Opportunity Information: Apply for USDA NIFA EXCA 003300
Apply for USDA NIFA EXCA 003300
- The National Institute of Food and Agriculture in the community development education employment, labor and training sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "4 H Military Partnerships 4 H Army Youth Development Project" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 10.500 Cooperative Extension Service.
- This funding opportunity was created on Aug 24, 2010 and posted on Aug 24, 2010.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Sep 7, 2010. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- The funding agency has allocated a total of $2,727,273.00 to eligible and selected applicants.
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $2,727,273.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification) Private institutions of higher education Public and State controlled institutions of higher education.
- Applications may be submitted by State agricultural experiment stations, State cooperative extension services, all colleges and universities, other research or educational institution or organization and any other contractor or recipient, either foreign or domestic, to further research, extension or teaching programs in the food and agricultural sciences of USDA. Award recipients may subcontract to organizations not eligible to apply provided they are necessary for the conduct of the project.
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Opportunity Summary:
The 4-H Military Partnerships: 4-H Army Youth Development Project (Operation Military Kids) was a discretionary federal grant opportunity offered by the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) under Funding Opportunity Number USDA NIFA EXCA 003300. It was designed to strengthen the well-being and resilience of Army youth and families who often deal with frequent deployments, repeated separations, and the ongoing stress that comes with military life. The program rationale ties these family and youth challenges to broader impacts on military readiness, and frames the work as a coordinated effort between NIFA, the Land Grant University System, and defense agencies to deliver practical, research-informed extension education and youth development supports.
The project focus was mission-driven and national in scope, emphasizing partnerships and collaboration. It aimed to cultivate working relationships among educational institutions (especially land-grant and other universities), non-governmental organizations, and community-based organizations that already have relevant expertise in youth development and support services. Through these partnerships, the initiative sought to address Army-specific youth development needs, using the established 4-H model and related extension programming as the backbone for consistent, scalable support.
For Fiscal Year 2010, the opportunity made a total of $2,727,273 available, with an award ceiling equal to the full amount and an award floor of $0. NIFA anticipated making a single award, and the funding instrument was a cooperative agreement, meaning recipients should expect substantial involvement or coordination with the federal sponsor compared with a standard grant. There was no cost sharing or matching requirement listed, which lowered the barrier to participation for eligible organizations.
Programmatically, the funding targeted two main areas. First, it supported Operation Military Kids deployment support camps at the national level. These camps generally function as structured, youth-centered experiences meant to help young people cope with deployment cycles, build peer connections with other military youth, and strengthen resilience through positive development activities. Second, the opportunity supported a workforce development component for Army youth. This element was intended to place youth into employment positions on military installations, pairing hands-on work experiences with stipends and certificates of completion. The design indicates an emphasis not only on short-term support during deployment stressors, but also on longer-term readiness and life skills by building employability, confidence, and practical experience for participating youth.
Eligibility was broad and included public and state-controlled institutions of higher education, private institutions of higher education, and other eligible entities as described in the announcement. The eligibility language also indicated that applications could be submitted by state agricultural experiment stations, state cooperative extension services, colleges and universities, and other research or educational institutions or organizations, whether domestic or foreign, as long as the work furthered USDA research, extension, or teaching programs in the food and agricultural sciences. Award recipients were permitted to subcontract to organizations that might not be eligible to apply directly, as long as those partners were necessary to carry out the project, reinforcing the partnership-oriented nature of the initiative.
From an administrative standpoint, this opportunity fell under CFDA 10.500 (Cooperative Extension Service) and covered activity areas associated with community development, education, and employment/labor and training. The announcement was posted and created on August 24, 2010, with an original and current closing date of September 7, 2010, and an archive date of October 7, 2010. For applicants needing help accessing the full announcement or preparing application content, NIFA directed inquiries to its Help Desk at 202-401-5048 during standard weekday business hours (excluding federal holidays).
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the name of this grant opportunity?
The opportunity is titled "4-H Military Partnerships: 4-H Army Youth Development Project (Operation Military Kids)."
Which federal agency offered this opportunity?
This was a discretionary federal grant opportunity offered by the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA).
What is the Funding Opportunity Number?
The Funding Opportunity Number listed is USDA NIFA EXCA 003300.
What was the purpose of the project?
The project was designed to strengthen the well-being and resilience of Army youth and families who face frequent deployments, repeated separations, and ongoing stress associated with military life.
How does the opportunity describe the broader importance of this work?
The rationale links military family and youth challenges to broader impacts on military readiness and frames the effort as a coordinated partnership among NIFA, the Land Grant University System, and defense agencies.
What was the overall project approach or model?
The initiative emphasized a mission-driven, national approach centered on partnerships and collaboration, using the established 4-H model and related extension programming as the backbone for consistent, scalable youth development support.
What kinds of partnerships did the program aim to build?
It aimed to cultivate working relationships among educational institutions (especially land-grant and other universities), non-governmental organizations, and community-based organizations with relevant youth development and support expertise.
How much funding was available?
For Fiscal Year 2010, a total of $2,727,273 was available.
What was the maximum award amount (award ceiling)?
The award ceiling was equal to the full available amount: $2,727,273.
What was the minimum award amount (award floor)?
The award floor was listed as $0.
How many awards did NIFA expect to make?
NIFA anticipated making a single award.
What type of funding instrument was used?
The funding instrument was a cooperative agreement.
What does it mean that this was a cooperative agreement?
A cooperative agreement indicates recipients should expect substantial involvement or coordination with the federal sponsor compared with a standard grant.
Was cost sharing or matching required?
No cost sharing or matching requirement was listed in the opportunity.
What were the main programmatic components funded under this opportunity?
The funding targeted two main areas: (1) Operation Military Kids deployment support camps at the national level, and (2) a workforce development component for Army youth.
What were Operation Military Kids deployment support camps intended to do?
These camps were described as structured, youth-centered experiences intended to help youth cope with deployment cycles, build peer connections with other military youth, and strengthen resilience through positive development activities.
What did the workforce development component involve?
The workforce development element was intended to place youth into employment positions on military installations, pairing hands-on work experience with stipends and certificates of completion.
What outcomes did the opportunity emphasize for the workforce development element?
The design emphasized longer-term readiness and life skills by building employability, confidence, and practical experience for participating youth.
Who was eligible to apply?
Eligibility included public and state-controlled institutions of higher education, private institutions of higher education, and other eligible entities described in the announcement.
What other types of organizations were mentioned as eligible?
The eligibility language indicated applications could be submitted by state agricultural experiment stations, state cooperative extension services, colleges and universities, and other research or educational institutions or organizations, whether domestic or foreign, as long as the work furthered USDA research, extension, or teaching programs in the food and agricultural sciences.
Could the award recipient subcontract with other organizations?
Yes. Award recipients were permitted to subcontract to organizations that might not be eligible to apply directly, as long as those partners were necessary to carry out the project.
What CFDA number was associated with this opportunity?
The opportunity fell under CFDA 10.500 (Cooperative Extension Service).
What activity areas did the announcement associate with this funding?
The announcement referenced activity areas associated with community development, education, and employment/labor and training.
When was the announcement posted?
The announcement was posted (and created) on August 24, 2010.
What was the application closing date?
The original and current closing date was September 7, 2010.
When was the opportunity archived?
The archive date was October 7, 2010.
Where could applicants get help accessing the full announcement or preparing application content?
NIFA directed inquiries to its Help Desk at 202-401-5048 during standard weekday business hours (excluding federal holidays).
Was this opportunity national or local in scope?
The project was described as mission-driven and national in scope.
Which populations were the focus of this project?
The focus was on Army youth and families, particularly those affected by frequent deployments, separations, and related stress.
How does 4-H fit into this initiative?
The opportunity described using the established 4-H model and extension programming as the foundation for delivering consistent youth development and support services through partnerships.
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Applicants also applied for:
Applicants who have applied for this opportunity (USDA NIFA EXCA 003300) also looked into and applied for these:
| Funding Opportunity |
|---|
| DoD USDA Partnership Child Care and Youth Program Training and Technical Assistance Apply for USDA NIFA EXCA 003303 Funding Number: USDA NIFA EXCA 003303 Agency: National Institute of Food and Agriculture Category: Community Development Education Employment, Labor and Training Funding Amount: $7,045,454 |
| DoD USDA Partnership Child Youth Deployment Support Project Apply for USDA NIFA EXCA 003301 Funding Number: USDA NIFA EXCA 003301 Agency: National Institute of Food and Agriculture Category: Community Development Education Employment, Labor and Training Funding Amount: $4,545,454 |
| DoD USDA Partnership Family Readiness Clearinghouse Project Apply for USDA NIFA EXCA 003302 Funding Number: USDA NIFA EXCA 003302 Agency: National Institute of Food and Agriculture Category: Community Development Education Employment, Labor and Training Funding Amount: $1,000,000 |
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