FY26-CYFAR 4-H Military PDTA NOFO-P.pdf

Notice of Funding Opportunity

Children, Youth, and Families at Risk 4-H Military Partnership Professional Development and Technical Assistance

FUNDING YEAR: Fiscal Year (FY) 2026

APPLICATION DEADLINE: July 20, 2026

ANTICIPATED PROGRAM FUNDING: $550,000

AVERAGE INDIVIDUAL AWARD

RANGE:

$550,000

FUNDING OPPORTUNITY NUMBER: USDA-NIFA-SLBCD-011998

ASSISTANCE LISTING NUMBER: 10.521

ANNOUNCEMENT

National Institute of Food and Agriculture United States Department of Agriculture

Assistance Listing Number (ALN): The Children, Youth, and Families at Risk (CYFAR) 4-H Military Partnership Professional Development and Technical Assistance (CMP-PDTA) is listed in the Assistance Listings under number 10.521.

Table 1: Key Dates and Deadlines

Task Description Deadline

Application: 5:00 P.M. Eastern Time, July 20, 2026

Applicants Comments: Within six months from the issuance of this notice (NIFA may not consider comments received after the sixth month)

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), to the extent permitted by law, will no longer make grants or otherwise fund programs or activities that improperly discriminate on the basis of race or sex, including discrimination in the name of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion policies. Instead, USDA will prioritize merit and efficiency. USDA recognizes programs and initiatives will have the greatest impact when these programs and initiatives put American farmers, ranchers, and foresters first by:

• solving the most pressing challenges they face;

• protecting America’s food, fuel, and fiber supply to enhance national security;

• supporting production of healthy and safe food for consumers;

• expanding and developing domestic markets;

• training the next generation of agriculturalists; and

• fueling innovation to keep American farmers at the forefront of productivity.

The National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) is committed to advancing these principles and encourages applicants to actively engage farmers, ranchers, and foresters when applying for funding opportunities to ensure relevancy and adherence to them. NIFA also encourages agricultural leaders to engage in the peer review panel process to ensure American producers are better served through research, education, and extension activities.

Projects submitted under this Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) should align with USDA Secretary’s Memorandum 1078-020 Directive on Departmental Research and Development Priorities:

1. Increasing Profitability of Farmers and Ranchers

2. Expanding Markets and Creating New Uses of U.S. Agricultural Products

3. Protecting the Integrity of American Agriculture from Invasive Species

4. Promoting Soil Health to Regenerate Long-Term Productivity of Land

5. Improving Human Health through Precision Nutrition and Food Quality

Stakeholder Input. NIFA seeks comments on all NOFO so it can deliver programs efficiently, effectively, with integrity, and with a focus on customer service. NIFA considers comments to https://www.usda.gov/sites/default/files/documents/sm-1078-020.pdf https://www.usda.gov/sites/default/files/documents/sm-1078-020.pdf the extent possible when developing NOFOs 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 CYFAR 4-H Military Professional Development and Technical Assistance NOFO.

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 CMP-PDTA for FY 2026 to support the implementation and capacity of the 4-H Military Partnership and Outreach Support Program. The anticipated amount available for CMP-PDTA in FY 2026 is approximately $550,000. This is a new three-year continuation award. Subsequent annual increments of funding will be contingent upon satisfactory progress by the recipient and the availability of funding.

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

TABLE OF CONTENTS

ANNOUNCEMENT

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

TABLE OF CONTENTS

TABLE OF KEY INFORMATION

PART I. FUNDING OPPORTUNITY DESCRIPTION

A. Legislative Authority B. Purpose and Priorities

PART II. AWARD INFORMATION

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

PART III. ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION

A. Eligibility Requirements B. Cost Sharing or Matching C. Centers of Excellence ..................................................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.

PART IV. APPLICATION AND SUBMISSION

A. Method of Application B. Content and Form of the Application

PART V. APPLICATION REVIEW REQUIREMENTS

A. NIFA’s Evaluation Process B. Evaluation Criteria C. Centers of Excellence ..................................................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.

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. Language Access Services

APPENDIX I: AGENCY CONTACT

APPENDIX II: GLOSSARY OF TERMS

APPENDIX III: DEFINITIONS

TABLE OF KEY INFORMATION

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 CMP-PDTA is authorized under section 3(d) of the Smith-Lever Act of May 8, 1914, as amended (7 U.S.C. 343(d))

B. Purpose and Priorities NIFA has partnered with the United States military service branches to marshal resources of the Cooperative Extension System (CES) 4-H programs to develop capacity for supporting and sustaining programs for military-connected youth who are identified as at-risk youth. CYFAR military-connected youth programs have been funded in 47 states, the District of Columbia, and two territories, and reach over 100,000 military-connected youth through 4-H youth development experiences in 4-H clubs, camps, and other 4-H opportunities.

Military-connected youth are inherently at risk from a variety of factors that include multiple and lengthy deployments by family members, relocation of the family, single-partner households, lower income, and family members who return home wounded or do not return home. The purpose of the CMP-PDTA, under assistance listing 10.521, is to support the implementation and capacity of the 4-H Military Partnership and Outreach Support Program.

Professional development and technical assistance are provided to the Land-grant Institutions and the CES so that, in collaboration with other organizations, they can develop and deliver educational programs for military-connected youth. The educational programs are to equip military-connected youth with the skills they need to lead positive, productive, and contributing lives.

The CMP-PDTA has three strategic objectives:

1. To provide professional development and technical assistance to the Land-grant Institutions and CES, in collaboration with other organizations, to ensure continued development and implementation of the 4-H program on military installations. The CMP- PDTA program, collaboratively through the CES, will provide components of professional development and technical assistance;

2. To support the development of CES’s educational 4-H youth development programs (in local, often rural communities) for military-connected youth based on identified needs and soundly grounded in research; and

3. To integrate 4-H Military Partnership programming into ongoing extension programs for children, youth, and families ensuring that military-connected youth continue to be a part of CES 4-H programs and have access to resources and educational opportunities.

In alignment with the overall purpose of the program, the strategic objectives must be accomplished through the following activities:

1. Professional Development: Identify professional development training needs through a stakeholder input process. Based on the stakeholder input, create a professional development plan outlining training opportunities for delivery through various methods and an evaluation plan for training. The overall professional development plan shall be 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 designed to maximize expertise and capacity of CES faculty, local and regional staff, and at the national level for 4-H military liaisons, military service staff working with Land-grant Institutions, and those involved in working with military-connected youth.

2. Communication: Create a plan for communication outlining various strategies to increase meaningful communication across the partnership, including the development and dissemination of marketing materials.

3. Evaluation: Create an evaluation plan detailing what will be measured and how data will be collected and maintained. The evaluation plan will support partners’ programs and processes for providing training and technical assistance for issues related to evaluation and measuring impacts. An annual report and impact statements must be completed and published for dissemination.

Three-Year Plan of Work: CMP-PDTA applicants shall describe how the strategic objectives with activities will be implemented over three years. The Plan of Work will be included in the Project Narrative.

Table 2: Program Key Information

Title Description Program Code: MC

Program Code Name: Youth at Risk

ALN: 10.521

Project Type: Extension Projects Grant Type: Standard Grant

Application Deadline July 20, 2026 Grant Duration: 12 Months

Anticipated # of Awards: 1 Minimum Award Amount: $550,000 Maximum Award Amount: $550,000

PART II. AWARD INFORMATION

A. Available Funding

The amount available for Children Youth and Families at Risk 4-H Military Professional Development and Technical Assistance in FY2026 is approximately $550,000. Similar funding levels may be awarded for up to an additional 2 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.

The Automated Standard Application for Payments, operated by the Department of Treasury, Bureau of Fiscal Service, is the designated payment system for awards resulting from this

NOFO.

B. Application Restrictions NIFA will evaluate applications using the criteria described in Part V of this NOFO. Application for FY2026 is limited to the following application types: (New Application)

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

C. Project and Grant Types Project Types. Applicants must propose an Extension Project. Extension Projects conduct programs and activities that deliver science-based knowledge and informal educational programs to people, enabling them to make practical decisions. Extension Projects may also include related matters such as certification programs, in-service training, client recruitment and services, curriculum development, instructional materials, and equipment, and innovative instructional methodologies appropriate to informal educational programs.

Grant Types. Applicants must submit Standard Grant proposals. Standard Grants support targeted original scientific research, education/teaching, extension, or integrated projects.

An eligible, individual institution, independent branch campus, or branch institution of a state system may submit a grant application for project activities to be undertaken principally on behalf of its own students or faculty, and to be managed primarily by its own personnel. The applicant executes the project without the requirement of sharing grant funds with other project partners.

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 https://www.fiscal.treasury.gov/fsservices/gov/pmt/asap/asap_home.htm https://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?SID=3f96ab05cf1fc2d2713e5e46755e7696&mc=true&node=pt2.1.422&rgn=div5#se2.1.422_12 documentation to support the conduct of the training. See Responsible and Ethical Conduct of Research for further information.

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 CMP-PDTA must meet all the requirements discussed in this NOFO. 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 About Grants provides highly recommended information about grants and other resources to help understand the Federal awards process.

Eligibility extends to the 1862 Land-grant Institutions, the 1890 Land-grant Colleges and Universities, including Tuskegee University, West Virginia State University, and Central State University ((7 U.S.C. 343(d)), and the 1994 Land-grant Institutions (7 U.S.C. 343(d); as defined in 7 U.S.C. 301 note). Eligibility is extended to the University of the District of Columbia per Section 208 of the District of Columbia Public Postsecondary Education Reorganization Act.

USDA will not accept competitive applications for grant and cooperative agreements submitted for dangerous gain-of-function research, as defined in Section 8 of E.O. 14292.

Duplicate or Multiple Submissions – duplicate or multiple submissions are not allowed. NIFA will disqualify both applications if an applicant submits duplicate or multiple submissions.

B. Cost Sharing or Matching No Match Required - The CMP-PDTA has no matching requirement. NIFA will not factor matching resources into the review process as an evaluation criterion. While not required, cost share is encouraged.

https://www.nifa.usda.gov/grants 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 https://www.congress.gov/bill/103rd-congress/house-bill/4806/text https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/STATUTE-88/pdf/STATUTE-88-Pg1423.pdf https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2025/05/08/2025-08266/improving-the-safety-and-security-of-biological-research

PART IV. APPLICATION AND SUBMISSION

A. Method of Application Applicants must apply to this NOFO electronically; no other method or response is accepted.

The electronic application for this NOFO 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.

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-011998, 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 NOFO. The NOFO 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 NOFO. 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://get.adobe.com/reader/ https://www.grants.gov/applicants/adobe-software-compatibility.html https://grants.gov/applicants/search-for-opportunity-package 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/ 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 receive correspondence from NIFA regarding an application within 90 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 CMP-PDTA Program. See Part V of the NIFA Grants Application Guide for instructions and suggested templates.

2. Field 8. Project Narrative (PN). The PN must not exceed 12 1.5 spaced pages of written text and up to 7 1.5 spaced additional pages for figures and tables (the font size for both PN and tables should be no smaller than 11 points, Times New Roman). The page limits outlined here ensure fair competition. Appendices to the PN are allowed if they are directly germane to the proposed project. Do not add appendices to circumvent the page limit. The PN must include all the following:

a. Statement of Need & Background

i. Demonstrate an understanding of the nature of the issue this project is seeking to address.

ii. Describe how the overall project will effectively address the audience(s) to be served.

iii. Detail the characteristics of the institution(s) that make it particularly qualified to conduct the proposed work: describe ongoing or recently completed significant activities related to the proposed project, expert 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 knowledge, and experience with youth development, issues, and challenges among military youth, implementing youth programs, relevant research and evaluation, capacity building through relevant professional development as well as experience working with military services.

b. Plan of Work Projects should provide a clear description of the project objectives and activities listed each year for (3) three years within a Plan of Work. The plan should clearly describe how the applicant will accomplish the following over the duration of the project:

i. Professional Development: Through a stakeholder input process, professional development training needs must be identified. Based on the stakeholder input, a professional development plan must be created outlining training opportunities delivered through various methods and an evaluation plan for training. The overall professional development plan shall be designed to maximize expertise and capacity of Extension faculty, local and regional staff, and at the national level for 4-H military liaisons, military service staff working with Land-grant Institutions and those involved in working with military-connected youth.

ii. Communication: A plan for communication must be created outlining various strategies to increase meaningful communication across the partnership including the development and dissemination of marketing materials.

iii. Evaluation: An evaluation plan must be created detailing what will be measured and how data will be collected and maintained. Evaluation will be accomplished for partners’ programs, developing a process for providing training and technical assistance for issues related to evaluation and measuring impacts. An Annual Report and Impact Statements must be completed and published for dissemination.

iv. Project Management. Provide a brief summary of key personnel, their project functions, qualifications, and expertise along with timelines, reporting, and collaborative efforts. Provide a listing of partners and their corresponding roles within the project.

c. Budget & Budget Narrative There should be a direct relationship between the items in the budget and budget narrative, as well as between budget narrative and the objectives/activities contained in the Project Narrative. Every item in the budget must be justified in the proposal. Budget breakdown and budget narrative should be provided for each project year (Year 1, 2, and 3). The project start date must be September 1, 2026, and the end date must be August 31, 2029. NOTE: The budget narrative does not count toward the maximum page limit stated in R&R Other Project Information Form.

d. Data Management Plan (DMP). Data management plan (DMP): 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 NOFO, NIFA’s Data Management Plan). The DMP is not considered toward the PN page limits.

e. Logic Model. The logic model (LM) must reflect three years of planning and indicate measurable outcomes https://nifa.usda.gov/resource/data-management-plan-nifa-funded-research-projects

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).

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

Match -Not Required

1. Indirect Costs (IDC) – : Not Permitted.

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

1. Field 2. Program to which the applicant is applying. Enter the program name

“Children, Youth, and Families at Risk 4-H Military Partnership Professional Development and Technical Assistance Program” and the program code “MC”. Accurate entry is critical

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

C. Funding Restrictions

1. No Indirect Costs (IDC). IDC is not authorized for this NOFO.

2. NIFA awards may not be used to support the procurement of unmanned aircraft systems to process, store, or transmit Federal information (as defined in OMB Circular A-130) unless the grant is specifically available for procurement of such equipment and grantees describe in their application how they will comply with the information security requirements outlined in Appendix B of M-26-02 Ensuring Government Use of Secure Unmanned Aircraft Systems and Supporting United States Producers and develop a risk-based approach to applying those requirements to procurement solicitations to potential vendors under the resulting Federal award. This information, if provided, will be evaluated by NIFA as part of its evaluation process. If such procurement is approved, specific information security requirements may be included in the terms and conditions of the grant to ensure that the grantees will incorporate those requirements in procurement solicitations of unmanned aircraft systems under the Federal award.

https://nifa.usda.gov/resource/data-management-plan-nifa-funded-research-projects https://nifa.usda.gov/resource/data-management-plan-nifa-funded-research-projects 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 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 https://gcc02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fbidenwhitehouse.archives.gov%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Flegacy_drupal_files%2Fomb%2Fcirculars%2FA130%2Fa130revised.pdf&data=05%7C02%7Cjoseph.perez2%40usda.gov%7C2fd05fdc31df40138ca308dec7f6e548%7Ced5b36e701ee4ebc867ee03cfa0d4697%7C1%7C0%7C639168060383127728%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=g4K1IW83Ceb%2BekljWWsYOH3DEtu0VIZqjLgw0u4TDXA%3D&reserved=0 https://gcc02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.whitehouse.gov%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2025%2F11%2FM-26-02-Ensuring-Government-Use-of-Secure-Unmanned-Aircraft-Systems-and-Supporting-United-States-Producers.pdf&data=05%7C02%7Cjoseph.perez2%40usda.gov%7C2fd05fdc31df40138ca308dec7f6e548%7Ced5b36e701ee4ebc867ee03cfa0d4697%7C1%7C0%7C639168060383151603%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=rYV8tDrTd6thPn3qNUCmkJF8yotJ8eumoDLVZy8jccY%3D&reserved=0 https://gcc02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.whitehouse.gov%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2025%2F11%2FM-26-02-Ensuring-Government-Use-of-Secure-Unmanned-Aircraft-Systems-and-Supporting-United-States-Producers.pdf&data=05%7C02%7Cjoseph.perez2%40usda.gov%7C2fd05fdc31df40138ca308dec7f6e548%7Ced5b36e701ee4ebc867ee03cfa0d4697%7C1%7C0%7C639168060383151603%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=rYV8tDrTd6thPn3qNUCmkJF8yotJ8eumoDLVZy8jccY%3D&reserved=0

PART V. APPLICATION REVIEW REQUIREMENTS

A. NIFA’s Evaluation Process NIFA evaluates each application in a two-part process. First, we screen each application to ensure that it meets the administrative requirements set forth in this NOFO. All administrative requirements must be met in order for the application to proceed to the next level of review.

Second, a scientific peer-review process will be used to technically evaluate applications that have met 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., agricultural producers, range or forest managers/operators, researchers, educators, evaluators, and consumers) 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 the reviewer's area of expertise, geographic area, and entity type, as appropriate.

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

After each peer review panel has completed its deliberations, the responsible program staff of NIFA will recommend that your project is 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 that may influence the review or evaluation (see NIFA Peer Review Process for Competitive Grant Applications).

https://www.nifa.usda.gov/nifa-peer-review-process-competitive-grant-applications https://www.nifa.usda.gov/nifa-peer-review-process-competitive-grant-applications https://nifa.usda.gov/resource/nifa-peer-review-process-competitive-grant-applications https://nifa.usda.gov/resource/nifa-peer-review-process-competitive-grant-applications

B. Evaluation Criteria NIFA will use the following criteria to evaluate applications to this program. The criteria have equal weight.

1. Potential for successfully supporting the implementation and capacity of the 4-H Military Partnership and Outreach Support Program This criterion is used to assess the likelihood that the project team will succeed in: (1) providing the overall management of this project including partnerships and management of project staff: and (2) completing the activities and products described in Part I— Funding Opportunity Description, Section B., based on: statement of need and background; experience with youth development, issues and challenges among military youth and implementing youth programs; relevant research and evaluation; capacity-building through relevant professional development; and experience working with military services.

2. Proposed Approach This criterion is used to assess the soundness of the proposed Plan of Work to successfully support the implementation and capacity of the 4-H Military Partnership and Outreach Support Program including objectives and activities and project management.

3. Budget and Budget Narrative This criterion is used to assess the extent to which the total three-year budget adequately supports the project and is cost effective based on the budget outline provided. Elements considered include: the necessity and reasonableness of costs to carry out project activities and achieve project objectives and the adequacy of time committed to the project by key project personnel.

C. Organizational Management Information Applicants must submit specific management information prior to an award and update the information as needed. Applicants may only need to provide an update if there was a change in previously provided information under this or another NIFA program. NIFA provides the requisite forms during the pre-award process. Although an applicant may be eligible for award under this program, there are factors that may exclude an applicant from receiving Federal financial and non-financial assistance and benefits under this program (e.g., debarment or suspension of an individual, or a determination that an applicant is not responsible).

D. 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 NOFO. 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.

All funds granted by NIFA under this NOFO may be used only for the purpose for which they are granted in accordance with the program-specific laws and regulations, NIFA General Awards Administrative Provisions (7 CFR part 3430, subparts A through E), USDA Regulations for Grants and Agreements (2 CFR Chapter IV), Office of Management and Budget Uniform Guidance (2 CFR part 200), NIFA-specific terms and conditions, USDA General Terms and Conditions for Federal Awards, and approved budget and project plans.

The Notice of Award document will provide pertinent instructions and information as described in 2 CFR 200.211 (see NIFA’s Terms and Conditions).

B. Administrative and National Policy Requirements Several Federal statutes and regulations apply to grant applications and the projects outlined in this NOFO (some are listed here: Federal Regulations). Unless specifically noted by statue or award-specific requirements, NIFA Federal Assistance Policy Guide applies to all NIFA awards.

C. Expected Program Outputs and Reporting Requirements Output and reporting requirements are included in the award terms and conditions. If there are any program or award-specific award terms, they will be identified in the Award Notice.

At the end of the award period, within 90 days of project completion, the PD must submit a two-page report highlighting the project outcomes/impacts. The report must be submitted to the Program Contact designated on the Notice of Award.

https://gcc02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ecfr.gov%2Fcurrent%2Ftitle-7%2Fsubtitle-B%2Fchapter-XXXIV%2Fpart-3430&data=05%7C02%7CHeidi.Vanegas%40usda.gov%7Ccf09fec1b2b14d68ea5208de9639ecdd%7Ced5b36e701ee4ebc867ee03cfa0d4697%7C1%7C0%7C639113373170390923%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=0AXIn5NJoNQGdjcHaiPL4gOS6XS5xa2cCCX5fUwYvoU%3D&reserved=0 https://gcc02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ecfr.gov%2Fcurrent%2Ftitle-2%2Fsubtitle-B%2Fchapter-IV&data=05%7C02%7CHeidi.Vanegas%40usda.gov%7Ccf09fec1b2b14d68ea5208de9639ecdd%7Ced5b36e701ee4ebc867ee03cfa0d4697%7C1%7C0%7C639113373170408912%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=B2ppu3Rse9dGzXgf6kjcGHnjy7V16zlW5wg6dzoQV94%3D&reserved=0 https://gcc02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ecfr.gov%2Fcurrent%2Ftitle-2%2Fsubtitle-A%2Fchapter-II%2Fpart-200%3Ftoc%3D1&data=05%7C02%7CHeidi.Vanegas%40usda.gov%7Ccf09fec1b2b14d68ea5208de9639ecdd%7Ced5b36e701ee4ebc867ee03cfa0d4697%7C1%7C0%7C639113373170423663%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=FTkggP%2FKF0nXKxHC3G%2Ff7drKSDdMtqO1CC9cMWqjgec%3D&reserved=0 https://gcc02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nifa.usda.gov%2Fgrants%2Fregulations-and-guidelines%2Fterms-conditions&data=05%7C02%7CHeidi.Vanegas%40usda.gov%7Ccf09fec1b2b14d68ea5208de9639ecdd%7Ced5b36e701ee4ebc867ee03cfa0d4697%7C1%7C0%7C639113373170437467%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=UJBeP5Evi%2BG8A5tPPVGZMfGXTbz5VapfxQAJU47qhBI%3D&reserved=0 https://www.usda.gov/about-usda/general-information/staff-offices/office-chief-financial-officer/federal-financial-assistance-policy/usda-general-terms-and-conditions https://www.usda.gov/about-usda/general-information/staff-offices/office-chief-financial-officer/federal-financial-assistance-policy/usda-general-terms-and-conditions https://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/retrieveECFR?gp=&SID=c44a1f8f16917d78ba5ba676eac5fdc3&mc=true&r=SECTION&n=se2.1.200_1211 https://nifa.usda.gov/terms-and-conditions https://nifa.usda.gov/federal-regulations https://www.nifa.usda.gov/nifa-federal-assistance-policy-guide https://www.nifa.usda.gov/grants/regulations-and-guidelines/terms-conditions

PART VII. OTHER INFORMATION

A. Use of Funds and Changes in Budget Delegation of fiscal responsibility. Unless the terms and conditions of the award state otherwise, awardees may not in whole or in part delegate or transfer to another person, institution, or organization the responsibility for use or expenditure of award funds.

Changes in Budget or Project Plans. In accordance with 2 CFR 200.308, awardees must request prior approval from NIFA for the following program or budget-related reasons (the awardee is subject to the terms and conditions identified in the award):

1. Change in the scope or the objective of the project or program without prior written approval (even if there is no associated budget revision required);

2. Change in a key person specified in the application or the Federal award;

3. Disengagement from the project for more than three months, or a 25 percent reduction in time devoted to the project;

4. Inclusion of costs that require prior approval in accordance with 2 CFR 200 Subpart E

(Cost Principles), or 2 CFR Part 300 Appendix IX, (Principles for Determining Costs Applicable to Research and Development under Awards and Contracts with Hospitals), or 48 CFR, unless waived by the Federal awarding agency, 48 CFR Part 31, Contract Cost Principles and Procedures;

5. Transfer of funds budgeted for participant support costs to other categories of expense (2 CFR 200.456 Participant support costs);

6. Sub-awarding, transferring or contracting out of any work under a Federal award, including fixed amount sub-awards (see 2 CFR 200.333, Fixed Amount Sub-awards), unless described in the application and funded in the approved Federal awards. This provision does not apply to the acquisition of supplies, material, equipment, or general support services;

7. Changes in the approved cost-sharing or matching provided by the non-Federal entity;

8. The need for additional Federal funds to complete the project;

9. Salary rates of pay exceeding an Executive Level IV salary range (see “Rates of Pay for the Executive Schedule” under the “Executive & Senior Level Employee Pay Tables” header at https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/pay-leave/salaries-wages/) require prior NIFA approval. This rate does not include any fringe benefits, general and administrative (G&A), overhead, or other expenses. Requests for approval must include the salary rate of pay and a justification for the rate and be sent to the Authorized Departmental Officer (ADO) to awards@usda.gov;

10. No more than 50 percent of the total dollars of this award may be subcontracted to another party(ies) without prior written approval of the ADO, except subcontracts to Federal agencies;

11. Transferring funds between the construction and non-construction work under a Federal award; and

12. A no-cost extension (meaning, an extension of time that does not require the obligation of additional Federal funds) of the period of performance, other than any one-time extension authorized by the Federal agency in accordance with paragraph 2 CFR 200.308(g)(2). All requests for no-cost extensions should be submitted at least 10 calendar days before the conclusion of the period of performance. The Federal agency may approve multiple no-cost extensions under a Federal award if not prohibited by Federal statute or regulation.

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B. Confidential Aspects of Applications and Awards When an application results in an award, it becomes a part of NIFA transaction records, which are available to the public. Information that the Secretary of Agriculture determines to be confidential, privileged, or proprietary in nature will be held in confidence to the extent permitted by law. Therefore, applicants should clearly mark any information within the application they wish to have considered as confidential, privileged, or proprietary. NIFA will retain a copy of an application that does not result in an award for three years. Such an application will be released only with the consent of the applicant or to the extent required by law. An applicant may withdraw at any time prior to the final action thereon.

C. Regulatory Information This program is not subject to the provisions of Executive Order 12372, which requires intergovernmental consultation with state and local officials. Under the provisions of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. Chapter 35), the collection of information requirements contained in this notice have been approved under OMB Document No. 0524- 0039.

D. Language Access Services NIFA offers language access services, such as interpretation and translation of vital information, free of charge. If you need interpretation or translation services, please visit NIFA Language Access Services.

https://www.fws.gov/policy/library/rgeo12372.pdf https://www.reginfo.gov/public/reginfo/pra.pdf http://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?path=/prelim@title44/chapter35&edition=prelim https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2018/10/29/2018-23552/submission-for-omb-review-comment-request https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2018/10/29/2018-23552/submission-for-omb-review-comment-request https://www.nifa.usda.gov/equal-opportunity-civil-rights/language-access-services https://www.nifa.usda.gov/equal-opportunity-civil-rights/language-access-services

APPENDIX I: AGENCY CONTACT

For Programmatic questions please email Military4-H@usda.gov.

For administrative questions related to;

1. Grants.gov, see Part IV of this NOFO

2. Other NOFO or application questions, please email grantapplicationquestions@usda.gov

3. Awards under this NOFO, please email awards@usda.gov

U.S. Postal Mailing Address:

National Institute of Food and Agriculture U.S. Department of Agriculture P.O. Box 419205, MS 10000 Kansas City, MO 64141-6205

Courier/Package Delivery Address:

National Institute of Food and Agriculture U.S. Department of Agriculture 2312 East Bannister Road, MS 10000 Kansas City, MO 64141-3061 mailto:Military4-H@usda.gov mailto:grantapplicationquestions@usda.gov mailto:awards@usda.gov

APPENDIX II: GLOSSARY OF TERMS

Glossary of Terms Assistance Listing Number – ALN Authorized Representative – AR Children, Youth, and Families at Risk – CYFAR Children, Youth and Families at Risk 4-H Military Partnership Professional Development and

Technical Assistance Program – CMP-PDTA Data Management Plan – DMP National Institute of Food and Agriculture – NIFA Research, Education, and Economics – REE United States Department of Agriculture – USDA

APPENDIX III: DEFINITIONS

Refer to 7 CFR 3430 Competitive and Noncompetitive Non-formula Federal Assistance Programs – General Award Administrative Provisions for additional definitions.

Definitions Continuation Award:

An award instrument by which NIFA agrees to support a specified level of effort for a predetermined period of time with a statement of intention to provide additional support at a future date, provided that performance has been satisfactory, appropriations are available for this purpose, and continued support would be in the best interest of the Federal government and the public.

Matching:

The process through which a grant recipient match awarded USDA funds with cash and in-kind contributions on a dollar-for-dollar basis. The matching funds must derive from non-Federal sources.

New Application:

An application not previously submitted to a program.

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