Grants.gov_Application_Guide.pdf

FPAC-BC

GRANTS.GOV

APPLICATION GUIDE

A Guide for Preparation and Submission of Applications via Grants.gov for the following

USDA agencies

• Natural Resources Conservation Service

• Farm Service Agency

• Risk Management Agency

Grants.Gov Application Guide for the Preparation and Submission of NRCS, FSA, & RMA Applications via Grants.gov - October 1, 2024

Summary of Recent Changes to the Guide

Summary of Recent Changes

Changes included in version dated October 1, 2024 This is the first version of the document. As the document is updated, this section will highlight the overall changes being made to the document.

Grants.Gov Application Guide for the Preparation and Submission of NRCS, FSA, & RMA Applications via Grants.gov - October 1, 2024

Table of Contents

I. INTRODUCTION

1. BACKGROUND

2. PURPOSE AND SCOPE

3. INTENDED AUDIENCE

4. REFERENCED DOCUMENTS

4.1 NRCS, FSA, and RMA Notice of Funding Opportunity

4.2 Grants.gov Applicant User Guide

II. GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS FOR SUBMISSION VIA GRANTS.GOV

1. REGISTRATION AND OVERALL APPLICATION PROCESS

2. SOFTWARE REQUIREMENTS

2.1 Adobe Reader

3. GRANTS.GOV WORKSPACE

III. FPAC-BC AGENCY-SPECIFIC INSTRUCTIONS FOR SUBMISSION VIA GRANTS.GOV

1. COMMENTS ON FPAC-BC INSTRUCTIONS

2. CONFORMANCE WITH APPLICATION PREPARATION REQUIREMENTS

2.1 Attachment Requirements

3. APPLICATION STATUS

3.1 Grants.gov Application Status and Viewing the Application Manifest

4. GRANTS.GOV AND FPAC-BC ASSISTANCE

4.1 Grants.gov Contact Center

4.2 USDA Help

IV. GRANT APPLICATION PACKAGE INSTRUCTIONS

1. GRANT APPLICATION PACKAGE

1.1 Accessing the Grant Application Package

1.2 Verify Grant Application Package

1.3 Mandatory and Optional Documents

1.4 Navigating the Forms

1.5 Submitting an Electronic Application to a Competitive Funding Opportunity

V. APPLICATION FORMS/TEMPLATES AND INSTRUCTIONS

1. OVERVIEW

2. APPLICATION FOR FEDERAL ASSISTANCE SF-424

3. PROJECT NARRATIVE ATTACHMENT

4. PROJECT ABSTRACT

5. BUDGET INFORMATION FOR NON-CONSTRUCTION PROGRAMS (SF-424A)

6. BUDGET NARRATIVE ATTACHMENT FORM

7. OTHER ATTACHMENT

7.1 Current and Pending Support

7.2 GADSUM9, Applicant Contact(s) Information

7.3 Negotiated Indirect Cost Rate (NICRA)

8. ATTACHMENTS

8.1 Subawards

Grants.Gov Application Guide for the Preparation and Submission of NRCS, FSA, & RMA Applications via Grants.gov - October 1, 2024

8.1.1 Subaward Budget Detail

8.2 Letters of Support

9. CERTIFICATION REGARDING LOBBYING FORM

10. DISCLOSURE OF LOBBYING ACTIVITIES FORM

VI. APPLICATION PREPARATION CHECKLIST

VII. ADMINISTRATION OF AWARDS

VIII. GRANTS AND AGREEMENTS DIVISION (GAD) CORRESPONDENCE

Grants.Gov Application Guide for the Preparation and Submission of NRCS, FSA, & RMA Applications via Grants.gov - October 1, 2024

Introduction

I. INTRODUCTION

1. Background

The Grants and Agreements Division of the Farm Production and Conservation – Business Center (FPAC- BC), U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), provides full-service, lifecycle administration of grants and agreements for the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), Farm Service Agency (FSA), and Risk Management Agency (RMA) (i.e., FPAC agencies).

2. Purpose and Scope

This instruction document will help you prepare and submit applications to NRCS, FSA, and RMA via Grants.gov. Where appropriate, relevant sections of the Grants.gov User Guide have been incorporated by reference.

3. Intended Audience

Any individual, organization, etc. that is interested in submitting an application to NRCS, FSA or RMA in response to a funding opportunity.

4. Referenced Documents

4.1 NRCS, FSA, and RMA Notice of Funding Opportunity

A NRCS, FSA, and RMA Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) includes the request for applications (e.g., full announcement) and forms necessary for the preparation and submission of an application to the agency. A NOFO includes, among other things, eligibility information and guidance for preparing and submitting applications to the agency. NRCS, FSA, and RMA makes active funding opportunities available via Grants.gov (http://www.grants.gov) or the agency web site.

4.2 Grants.gov Applicant User Guide

The Grants.gov Applicant User Guide is a comprehensive reference to information about Grants.gov. You may download the User Guide as a pdf document.

Grants.gov Applicant User Guide:

https://www.grants.gov/help/html/help/index.htm?callingApp=custom#t=GetStarted%2FGetStarted.htm http://www.grants.gov/ https://www.grants.gov/help/html/help/index.htm?callingApp=custom#t=GetStarted%2FGetStarted.htm

Grants.Gov Application Guide for the Preparation and Submission of NRCS, FSA, & RMA Applications via Grants.gov - October 1, 2024

FPAC-BC-Specific Instructions for Submission via Grants.gov

II. GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS FOR SUBMISSION VIA GRANTS.GOV

1. Registration and Overall Application Process

Before using Grants.gov for the first time, each organization must complete a registration process. Once registered, your organization may apply for any government award on the Grants.gov website. Because of the time required to register, this process should be started in advance of preparing an application.

Grants.gov Registration: https://www.grants.gov/applicants/applicant-registration

Further information about the requirements as well as general application guidance is available at:

https://www.grants.gov/quick-start-guide/applicants.

The following topics are covered at this site.

• Before You Start

• Registering with Grants.gov

• About Roles and Privileges

• About Workspaces

• Creating a Workspace - see Workspace-Overview | Grants.gov for further details.

• Adding Participants to a Workspace

• Completing Grant Application Forms

• Submitting Your Application

• Tracking Your Application

• Need Help?

2. Software Requirements1

2.1 Adobe Reader

You must have a version Adobe Reader that is compatible with Grants.gov in order to access, complete and submit applications. This software is essential to apply for awards through Grants.gov. See the Grants.gov User Guide for basic system requirements and download instructions (see section 4.2.).

Grants.gov has a test package to help you determine if you have a compatible version of Adobe Reader.

Grants.gov Adobe Versioning Test Package: https://www.grants.gov/applicants/adobe-software-compatibility

3. Grants.gov Workspace

Grants.gov Workspace exists to make applying for a federal grant as convenient as possible. By leveraging a range of user roles and access levels, applicants can control access to forms, create a custom workflow and save time on their application.

There are three workspace approaches available to applicants; see Workspace-Overview | Grants.gov to determine which one is most appropriate to you. The Grants.gov User Guide contains Workspace information (see section 4.2.) as well as the following available resources:

• Grants.gov Workspace Training Video Series

• Grants.gov Community Blog articles on Workspace

1 Note: Contact your organization’s system administrator if you have problems setting up software on your machine.

https://www.grants.gov/applicants/applicant-registration https://www.grants.gov/quick-start-guide/applicants https://www.grants.gov/applicants/workspace-overview/ https://www.grants.gov/applicants/adobe-software-compatibility https://www.grants.gov/applicants/adobe-software-compatibility https://www.grants.gov/applicants/workspace-overview https://www.grants.gov/applicants/applicant-training https://blog.grants.gov/

Grants.Gov Application Guide for the Preparation and Submission of NRCS, FSA, & RMA Applications via Grants.gov - October 1, 2024

III. FPAC-BC AGENCY-SPECIFIC INSTRUCTIONS FOR SUBMISSION VIA

GRANTS.GOV

1. Comments on FPAC-BC Instructions

To submit comments on this application guide, send an e-mail to: NFO.FPAC@USDA.GOV (this e-mail address is intended only for receiving comments). Include “FPAC-BC Grants.gov Application Guide” in the subject line of the e-mail and detailed information regarding the comment.

2. Conformance with Application Preparation Requirements

Applications must conform to the application preparation and submission instructions in Part V. of this document and the NOFO. All attachments to an application must comply with the font, spacing, and margin requirements and MUST be in .pdf (portable document format) (see 2.1) otherwise the application is at risk of being excluded from agency consideration. Note that the agency NOFO may include specific requirements; in these instances, it is critical to follow the language in the NOFO. The agency may exclude from consideration applications that are not consistent with these special instructions.

2.1 Attachment Requirements

Any APPLICATION containing ATTACHMENTS that ARE not compliant with the below requirements are AT RISK OF BEING EXCLUDED FROM CONSIDERATION.

ATTENTION: There is a paper clip icon on the left side of the page in every application. Do NOT attach documents with this function. If you attach documents under this function your application will be incomplete and cause errors.

o Must in portable document format (pdf) (do not submit video files) o Must NOT be password protected o Files must NOT be larger than 10 MB o Format of contents (exceptions are any agency-provided templates) Typed or word processed Font no smaller than 12 point, regardless of line spacing At least 1-inch margins Each page of an attachment numbered sequentially o File Name Restrictions: File names of .pdf attachments must:

be limited to 50 characters, not include special characters (e.g., &,–,*,%,/,#), periods (.), blank spaces or accent marks, and be unique (i.e., no other attachment may have the same file name)

3. Application Status

3.1 Grants.gov Application Status and Viewing the Application Manifest

Within 2 days of submitting a grant application, Grants.gov will send you two email messages:

• The first email will confirm receipt of the application.

• The second email will indicate whether the application has been validated by the system OR has been rejected due to errors.

mailto:NFO.FPAC@USDA.GOV

Grants.Gov Application Guide for the Preparation and Submission of NRCS, FSA, & RMA Applications via Grants.gov - October 1, 2024

• If the application was successfully validated, Grants.gov will send you a third e-mail notifying you the application has been passed to the agency.

There are two ways to verify the status of an application submitted to Grants.gov. One way is to use the “Track My Application” tool under the Applicants section of Grants.gov. This does not require a user name or password. The second way is to “Check Application Status” under Applicant Login located under the Applicants section of Grants.gov. This tool requires a user name and password. This option gives you the opportunity to view a “manifest” of submitted forms and files within Grants.gov. This manifest will allow you to review the list of forms and file attachments that were properly uploaded and received.

OPTION 1 – Check status of application

Check Grants.gov Application Status on the Track My Application Page: Track My Application | Grants.gov

Once on the Track My Application page, enter up to five Grants.gov tracking numbers (one per line) and select the Track My Application(s) button. The system will display general information about the status of each application in a chart format as shown below.

Opportunity Package ID

Opportunity Number Assistance Listings

Grant Tracking Number Date/Time Received Status Status Date

PKG00276548 USDA-FSA-LANDACCESS-22-NOFO0001219 10.968 GRANT13757599 Nov 17, 2022 09:10:04 PM EST Received by Agency Nov 21, 2022 05:10:18 PM EST

PKG00271971 USDA-NRCS-COMM-22-NOFO0001139 10.937 GRANT13609614 May 05, 2022 01:53:08 PM EDT Received by Agency May 09, 2022 01:20:23 PM EDT

OPTION 2 – Check status of application and view manifest of submitted forms and files Check Grants.gov Application Status on the Track Application Status Page:

https://apply07.grants.gov/apply/login.faces?cleanSession=1&userType=agency&loggedout=true

Once logged in using the above link you will be in the Applicant Center where you should select the “Check Application Status” link. You will be given the option to search for your application(s) in several different ways. Choose the one you are searching for and how the information should be displayed. Your selection(s) will be presented in a chart as shown below. One of the columns in the chart is entitled, Actions. You may view the list of particular application’s file(s) and attachment(s) (i.e., the manifest) by selecting the link in the Actions column for that application and selecting either the Details or Download Link.

It is important that you thoroughly review the manifest to ensure that required attachments outlined in the NOFO are included and follow .pdf requirements (see 2.1.). Submitted applications that do not contain the required forms and file attachments will not be reviewed.

If issues are found with the manifest, you should submit the application:

https://www.grants.gov/applicants/grant-applications/track-my-application https://www.grants.gov/applicants/grant-applications/track-my-application https://apply07.grants.gov/apply/login.faces?cleanSession=1&userType=agency&loggedout=true

Grants.Gov Application Guide for the Preparation and Submission of NRCS, FSA, & RMA Applications via Grants.gov - October 1, 2024

PRIOR to the deadline – corrected applications must be made and submitted prior to the established deadline. The last application submitted ahead of the deadline will be the version considered as the official submission.

4. Grants.gov and FPAC-BC Assistance

4.1 Grants.gov Contact Center

If you need help with the Grants.gov registration process, downloading or navigating Adobe forms and/or Workspace, or with the technical aspects of submitting to the Grants.gov system, first check the resources available on the Grants.gov web site (http://www.grants.gov). The Grants.gov Help page (http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/support.html) contains useful information including answers to frequently asked questions (FAQs).

Grants.gov assistance is also available as follows:

Grants.gov customer support 1-800-518-4726 Toll-Free or 606-545-5035 Business Hours: 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Closed on federal holidays.

Email: support@grants.gov

If the Authorized Representative (AR) has not received a confirmation message from Grants.gov within 48 hours of submitting an application, contact Grants.gov customer support.

Grants.gov issues a ticket number to track a response. You should maintain the ticket number as documentation of an electronic issues associated with your application.

Grants.gov Help Desk operations process is described below

Tier 1: Grants.gov Contact Center Operator

• Handles the initial contact and attempts to resolve the call.

• If not resolved, the operator files a research request (escalation).

Tier 2: Research Analyst

• Escalations go to the research analyst who does further research on the issue.

• If not resolved, the issue escalates to the Grants.gov Program Management Office (PMO)

Tier 3: Grants.gov PMO

• The Research Analyst works with the PMO to resolve issue.

• Typical escalations: involve policy questions/system bugs/training or meeting requests.

4.2 USDA Help

See section A.8. of the NOFO for contact information.

http://www.grants.gov/ http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/support.html http://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/snow-dismissal-procedures/federal-holidays/ mailto:support@grants.gov

Grants.Gov Application Guide for the Preparation and Submission of NRCS, FSA, & RMA Applications via Grants.gov - October 1, 2024

FPAC-BC Grant Application Package Instructions

IV. GRANT APPLICATION PACKAGE INSTRUCTIONS

1. Grant Application Package

A Grant Application Package is part of a funding opportunity. The following is information about the package and information about obtaining the necessary forms. The forms will be managed in Workspace;

Workspace is the standard way for organizations or individuals to apply for federal grants in Grants.gov.

Section II.3. of this Guide contains Workspace resources.

1.1 Accessing the Grant Application Package

READ BELOW BEFORE YOU APPLY FOR THIS GRANT!

Before you can view and complete an application package, you MUST have Adobe Reader installed.

Packages are posted in Adobe Reader format. You may receive a validation error using incompatible versions of Adobe Reader. To prevent a validation error, it is now recommended you uninstall any earlier versions of Adobe Reader and install the latest compatible version of Adobe Reader. If more than one person is working on the application package, ALL applicants must be using the same software version.

Click for more information on Adobe Reader Compatibility. See section II.2.1.

If you are not logged in Grants.gov, a “Login to Subscribe” block will be visible. We suggest you login at this time using your Grants.gov credentials. Once logged in, a “Subscribe to Opportunity” block will appear providing you the opportunity to subscribe to receive any notices (e.g., modifications) sent regarding the funding opportunity.

Click “Apply” to open the Grant Application Package.

If the Apply button in the opportunity is not active (greyed out), see Unlock the Mystery of the Gray “Apply” Button: Four Scenarios. – Grants.gov Community Blog (wordpress.com) for possible scenarios.

https://training.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/adobe-software-compatibility.html https://grantsgovprod.wordpress.com/2023/06/08/unlock-the-mystery-of-the-gray-apply-button-four-scenarios/#:%7E:text=The%20Apply%20button%20will%20be,to%20view%20the%20close%20date https://grantsgovprod.wordpress.com/2023/06/08/unlock-the-mystery-of-the-gray-apply-button-four-scenarios/#:%7E:text=The%20Apply%20button%20will%20be,to%20view%20the%20close%20date

Grants.Gov Application Guide for the Preparation and Submission of NRCS, FSA, & RMA Applications via Grants.gov - October 1, 2024

1.2 Verify Grant Application Package

Verify the required information corresponds to the grant to which you are applying. Grants.gov will auto-populate the following information:

• Opportunity Package ID

• Assistance Listing Number

• Competition ID (FPAC-BC does not use this field, therefore, no information will be pre-populated in the field; the field will be blank. Do not enter any information in the field.

• Agency Contact Information

• Who Can Apply

• Opportunity Open Date

• Opportunity Close Date

Click the button to “Create Workspace.” Also see 1. above for further information.

A. The “New Workspace” box will be pre-filled.

B. Enter a name for the application in the * Application Filing Name field. This field is required. This name is solely for you to track the application through the Grants.gov submission process; FPAC-BC will not use the filing name. You may use any combination of letters and/or numbers to name the application file.

1.3 Mandatory and Optional Documents

Complete all of the documents listed as “Mandatory” and complete the documents listed as “Optional” as appropriate. Complete the SF-424 first. Data on the SF-424 will populate other mandatory and optional forms where possible.

Grants.Gov Application Guide for the Preparation and Submission of NRCS, FSA, & RMA Applications via Grants.gov - October 1, 2024

1.4 Navigating the Forms

The SF-424 Cover Sheet and SF-424a Budget Information – Nonconstruction Program forms/documents are two or more pages in length. You must complete the mandatory fields on each page of the form/document. To navigate to the next page of a form/document, simply scroll down the screen. To go back to the first page of the form/document or to the Grant Application Package screen, simply scroll up the screen. You must save the application package from the Grant Application Package screen.

1.5 Submitting an Electronic Application to a Competitive Funding Opportunity

You must complete all of the following steps for an application to be considered for competitive peer review:

1) Meeting the deadline: Refer to section A.6. of the applicable NOFO for established deadline information.

Successful Grants.gov validation: The Grants.gov system performs a limited check of the application and Grants.gov will notify you of the outcome of the initial review. The Grants.gov validation process includes a check for an active SAM registration (applicants with expired SAM registrations will be rejected). SAM registration is part of the registration identified in section II.1.

2) Grants.gov sends applications that are successfully validated to FPAC-BC for further processing.

Applications that fail Grants.gov validation may be resubmitted to Grants.gov if the established deadline has not passed.

3) Successful agency validation: Agency staff perform precursory review of the application. The agency validation process includes meeting eligibility requirements and following the application guidelines (e.g., formatting, page limitations, limits on budget requests). Applicants will be notified of the outcome of this review.

V. APPLICATION FORMS/TEMPLATES AND INSTRUCTIONS

1. Overview

This section contains both the general form instructions and any applicable FPAC-specific instructions.

Conformance is required and will be strictly enforced unless a deviation has been approved. The agency may exclude from consideration applications that are not consistent with these instructions. The following SF 424 forms may be required as part of the application package and the provided suggested templates to meet other FPAC agency needs. Refer to the NOFO for application requirements.

Grants.Gov Application Guide for the Preparation and Submission of NRCS, FSA, & RMA Applications via Grants.gov - October 1, 2024

The documents listed in Table 1 may be part of a NRCS, FSA, or RMA application. The Grants.gov Application Package (i.e., NOFO) and the forms package will identify which forms you must submit as part of the application and which one(s), if any, are optional.

Table 1: Components of a NRCS, FSA, or RMA Application

Document Instructions Application for Federal Assistance (SF-424) see section V.2.

Project Narrative Attachment Form see section V.3.

Project Abstract see section V.4.

Budget Information for Non-Construction Programs (SF-424A) see section V.5.

Budget Narrative Attachment Form see section V.6.

Other Attachments Form

• Current and Pending Support

• GADSUM9, Applicant Contact(s) Information

• NICRA, as applicable

• Additional Congressional Districts, as needed see section V.7.

see section V.7.1 see section V.7.2 see section V.7.3 see block 16b of SF-424

Attachments

• Subawards, as applicable

• Letters of Support, if required

• Conflict of Interest, as applicable see section V.8.

see section V.8.1 see section V.8.2 see section D.3. of NOFO Grants.gov Lobbying Form see section V.9, Disclosure of Lobbying Activities (SF-LLL) see section V.10.

The following sections contain a relevant document followed by detailed instructions for completion of each of the application forms and available templates.

Grants.Gov Application Guide for the Preparation and Submission of NRCS, FSA, & RMA Applications via Grants.gov - October 1, 2024

2. Application for Federal Assistance SF-424

Grants.Gov Application Guide for the Preparation and Submission of NRCS, FSA, & RMA Applications via Grants.gov - October 1, 2024

Block Field Name SF‐424 Instructions (V4.0) FPAC Agency Guidance

1 Type of Submission Select one type of submission in accordance with agency instructions.

• Pre‐application

• Application

Changed/Corrected Application ‐ Check if this submission is to change or correct a previously submitted application. Unless requested by the agency, applicants may not use this form to submit changes after the closing date.

Required.

Select “Application” if this is the first application submitted. If updating an application recently submitted, choose Changed/Corrected Application.

2 Type of Application Select one type of application in accordance with agency instructions.

• New ‐ An application that is being submitted to an agency for the first time.

• Continuation ‐ An extension for an additional funding/budget period for a project with a projected completion date. This can include renewals.

• Revision ‐ Any change in the federal government's financial obligation or contingent liability from an existing obligation. If a revision, enter the appropriate letter(s). More than one may be selected.

A: Increase Award B: Decrease Award C: Increase Duration D: Decrease Duration E: Other (specify) AC: Increase Award, Increase Duration AD: Increase Award, Decrease Duration BC: Decrease Award, Increase Duration

Applicants should generally select “New”.

If, however, the applicable Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) allows the submission of renewals or supplements (see section B of the NOFO) and the application meets the NOFO description of one of these categories, then choose “Continuation or Revision” and the appropriate letter(s).

Grants.Gov Application Guide for the Preparation and Submission of NRCS, FSA, & RMA Applications via Grants.gov - October 1, 2024

BD: Decrease Award, Decrease Duration Required.

3 Date Received Enter date if form is submitted through other means as instructed by the Federal agency. The date received is completed electronically if submitted via Grants.gov.

Required.

Not completed by applicant. This is a required field and will be populated automatically by Grants.gov.

4 Applicant Identifier Enter the entity identifier assigned by the Federal agency, if any, or the applicant’s control number if applicable. Optional.

Optional/not required.

5a Federal Entity Identifier

Enter the number assigned to your organization by the federal agency, if any.

Optional.

Leave blank.

5b Federal Award Identifier

For new applications, leave blank. For a continuation or revision to an existing award, enter the previously assigned federal award identifier number. If a changed/corrected application, enter the federal identifier in accordance with agency instructions. Optional.

Leave blank if you are submitting a new application (item 2). If submitting another type (e.g., renewal or supplement), enter the assigned Award Identifying Number (block 1 on the Notice of Grant and Agreement Award).

If submitting a changed/corrected application in Grants.gov, include the Grants.gov tracking number for previously submitted application.

6 Date Received by State

Leave this field blank. This date will be assigned by the state, if applicable. Optional.

Leave blank.

7 State Application Identifier

Leave this field blank. This identifier will be assigned by the state, if applicable. Optional.

Leave blank.

8a Applicant Legal Name

Enter the legal name of the applicant that will undertake the assistance activity. This is the organization that has registered with the System for Award Management (SAM).

Information on registering with SAM may be obtained by visiting SAM.gov. Required.

This name must be consistent with the name as registered in the System for Award Management (SAM). If the name in SAM is not correct, update it accordingly. If you are applying as an individual, use your legal name as in the Social Security system.

8b Applicant Employer/Taxpayer

Enter the employer or taxpayer identification number

This number must be consistent with the number in the applicant’s SAM

Grants.Gov Application Guide for the Preparation and Submission of NRCS, FSA, & RMA Applications via Grants.gov - October 1, 2024

Identification Number

(EIN/TIN)

(EIN or TIN) as assigned by the Internal Revenue Service. If your organization is not in the US, enter 44‐4444444.

Required.

registration. If you are applying as an individual, use your Social Security number.

8c Unique Entity Identifier (UEI)

Enter the organization’s UEI received from SAM. The UEI is a unique 12‐character organization identifier.

Information on registering with System for Award Management (SAM.gov) may be obtained by visiting the Grants.gov website. Required.

As of April 2022, the SAM‐assigned UEI replaces the DUNS. If you are applying as an individual, this field must be

00000000INDV.

8d Applicant Address Enter address: Street 1 (required); City (required);

County/Parish, State (required if country is US); Province;

Country (required); 9digit ZIP/Postal Code (required if country is US). If +4 does not exist for the address, enter “0000”. Required.

This address must be consistent with the address in the applicant’s SAM registration.

8e Applicant Organizational Unit

Enter the name of the primary organizational unit, department, or division that will undertake the assistance activity. Optional.

Not required.

8f Applicant Contact Information

Enter the first and last name (required), prefix, middle name, suffix, and title. Enter organizational affiliation if affiliated with an organization other than that in 7.a.

Telephone number and email (required); fax number.

Required.

This does not necessarily need to be the person with authority to sign the application. It is a point of contact for agency staff to contact regarding the application.

Grants.Gov Application Guide for the Preparation and Submission of NRCS, FSA, & RMA Applications via Grants.gov - October 1, 2024

Grants.Gov Application Guide for the Preparation and Submission of NRCS, FSA, & RMA Applications via Grants.gov - October 1, 2024

9 Type of Applicant

Select a minimum of one applicant type or select up to three applicant types in accordance with agency instructions. If “Other” is selected, then specify Other Type of Applicant in text box.

A. State Government

B. County Government

C. City or Township Government

D. Special District Government

E. Regional Organization

F. U.S. Territory or Possession

G. Independent School District

H. Public/State Controlled Institution of Higher Education

I. Indian/Native American Tribal Government (Federally Recognized)

J. Indian/Native American Tribal Government (Other than Federally Recognized)

K. Indian/Native American Tribally Designated Organization

L. Public/Indian Housing

M. Nonprofit

N. Private Institution of Higher Education

O. Individual P. For‐Profit Organization (Other than Small Business)

Q. Small Business

R. Hispanic‐serving Institution

S. Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs)

T. Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs)

U. Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions

V. Non‐US Entity

W. Other (specify) Required.

The selection must be consistent with the entity type listed in the applicant’s SAM registration.

10 Name of Federal Agency

Enter the name of the federal agency from which assistance is being requested with this application. This information is pre‐populated if submitting through Grants.gov. Required.

Grants.gov will automatically populate.

11 Catalog of Federal Domestic

Enter the Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance number and title of the

Grants.gov will automatically populate. If not automatically

Grants.Gov Application Guide for the Preparation and Submission of NRCS, FSA, & RMA Applications via Grants.gov - October 1, 2024

Assistance Number/Federal Assistance Listing and Title a.k.a.

Federal Assistance Listing program under which assistance is requested, as found in the program announcement, if applicable. This information is pre‐populated if using Grants.gov. Required.

populated, leave blank.

12 Funding Opportunity Number and Title

Enter the Funding Opportunity Number and title of the opportunity under which assistance is requested as found in the program announcement. This information is prepopulated if using Grants.gov.

Required.

Grants.gov will automatically populate. If not automatically populated, enter the opportunity number and title. If unknown leave blank.

13 Competition Identification Number and Title

Enter the competition identification number and title of the competition under which assistance is requested, if applicable. These fields are prepopulated by Grants.gov if provided by the federal agency. Optional.

Leave blank.

14 Areas Affected by Project (Cities, Counties, States, etc.)

This data element is intended for use only by programs for which the area(s) affected are likely to be different from the place(s) of performance reported on the SF‐424 Project/Performance Site Location(s) Form. Add attachment to enter additional areas, if needed.

Optional.

Leave blank.

15 Descriptive Title of Applicant's Project

Enter a brief descriptive title of the project. Supporting documents may be attached if specified in agency instructions. Optional.

Enter a concise but informative title for the project (maximum of 200 characters).

Attach supporting documents as specified in agency instructions.

Do not attach any files here; this includes a coversheet. If no designation is provided for where to include an attachment, include it in the Attachment form (see section V.8.).

Grants.Gov Application Guide for the Preparation and Submission of NRCS, FSA, & RMA Applications via Grants.gov - October 1, 2024

Grants.Gov Application Guide for the Preparation and Submission of NRCS, FSA, & RMA Applications via Grants.gov - October 1, 2024

16a Congressional District of Applicant

16a. Enter the applicant’s congressional district. Required.

Enter the Congressional district based on the physical address of the applicant as listed in the applicant’s SAM registration.

District numbers can be found at https://www.house.gov/representatives/fin d-your-representative

16b Congressional District(s) of Program/ Project

16b. Enter the primary district affected by the program or project.

Enter in the following format:

2‐character state abbreviation – 3 characters district number, e.g., CA‐005 for California 5th district, CA‐012 for California 12th district, NC‐103 for North Carolina’s 103rd district. If all congressional districts in a state are affected, enter “all” for the district number, e.g., MD‐all for all congressional districts in Maryland. If nationwide, i.e., all districts within all states are affected, enter US‐all. If the program/project is outside the US, enter 00.000. This optional data element is intended for use only by programs for which the area(s) affected are likely to be different than place(s) of performance reported on the SF‐424 Project/Performance Site Location(s) form. Attach an additional list of program/project congressional districts, if needed.

Required.

District numbers can be found at https://www.house.gov/representatives/fin d-your-representative If an additional list of program/project congressional districts is to be attached to a Grants.gov opportunity, upload it under Other Attachments (see section V.7.) in the Grants.gov Opportunity Package.

17a Proposed Project Start Date

Enter the proposed start date of the project. Required.

Refer to section A.5. of the NOFO.

17b Proposed Project End Date

Enter the proposed end date of the project. Required.

Refer to section A.5. of the NOFO.

18a ‐g

Estimated Funding

Enter the amount requested, or to be contributed during the first funding/budget period by each contributor. Value of in‐kind contributions should be included on appropriate lines, as applicable. If the action will result in a dollar change to an existing award, indicate only the amount of the

Enter the project’s total amount of funding for each category below. These values must be consistent with the values on the SF‐424A and the Budget Narrative (see section V.6.). Only include amounts for items b. through f. to meet the required cost‐share/match, if any, identified in the

NOFO.

a. Federal: enter the amount of Federal https://www.house.gov/representatives/find-your-representative https://www.house.gov/representatives/find-your-representative https://www.house.gov/representatives/find-your-representative

Grants.Gov Application Guide for the Preparation and Submission of NRCS, FSA, & RMA Applications via Grants.gov - October 1, 2024 change. For decreases, enclose the amounts in parentheses. For zero funding, enter 0.

Required.

funds being requested.

b. Applicant: enter cost share/match being provided by the applicant itself. Do not include cost share/match being provided by commitments from other sources; those amounts are to be included in items c., d., and e, as applicable.

c. State: enter the amount of any cost share/match being provided by a State government entity.

d. Local: enter the amount of any cost share/match being provided by a Local government entity.

e. Other: enter the amount of any cost share/match being provided by a source other than those listed above.

f. Program Income: enter the amount of program income (if any) used for meeting cost share/match requirements (see 2 CFR 200.1 and 200.307 ).

g. Total: This field is automatically calculated. It is the sum of all amounts in the categories (items a. through f.) above.

19 Executive Order 12372

Applicants should contact the State Single Point of Contact (SPOC) for Federal Executive Order 12372 to determine whether the application is subject to the State intergovernmental review process.

Select the appropriate box. If “A.” is selected, enter the date the application was submitted to the State.

Required.

Select option c, Program is not covered by E.O. 12372.

20 Federal Debt Delinquency

Select the appropriate box. This question applies to the applicant organization, not the person who signs as the authorized representative. Categories of federal debt include but may not be limited to delinquent audit disallowances, loans, and taxes. If yes, include an explanation in an attachment. Required.

No additional instructions

21 Certification and Signature

To be signed and dated by the authorized representative of the applicant organization. Enter the first and last name (required), prefix, No additional instructions.

https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-A/chapter-II/part-200#200.1 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-A/chapter-II/part-200#200.307

Grants.Gov Application Guide for the Preparation and Submission of NRCS, FSA, & RMA Applications via Grants.gov - October 1, 2024 middle name, and suffix. Enter title, telephone number, fax number, and email. Fax number is not required. A copy of the governing body’s authorization for you to sign this application as the official representative must be on file in the applicant’s office. (Certain federal agencies may require that this authorization be submitted as part of the application.) If the application is submitted via Grants.gov, the signature of the authorized representative and the date signed are completed upon submission.

Required.

3. Project Narrative Attachment

Field Name Project Narrative Attachment Instructions (V1.2)

FPAC Agency Guidance

Mandatory Project Narrative File Filename

Click here to add mandatory Project Narrative File. Required.

Refer to section D.3.b. of the NOFO and section III.2.1 for any formatting, page limitations, and content requirements.

To add more Project Narrative File attachments, please use the attachment buttons below

Click here to add optional Project Narrative File. Optional.

Refer to section D.3.b of the NOFO for any restrictions of additional Project Narrative File attachments.

Grants.Gov Application Guide for the Preparation and Submission of NRCS, FSA, & RMA Applications via Grants.gov - October 1, 2024

4. Project Abstract

The Project Abstract must not exceed one page and must contain a summary of the proposed activity suitable for dissemination to the public. It should be a self-contained description of the project and should contain a statement of objectives and methods to be employed. It should be informative to other persons working in the same or related fields and insofar as possible understandable to a technically literate lay reader. This Abstract must not include any proprietary/confidential information.

Project Abstract Instructions (V1.2) FPAC Agency Guidance

Attach a file using the appropriate buttons.

This attachment is required. Required.

Adhere to the instructions included on the form (see above). Refer to section D.4.b. of the NOFO for any formatting, page limitations, and content requirements.

Grants.Gov Application Guide for the Preparation and Submission of NRCS, FSA, & RMA Applications via Grants.gov - October 1, 2024

5. Budget Information for Non-Construction Programs (SF-424A)

SECTION A – BUDGET SUMMARY

Column Field Name SF‐424A Instructions (V1.0) FPAC Agency Guidance 1(a) Grant

Program Function or Activity

Enter the name of the activity or function.

At least one is required.

FPAC agencies do not require the project budget be broken down into separate programs, functions, or activities on this form. That level of detail, if desired, is reserved for the Budget Narrative (see section V.6.)

which is a related, but separate document. Enter “Federal” in 1(a) and, if cost‐share/match is required, enter “Non‐Federal” in 2(a). Leave the remaining rows blank.

1(b) Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number

Enter the Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number. At least one is required.

If not automatically populated, leave blank. Leave the remaining rows blank.

1(c‐d) Estimated For new applications, leave Column (c) and Leave all rows of columns (c) and (d)

Grants.Gov Application Guide for the Preparation and Submission of NRCS, FSA, & RMA Applications via Grants.gov - October 1, 2024

Unobligated Funds:

Federal and NonFederal

(d) blank. For each line entry in Columns

(a) and (b), enter in Columns (e), (f), and (g) the appropriate amounts of funds needed to support the project for the first funding period (usually a year). For continuing grant program applications, submit these forms before the end of each funding period as required by the grantor agency.

Enter in Columns (c) and (d) the estimated amounts of funds which will remain unobligated at the end of the grant funding period only if the federal grantor agency instructions provide for this.

Otherwise, leave these columns blank.

Enter in columns (e) and (f) the amounts of funds needed for the upcoming period.

The amount(s) in Column (g) should be the sum of the amounts in Columns (e) and (f).

For supplemental grants and changes to existing grants, do not use Columns (c) and (d). Enter in Column (e) the amount of the increase or decrease of federal funds and enter in Column (f) the amount of the increase or decrease of nonfederal funds.

In Column (g) enter the new total budgeted amounts plus or minus, as appropriate, the amounts shown in Columns (e) and (f). The amount(s) in Column (go) should not equal the sum of the amounts in Columns (e) and (f).

Conditionally required.

blank.

1(e) New or Revised Budget:

Federal

For new applications, leave Column (c) and

(d) blank. For each line entry in Columns

(a) and (b), enter in Columns (e), (f), and (g) the appropriate amounts of funds needed to support the project for the first funding period (usually a year).

For continuing grant program applications, submit these forms before the end of each funding period as required by the grantor agency. Enter in Columns (c) and (d) the estimated amounts of funds which will remain unobligated at the end of the grant funding period only if the federal grantor agency instructions provide for this.

Otherwise, leave these columns blank.

Enter in columns (e) and (f) the amounts of funds needed for the upcoming period.

Enter the total amount of the Federal funds requested in Row 1, column (e). Leave the remaining rows column (e) blank. This amount must be consistent with the amount in Block 18a of the SF‐424.

Grants.Gov Application Guide for the Preparation and Submission of NRCS, FSA, & RMA Applications via Grants.gov - October 1, 2024

The amount(s) in Column (g) should be the sum of the amounts in Columns (e) and (f).

For supplemental grants and changes to existing grants, do not use Columns (c) and (d). Enter in Column (e) the amount of the increase or decrease of federal funds and enter in Column (f) the amount of the increase or decrease of nonfederal funds.

In Column (g) enter the new total budgeted amounts plus or minus, as appropriate, the amounts shown in Columns (e) and (f). The amount(s) in Column (g) should not equal the sum of the amounts in Columns (e) and (f).

Conditionally required.

1(f) New or Revised Budget:

Non‐Federal

For new applications, leave Column (c) and

(d) blank. For each line entry in Columns

(a) and (b), enter in Columns (e), (f), and (g) the appropriate amounts of funds needed to support the project for the first funding period (usually a year).

For continuing grant program applications, submit these forms before the end of each funding period as required by the grantor agency. Enter in Columns (c) and (d) the estimated amounts of funds which will remain unobligated at the end of the grant funding period only if the federal grantor agency instructions provide for this.

Otherwise, leave these columns blank.

Enter in columns (e) and (f) the amounts of funds needed for the upcoming period.

The amount(s) in Column (g) should be the sum of the amounts in Columns (e) and (f).

For supplemental grants and changes to existing grants, do not use Columns (c) and (d). Enter in Column (e) the amount of the increase or decrease of federal funds and enter in Column (f) the amount of the increase or decrease of nonfederal funds.

In Column (g) enter the new total budgeted amounts plus or minus, as appropriate, the amounts shown in Columns (e) and (f). The amount(s) in Column (go) should not equal the sum of the amounts in Columns (e) and (f).

Conditionally required.

Enter the total amount of the required Non‐Federal cost share/match, if applicable, in Row 2, column (f) and leave the remaining rows of column (f) blank. This amount must be consistent with the total amount of Blocks 18b through 18f of the SF‐424.

1(g) Total Total for Row 1(a) – 1(f). If using electronic This auto‐calculates and must be

Grants.Gov Application Guide for the Preparation and Submission of NRCS, FSA, & RMA Applications via Grants.gov - October 1, 2024 form, these numbers are auto calculated.

Required.

consistent with the total amount in Block 18(a) of the SF424.

5 Totals Total for each column. IF using electronic form, these numbers are auto calculated.

Required.

This auto‐calculates. Block 5(g) is the total proposed application budget.

SECTION B – BUDGET CATEGORIES

6(1‐2) Grant

Program Function or Activity 1 ‐ 2

In the column headings (1) through (4), enter the titles of the same programs, functions, and activities shown on Lines 1‐4, column (a), Section A. When additional sheets are prepared for Section A, provide similar column headings on each sheet. For each Grant Program, Function or Activity, fill in the total requirements for funds (both federal and non‐federal) by object class categories. If using the Budget Information form through Grants.gov, the Grant Program, Function, or Activity is pre‐populated by

The form will auto‐populate “Federal” in the heading of Column

1. See the Budget Narrative Guidance for guidance on what types of costs to include in each category; see section V.6.

The form will auto‐populate “Non‐Federal” in the heading of Column 2.

Grants.Gov Application Guide for the Preparation and Submission of NRCS, FSA, & RMA Applications via Grants.gov - October 1, 2024 the Grant Program Function or Activity from column (A) in Section A – Budget Summary. Required.

6(3‐4) Grant Program Function or Activity 3 ‐ 4

In the column headings (3) through (4), enter the titles of the same programs, functions, and activities shown on Lines 3‐4, column (a), Section A. When additional sheets are prepared for Section A, provide similar column headings on each sheet. For each Grant Program, Function or Activity, fill in the total requirements for funds (both federal and non‐federal) by object class categories. If using the Budget Information form through Grants.gov, the Grant Program, Function, or Activity is pre‐populated by the Grant Program Function or Activity from column (A) in Section A – Budget Summary. Required.

Leave all rows of this entire column blank.

6(a) Personnel Enter funds required for purpose/column heading from the selected program. If not applicable, leave blank. Optional.

Refer to Budget Narrative Guidance; see section V.6. 6(b) Fringe

6(c) Travel 6(d) Equipment 6(e) Supplies 6(f) Contractual 6(g) Construction 6(h) Other 6(i) Total Direct

Charges (sum of 6(a) thru 6(h))

Sum of 6(a) thru 6(h). If using electronic form, these numbers are auto calculated.

Required.

This auto‐calculates.

6(j) Indirect Charges

Enter the amount of indirect costs. If not applicable, leave blank. Optional.

Refer to Budget Narrative Guidance; see section V.6.

6(k) TOTALS (sum of 6(i) thru 6(j))

Enter the total of amounts on Lines 6i and 6j. (This amount is auto calculated if using Grants.gov.) For all applications for new grants and continuation grants, the total amount in column (5), Line 6k, should be the same as the total amount shown in Section A, Column (g), Line 5. For supplemental grants and changes to grants, the total amount of the increase or decrease as shown in Columns (1)‐(4), Line 6k should be the same as the sum of the amounts in Section A, Columns (e) and

(f) on Line 5. If using electronic form, these numbers are auto calculated. Required.

Row 6(k) of Columns (1) and (2) will auto‐populate; all other columns should be blank. The total must be consistent with the Federal total in Section A (row 5 columns (e) and (f).

All costs must comply with the cost principles of 2 CFR Part 200, Subpart E – Cost Principles. All costs must be allowable (2 CFR 200.403), allocable to the agreement (2 CFR 200.405), and reasonable in amount (2 CFR 200.404).

7 Program Enter the estimated amount of total If your project does not expect https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-A/chapter-II/part-200 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-A/chapter-II/part-200#subpart-E https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-A/chapter-II/part-200#200.403 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-A/chapter-II/part-200#200.403 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-A/chapter-II/part-200#200.405 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-A/chapter-II/part-200#200.404 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-A/chapter-II/part-200#200.404

Grants.Gov Application Guide for the Preparation and Submission of NRCS, FSA, & RMA Applications via Grants.gov - October 1, 2024

Income income, if any, expected to be generated from this project. If not applicable, leave blank. Optional.

program…