Centers of Excellence at 1890 Institutions

The Centers of Excellence at 1890 Institutions program has funded the establishment of six Centers to protect and manage domestic natural resources for current and future production of food and agricultural products; develop/apply emerging technologi

The purpose of the 1890 COE program is to provide support for Centers of Excellence at 1890 institutions. Per the legislative authority, the Secretary shall recognize not less than three centers of excellence, each led by an 1890 institution. Specifically, the legislation lists six areas of focus, as follows: 1. Student Success and Workforce Development; 2. Nutrition, Health, Wellness, and Quality of Life; 3. Farming Systems, Rural Prosperity, and Economic Sustainability; 4. Global Food Security and Defense; 5. Natural Resources, Energy, and Environment; and 6. Emerging Technologies. Full applications may only be submitted by an individual or consortium of the nineteen 1890 Land-grant Universities, including Tuskegee University (as identified in the Second Morrill Act; 7 U.S.C 321).

Funds may be used only for the purpose for which they are granted in accordance with the approved application and budget, regulations, terms and conditions of the award, applicable federal cost principles, USDA assistance regulations, and NIFA General Awards Administration Provisions, 7 CFR Part 3430, subparts A through E.

Use Restrictions will be identified on the NOFO. 7 U.S.C. 3310(a) limits indirect costs for the overall award to 30 percent of Total Federal Funds Awarded (TFFA) under a research, education, or extension grant. Grant funds may not be used to renovate or refurbish research, education, or extension space; purchase or install fixed equipment in such space; or to plan, repair, rehabilitate, acquire, or construct buildings or facilities.

In accordance with statutory time limits, project periods, including no-cost extensions of time, are not to exceed five (5) years.

NIFA will evaluate applications using the evaluation criteria described in the Notice of Funding Opportunity. In general, NIFA evaluates applications using a two-part process. First, NIFA screens each application to ensure that it meets the administrative requirements set forth in the Notice of Funding Opportunity. All administrative requirements must be met in order for the application to proceed to the next level of review. Second, a scientific peer-review process is used to technically evaluate applications that have met the administrative requirements using a review panel.

Applications are subjected to a system of peer and merit review in accordance with section 103 of the Agricultural Research, Extension and Education Reform Act of 1998 (7 U.S.C. 7613) by a panel of qualified scientists and other appropriate persons who are specialists in the field covered by the proposal. Within the limit of funds available for such purpose, the NIFA Authorized Departmental Officer (ADO) shall make grants to those responsible, eligible applicants whose applications are judged most meritorious under the procedures set forth in the NOFO. Reviewers will be selected based upon training and experience in relevant scientific, extension, or education fields, taking into account the following factors: (a) The level of relevant formal scientific, technical education, or extension experience of the individual, as well as the extent to which an individual is engaged in relevant research, education, or extension activities; (b) the need to include as reviewers experts from various areas of specialization within relevant scientific, education, or extension fields; (c) the need to include as reviewers 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; (d) the need to include as reviewers experts from a variety of organizational types (e.g., colleges, universities, industry, state and Federal agencies, private profit and non-profit organizations) and geographic locations; (e) the need to maintain a balanced composition of reviewers with regard to minority and female representation and an equitable age distribution; and (f) the need to include reviewers who can judge the effective usefulness to producers and the general public of each application. Evaluation Criteria will be delineated in the NOFO.

Specific details are provided in the NOFO, which are generally published annually.