To
recruit, support and educate under-represented scientists and professionals,
and to advance the educational capacity of the Alaska Native and
Native Hawaiian (AN/NH) Serving Institutions.
TYPES
OF ASSISTANCE:
Project Grants. Place Cursor Here for Definition
USES
AND USE RESTRICTIONS:
Funds
may be used to enhance educational equity for under-represented
students in order to prepare them for careers related to the food,
agricultural, and natural resource systems of the United States;
to strengthen institutional educational capacities, including libraries,
curriculum, faculty, scientific instrumentation, instruction delivery
systems, and student recruitment and retention, in order to respond
to identified educational needs in the food and agricultural sciences;
and to facilitate activities and cooperative initiatives between
AN/NH Serving Institutions, or between AN/NH Serving Institutions
and units of State government or the private sector, to maximize
the development and use of resources, faculty, facilities, and equipment,
to improve food and agricultural sciences teaching programs.
Credentials/Documentation:
Each first-time recipient must furnish organizational management
information requested by the funding agency, and each applicant
must provide assurances specified in the annual solicitation of
applications.
Pre-application
Coordination: All proposals/solicitations are
published in the Federal Register. This program is excluded from
coverage under E.O. 12372.
Application
Procedure: Formal proposals should be submitted
to the Office of Extramural Programs, CSREES, as outlined in the
solicitation of applications. Application procedures are contained
in the program regulations and required forms are contained in
the Grant Application Kit. This program is subject to the regulatory
provisions of USDA, 7 CFR Part 3015, et seq., and all successor
regulations.
Award
Procedure: Proposals are reviewed and evaluated
by CSREES staff members with the assistance and advice of peer
panels of qualified educators, administrators, industrialists,
and other appropriate persons who are specialists in the fields
covered by the proposals, as needed. Grant payments may be made
by the electronic transfer system, advance by Treasury check,
or reimbursement by Treasury check.
Deadlines:
All deadlines are announced in the Federal Register. The deadline
for submission of fiscal year 2002 proposals is April 19, 2002.
Range
of Approval/Disapproval Time: From 90 to 180
days.
Appeals:
None.
Renewals:
None.
ASSISTANCE
CONSIDERATIONS:
Formula
and Matching Requirements: Funds are awarded
on an equal basis to Alaska Native-Serving and Native Hawaiian-Serving
Institutions to carry out higher education programs. There are no
matching requirements.
Length
and Time Phasing of Assistance: Grants are
awarded for project periods of 12 to 36 months duration.
POST
ASSISTANCE REQUIREMENTS:
Reports:
Grant terms and conditions will specify reporting requirements.
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.
Records:
Grantees are expected to maintain separate records for each grant
to ensure that funds are expended for authorized purposes. Grant
related records must be retained at least 3-years; records must
be retained beyond the 3 year period if litigation is pending
or audit findings have not been resolved.
FINANCIAL
INFORMATION:
Account
Identification: 12-1500-0-1-352.
Obligations:
(Grants) FY 01 $2,873,664; FY 02 $2,877,120; and FY 03 est $2,877,120.
Range
and Average of Financial Assistance:
It is anticipated that awards will range from $100,000
to $150,000. This is a newly funded program; average not
yet determined.
7 CFR Part 3015, USDA Uniform Federal Assistance Regulations (implementing
the provisions of OMB Circular Nos. A-21 and A-110); 7 CFR Part
3017, Governmentwide Debarment and Suspension (Nonprocurement) and
Governmentwide Requirements for Drug-Free Workplace (Grants); 7
CFR Part 3018, Restrictions on Lobbying; 7 CFR Part 3019, Uniform
Administrative Requirements for Grants and Agreements with Institutions
of Higher Education, Hospitals, and Other Nonprofit Organizations.
INFORMATION
CONTACTS:
Regional
or Local Office: None.
Headquarters
Office: Higher Education Programs, Cooperative
State Research, Education and Extension Service, Department of
Agriculture, Room 3901, Waterfront Centre, 1400 Independence Ave.,
SW., Washington, DC 20250-2251. Telephone: (202) 720-1973.
Web
Site Address: http//www.reeusda.gov
EXAMPLES
OF FUNDED PROJECTS:
Not applicable. This is a newly funded program.
CRITERIA
FOR SELECTING PROPOSALS:
Criteria are expected to include the following: (1) The likelihood
that the project will have a substantial impact upon and advance
the quality of higher education in the food and agricultural sciences
higher education by strengthening institutional capacities to meet
clearly delineated needs; (2) the soundness of the proposed approach,
including objectives, procedures, timetable, evaluation and dissemination
plans, and partnerships and collaborative efforts; (3) the qualifications
and the adequacy of the key personnel who will carry out the proposed
project; (4) the institution's commitment to the project and the
adequacy of institutional resources available to carry out the project;
(5) the extent to which the total budget adequately supports the
project and is cost effective; and (6) the degree to which the proposal
complies with the application guidelines and is of high quality.
