Opportunity Information: Apply for USDA NIFA EXCA 003302
Apply for USDA NIFA EXCA 003302
- The National Institute of Food and Agriculture in the community development education employment, labor and training sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "DoD USDA Partnership Family Readiness Clearinghouse 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 $1,000,000.00 to eligible and selected applicants.
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $1,000,000.00 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) Public and State controlled institutions of higher education Private 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 DoD USDA Partnership Family Readiness Clearinghouse Project was a Fiscal Year 2010 discretionary grant opportunity run by the U.S. Department of Agriculture's National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) in partnership with the Department of Defense and the Land Grant University System. The project was built around a straightforward readiness problem: frequent deployments, repeated moves, and long family separations can strain military families, and that strain can ripple into overall military readiness. The purpose of the funding was to strengthen military family and youth quality of life by organizing, improving, and spreading practical supports that are grounded in evidence and delivered through extension education, research, and related community-based efforts.
At the center of the opportunity was the creation or implementation of a Family Readiness Clearinghouse. In practical terms, the clearinghouse was meant to function as a hub that promotes and supports the dissemination of evidence-based programs and practices for military families. Rather than reinventing programs in different locations, the clearinghouse concept emphasizes identifying what already works, packaging it in a usable way, and helping those on the ground adopt it with consistency and quality. Alongside dissemination, the project also aimed to build the capacity of professionals who assist military families. That includes training, professional development, and other forms of support to improve the skills and effectiveness of the workforce serving service members and their families. A specific technical assistance component was also highlighted for the Exceptional Family Member Program (EFMP), signaling a focus on helping families who have special medical or educational needs navigate services and access better support.
NIFA positioned the effort as a mission-focused collaboration that intentionally brings together educational institutions, non-governmental organizations, and community-based organizations with relevant expertise. The targeted areas of need included family programs, workforce development, and the expansion of child care and youth development supports connected to DoD priorities. The overall activity categories attached to the announcement reflect this broad, applied emphasis: community development, education, and employment/labor and training, indicating the project was not just academic research but designed to produce practical tools, training, and service improvements.
Funding for the opportunity was set at an estimated total of $1,000,000, with an award ceiling of $1,000,000 and an award floor of $0, and NIFA expected to make a single award. The funding instrument was a cooperative agreement, which typically indicates substantial involvement by the federal agency during the project period (for example, ongoing coordination, shared planning, or collaboration on deliverables), rather than a more hands-off relationship. No cost sharing or matching requirement was listed, meaning applicants were not required to provide non-federal matching funds as a condition of eligibility.
Eligibility was broad, covering 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 stated 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. Even though that last phrase sounds agriculture-specific, it reflects NIFA's statutory framework and its extension and education mission, which often includes family and community resilience programming delivered through the Land Grant system. Award recipients were allowed to subcontract to organizations that might not be eligible to apply directly, as long as those partners were necessary to carry out the project.
Key administrative details include the Funding Opportunity Number USDA NIFA EXCA 003302, CFDA number 10.500 (Cooperative Extension Service), and posting and deadline dates that place it firmly in the 2010 cycle. The opportunity was posted on August 24, 2010, with an application closing date of September 7, 2010, and it was later archived on October 7, 2010. For applicant support, NIFA listed its Help Desk phone number (202-401-5048) with business hours during weekdays, excluding federal holidays, and noted that assistance was available for access issues and questions related to preparing application content.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) - DoD USDA Partnership Family Readiness Clearinghouse Project (FY 2010)
1. What is the DoD USDA Partnership Family Readiness Clearinghouse Project?
It was a Fiscal Year (FY) 2010 discretionary grant opportunity run by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) in partnership with the Department of Defense (DoD) and the Land Grant University System. The project focused on strengthening military family and youth quality of life by organizing, improving, and spreading practical supports grounded in evidence and delivered through extension education, research, and related community-based efforts.
2. What problem was this grant trying to address?
The opportunity was built around a military readiness issue: frequent deployments, repeated moves, and long family separations can strain military families, and that strain can ripple into overall military readiness.
3. What was the main purpose of the funding?
The purpose was to strengthen military family and youth quality of life by organizing, improving, and disseminating evidence-based programs and practices, and by building the capacity of professionals who support military families through training and professional development.
4. What is a "Family Readiness Clearinghouse" in this context?
The clearinghouse was intended to be a hub that promotes and supports dissemination of evidence-based programs and practices for military families. The concept emphasizes identifying what works, packaging it in a usable way, and supporting consistent, quality adoption by practitioners, rather than reinventing similar programs across locations.
5. Was the focus on research only, or practical implementation as well?
The announcement emphasized applied outcomes, not just academic research. Activity categories included community development, education, and employment/labor and training, reflecting an intent to produce practical tools, training, and service improvements.
6. What types of activities were expected under this project?
Based on the description, expected activities included: organizing and disseminating evidence-based programs and practices for military families; building workforce capacity through training and professional development; and providing technical assistance, including a highlighted component for the Exceptional Family Member Program (EFMP).
7. What was the Exceptional Family Member Program (EFMP) component?
The opportunity specifically highlighted technical assistance for EFMP, signaling attention to families with special medical or educational needs and improving how they navigate services and access support.
8. Who were the intended partners or collaborators?
NIFA described the effort as a mission-focused collaboration that brings together educational institutions, non-governmental organizations, and community-based organizations with relevant expertise.
9. What areas of need did the opportunity target?
The targeted areas of need included family programs, workforce development, and the expansion of child care and youth development supports connected to DoD priorities.
10. How much funding was available?
The estimated total funding was $1,000,000. The award ceiling was $1,000,000 and the award floor was $0.
11. How many awards did NIFA expect to make?
NIFA expected to make a single award.
12. What type of funding instrument was used?
The funding instrument was a cooperative agreement. This typically indicates substantial federal involvement during the project period, such as ongoing coordination, shared planning, or collaboration on deliverables.
13. Was cost sharing or matching required?
No cost sharing or matching requirement was listed. Applicants were not required to provide non-federal matching funds as a condition of eligibility.
14. Who was eligible to apply?
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. It also stated 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 (domestic or foreign) as long as the work furthered USDA research, extension, or teaching programs in the food and agricultural sciences.
15. Why does the eligibility language reference food and agricultural sciences if this is about military families?
The description indicates this language reflects NIFA's statutory framework and its extension and education mission, which can include family and community resilience programming delivered through the Land Grant system.
16. Could applicants include partners that are not eligible to apply directly?
Yes. Award recipients were allowed to subcontract to organizations that might not be eligible to apply directly, as long as those partners were necessary to carry out the project.
17. What are the key identifying numbers for this opportunity?
The Funding Opportunity Number was USDA NIFA EXCA 003302, and the CFDA number was 10.500 (Cooperative Extension Service).
18. When was the opportunity posted, and what was the application deadline?
The opportunity was posted on August 24, 2010, and the application closing date was September 7, 2010.
19. Is this opportunity still open?
No. The opportunity was later archived on October 7, 2010.
20. Where could applicants get help with access issues or application preparation questions?
NIFA listed a Help Desk phone number: 202-401-5048. The Help Desk was available on business weekdays, excluding federal holidays, and assistance included access issues and questions related to preparing application content.
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