FY24-NNF-RFA-P.pdf

REQUEST FOR APPLICATIONS

Food and Agricultural Sciences National Needs Graduate and Postgraduate Fellowship

FUNDING YEAR: Fiscal Year (FY) 2024

LETTER OF INTENT DEADLINE:

APPLICATION DEADLINE:

Not Applicable

August 13, 2024

ANTICIPATED PROGRAM FUNDING:

AVERAGE INDIVIDUAL AWARD

RANGE:

$3,249,147

$41,000 - $262,500

FUNDING OPPORTUNITY NUMBER: USDA-NIFA-HEP-010775

ASSISTANCE LISTING NUMBER: 10.210

INITIAL ANNOUNCEMENT

National Institute of Food and Agriculture United States Department of Agriculture

Assistance Listing Number (ALN): The Food and Agricultural Sciences National Needs Graduate and Postgraduate Fellowship (NNF) Grants Program is listed in the Assistance Listings under number 10.210.

Table 1: Key Dates and Deadlines Task Description Deadline

Application: 5:00 P.M. Eastern Time, August 13, 2024 [Ref to Part I § C of this RFA]

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 Section 103(c)(2) of the Agricultural Research, Extension, and Education Reform Act of 1998 (7 U.S.C. 7613(c)(2)). Applicants may submit written comments to Policy@ usda.gov (email is for comments only). Please use the following subject line:

Response to the NNF RFA.

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

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

NIFA requests applications for the Food and Agricultural Sciences National Needs Graduate and Postgraduate Fellowship (NNF) Grants Program for one funding cycle, Fiscal Year (FY) 2024, to provide traineeship programs to eligible institutions for meeting the national need to develop scientific and professional expertise in the food and agricultural sciences. The amount available for grants in FY 2024 is approximately $3,249,147.

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

TABLE OF CONTENTS

INITIAL ANNOUNCEMENT

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

PART I. FUNDING OPPORTUNITY DESCRIPTION

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

PART II. AWARD INFORMATION

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

PART III. ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION

A. Eligibility Requirements B. Cost Sharing or Matching

PART IV. APPLICATION AND SUBMISSION

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

PART V. APPLICATION REVIEW REQUIREMENTS

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

PART VI. AWARD ADMINISTRATION

A. General B. Administrative and National Policy Requirements

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

TABLE OF TABLES

Table 1: Key Dates and Deadlines Table 2: Program Key Information Table 3: Steps to Obtain Application Materials Table 4: Help and Resources Table 5: Key Application Instructions Table 6: Targeted Expertise Shortages Areas Table 7: Relevant Disciplines this Funding Cycle Table 8: Recommended Format for Submitting Expected Impacts

PART I. FUNDING OPPORTUNITY DESCRIPTION

A. Legislative Authority Section 1417 of the National Agricultural Research, Extension and Teaching Policy Act of 1977 (NARETPA), codified at 7 U.S.C. 3152, authorizes the Secretary to conduct a program of competitive grants (or grants without regard to any requirement for competition) for all colleges and universities for the purpose of furthering education in the food and agricultural sciences.

Specifically, the Secretary may make grants to conduct graduate and postdoctoral fellowship programs to attract highly promising individuals to research or teaching careers in the food and agricultural sciences (7 U.S.C. 3152 (b)(6)).

NIFA administers this Federal assistance competitive grant program specifically designated for graduate degree programs and postgraduate training of the next generation of policy makers, researchers, and educators in the Food and Agricultural Sciences. This program, in collaboration with eligible higher education institutions, is developing intellectual capital to ensure the preeminence of U.S. food and agricultural systems. This program is subject to federal regulations as outlined in administrative provisions that can be found in 7 CFR 3402—Food and Agricultural Sciences National Needs Graduate and Postgraduate Fellowship Grants Program.

B. Purpose and Priorities The purpose of the Food and Agricultural Sciences National Needs Graduate and Postgraduate Fellowship (NNF) Grants Program, Assistance Listing 10.210, is to provide funding to support graduate student training and completion of master’s and/or doctoral degree programs in identified national need areas within the food and agricultural sciences. The overarching goals and objectives of these graduate fellowships are to encourage outstanding students to pursue and complete graduate degrees in the areas of food and agricultural sciences designated by NIFA as national needs. Awards made by the NNF program are specifically intended to support traineeship programs that engage outstanding students to pursue and complete their degrees in areas where there is a national need for the development of scientific and professional expertise in the food and agricultural sciences. NNF awards invest in graduate training and relevant international experiential learning for diverse individuals who demonstrate their potential to successfully complete graduate degree programs in disciplines relevant to the mission of the USDA. This funding opportunity is open to eligible institutions. Individuals are not eligible to apply.

Traditional ecological knowledge is regarded as a suitable educational program topic for a NNF Grants Program-funded project, provided it fits to the program's priorities and goals as described in this RFA.

For this award cycle, NIFA intends to support graduate Fellowship training grants for both master’s and doctoral levels of study only. Post-doctoral Fellowships will not be awarded under this grant announcement.

NIFA is soliciting NNF applications in the following areas:

1. Graduate Fellowships to support the training for and completion of master’s and doctoral degree programs in the food and agricultural sciences; and https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=(title:7%20section:3152%20edition:prelim)%20OR%20(granuleid:USC-prelim-title7-section3152)&f=treesort&edition=prelim&num=0&jumpTo=true https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=(title:7%20section:3152%20edition:prelim)%20OR%20(granuleid:USC-prelim-title7-section3152)&f=treesort&edition=prelim&num=0&jumpTo=true https://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?SID=282c28467c3f29a66c3daae2a6843ff9&mc=true&node=pt7.15.3402&rgn=div5%22%20%5Cl%20%22sp7.15.3402.a https://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?SID=282c28467c3f29a66c3daae2a6843ff9&mc=true&node=pt7.15.3402&rgn=div5%22%20%5Cl%20%22sp7.15.3402.a

2. Special International Study OR Thesis/Dissertation Research Travel Allowances (IRTA) for NEW eligible master’s and doctoral USDA Fellows.

Working collaboratively with eligible institutions, the objectives of the NNF program are to:

a. Support the training of NEW students at the master’s and doctoral levels, in order to fill nationally identified expertise shortage areas in the food and agricultural sciences.

b. Increase the number, quality, and diversity of students in the food, agricultural and related sciences by recruiting outstanding students, particularly those from traditionally underrepresented groups to enter and complete graduate training in these areas.

c. Ensure that the National Needs Fellows build science competencies through research and extension activities, and experience and engagement in an international setting within the Targeted Expertise Shortage Area (TESA) in the food and agricultural sciences through the IRTA awards.

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

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

and working in teams;

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

3. Providing opportunities for mentoring and shadowing; and

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

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

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

Global Engagement. The NNF program is intended to promote advances in U.S. food and agricultural sciences. Agriculture, however, is increasingly worldwide in scope and reach. To attain NNF’s goals for U.S. agriculture, applicants may include international partnerships or engagement in proposals as appropriate. Any international activities proposed under NNF, such as partnerships, study abroad, exchanges, training, trips, etc., must first and foremost support NNF’s domestic program goals. Applicants must clearly describe and demonstrate how international activities proposed in applications submitted to NNF will contribute to and support advances in American agriculture. If international activities (e.g., partnerships, exchanges, travel) are proposed, then applicants should describe indicators that will be used to assess those activities. Additional guidance on including international activities is provided on the NIFA Global Engagement Programs webpage.

The NNF RFA is aligned with the following:

USDA Strategic Plan FY 2022-2026

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;

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.

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.

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

The 2020-2025 Employment Opportunities for College Graduates in Food, Renewable Energy, and the Environment Report indicates possible shortages of graduates, specifically in the food, agriculture, natural resources and human sciences disciplines, to fill the estimated 59,400 annual openings for individuals with baccalaureate or higher degrees in food, renewable energy, and environmental specialties between 2020 and 2025. The NNF program aligns with the effort to produce graduates from colleges of agriculture and life sciences, forestry and natural resources, and veterinary medicine for careers in food and agricultural sciences.

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.

Table 2: Program Key Information

Title Description Program Code: KK

Program Code Name: National Needs Graduate Fellowship Program ALN Number 10.210 https://nifa.usda.gov/program/global-engagement-programs https://nifa.usda.gov/program/global-engagement-programs https://www.usda.gov/sites/default/files/documents/usda-fy-2022-2026-strategic-plan.pdf https://www.usda.gov/sites/default/files/documents/usda-science-research-strategy.pdf https://www.purdue.edu/usda/employment/ https://www.purdue.edu/usda/employment/ https://nifa.usda.gov/calendar

Project Type: Education Projects Only Grant Type: Standard Grants Only

Application Deadline August 13, 2024 Grant Duration: Approximately 60 Months

Anticipated # of Awards: 14 per year Minimum Award Amount: $41,000 Maximum Award Amount: $262,500

C. Program Area Description The NNF program supports graduate training in the food and agricultural sciences to develop human capital to participate in meeting the mission of the USDA. To support this goal, the NNF program offers funding for eligible full-time students pursuing graduate studies at the master’s and doctoral levels within the food and agricultural sciences disciplines identified as national needs or TESAs.

The International Study or Thesis/Dissertation Research Travel Allowances (IRTA) component also supports NIFA’s goal by allowing students to have additional training through experiential learning or research opportunities and travel awards that are expected to expand the competencies and skills of USDA Fellows and eventually lead to their completion of advanced degrees in the food and agriculture sciences. IRTA grants, if requested, are provided to National Needs Fellows to be recruited under current applications to allow them to conduct thesis/dissertation research or undertake studies outside the United States. The duration for successful applications under this RFA must not exceed 60 months.

1. Student Eligibility

a) Eligibility for NNF – The grantee institutions develop the selection criteria, and it is their responsibility to award fellowships to high caliber students in superior academic standing. Only individuals who meet the eligibility requirements listed below will be awarded fellowships. For individuals to receive Fellowship stipend support they must:

i. Be citizens or nationals of the United States of America as determined in accordance with Federal law.

ii. Have strong interest, as judged by the institution, in pursuing a degree in a national TESA; are preparing for a career as a food or agricultural or natural resources scientist or professional; are registered as full-time students; and

iii. Not have completed more than one semester or equivalent hours of full-time study as defined by the institution in the same academic program at the same degree level.

b) Eligibility for IRTA – At the time of travel under the IRTA grant award, USDA Fellows conducting research at alternate locations or outside the United States must:

i. Be supported under a USDA NNF grant and be registered as a full-time student;

ii. Have completed one academic year of full-time study, as defined by the institution under the fellowship appointment;

iii. Have formalized arrangements to study and/or conduct research in the foreign/alternate location(s) (see Part IV B, 3, (b));

iv. Have sufficient time remaining in their fellowship award to complete the proposed IRTA travel or research; and

v. Have a completed NIFA Form 2010 – Fellowship Appointment Form on file with the funding agency (NIFA).

2. Targeted Expertise Shortage Areas (TESA)

Applicants should propose training projects at the master’s and/or doctoral levels to support graduate fellowship stipends for NNF and/or IRTA in ONE of the following TESAs:

a) Animal Production

b) Plant Production

c) Forest Resources

d) Agricultural Education and Communication

e) Agricultural Management and Economics

f) Food Science, Human Nutrition and Human Sciences

g) Agricultural Biosecurity

h) Climate-smart Agriculture

i) Data Science (to enable systems and communities to effectively utilize data, improve resource management, and integrate new technologies and approaches to further U.S. food and agriculture enterprises)

3. Funding preference

Funding preference will be given to applications that propose to:

a) Establish innovative and evidence-based frameworks for graduate training;

b) Establish master’s degree or doctoral programs;

c) Establish multidisciplinary graduate training programs;

d) Increase the multicultural diversity of the nation’s scientific and professional expertise in the food and agricultural sciences;

e) Partner with teaching/research/extension or across colleges/institutions or public/private sectors;

f) Provide leadership skills opportunities; and/or

g) Develop performance measures for evaluating the overall effectiveness of the graduate training.

PART II. AWARD INFORMATION

A. Available Funding The amount available for Food and Agricultural Sciences National Needs Graduate and Postgraduate Fellowship (NNF) Grants Program in FY 2024 is approximately $3,249,147.

The mechanism for receiving funds, if awarded, will be in the form of standard grants.

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

B. Application Restrictions NIFA will evaluate applications using the criteria described in Part V of this RFA. Applications are limited to the following application types (see Appendix III for definitions):

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.

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

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

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

1. Project Types. Applicants may only submit proposals for Education/Teaching Projects.

Single-function Education Projects develop human capital relevant to overall program goals for U.S. agriculture.

a. Single Function Education: Projects must focus on developing skills necessary for entry- and mid-level technical employment or for entering graduate programs in food, agriculture, natural resources, and human sciences. Educational activities must show direct alignment with one of the following:

i. Increasing the number of graduates with the necessary technical skills for entry-level positions in food, agriculture, natural resources, and human sciences;

ii. Improving the technical competencies needed for the workforce to ensure that U.S. agriculture remains globally competitive; or

iii. Enhancing the diversity of the workforce in food, agriculture, natural resources, and human sciences.

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

2. Grant Types. Applicants must select from the list of available grant types under this RFA.

a. Standard. This is an award instrument by which NIFA agrees to support a specified level of effort for a predetermined project period without the announced intention of providing additional support at a future date. A single application may propose funding under any single TESA for any of the Award Categories listed below, either singly or in any combination, up to a maximum of $262,500 per application.

Applicants may not request partial fellowships.

i. Standard Grant: Category No. 1 Master’s Level Training: Funding at $41,000 for each Fellow. This consists of a student stipend of $18,500 per year for two years, plus $2,000 per year cost-of-education allowance ($4,000 maximum).

ii. Standard Grant: Category No. 2 Doctoral Level Training: Funding at $79,500 for each Fellow. This consists of a student stipend of $24,500 per year for three years, plus $2,000 per year cost-of education allowance ($6,000 maximum).

iii. Standard Grant: Category No. 3 Special International Study or Thesis/Dissertation Research Travel Allowances (IRTA): One-time award of up to $4,500 for each eligible new (i.e., to be recruited) USDA National Needs Master’s Fellow and/or a one-time award of up to $8,000 for each eligible new (i.e., to be recruited) USDA National Needs Doctoral Fellow.

NOTE: Awarded IRTA funds must be used exclusively for IRTA purposes and CANNOT be re-budgeted amongst other budget categories (i.e., stipend or cost-of-education allowance) during the performance period of the award.

There is no limit to the number of applications an eligible institution may submit; however, an institution may only receive support up to a maximum of approximately $525,000 in awards for this award competition.

Each application may request any combination of Category No. 1 (Master’s), Category No. 2 (Doctoral) or Category No. 3 (IRTA) funds, not to exceed $262,500. A separate application must be submitted for each Targeted Expertise Shortage Area (see Part I, C. 2.) for which support is requested. NIFA reserves the right to fund fewer Fellows than requested in an application, and to partially fund IRTA requests.

Project Directors who have received NNF awards in the last five years may also apply.

However, the proposals submitted in response to this RFA must differ substantively in scope and objectives from previously funded NNF projects in the last five years by the same Project Director.

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/current/title-2/subtitle-B/chapter-IV/part-422#422.2 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 Food and Agricultural Sciences National Needs Graduate and Postgraduate Fellowship (NNF) Grants 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, Grants Overview provides highly recommended information about grants and other resources to help understand the Federal awards process.

Only the following are eligible to apply: Land-grant institutions, colleges and universities having significant minority enrollments and a demonstrable capacity to carry out the teaching of food and agricultural sciences; and other colleges and universities having a demonstrable capacity to carry out the teaching of food, and agricultural sciences. Research foundations maintained by an eligible college or university are eligible to submit graduate training proposals under this RFA.

Award recipients may subcontract to organizations not eligible to apply provided such organizations are necessary for the conduct of the project. Failure to meet an eligibility criterion by the application deadline may result in the application being excluded from consideration or, even though an application may be reviewed, will preclude NIFA from making an award.

Applicants should be institutions that confer a graduate degree in at least one of the TESAs listed in Part I of this RFA. Awards are made to eligible colleges and universities. Individuals are not eligible to apply for these grants to support their graduate education.

Successful applications must select and identify Fellows and award Fellowships within eighteen

(18) months of the start date of a grant. Post-doctoral Fellowships will not be awarded under this grant announcement.

1. Institutions that fail to meet this deadline will be required to refund monies associated with unawarded Fellowships to NIFA.

2. Graduate fellowship appointments must be awarded only to registered students who are pursuing full-time study in graduate programs in the TESA and at the degree level supported by the grant.

3. Applicants may not request partial fellowships.

A USDA Fellow at the master’s degree level who maintains satisfactory progress is eligible to receive grant support for a maximum of twenty-four (24) months during a thirty (30) month period. A USDA Fellow at the doctoral degree level who maintains satisfactory progress is eligible to receive grant support for a maximum of thirty-six (36) months within a forty-two (42) month period.

It is the intent of this program that Graduate Fellows pursue full-time uninterrupted study or thesis/dissertation research, including time spent pursuing USDA-funded special international study or thesis/dissertation research activities. Graduate Fellows in academic institutions are not entitled to regular annual leave but are entitled to the normal student holidays observed by the institution. The time between academic semesters or quarters is to be utilized as an active part of the grant period. During the period of support, USDA Graduate Fellows, at the discretion of their institutions, may accept additional supplemental employment that would positively contribute to https://www.nifa.usda.gov/grants-overview their training or research and would make them eligible for tuition waivers (e.g., full, or partial tuition waivers with research or teaching assignments).

A Graduate Fellow who finds it necessary to interrupt his/her program of study because of health, personal, or other reasonable non-academic and non-disciplinary cause(s) must be allowed to resume funded study at any time within 6 months of the interruption, provided there is adequate time remaining before the award expires (i.e., within the 30-month total funding period for a master’s Fellow, and 42-month total funding period for a Doctoral Fellow). A Graduate Fellow who finds it necessary to interrupt his/her program of study more than one time cannot exceed 6 total months of cumulative leave without forfeiting NNF eligibility.

Failure to meet an eligibility criterion by the application deadline may result in the application being excluded from consideration or, even though an application may be reviewed, will preclude NIFA from making an award.

For those new to Federal financial assistance, a Grants Overview is available. This page includes information about free Grants 101 Training and other resources that are highly recommended for those seeking an understanding of Federal awards.

Duplicate or Multiple Submissions – duplicate or multiple submissions are not allowed. NIFA will disqualify both applications if an applicant submits duplicate or multiple submissions. For those new to Federal financial assistance, 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 NNF has NO matching requirement. NIFA will not factor matching resources into the review process as an evaluation criterion.

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-HEP-010775, 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 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

NIFA Support Email: grantapplicationquestions@usda.gov Key Information: Business hours: Monday thru Friday, 7a.m. – 5p.m. ET, except federal holidays

B. Content and Form of the Application The NIFA Grants Application Guide is part of the corresponding application package for this RFA. The RFA overrides the NIFA Grants Application Guide if there is a discrepancy between the two documents. 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/learn-grants/grants-101/ https://www.nifa.usda.gov/nifa-22-001-nifa-grants-application-guide https://www.grants.gov/ https://www.nifa.usda.gov/nifa-22-001-nifa-grants-application-guide https://www.grants.gov/ https://www.grants.gov/ https://www.grants.gov/register https://get.adobe.com/reader/ https://www.grants.gov/applicants/adobe-software-compatibility.html https://www.grants.gov/applicants/adobe-software-compatibility.html https://grants.gov/applicants/search-for-opportunity-package https://www.grants.gov/support mailto:support@grants.gov https://grants-portal.psc.gov/Welcome.aspx?pt=Grants mailto:grantapplicationquestions@usda.gov https://www.nifa.usda.gov/nifa-22-001-nifa-grants-application-guide

Table 5: Key Application Instructions

Instruction References (All references are to the NIFA Grants

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 IV

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

Part V

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

N/A

Contact NIFA if applicant does not receive correspondence from NIFA regarding an application within 45 days of the application deadline.

N/A

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

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

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

1. Field 7. Project Summary (PS)/Abstract. (Required Attachment – Must be PDF format). The Project Summary/Abstract must show how the project goals align with the project goals of the NNF. See Part V of the NIFA Grants Application Guide for instructions and suggested templates.

IMPORTANT – The Project Summary/Abstract is required in all applications and is limited to two pages. Applicants are encouraged to revisit the page numbers after converting the narrative to PDF format and make the necessary adjustments if the required page limit has been exceeded. A Project Summary/Abstract that exceeds this page limit requirement will not be accepted for review.

a. List the proposal title;

b. List the names of Project Director(s) and institution(s);

c. Identify the primary Targeted Expertise Shortage Area (TESA) being addressed (see following) – applicants must select only ONE TESA per application;

https://www.nifa.usda.gov/nifa-22-001-nifa-grants-application-guide https://www.nifa.usda.gov/nifa-22-001-nifa-grants-application-guide https://www.grants.gov/support https://www.nifa.usda.gov/nifa-22-001-nifa-grants-application-guide https://www.nifa.usda.gov/nifa-22-001-nifa-grants-application-guide https://www.nifa.usda.gov/nifa-22-001-nifa-grants-application-guide

d. Identify the major academic program or discipline(s) being addressed (see following)

– applicants may indicate a single or multiple discipline code(s);

e. Clearly indicate the number of Fellows and degree level(s) to be supported under the application; and

f. Clearly indicate the number and degree level of IRTAs to be supported.

In addition to the above, the rest of the Project Summary should:

a. Be concise and precise at no more than 250 words;

b. Provide a clear description of the type of project proposed (fellowships and/or IRTA), succinctly providing information about its major features and a specific description of the activities to be undertaken;

c. State the overall project goal(s) and supporting measurable objectives;

d. Give a concise overview of plans for training project to accomplish project goal(s) for national targeted expertise shortage area, include measurable targets, in specified timeline, to meet proposed objectives;

e. State the relevance of the project to the NNF program goals, and the USDA Strategic Goals and Objectives; and

f. State the anticipated, measurable national impact(s) on the Targeted Expertise Shortage Areas (TESAs).

Title the attachment ‘Project Summary’ in the document header and save the file in PDF format with the title ‘Project Summary.’ The importance of a concise, informative Project Summary is emphasized.

Table 6: Targeted Expertise Shortages Areas

Targeted Expertise Shortage Areas (TESA) this Funding Cycle Animal Production Plant Production Forest Resources Agricultural Education and Communication Agricultural Management and Economics Food Science, Human Sciences, and Human Nutrition Agricultural Biosecurity Climate-smart Agriculture Data Science (to enable systems and communities to effectively utilize data, improve resource management, and integrate new technologies and approaches to further U.S. food and agriculture enterprises)

Table 7: Relevant Disciplines this Funding Cycle Relevant Disciplines this Funding Cycle Code

Animal Science A Biotechnology, Biochemistry and Microbiology B Plant Sciences and Horticulture (includes Turf Grass/Weed Science/Plant Breeding)

P

Conservation and Renewable Natural Resources (including Forestry, Air Quality, Sustainable Agriculture, Climatology/Climate Change or Biofuels)

C

Environmental Sciences/Management (includes Economics, Decision Management and Biometry)

L

Soil Sciences (includes Soil Quality; Processes) D Water Sciences/Resources (includes Water Quality) W Agricultural/Biological Engineering (includes Rangeland, Urban/Rural Technology)

E

Agricultural Marketing and Management (includes Agricultural Economics) M Food Science/Technology/Manufacturing/Safety F Human Nutrition (includes obesity and relevant to USDA Strategic Goals) N International Agriculture (includes Disciplines Related to Global Food and Agricultural Systems and Competitiveness)

I

Agricultural Social Sciences (includes Rural Sociology) S Veterinary Medicine (graduate degree training) V Interdisciplinary, Sustainable Food, Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, Social Sciences and Economics Graduate Degree Programs

G

Agricultural Biosecurity X Other (Describe only if not listed above) O

2. Field 8. Project Narrative (PN). The Project Narrative shall not exceed 20 pages of written text, inclusive of figures and tables. We have established this maximum (20 total pages) to ensure fair and equitable competition. Appendices to the Project Narrative are allowed if they are directly germane to the proposed project. Do not add appendices to circumvent the page limit. Formatting shall be one-inch margins, no smaller than 12-point font (Times New Roman or similar), and DOUBLE-SPACED. Project narratives that are formatted incorrectly and/or exceed this page limit requirement may not be accepted for review.

The Project Narrative must include and be organized into the four sections identified below. A description of the information that must be included in each section is also provided.

Section 1: Progress Report (if applicable) and Institutional Data and Profile

a. Progress Report (if applicable, maximum of two pages): If the application is from a Project Director that has received an NNF grant funded competitively by this agency in the past five years, include a clearly marked progress report (no longer than two pages) describing results to date from the previous award. The progress report must contain the following information:

i. The Award Number (xxxx-38420-xxxxx) from the NIFA Award Face Sheet;

ii. A comparison of actual accomplishments with the objectives established for the previous award;

iii. The reasons established objectives were not met, if applicable;

iv. A listing of any graduated NNF Scholars, new curricula, service-learning, or other outputs, including those outputs identified in the project logic model resulting from the award; and

v. An explanation of how the current proposal differs substantively in scope and objectives from previously funded NNF projects in the last five years by the same Project Director.

The Progress Report (maximum of two pages) does not count against the page limit of the Project Narrative (20 pages).

b. Institutional Profile

i. Discuss the quality of education for all students in the graduate program.

Describe aligned data, accountability, and knowledge management to support graduate training program development for improvement in practice, policy, and strategy to increase achievement, graduation, and post-graduation success in the targeted expertise shortage areas. Provide supporting data with numbers, demographics, and results from Program Quality Review(s). Describe curriculum and instructional approaches, the availability of research training opportunities, and strategies or activities for developing the leadership, management, critical thinking and problem-solving skills of students or unique mentoring experiences that may assist in preparing students for placement following graduation.

ii. Present evidence that the overall academic program has an established record that recognizes and addresses current trends and future needs and prepares students for the national targeted expertise shortage area of the application and successful careers in the food and agricultural sciences professional and scientific workplaces.

iii. Discuss current or planned programs at the institution designed to engage outstanding graduate students, especially from traditionally underrepresented groups, to pursue and complete further graduate/professional studies to pipeline into the workforce, filling areas of management and leadership in food and agricultural sciences disciplines and how these programs will be synergistic or augment the current application.

iv. Substantiate clearly, with data indicating prior graduate training success in the TESA, the quality of graduate training and/or international experiential learning available through the institution's graduate teaching, research and experiential program(s) in the food and agricultural sciences in the discipline(s) for which Fellows are being recruited.

v. Demonstrate the likelihood that the proposed program of graduate study will result in the development of outstanding graduates with effective leadership and communication skills and the technical and functional competence to meet the future needs of a globally interconnected, technologically advanced, rapidly diversifying, and stakeholder-driven food and agricultural industry.

If funds requested in this application fall under Award Category 3 (International Research and/or Thesis/Dissertation Allowance), please include all the information below in the Project Narrative:

a) The anticipated, specific destination(s) and duration of the travel;

b) A brief description of example projects the proposed Fellows would be encouraged to undertake;

c) Information about the objectives, timeline, expected outcomes and deliverables from the participating, eligible USDA Fellow(s);

d) Explanation about how the experience will contribute to the USDA Fellow’s program of study;

e) The contact personnel where Fellowship and/or IRTA activity will be undertaken; include the summary credentials of both the U.S. and international faculty or other professionals with whom the USDA Fellow will be working during the international experience and the nature of support to be provided to ensure success of the Fellow’s experience;

f) The criteria that will be used to evaluate success of the Fellowship and/or IRTA.

Section 2: Proposed activities

Describe in detail the proposed activities and strategies that will be employed to carry out the following:

a. Recruitment and selection of Fellows

i. Describe the plans for the recruitment of outstanding Fellows, especially from traditionally underrepresented groups, including a brief justification for focusing recruitment efforts on any particular group(s), and if recruiting from specific colleges and universities include institutional letters of support from targeted institutions; the rationale for using proposed strategies and procedures should be provided.

ii. Discuss the strategies and procedures for recruiting and selecting students committed to the TESA as participants in the Fellowship program, including selection criteria for choosing outstanding Fellows who are considered likely to pursue degrees in national targeted expertise shortage areas.

b. Academic advising, research training, professional counseling, mentoring, pipelining

i. Describe the organization and philosophy of the proposed graduate training program relative to the TESA, identify the core competencies that each Fellow will be expected to attain; and how these will be evaluated as part of the Fellowship outcome measures.

ii. Describe plans and procedures for assessing, monitoring, counseling, guiding, and sustaining Fellows’ continued commitment and progress toward securing an education with the core competencies to be attained in preparation for a career that meets the need of national targeted expertise shortage areas.

iii. Describe the nature of professional mentoring to be provided to Fellows (note that there is also a ‘Mentoring Plan’ attachment under Field 12) and the subsequent follow up on their graduation and further training or entry into the workforce; identify the specific type(s) of workforce positions the NNF Fellows are being trained for.

iv. Provide evidence-based research, published materials and common practices that support that the proposed strategies are effective.

c. Experiential learning: hands-on research, extension, teaching, and other activities

i. Discuss the plans that will allow the Fellows to be engaged in experiential learning such as hands-on research, teaching practicum, extension experience and other learning activities (written and oral communication skills, leadership training, service learning) that will enhance the academic experience of the fellows. Develop activities that are feasible, effective (based on studies or common practices), and realistic based on the resources available at the institution(s).

ii. Describe plans for mentorship and scholarship during the experiential learning opportunity.

iii. Identify the goals of the experiential learning opportunity and their relevance to the TESA and overall objectives of the training project.

d. Measuring performance outcomes

Using the mean of two years prior to project start as the baseline data, and demonstrating how the training project will help increase the number and/or percentage of students graduating with master’s or doctoral degrees in Food and Agricultural Sciences versus the normal outcome without a grant award, include:

i. Plans for achieving a completion rate of greater than the institutional average for the specific graduate program of study. Completion rate is computed as number of Fellows graduated divided by number of Fellows recruited, expressed as a percentage;

ii. Description of the institution's mentoring and other support services and how they promote and achieve successful multicultural and/or first-generation college graduate student retention through graduation and pipelining to further graduate training or the workforce; and

iii. Plans and procedures to measure and report performance outcomes and impacts;

describe ongoing evaluation of the graduate training project implementation and effectiveness, measuring program outcomes and impacts (e.g., technical competence; scholarly contributions), pipelining, and tracking Fellows' accomplishments up to five (5) years after graduation. Provide details of how the proposed graduate training will lead to achieving the goals of the NNF grants program. The applicant should project a goal for tracking (e.g., expressed as a less than 10 percent "unable-to-contact" rate during the 60-month post-graduation follow-up phase). As an example, the Unable-to-Track Rate is computed as the number of “unable-to-contact” graduated USDA Fellows divided by the number of graduated Fellows, expressed as a percentage. An escalating unable-to-contact rate is of considerable concern.

The project evaluation should describe a plan for assessment of outcomes and impacts for the TESA that includes: entry of Fellow(s) into a specific TESA; assessment if the training is well-tailored for the Fellow and should lead to expected outcomes, as well as meeting the needs of the TESA; determination of measurable change due to the training; and the accrued changes in the TESA due to the training program proposed.

Describe the strategy or approach that will be used to evaluate project implementation and how success will be measured. Include a discussion of how evaluation findings would be used to modify and improve future opportunities for Fellows.

e. Dissemination of results and/or impacts

Wide dissemination of results and/or impacts of the graduate training program including student achievements, should be provided to NIFA and other interested parties including the general citizenry. Make clear what specific avenues will be used and identify the expected impacts. Include plans for:

i. Output and outcomes reporting, including impacts of experiential learning activities, of fellowship recipients; and

ii. Disseminating project outcomes, impacts and achievements and relevance to meeting the program purpose and goals of the funding agency to a wide audience. Indicate in plan how dissemination of project outcomes will be broadened.

Section 3: Institutional resources, support, and commitment

Substantiate clearly, with supporting documentation, that:

a. Processes, facilities and equipment, instructional, professional mentoring, and research support resources and other attributes (e.g., professional ranking of department, other funding…