Opportunity Information: Apply for USDA NIFA OP 003439
Apply for USDA NIFA OP 003439
- The National Institute of Food and Agriculture in the agriculture energy environment food and nutrition natural resources science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Supplemental and Alternative Crops Competitive Grants Program" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 10.200 Grants for Agricultural Research, Special Research Grants.
- This funding opportunity was created on Apr 25, 2011 and posted on Apr 25, 2011.
- Applicants must submit their applications by May 31, 2011. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- The funding agency has allocated a total of $800,000.00 to eligible and selected applicants.
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $210,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 5 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).
- Applications may be submitted by colleges and universities, other Federal agencies, and private sector entities. Award recipients may subcontract to organizations not eligible to apply provided such organizations are necessary for the conduct of the project. An applicants failure to meet an eligibility criterion by the time of an application deadline may result in the application being excluded from consideration or, even though an application may be reviewed, will preclude NIFA from making an award.
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Opportunity Summary:
The Supplemental and Alternative Crops Competitive Grants Program (SACC) is a discretionary grant opportunity administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, National Institute of Food and Agriculture (USDA NIFA). Its central purpose is to drive a meaningful increase in U.S. canola production and/or planted acreage. The program is geared toward practical, field-relevant research and development that helps canola become a more viable and widely adopted crop option, with a clear expectation that results will be moved quickly from research settings into producer decision-making through Extension and other outreach channels.
Projects funded under SACC are expected to focus on improving canola performance and production systems. The solicitation highlights several priority research areas: developing and testing superior germplasm (for example, improved varieties or breeding lines with better yield, quality, adaptation, or resilience), and refining methods across the full production chain, including planting, cultivation, and harvesting. In other words, the program is not limited to basic research; it is designed to support work that can be tested, validated, and then translated into actionable recommendations and tools for growers as soon as it is practical to do so. A key theme is technology transfer, meaning applicants should be prepared to show how they will communicate findings to producers and how those findings will be implemented in real production contexts.
A major competitive emphasis in the announcement is multi-state collaboration. Priority is given to proposals that demonstrate cooperation across at least three states (a minimum of three state cooperators). The opportunity also explicitly encourages teams that leverage existing capacity and expertise in land-grant colleges and universities and in government agencies, including USDA's Agricultural Research Service (ARS). This signals that reviewers will likely value proposals that combine strong research capabilities with broad regional applicability and established delivery networks for outreach and Extension.
From a funding standpoint, the opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number USDA NIFA OP 003439; CFDA 10.200, Grants for Agricultural Research, Special Research Grants) anticipated making about five awards. The estimated total program funding was $800,000, with an award ceiling of $210,000 and no stated minimum award amount (award floor of $0). There is no cost-sharing or matching requirement, which can reduce barriers for applicants and allow project budgets to focus on technical work, field trials, personnel, and outreach activities.
Eligibility is relatively broad. Applications may be submitted by colleges and universities, other federal agencies, and private sector entities, with additional eligibility details referenced in the full announcement. Even if an organization is not eligible to apply directly, award recipients are allowed to subcontract to other organizations when they are necessary to carry out the project, which can be important for bringing in specialized expertise, services, or field implementation partners. The notice also emphasizes that eligibility criteria must be met by the application deadline; failing to do so can lead to an application being excluded or make an award impossible even if the proposal is reviewed.
Key dates in the original posting show the opportunity was posted on April 25, 2011, with an application closing date of May 31, 2011, and it was later archived on June 30, 2011. For applicant support, the announcement lists the NIFA Help Desk as a point of contact for issues accessing the full announcement and provides guidance to reach out with questions related to preparing application content during standard business hours.
Supplemental and Alternative Crops Competitive Grants Program (SACC) - FAQs
What is the Supplemental and Alternative Crops Competitive Grants Program (SACC)?
SACC is a discretionary competitive grant program administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, National Institute of Food and Agriculture (USDA NIFA). It supports practical, field-relevant research and development intended to increase U.S. canola production and/or planted acreage.
What is the main goal of this funding opportunity?
The central purpose is to drive a meaningful increase in U.S. canola production and/or planted acreage by improving canola performance and production systems, and by moving results quickly into producer decision-making through Extension and other outreach channels.
What kind of projects does SACC fund?
SACC is geared toward practical research and development that can be tested and validated in field-relevant conditions and then translated into actionable recommendations, tools, or guidance for growers as soon as it is practical to do so.
Is this program limited to basic research?
No. The solicitation emphasizes work that supports the full pathway from research to on-farm use. It is designed for research and development that can be moved quickly into real production contexts rather than purely basic or theoretical research.
What research areas are highlighted as priorities?
The announcement highlights priorities such as developing and testing superior germplasm (for example, improved varieties or breeding lines with better yield, quality, adaptation, or resilience) and refining methods across the production chain, including planting, cultivation, and harvesting.
What does the program mean by "technology transfer"?
Technology transfer is a key theme and refers to communicating research findings to producers and supporting implementation in real production contexts. Applicants are expected to explain how results will be delivered through Extension and other outreach channels and how producers can use the outcomes in decision-making.
How important is Extension and outreach in SACC proposals?
Extension and outreach are central expectations of the program. The opportunity indicates a clear expectation that results will be moved quickly from research settings into producer decision-making through Extension and other outreach channels.
Does SACC prioritize multi-state projects?
Yes. A major competitive emphasis is multi-state collaboration, with priority given to proposals demonstrating cooperation across at least three states (a minimum of three state cooperators).
What is meant by "a minimum of three state cooperators"?
Based on the announcement language, proposals are prioritized when they demonstrate collaboration that includes cooperators across at least three states. This reflects a preference for regional or multi-state applicability and coordination.
Are partnerships with land-grant universities encouraged?
Yes. The opportunity explicitly encourages teams that leverage existing capacity and expertise in land-grant colleges and universities, signaling that established research and outreach networks may be viewed favorably.
Are collaborations with government agencies supported?
Yes. The solicitation encourages leveraging expertise in government agencies, including USDA's Agricultural Research Service (ARS), indicating that proposals can benefit from agency research capacity and broader delivery networks.
How many awards were anticipated under this opportunity?
The opportunity anticipated making about five awards.
What was the estimated total funding available?
The estimated total program funding was $800,000.
What is the maximum award amount (award ceiling)?
The award ceiling was $210,000.
Is there a minimum award amount?
No minimum award amount was stated. The award floor was listed as $0.
Is cost sharing or matching required?
No. The opportunity states there is no cost-sharing or matching requirement.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is described as relatively broad, including colleges and universities, other federal agencies, and private sector entities, with additional eligibility details referenced in the full announcement.
Can an award recipient subcontract work to other organizations?
Yes. Award recipients are allowed to subcontract to other organizations when necessary to carry out the project, which can help bring in specialized expertise, services, or field implementation partners.
What happens if an applicant does not meet eligibility requirements by the deadline?
The notice emphasizes that eligibility criteria must be met by the application deadline. Failing to meet criteria by that deadline can lead to an application being excluded or make an award impossible even if the proposal is reviewed.
What is the Funding Opportunity Number for this program?
The Funding Opportunity Number is USDA NIFA OP 003439.
What CFDA number is associated with this opportunity?
The opportunity references CFDA 10.200, Grants for Agricultural Research, Special Research Grants.
When was the opportunity posted and when did it close?
The key dates listed indicate the opportunity was posted on April 25, 2011, with an application closing date of May 31, 2011.
Is this opportunity still active?
No. The listing indicates it was archived on June 30, 2011.
Who can applicants contact for help accessing the full announcement?
The announcement lists the NIFA Help Desk as a point of contact for issues accessing the full announcement.
Where can applicants get help with application preparation questions?
The notice provides guidance to reach out with questions related to preparing application content during standard business hours, with the NIFA Help Desk listed as the support contact in the posting.
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