USDA-NRCS-NJ-GARDN-NOFO0001421_Posted.pdf

Natural Resources Conservation Service

NRCS New Jersey Community Gardens/Farm Agreement FY2025

Fiscal Year (FY) 2025 NRCS New Jersey Community Gardens/Farm Agreement FY2025 Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) No. USDA-NRCS-NJ-GARDN-NOFO0001421

Table of Contents

A. BASIC INFORMATION

1. Federal Awarding Agency Name

2. Announcement Type

3. Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) Number

4. Assistance Listing

5. Funding Details

6. Key Dates

7. Executive Summary

8. Contact Information

9. Training

B. ELIGIBILITY

1. Eligible Applicants

2. Other Eligibility Considerations

3. Cost Sharing

C. PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

D. APPLICATION CONTENTS AND FORMAT

1. Pre-Applications and Letters of Intent

2. Content and Form of Application Submission

E. SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS AND DEADLINE

F. APPLICATION REVIEW INFORMATION

1. Review and Selection Process

2. Merit/Technical Criteria

3. Administrative Review and Risk Criteria

G. FEDERAL AWARD NOTICES

H. POST-AWARD REQUIREMENTS (ADMINISTRATIVE & NATIONAL POLICY)

I. OTHER INFORMATION

1. Freedom of Information Act (FOIA)

2. Government Obligation

3. Award Counterparts

A. BASIC INFORMATION

1. Federal Awarding Agency Name

U.S. Department of Agriculture – Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), New Jersey (NJ) Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) Title: NRCS NJ Community Gardens/Farm Agreement FY2025

2. Announcement Type

Initial Announcement

3. Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) Number

USDA-NRCS-NJ-GARDN-NOFO0001421

4. Assistance Listing

This opportunity is included under 10.902, searchable at: https://sam.gov/content/home.

5. Funding Details

The amount of Federal funding expected to be available for award(s) is $75,000. However, the agency retains the discretion to award a larger or lesser amount.

The agency expects to make up to 10 award(s).

The agency expects the amount of each award to range from $5,000 to $20,000.

Applicants should propose projects between 1 and 3 years in duration. Plan projects based on an estimated project start date of September 15th, 2025.

6. Key Dates

Application deadline: Submit via Grants.gov by 11:59 pm Eastern Time on June 6th, 2025.

The agency anticipates making selections by June 20th, 2025 and expects to execute awards by September 15th, 2025. These dates are estimates and are subject to change.

7. Executive Summary

This funding opportunity seeks to foster environmental stewardship and sustainable agriculture in communities by addressing the need for conservation education and resource support in urban and underserved communities. Projects may include conservation practice demonstration and education opportunities as well endeavors to engage historically underserved growers and communities in NRCS programs. In addition, on established USDA People’s Gardens, projects can include support for things like climate smart conservation practices, stormwater runoff and erosion control, and habitat establishment and management.

https://sam.gov/content/home

8. Contact Information

Grants.gov issues - Contact Grants.gov Applicant Support at 1-800-518-4726 or support@grants.gov.

For all other questions, email FPAC-BC Grants and Agreements Division (GAD):

Email: alberto.aviles@usda.gov with a copy to NFO.FPAC@USDA.GOV Subject line of email: USDA-NRCS-NJ-GARDN-NOFO0001421 Name: Alberto Aviles, Grants Management Specialist, FPAC Business Center (FPAC-

BC)

The agency will not address questions about a potential applicant’s eligibility nor the merits of a specific proposal.

To protect the integrity of the competitive process, applicants must not contact agency program staff with questions; contact GAD staff as directed above.

Subscribe to receive correspondence issued by GAD. Topics may highlight award-management issues, announce implementation of new policies or procedures, provide guides and tools for applying for awards, etc. To subscribe, visit https://public.govdelivery.com/accounts/USDAFARMERS/subscriber/new?topic_id=USDA

FARMERS_4170

9. Training

Applicants can access highly recommended, free Grants 101 Training via https://www.cfo.gov/coffa/training-coffa/. The training consists of five modules: 1) laws, regulations, and guidance; 2) financial assistance mechanisms; 3) uniform guidance administrative requirements; 4) cost principles; and 5) risk management and single audit.

B. ELIGIBILITY

1. Eligible Applicants

The following entity types are eligible to apply:

a. City or township governments

b. County governments

c. Independent school districts

d. Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized)

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

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

g. Nonprofits that do not have a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS (other than institutions of higher education)

h. Private institutions of higher education

i. Public and State-controlled institutions of higher education mailto:support@grants.gov mailto:NFO.FPAC@USDA.GOV https://public.govdelivery.com/accounts/USDAFARMERS/subscriber/new?topic_id=USDAFARMERS_4170 https://public.govdelivery.com/accounts/USDAFARMERS/subscriber/new?topic_id=USDAFARMERS_4170 https://www.cfo.gov/coffa/training-coffa/

j. Public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities

k. Special district governments

l. State governments

The following applicants are considered ineligible:

• Foreign organizations and foreign public entities

• “Partnerships” or other similar groupings (i.e., application must be submitted by a single entity; a partner may serve as a subrecipient).

• Individuals

2. Other Eligibility Considerations

Application Eligibility Considerations:

• Applications must meet submission requirements in section E.

o For new users of Grants.gov, see section E.2. of this document for information about steps required before submitting an application via Grants.gov.

• If the agency determines more than one version or substantially the same application has been submitted, the agency will only consider the last application submitted prior to the established deadline for purposes of the competition.

• An applicant organization may submit more than one application, not to exceed two (2) applications, for different projects or proposing different approaches.

Awards Eligibility Considerations:

• The agency will make awards only o to a single entity o for projects selected following the competitive review process (see section F.2.)

o for projects that meet any specified cost share requirement (see item 3 of this section) o to entities that:

▪ meet the eligibility criteria (see section B.) by the application deadline (see section A.6.)

▪ are not debarred, suspended, or otherwise excluded from receiving Federal awards ((2 CFR 200.206(d))

▪ have an active System for Award Management (SAM) registration (2 CFR part 25)

▪ the agency does not determine poses an unacceptable risk related to proper management of a Federal award (2 CFR 200.206)

• Awards are not Farm Bill incentive contracts and therefore, not limited by the payment limitation in 16 USC Chapter 58.

https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-A/chapter-II/part-200#200.206 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-A/chapter-I/part-25 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-A/chapter-II/part-200#200.206 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-A/chapter-II/part-200#200.206 https://uscode.house.gov/browse/prelim@title16/chapter58&edition=prelim

Project Participant/Agricultural Producers Eligibility Considerations:

• Any producer receiving a payment through participation in a funded project must meet the eligibility requirements of 7 CFR Parts 12 and 1400 and have control of the land involved for the period of performance.

• Any producer receiving a payment through participation in a funded project is subject to the Adjusted Gross Income (AGI) limitation. In addition, they must have an AGI that does not exceed $900,000. If provided an award, the Recipient must self-certify and maintain records showing that participating producers receiving payments using Federal funding meet the eligibility and AGI requirements. Section 1704 (a)(3) of the 2018 Farm Bill states the Secretary may waive the AGI limit on a case-by-case basis if the Secretary determines that environmentally sensitive land of special significance would be protected as a result of such waiver. Awardees may request waivers once their project commences.

• Section 1240B of the Food Security Act of 1985, 16 U.S.C. 3839aa-2, prohibits duplicative payments. Accordingly, direct, or indirect payments cannot be made for a practice for which an individual or legal entity has already received funds or is contracted to receive funds through any USDA conservation program (e.g., Conservation Reserve Program, EQIP, Agricultural Management Assistance, Conservation Stewardship Program). If provided an award, the recipient must self-certify that payments to producers using Federal funding are not duplicative.

3. Cost Sharing

There is no cost sharing requirement for this opportunity. If cost-share is included in an application, it will not be considered during the competitive review process.

C. PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

The authorizing statutes and regulations for this opportunity are 16 U.S.C. 590a-590f, 590q, 7 CFR part 610 (No. 10.902).

The objectives of this program are:

1.. Provide conservation learning experiences and/or outreach activities related to conservation implementation to urban and underserved communities.

2.. Support The People’s Garden Initiative at established People’s Gardens by implementing conservation activities that cover one or more of the following:

a. Conservation and climate-smart agriculture demonstrations

b. Storm water control or water quality improvement https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-7/subtitle-A/part-12 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-7/subtitle-B/chapter-XIV/subchapter-A/part-1400

c. Soil protection from erosion

d. Habitat for wildlife, including pollinators

3. Leverage non-federal resources to achieve positive natural resource conservation outcomes.

4. Provide a method to follow-up with the historically underserved growers to measure rate of success of their participation in both technical and financial assistance by NRCS staff.

5. Provide outreach to increase participation among historically underserved participants in NRCS conservation programs and services.

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-today labor and management of the farm or ranch, consistent with the practices in the county or State where the farm is located.

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, and who has a total household income at or below the national poverty level for a family of four, or less than 50 percent of county median household income in each of the previous two years.

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. Groups include, but are not limited to:

o African Americans o American Indians o Alaskan Natives o Asians o Hispanics o Pacific Islanders

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 also meets the definition of beginning farmer or rancher

(BFR). The VFR must: a) not have operated a farm or ranch; or b) not have operated a farm or ranch for more than 10 consecutive years.

Funding, under this announcement is available as follows:

Cooperative agreements of $5,000.00 to $20,000 will be available to fund projects that align with the above project objectives. Financial resources are to be utilized for necessary supplies which can include tools, seeds, fertilizer, soil and soil additives, irrigation material, rain harvesting materials, temporary structures for plant heath, and educational/workshop related materials.

Funding for gardening supplies and conservation activities are limited to established

People’s Gardens unless there is a demonstration/educational component involved as listed in the above program objectives.

Technical assistance by NRCS staff may be available to help determine site, slope, placement, etc.

The USDA People’s Garden Initiative is a program launched in 2009 to promote community gardens, urban agriculture, and green spaces.

People’s Gardens must meet the following criteria:

1. Join the People’s Garden community by registering a garden at www.usda.gov/peoplesgarden.

2. Grow the garden using sustainable practices that benefit people and wildlife.

3. Teach about gardening and resilient, local food systems.

4. The intent is that these gardens result from a collaborative process among NRCS, other

USDA agencies, conservation districts, and other partners. The gardens must be accessible to the public.

The New Jersey NRCS is a federal agency that works with the people of New Jersey to bring about effective conservation and sustainable use of land, water, wildlife, and related resources. The New Jersey Community Gardens/Farms Project is an effort to challenge local Conservation Districts, non-profit organizations, non-government organizations, and more to empower urban and underserved communities through conservation education and outreach. Through this project, New Jersey NRCS expects to improve our urban program delivery by assisting communities through demonstrations and outreach efforts to learn more about conservation and climate smart agricultural practices, all of which empowers communities and improves food security. The simple act of planting a garden or creating a pollinator habitat can help unite neighbors in a common effort and inspire locally led solutions to some of the challenges facing local communities within the state. Addressing hunger and health, while inspiring beautification projects, a community garden can positively unite communities. As part of the USDA’s Urban Agriculture toolkit, the New Jersey NRCS Community Gardens/Farms Project will provide technical and financial assistance to eligible entities to provide conservation educational experiences to urban and underserved communities as well as support the USDA People’s Garden

Initiative by helping established People’s Gardens implement applicable conservation practices.

Eligible projects can be located in any New Jersey County. Entities must have control of the land (i.e. own/lease) where the project will be established for the duration of the agreement. The applicant is responsible for maintaining the project once it is installed for the duration of the agreement. Proposals will be screened for completeness and compliance under the provisions of this notice. Incomplete and/or noncompliant proposals may be eliminated from competition, and notification of elimination will be sent to the applicant. Evaluated proposals will be forwarded to the NRCS State

Conservationist who will make the final selections.

Proposed projects must be performed in New Jersey.

D. APPLICATION CONTENTS AND FORMAT

1. Pre-Applications and Letters of Intent

This NOFO does not require pre-applications or letters of intent; do not submit a pre-application or a letter of intent.

2. Content and Form of Application Submission

Notes:

• Form instructions and any available templates are provided in the FPAC-BC Grants.gov Application Guide available in the Related Documents tab of the Grants.gov Application Package on Grants.gov. Instructions provided in this NOFO will reference guidance as appropriate in the FPAC-BC Grants.gov Application Guide.

• To be considered for funding under this opportunity, an application must contain the documents identified below.

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 see section V.7.* see section V.7.1* see section V.7.2* see section V.7.3.*

Attachments

• Subawards, as applicable

• Conflict of Interest, as applicable see section V.8.* see section V.8.2* see applicable section below

Grants.gov Lobbying Form see section VI.9.*

Disclosure of Lobbying Activities (SF-LLL) see section VI.10.*

*Applicable section of the FPAC-BC Grants.gov Application Guide

a. Application for Federal Assistance (SF-424)

See section V.2. of the FPAC-BC Grants.gov Application Guide for instructions.

b. Project Narrative Attachment Form

• The following instructions are in addition to those included in section V.3. of the FPAC-BC Grants.gov Application Guide.

• The Project Narrative is subject to the attachment requirements noted in section III.2.1 of the FPAC-BC Grants.gov Application Guide.

• The project narrative must not exceed 6 pages. This page limitation applies to the project narrative only.

Project narratives must include:

i. Project title.

ii. Project Director/contact name and contact information (including address, email, and telephone number)

iii. Institutional background. (One (1) page narrative maximum.) This section should introduce your organization to the reviewer and lend credibility to your organization’s ability to successfully manage a federal agreement. The response should be succinct, offer a good balance between quantitative and qualitative information, and be free of unnecessary verbiage. It should include a brief history of the organization, including its mission statement and objectives, important past events or accomplishments, a description of your clientele, including demographic information, organizational funding sources.

Describe your history of successfully managing these federal and non-federal agreements, including meeting and complying with reporting requirements, submitting final acceptable technical reports, and reporting on progress made in achieving the results under those agreements.

iv. Partnerships. List and describe any partner agencies, groups, and other entities that may assist in implementing this project.

v. Problem statement/needs assessment. (One (1)-page maximum.) The problem statement, or needs assessment, is critical to the success of your application. It is the justification for your proposal and should focus on the condition that your proposal will address. Use care to ensure your proposal make no unsupported assumptions. Your Needs Assessment should demonstrate the tie-in to the organizational mission and objectives, describe the issue or problem, and the history of, and need for, the proposed innovation, provide statistical and authoritarian evidence that clearly supports the need identified in the proposal and supports a high probability for success, and make a compelling case for the project funding based demonstrated client needs. Documents the problem or need with hard data, linking it to the funding source’s priorities (See Section A: Program Description). What is the situation that is causing concern? Why is it happening?

vi. Program objectives. (One (1)-page maximum. Identifies anticipated outcomes and benefits in measurable terms. How is the situation expected to change as a result of the award? This section of the proposal should demonstrate project outcomes, not project activities. You should be using language that supports increasing, decreasing, or reducing the problems identified in the need’s assessment. This section should describe any impact on underserved communities. Avoid including topics that pertain to providing, establishing, or developing a method to address the problem. Your objectives should include at least one objective for each problem identified in the Needs Assessment. Each objective must be specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, and contain a timeline for completion. An example objective would be: At the end of the 3-day workshop, 70% of participants will demonstrate at least a 30% increase or better in pre/post-test exams. Be sure to describe how the outcomes will be measured.

vii. Project geographic area/location of impact (where application activities will take place)

viii. Methods/implementation. Describes the activities that directly support the achievement of the objectives. A timeline may be included in this section as well as a description of staffing needs. This section demands clarity and justification in describing how the objectives will be met. Use care to present a reasonable number of activities that can be completed within the agreement period. Provide a detailed description of the how the project will be organized and managed. Include a list of key project personnel, their relevant education or experience, and their anticipated contributions to the project.

ix. Evaluation plan. (One half (1/2)-page maximum.) This section should clarify your objectives, define the ease with which they can be measured, and clearly state the criteria for how success will be measured using quantifiable methods. Your evaluation methods should determine the extent to which the program has achieved its stated objectives and the extent to which the objectives contributed to the program success.

Further, your evaluation should determine whether the delivered program was consistent with the initial plan and identify which program activities individually contributed to the effectiveness of the program.

x. Project Deliverables. Discuss reports/and or other deliverables that can help to measure project success. Use care to present a reasonable number of activities that can be completed within the agreement period.

Clearly describe the program client and the program activities, their sequence, and explain your reason for choosing this combination of activities. Provide a detailed description of how the project will be organized and managed. Include a list of key project personnel, their relevant education or experience, and their anticipated contributions to the project. Explain the level of participation required in the project by government and non-government entities and identify who will participate in monitoring and evaluating the project.

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

Declaration of previous projects and Past Performance

If the applicant has previously received an award (either at the National or State levels), list the following for each award and give a short summary of the completed project’s outcomes. If the project is ongoing, provide the anticipated outcomes.

Each description should be no more than a half page:

▪ Project title

▪ Agreement number (Federal Award Identifying Number)

▪ Award funding amount

▪ Year of award expiration

c. Project Abstract

See section V.4. of the FPAC-BC Grants.gov Application Guide for instructions.

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

See section V.5. of the FPAC-BC Grants.gov Application Guide for instructions.

e. Budget Narrative

• The following instructions are in addition to those included in section V.6. of the FPAC-BC Grants.gov Application Guide.

• The Budget Narrative is subject to the attachment requirements noted in section III.2.1 of the FPAC-BC Grants.gov Application Guide.

• Indirect Cost Limitation for Non-Profit Organizations or Institutions of Higher Educations That Receive a Cooperative or Contribution Agreement - In accordance with USDA’s annual appropriations act, indirect costs will be limited to no more than 10 percent of total direct costs that receive a cooperative or contribution agreement. See section V.6. of the FPAC-BC Grants.gov Application Guide for instructions on how to determine the allowable indirect costs when a statutory limitation is applicable.

f. Other Attachments

• See section V.7. of the FPAC-BC Grants.gov Application Guide.

• Current and Pending Support- See section V.7.1 of the FPAC-BC

Grants.gov Application Guide for link to available template and instructions.

• GADSUM9, Applicant Contact(s) Information – See section V.7.2 of the FPAC-BC Grants.gov Application Guide for link to available template and instructions.

• Negotiated Indirect Cost Rate (NICRA) - See section V.7.3 of the FPAC- BC Grants.gov Application Guide for instructions.

g. Attachments

• See section V.8. of the FPAC-BC Grants.gov Application Guide.

• Subawards – if the organization intends to have subawards, see section V.8.1 of the FPAC-BC Grants.gov Application Guide for instructions.

• Letters of Support - Do not submit letters of support; they are not required

• Conflicts of Interest – see section j. of this part for further information.

h. Grants.gov Lobbying Form

See section V.9. of the FPAC-BC Grants.gov Application Guide for instructions.

i. Disclosure of Lobbying Activities

See section V.10. of the FPAC-BC Grants.gov Application Guide for instructions.

j. Disclosure of Potential Conflict of Interest

2 CFR 400.2 states that 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, and a description of how the interest relates to the application. Upload disclosures under Other Attachments (listed separately under Optional Forms) in Grants.gov. If no conflict exists, no submission is required.

k. Post Submission and Post Award Documentation A completed Statement of Work, using the ezFedGrants Template, will need to be submitted after the recipient is notified of intent to make a Federal Award. During the administrative review process (refer to section F.3. of this NOFO), it may be necessary to request further documentation from the applicant (e.g., organizational information as part of the risk assessment, more detail regarding proposed costs, revised documents).

E. SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS AND DEADLINE

1. Grants.gov Applications

• Applications must be submitted through Grants.gov.

• Grants.gov is a single site to find and apply for grant funding opportunities.

https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-B/chapter-IV/part-400/section-400.2

• All forms to prepare and submit an application are available through the funding opportunity on Grants.gov.

2. Grants.gov Requirements and General Guidance

Grants.gov has requirements (e.g., registration and software) that must be met ahead of being able to submit an application using Grants.gov. Refer to section II.1. of the FPAC-BC Grants.gov Application Guide.

• Applications must be received by Grants.gov by 11:59.59 pm Eastern Time (ET) on the established due date (see section A.6.); an application is considered late at 12:00 am ET and will be rejected.

• 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.

• Grants.gov automatically records proof of submission by way of an electronic date/time stamp when the application is successfully received by Grants.gov.

• Grants.gov will send an email to the Authorized Organizational Representative (AOR) submitting an application when:

o an error prevents the transmission of the application o an application is successfully received by Grants.gov o the agency retrieves and downloads the application from

Grants.gov and download of submissions

• For trouble submitting an application to Grants.gov, contact Grants.gov Applicant Support at 1-800-518-4726 or support@grants.gov.

F. APPLICATION REVIEW INFORMATION

1. Review and Selection Process

The following applications will be accepted for the competitive review process:

• received by the established deadline

• meet eligibility criteria

• contains the applicable documents identified in section D.2.

• compliant with the provisions of this notice. Incomplete, noncompliant, and/or applications not meeting the formatting criteria may be eliminated from competition.

Applicants that do not meet the above criteria will be ineligible for consideration. The agency will send notification of elimination to applicants not meeting the above criteria.

A merit/technical review will be conducted by a technical review board of at least NRCS employees.

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 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 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 mailto:support@grants.gov

The agency plans to select reviewers based on their training and experience in relevant fields, considering the following factors:

• the level of relevant formal experience of the individual, as well as the extent to which an individual is engaged in relevant activities;

• the need to include experts from various areas of specialization within relevant fields;

• the need to include other experts (e.g., producers, range or forest managers/operators, and consumers) who can assess relevance of the applications to targeted audiences and to program needs;

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

• the need to maintain a balanced composition with regard to minority and female representation and an equitable age distribution; and

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

Risk reviews will be conducted by the FPAC-BC, Grants and Agreements Division (GAD). The approving official will make the final award decisions. The approving official for this opportunity is the State Conservationist.

2. Merit/Technical Criteria

Applications will be evaluated against the specific objectives identified under the Program Description. Failure to identify the specific opportunity title may result in a determination of ineligibility. Initially, all application packages will be reviewed to confirm that applicants are eligible recipients. Applications will be evaluated by a committee of NRCS employees. Proposals will be ranked with a scoring range dependent upon the weighted significance of each criterion. Award(s) will be made to applicant(s) whose proposals receive the highest rating or score on technical evaluation criteria, while also proposing a reasonable budget amount.

Criteria includes:

Project Purpose, Approach and Objectives (65 points)- Identification of the applicant’s organization, and description of the applicant’s organizational purpose, objectives, programs and activities; Problem statement/needs assessment; Proposal objectives that are specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, and contain a reasonable timeline for completion; Methods, implementation, timeline; The population that the proposal will benefit; Statement on purpose and the extent that it addresses the agency’s objectives outlined in Section A, Program Description of this NFO.

Project Management (20 points)– Project staff has necessary technical and administrative expertise, timeline and milestones are clear and reasonable.

Budget Narrative (10 points) – The budget is adequately explained and justified, and expenses are allowable, allocable, and reasonable.

Evaluation (5 points) - The extent that the proposal presents a plan for determining the degree to which objectives are met and methods are followed, how success will be measured and documented, and how expected results and outcomes of the project and the anticipated impact on conservation and community will be identified.

Both successful and unsuccessful applicants will be notified of the award decision via letter.

3. Administrative Review and Risk Criteria

The following are criteria that may be reviewed/verified prior to making an award.

• ensure applicant meets eligibility criteria,

• application was submitted via Grants.gov by the established deadline

• risk review of applicant (see 2 CFR 200.206) o check SAM to ensure the applicant is not suspended or debarred o review and consider information included in the designated integrity and performance system accessible through SAM (the Federal Awardee Performance Integrity Information System, FAPIIS) (see 41 USC 2313 and 2 CFR 200.206(a) (applies to applications to be supported with a total Federal share greater than $250,000) o assess financial stability of applicant o determine if applicant has a financial management system adequate to segregate and track federal funds o review history of Federal financial assistance award performance

• proposed costs are allowable, allocable, and necessary.

Based on risk assessment, the agency may impose specific award conditions in accordance with 2 CFR 200.208.

G. FEDERAL AWARD NOTICES

Successful Project Notification: The agency will provide notice that an application has been selected before it actually issues the Federal award. The selection notification does not authorize the applicant to begin performance. If the applicant chooses to begin project activities, it does so at its own risk; the risk that costs may not be reimbursed.

Notice of Award: The Notice of Grant and Agreement Award (ADS-093) contains information identified in 2 CFR 200.211 and is signed by the authorized agency official; it is the only authorizing document and will be provided electronically to the entity’s authorized official for signature.

https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2024/04/22/2024-07496/guidance-for-federal-financial-assistance#sectno-citation-200.206 https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?path=/prelim@title41/subtitle1/divisionB/chapter23&edition=prelim https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2024/04/22/2024-07496/guidance-for-federal-financial-assistance#sectno-citation-200.208 https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2024/04/22/2024-07496/guidance-for-federal-financial-assistance#sectno-citation-200.211

Unsuccessful Project Notification: The agency will provide notice to unsuccessful applicants via an email to the individual listed as the Program Director. This notification will occur following the processing of successful applications.

H. POST-AWARD REQUIREMENTS (ADMINISTRATIVE & NATIONAL POLICY)

All project funds will be used in accordance with 2 CFR Part 200 and the General Terms and Conditions, which are available at the following website:

https://www.fpacbc.usda.gov/about/grants-and-agreements/award-terms-and-conditions/index.html. The award terms and conditions includes, but is not limited to:

• unallowable costs

• national policy requirements o If projects performed pursuant to this opportunity are subject to any of the following, the agency must work with the awardees on related matters before commencement of activities.

▪ National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA)

▪ National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA)

▪ Endangered Species Act (ESA)

• Build America, Buy America for Construction

• Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 compliance requirements

• reporting requirements o Addresses financial and performance requirements and the reporting frequency, means of submission o Reporting of matters related to recipient integrity and performance o Reporting subaward and executive compensation information

• 2 CFR 180 - 2 CFR 180.335 and 180.350, includes reporting requirements regarding debarment and suspension audit requirements

I. OTHER INFORMATION

1. Freedom of Information Act (FOIA)

Applications are considered confidential information. Applications are not shared with individuals or entities seeking public disclosure through the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) without the consent of the applicant. More specifically, Executive Order 12600 and USDA FOIA regulation 7 CFR Part 1, Subpart A requires the awarding agency to provide notice to applicants that a third party has requested copies of their business information and requires the awarding agency to consult with applicants regarding the releasing their records.

https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-A/chapter-II/part-200 https://www.fpacbc.usda.gov/about/grants-and-agreements/award-terms-and-conditions/index.html https://www.fpacbc.usda.gov/about/grants-and-agreements/award-terms-and-conditions/index.html https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/section-180.335 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/section-180.350 https://www.federalregister.gov/executive-order/12600 https://www.federalregister.gov/executive-order/12600 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-7/subtitle-A/part-1

2. Government Obligation

The Federal Government is not obligated to make any Federal award as a result of this opportunity. Only authorized federal officials can bind the Federal Government to the expenditure of funds.

3. Award Counterparts

Any award made pursuant to this NOFO may be executed in any number of counterparts, each of which shall be deemed an original, but all of which together shall constitute one and the same instrument.

For more information on urban agriculture programs and offerings in New Jersey, please visit https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/conservation-basics/conservation-by-state/new-jersey/new-jersey-urban-agriculture.

For more information on the USDA People’s Garden Initiative, including how to register your garden, please visit https://www.usda.gov/peoples-garden.

U.S. Department of Agriculture Non-Discrimination Statement

In accordance with Federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, the USDA, its Agencies, offices, and employees, and institutions participating in or administering USDA programs are prohibited from discriminating based on race, color, national origin, religion, sex, gender identity (including gender expression), sexual orientation, disability, age, marital status, family/parental status, income derived from a public assistance program, political beliefs, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity, in any program or activity conducted or funded by USDA (not all bases apply to all programs).

Remedies and complaint filing deadlines vary by program or incident.

Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication for program information (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language, etc.) should contact the responsible Agency or USDA’s TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TTY) or contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339. Additionally, program information may be made available in languages other than English.

To file a program discrimination complaint, complete the USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form, AD-3027, found online at https://www.usda.gov/oascr/filing-program-discrimination-complaint-usda-customer and at any USDA office or write a letter addressed to USDA and provide in the letter all of the information requested in the form. To request a copy of the complaint form, call (866) 632-9992. Submit your completed form or letter to USDA by:

(1) Mail: U.S. Department of Agriculture Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights 1400 Independence Avenue, SW Washington, D.C. 20250-9410

(2) Fax: (202) 690-7442; or https://www.lawinsider.com/clause/counterparts https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/conservation-basics/conservation-by-state/new-jersey/new-jersey-urban-agriculture https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/conservation-basics/conservation-by-state/new-jersey/new-jersey-urban-agriculture https://www.usda.gov/peoples-garden https://www.usda.gov/oascr/filing-program-discrimination-complaint-usda-customer https://www.usda.gov/oascr/filing-program-discrimination-complaint-usda-customer

(3) Email: program.intake@usda.gov

USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender.

mailto:program.intake@usda.gov

APPENDIX A

Contents

1. SF-424 PREPARATION

2. SF-424A PREPARATION

ATTACHMENT 1: SF424A SAMPLE

If applying to an opportunity on Grants.gov, complete the forms in the opportunity package. For all other applications, use the forms available on Grants.gov: https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/forms/sf‐424‐family.html

FBAC‐BC GRANTS AND AGREEEMENTS WEBSITE

https://www.fpacbc.usda.gov/about/grants‐and‐agreements/apply‐to‐a‐funding‐opportunity/index.html

1. SF‐424 PREPARATION

Instructions for new agreement applications only. Separate instructions apply to amendments.

Applicants must review these instructions to ensure that the form is completed correctly. This will reduce the likelihood that the form will need to be returned for correction and potentially delay execution of any resultant agreement.

Columns one and two below correlate to the blocks on the Form SF‐425. Column 3 includes the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Standard Form instructions, and the final column includes FPAC Agency specific guidance to be used to complete the form.

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.

Applicants should generally select “New”. If, however, the applicable Notice of Funding Opportunity (NFO) allows the

• 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 BD: Decrease Award, Decrease Duration

Required.

submission of renewals or supplements (see section B of the NFO) and the application meets the NFO description of one of these categories, then choose “Continuation or Revision” and the appropriate letter(s).

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.

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

Optional. 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 Identification Number

(EIN/TIN)

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

Required.

This number must be consistent with the number in the applicant’s SAM 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); 9‐ digit 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

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.

number and email (required); fax number.

Required.

9 Type of Applicant 1 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.

Enter the applicable agency if not…