FY26-VSGP-NOFO-P.pdf

Notice of Funding Opportunity Veterinary Services Grant Program

FUNDING YEAR: Fiscal Year (FY) 2026

APPLICATION DEADLINE: April 16, 2026

ANTICIPATED PROGRAM FUNDING: $3,809,708

AVERAGE INDIVIDUAL AWARD

RANGE:

FUNDING OPPORTUNITY NUMBER:

$75,000-$300,000

USDA-NIFA-VSGP-011778

ASSISTANCE LISTING NUMBER: 10.336

ANNOUNCEMENT

National Institute of Food and Agriculture United States Department of Agriculture

VETERINARY SERVICES GRANT PROGRAM (VSGP)

Assistance Listing Number (ALN): The VSGP is listed in the Assistance Listings under the number 10.336.

Table 1: Key Dates and Deadlines Task Description Deadlines

Application: 5:00 P.M. Eastern Time, April 16, 2026

SAM/UEI Register for a SAM UEI number no later than five weeks before application deadline.

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;

• expanding and developing domestic markets;

• training the next generation of agriculturalists; and

• supporting production of healthy and safe food for consumers;

• 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.

Stakeholder Input. NIFA seeks comments on all Notice of Funding Opportunities (NOFO) so it can deliver programs efficiently, effectively, with integrity, and focused on customer service.

NIFA considers comments, to 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 Veterinary Services Grant Program NOFO.

https://sam.gov/content/home 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

The amount available for grants in FY 2026 is approximately $3,809,708.

NIFA requests applications for the VSGP for FY 2026 to develop, implement and sustain food and large animal veterinary services and relieve veterinary shortage situations in the United States and U.S. Insular Areas. The goals of the VSGP are to fund U.S. American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) – accredited schools and organizations in education, extension, and training (EET) for food animal veterinary medicine, and to fund rural practice enhancement (RPE) for veterinary clinics that provide services in veterinary shortage situations.

This notice identifies the objectives for VSGP 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 C. Program Area Descriptions

PART II. AWARD INFORMATION

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

PART III. ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION

A. Eligibility Requirements B. Cost Sharing or Matching

PART IV. APPLICATION AND SUBMISSION

A. Method of Application B. Content and Form of the EET Application C. Content and Form of the RPE Application D. Funding Restrictions for EET and RPE Program Areas

PART V. APPLICATION REVIEW REQUIREMENTS

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

PART VI. AWARD ADMINISTRATION

A. General B. Administrative and National Policy Requirements

PART VII. OTHER INFORMATION

A. Use of Funds and Changes in Budget B. Confidential Aspects of Applications and Awards C. Regulatory Information D. 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: VSGP-EET Key Information Table 3: VSGP-RPE Key Information Table 4: Steps to Obtain Application Materials Table 5: Help and Resources Table 6: Key EET Application Instructions Table 7: EET Project Narrative Table 8: Program Names and Codes Table 9: Key RPE Application Instructions Table 10: RPE Project Narrative Table 11: Program Names and Codes

PART I. FUNDING OPPORTUNITY DESCRIPTION

A. Legislative Authority The VSGP, authorized under 7 U.S.C. 3151b, allows the Secretary of Agriculture to make competitive grants to qualified entities that carry out programs to mitigate food and large animal veterinarian shortages. Program areas include developing, implementing, and sustaining food/large animal veterinary services, and implementation of education, extension and training programs for the food animal veterinary workforce.

B. Purpose and Priorities Veterinarians play significant roles in assuring food and fiber animal health, food safety and security, public health, and producer profitability, especially in rural areas of the United States where most livestock production occurs. The VSGP, Assistance Listing 10.336, and its companion Veterinary Medicine Loan Repayment Program (VMLRP), authorized by the National Veterinary Medical Services Act (NVMSA), were established to address concerns that long-term uneven distributions in the veterinary workforce have left some rural communities with insufficient access to food/large animal veterinary services. The objectives of the VSGP are to develop, implement, and sustain food animal veterinary services and relieve veterinarian shortage situations in the United States, which includes Insular Areas (see Appendix III of this NOFO for a definition of “Insular Area”), and to provide education, extension, and training programs for the food animal veterinary workforce.

It has been widely acknowledged that several factors contribute to the uneven distribution of veterinarians serving the agricultural sector. The purpose of the VSGP is to improve and expand animal health care delivery in the rural United States, leading to improved economics for producers and better protection against incursions of transboundary animal diseases, as well as enhanced food security for the nation.

The VSGP aims to address veterinary shortages through two program areas:

1. The Education, Extension, and Training (EET) program area supports initiatives that will enable veterinarians, veterinary students, veterinary technicians, and veterinary technician students to gain specialized skills through formal coursework, clinical training, and practice enhancement to mitigate veterinary service shortages more effectively in the United States and Insular Areas.

2. The Rural Practice Enhancement (RPE) program area ultimately bolsters the capacity of private clinics (with or without a veterinarian’s student loan repayment obligation) that can provide food/large animal veterinary services for designated veterinarian shortage areas.

Educational activities, including those in RPE program area grants as requested in the shortage nomination form, should include broad types of learning and engagement (e.g., hands-on learning, experiential, and innovative methods of teaching and disseminating information), emphasize leadership and development of interpersonal and team skills, and include virtual options, as appropriate.

Refer to APPENDIX III: DEFINITIONS for definitions of “Educational activity” and “Extension activity.”

https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=(title:7%20section:3151b%20edition:prelim)%20OR%20(granuleid:USC-prelim-title7-section3151b)&f=treesort&edition=prelim&num=0&jumpTo=true https://www.nifa.usda.gov/grants/programs/veterinary-medicine-loan-repayment-program

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

C. Program Area Descriptions NIFA is soliciting applications under the following program areas: 1) VSGP - Education, Extension, and Training (EET), and 2) VSGP - Rural Practice Enhancement (RPE)

1. Education, Extension, and Training (EET) Program Area

a. The purpose of the proposed EET activities must substantially relieve veterinary shortage situations or facilitate or support veterinary practices engaged in food animal clinical and veterinary public health activities in the United States and Insular Areas.

b. The EET program area supports the following types of formal coursework, clinical training, and practice enhancement activities:

i. To allow veterinary students, veterinary interns, externs, residents, and veterinary technician students to cover expenses (other than the types of expenses described in the Rural Practice Enhancement program area) of attending training programs in food safety, or food animal medicine.

ii. To modify a course(s) of accredited veterinary education programs that includes, but is not limited to, updating course materials for in-person or remote learning, faculty recruitment, and retention.

iii. To support training of veterinary residents, interns and externships carried out in coordination with accredited colleges of veterinary medicine.

iv. To provide continuing education and extension, including virtual and other formats for distance-based education, for veterinarians, veterinary technicians, and other health professionals needed to strengthen veterinary programs and enhance food safety.

v. To expose students in grades 11 and 12 to education and career opportunities in food animal medicine.

c. Grants last a minimum of three years.

d. In FY 2026, proposals to develop new degree or curriculum programs must address the sustainability of the new program beyond the period of the award.

e. Examples of types of EET activities may include development and implementation of:

i. Traditional or non-traditional learning opportunities.

ii. Nondegree educational training programs.

iii. Courses associated with existing degree programs.

iv. Continuing education.

f. Applications to support graduate programs with a primary focus on research are not encouraged.

g. In FY 2026, the EET focus will be placed on programs that direct activities toward one or more of the following groups:

i. Veterinary students enrolled in an AVMA accredited veterinary degree program and veterinary technician students.

ii. Veterinary interns, externs, fellows, residents, and veterinary technicians.

iii. Students in grades 11 and 12 seeking exposure to education and career opportunities in food animal medicine.

h. EET proposals should emphasize educational content that enhances learning in one or more of the following:

i. Veterinary practice enhancement techniques and strategies that benefit the health of agricultural animals.

ii. Best practices for delivering quality food and agricultural animal veterinary services in rural areas.

iii. Veterinary approaches to foster food safety, epidemiology, or veterinary public health.

iv. Practice management and skills in business planning and development.

v. Career opportunities in food animal medicine.

i. Collaboration: EET applicants are encouraged to collaborate with other qualified entities and to be creative and innovative in their approach.

2. Rural Practice Enhancement (RPE) Program Area

a. The RPE program area supports the development and provision of veterinary services to substantially relieve designated rural (as defined in Part I, B.) veterinary shortage situations in the United States and Insular Areas and support education or extension needs specified in shortage area nominations.

b. RPE funds may be used for one or more of the following, with adequate justification of how they will be used to support services to the shortage area:

i. To equip veterinary offices.

ii. To purchase clinical equipment for the support of ambulatory services or haul-in facilities.

iii. To support direct costs such as, but not limited to, salary and fringe benefits for veterinarian(s), support personnel, office rent, vehicle fuel supporting ambulatory services, maintenance contracts on equipment used to treat food animals, expendable medical and office supplies, computer software, utility expenses, and business consultant fees. These costs must be limited to no more than 50 percent of the budget.

iv. To establish mobile veterinary units, which may include, but are not limited to, a vehicle equipped to provide mobile veterinary services, mobile restraint devices, veterinary truck inserts, point of care testing equipment, etc.

v. To support the exposure of students in grades 11 and 12 to education and career opportunities in food/large animal medicine and herd health management.

c. RPE program area limitations and guidance are the following:

i. An applicant may apply to only one currently designated veterinary shortage area in a given application year.

ii. One award is allowed per currently designated veterinary shortage area each year.

iii. One award is allowed per applicant and clinic.

iv. A clinic that has received an RPE award can apply for a new RPE award following the final end date of their previous award (this includes any no cost extensions).

v. A clinic must apply to a currently designated veterinary shortage area unless there is an active VMLRP awardee employed by the clinic for the duration of the award.

vi. Awardees are expected to cover requested services described in the shortage area nomination regardless of the number of hours per week. The percentage full-time equivalent (FTE) specified in the shortage situation form (which can be found for each shortage here) does not apply to VSGP.

Table 2: VSGP-EET Key Information

Title Description Program Code: VSGPE

Program Code Name: VSGP Education ALN Number 10.336 Project Type: Education, Extension and Training Grant Type: Regular

Application Deadlines: 5:00 P.M. Eastern Time April 16, 2026 Grant Duration: 36 Months

Anticipated # of Awards: Approximately 10 Maximum Award Amount: $300,000

Table 3: VSGP-RPE Key Information

Title Description Program Code: VSGPR

Program Code Name: VSGP Rural Practice Enhancement ALN Number 10.336 Project Type: Rural Practice Enhancement Grant Type: Regular

Application Deadlines: 5:00 P.M. Eastern Time April 16, 2026 Grant Duration: 36 Months

Anticipated # of Awards: Approximately 10 Maximum Award Amount: $200,000 https://www.nifa.usda.gov/vmlrp-map

PART II. AWARD INFORMATION

A. Available Funding The amount available for VSGP in FY2026 is approximately $3,809,708.

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

B. Application Restrictions NIFA will evaluate applications using the criteria described in Part V of this NOFO.

Applications for FY 2026 are limited to the following types:

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).

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.

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 Funding will be awarded as a standard grant type.

D. Ethical Conduct of Funded Projects In accordance with sections 2, 3, and 8 of 2 CFR Part 422, institutions that conduct USDA-funded extramural research must foster an atmosphere conducive to research integrity, bear primary responsibility for prevention and detection of research misconduct, and maintain and effectively communicate and train their staff regarding policies and procedures. In the event an application to NIFA results in an award, the Authorized Representative (AR) assures, through acceptance of the award, that the institution will comply with the above requirements. Award recipients must, upon request, make available to NIFA the policies, procedures, and documentation to support the conduct of the training. See Responsible and Ethical Conduct of Research for further information.

https://www.fiscal.treasury.gov/fsservices/gov/pmt/asap/asap_home.htm https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-B/chapter-IV/part-422#422.2 https://nifa.usda.gov/responsible-and-ethical-conduct-research https://nifa.usda.gov/responsible-and-ethical-conduct-research

PART III. ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION

A. Eligibility Requirements Applicants for the VSGP must meet all the requirements cited 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.

Applications may only be submitted by the entities listed below if they plan to carry out programs or activities that will: 1) substantially relieve veterinary shortage situations; 2) support or facilitate private veterinary practices engaged in the care of food animals; and 3) address food safety and agricultural animal health concerns.

Eligible Applicants for EET

1. State, regional, or national organizations supporting food animal veterinary programs.

2. Allied or professional food animal veterinary organizations recognized by the American

Veterinary Medical Association.

3. Colleges or schools of veterinary medicine accredited by the American Veterinary

Medical Association.

4. University research foundations or veterinary medical foundations.

5. Departments of veterinary science or departments of comparative medicine accredited by the U.S. Department of Education.

6. State agricultural experiment stations or Research Farms (1890 institutions).

7. State, local, or tribal government agencies.

Eligible Applicants for RPE

1. For-profit or nonprofit entities located in the United States or an Insular Area, such as veterinary clinics or hospitals, that provide mixed, food or large animal veterinary services in a rural area, as defined in section 343(a) of the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act (7 U.S.C. 1991(a)) within a current VMLRP shortage area. FY2026 veterinary shortage situation areas are found here.

a. Shortage situations must qualify as rural (as defined in Section 343(a) of the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act (7 U.S.C. 1991(a)).

b. VMLRP Type II shortage situations are rural and therefore qualify.

c. For VMLRP Type I shortage situations, use the USDA Rural Development’s

Business Program’s Rural Community Development Initiative (RCDI) map to assess “rural” eligibility. Instructions for accessing the map can be found here.

(Select Rural Business at top, then the link for RCDI, accept the disclaimer and zoom into the area of interest.)

2. Clinics or hospitals that employ a current VMLRP awardee with a current service agreement at the time of the application with reference to the single shortage area to which they are obligated to serve. If awarded, the clinic will be obligated to retain that VMLRP awardee for the 36-month duration of the VSGP-RPE award or forfeit the awarded funds (with proration for time served) upon their departure.

3. RPE awards are made to clinics, not individuals. Therefore, only a clinic (even if a solo practitioner), may apply for and be awarded an RPE grant.

https://www.nifa.usda.gov/grants http://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=(title:7%20section:1991%20edition:prelim)%20OR%20(granuleid:USC-prelim-title7-section1991)&f=treesort&edition=prelim&num=0&jumpTo=true https://www.nifa.usda.gov/vmlrp-map http://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=(title:7%20section:1991%20edition:prelim)%20OR%20(granuleid:USC-prelim-title7-section1991)&f=treesort&edition=prelim&num=0&jumpTo=true https://eligibility.sc.egov.usda.gov/eligibility/welcomeAction.do

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

For EET, multiple submissions are allowed by different departments of eligible institutions.

However, only one award will be granted per institution per year. 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.

Multiple Awards For those that have received a RPE award, a clinic can apply for a new VSGP-RPE award following the final end date of the previous award (including any no cost extensions).

For EET, an institution may have multiple awards that were granted from different years from different departments and different Project Directors.

USDA will not accept competitive applications for grants and cooperative agreements submitted for due dates after June 20, 2025, and/or research and development (R&D) contract proposals submitted to solicitations issued after June 20, 2025, for dangerous gain-of-function research, as defined in Section 8 of E.O. 14292.

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

https://www.nifa.usda.gov/grants 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 4 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 4: Steps to Obtain Application Materials

Steps Action

Step One:

Register

New Users to Grants.gov must register at least five weeks before the application deadline with Grants.gov prior to submitting an application (Grants 101. (Register Here). For RPE applicants, as a requirement for the application process, it is strongly recommended to complete the registration or renewal of Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) through the System for Award Management (SAM) at least five weeks in advance to the VSGP application deadline. There is no fee associated with receiving a UEI number through SAM.

Step Two:

Download Adobe

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

Step Three: Find Application

Using the funding opportunity number USDA-NIFA-VSGP-011778, locate for the application here: Opportunity Package.

Step Four: Assess Readiness

For EET, contact an Authorized Representative (AR) prior to starting an application to assess the organization’s readiness to submit an electronic application by the deadline.

Table 5: 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 online support: Grants.gov iPortal

Customer service business Hours 24/7, except Federal holidays.

Email:

grantapplicationquestions@usda.gov

Business hours: Monday thru Friday, 7 a.m. – 5 p.m. ET, except Federal holidays 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/learn-grants/grants-101/ https://www.grants.gov/register https://www.grants.gov/forms/planned-uei-updates.html https://sam.gov/content/home?api_key=ROEXk2SBBROUbVQ4L38wSJsGEvZ3oWtLxva9h0zV https://get.adobe.com/reader/ https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/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://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/

B. Content and Form of the EET 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 6 outlines other key instructions for applicants.

Table 6: Key EET 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 at VSGP@usda.gov if applicant does not receive correspondence from NIFA regarding an application within 30 days of the application deadline.

N/A

SF 424 R&R Cover Sheet. Fill in all areas of the SF 424 R&R cover sheet as it relates to your application. See Part V of the NIFA Grants Application Guide for the required certifications and assurances.

SF 424 R&R Project/Performance Site Location(s). Fill in all areas of the SF 424 R&R project/performance site location(s) as it relates to your application. 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/Abstract. The project summary must show how the goals of the proposal align with the purpose of VSGP. See Part V of the NIFA Grants Application Guide for instructions and suggested templates. The project summary must be submitted as a PDF document and the following items must be included in the summary:

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.grants.gov/support mailto:VSGP@usda.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.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

a. Project Title.

b. Project Director and any Co-Project Director(s): Include institutional affiliation for each.

c. Total Funds Requested.

d. Collaborators, if applicable.

e. Summary/Abstract Text: Concise (250 words or less) overview of problem(s) being addressed, objectives, approach and relevance to the purpose and goals of VSGP.

Before submitting an application, the applicant must review the summary/abstract attachment to ensure compliance with the specified word limit and PDF format. Any summary text exceeding 250 words will not be reviewed.

2. Field 8. Project Narrative for EET applications. The project narrative must not exceed 12, 1.5 spaced, pages of written text and up to three, 1.5 spaced, additional pages for figures and tables (the font size for tables should be no smaller than 11-point Times New Roman). The page limits outlined here ensure fair competition. Appendices to the project narrative are allowed if they are directly relevant to the proposed project. Do not add appendices to circumvent the page limit.

See Part V of NIFA Grants Application Guide for further instructions. Use the Project Narrative subheadings in this NOFO rather than the template in the guide.

NOTE: The Project Narrative of each successful application will be published by USDA and, therefore, should not contain proprietary or private information.

The EET Project Narrative must include the following:

a. Problem Identification and Significance: Clearly state the specific problem to be addressed and its importance to relieving veterinary shortage situations.

b. Background: Include a clear statement of the long-term goal(s) and supporting objectives of the proposed activities. Summarize the body of knowledge or other past activities that substantiate the need for the proposed project. Describe ongoing or recently completed significant activities that relate to the proposed project including the work of key project personnel. Include preliminary data/information pertinent to the proposed project. In addition, this section should include in-depth information on the following, when applicable:

i. Estimates of the magnitude of the issues to be addressed and their relevance to livestock producers and other stakeholders, and to ongoing local community, state, and Federal food and agricultural education and extension programs or needs.

ii. The role of public and private stakeholders in problem identification, planning, implementation, and evaluation as appropriate.

iii. Reasons for the work being done by the proposed entity(ies).

c. Objectives: All applications must include a statement(s) of specific aims of the proposed effort in clear, concise, complete, and logically arranged terms.

d. Methods: Explicitly state the procedures or methodology you will apply to the proposed effort. This section should include, but not necessarily be limited to, descriptions of:

i. Stakeholder involvement in problem identification, planning, implementation, and evaluation (if working with 11th and 12th grade students, the secondary school(s) and/or school district(s) should be included).

ii. If applicable, plans for coordination and/collaboration with other qualified entities and their roles and responsibilities (see item f. Management and Collaboration Plan below).

iii. Proposed project activities listed sequentially.

iv. Techniques to be employed in this project, including their feasibility and rationale.

v. Plans to communicate results to stakeholders and the public.

vi. Pitfalls that might be encountered; and

vii. Limitations to proposed procedures.

e. Project Evaluation Plan: The Project Narrative must include a formal project evaluation plan to document the anticipated reach and impact(s) of each educational activity. These plans should be participant-centered and implemented during the term of the project.

Explicitly state the outputs and outcomes expected from the proposed project. Explain the data gathering procedures (qualitative and/or quantitative) that will be used to monitor and assess progress toward intended project outcomes. When describing the measurement instruments you plan to use (surveys, interviews, focus groups, measures of class performance, cost-benefit analyses, etc.), be sure to mention why they are appropriate to gauging success. Project evaluation plans must contain baseline data when available or describe how baseline data will be obtained for monitoring outcomes. A plan for tracking students/trainees after graduation and/or to assess the communities they will be serving to measure impact your project has on addressing shortage situations should be described. Finally, the Project Evaluation Plan should contain measures of the following:

i. Student/trainee learning or engagement.

ii. The number of students/trainees/teachers impacted by the project as a result of the proposed activities.

iii. The number of students/trainees serving or planning to serve veterinary shortage situations.

iv. Return on investment i.e., the trainee’s impacts relieving veterinary shortage situations.

f. Management and Collaboration Plan: Applicants are encouraged to use approximately two of the 12 pages for this section. It is critical to have a clearly articulated management and collaboration plan that describes the roles and functions of all key personnel and, where applicable, partners, collaborators, and organizations, as related to the proposed project. For projects proposing coordination between two or more entities, include: time allocated by each partner for attainment of objectives, key roles of each partner and collaborator, and plan for administration of the proposed project and its maintenance and partnerships. Describe the plans for coordination, communication, data sharing and reporting among members of the project team and stakeholder groups. Describe the commitment of the organization and partners to this project and how the collaboration and its impact will be sustained beyond the period of the award. An applicant’s failure to provide the requested information in the Management and Collaboration Plan may preclude NIFA from making an award. In addition, letters of commitment signed by the Authorized Representative (AR) of the partnering organizations demonstrating that the partners involved have agreed to abide by the Management Plan should be provided (see “Other Attachments” below).

g. Project Timetable: The proposal should outline all important phases and major milestones as a function of time, year by year, for the entire project, including periods beyond the grant funding period.

The following Table summarizes the section of the Project Narrative for EET applications, suggests an approximate number of pages to allocate to each section, and shows the evaluation criteria most relevant to each section:

Table 7: EET Project Narrative

Narrative Section Suggested # of Pages

Related Evaluation Criteria (see Part V, B. of this

NOFO)

Problem Identification and Significance 1 Relevancy Background 1.5 Relevancy; Expertise, Experience, and Institutional Resources

Objectives 1 Relevancy; Technical Merit Methods 4 Technical Merit;

Collaborations;

Achievability

Project Evaluation Plan 2 Technical Merit Management and Collaboration Plan 2 Achievability; Expertise, Experience, and Institutional Resources

Project Timetable 0.5 Achievability Figures and Tables (optional) 3 Must be relevant to proposed project; extended narrative in these 3 pages will be rejected

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

Other attachments may include the following documents.

A. Resubmitted applications for EET. If you submitted this same or a similar application in the past and it was declined for an award you must submit a response to the previous review and must check box number 8 “resubmission” on the SF 424.

The response to previous review must not exceed one, 1.5 spaced, page titled:

“RESPONSE TO PREVIOUS REVIEW” and saved as:

“ResponsetoPreviousReview.” This is a response to the stated weaknesses and should include how you made adjustments based on the previous panel’s summary of your proposal. If desired, additional comments may be included in the text of the Project Narrative subject to the page limitations of that section. The response to previous review must be saved as a PDF and uploaded as an additional document.

B. Commitment Letters as PDF attachment(s). There is no page limit for these. For projects proposing partnering, collaboration or coordination, letters of commitment are required from all participating parties (signed by the AR of the collaborating organization) stating that the collaborators involved have agreed to their stated roles in the project and have agreed to abide by the Management and Collaboration Plan.

Letters from other organizations or people whose participation is important to the success of the project, committing those collaborators to specific roles, are also encouraged. Title the attachment(s) as ‘Letter of Commitment – Organization Name’ in the document header and save file as ‘Letter of Commitment _ Organization Name’. Other more general letters of support (i.e., from those who are not committing to a specific role in the project) are not needed and should not be included.

R&R Senior/Key Person Profile (Expanded). Fill in all required fields as they apply to your grant application. 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. Grants.gov helpdesk Fill in all areas of the R&R budget sheet as they relate to your grant. See Part V of the NIFA Grants Application Guide.

Budget Justification. The budget justification must not exceed five, 1.5 spaced pages of written text, pictures, and numbers (the font size for tables should be no smaller than 11-point, Times New Roman). The page limits outlined here ensure fair competition. The budget justification should include a brief description of how funds will be used for specific activities or equipment.

Indirect costs (IDC) – See Part IV C of this NOFO for funding restrictions regarding indirect costs, USDA NIFA Policy on Indirect Costs, and Part V of the NIFA Grants Application Guide for additional information.

Data Management Plan. A data management plan is required for this program. The data should support the anticipated results and reporting of outcomes. Applicants should clearly articulate how the Project Director (PD) and co-PDs plan to manage and disseminate the data generated by the project. The data management plan will be considered during the merit review process (see Part V, B of this NOFO, and Part V.320 of the NIFA Grants Application Guide and NIFA’s Data Management Plan). If you need help in preparing a data management plan or have questions about what constitutes a data management plan for this program (including questions about data privacy, etc.), please contact the NIFA program contacts listed at the end of this NOFO. NIFA conducts a technical assistance webinar associated with this NOFO each year and provides information related to resources that will assist with this task.

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://nifa.usda.gov/indirect-costs 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://nifa.usda.gov/resource/data-management-plan-nifa-funded-research-projects

The data management plan can be one paragraph and must be no longer than one page. The data management plan must be attached as a PDF with your application materials.

The data management plan must include a description of:

1. Expected data type: Examples are the number of students and trainees who enrolled and participated, course enhancements, training products, outreach materials, number of stakeholders reached, number of activities, and assessment questionnaires.

2. Data format: The selected data format is at the discretion of the PD.

3. Data storage and preservation: Data must be stored in a secure environment with adequate measures taken for the length of the program and three years after the grant end date. Applicants must describe plans for storing and preserving their data during and after the project. Include any strategies, tools, and contingency plans that will be used to avoid data loss, degradation, or damage.

4. Data sharing, protection, and public access: Include a statement, when applicable, of plans to protect confidentiality, personal privacy, proprietary interests, business confidential information, and intellectual property rights.

5. Roles and responsibilities: State who will implement the data management plan.

Supplemental Information Form. See Part V.300 of the NIFA Grants Application Guide

1. Field 2. Program to which the applicant is applying. Enter the program name according to Tables 8 and 11 below. Accurate entry is critical.

Table 8: Program Names and Codes Program Name Code to enter

VSGP EET VSGPE

VSGP RPE VSGPR

2. Field 8. Conflict of Interest List. See Part V.300 of the NIFA Grants Application

Guide

C. Content and Form of the RPE 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 9 outlines other key instructions for applicants.

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

Table 9: Key RPE 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 at VSGP@usda.gov if applicant does not receive correspondence from NIFA regarding an application within 30 days of the application deadline.

N/A

SF 424 R&R Cover Sheet. Fill in all areas of the SF 424 R&R cover sheet as it relates to your application. See Part V of the NIFA Grants Application Guide for the required certifications and assurances.

SF 424 R&R Project/Performance Site Location(s). Fill in all areas of the SF 424 R&R project/performance site location(s) as it relates to your application. 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 /Abstract. The project summary must show how the goals of the proposal align with the purpose of VSGP. See Part V of the NIFA Grants Application Guide for instructions and suggested templates. The project summary must be submitted as a PDF document and the following items must be included in the summary:

a. Project Title: A single shortage area must be included in the proposal title. This will be the shortage ID code, name of the clinic, and a short description, for example, DE211_Cherry Creek Clinic: Serving Rural Dairy Producers.

b. Project Director and any Co-Project Director(s): the person responsible for managing award funds, typically the applying veterinarian or veterinary practice owner, should be included here.

c. Total Funds Requested.

d. Summary/Abstract Text: Concise (250 words or less) overview of problem(s) being addressed, objectives, approach and relevance to the purpose and goals of VSGP.

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 mailto:VSGP@usda.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.nifa.usda.gov/nifa-22-001-nifa-grants-application-guide https://www.nifa.usda.gov/nifa-22-001-nifa-grants-application-guide

Before submitting an application, the applicant must review the summary/abstract attachment to ensure compliance with the specified word limit, PDF format, and shortage ID code. All summary text exceeding 250 words will not be reviewed.

2. Field 8. Project Narrative for RPE applications. The Project Narrative must not exceed 7, 1.5 spaced, pages of written text and up to two, 1.5 spaced, additional pages for figures and tables (the font size for tables should be no smaller than 11-point, Times New Roman). The page limits outlined here ensure fair competition. Appendices to the Project Narrative are allowed if they are directly related to the proposed project. Use Table 10 as a guideline for organizing the Project Narrative. Applications will be evaluated based upon what is included in this section. Do not add appendices to circumvent the page limit.

Any educational or extension activities must be described in the Project Narrative section and may include experiential learning opportunities for veterinary or veterinary technician students, interns, or externs; courses, seminars, lectures or other events for producer groups, the public, community organizations or academic institutions; or participation in emergency preparedness events.

RPE applicants may only apply to serve one veterinary shortage situation area (see below and Veterinary Shortage Situation Map). It is imperative that applicants make a compelling case in their Project Narrative describing how the equipment, mobile facilities, personnel, or other resources supported by the grant will contribute substantially toward the objectives and/or mitigation of the veterinary service needs described in the specific shortage situation area they are applying to serve.

See Part V of NIFA Grants Application Guide for further instructions. Use the Project Narrative subheadings in this NOFO rather than the template in the guide.

NOTE: The Project Narrative of each successful application will be published by USDA and, therefore, should not contain proprietary or private information.

The RPE project narrative must include the following:

a. Problem Identification: Clearly state the perceived problem(s) occurring in the veterinary shortage situation you are applying to serve as stated by the State Animal Health Officials (SAHO) or from your professional knowledge. (Note that veterinary shortage situation nominations clearly state the specific problems and needs on pages 2 and 3 of the shortage nomination form).

b. Introduction and background: Describe the scope of the clinic’s current practice (# of clients, # of farms, # of herds, # of farm calls weekly, monthly, and yearly, how it is equipped, etc.). State why the clinic is professionally, geographically, and functionally poised to effectively relieve the veterinary shortage area to which the clinic is applying to serve. Provide supporting information that substantiates the need for the proposed resources.

https://nifa.usda.gov/vmlrp-map?state=408&field_status_value=All&field_vsgp_status_value=All&fy%5Bvalue%5D%5Byear%5D=2021&=Apply

c. Objectives: Include a clear statement of the goal(s) and supporting objectives of the proposed services. All applications must include a statement(s) of overarching aims, and goals and corresponding specific objectives of the proposed effort in clear, concise, complete, and logically arranged terms. For example, describe what is expected to be accomplished in each of the three years of the grant project period.

Objectives should focus on the project period and may also consider any potential long-term impacts beyond the period of funding.

d. Approach: The proposed services should match the needs specified in the shortage nomination form. Explicitly describe the strategies, tactics and/or business plan you will employ, using the resources specifically acquired through support from this grant, to achieve stated goals and objectives. Where applicable, this section may include, but not necessarily be limited to, descriptions of:

i. Planned stakeholder/client involvement in veterinary service prioritization, planning, implementation, and evaluation; include a description of the relationships with local community leaders and producers in identifying best strategies to mitigate veterinary service shortages, and most effective methods of evaluating and effectiveness of strategies employed.

ii. Describe proposed activities over the three-year grant period.

iii. Justification of expense for equipment and its clinical use,…