RFAs: Agriculture and Food Research Initiative Competitive Grants Program Education and Workforce Development (US)

Deadline: 5 December 2024

The National Institute of Food and Agriculture is seeking applications for education and training grants that focus on further enhancing the distinct components of the pipeline for developing the workforce in the food and agricultural sciences.

Purpose and Priorities

The purpose of AFRI is to support research, education, and extension projects that address key problems of local, regional, national, and global importance in sustaining conventional, organic, urban food, and agricultural and natural systems. These include farm and ranch production efficiency, profitability, and sustainability; bioenergy and bio-based products; forestry; aquaculture; rural communities and entrepreneurship; human nutrition; mitigating impacts of biotic and abiotic constraints on food production; food safety; mitigating food waste and food loss; physical and social sciences; rural human ecology; development of circular/regenerative economies, and genetic improvement of plant and animals.
In addition, the economic sustainability of food systems is an overarching priority for the projects funded in response to this Request for Applications (RFA); therefore, projects focusing on plant or animal species or commodities that are important to underserved communities, farmers, ranchers, or small- or medium-sized farms or ranches are also welcome. Through this support, AFRI advances knowledge in both fundamental and applied sciences important to agriculture. Each Program Area priority within this RFA may offer all or some of these project types.
Food and agricultural systems face ever-growing constraints including growing populations; pressure on natural resources; challenges of climate variability and change; and complex demands of ensuring nutritional security and food safety in a global economy. Addressing these challenges requires research, education, extension, and integrated programs in concert with science-based approaches that increase agricultural and natural resource sustainability.
The term ‘sustainable agriculture’ means a combined system of plant and animal production practices relevant to site-specific application that will achieve the following long-term goals:
- Satisfy human food and fiber needs;
- Enhance environmental quality and the natural resource base upon which the agricultural economy depends;
- Make the most efficient use of nonrenewable resources and on-farm resources and integrate, where appropriate, natural biological cycles and controls;
- Sustain the economic viability of farm operations; and
- Enhance the quality of life for farmers and society as a whole

Global Engagement

NIFA supports global engagement that advances U.S. agricultural goals. NIFA recognizes that collaboration with international partners may be necessary to attain the agency’s goals for U.S. agriculture, promote global competence of their nation’s future agricultural workforce, and promote safe and nutritious food security in a growing world.

USDA Strategic Goals

The AFRI Education and Workforce Development RFA is aligned with the following: FY2022-2026 USDA Strategic Goals:
- Strategic Goal 1: Combat Climate Change to Support America’s Working Lands, Natural Resources, and Communities;
- Strategic Goal 2: Ensure America’s Agricultural System is Equitable, Resilient, and Prosperous;
- Strategic Goal 3: Foster an Equitable and Competitive Marketplace for All Agricultural Producers;
- Strategic Goal 4: Make Safe, Nutritious Food Available to All Americans;
- Strategic Goal 5: Expand Opportunities for Economic Development and Improve Quality of Life in Rural and Tribal Communities;
- Strategic Goal 6: Attract, Inspire, and Retain an Engaged and Motivated Workforce that’s Proud to Represent USDA

Priorities

The AFRI EWD RFA is aligned with the following USDA Science and Research Strategy, 2023–2026 priorities:
- Priority 1: Accelerating Innovative Technologies & Practices;
- Priority 2: Driving Climate-Smart Solutions;
- Priority 3: Bolstering Nutrition Security & Health;
- Priority 4: Cultivating Resilient Ecosystems;
- Priority 5: Translating Research Into Action.

Program Area Description

The AFRI EWD Program Area RFA addresses projected shortfalls of qualified graduates in the agricultural, food, and renewable natural resources sectors of the U.S. economy (Employment Opportunities for College Graduates). The AFRI EWD Program Area has four overarching goals:
- Growing Agricultural Literacy and Workforce Development for the Future offers institutional grants to provide K-14 teachers and administrators with increased knowledge of the food and agricultural sciences and help them develop improved curricula to train the agricultural workforce for the future.
- Training or Retraining of Agricultural Workers provides institutional training grants to develop a technology- and data-savvy workforce ready for the field and industrial jobs.
- Developing Pathways provides formal or non-formal education experiential learning for students to enter or gain skills applicable to the food and agriculture fields.

Program Area Priority

Professional Development for Agricultural Literacy (PDAL)
- The PDAL Program Area Priority seeks to increase the number of K-14 educational professionals trained in the food and agricultural sciences. Participants (teachers, post- baccalaureate pre-service teachers, counselors, administrators) are expected to develop and apply skills necessary for integrating food and agricultural science concepts in their classes; explore the opportunities available in food and agricultural science career paths; and/or forge mentorships with professional and business leaders, and faculty at four-year institutions
- Education, Extension, or Integrated Projects must:
  - Promote faculty expertise and encourage widespread implementation of educational innovation at K-14 levels in the food and agricultural sciences. This includes topics that contain elements of the human sciences (e.g., disciplines that address issues challenging individuals, youth, families, and communities).
  - Provide immersive learning experiences (e.g., teacher hands-on research, teacher experiential learning), curriculum development and implementation, and teaching training for K-14 education professionals (e.g., teachers, counselors, administrators) and post-baccalaureate pre-service teachers to create and replicate best practices to improve student success outcomes within the food and agricultural sciences.
- Funding Information
  - Maximum Award Amount(s):
    - Including indirect costs: $500,000
    - A minimum of 50% of project direct costs requested must be for participant support.
    - Each review cycle may award up to two grants per lead institution
- Grant Duration: 36-48 months
Agricultural Workforce Training at Community Colleges (AWT)
- The AWT Program Area Priority seeks to develop a workforce ready for the field as well as industry jobs in the food and agricultural sector. Through the development of new workforce training programs, or the expansion, improvement, or renewal of existing workforce training programs at community, junior, and technical colleges/institutes, this program will expand job-based experiential learning opportunities, acquisition of industry-accepted credentials and occupational competencies for students to enable a work-ready labor force for the 21st century. Proposals aimed towards developing baccalaureate or graduate degree programs or pathways towards these degrees are not supported under this Program Area Priority.
- In order to strengthen the capacity of Community Colleges, the AWT program is offering two focus areas: Design and Implementation, with distinct requirements, goals, timelines, and budget maximums. Design projects seek to support faculty and staff to design and develop new credentialed workforce training programs that will train the workforce once the credential is recognized by the cognizant institution.
- Design Projects must address the following:
  - Be developed and carried out by community/junior/technical colleges or institutes with active partnership of employers or other community partners.
  - Design and develop new workforce training programs or stackable-credential frameworks in the food and agricultural sciences at community, junior, and technical colleges or institutes aimed at developing a workforce ready for field and industrial jobs.
  - How the project or frameworks may link high school and community college education to enable participants to gain credentials to join, rejoin or advance in the workforce.
- Implementation Projects must address the following:
  - Provide students the skills and tools necessary to secure industry-accepted credentials to join the workforce upon participation completion.
  - Be developed by, or in active partnership with, community/junior/technical colleges/institutes and their industry partners. All applications to this Program Area priority must demonstrate committed and active partnership with and relevance to industry.
  - Expand and improve existing workforce training programs in the food and agricultural sciences at community, junior, and technical colleges/institutes to develop a workforce ready for field and industrial jobs.
- Funding Information
  - Maximum Award Amount(s):
    - Including indirect costs: $250,000 for Design Project Standard Grants and Strengthening Standard Grants
    - Including indirect costs: $650,000 for Implementation Project Standard Grants and Strengthening Standard Grants
    - Each review cycle may award up to two grants, in any project type combination, per lead institution
- Grant Duration:
  - 12-24 months for Design Projects Standard Grants and Strengthening Standard Grants
  - 36-48 months for Implementation Projects Standard Grants and Strengthening Standard Grants
Food and Agricultural Non-Formal Education (FANE)
- Major advances in agricultural productivity and rural prosperity in the past have resulted from transformative technologies, such as breeding tools and strategies, mechanization, and prudent use of agrochemicals. There are several emerging technologies that hold a similar promise. This Program Area priority will support content development and activities for non-formal education to foster development of technology-savvy youth. Projects must adopt or develop curriculum and activities to cultivate interest and competencies in STEM and in food and agricultural sciences supported by the six Farm Bill Priority areas of AFRI. Data science, including artificial intelligence, automation, robotics, gene editing, biotechnology and other projects involving emerging technologies will be supported in this Program Area Priority.
- FANE applications must address the following:
  - Develop curriculum and activities to enhance youth’s understanding of gene editing, biotechnology, data science, artificial intelligence, robotics, automation, and other technologies that enhance the food and agricultural enterprise and prepares them to help meet the needs of the future workforce through enhanced non-formal education modules.
  - Develop outreach materials that clearly communicate the demonstrated benefits of agricultural technologies.
  - Complement and build upon programs that have successfully demonstrated positive youth development strategies and outcomes (i.e., 4-H programming, Agriculture in the Classroom, FDA’s Agricultural Biotechnology Education and Outreach Initiative, etc.).
- Funding Information
  - Maximum Award Amount(s):
    - Including indirect costs: $750,000
    - Funds requested may include but are not limited to support of participant stipends and travel; provider personnel salaries; software; and curricula.
- Grant Duration: 36-48 months
Research and Extension Experiences for Undergraduates (REEU)
- The REEU Program Area Priority promotes research and extension learning experiences for undergraduates such that upon graduation they may enter the agricultural workforce with exceptional skills. This initiative allows colleges and universities to provide opportunities for undergraduate students, including those from underrepresented and economically disadvantaged groups, minority-serving institutions, community colleges, and universities.
- Projects must provide undergraduate students with experiential learning opportunities that include significant research, extension/outreach, and/or education components in the food and agricultural sciences.
- Non-exhaustive examples of experiential projects include:
  - Research and extension apprenticeships, internships, or similar participatory learning within the six AFRI Farm Bill priority areas.
  - Practicums in agricultural laboratories, farms, or Cooperative Extension programs.
  - Externships in the private or public sector.
  - Study abroad focused on global food security issues to develop global competency skills.
- Funding Information
  - Maximum Award Amount(s):
    - Including indirect costs: $600,000 for 48-month REEU projects; $750,000 for 60-month REEU projects
      - Project costs for REEU projects must be predominantly for student support, including items such as participant stipends, housing, meals, travel, and laboratory use fees. Costs in budget categories outside Participant Support must be modest and reasonable (and may include justified support for the coordination of the program).
      - Tuition for course credit and promotional items are not allowable costs in this program.
      - Each review cycle may award up to two REEU projects per lead institution.
- Grant Duration: 48 or 60 months
Predoctoral Fellowship
- The Predoctoral Fellowships Program Area Priority help develop new scientists and professionals to enter research, education, and/or extension fields within the food and agricultural sciences within the private sector, government, or academia. The aim of these fellowships is to cultivate future leaders who can solve emerging agricultural challenges of the 21st century. NIFA is particularly interested in supporting fellows that address (1) sustainable agricultural intensification; (2) agricultural climate adaptation; (3) food and nutrition translation; (4) value-added innovation; and (5) agricultural science policy leadership.
- Research, education, extension, and integrated research, education, and/or extension projects must include all of the following:
  - Objectives that are aligned with one or more of the six AFRI priority areas;
  - Well-developed academic experiences and global competencies;
  - Productive and interactive mentoring plans;
  - Appropriate and applicable training/career development activities; and
- Funding Information
  - Maximum Award Amount(s):
    - Including institutional allowance: $180,000 total per project and are limited to a total of $60,000 per year for the following:
      - Up to $35,000 per year stipend
      - Up to $22,000 per year tuition, fees, fringe benefits, supplies, travel, workshops, and publications 3)
      - Up to $3,000 per year institutional allowance, in lieu of indirect costs which are not permitted on Predoctoral Fellowship Grants
      - With the exception of the stipend, awarded funds in other budget categories may be carried over from one year to other years. The stipend is capped at $35,000 per year and cannot be carried over from year one to the next.
- Grant Duration: Up to 36 months
Postdoctoral Fellowships
- The Postdoctoral Fellowships Program Area Priority helps to develop new scientists and professionals to enter research, education, and/or extension fields within the food and agricultural sciences within the private sector, government, or academia. The aim of these fellowships is to cultivate future leaders who can solve emerging agricultural challenges of the 21st century. NIFA is particularly interested in supporting fellows that address (1) sustainable agricultural intensification; (2) agricultural climate adaptation; (3) food and nutrition translation; (4) value-added innovation; and (5) agricultural science policy leadership.
- Research, education, extension and integrated research, education and/or extension projects must include all of the following:
  - Objectives that are aligned with one or more of the six AFRI priority areas;
  - Well-developed academic experiences and global competencies;
  - Productive and interactive mentoring;
  - Appropriate and applicable training/career development activities; and e. Substantive evaluation plans.
- Funding Information
  - Maximum Award Amount(s):
    - Including institutional allowance: $225,000
      - Funds must be requested primarily for salary or stipend and be properly justified
      - Other expenditures (e.g., fringe benefits, supplies, travel, workshops, and publications) may not exceed $60,000 per year and must be itemized and properly justified
      - Up to $3,000 per year institutional allowance, in lieu of indirect costs which are not permitted on Postdoctoral Fellowship Grants
- Grant Duration: Up to 24 months

Funding Information

The amount available for the AFRI Education and Workforce Development RFA in FY 2025 is approximately $49,000,000.
The anticipated amount available to support all AFRI program areas in all three RFAs is approximately $455 million of appropriated funding for FY 2025.

Eligibility Criteria

Applicants for AFRI must meet all the requirements discussed in this RFA. Failure to meet the eligibility criteria by the application deadline may result in exclusion from consideration or, preclude NIFA from making an award.
- Research, Education, or Extension Projects
  - Eligible applicants for single-function Research, Education or Extension Projects include:
    - State Agricultural Experiment Station;
    - colleges and universities (including junior colleges offering associate degrees or higher);
    - university research foundations;
    - other research institutions and organizations;
    - Federal agencies;
    - national laboratories;
    - private organizations or corporations;
    - individuals who are U.S. citizens, nationals, or permanent residents; and
    - any group consisting of two or more entities identified in a) through h).
  - Eligible institutions do not include foreign and international organizations.
- Integrated Projects
  - Eligible applicants for Integrated Projects include:
    - colleges and universities;
    - 1994 Land-Grant Institutions; and
    - Hispanic-serving agricultural colleges and universities
- Food and Agricultural Science Enhancement Grants
  - Note that under FASE program, New Investigator, Strengthening Standard, Strengthening Conference, Seed, Equipment and Sabbatical Grants are solicited in this RFA.
  - Grant recipients may subcontract to organizations not eligible to apply provided such organizations are necessary for the conduct of the project.
  - Duplicate or Multiple Submissions – submission of duplicate or predominantly overlapping applications is not allowed. NIFA will disqualify both applications if an applicant submits multiple applications that are duplicative or substantially overlapping to NIFA programs within the same fiscal year.