Opportunity Information: Apply for USDA NIFA OP 004541
Apply for USDA NIFA OP 004541
- The National Institute of Food and Agriculture in the agriculture sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Renewable Resource Extension Act National Focus Fund Projects" 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 Jun 4, 2014 and posted on Jun 4, 2014.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Jul 16, 2014. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- The funding agency has allocated a total of $300,000.00 to eligible and selected applicants.
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $100,000.00 in funding.
- Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).
- Applications may only be submitted by 1862 and 1890 land grant institutions. Project Directors must have an extension appointment.
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Opportunity Summary:
The Renewable Resource Extension Act National Focus Fund Projects grant (Funding Opportunity Number USDA NIFA OP 004541) was a discretionary, competitive grant opportunity offered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture's National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) under CFDA 10.500 (Cooperative Extension Service). For fiscal year 2014, the program was designed to support pilot Extension projects focused on forest and rangeland resources, with an emphasis on work that is timely, broadly useful, and practical to replicate. In other words, NIFA was looking for projects that could test new approaches, fill gaps around emerging natural resource issues, and generate tools or models that other universities and Extension programs could adopt without having to reinvent the wheel.
The core purpose of the funding was threefold: first, to address emerging forest and rangeland resource issues that Extension audiences are facing now or are likely to face in the near future; second, to fund efforts with national or at least regional relevance rather than strictly local benefit; and third, to encourage the development of new and innovative projects that demonstrate approaches or materials that can be replicated at other institutions. The language around "pilot projects" and "replicated at other institutions" signals that NIFA wanted more than routine programming. Strong proposals would typically be expected to show how the work fills a recognized need, how it can scale beyond one state or one campus, and how other land-grant Extension systems could use the outcomes.
Funding for the FY 2014 cycle was estimated at a total of $300,000. Individual awards could be as high as $100,000, and there was no stated minimum award amount (award floor listed as $0). There was no cost-sharing or matching requirement, which generally lowers the barrier to participation and allows institutions to propose projects based on need and impact rather than the ability to bring cash match.
Eligibility was limited: only 1862 and 1890 land-grant institutions could submit applications, and the Project Director was required to have an Extension appointment. This requirement aligns with the program's intent to produce applied, outreach-oriented results that are delivered through Extension channels rather than purely academic or basic research outputs. The "EligibleApplicants" field was listed as "Others (see text field...)" but the eligibility statement clarifies the actual limitation to 1862 and 1890 land-grant universities, so non-land-grant entities would not have been able to apply directly as the applicant organization, though they could often be included as partners or collaborators depending on the full announcement terms.
Key dates for the opportunity were straightforward. The funding opportunity was posted on June 4, 2014, with a closing date of July 16, 2014, and it was later archived on August 15, 2014. That timeline indicates a relatively short application window (about six weeks), typical of smaller pilot-oriented programs, where applicants are often expected to build on existing Extension capacity and partnerships.
For assistance, NIFA provided a help desk contact for technical issues accessing the announcement electronically (NIFA Help Desk at 202-401-5048, available weekdays during business hours excluding federal holidays). The notice also indicates there was a point of contact for questions related to preparing application content, though the specific content-contact details are not included in the excerpt provided. Overall, this opportunity was a targeted Extension funding mechanism aimed at seeding high-impact, scalable forest and rangeland outreach projects within the land-grant system.
Renewable Resource Extension Act National Focus Fund Projects (USDA NIFA) - FAQs
What is the Renewable Resource Extension Act National Focus Fund Projects grant?
It was a discretionary, competitive grant opportunity offered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture's National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) under CFDA 10.500 (Cooperative Extension Service). The FY 2014 cycle focused on supporting pilot Extension projects related to forest and rangeland resources.
What is the Funding Opportunity Number for this grant?
The Funding Opportunity Number listed was USDA NIFA OP 004541.
Which federal agency offered this opportunity?
The opportunity was offered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA).
What fiscal year did the information provided describe?
The details provided apply to the fiscal year (FY) 2014 cycle.
What types of projects was NIFA trying to fund?
The program was designed to support pilot Extension projects focused on forest and rangeland resources, especially projects that are timely, broadly useful, and practical to replicate at other institutions.
What did "pilot" mean in the context of this opportunity?
Based on the description, "pilot" signaled that NIFA was looking for projects that test new approaches, fill gaps tied to emerging natural resource issues, and produce tools or models that other universities and Extension programs could adopt and replicate.
What were the main goals or purpose of the funding?
The core purpose was threefold: (1) address emerging forest and rangeland resource issues that Extension audiences are facing now or are likely to face soon; (2) support efforts with national or at least regional relevance (not strictly local benefit); and (3) encourage new and innovative projects that demonstrate approaches or materials that can be replicated at other institutions.
Was this funding intended for local-only projects?
No. The description emphasized national or at least regional relevance rather than strictly local benefit.
What made a proposal a strong fit for this opportunity (based on the description)?
The description suggests strong proposals would show a recognized need, demonstrate how the work could scale beyond one state or one campus, and produce outcomes that other land-grant Extension systems could use without having to recreate the materials or approach.
How much total funding was available for FY 2014?
Total FY 2014 funding was estimated at $300,000.
What was the maximum award amount per project?
Individual awards could be as high as $100,000.
Was there a minimum award amount?
No minimum award amount was stated. The award floor was listed as $0.
Was cost sharing or matching required?
No. The opportunity stated there was no cost-sharing or matching requirement.
Who was eligible to apply?
Eligibility was limited to 1862 and 1890 land-grant institutions.
Did the Project Director have to meet any specific requirement?
Yes. The Project Director was required to have an Extension appointment.
The listing said "EligibleApplicants: Others." Does that mean any organization could apply?
No. Although "EligibleApplicants" was shown as "Others (see text field...)," the eligibility statement itself clarified that only 1862 and 1890 land-grant universities could submit applications.
Could non-land-grant organizations participate at all?
The excerpt indicates non-land-grant entities could not apply directly as the applicant organization. It also notes that such entities could often be included as partners or collaborators depending on the full announcement terms, but those terms are not included in the provided information.
When was the funding opportunity posted?
It was posted on June 4, 2014.
What was the application closing date?
The closing date was July 16, 2014.
When was the opportunity archived?
It was archived on August 15, 2014.
How long was the application window?
From June 4, 2014 to July 16, 2014, the application window was about six weeks.
What kind of help was available for applicants?
NIFA provided a help desk contact for technical issues accessing the announcement electronically.
What is the NIFA Help Desk contact information?
The NIFA Help Desk phone number provided was 202-401-5048, available on weekdays during business hours, excluding federal holidays.
Was there a separate point of contact for application content questions?
Yes. The notice indicated there was a point of contact for questions related to preparing application content, but the specific content-contact details were not included in the excerpt provided.
What program area did this opportunity fall under?
It was listed under CFDA 10.500, Cooperative Extension Service.
What kinds of results did NIFA appear to want from funded projects?
The description emphasized applied, outreach-oriented results delivered through Extension channels, with outputs such as tools, approaches, or models that could be replicated by other institutions.
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