USDA-NRCS-NHQ-ST-24-NOFO0001313_modified.pdf

Conservation Technical Assistance:

Grazing Lands Conservation Initiative Agreements

Fiscal Year (FY) 2024 Conservation Technical Assistance: Grazing Lands Conservation Initiative (GLCI) Cooperative Agreements Notice of Funding Opportunity (NFO) No. USDA-NRCS-NHQ-ST-24-NOFO0001313

Notice of Funding Opportunity (NFO)

SUMMARY INFORMATION

Federal Awarding Agency Name: U.S. Department of Agriculture – U.S. Department of Agriculture – Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS)

Notice of Funding Opportunity Title: Conservation Technical Assistance: Grazing Lands Conservation Initiative (GLCI) Cooperative Agreements

Notice of Funding Opportunity Number: USDA-NRCS-NHQ-ST-24-NOFO0001313

Assistance Listing: This program is listed in the Assistance Listings (previously referred to as the Catalog of Federal Financial Assistance) on Sam.gov under 10.902, which can be found at:

https://sam.gov/content/home

SAM is a web-based, government-wide application that collects, validates, stores, and disseminates business information about the federal government's trading partners in support of the contract awards, grants, and electronic payment processes.

Notice of Funding Opportunity Summary

The Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) delivers conservation solutions so agricultural producers can protect natural resources and feed a growing world. NRCS provides leadership and funding to ensure that all programs and services are made accessible to all customers, fairly and equitably, with emphasis on reaching historically underserved farmers and ranchers and Native American tribal governments and organizations. NRCS is committed to advancing equity, justice, and equal opportunity to ensure equitable access to programs and services available on private agricultural and forest lands.

The goal of this funding opportunity is for NRCS, in collaboration with a diverse set of partners, including historically underserved farmers and ranchers and their organizations, to expand the delivery of conservation technical assistance to support grazing planning and conservation practice implementation and monitoring, conferences and other education, demonstrations, producer networks, workforce training, research and outreach projects to improve agricultural resilience. The anticipated amount for cooperative agreements under this NFO is approximately $22 million in fiscal year (FY) 2024.

FY 2024 GLCI funding supports the Conservation Technical Assistance: Grazing Lands Conservation Initiative (GLCI) Cooperative Agreements. GLCI also supports NRCS technical assistance for grazing, as well as the National Grazing Lands Coalition to help state grazing coalitions form and persist with participation from historically underserved producers and Native American tribal governments and organizations.

https://sam.gov/content/home

For new users of Grants.gov, see Section D. of the full Notice of Funding Opportunity for information about steps required before submitting an application via Grants.gov.

Key Dates

Applicants must submit their applications via Grants.gov by 11:59 pm Eastern Time May 26, 2024. For technical issues with Grants.gov, contact Grants.gov Applicant Support at 1-800-518- 4726 or support@grants.gov. Awarding agency staff cannot support applicants regarding Grants.gov accounts.

For inquiries specific to the content of the NFO requirements, contact the federal awarding agency contact (section G of this NFO). Please limit questions to those regarding specific information contained in this NFO (such as dates, page numbers, clarification of discrepancies, etc.). Questions related to eligibility, or the merits of a specific proposal will not be addressed.

The agency anticipates making selections by June 25, 2024, and expects to execute awards by September 30, 2024. These dates are estimates and are subject to change.

Federal Funding Floor and Ceiling Amounts

A total of $14,000,000 will be made available with a funding ceiling of $1,000,000 and a funding floor of $350,000 for three or four-year agreements.

A total of $8,000,000 will be made available with a funding ceiling of $300,000 and a funding floor of $100,000 for one or two-year agreements.

The funding floor means the minimum agreement funding amount for the Federal share per agreement awarded. The ceiling is the maximum agreement funding amount for the Federal share per agreement awarded. These numbers refer to the total agreement amount, not any specific budget period.

Applicants may apply for either of the two types of agreements.

Federal Financial Assistance Training

The funding available through this NFO is Federal financial assistance. Grants 101 Training is highly recommended for those seeking knowledge about Federal financial assistance. The training is free and available to the public via https://www.cfo.gov/resources/federal-financial-assistance-training/.

It consists of five modules covering each of the following topics: 1) laws, regulations, and guidance; 2) financial assistance mechanisms; 3) uniform guidance administrative requirements;

4) cost principles; and 5) risk management and single audit. FPAC agencies also apply Federal financial assistance regulations to certain non-assistance awards (e.g., non-assistance cooperative agreements).

mailto:support@grants.gov https://gcc02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cfo.gov%2Fresources%2Ffederal-financial-assistance-training%2F&data=05%7C01%7Cmichele.devaney%40usda.gov%7C64a8b15d44b145ca688408dbdb1db568%7Ced5b36e701ee4ebc867ee03cfa0d4697%7C1%7C0%7C638344692880554498%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&sdata=gWNVqnfECl4YtvVHNgN0vY1TJ%2FJ6kDLsRzIAU7x5U4M%3D&reserved=0 https://gcc02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cfo.gov%2Fresources%2Ffederal-financial-assistance-training%2F&data=05%7C01%7Cmichele.devaney%40usda.gov%7C64a8b15d44b145ca688408dbdb1db568%7Ced5b36e701ee4ebc867ee03cfa0d4697%7C1%7C0%7C638344692880554498%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&sdata=gWNVqnfECl4YtvVHNgN0vY1TJ%2FJ6kDLsRzIAU7x5U4M%3D&reserved=0

Table of Contents

A. PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

B. FEDERAL AWARD INFORMATION

1. Available Funding

2. Type of Award

C. ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION

1. Eligible Applicants

2. Other

3. Match

D. APPLICATION AND SUBMISSION INFORMATION

1. Information for New Users of Grants.gov

2. Electronic Application Package

3. Content and Form of Application Submission

4. Submission Dates and Times and Correspondence

5. Intergovernmental Review

6. Funding Restrictions

E. APPLICATION REVIEW INFORMATION

1. Review and Selection Process

2. Merit/Technical Criteria

3. Administrative and Risk Criteria

4. Awards Over the Simplified Acquisition Threshold (if applicable)

F. FEDERAL AWARD ADMINISTRATION INFORMATION

1. Federal Award Notices

2. Administrative and National Policy Requirements

3. Reporting

4. Audit Requirements

G. FEDERAL AWARDING AGENCY CONTACT

H. OTHER INFORMATION

APPENDIX A - Instructions for Completing SF424 APPENDIX B – Instructions for Completing SF424A APPENDIX C – Budget Narrative Guidance

A. PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

The authorizing statutes and regulations for this opportunity are the Soil Conservation and Domestic Allotment Act, 16 U.S.C. 590a-590f, 590q; and 7 CFR Part 610.

The goals and objectives of this program are:

• Increase acreage across the nation in managed grazing that addresses natural resource concerns.

• Increase availability of climate smart grazing land technical assistance for farmers and ranchers, historically underserved farmers and ranchers and Native American tribal governments.

• Expand and establish new grazing networks and direct financial support for mentors working with new, beginning, or transitioning farmers and ranchers engaged in grazing activities.

• Expand the grazing community to include minority producers, and associated institutions such as 1890, 1994, and Hispanic serving Land Grant Institutions.

• Recruit to ensure strong participation by minority producers in new and existing grazing coalitions.

Eligible Activities for the GLCI Cooperative Agreements include:

• Technical assistance o Write and implement grazing plans.

o Demonstrate innovation and grazing technologies.

• Education (Conferences, workshops, webinars, and other educational events).

• Grazing networks (field days, pasture walks, peer-to-peer knowledge exchange, mentorship).

• NRCS Workforce Development, including mentorship, training, and apprenticeship arrangements.

• Youth outreach related to grazing land management may be included to supplement producer outreach.

• A limited amount of funds in each region may be used to conduct on-farm research as a supplemental goal for any projects conducting the above activities.

Projects are to identify and remove barriers to accessing grazing information and programs and reach historically underserved groups through a combination of outreach and technical assistance in managing grasslands that address the following NRCS priority areas:

1. Addressing local natural resource concerns.

2. Utilizing Climate Smart Agriculture and Forestry practices and principles.

3. Encouraging existing and new partnerships to advance the resource needs of underserved communities.

4. Identifying and implementing innovative strategies to quantify, monitor, report on and verify conservation benefits associated with grazing management systems.

5. Utilizing Indigenous Traditional Ecological Knowledge (ITEK), where applicable.

(e.g. bison management and restoration efforts with the goal/outcome/deliverable of adding the methods or practices to NRCS suite of tools).

Applicants must propose a project that responds to one or more of the program priority areas listed above.

For priority 2 above, an example of utilizing Climate Smart Agriculture and Forestry practices and principles would be a project that, through outreach, introduces conservation planning alternatives to address water quantity and quality, soil erosion and health, air quality, plant productivity and health, energy efficiency, and other resource concerns that mitigate the impacts of climate change to their grazing operation and the environment. Additional information related to Climate Smart Agriculture and Forestry may be found at:

https://www.farmers.gov/conservation/climate-smart https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/detail/national/climatechange/?cid=n rcseprd1881023#soil

NRCS will place priority upon projects—

• Promoting grazing management systems.

• Having a long-term project plan for funding beyond the life of this award.

• Led by organizations serving primarily historically underserved producers or

Native American tribal governments and organizations, or which have demonstrated ability to serve historically underserved producers or Native

American tribal farmers and ranchers.

• With multi-stakeholder partnerships of three or more organizations.

• With significant farmer and rancher involvement.

• With strategies to quantify, monitor, report on and verify conservation benefits.

Definitions https://www.farmers.gov/conservation/climate-smart https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/detail/national/climatechange/?cid=nrcseprd1881023#soil https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/detail/national/climatechange/?cid=nrcseprd1881023#soil

Equity is defined as the consistent and systematic treatment of all individuals in a fair, just, and impartial manner, including individuals who belong to communities that have been denied such treatment, such as Black, Latino, Indigenous and Native American, Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Island persons and other persons of color;

members of religious minorities; women and girls; LGBTQI+ persons; persons with disabilities; persons who live in rural areas; persons who live in United States Territories;

persons otherwise adversely affected by persistent poverty or inequality; and individuals who belong to multiple such communities (Executive Order 14091).

Underserved Communities are defined as those populations, as well as geographic communities, that have been systematically denied the opportunity to participate fully in aspects of economic, social, and civic life, as exemplified by the preceding definition of “equity” (Executive Order 14091).

Historically underserved producers are defined as the following:

Beginning Farmer or Rancher is a farmer or rancher who has not operated a farm or ranch, or who has operated a farm or ranch for not more than 10 consecutive years, and who will materially and substantially participate in the operation of the farm or ranch.

• In the case of a contract with an individual, individually or with the immediate family, material and substantial participation requires that the individual provide substantial day-to-day labor and management of the farm or ranch, consistent with the practices in the county or State where the farm is located.

• In the case of a contract with an entity or joint operation, all members must materially and substantially participate in the operation of the farm or ranch.

Material and substantial participation requires that each of the members provide some amount of the management, or labor and management necessary for day-to-day activities, such that if each of the members did not provide these inputs, operation of the farm or ranch would be seriously impaired.

Limited Resource Farmer or Rancher is a farmer or rancher who has direct or indirect gross farm sales not more than the current indexed value in each of the previous two years (adjusted for inflation using Prices Paid by Farmer Index as compiled by National Agricultural Statistical Service), and who:

• has a total household income at or below the national poverty level for a family of four in each of the previous two years; or

• has a total household income less than 50 percent of county median household income in each of the previous two years.

A legal entity or joint operation may qualify as limited resource if all individual members independently qualify under the definition.

Socially Disadvantaged Farmer or Rancher is a farmer or rancher who is a member of one or more of the following groups whose members have been subjected to racial or ethnic prejudice because of their identity as members of a group without regard to their individual qualities, 7 U.S.C. § 2279(a). Groups include, but are not limited to, groups whose members identify as:

• American Indian or Alaska Native

• Asian

• Black or African American

• Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander

• Hispanic or Latino

For an entity, at least 50-percent ownership in the business entity must be held by socially disadvantaged individuals.

Veteran Farmer or Rancher (VFR) is a farmer or rancher who served in the United States Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, Space Force, and Coast Guard, including the reserve components thereof, and who was discharged or released therefrom under conditions other than dishonorable, and who:

• has not operated a farm or ranch, or has operated a farm or ranch for not more than 10 consecutive years; or

• is a veteran who has first obtained status as a veteran during the most recent 10-year period.

Agreements can cover projects developed at the county, regional, state, multi state level, or on tribal lands.

FEDERAL AWARD INFORMATION

1. Available Funding

a. Estimated Funding The Federal funding agency expects to award approximately $12 million through this opportunity. However, the agency retains the discretion to award a larger or lesser amount.

b. Start Dates and Performance Periods Projects may be between one and four years in duration. Applicants should plan their projects based on an estimated project start date of September 1, 2024.

Number of Awards There is no commitment by NRCS to make a specific number of awards.

2. Type of Award

a. Type of Federal Award

The agency plans to award cooperative agreements pursuant to this opportunity.

Depending on the nature of a particular proposal received, the agency may elect to negotiate an alternate award type with the selected applicant.

The agency will be substantially involved in the work performed under the agreement and will undertake activities such as the following:

a. Authority to suspend work if specifications or work statements are not met

b. Review and approval of one stage of work before another may begin

c. Review and approval of substantive provisions of proposed subawards or contracts beyond existing Federal policy

d. Agency and recipient collaboration or joint participation

e. Project monitoring to permit specified kinds of direction or redirection of the work because of interrelationships with and impacts on other projects

f. Highly prescriptive agency requirements that limit recipient discretion

g. Review and approval of key personnel

h. Direct agency operational involvement or participation during the activity

NRCS will have the following responsibilities:

a. Collaborate with the partner to build capacity to deliver grazing conservation technical assistance.

b. Participate in building technical capacity of NRCS State level grazing coordinators and partner field production and conservation employees to develop and implement effective projects.

c. Intervene in project activities to achieve positive natural resources outcomes.

d. Provide assistance to entities in promoting NRCS programs and services.

b. Procurement Contracts The agency does not expect to award procurement contracts associated with this

NFO.

c. Eligibility of Renewal or Supplemental Project Applications Applications for renewal or supplementation of existing projects are eligible to compete with applications for new Federal awards. An application for renewal means an application submitted to continue an existing agreement that meets the objectives and requirements of this NFO. An application for supplementation of an existing project means an application to add components to an existing agreement so that it would meet the objectives and requirements in this NFO.

B. ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION

1. Eligible Applicants

Applicants and applications must meet eligibility criteria by the application deadline to be considered for award. Eligible applicant type is determined by the implementing program statute. Applicant entities identified in the SAM.gov exclusions database as ineligible, prohibited/restricted, or excluded from receiving Federal contracts and certain Federal assistance and benefits will not be considered for Federal funding, as applicable to the funding being requested under this Federal program (2 CFR 200.206(d)). Neither foreign entities nor individuals are eligible to apply for this opportunity.

Eligibility for this opportunity is limited to single individuals or the following entity types based in any of the 50 States, the District of Columbia, the Caribbean Area (Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands), and the Pacific Islands Area (Guam, American Samoa, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands). Entity types that may meet these criteria include the following:

a. Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized)

b. Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments)

c. Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS (other than institutions of higher education)

d. Farmer or rancher organizations

e. State and local conservation governmental agencies

f. Agricultural Extension Services

g. All land and grant universities, including 1890 or 1994 land grant institution (7 U.S.C. 3222 et seq.), Hispanic-serving institution (20 U.S.C.

1101a), or other minority-serving institution, such as an historically Black college or university (20 U.S.C. 1061), a tribally controlled college or university (25 U.S.C. 1801), or Asian American and Pacific Islander-serving institution (20 U.S.C. 1059g).

2. Other

Any award made pursuant to this NFO will be made to a single entity. Applicants that apply as “partnerships” or other similar groupings must clearly describe the relationship between the applicant and the “partner” parties. In all but exceptional cases, it must be reflected in the award as an awardee/sub awardee relationship.

An applicant organization may not submit more than one application for different projects or proposing different approaches. In the case of applications submitted as revisions or corrections to a previously submitted application under this NFO, the agency will consider the last application submitted prior to the established deadline.

Awards made pursuant to this NFO are not Farm Bill incentive contracts; therefore, the awards in and of themselves are not limited by the payment limitation in 16 USC Chapter 58. However, any agricultural producers receiving a payment through participation in a project awarded under this NFO must meet the eligibility requirements of 7 CFR Part 12 and 7 CFR Part 1400 and have control of the land involved for the term of the proposed award period.

3. Match

There is no match requirement for this opportunity. There is no competitive advantage to applicants who voluntarily provide a match.

C. APPLICATION AND SUBMISSION INFORMATION

• Information for New Users of Grants.gov

○ Overview

While a Grants.gov account is not required to download an NFO and related documents, it is required to submit an application. If your organization has never submitted an application via Grants.gov, please be aware that there are several steps you must take to register your organization before you can submit an application. Completing those steps can take a significant amount of time, plan accordingly.

● Register to Apply through Grants.gov

Applicants should read the registration instructions carefully and prepare the information requested before beginning the registration process. Reviewing and assembling the required information before beginning the registration process will alleviate last-minute searches for required information.

For assistance with the registration process, contact Grants.gov Applicant Support, available 24/7, at 1-800-518-4726 or support@grants.gov.

Organizations must complete all steps to register (steps i. through v. below).

Complete organization instructions are included on Grants.gov here:

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

Although creating a Grants.gov account online can be completed online in minutes, SAM registrations may take several weeks. Therefore, organizations should begin the process early to ensure they have sufficient time to complete registration and meet required application submission deadlines.

Individuals (those submitting on their own behalf) are not subject to the Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) or SAM requirement and may begin with step iii., Create a Grants.gov Account, listed below. (Note: Individuals are not eligible for all opportunities.)

c. Steps to Register

i. Obtain a UEI: All entities applying for funding must have a UEI issued by SAM.gov. Applicants must enter the UEI in the data entry field labeled "UEI" on the SF-424 form.

ii. Register with SAM: All organizations (entities) must register with System for Award Management (SAM) to apply online through Grants.gov. Failure to https://www.grants.gov/applicants/applicant-registration/ register with SAM will prevent your organization from applying through Grants.gov. SAM registration must be renewed annually. Part of the SAM registration process includes designating an Electronic Business Point of Contact (EBiz POC). The EBiz POC plays an integral part in the organization’s Grants.gov registration and application process. The individual in that role must authorize all other roles in Grants.gov. For more detailed instructions for registering with SAM, refer to https://www.grants.gov/applicants/applicant-registration/

iii. Create a Grants.gov Account: From the Grants.gov webpage (https://www.grants.gov/), click “Register” in the top right-hand corner and follow the on-screen instructions.

iv. Add a Profile to a Grants.gov Account: A profile in Grants.gov corresponds to a single applicant organization the user represents (i.e., an applicant) or an individual applicant submitting on their own behalf. If you work for or consult with multiple organizations, you can have a profile for each organization under one Grants.gov account. In such cases you can log in to one Grants.gov account to access all your grant profiles. To add an organizational profile to your Grants.gov account, enter the UEI for the organization in the UEI field.

If you are an individual applicant submitting on your own behalf, you do not need a UEI to add the profile. For more detailed instructions about creating a profile on Grants.gov, refer to https://www.grants.gov/applicants/applicant-registration/add-profile

v. EBiz POC Authorized Profile Roles: After you register with Grants.gov and create an Organization Applicant Profile, you must establish roles for individuals in the organization. The Authorized Organizational Representative (AOR) role is critical; it gives an individual permission to complete and submit applications on behalf of the organization. Without this role, the organization cannot submit any applications. The request for role assignment will be routed to the organization’s EBiz POC for approval. Once approved, the AOR can submit an application online. For more detailed instructions about creating a EBiz POC authorized profile on Grants.gov, refer to https://www.grants.gov/applicants/applicant-registration/ebiz-poc-authorizes-profile-roles

Track Role Status: To track your role request, refer to https://www.grants.gov/applicants/applicant-registration/track-profile-role-status

d. Electronic Signature

When applications are submitted through Grants.gov, the name of the organization applicant with the AOR role that submitted the application is inserted into the signature line of the application, serving as the electronic signature. The EBiz POC https://www.grants.gov/applicants/applicant-registration/ https://www.grants.gov/ https://www.grants.gov/applicants/applicant-registration/add-profile https://www.grants.gov/applicants/applicant-registration/add-profile https://www.grants.gov/applicants/applicant-registration/ebiz-poc-authorizes-profile-roles https://www.grants.gov/applicants/applicant-registration/ebiz-poc-authorizes-profile-roles https://www.grants.gov/applicants/applicant-registration/track-profile-role-status https://www.grants.gov/applicants/applicant-registration/track-profile-role-status must authorize people who are able to make legally binding commitments on behalf of the organization as a user with the AOR role. This step (step c.v. above) is often missed, and it is crucial for valid and timely submissions.

e. Workspace

Workspace is a shared, online environment where members of a grant team may simultaneously access and edit different webforms within an application. For each NFO, you can create individual instances of a workspace. An applicant can start an application in Workspace and return to work on it later within Workspace.

Applicants using unreliable internet connections should be aware that the process of completing the Workspace can take some time. Therefore, applicants should allow enough time to prepare and submit the application before the package closing date.

f. Apply for an Opportunity

Below is an overview of applying on Grants.gov. For complete instructions on how to apply for opportunities, refer to https://www.grants.gov/applicants/workspace-overview/

If the Apply button in the opportunity is not active (greyed out), the user does not have the appropriate permissions or has an incomplete applicant registration. For additional information, refer to https://grantsgovprod.wordpress.com/2023/06/08/unlock-the-mystery-of-the-gray-apply-button-four-scenarios/#:~:text=The%20Apply%20button%20will%20be,to%20view%20the% 20close%20date.

i. Create a Workspace: Creating a workspace allows you to complete an application online and route it through your organization for review before submitting.

ii. Complete a Workspace: Add participants to the workspace to work on the application together, complete all the required forms online or by downloading PDF versions, and check for errors before submission. The Workspace progress bar will display the status of your application process as you apply. As you apply using Workspace, you may click the blue question mark icon near the upper-right corner of each page to access context-sensitive help.

• Adobe Reader: If you decide not to apply by filling out webforms you can download individual PDF forms in Workspace. The individual PDF forms can be downloaded and saved to your local device storage, network drive(s), or external drives, then accessed through Adobe Reader.

https://www.grants.gov/applicants/workspace-overview/ https://www.grants.gov/applicants/workspace-overview/ 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 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

NOTE: Visit the Adobe Software Compatibility page on Grants.gov to download the appropriate version of the software at https://www.grants.gov/applicants/adobe-software-compatibility

• Mandatory Fields in Forms: In the forms, you will note fields marked with an asterisk and a different background color. These fields are mandatory fields that must be completed to successfully submit your application.

• Complete SF-424 Fields First: The forms are designed to fill in common required fields across other forms, such as the applicant name, address, and UEI. Once it is completed, the information will transfer (i.e., prepopulate) to the other forms.

iii. Submit a Workspace: An application may be submitted through workspace by clicking the Sign and Submit button on the Manage Workspace page, under the Forms tab. Grants.gov recommends submitting your application package at least 24-48 hours prior to the close date to provide you with time to correct any potential technical issues that may disrupt the application submission.

iv. Track a Workspace Submission: After successfully submitting a workspace application, a Grants.gov Tracking Number (GRANTXXXXXXXX) is automatically assigned to the application. The number will be listed on the Confirmation page that is generated after submission. Using the tracking number, access the Track My Application page under the Applicants tab or the Details tab in the submitted workspace.

For additional training resources, including video tutorials, refer to https://www.grants.gov/applicants/applicant-training

• Electronic Application Package

Applicants interested in submitting an application in response to this NFO must submit it via Grants.gov; the agency will not accept applications submitted via email or any other method. No exceptions will be made for applicants experiencing issues with Grants.gov unless a known system wide Grants.gov issue is identified, in which case the deadline will be extended for all applicants, as appropriate. Applicants are urged to submit early to the Grants.gov system.

For technical issues with Grants.gov, contact Grants.gov Applicant Support, available 24/7, at 1-800-518-4726 or support@grants.gov. Awarding agency staff cannot support applicants regarding Grants.gov accounts.

Address to Request Application Package All information necessary to apply for this opportunity is included in the Grants.gov opportunity announcement.

https://www.grants.gov/applicants/adobe-software-compatibility https://www.grants.gov/applicants/applicant-training http://www.grants.gov/

• Content and Form of Application Submission

The agency may choose not to consider applications that fail to comply with the required content, format, and page limits, or those that are incomplete. Do not submit video files or files larger than 10MB. File names of attachments must be limited to 50 characters, may not include special characters (e.g., &,–,*,%,/,#), periods (.), blank spaces or accent marks, and must be unique (i.e., no other attachment may have the same file name). An underscore (example: my_Attached_File.pdf) may be used to separate a file name. Attachments must NOT be password protected.

To be considered for funding under this opportunity, an application must contain the documents in a-g below.

a. Application Form

(Standard Form 424 Application for Federal Assistance) See Instructions for Completing SF 424 located in the appendices section.

b. Cover Page (1 page maximum)

Applications that fail to provide a cover page will be rejected in the first stage of screening.

In one page, provide the following information:

1) The applicant entity name

2) The project title

3) The project duration in years.

4) The GLCI Federal funding amount requested.

5) The applicant point of contact name, phone number, and email address.

6) The geographic location of the project (list the state[s]).

7) Project synopsis. Provide a brief description of (two to four sentences) of the project that can be used in a public announcement if the project is funded. State the relevance of the project to the purpose and priorities of

GLCI.

c. Project Title and Summary

Provide a descriptive title of your project. Then, present a statement of need or assessment of the problem. Define the target audience and end users of this project. Describe your approach to determining the critical elements and needs of the local area or community to be served. Describe how this project will initiate, build upon, or expand related work or programs. The summary should also include the relevance of the project to the purpose and priorities of GLCI and must be a maximum of one page.

d. Project Narrative

Each page must be numbered and have one-inch margins. The text of the project narrative must be single spaced and typed in a standard typeface (e.g., Times New Roman, Arial, Courier) with no smaller than 12-point font. The project narrative must not exceed 15 pages, 10 pages of written text, and up to 5 additional pages for figures and tables. This page limitation applies to the project narrative only.

The project narrative must cover all activities proposed to be carried out with federal funds, and must include the organizations and partners involved, along with a workplan and activities to achieve the goals identified below.

Organizations and Partners Involved

• Explain your organization’s experience in the field of grazing land conservation, serving underserved communities, and providing outreach in target area or community.

• List your organization’s leadership and key personnel for this project. For everyone listed, describe: their role in project and qualifications to carry out project, including experience and expertise in grazing lands conservation and working with target communities and related grazing systems.

• List one or more partner organizations for this project and include their contact information, relevant experience, community connections, and specific responsibilities for achieving the project goals.

• Explain plans to coordinate work with partner organizations and to leverage existing resources.

Workplan and Activities to Achieve the Goals

• Summarize the work to be performed in nontechnical terms for each goal and project objectives.

• Explain why the applicant and its partners selected the activities proposed in the application.

• Include a timeline of activities with milestones and verifiable indicators to demonstrate how progress will be achieved. Include the specific tasks to complete each activity and identify the responsible party to complete the task.

• Describe plan to ensure financial accountability, including accounting and purchasing policies. Include the specific tasks to complete each activity and identify the responsible party to complete the task. Include the specific tasks to complete each activity and identify the responsible party to complete the task.

• Describe how you will evaluate the outcome and whether objectives were met.

• Describe how project will continue beyond end of the award period, how it will become self-sustainable, and potential funding sources for continuation of the project after federal funding ends.

• Describe the plan to report the number of historically underserved produces that participated in or were targeted by an outreach activity. Include a description of the metrics used to quantify outcomes of the activity.

If your proposal will include information collection from non-Federal sources, ensure the collection meets the requirements of the Paperwork Reduction Act.

Surveys of individuals or entities are generally prohibited without prior approval from the Office of Management and Budget. For additional guidance about allowable and unallowable activities, please visit the following website:

https://pra.digital.gov/do-i-need-clearance/.

The following documents do not count toward the above stated page limit.

e. Standard Form (SF) 424A, Budget Information - Non-Construction Programs

Fill in all spaces as appropriate. Section B, Item 6, Column 1 should reflect the agency funds, and Column 2 should reflect the applicant’s matching funds. This form is the summary budget for the project and should include the full project totals on pages one and two. See Instructions for Completing SF 424A located in the appendices section. Refer to Section D of this opportunity for information regarding indirect costs. Errors in the SF-424A regarding classifying costs may be negotiated after selection.

f. Budget Narrative

In a separate document titled “Budget Narrative,” explain and justify all requested budget items/costs. (Refer to the budget narrative guidance located in the appendices section.) Detail how the totals on the SF-424A were determined and demonstrate a clear connection between costs and the proposed project activities. For personnel salary costs, include the base-line salary figures and the estimates of time (as percentages) to be directly charged to the project. Describe any item that under the applicable Federal cost principles requires the agency’s approval and estimate its cost. The pages included as the budget narrative to not count toward the page limit. Errors in the budget narrative regarding classifying costs may be negotiated after selection. Refer to the Budget Narrative Guidance located at the end of this document regarding procurement standards when including contracts for goods or services. Sole-source contracting is prohibited without proper justification. See Procurement Standards located at 2 CFR 200.317-327.

https://pra.digital.gov/do-i-need-clearance/

i. Build America, Buy American. “Buy America” preference applies to

Federal financial assistance awards that include construction components, even if it is funded by both Federal and non-Federal funds under the award. Subawards should conform to the terms and conditions of the

Federal award from which they flow. A Buy America preference only applies to articles, materials, and supplies that are consumed in, incorporated into, or affixed to a construction project. Refer to the

General Terms and Conditions for additional information:

https://www.fpacbc.usda.gov/about/grants-and-agreements/award-terms-and-conditions/index.html

ii. Indirect Costs Recovery. If requesting indirect costs, provide the calculation specifying the amounts used in applying the base (the base specified in the applicable rate agreement) by the applicable rate. The calculation can be displayed in different formats but must capture the components (i.e., amounts used in determining the base and the rate applied to the base).

A. To be eligible to recover any indirect costs under a Federal award, recipients must either 1) have a current negotiated indirect cost rate agreement (NICRA) with a Federal agency that has not expired; or 2) qualify for use of the de minimis rate authorized by 2 CFR 200.414(f) and described below. For-profit entities (if eligible to apply) must obtain a NICRA from their cognizant agency. USDA will not accept an indirect cost agreement that is not a NICRA, for example, those negotiated or approved by the Defense Contract Audit Agency or the Defense Contract Management Agency.

A copy of the applicant’s current NICRA must be provided with the application (see section D(3)(i)). Indirect costs may not be recovered under an expired NICRA. For applicants negotiating a NICRA, provide a copy of the indirect cost rate proposal submitted to the cognizant agency. See section D(3)(h) below for how to submit a NICRA as part of the application.

B. Any non-Federal entity (except State and local governments that receive more than $35 million per year in Federal funding) that does not have a current negotiated (including provisional) rate may elect to charge a de minimis rate of 10 percent of modified total direct costs (MTDC) which may be used indefinitely. No documentation is required to justify the 10 percent de minimis indirect cost rate, simply indicate in your budget narrative that the recipient elects to use the de minimis rate. Modified Total Direct Cost (MTDC) means all direct salaries and wages, applicable fringe benefits, materials and supplies, services, travel, and up to the first $25,000 of each subaward (regardless of the https://www.fpacbc.usda.gov/about/grants-and-agreements/award-terms-and-conditions/index.html period of performance of the subawards under the award). MTDC excludes equipment, capital expenditures, charges for patient care, rental costs, tuition remission, scholarships and fellowships, participant support costs and the portion of each subaward in excess of $25,000. Other items may only be excluded when necessary to avoid a serious inequity in the distribution of indirect costs, and with the approval of the cognizant agency for indirect costs.

C. As described in 2 CFR 200.403, costs must be consistently charged as either indirect or direct costs but may not be double charged or inconsistently charged as both. If chosen, this methodology once elected must be used consistently for all Federal awards until such time as a non-Federal entity chooses to negotiate for a rate, which the non-Federal entity may apply to do at any time.

D. A recipient may voluntarily reduce or waive recovery of indirect costs at its sole discretion and must not be encouraged or coerced in any way to do so by the agency.

iii. Indirect Costs Limitations.

A. In accordance with USDA’s annual appropriations act, indirect costs will be limited to no more than 10 percent of total direct costs for non-profit organizations or institutions of higher education that receive a cooperative or contribution agreement. Other types of entities are not subject to this statutory limitation. An applicant subject to the statutory limitation with a current NICRA, must calculate indirect costs as follows. First, multiply the NICRA rate by the base stated in the NICRA to arrive at Amount A. Next, multiply the statutory limit of 10 percent by the total of all direct costs to arrive at Amount B. The lower of Amount A and B is the amount of indirect cost to include on the budget.

B. Applicants not subject to a statutory limitation, which have a current NICRA must calculate indirect costs using the rate and base specified in their NICRA.

C. Recipients are prohibited from shifting unallowable indirect costs to another Federal award unless specifically authorized to do so by legislation.

D. Applicants who are individuals applying for funds separate from a business or non-profit organization they may operate are not eligible to charge indirect costs to their award. If you are an individual applying for funding, do not include any indirect costs in your proposed budget.

g. Grants.gov Lobbying Form

Under Title 31 of the United States Code, Section 1352, an applicant or recipient must not use any federally appropriated funds (both annually https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/section-200.403 appropriated and continuing appropriations) or matching funds under a grant or cooperative agreement award to pay any person for lobbying in connection with the award. Lobbying is defined as influencing or attempting to influence an officer or employee of any agency, a Member of Congress, an officer or employee of Congress, or an employee of a Member of Congress connection with the award. Submission of an application also represents the applicant’s certification of the statements in 2 CFR Part 418, Appendix A-Certification Regarding Lobbying.

h. Applicant Contact Information

Provide contact information for the roles identified in the Applicant Contact Information template, located in the Related Documents tab of the opportunity.

Upload the contact information under Other Attachments (listed as an Optional Form) in the Grants.gov Opportunity Application Package.

i. Statement of Current and Pending Support

Submit a Statement of Current and Pending Support for each key personnel who will participate in the project. For your convenience, a template is available for your use in in the Related Documents tab of the opportunity.

j. SF-LLL, Disclosure of Lobbying Activities

SF-LLL, Disclosure of Lobbying Activities, must be submitted only if you/your organization have/has made or agrees to make any payment using non-appropriated funds for lobbying. See 2 CFR 418.110 for more information on when additional submission of this form is required.

k. Negotiated Indirect Cost Rate Agreement (NICRA), if applicable

If charging indirect costs using a NICRA (including for match), upload the NICRA under Other Attachments (listed as an Optional Form) in the Grants.gov Opportunity Application Package.

l. Letters of Intent

Letters of intent are not required and should not be submitted.

m. Disclosure of Potential Conflict of Interest

In accordance with 2 CFR 400.2, applicants must maintain written standards of conduct covering conflicts of interest and governing the performance of its employees in the selection, award, and administration of Federal awards. No employee, officer, or agent may participate in the selection, award, or administration of a Federal award if he or she has a real or apparent conflict of interest. Such a conflict of interest would arise when the employee, officer or agent, any member of his or her immediate family, his or her partner, or an organization which employs or is about to employ any of the parties referenced, has a financial or other interest in, or a tangible personal benefit from, an applicant considered for a Federal award. The standards of conduct must provide for disciplinary actions to be applied for violations of such standards by officers, employees, or agents of the applicant.

If the applicant has a parent, affiliate, or subsidiary organization that is not a state, local government, or Indian tribe, the applicant must also maintain written standards of conduct covering organizational conflicts of interest.

Organizational conflict of interest means that because of the relationships with a parent company, affiliate, or subsidiary organization, the applicant is unable or appears to be unable to be impartial in conducting a Federal award action involving a related organization.

Applicants must disclose in writing any potential conflicts of interest to the USDA awarding agency or pass-through entity. Include the name of the individual, the name of the entity with which the individual has a conflict, the nature of the financial or other interest, the value of the interest, a description of how the interest relates to your application. Upload disclosures under Other Attachments (listed separately under Optional Forms) in Grants.gov. If no conflict exists, no submission is required.

n. Post Award Documentation N/A

o. Unique entity identifier (UEI) and System for Award Management (SAM)

Each applicant (unless the applicant is an individual excepted from those requirements under 2 CFR 25.110(b) or (c), or has an exception approved by the Federal awarding agency under 2 CFR 25.110(d)) is required to: (i) Be registered in SAM before submitting its application; (ii) provide a valid unique entity identifier in its application; and (iii) continue to maintain an active SAM registration with current information at all times during which it has an active Federal award or an application or plan under consideration by a Federal awarding agency. The agency may not make a Federal award to an applicant until the applicant has complied with all applicable unique entity identifier and SAM requirements and, if an applicant has not fully complied with the requirements by the time the agency is ready to make an award, it may determine that the applicant is not qualified to receive a Federal award and use that determination as a basis for making a Federal award to another applicant.

Entities must obtain a UEI and register in SAM prior to registering with Grants.gov. A description of each is below. Entities are strongly encouraged to apply early for their SAM registration.

System for Award Management (SAM) Registration: To register, go to:

https://www.sam.gov. The Federal Service Desk is available for registration assistance and can be contacted via the Help tab at the website listed above.

Awarding agency staff cannot support applicants regarding UEI or SAM issues.

https://www.sam.gov/

• Submission Dates and Times and Correspondence

All applications must be received by Grants.gov by 11:59 pm Eastern Time (ET) by the established due date in the Key Dates section of the Summary Information of this NFO. Proof of timely submission is automatically recorded by Grants.gov.