Initiative for Future Agriculture and Food Systems
Published on AidPage by
IDILOGIC on Jun 24, 2005
Purpose of this program:
To fund competitive research, education, and extension grants to address critical and emerging agriculture issues.
Possible uses and use restrictions...
This competitive grants program awards large grants to multi-State, multi-institutional, and multi-disciplinary projects across priority topic areas. These priority areas include: Agricultural genomics, agricultural biotechnology, food safety, new uses for agricultural products, natural resource management, and farm efficiency and profitability.
Who is eligible to apply...
State Agricultural Experiment Stations, U.S. colleges/universities, other U.S. research institutions and organizations, Federal agencies,private organizations or corporations, and individuals. Proposals from scientists at non-U.S. organizations will not be considered for support.
Credentials/Documentation
Each prospective grantee organization must furnish the organizational information and assurances specified in the guidelines. This program is excluded from coverage under OMB Circular No. A-87.
Note:This is a brief description of the credentials or documentation required prior to, or along with, an application for assistance.
About this section:
This section indicates who can apply to the Federal government for assistance and the criteria the potential applicant must satisfy.
For example, individuals may be eligible for research grants, and the criteria to be satisfied may be that they have a professional or scientific degree,
3 years of research experience, and be a citizen of the United States. Universities, medical schools, hospitals, or State and local governments may also be eligible.
Where State governments are eligible, the type of State agency will be indicated (State welfare agency or State agency on aging) and the criteria that they
must satisfy.
Certain federal programs (e.g., the Pell Grant program which provides grants to students) involve intermediate levels of application processing, i.e., applications
are transmitted through colleges or universities that are neither the direct applicant nor the ultimate beneficiary. For these programs,
the criteria that the intermediaries must satisfy are also indicated, along with intermediaries who are not eligible.
How to apply...
Application Procedure:
Formal proposal to USDA/CSREES as outlined in the guidelines. Application procedures are contained in CSREES Research Grant Application Kit. This program is subject to the provisions of 7 CFR 3019.
Note: Each program will indicate whether applications are to be submitted to the Federal headquarters, regional or local office, or to a State or local government office.
Award Procedure:
CSREES program staff members review and evaluate all proposals with the assistance and advice of a peer panel of qualified scientists and other appropriate persons who are specialists in the field covered by the proposal. Proposals are accepted in order of merit to the extent permitted by available funds.
Note: Grant payments may be made by a letter of credit, advance by Treasury check, or reimbursement by Treasury check.
Awards may be made by the headquarters office directly to the applicant, an agency field office, a regional office,
or by an authorized county office. The assistance may pass through the initial applicant for further distribution by
intermediate level applicants to groups or individuals in the private sector.
Deadlines and process...
Deadlines
As announced in the Federal Register for each fiscal year.
Note:
When available, this section indicates the deadlines for applications to the funding agency which will
be stated in terms of the date(s) or between what dates the application should be received.
When not available, applicants should contact the funding agency for deadline information.
Range of Approval/Disapproval Time
From 90 to 180 days.
Preapplication Coordination
All proposal solicitations are published in the Federal Register. This program is excluded from coverage under OMB Circular No. A-102 and E.O. 12372.
Note:
This section indicates whether any prior coordination or approval is required with governmental or nongovernmental units
prior to the submission of a formal application to the federal funding agency.
Appeals
None.
Note:
In some cases, there are no provisions for appeal. Where applicable, this section discusses appeal procedures or allowable rework time for resubmission
of applications to be processed by the funding agency. Appeal procedures vary with individual programs and are either listed in this section or
applicants are referred to appeal procedures documented in the relevant Code of Federal Regulations (CFR).
Renewals
Proposals for renewal, should be submitted at the announced deadline. Renewals are treated in competition with all other pending proposals.
Note:
In some instances, renewal procedures may be the same as for the application procedure, e.g., for projects of a non-continuing nature renewals will be treated as new, competing applications; for projects of an ongoing nature, renewals may be given annually.
Who can benefit...
State Agricultural Experiment Stations, U.S. colleges/universities, other U.S. research institutions and organizations, Federal agencies, private organizations or corporations, and individuals. Proposals from scientists at non-U.S. organizations will not be considered for support.
Beneficiaries
About this section:
This section lists the ultimate beneficiaries of a program, the criteria they must satisfy and who specifically is not eligible. The applicant and beneficiary will generally be the same for programs that provide assistance directly from a Federal agency. However, financial assistance that passes through State or local governments will have different applicants and beneficiaries since the assistance is transmitted to private sector beneficiaries who are not obligated to request or apply for the assistance.
What types of assistance...
Project Grants
The funding, for fixed or known periods, of specific projects. Project grants can include fellowships, scholarships, research grants, training grants, traineeships, experimental and demonstration grants, evaluation grants, planning grants, technical assistance grants, survey grants, and construction grants.
How much financial aid...
Range and Average of Financial Assistance
From $65,000 to $4,375,000; $1,313,085.
Note:
This section lists the representative range (smallest to largest) of the amount of financial assistance available. These figures are based upon funds awarded in the past fiscal year and the current fiscal year to date. Also indicated is an approximate average amount of awards which were made in the past and current fiscal years.
Obligations
(Grants) FY 03 $0; FY 04 $0; and FY 05 est $0. Note: Grants are competitively awarded.
Note:
The dollar amounts listed in this section represent obligations for the past fiscal year (PY), estimates for the current fiscal year (CY), and estimates for the budget fiscal year (BY) as reported by the Federal agencies. Obligations for non-financial assistance programs indicate the administrative expenses involved in the operation of a program.
Account Identification
12-1503-0-1-352.
Note:
Note: This 11-digit budget account identification code represents the account which funds a particular program.
This code should be consistent with the code given for the program area as specified in Appendix III of the Budget of the United States Government.
Examples of funded projects...
Comparative Genomics of Domestication Traits in Lettuce and Sunflower; Genetic Resistance to Paratuberculosis in Dairy Cattle; Sustainability of BT Cotton in the Southwest; Consortium to Address Social, Economic and Ethical Aspects of Biotechnology; Improving Bone Health in Adolescence Through Targeted Behavioral Intervention.
About this section
This section indicates the different types of projects which have been funded in the past. Only projects funded under Project Grants or Direct Payments for Specified Use should be listed here. The examples give potential applicants an idea of the types of projects that may be accepted for funding. The agency should list at least five examples of the most recently funded projects.
Program accomplishments...
Funding helped initiate a biologically based control project for the area-wide management of invasive weeds in several Western states; Researchers studied the removal of poorly digestible corn fiber used in swine feed, which substantially reduces the excretions of total dry manure, nitrogen, and odor.
Criteria for selecting proposals...
(1) The scientific merit of the proposal, including the suitability and feasibility of the approaches and methodology; (2) the probability that the research will contribute to important discoveries or significant breakthroughs in food production or human nutrition, in relation to the mission of this program; (3) the qualifications of the principal investigator and other senior personnel, such as training, demonstrated awareness of previous and alternative approaches to the problem, and performance record and/or potential for future accomplishment; and (4) the probable adequacy of available or obtainable facilities, equipment, instrumentation, and technical support. Research grants will be considered in selected areas of plant systems; animal systems; natural resources and environment; and nutrition, food quality and health which have been considered by a number of scientific groups to possess exceptional opportunity for fundamental scientific discovery and for contributing, in the long run, to applied research and development vitally needed on important food and nutrition problems. Consideration will be given to research proposals which address fundamental questions in the relevant areas and which are consistent with the long-range missions of USDA.
Assistance considerations...
Length and Time Phasing of Assistance
Normally, competitive research projects will be supported for periods of up to 3 years.
Formula and Matching Requirements
None.
Note:
A formula may be based on population, per capita income, and other statistical factors. Applicants are informed whether there are any matching requirements to be met when participating in the cost of a project. In general, the matching share represents that portion of the project costs not borne by the Federal government. Attachment F of OMB Circular No. A-102 (Office of Management and Budget) sets forth the criteria and procedures for the evaluation of matching share requirements which may be cash or in-kind contributions made by State and local governments or other agencies, institutions, private organizations, or individuals to satisfy matching requirements of Federal grants or loans.
Cash contributions represent the grantees' cash outlay, including the outlay of money contributed to the grantee by other public agencies, institutions, private organizations, or individuals. When authorized by Federal regulation, Federal funds received from other grants may be considered as the grantees' cash contribution.
In-kind contributions represent the value of noncash contributions provided by the grantee, other public agencies and institutions, private organizations or individuals. In-kind contributions may consist of charges for real property and equipment, and value of goods and services directly benefiting and specifically identifiable to the grant program. When authorized by Federal legislation, property purchased with Federal funds may be considered as grantees' in-kind contribution.
Maintenance of effort (MOE) is a requirement contained in certain legislation, regulations, or administrative policies stating that a grantee must maintain a specified level of financial effort in a specific area in order to receive Federal grant funds, and that the Federal grant funds may be used only to supplement, not supplant, the level of grantee funds.
Post assistance requirements...
Reports
Annual progress reports are due within 90 days after anniversary of grant effective date and final technical reports are due 90 days after expiration of grant. Federal cash transaction reports and financial status reports as stated in 7 CFR 3019.52.
Note:
This section indicates whether program reports, expenditure reports, cash reports or performance monitoring are required by the Federal funding agency, and specifies at what time intervals (monthly, annually, etc.) this must be accomplished.
Audits
In accordance with the provisions of OMB Circular No. A- 133 (Revised, June 24, 1997), "Audits of States, Local Governments, and Non-Profit Organizations," non federal entities that expend financial assistance of $300,000 or more in Federal awards will have a single or a program-specific audit conducted for that year. Nonfederal entities that expend less than $300,000 a year in Federal awards are exempt from Federal audit requirements for that year, except as noted in Circular No. A-133.
Note:
This section discusses audits required by the Federal agency.
The procedures and requirements for State and local governments and nonprofit entities are set forth in OMB Circular No. A-133.
These requirements pertain to awards made within the respective State's fiscal year - not the Federal fiscal year,
as some State and local governments may use the calendar year or other variation of time span designated as the fiscal year period,
rather than that commonly known as the Federal fiscal year (from October 1st through September 30th).
Records
Grantees are expected to maintain separate records for each grant to insure that funds are used for the purpose for which the grant was made. Records are subject to inspection during life of the grant and for 3 years thereafter.
Note:
This section indicates the record retention requirements and the type of records the Federal agency may require.
Not included are the normally imposed requirements of the General Accounting Office.
For programs falling under the purview of OMB Circular No. A-102, record retention is set forth in Attachment C.
For other programs, record retention is governed by the funding agency's requirements.
Regulations...
Authorization
Agricultural Research, Education, and Extension Reform Act, Section 401.
Note:
This section lists the legal authority upon which a program is based (acts, amendments to acts, Public Law numbers, titles, sections, Statute Codes, citations to the U.S. Code, Executive Orders, Presidential Reorganization Plans, and Memoranda from an agency head).
Regulations, Guidelines, And Literature
Pages 61290-61306 Federal Register, Vol. 56, No. 231, Part II, December 2, 1991; 7 CFR 3015, USDA Uniform Federal Assistance Regulations; 7 CFR Part 3017, Governmentwide Debarment and Suspension (Nonprocurement) and Governmentwide Requirements for Drug-Free Workplace (Grants); 7 CFR Part 3018, New Restrictions on Lobbying. National Competitive Research Initiative Grants Program Administrative Provisions, Federal Register, Vol. 56, No. 220, Pages 57950-57958, November 14, 1991; and 7 CFR Part 3019, Uniform Administrative Requirements for Grants and Agreements with Institutions of Higher Education, Hospitals, and Other Non-Profit Organizations.