Grants for Agricultural Research, Special Research Grants (10.200)

Program

10.200 Grants for Agricultural Research, Special Research Grants

Federal Agency

Agency: Department of Agriculture
Office: National Institute of Food and Agriculture

Authorization

Section 2 (c), Public Law 89-106, 7 U.S.C. 450i(c), as amended, 7 U.S.C 450i(c).

Program Number

10.200

Last Known Status

Active

Objectives

To carry out research, to facilitate or expand promising breakthroughs in areas of the food and agricultural sciences of importance to the nation and to facilitate or expand on-going State-Federal food and agricultural research programs.

Types of Assistance

PROJECT GRANTS

Uses and Use Restrictions

Grant funds must be used for allowable costs necessary to conduct approved fundamental and applied research, extension and education objectives to address food and agricultural sciences. Awards are generally limited to high priority problems of a regional or national scope. NIFA has determined that grant funds awarded under this authority may not be used for the renovation or refurbishment of research, education, or extension space; the purchase or installation of fixed equipment in such space; or the planning, repair, rehabilitation, acquisition, or construction of buildings or facilities.

Funds may not be used for any purposes other than those approved in the grant award documents.

Funds shall not be used for tuition remission.

Generally, Indirect Costs are generally not allowable for this program.
Please refer to RFA, Part IV.D. � Applications � Funding Restrictions for specific details.

However, the following programs are EXCEPTIONS to the general rule:
(1) Aquaculture Centers [ 7 U.S.C. 3322(d)]
(2) Critical Agricultural Materials (Pub. L. 95-592)
(3) Federal Administration - Research
(4) Pest Management Alternatives (aka PMAP) and
(5) Supplemental and Alternative Crops [ 7 U.S.C. 3319d (c)].

For the above-referenced five (5) EXCEPTIONS to the general rule, the following provisions are applicable:

Section 7132 of the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 amended the National Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching Policy Act of 1977 (7 U.S.C. 3310(a)), limiting indirect costs for grants to 22 percent of the total Federal funds provided under each award. Therefore, when preparing budgets, applicants should limit their requests for recovery of indirect costs to the lesser of their institution�s official negotiated indirect cost rate or the equivalent of 22 percent of total Federal funds awarded.

The following Special Note is also applicable to the above-referenced five (5) exceptions to the Indirect Cost provisions:

**Special Note - Use of Indirect Costs as In-Kind Matching Contributions. Indirect costs may be claimed under the Federal portion of the award budget or, alternatively, indirect costs may be claimed as a matching contribution (if no indirect costs are requested under the Federal portion of the award budget). However, unless explicitly authorized in the RFA, indirect costs may not be claimed on both the Federal portion of the award budget and as a matching contribution, unless the total claimed on both the Federal portion of the award budget and as a matching contribution does not exceed the maximum allowed indirect costs or the institution�s negotiated indirect cost rate, whichever is less. An awardee may split the allocation between the Federal and non-Federal portions of the budget only if the total amount of indirect costs charged to the project does not exceed the maximum allowed indirect costs or the institution�s negotiated indirect cost rate, whichever is less. For example, if an awardees' indirect costs are capped at 22 percent pursuant to section 1462(a) of NARETPA (7 U.S.C. 3310(a)), the awardee may request 11 percent of the indirect costs on both the Federal portion of the award and as a matching contribution. Or, the awardee may request any similar percentage that, when combined, does not exceed the maximum indirect cost rate of 22 percent. Fully discretionary.

Eligibility Requirements

Applicant Eligibility

Special Research Grants: State agricultural experiment stations, all colleges and universities, other research institutions and organizations, Federal agencies, private organizations or corporations and individuals having a demonstrable capacity to conduct research activities to facilitate or expand promising breakthroughs in areas of the food and agricultural sciences of importance to the United States.

Beneficiary Eligibility

For Special Research Grants: State agricultural experiment stations, all colleges and universities, other research institutions and organizations, Federal agencies, private organizations or corporations and individuals having a demonstrable capacity to conduct research activities to facilitate or expand promising breakthroughs in areas of the food and agricultural sciences of importance to the United States.

Credentials/Documentation

A Data Universal Number System (DUNS) number must be obtained - A DUNS number is a unique number that identifies an organization. It has been adopted by the Federal government to help track how Federal grant money is distributed. If your organization does not have a DUNS number, call the special Dun & Bradstreet hotline at 1-866-705-5711 to receive one free of charge. You will receive a DUNS number within several days of your request. Please note, individual proprietorships (i.e. farmers, ranchers) can request and receive a DUNS number, but must register with Grants.gov as an organization, not as an individual.
Registration with Central Contractor Registry (CCR) is required - The CCR is the central government repository for organizations working with the Federal government. If your organization is not already registered, identify the primary contact who should register your organization. When your organization registers with CCR, it will be required to designate an e-Business Point of Contact (e-Business POC). The e-Business POC authorizes individuals to submit grant applications on behalf of the organization and creates a special password called a Marketing Partner ID Number (M-PIN) to verify individuals authorized to submit grant applications for the organization. Visit the CCR Web site at http://www.ccr.gov to begin this process. It may take several days to collect the information needed for your organization�s registration. The CCR Assistance Center can be reached at 888-227-2423. This information collection is approved under OMB Control No. 0524-0039, �NIFA Application Kit for Research and Extension Programs.�
Applicants must furnish the information required in the request for applications (RFAs). Successful applicants recommended for funding must furnish the information and assurances requested during the award documentation process. These include, but are not limited to the following:
Organizational Management Information - Specific management information relating to an applicant shall be submitted on a one time basis, with updates on an as needed basis, as part of the responsibility determination prior to the award of a grant identified under this RFA, if such information has not been provided previously under this or another NIFA program. NIFA will provide copies of forms recommended for use in fulfilling these requirements as part of the preaward process. Although an applicant may be eligible based on its status as one of these entities, there are factors which may exclude an applicant from receiving Federal financial and nonfinancial assistance and benefits under this program (e.g., debarment or suspension of an individual involved or a determination that an applicant is not responsible based on submitted organizational management information). This information collection is approved under OMB Circular Control No. 0524-0026, �Assurance of Compliance with the Department of Agriculture Regulations Assuring Civil Rights, Compliance and Organization Information.�. OMB Circular No. A-87 applies to this program.

Application and Award Process

Preapplication Coordination

All RFAs are published on the Agency�s website and Grants.gov. Applicants must complete the Grants.gov registration process. Please see the following Grants.gov link for more information: http://www.grants.gov/applicants/get_registered.jsp. This program is excluded from coverage under E.O. 12372. An environmental impact statement is required for this program. This program is excluded from coverage under E.O. 12372.

Application Procedure

OMB Circular No. A-102 applies to this program. OMB Circular No. A-110 applies to this program. Applications should be submitted as outlined in the RFA. Applications must follow the instructions provided per Grants.Gov and in the Agency guide to submitting applications via Grants.gov.

Award Procedure

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. 1613) 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 RFA.
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 RFA.

Deadlines

Contact the headquarters or regional office, as appropriate, for application deadlines.

Range of Approval/Disapproval Time

Section :094 - Deadlines:
Specific deadline dates are announced on the Agency�s website: http://www.nifa.usda.gov
Contact the headquarters, as appropriate, for application deadlines. See Section : 152 for specific details.
Further, dates for specific deadlines are announced in the RFA each fiscal year.
Section :095 - Range of Approval/Disapproval Time:
From 30 to 180 days.

Appeals

Not Applicable.

Renewals

Specific details are provided in the Request for Applications (RFA) each fiscal year.

Assistance Considerations

Formula and Matching Requirements

This program has no statutory formula.

This program has no matching requirements. Funds are awarded competitively. No formula grants are awarded under Subtitle K of the National Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching Policy Act of 1977 [7 U.S.C. 3319e].

Generally, NIFA does NOT require matching or cost sharing support for this program.

However, the Rangeland Research Program is an EXCEPTION to the general rule. The following represents pertinent information regarding the Rangeland Research Program [ 7 U.S.C. 3333(a)(1)]:

Pursuant to Section 1480 of the National Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching Policy Act of 1977 as amended [7 USC 3333(b)(1)], applicants are required to provide 50 percent matching funds from non-federal sources for all proposed Federal funds sought in the application. Non-federal matching contributions, such as cash and third party in kind, are accepted under this program as qualified by 7 USC 3015 and 7 USC 3019.

MOE requirements are not applicable to this program.

Length and Time Phasing of Assistance

The term of competitive project grants and/or cooperative agreements under this program may not exceed three (3) years. Method of awarding/releasing assistance: by letter of credit.

Post Assistance Requirements

Reports

Grantees also are required to submit annual and summary progress reports via NIFA�s Current Research Information System (CRIS). This reporting requirement was approved under OMB Control No. 0524-0042, �NIFA Current Research Information System (CRIS).� CRIS is an electronic, web-based inventory system that facilitates both grantee submission of project outcomes and public access to information on Federally-funded projects. Cash reports are not applicable. Grantees also are required to submit annual and summary progress reports via NIFA�s Current Research Information System (CRIS). This reporting requirement was approved under OMB Control No. 0524-0042, �NIFA Current Research Information System (CRIS).� CRIS is an electronic, web-based inventory system that facilitates both grantee submission of project outcomes and public access to information on Federally-funded projects. A final �Financial Status Report� (SF-269) or �Federal Financial Report� (SF-425) is due within 90 days of the expiration date of the grant and should be submitted to the Awards Management Branch, Office of Extramural Programs at the address listed below, in accordance with instructions contained in 2 CFR 3430.55 (also refer to Section 3015.82 of the Uniform Federal Assistance Regulations).
Awards Management Branch
Office of Extramural Programs
National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA)
U.S. Department of Agriculture
STOP 2271
1400 Independence Avenue, SW
Washington, DC 20250-2271
Telephone: (202) 401-4986. Grantees also are required to submit annual and summary progress reports via NIFA�s Current Research Information System (CRIS). This reporting requirement was approved under OMB Control No. 0524-0042, �NIFA Current Research Information System (CRIS).� CRIS is an electronic, web-based inventory system that facilitates both grantee submission of project outcomes and public access to information on Federally-funded projects.

Audits

In accordance with the provisions of OMB Circular No. A-133 (Revised, June 27, 2003), "Audits of States, Local Governments, and Non-Profit Organizations," nonfederal entities that expend financial assistance of $500,000 or more in Federal awards will have a single or a program-specific audit conducted for that year. Nonfederal entities that expend less than $500,000 a year in Federal awards are exempt from Federal audit requirements for that year, except as noted in Circular No. A-133. Audits will be conducted in accordance with guidelines established in the revised OMB Circular No. A-133, �Audits of States, Local Governments, and Nonprofit Organizations,� and implemented in 7 CFR 3052. This program is also subject to audit by the cognizant Federal audit agency and the USDA Office of Inspector General.

Records

In accordance with the Uniform Administrative Requirements for Grants and Agreements with Institutions of Higher Education, Hospitals, and other Non-profit Organizations [2 CFR 215, Subpart C, Section 215.53, (OMB Circular A-110)] grantees shall maintain separate records for each grant to ensure that funds are used for authorized purposes. Grant-related records are subject to inspection during the life of the grant and must be retained at least three (3) years. Records must be retained beyond the three-year period if litigation is pending or audit findings have not been resolved.

Program Accomplishments

Fiscal Year 2008: (Data must be provided by Program Unit at a future date.). Fiscal Year 2009: (Data must be provided by Program Unit at a future date.). Fiscal Year 2010: (Data must be provided by Program Unit at a future date.).

Financial Information

Account Identification

12-1500-0-1-352.

Obligations

(Project Grants) FY 08 $99,827,359; FY 09 est $93,608,517; FY 10 est $93,608,517 - The difference between the appropriation and obligation numbers reflects legislative authorized set-asides deducted as appropriate, and in some cases the availability of obligational authority from prior years.

Range and Average of Financial Assistance

If minimum or maximum amounts of funding per competitive project grant or cooperative agreement are established, these will be announced in the annual program announcement or Request for Application (RFA).

Regulations, Guidelines and Literature

7 CFR Part 3430, Competitive and Noncompetitive Non-formula Grant Programs � General Grant Administrative Provisions and Program-Specific Administrative Provisions; 7 CFR Part 3015, USDA Uniform Federal Assistance Regulations; 7 CFR Part 3017, Government wide Debarment and Suspension (Nonprocurement) ; 7 CFR Part 3018, New Restrictions on Lobbying; 7 CFR Part 3019, Uniform Administrative Requirements for Grants and Agreements with Institutions of Higher Education, Hospitals, and Other Non-profit Organizations; and 7 CFR Part 3021� USDA implementation of Governmentwide Requirements for Drug-free Workplace (Financial Assistance).

Related Programs

10.001 Agricultural Research_Basic and Applied Research; 10.202 Cooperative Forestry Research; 10.203 Payments to Agricultural Experiment Stations Under the Hatch Act; 10.205 Payments to 1890 Land-Grant Colleges and Tuskegee University; 10.206 Grants for Agricultural Research_Competitive Research Grants; 10.207 Animal Health and Disease Research; 10.215 Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education; 10.219 Biotechnology Risk Assessment Research; 10.250 Agricultural and Rural Economic Research; 10.652 Forestry Research

Information Contacts

Regional or Local Office

None.

Headquarters Office

USDA, NIFA, National Program Leader, Competitive Programs, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW, STOP 2240,, Washington , District of Columbia 20024 Phone: (202) 401-1761

Web Site Address

http://www.nifa.usda.gov/

Examples of Funded Projects

Fiscal Year 2008: Interregional Research Project #4 Minor Crop Pest Management Program (IR-4); SRGP: Potato Research; SRGP: Pest Management Alternatives Research; Aquaculture Product & Market Development; Global Change/Ultraviolet Radiation; Joe Skeen Inst for Rangeland Restoration; Pest Management Alternatives and/or Canola Research. Fiscal Year 2009: FY 2009 - Funding is anticipated for projects similar to FY '08 projects. Fiscal Year 2010: FY 2010 - Funding is anticipated for projects similar to FY '08 projects.

Criteria for Selecting Proposals

Within guidelines established for the program as described in the Request for Application (RFA).