FY25-YFS-RFA-P.pdf

REQUEST FOR APPLICATIONS

Youth Farm Safety Education and Certification

FUNDING YEAR: Fiscal Year (FY) 2025

APPLICATION DEADLINE: March 20, 2025

ANTICIPATED PROGRAM FUNDING: $411,000

FUNDING OPPORTUNITY NUMBER: USDA-NIFA-SLBCD-011118

ASSISTANCE LISTING NUMBER: 10.500

ANNOUNCEMENT

National Institute of Food and Agriculture United States Department of Agriculture

Assistance Listing Number (ALN): The Youth Farm Safety Education and Certification Program is listed in the Assistance Listings under number 10.500.

Table 1: Key Dates and Deadlines Task Description Deadline

Application: 5:00 P.M. Eastern Time, March 20, 2025 [Ref to Part I § C of this

RFA]

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 (RFA) 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. Please use the following subject line: Response to the Youth Farm Safety and Certification RFA.

Centers of Excellence. Applicants are encouraged to visit the NIFA’s Center of Excellence (COE) for information on COE designation process, including COE criteria, and a list of frequently asked questions.

https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=(title:7%20section:7613%20edition:prelim)%20OR%20(granuleid:USC-prelim-title7-section7613)&f=treesort&edition=prelim&num=0&jumpTo=true mailto:Policy@usda.gov https://nifa.usda.gov/centers-excellence https://nifa.usda.gov/centers-excellence

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

This RFA is being released prior to the passage of a full appropriations act for FY 2025.

Enactment of a continuing resolution, appropriations act, or other authorizing legislation may affect the availability or level of funding for this program.

NIFA requests applications for the Youth Farm Safety Education and Certification (YFSEC) Program for fiscal year (FY) 2025 to support national efforts for delivering timely, pertinent, and appropriate farm safety education to youth seeking employment or who are employed in agricultural production. The appropriated amount available for NIFA to support YFSEC grants in FY 2025 is approximately $411,000.

This notice identifies the objectives for Youth Farm Safety Education and Certification projects, deadlines, funding information, eligibility criteria for projects, applicants, application forms, and associated instructions.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

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 C. Centers of Excellence

PART IV. APPLICATION AND SUBMISSION

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

PART V. APPLICATION REVIEW REQUIREMENTS

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

PART VI. AWARD ADMINISTRATION

A. General B. Administrative and National Policy Requirements C. Expected Program Outputs and Reporting Requirements

PART VII. OTHER INFORMATION

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

PART I. FUNDING OPPORTUNITY DESCRIPTION

A. Legislative Authority The Youth Farm Safety Education and Certification (YFSEC) program is authorized under section 3(d) of the Smith-Lever Act of 1914 [7 U.S.C. 343(d)] as amended.

B. Purpose and Priorities NIFA’s non-formal education programs and services in farm safety promote rural health and seek to strengthen economic vitality. A critically important component of effective farm safety initiatives is engagement of agricultural, social and behavioral sciences in mitigating agricultural hazards to workers. Non-formal education programs in youth farm safety provide timely safety information to rural youth, their families, and their on-farm employers, as well as increased access to opportunities for protection of youth health and promotion of safe agricultural practices. To date, Agricultural and Human Sciences educators, and other relevant partners, supported by innovative communication platforms, have developed and implemented diverse youth farm safety education and certification initiatives that protect and enhance resiliency among youth and ensure long-term vitality of agricultural communities. The goals and objectives of NIFA’s YFSEC competitive grant program, Assistance Listing 10.500, are to provide funding for such projects.

Since the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Agriculture (NIFA) began funding the YFSEC program in 2001, the program has supported projects focused on identifying and developing educational resources to mitigate agricultural hazards to young workers, regardless of their knowledge, experience, ability, ethnicity, or culture. Over the years, two complete curricula were developed by Pennsylvania State University and Purdue University through the YFSEC program. These curricula are based on core competencies as identified by agricultural safety experts to operate agricultural machinery safely.

Per stakeholder request in FY2013, the YFSEC program moved further by developing a coordinated, national approach to agricultural safety and health education for youth. In this effort, NIFA made awards in support of a multi-institution, multi-state project entitled Safety in Agriculture for Youth (SAY), led by Pennsylvania State University. Between 2013 and 2016, the SAY project met the needs of the YFSEC programs in implementing a national approach to youth farm safety education and certification by: (1) Establishing four stakeholder groups (Content Identification, Curriculum Alignment, Outreach, and Marketing) engaging experts from various sectors and leadership positions within academia, public health and the agricultural industry; (2) Establishing a National Steering Committee to help identify curriculum and testing gaps, certification needs, and industry recognized credentials; (3) Developing a youth farm safety tool that assesses alignment of existing youth farm safety curricula with the Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources (AFNR) Career Cluster Content Standards; (4) Developing and implementing a National Clearinghouse for gathering of national youth farm safety and education curricula and testing; (5) Working closely with members of the SAY National Steering Committee to develop a national outreach strategy to promote awareness and utilization of the farm safety materials by diverse stakeholder audiences; and (6) Annually assessing resources https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=(title:7%20section:343%20edition:prelim)%20OR%20(granuleid:USC-prelim-title7-section343)&f=treesort&edition=prelim&num=0&jumpTo=true required to sustain the Clearinghouse in continuing national dialogue about youth farm safety education and certification needs. Specifically, the project will:

a. enhance the viability and utility of the Curriculum Alignment Submission Tool (CAST);

b. strengthen the SAY National Clearinghouse by increasing curricula and other resources available through the clearinghouse;

c. enhance outreach to stakeholders, identify and address gaps in curricula and resources;

d. support outreach and marketing activities of the Career Safe OSHA 10-Hour General

Industry (Agriculture) course; and

e. enhance operations of the National Steering Committee for the SAY project.

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

YFSEC encourages (but does not require) projects to develop content suitable for delivery through web-based delivery.

The YFSEC is aligned with the following:

USDA Strategic Plan FY 2022-2026 goals:

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

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

USDA Science and Research Strategy, 2023–2026 priorities:

1. Priority 5 Translating Research Into Action; Objective 5.2: Education and Workforce

Development

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: RB Program Code Name: Youth Farm Safety

ALN: 10.500

Project Type: Extension

Grant Type: Standard Application Deadline March 20, 2025

Grant Duration: Approximately 48 Months Anticipated # of Awards: 3

Maximum Award Amount: Approximately $138,000/year

C. Program Area Description The YFSEC program proposals are expected to continue providing a coordinated national approach to agricultural safety and health education for youth. In FY 2025, NIFA is soliciting 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://nifa.usda.gov/calendar applications for the YFSEC program to build upon and strengthen accomplishments made to date by the SAY project. The YFSEC program is expected to further outreach by impacting more youth and reaching expanded audiences. Ultimately, training more youth to work safely in agricultural environments preparing them for careers in agriculture.

All proposals should show how their proposed activities build on current curricula and outreach efforts in the following areas:

Curriculum Alignment Submission Tool https://ag-safety.extension.org/user-directions-for-the-say-curriculum-alignment-submission-tool/, an online instrument, developed by the SAY project, that allows educational authors to submit their agricultural safety and health curricula for possible inclusion in the national clearinghouse.

The SAY National Clearinghouse consists of two different types of educational products: formal curricula and other supporting resources that are indexed based on their alignment to AFNR Career Cluster Content Standards. The main purpose of the clearinghouse is to serve educators, employers, and parents looking for specific agricultural safety and health resources. In FY 2025, applicants to the YFSEC program need to describe how their projects will contribute to one or more of the following:

1. Increase the number of curricula and resources available through the clearinghouse;

2. Enhance outreach to agricultural educators working with youth, integrate youth safety information available through the clearinghouse into the classroom;

3. Enhance outreach to youth and training of youth; and

4. Enhance outreach to faculty at institutions of higher education.

Priority consideration will be given to proposals with multi-institution, multi-state partnerships.

Collaboration among 1862, 1890, and 1994 Land Grant Institutions within or across state lines on a joint application is encouraged. Collaborations with institutions/organizations/centers not eligible to apply as leads) on a joint application are also encouraged. All applications involving such collaboration must demonstrate a clear and meaningful involvement in the project for each institution/organization/center throughout the 4-year project period.

https://ag-safety.extension.org/user-directions-for-the-say-curriculum-alignment-submission-tool/ https://ag-safety.extension.org/user-directions-for-the-say-curriculum-alignment-submission-tool/ https://ag-safety.extension.org/say-national-clearinghouse/

PART II. AWARD INFORMATION

A. Available Funding This RFA is being released prior to the passage of a full appropriations act for FY 2025.

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 YFSEC FY2025 is approximately $411,000 to fund the first year of new projects as competitive awards. Similar funding levels may be awarded for up to an additional 3 years as continuation awards provided performance has been satisfactory, funding is available for this purpose, and continued support is in the best interests of the Federal government and the public. USDA is not committed to fund any particular application or to make a specific number of awards.

B. Application Restrictions NIFA will evaluate applications using the criteria described in Part V of this RFA. Applications for FY2025 are limited to the following application types to be awarded on a continuation basis:

1. New application: New applications will be evaluated using the criteria described in Part V of this RFA and are subject to the due dates herein (see Appendix III for definition).

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

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

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

All YFSEC projects are Extension projects expected to lead to measurable, documented changes in learning, actions, or conditions in an identified audience or stakeholder group. Within that context, in FY 2025 the YFSEC program will focus on supporting Extension projects building upon accomplishments made to date by the SAY project. Specifically, the program will support three (3) types of projects:

1) SAY National Clearinghouse Project – to continue efforts made to date with SAY Clearinghouse, curricula submission and review, marketing of the Clearinghouse, and SAY National Steering Committee. Proposed budgets must not exceed $138,000, per year for project periods of up to 4 years.

2) YFSEC Instructor Training Project – to support recruitment and training of youth farm safety instructors in currently available youth farm safety curricula. Grantees leading this type of project are required to incorporate evaluation of instructor training and to submit, at the end of their project period, information about and results from tested curricula to the SAY National Clearinghouse. Proposed budgets must not exceed $138,000, per year for project periods of up to 4 years.

3) YFSEC Youth Training Project – to continue development of new/enhancement of current youth farm safety curricula, implementation/piloting of those curricula with youth, and evaluation of youth training. Grantees leading this type of project are required to submit, developed and tested curricula to the SAY National Clearinghouse. Proposed budgets must not exceed $138,000 per year for project periods of up to 4 years.

All projects should plan to share their activities and progress with the SAY National Steering Committee (SAY NSC) during annual meetings of SAY NSC. These meetings will be organized by the SAY Clearinghouse project in collaboration with NIFA.

Given the primary source of funding for the YFSEC program is Federal funds, grantees are encouraged to contract with hotels for lodging at or below the Federal per diem rate for SAY NSC meetings and any other meetings relevant to the project and that require travel. NIFA retains the right to disallow use of NIFA funds for any unreasonable travel under the Uniform Guidance (2 CFR 200).

In FY 2025, the YFSEC program expects to fund up to three projects, one in each category: 1) SAY National Clearinghouse; 2) YFSEC Instructor Training; 3) and YFSEC Youth Training.

The program has also established a maximum award size of $138,000, per year for up to four years for each project type. Please note that grant applications requesting more than $138,000, per year and/or proposing project periods greater than 4 years will not be considered for funding.

Similarly, grant applications without secured letters of commitment from partner organizations/institutions will not be reviewed.

D. Ethical Conduct of Funded Projects In accordance with sections 2, 3, and 8 of 2 CFR Part 422, institutions conducting 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, the institution will comply with the above requirements. Award recipients must, upon request, make available to NIFA the policies, procedures, and documentation to support the conduct of the training. See Responsible and Ethical Conduct of Research for further information.

https://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?SID=e12ce7ead3421edf64649d2689ccf68d&mc=true&node=pt2.1.200&rgn=div5 https://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?SID=e12ce7ead3421edf64649d2689ccf68d&mc=true&node=pt2.1.200&rgn=div5 https://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?SID=e12ce7ead3421edf64649d2689ccf68d&mc=true&node=pt2.1.422&rgn=div5 https://nifa.usda.gov/responsible-and-ethical-conduct-research

PART III. ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION

A. Eligibility Requirements Applicants for the YFSEC must meet all the requirements discussed in this RFA. Failure to meet the eligibility criteria by the application deadline may result in exclusion from consideration or, preclude NIFA from making an award. For those new to Federal financial assistance, NIFA’s Grants Overview provides highly recommended information about grants and other resources to help understand the Federal awards process.

Applications may be submitted only by Cooperative Extension Services (CES) at 1862 Land- Grant Colleges and Universities and 1890 Land-Grant Colleges and Universities and 1994 Land-grant Institutions, including the University of the District of Columbia, Tuskegee University, West Virginia State University, and Central State University.

Award recipients may subcontract to organizations ineligible to apply provided these organizations are necessary for the conduct of the project.

The 1862,1994 and 1890 Land Grant institutions may partner with each other and/or other Land Grant institutions and non-Land Grant Institutions on joint proposals.

Duplicate or Multiple Submissions – In the case of duplicate or multiple submissions, only the most current version will be accepted for review.

B. Cost Sharing or Matching No Match Required - The YFSEC program has no matching requirement. NIFA will not factor matching resources into the review process as an evaluation criterion.

C. Centers of Excellence Pursuant to Section 7214 of the Agricultural Act of 2014 (Pub. L. 113-79) and 7 U.S.C. Sec 5925f, NIFA will recognize and prioritize COE applicants that carry out research, extension, and education activities that relate to the food and agricultural sciences. A COE is composed of one or more of the following entities that provide financial or in-kind support to the COE.

1. State agricultural experiment stations;

2. Colleges and universities;

3. University research foundations;

4. Other research institutions and organizations;

5. Federal agencies;

6. National laboratories;

7. Private organizations, foundations, or corporations;

8. Individuals; or

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

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PART IV. APPLICATION AND SUBMISSION

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

Table 3. Steps to Obtain Application Materials Steps Action

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

Step Two:

Download Adobe

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

Step Three: Find Application

Using this funding opportunity number USDA-NIFA-SLBCD-011118, search for application here: Opportunity Package.

Step Four: Assess Readiness

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

Table 4: Help and Resources

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

Grants.gov iPortal Customer service business Hours 24/7, except federal holidays.

Email: grantapplicationquestions@usda.gov

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.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/web/grants/applicants/adobe-software-compatibility.html https://www.grants.gov/search-grants https://www.grants.gov/support https://www.grants.gov/support mailto:support@grants.gov https://grants-portal.psc.gov/Welcome.aspx?pt=Grants https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/pay-leave/federal-holidays/ mailto:grantapplicationquestions@usda.gov https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/pay-leave/federal-holidays/ 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 received correspondence from NIFA regarding an application within 30 days of the application deadline.

N/A

SF 424 R&R Cover Sheet. See Part V 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. The PS must show how the project goals align with the project goals of the YFSEC program. See Part V of the NIFA Grants Application Guide for instructions and suggested templates. Proposals must include a

2. Project Summary/Abstract page of 400 words or less. The summary page should include the following, in the order listed here:

(a) Project title;

(b) Names of PD, Co-PDs, and key project personnel and their affiliated institutions;

(c) Names of partnering institutions and organizations (if not already listed);

(d) A brief description of the proposed project, including the relevance of the project to the goals of the YFSEC Program needs;

(e) Funding amount requested by year and in total; and

(f) Whether the proposal includes a request for Center of Excellence consideration.

Field 8. Project Narrative (PN). The PN must not exceed [15] 1.5 spaced pages of written text and up to [5] 1.5 spaced additional pages for figures and tables (the font size for tables should be no smaller than 11 points, Times New Roman). The page limits outlined here ensure fair and 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 https://www.nifa.usda.gov/nifa-22-001-nifa-grants-application-guide equitable competition. Appendices to the PN are allowed if they are directly germane to the proposed project. Do not add appendices to circumvent the page limit. The Project Narrative must have distinct sections, titled and presented in the following order:

(a) Introduction;

(b) Objectives, Activities, and Timeline;

(c) Division of Labor;

(d) Performance Measurement/Evaluation Plan;

(e) Management Plan;

(f) Budget and Budget Justification;

(g) Project Sustainability Plan; and

(h) Centers of Excellence Request and Justification (if applicable).

(i) Logic Model

(j) A DMP is required for this program. Applicants should clearly articulate how the project director (PD) and co-PDs plan to manage and disseminate the data generated by the project. The DMP will be considered during the merit review process (see Part V, B of this RFA, NIFA’s Data Management Plan).

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

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

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

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

1. Field 2. Program to which the applicant is applying. Youth Farm Safety and Extension

Certification program code “(YFSEC)”.

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

(a) Introduction

Justify the need for the proposed project by describing the nature and magnitude of the issue. Provide the most recent relevant data, including data on the incidence of injuries, health, and mental health issues among the agricultural youth population. Provide references for data. Explain and substantiate any assumptions.

In addition, please address the following elements:

o Briefly discuss related programs currently available and how your project will address existing gaps and limitations among currently available programs/services.

o Clearly identify the population(s) your proposed project will reach and serve.

o If proposing work with specific minority groups, describe prior experience your team has in addressing the target audience’s needs. Describe your ability and readiness to provide appropriate (i.e., ethnically-, racially-, linguistically- and socio-economically-sensitive) education, training, and outreach for such an audience(s). For example, if you will be serving First American or Hispanic communities, how will you ensure your outreach and services will be culturally appropriate?

https://nifa.usda.gov/resource/data-management-plan-nifa-funded-research-projects 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 o Justify your team’s ability to meet the gaps and limitations in services by detailing your accomplishments from similar projects. If the project involves collaboration between Land Grant Institutions, clearly identify each institution’s relevant previous work that speaks to its ability to successfully participate on the proposed project.

o Identify your project partners. Provide justification for their selection. Clearly state the previous and current work which make them a good fit for the proposed project.

o If the proposed project is currently funded by the YFSEC program or has been funded by the YFSEC program in the past, you must include the following in your Introduction section:

A brief history of the current/past project and main project outcomes and/or impacts;

If your project had a gap in funding from NIFA, explain how and what level you were able to sustain the project since last receiving funds from NIFA.

(b) Objectives, Activities, and Timeline Provide a clear description of the project objectives and activities. Please use the NIFA Logic Model. The following elements must be addressed:

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

o Explain how the activities will help achieve the objectives and the intended target audience.

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

o The sum of activities under each objective must lead to completion of the objectives within the 4-year maximum project duration. Identify group activities, associated outcomes, and impacts by project year (FY 2025, FY 2026, FY 2027, and FY 2028).

o When describing tracked project outcomes, indicate when (e.g., before and/or after a given activity) and how you plan to monitor and measure project outcomes.

Outcome monitoring plan should allow for annual review and use of achieved results to inform, refine and adjust future project plans.

Provide a Timeline to demonstrate the duration and sequence of project activities, and division of labor (as noted in the next section of this RFA). Each objective may have multiple activities. Chart activities on a quarterly scale. The Timeline depicts four (4) years or 16 quarters.

Identify potential implementation challenges and project procedure limitations. Briefly describe solutions to address potential challenges and limitations.

(c) Division of Labor

List any Cooperative Extension System and other partner organizations collaborating on the project. For each, briefly describe their responsibilities and expectations. For further details regarding division of labor, refer readers to the project timeline.

Within the project timeline, include a column which indicates the responsibilities of the respective organizations under appropriate objectives/activities.

https://www.nifa.usda.gov/grants/grant-training/logic-model-planning-process https://www.nifa.usda.gov/grants/grant-training/logic-model-planning-process

Land-Grant Institutions submitting joint applications must demonstrate equitable and appropriate roles and responsibilities in regard to all aspects of project development, implementation, outcomes, and evaluation.

Applicants proposing SAY National Clearinghouse projects should describe in this section the projected composition and role(s) of their SAY National Steering Committee.

(d) Performance Measurement/Evaluation Plan

Proposals should contain a strong performance measurement plan that clearly states the goals of the project and explains how project activities will lead to results (both outputs and outcomes). The plan will identify the project’s most significant outcomes and explain the methods by which those outcomes will be measured. We strongly recommend these plans include or refer to the project’s logic model. Please be specific as possible in describing the linkages among activities, outputs, and outcomes (e.g., changes in participant knowledge, awareness, competency, and behavior or changes in condition).

NIFA encourages projects to consider including an evaluator/evaluation-skilled person on the project who can assist with development of a performance measurement plan and, if funds are available, help carry out that plan. The purpose of the performance measurement is to determine whether a project has achieved its objectives, reached the intended outcomes, and what level of performance has been achieved.

(e) Management Plan

Provide a brief summary of key staff who will manage the proposed project, their individual roles, and percent of time they will be dedicating to the program. If the percentages are expected to change in Years 2, 3, or 4 of the proposed projects, please indicate and provide an explanation.

Explain how the relationship between the Cooperative Extension System(s) and the partner organizations will be managed.

Describe the fiscal and administrative oversight provided by the Land Grant Institution(s) and the partner organizations.

Indicate who on the team will provide the project outcomes evaluation oversight.

(f) Budget (as below #6. R&R Budget) and Budget Justification There is a direct relationship between the items in the budget and budget justification, and the objectives/activities contained in the Project Narrative.

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

Proposed budgets must not exceed $138,000 per year level or request funding for more than 4 years in total.

Budget breakdown and justification need to be provided for each year of funding being requested.

Annual budgets should include estimated two-day travel costs to attend a SAY NSC meeting. Annual budgets of applications proposing to conduct a SAY National Clearinghouse project should include estimated costs associated with organizing annual meetings of the SAY NSC. Projects that represent a collaboration between two or more Land Grant Institutions need to include at least one representative from each of the institutions at the annual meetings of SAY NSC.

In the Budget Justification, costs (e.g., personnel, materials, travel, etc.) should be broken down and itemized rather than shown as total sums.

(g) Project Sustainability Plan

During the course of the proposed project, describe planned steps to assess options and opportunities for the project’s sustainability beyond the life of the NIFA YFSEC grant.

Include a proposed project sustainability plan in the proposal timeline.

Identify opportunities (e.g., resources, trainings, collaborations) expected to enhance the proposed project in helping sustain program operations after NIFA funding has expired.

Describe plans to track project sustainability planning efforts during the course of the proposed project implementation.

(h) Center of Excellence (COE) Request and Justification

For consideration as a COE, provide a brief justification statement, as part of the Project Narrative based on the COE criteria:

(A) Describes how the project will meet the standards of a COE;

(B) Explain the ability of the COE to ensure coordination and cost effectiveness by reducing unnecessarily duplicative efforts in the research, teaching, and extension activities outlined in this application;

(C) Describe the ability of the COE to leverage available resources by using public-private partnerships among agricultural industry groups, institutions of higher education, and the federal government in the proposed research and/or extension activities outlined in this application. Resources leveraged should be commensurate with the size of the award;

(D) Define the planned scope and capability of the COE to implement teaching initiatives. Describe the COE’s ability to increase awareness and disseminate solutions to audiences through research and extension activities.;

https://www.nifa.usda.gov/centers-excellence

(E) Explain the ability or capacity of the COE to increase the economic returns to rural communities by identifying, attracting, and directing funds to high-priority agricultural issues, supporting the implementation of the proposed research and/or extension activity outlined in this application.

Letter(s) of Commitment from Collaborators on the Proposed Project (e.g., 1862, 1890 or 1994 Land Grant Institutions, Minority Serving Institutions, and partners.) The letters must state the partner institution’s readiness to collaborate on the proposed project and describe the partner’s specific role on the project.

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

1. Match – The YFSEC program has no matching requirement. NIFA will not factor matching resources into the review process as an evaluation criterion.

2. Indirect costs (IDC) – Not Allowed.

C. Funding Restrictions No Indirect Costs (IDC). IDC is not authorized for this RFA. Pursuant to Section 1473 of the National Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching Policy Act of 1977 (NARETPA), as amended, 7 U.S.C. 3319, indirect costs and tuition remission are not allowable costs under Section 3(d) of Smith-Lever funded projects, and no funds will be approved for this purpose. Costs are a part of an institution’s indirect cost pool, (e.g., administrative or clerical salaries) may not be reclassified as direct costs for the purpose of making them allowable.

1. Unallowable costs include, but are not limited to, the following examples:

Entertainment Costs not permitted include banquets, award ceremonies, and meals for persons not traveling on behalf of the project except when provided to maintain the continuity of a meeting, tickets to shows or sporting events, and alcoholic beverages.

2. Awards and Certificates of Achievement are disallowed by 2 CFR 200, the Uniform Administrative Requirement, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards.

3. Any expense not directly related to the program or project is considered unallowable.

Examples include child-care services, workers hired to prepare refreshments, and promotional or appreciation gifts such as clothing, coffee mugs, or bags.

https://www.nifa.usda.gov/nifa-22-001-nifa-grants-application-guide https://nifa.usda.gov/sites/default/files/resource/nar77.pdf https://nifa.usda.gov/sites/default/files/resource/nar77.pdf https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=(title:7%20section:3319%20edition:prelim)%20OR%20(granuleid:USC-prelim-title7-section3319)&f=treesort&edition=prelim&num=0&jumpTo=true https://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?SID=5ed5161551e899e37c5ce301d267f5e3&mc=true&node=pt2.1.200&rgn=div5 https://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?SID=5ed5161551e899e37c5ce301d267f5e3&mc=true&node=pt2.1.200&rgn=div5 https://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?SID=5ed5161551e899e37c5ce301d267f5e3&mc=true&node=pt2.1.200&rgn=div5

PART V. APPLICATION REVIEW REQUIREMENTS

A. NIFA’s Evaluation Process NIFA evaluates each application in a two-part process. Applications are screened to ensure they meet the administrative requirements set forth in this RFA. Next, a scientific peer- review process is used to technically evaluate applications ensuring proposals meet the administrative requirements using a review panel (see NIFA Peer Review Process).

Scientific Peer Review Process:

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

1. The level of relevant formal scientific, technical education, or extension experience of the individual, as well as the extent to which an individual is engaged in relevant research, education, or extension activities.

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

3. The need to include other experts (e.g., producers, range or forest managers/operators, researchers, public health practitioners, educators, consumers, and commercial reviews) who can assess relevance of the applications to targeted audiences and to program needs.

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

5. The need to maintain a balanced composition with regard to race, ethnicity, gender representation, and an equitable age distribution.

6. The need to include reviewers who can judge the effective usefulness of each application to producers and the general public.

After the peer review panel has completed its deliberations, NIFA program staff will recommend project/s as either approved for support from currently available funds or declined due to insufficient funds or unfavorable review.

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

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

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

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

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

a) Potential for Advancing Project Outcomes to Stakeholders (25 points).

This criterion is used to assess the likelihood the project will have an impact upon and advance the outreach to youth and/or youth farm safety instructors. Elements considered include those required for the Introduction section of proposals (see Part IV. B. (a)).

b) Proposed Objectives, Activities, and Timeline (25 points).

This criterion relates to the soundness of the proposed approach including objectives, methodology, plan of operation, timetable, logic model, outputs, desired outcomes, and anticipated impacts. Elements considered include those required for the Objectives, Activities and Timeline section of proposals (see Part IV. B.(b)).

c) Proposed Division of Labor (10 points) This criterion relates to the adequacy of the lead and partner organizations to conduct the proposed project and the division of activities for which each entity in the collaboration will provide leadership, whether the institutions’ roles and responsibilities regarding main aspects of project development, implementation and outcome evaluation are equitable and appropriate. Elements considered include those required for the Division of Labor section of proposals (see Part IV. B.(c)).

d) Proposed Performance Measurement Plan (10 points) This criterion is used to assess soundness of the proposed performance measurement plan, whether the project’s expected outcomes are identified and whether the methods by which those outcomes will be measured are clearly noted. Elements considered include those required for the Performance Measurement/Evaluation Plan section of proposals (see Part IV. B.3(d)).

e) Proposed Management Plan (10 points) This criterion relates to the adequacy of the lead and partner organizations to conduct the proposed project, the number and qualifications of key persons who will develop and carry out the project, and the qualifications of project personnel who will provide oversight and the assessment of project results and reporting of those results. Elements considered include those required for the Management Plan section of proposals (see Part IV. B.3 (e)).

f) Budget and Cost-Effectiveness (10 points) This criterion relates to the extent to which the total budget adequately supports the project and is cost effective. Elements considered include the necessity and reasonableness of costs to carry out project activities and achieve project objectives; the appropriateness of budget allocations between the applicant and any collaborating institution(s); the adequacy of time committed to the project by key project personnel;

and the degree to which the project maximizes the use of limited resources. Elements considered include those required for the Budget and Budget Justification section of proposals (see Part IV. B.(f)).

g) Proposed Project Sustainability Plan (10 points)

This criterion assesses soundness and feasibility of the steps to be undertaken during the course of the proposed project activities to assess options and opportunities for project’s sustainability beyond the life of the NIFA YFSEC grant. Elements considered include those required for the Budget and Budget Justification section of proposals (see Part IV.

B.3.(g)).

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

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

Applicants meeting requirements will receive a COE designation. Entities recognized as COE will maintain this distinction throughout their period of performance or as identified in the terms and award conditions.

D. Organizational Management Information Applicants must submit specific management information. Applicants may have to update their information if they have previously provided the information under a NIFA program. NIFA provides requisite forms during the pre-award process. Although an applicant may be eligible for an award under this program, factors may exclude an applicant from receiving federal financial and nonfinancial assistance and benefits under this program (e.g., debarment or suspension of an individual, or a determination that an applicant is not responsible).

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

PART VI. AWARD ADMINISTRATION

A. General Within the limit of funds authorized, the NIFA awarding official will make grants to responsible and eligible applicants whose applications are judged most meritorious under the procedures set forth in this RFA. The date specified by the NIFA awarding official as the effective date of the grant must be no later than September 30 of the federal fiscal year in which the project is approved for support and funds are appropriated for such purpose, unless otherwise permitted by law. The project need not be initiated on the grant effective date, but as soon thereafter as practical so that project goals may be attained within the funded project period.