Dairy Business Innovation Initiatives

The Dairy Business Innovation (DBI) Initiatives connects the Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) with eligible entities to host DBI Initiatives to manage the program by supporting dairy businesses in the development, production, marketing, and distr

Initiatives provide direct technical assistance and make grants to dairy businesses and are positioned to draw on existing dairy industry resources, including activities conducted by the National Dairy Promotion and Research Board and other dairy promotion entities, research capacity, academic and industry expertise, a density of dairy farms or farmland suitable for dairying, and dairy businesses. Initiatives may serve a certain product niche, such as specialty cheese, or serve dairy businesses with dairy products derived from the milk of a specific type of dairy animal, including dairy products made from cow milk, sheep milk, and goat milk. Initiatives also consult with the National Dairy Promotion and Research Board and AMS in carrying out the program and report on outcomes of the program as well as any related activities and opportunities to further increase dairy innovation to AMS.

Projects that benefit dairy businesses, producers and regional dairy processors.

Funding is utilized to cover expenses by eligible applicants for project types as identified in the Request for Applications. Funds are provided on either advanced or reimbursement basis. Recipients have up to three (3) calendar years to use the funds. Applicable Terms and Conditions for these grants are available at https://www.ams.usda.gov/services/grants/terms-and-conditions and disclose how assistance is awarded/released.

Eligible entities may not use grant funds for the purchase of land or for construction.

Funds are advanced or reimbursed. Applicants have up to 3 calendar years to use the funds. Method of awarding/releasing assistance: See www.ams.usda.gov/grants for grant agreement award terms and conditions to obtain information on how assistance is awarded/released.

Preapplication coordination is not applicable. Environmental impact information is not required for this program. This program is excluded from coverage under Executive Order 12372 (Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs).

Applications will be evaluated based on the criteria established for the program and described in the RFA. The most current RFA is available via Grants.gov or www.ams.usda.gov/grants.

AMS outlines the application requirements and merit review process in each grant program's RFA. Applicants are required to use the RFA to apply for grant funds. After the application deadline has passed, AMS begins a three-step process to evaluate each application submitted to the grant program and select applications for funding. Grant agreements are established with applicants based on the results of this three-step process to ensure compliance with requirement that Federal awarding agencies maintain a fair, unbiased merit review process in selecting competitively awarded grants. The Initial Qualification Screening is Step 1. In this step, the application is reviewed to ensure that they met the RFA's basic requirements. Applications that met these basic requirements moved forward to Step 2. Step 2 is the Competitive Review. Applications are evaluated by panels of external peer reviewers. Selected reviewers have diverse expertise representing various entities with programmatic knowledge. To eliminate bias, AMS assigns applications to reviewers outside of their own geographic areas and avoid project assignments associated with reviewer businesses. Each reviewer also signs a conflict of interest and confidentiality agreement. Reviewers that indicate a real or perceived conflict do not review the affected application(s) and are removed from those application discussions. The panels analyze each application using the RFA's evaluation criteria and instructions prepared by AMS. Individual reviewers evaluate and score their assigned applications and then confer with their team to derive a consensus review. The consensus review serves as the basis for awarding grant funds and focuses on the applications' strengths and weaknesses. The third step is the Administrative Review (Step 3). AMS conducts a final administrative evaluation of each application in the review panels' top rankings and recommendations. In addition to the applications' scores, each award is reviewed to ensure that the recommended applications align with the grant program's statutory purpose and that the budget items were allowable and necessary. AMS also assesses the applicants' ability to account for the use of Federal funds and monitor the performance associated with these monies. Non-competitive grant programs implemented by AMS are limited to Step 3 in the application review process.

Funding opportunities are available annually. Applicants must review the applicable Request for Applications (RFA) for specific application deadlines. Refer to the program webpage at https://www.ams.usda.gov/services/grants and visit the How to Apply tab for additional information.

Eligible applicants should review the RFA for the application deadline. Annual application deadlines and funding opportunities are posted in Grants.gov. More information is available at www.ams.usda.gov/grants.

Awards are issued for up to 3 years in length. Renewals are not applicable. A one- year extension to complete approved project activities may be requested, subject to AMS approval.

Applicants and recipients may appeal certain decisions in accordance with AMS appeal policies. Please refer to AMS appeal policies at https://www.ams.usda.gov/services/policies-procedures