Opportunity Information: Apply for USDA NIFA SLBCD 002651
Apply for USDA NIFA SLBCD 002651
- The National Institute of Food and Agriculture in the agriculture sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "State and Regional AgrAbility Program" 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 Oct 23, 2009 and posted on Oct 23, 2009.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Dec 18, 2009. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- The funding agency has allocated a total of $4,300,000.00 to eligible and selected applicants.
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $180,000.00 in funding.
- Eligible applicants include: Private institutions of higher education Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification) Public and State controlled institutions of higher education.
- Only Cooperative Extension Services at 1862 and 1890 Land Grant Institutions, including Tuskegee University, West Virginia State University, and the University of the District of Columbia, are eligible to apply.
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Opportunity Summary:
The State and Regional AgrAbility Program is a discretionary grant opportunity from the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) designed to help people with disabilities who are actively involved in production agriculture, along with their families, stay successful in farming and ranching. The central goal is practical and personal: improving day-to-day quality of life for these producers by reducing disability-related barriers that can limit their ability to work safely, earn stable income, and participate fully in everyday activities. Rather than focusing only on awareness, the program is built around real service delivery and problem solving for what the announcement calls "AgrAbility customers" (farmers, ranchers, and agricultural workers with disabilities and their households).
A key feature of AgrAbility is its cooperative structure. Projects must be led by State Cooperative Extension Services (CES) housed at eligible land-grant institutions, and those CES applicants are expected to partner by subcontracting with private, nonprofit disability organizations. The intent is to combine Extension's agricultural expertise and statewide reach with the disability organization’s specialized knowledge in assistive technology, rehabilitation, accessibility, and independent living. This partnership model is meant to produce tailored, workable solutions that fit agricultural settings, which often involve unique hazards, heavy equipment, variable terrain, and long work hours.
The opportunity emphasizes measurable outcomes, not just activities. Success can be demonstrated in multiple ways, including improvements in customers' financial stability, better access to important life activities, and stronger state or regional capacity to provide timely, high-quality services to this population. In other words, projects are expected to show that they either helped individual producers directly or built the systems and networks needed so that help becomes easier to find and faster to deliver over time. The program recognizes that many communities lack specialized capacity for disability-related agricultural support, so it supports both capacity-building efforts and direct assistance when local capacity is limited.
Program activities are expected to operate on several levels: national, regional, state, and local. Projects build service capacity through education and networking, which can include training for service providers, outreach to agricultural communities, connecting stakeholders who rarely work together, and sharing best practices that make farms more accessible and safer. When needed, projects also provide direct assistance to AgrAbility customers, which in practice often means individualized assessments, recommendations for adaptive equipment or modifications, connections to resources, and guidance that helps a producer remain working or return to work after injury or illness. Marketing and outreach are also explicitly part of the program design, with the purpose of directing the public and potential customers to AgrAbility education, networking, and assistance initiatives so eligible producers actually learn that help exists and know how to access it.
In terms of funding details, the total estimated funding listed for this opportunity is approximately $4.3 million. Individual awards are expected to fall within a fairly narrow range, with an award floor of $150,000 and an award ceiling of $180,000. The funding instrument is a grant, and there is no cost sharing or matching requirement stated. The CFDA number connected to the program is 10.500 (Cooperative Extension Service), reinforcing that Extension-based delivery is fundamental to the program’s design.
Eligibility is specific and limited. While the general field may list categories like public and private institutions of higher education, the controlling eligibility statement is that only Cooperative Extension Services at 1862 and 1890 land-grant institutions (including Tuskegee University, West Virginia State University, and the University of the District of Columbia) are eligible to apply. In effect, this is not an open competition for any nonprofit or university unit; it is aimed at the Extension system within the land-grant network, operating in formal partnership with nonprofit disability organizations through subcontracts.
Administratively, the opportunity was posted on October 23, 2009, with an original and current closing date of December 18, 2009, and an archive date of January 19, 2010, meaning this particular posting is historical. The sponsoring agency is NIFA, and the full request for applications (RFA) is referenced as the source for detailed requirements. For access issues, the announcement directs applicants to the NIFA Help Desk (202-401-5048) during standard weekday business hours, and it notes that separate contact support is available for application content questions.
State and Regional AgrAbility Program (USDA NIFA) - FAQs
1) What is the State and Regional AgrAbility Program?
The State and Regional AgrAbility Program is a discretionary grant opportunity from the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA). It is designed to help people with disabilities who are actively involved in production agriculture, along with their families, stay successful in farming and ranching.
2) What is the main goal of this grant opportunity?
The central goal is to improve day-to-day quality of life for producers with disabilities by reducing disability-related barriers that affect safe work, stable income, and full participation in everyday activities. The program is built around service delivery and practical problem solving for "AgrAbility customers."
3) Who are considered "AgrAbility customers" under this program?
"AgrAbility customers" are farmers, ranchers, and agricultural workers with disabilities and their households (including family members) who are actively involved in production agriculture.
4) What kinds of challenges is AgrAbility meant to address?
The program targets disability-related barriers that can limit a producer's ability to work safely and effectively in agricultural settings, which often involve unique hazards such as heavy equipment, variable terrain, and long work hours.
5) What is the cooperative structure required for projects?
Projects must be led by a State Cooperative Extension Service (CES) at an eligible land-grant institution. The CES applicant is expected to partner by subcontracting with a private, nonprofit disability organization so the project combines agricultural expertise with disability-related expertise (assistive technology, rehabilitation, accessibility, independent living).
6) Who is eligible to apply as the lead applicant?
Only Cooperative Extension Services (CES) at 1862 and 1890 land-grant institutions are eligible to apply. The eligibility statement specifically includes institutions such as Tuskegee University, West Virginia State University, and the University of the District of Columbia.
7) Can a nonprofit disability organization apply directly?
Based on the eligibility described, nonprofits are expected to participate as subcontracted partners to the eligible CES lead applicant, rather than applying as the lead applicant themselves.
8) Can other university units apply if they are part of an eligible institution?
The controlling eligibility statement specifies Cooperative Extension Services (CES) at eligible land-grant institutions. This indicates the opportunity is aimed at the Extension system within the land-grant network, rather than being an open competition for any university unit.
9) What types of outcomes does the program emphasize?
The opportunity emphasizes measurable outcomes, not just activities. Examples of success mentioned include improved customer financial stability, better access to important life activities, and stronger state or regional capacity to deliver timely, high-quality services.
10) Does AgrAbility focus only on awareness and education?
No. While education, training, and outreach are part of the program design, the announcement emphasizes real service delivery and problem solving, including direct assistance to AgrAbility customers when needed.
11) What kinds of capacity-building activities are expected?
Capacity-building can include education and networking efforts such as training for service providers, outreach to agricultural communities, connecting stakeholders who do not typically work together, and sharing best practices that improve accessibility and safety on farms.
12) What kinds of direct assistance may projects provide to AgrAbility customers?
When needed, projects may provide direct assistance that often includes individualized assessments, recommendations for adaptive equipment or modifications, connections to resources, and guidance to help a producer remain working or return to work after injury or illness.
13) At what geographic levels are program activities expected to operate?
Program activities are expected to operate on several levels: national, regional, state, and local.
14) Is marketing and outreach part of the program requirements?
Yes. Marketing and outreach are explicitly included to direct the public and potential customers to AgrAbility education, networking, and assistance initiatives so eligible producers learn that help exists and know how to access it.
15) What is the total estimated funding available for this opportunity?
The total estimated funding listed is approximately $4.3 million.
16) What is the expected award size for individual grants?
Individual awards are expected to range from a floor of $150,000 to a ceiling of $180,000.
17) What is the funding instrument for this opportunity?
The funding instrument is a grant.
18) Is cost sharing or matching required?
No cost sharing or matching requirement is stated in the information provided.
19) What CFDA number is associated with this opportunity?
The CFDA number connected to the program is 10.500 (Cooperative Extension Service), underscoring the Extension-based delivery model.
20) When was this opportunity posted, and what were the deadlines?
The opportunity was posted on October 23, 2009. The original and current closing date listed was December 18, 2009. The archive date was January 19, 2010.
21) Is this a current, open funding opportunity?
No. The dates provided (closing in December 2009 and archived in January 2010) indicate this particular posting is historical.
22) Which USDA agency sponsors this program?
The sponsoring agency is the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA).
23) Where are the detailed application requirements and rules found?
The announcement references the full request for applications (RFA) as the source for detailed requirements.
24) Who should be contacted for help with access issues?
For access issues, the announcement directs applicants to the NIFA Help Desk at 202-401-5048 during standard weekday business hours.
25) Is there separate support for application content questions?
Yes. The announcement notes that separate contact support is available for application content questions (distinct from access issues support).
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