To
reverse the decline of socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers
across the United States. The intended outcome is to encourage and
assist socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers to own and operate
their own farms and ranches, participate in agricultural programs,
and thus allow them to become an integral part of the agricultural
community and strengthen the rural economy.
TYPES
OF ASSISTANCE:
Project Grants. Place Cursor Here for Definition
USES
AND USE RESTRICTIONS:
To
provide outreach, training and technical assistance to socially
disadvantaged farmers and ranchers on agricultural programs.
ELIGIBILITY
REQUIREMENTS:
Applicant
Eligibility: 1890 Land-Grant Institutions, including
Tuskegee University, Indian Tribal Community Colleges, Alaska Native
cooperative colleges, Hispanic serving post-secondary educational
institutions, other post-secondary educational institutions providing
Agricultural education or other agriculturally-related services
to socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers in their region and
community-based organizations that: (1) Have demonstrated experience
in providing agricultural education or other agriculturally related
services to socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers in their
region; (2) provides documentary evidence of its past experience
in working with socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers during
the 2 years preceding its application for assistance; and (3) does
not engage in activities prohibited under Section 501(c)(3) of the
Internal Revenue Code of 1986.
Beneficiary
Eligibility: A farmer or rancher who is a
member of one or more of the following groups whose members have
been subjected to racial or ethnic prejudice because of their
identity as members of a group without regard to their individual
qualities. Groups include, but are not limited to, African-Americans,
Native Americans, Alaskan Natives, Hispanics, Asians, and Pacific
Islanders. The Secretary of Agriculture will determine on a case-by-case
basis whether additional groups qualify under this definition,
either at the Secretary's initiative or in response to a written
request with supporting explanation.
Credentials/Documentation:
Applicants must have the financial, legal, administrative, and
operational capacity to carry out the objectives of the program
by having experience in agriculture. Costs will be determined
in accordance with OMB Circular No. A-122 "Cost Principles for
Nonprofit Organizations" and OMB Circular No. A-21, "Cost Principles
for Educational Institutions" as implemented by USDA regulation
7 CFR part 3019. Community-based organizations should provide
a current certification of non-profit status in accordance with
section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986.
Pre-application
Coordination: Notice of fund availability and
request for proposals will be published in the Federal Register.
This program is excluded from coverage under E.O. 12372.
Application
Procedure: Formal proposals should be submitted
as outlined in the solicitation of proposals/applications. Application
procedures are contained in the 2501 Program Application booklet.
This program is subject to the Administrative procedures of 7
CFR Part 26.
Award
Procedure: Proposals are reviewed and evaluated
by the 2501 Program staff members with the assistance and advice
of a review panel of appropriate persons that are specialists
who are qualified by training and experience in the fields covered
by the proposals. Proposals are ranked and recommended in order
of merit and funded to the extent permitted by available funds.
Final approval for those proposals selected will be made by the
Awarding Official.
Deadlines:
Dates governing the acceptance, review, and selection of projects
will be published in the Federal Register Notice or other applicable
publication announcing the request for proposals.
Range
of Approval/Disapproval Time: Notice of action
taken on proposals will generally be within 90 days of final date
of submission dateline.
Appeals:
As stipulated in OMB Circular No. A-110, Uniform Administrative
Requirements for Grants and Agreements with Institutions of Higher
Education, Hospitals, and other Nonprofit Organizations.
Renewals:
None. Applicants that have previously received a grant, and have
achieved the goals established for the previous grant, must reapply
for an additional grant under the initial grant procedures.
ASSISTANCE
CONSIDERATIONS:
Formula
and Matching Requirements: None.
Length
and Time Phasing of Assistance: Grants can
be awarded from one to five years as stipulated by the current
request for proposals notification published in the Federal Register.
POST
ASSISTANCE REQUIREMENTS:
Reports:
Quarterly financial and program performance/progress reports are
due within 30 days after the reporting period. A final financial
and performance/progress report is required within 90 days of the
expiration of each agreement, which shall include an evaluation
of the activities under the Agreement since the inception of the
Project.
Audits:
In accordance with the provisions of 7 CFR Part 3052, "Audits
of States, Local Governments, and Non-Profit Organizations," which
implement OMB Circular No. A-133 (Revised, June 24, 1997), "Audits
of States, Local Governments, and Non-Profit Organizations," Nonfederal
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 7 CFR 3052.
Records:
Grantees shall maintain separate records for each grant to ensure
that funds are used for authorized purposes. Grant-related records
must be retained at least three years; records must be retained
beyond the three-year period if litigation is pending or audit
findings have not been resolved.
FINANCIAL
INFORMATION:
Account
Identification: 12-0601-0-1-351.
Obligations:
(Grants) FY 01 $2,998,046; FY 02 $2,993,000; and FY 03 est $2,993,000.
Amounts does not include obligations under Fund for Rural America.
Range
and Average of Financial Assistance:
FY 2001, 27 recipients - $62,941 to $550,000, average was approximately
$225,000; and FY 2002, 30 recipients - $66,437 to $276,822, average
was approximately $200,000.
The 27 recipients serviced 22 States and 394 counties by providing
assistance to more than 8,686 farmers and ranchers. These efforts
have provided outreach to more than 107,566 rural constituents.
REGULATIONS,
GUIDELINES, AND LITERATURE:
7 CFR Part 26, "Outreach and Assistance for Socially Disadvantaged
Farmers and Ranchers Program; and 2501 Program Application Booklet.
INFORMATION
CONTACTS:
Regional
or Local Office: Contact appropriate USDA State
Office listed in Appendix IV of Catalog.
Headquarters
Office: Department of Agriculture, USDA Office
of Outreach, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW., AG STOP 1710, Washington,
DC 20250. Telephone: (202)720-6350. Fax: (202) 720-7489.
Web
Site Address: http://www.usda.gov/agency/outreach
EXAMPLES
OF FUNDED PROJECTS:
Under the current funded projects, the grantees proposed a one-year
plan for outreach and technical assistance to encourage and assist
socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers to own and operate farms
and ranches and to participate in agricultural programs.
CRITERIA
FOR SELECTING PROPOSALS:
Prior to technical examination, a preliminary review will be made
for responsiveness to the solicitation. Proposals that do not fall
within the solicitation guidelines will be eliminated from competition.
All accepted proposals will be reviewed by a review panel. In evaluating
the proposal, the following will be taken into account to the degree
to which the proposal demonstrates the following: (1)degree to which
the proposal clearly describes its objective and evidences a high
level of feasibility and consistency with USDA policy and the Outreach
and Assistance for Socially Disadvantaged Farmers and Ranchers objectives;
(2)degree to which the institution or organization is committed
to the project, as shown by funds, in-kind services, or historical
success in meeting the objectives of the program; (3)degree to which
the proposal reflects collaborative approaches in meeting with other
agencies or organizations to enhance the objectives of the program.
Also, the areas and number of farmers who would benefit from the
services offered; (4)degree to which the proposal contains efforts
to reach persons identified as socially disadvantaged and farmers
in designated socially disadvantage counties; and (5)degree to which
the proposal reflects special innovative features to attract, interest,
and improve the economical and social conditions of the farmer and/or
rancher.
