Opportunity Information: Apply for USDA NIFA WAMS 003137
Apply for USDA NIFA WAMS 003137
- The National Institute of Food and Agriculture in the agriculture business and commerce community development education employment, labor and training environment natural resources regional development science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Women And Minorities In Science, Technology, Engineering And Mathematics Fields Program (WAMS)" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 10.318 Women and Minorities in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Fields.
- This funding opportunity was created on Apr 20, 2010 and posted on Apr 20, 2010.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Jun 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 $364,000.00 to eligible and selected applicants.
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $300,000.00 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) Individuals Private institutions of higher education For profit organizations other than small businesses Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized) Small businesses Nonprofits that do not have a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education Public and State controlled institutions of higher education Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments).
- Applications may be submitted by eligible applicants and may be a collaborative state, tribal, local, or regionally based network or partnership of public or private entities. Eligible applicants are (a) State agricultural experiment stations (b) colleges and universities (c) university research foundations (d) other research institutions and organizations (e) Federal agencies (f) national laboratories (g) private organizations or corporations (h) individuals or (i) any group consisting of 2 or more of the entities described in subparagraphs (a) through (h). Priority will be given to eligible institutions that carry out continuing programs funded by the Secretary. Please see RFA for additional details.
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Opportunity Summary:
The Women and Minorities in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics Fields Program (WAMS) is a discretionary grant program run by the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) that funds research and extension projects designed to increase participation in STEM by women and underrepresented minorities from rural areas. The core emphasis is not only on education or outreach in the abstract, but on building strong, practical collaborations that connect institutions and communities and lead to measurable improvements in access to STEM pathways and careers tied to USDA mission needs.
Projects supported under WAMS are expected to align clearly with USDA priorities identified by the Secretary. Those priorities include strengthening a safe, sufficient, and nutritious food supply in the United States and globally; advancing sustainable agricultural policies that improve the economic viability of small and mid-sized farms and rural businesses while protecting natural resources and promoting value-added agriculture; providing national leadership on climate change mitigation and adaptation; building a modern workplace with a modern workforce; and supporting resilient, 21st-century rural communities. In other words, WAMS is meant to grow the pipeline of rural women and minority STEM talent in areas that directly affect agriculture, food systems, environmental stewardship, climate resilience, and rural development.
The legal authority for WAMS comes from Section 7204 of the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008, which amended Section 1672 of the Food, Agriculture, Conservation, and Trade Act of 1990 (codified at 7 U.S.C. 5925). This establishes WAMS as part of USDA's longer-term statutory commitment to broadening participation in agricultural and related sciences, with an emphasis on groups and regions historically underrepresented in these fields.
Funding is provided as grants, with an estimated total program funding level of $364,000 for the referenced opportunity cycle and an expectation of about five awards. Individual awards range from $75,000 to $300,000 (floor to ceiling). The opportunity includes a cost-sharing or matching requirement, meaning applicants should expect to contribute non-federal resources (cash and/or in-kind, depending on the specific RFA rules) as part of the overall project budget and justification.
Eligibility is intentionally broad to encourage partnership-driven proposals. Eligible applicants can include state agricultural experiment stations; colleges and universities (public or private); university research foundations; other research institutions and organizations; federal agencies; national laboratories; private organizations or corporations; nonprofits (including both 501(c)(3) and certain non-501(c)(3) entities); tribal governments and tribal organizations; small businesses and other for-profit entities (other than small businesses are also listed as eligible); and even individuals. Applications may be submitted by a single eligible applicant or by a collaborative, state-, tribal-, local-, or regionally based network or partnership made up of two or more eligible entity types. Priority is given to eligible institutions that conduct continuing programs funded by the Secretary, which generally signals preference for applicants with established USDA-related programming capacity and infrastructure.
In practical terms, WAMS is designed for projects that do more than run isolated activities. Competitive proposals would typically demonstrate robust collaboration among partners (for example, universities working with rural school systems, extension services, tribal organizations, community groups, and industry or lab partners), clear strategies to recruit and retain participants from the target populations, and a direct line of sight from project activities to USDA-relevant STEM fields. Because the program explicitly funds both research and extension, projects may include generating evidence on what works to broaden participation (research), paired with hands-on delivery and community-based implementation (extension), so results translate into real-world improvements in rural STEM engagement and opportunity.
Key administrative details for the specific posting provided include a posting date of April 20, 2010; an application deadline of June 7, 2010; and an archive date of July 15, 2010, indicating this particular announcement cycle has closed, though the summary reflects the structure and intent of the program as described in the notice. For applicants needing access assistance, NIFA listed a help desk contact number (202-401-5048) during business hours, and the full Request for Applications (RFA) would contain the definitive requirements for matching, evaluation criteria, reporting expectations, allowable costs, and partnership documentation.
Women and Minorities in STEM Fields Program (WAMS) - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the WAMS program?
The Women and Minorities in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics Fields Program (WAMS) is a discretionary grant program run by the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA). It funds research and extension projects designed to increase participation in STEM by women and underrepresented minorities from rural areas, with a strong emphasis on practical collaborations that produce measurable improvements in access to STEM pathways and careers connected to USDA mission needs.
Who runs WAMS and what type of funding is it?
WAMS is administered by the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) and provides funding in the form of grants.
What kinds of projects does WAMS support?
WAMS supports research and extension projects that increase participation in STEM among rural women and underrepresented minorities. The program is oriented toward projects that go beyond isolated education or outreach activities and instead build strong collaborations between institutions and communities that lead to measurable improvements in STEM access, engagement, and career pathways aligned with USDA mission areas.
What is the core emphasis of WAMS, beyond general STEM education?
The core emphasis is on building practical, partnership-driven collaborations that connect institutions and communities and lead to measurable improvements in access to STEM pathways and careers tied to USDA mission needs. The program is not framed as outreach in the abstract; it is framed as collaboration plus results.
What populations is WAMS intended to serve?
WAMS is intended to increase participation in STEM by women and underrepresented minorities from rural areas.
How should a proposed project align with USDA priorities?
Projects are expected to align clearly with USDA priorities identified by the Secretary. The priorities described include strengthening a safe, sufficient, and nutritious food supply (U.S. and global); advancing sustainable agricultural policies that support small and mid-sized farms and rural businesses while protecting natural resources and promoting value-added agriculture; providing national leadership on climate change mitigation and adaptation; building a modern workplace with a modern workforce; and supporting resilient, 21st-century rural communities.
What subject areas does WAMS ultimately aim to impact?
WAMS is meant to grow the pipeline of rural women and minority STEM talent in areas directly affecting agriculture, food systems, environmental stewardship, climate resilience, and rural development, in line with USDA mission needs.
What is the legal authority for WAMS?
The legal authority comes from Section 7204 of the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008, which amended Section 1672 of the Food, Agriculture, Conservation, and Trade Act of 1990, codified at 7 U.S.C. 5925.
How much funding is available in the referenced opportunity cycle?
The estimated total program funding level for the referenced cycle is $364,000.
How many awards are expected?
The notice indicates an expectation of about five awards.
What is the award size range?
Individual awards range from $75,000 to $300,000 (floor to ceiling).
Is cost sharing or matching required?
Yes. The opportunity includes a cost-sharing or matching requirement, meaning applicants should expect to contribute non-federal resources as part of the overall project budget and justification. The specific rules (including whether cash and/or in-kind contributions are allowed and how they must be documented) would be defined in the full Request for Applications (RFA).
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is broad and includes: state agricultural experiment stations; colleges and universities (public or private); university research foundations; other research institutions and organizations; federal agencies; national laboratories; private organizations or corporations; nonprofits (including both 501(c)(3) and certain non-501(c)(3) entities); tribal governments and tribal organizations; small businesses; other for-profit entities (in addition to small businesses); and individuals.
Can an application be submitted by a partnership or network?
Yes. Applications may be submitted by a single eligible applicant or by a collaborative, state-, tribal-, local-, or regionally based network or partnership made up of two or more eligible entity types.
Does the program express any applicant preferences or priorities?
Yes. Priority is given to eligible institutions that conduct continuing programs funded by the Secretary, which generally signals a preference for applicants with established USDA-related programming capacity and infrastructure.
What does a competitive WAMS proposal typically include, based on the program description?
Competitive proposals would typically demonstrate robust collaboration among partners (for example, universities working with rural school systems, extension services, tribal organizations, community groups, and industry or lab partners), clear strategies to recruit and retain participants from the target populations, and a direct line of sight from project activities to USDA-relevant STEM fields.
Does WAMS fund research, extension, or both?
WAMS explicitly funds both research and extension. Projects may include research to generate evidence on what works to broaden participation, paired with extension and hands-on delivery so results translate into real-world improvements in rural STEM engagement and opportunity.
What are the key dates for the specific posting described?
The posting date is April 20, 2010; the application deadline is June 7, 2010; and the archive date is July 15, 2010.
Is this specific announcement cycle still open?
No. Because the archive date is July 15, 2010, this particular announcement cycle has closed, even though the summary describes the program structure and intent reflected in the notice.
Where can applicants find the definitive requirements for budgets, matching, and documentation?
The full Request for Applications (RFA) would contain the definitive requirements for matching, evaluation criteria, reporting expectations, allowable costs, and partnership documentation.
Is there any listed contact for access assistance?
Yes. NIFA listed a help desk contact number for access assistance: 202-401-5048, available during business hours.
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| Funding Opportunity |
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| Women And Minorities In Science, Technology, Engineering And Mathematics Fields Program (WAMS) Apply for USDA NIFA WAMS 003415 Funding Number: USDA NIFA WAMS 003415 Agency: National Institute of Food and Agriculture Category: Agriculture Business and Commerce Community Development Education Employment, Labor and Training Environment Natural Resources Regional Development Science and Technology and other Research and Develo Funding Amount: $300,000 |
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