to attend one NIFA AFRI EWD PD meeting during the performance period of the award. Reasonable travel expenses must be included as part of the project budget. While budgets should account for this travel, NIFA may consider virtual, or hybrid meetings based on local and national pandemic conditions.

k. Reasonable costs for evaluation and hiring of evaluation professionals may be included.

l. A Mentoring Plan (MP) describing peer mentoring, layered mentoring or similar mentoring activities is required for this program. Detailed information regarding the specific requirements of the MP can be found in the “AFRI-EWD-RFA-Additional Information-for-Part-IV-C-FY24” PDF file in the attachments list on the AFRI RFA Resources page). The MP should include:

1. The roles and responsibilities of the PD and Co-Project Directors in managing the mentoring process;

2. Training for and/or credentials of individuals who will serve as mentors (i.e., mentor training). Mentors may be experienced mentors from academia, industry, or government, or student peers at various levels who are expected to provide guidance, cultural support, and sense of community with the activities and facilitate the amplification of program-specific perspectives and accomplishments of the mentees;

3. A description of mentoring activities that may include, but are not limited to, peer mentoring or layered mentoring, whereby a set of mentees are progressively mentored by others at a higher level in their careers; these activities should be incorporated into the overall project timeline; and

4. A description of processes to ensure reasonable accommodations for program participants with disabilities or challenges with accessing program activities.

Scholarship programs should include plans to accommodate scholarship recipients who find it necessary to interrupt their program of study because of health, personal, or other reasonable non-academic and non-disciplinary cause(s).

3. Food and Agricultural Non-Formal Education (FANE)

Table 5: Food and Agricultural Non-Formal Education Key Information

Title Description Program Code: A7801 Program Code

Name:

Food and Agricultural Non-Formal Education

Assistance Listing Number

10.310

Project Type(s): Extension, Education, or Integrated Projects only Grant Type(s): a. Standard and FASE (Strengthening Standard) Grants only

b. See Part II C.2 for requirements specific to FASE Grant applications.

Application Deadline

FY 2024: Thursday, December 5, 2024 (5:00 p.m. Eastern Time)

Grant Duration: 36-48 months Maximum Award

Amount(s):

a. Including indirect costs: $750,000

b. Funds requested may include but are not limited to support of participant stipends and travel; provider personnel salaries;

software; and curricula.

Program Area Priority Contact(s):

Dr. Jeff Sallee, (816) 814-4746 or jeffrey.sallee@usda.gov

Program Area Priority:

Major advances in agricultural productivity and rural prosperity in the past have resulted from https://nifa.usda.gov/resource/afri-request-applications-resources https://nifa.usda.gov/resource/afri-request-applications-resources mailto:Jeffrey.sallee@usda.gov mailto:Jeffrey.sallee@usda.gov transformative technologies, such as breeding tools and strategies, mechanization, and prudent use of agrochemicals. There are several emerging technologies that hold a similar promise. This Program Area priority will support content development and activities for non-formal education to foster development of technology-savvy youth. Projects must adopt or develop curriculum and activities to cultivate interest and competencies in STEM and in food and agricultural sciences supported by the six Farm Bill Priority areas of AFRI. Data science, including artificial intelligence, automation, robotics, gene editing, biotechnology and other projects involving emerging technologies will be supported in this Program Area Priority.

FANE applications must address the following:

a. Develop curriculum and activities to enhance youth’s understanding of gene editing, biotechnology, data science, artificial intelligence, robotics, automation, and other technologies that enhance the food and agricultural enterprise and prepares them to help meet the needs of the future workforce through enhanced non-formal education modules.

b. Develop outreach materials that clearly communicate the demonstrated benefits of agricultural technologies.

c. Complement and build upon programs that have successfully demonstrated positive youth development strategies and outcomes (i.e., 4-H programming, Agriculture in the Classroom, FDA’s Agricultural Biotechnology Education and Outreach Initiative, etc.).

d. Involve youth in the design, execution, and evaluation of activities that lead to the development of consumer-friendly content that builds public confidence in the safe use of data science, biotechnology and other emerging technologies in agriculture and the food system.

grants are not renewable. This Program Area priority accepts new and resubmitted applications only. Renewal applications are not accepted in this Program Area Priority.

b. Application and submission information including page limits and narrative font sizes for this Program Area Priority is available in the “AFRI-EWD-RFA-Additional Information-for-Part-IV-C-FY24” PDF in the attachments list on the AFRI RFA Resources page.

Proposals that do not comply with these instructions will be excluded from review and consideration of funding.

c. Projects that enhance access and interest in innovative agricultural technology (e.g., data science and artificial intelligence, robotics and automation, gene editing, biotechnology and other emerging technologies) education for communities underrepresented in STEM education and utilize a whole-child approach to promote learning about agricultural technology in food and agriculture are welcome.

d. Projects that promote team, active learning, and resiliency are welcome.

e. Projects must institute an evaluation system to assess participant learning and outcomes throughout the duration of the project.

f. Projects should be designed for youth in K-12, however if a positive youth development program serves a similar age range outside the K-12 boundaries, allowances can be made with justification.

g. Projects that involve participation from industry and nonprofit organizations through collaborating mentors and/or that connect education professionals, particularly those from low-resource schools to existing USDA and Federal resources (e.g., USDA Agricultural Research Service, Forest Service, Federal laboratories, open data resources) to enhance student outcomes in the food and agricultural sciences are welcome.

h. As applicable, off-campus indirect cost rates should be charged if the majority of project activities take place off-site.

i. If organized by the program, the PD will be required to attend one NIFA AFRI PD meeting during the performance period of the award. Reasonable travel expenses must be included as part of the project budget. While budgets should account for this travel, NIFA may consider virtual, or hybrid meetings based on local and national pandemic conditions.

j. Reasonable costs for evaluation and hiring of evaluation professionals may be included.

k. A Mentoring Plan (MP) describing peer mentoring, layered mentoring or similar mentoring activities is required for this program. Detailed information regarding the specific requirements of the MP can be found in the “AFRI-EWD-RFA-Additional Information-for-Part-IV-C-FY24” PDF file in the attachments list on the AFRI RFA Resources page (see Part IV C). The MP should include:

1. The roles and responsibilities of the PD and Co-Project Directors in managing the mentoring process;

2. Training for and/or credentials of individuals who will serve as mentors (i.e., mentor training). Mentors may be experienced mentors from academia, industry, or government, or student peers at various levels who are expected to provide guidance, cultural support, and sense of community with the activities and facilitate the amplification of program-specific perspectives and accomplishments of the mentees;

3. A description of mentoring activities that may include, but are not limited to, peer mentoring or layered mentoring, whereby a set of mentees are progressively mentored by others at a higher level in their careers; these activities should be incorporated into the overall project timeline;

4. A description of processes to ensure reasonable accommodations for program participants with disabilities or challenges with accessing program activities.

Scholarship programs should include plans to accommodate scholarship recipients who find it necessary to interrupt their program of study because of health, personal, or other reasonable non-academic and non-disciplinary cause(s).

https://usdagcc.sharepoint.com/sites/REE-NIFA-AFRI/Shared%20Documents/RFAs%20-%20FY2023-FY2024/FY23-AFRI-EWD-RFA%202.22.23.docx#_Content_and_Form

4. Research and…