Introduction to NIFA Mark Poth Sustainable Bioenergy Division Director mpoth@nifa.usda.gov

1. Introduction to NIFAMark PothSustainable Bioenergy Division Directormpoth@nifa.usda.gov

2. 4 NIFA Institutes • Institute of food production & sustainability • Institute of food safety & nutrition • Institute of bioenergy, climate, & environment • Institute for youth, family, communities 1 Center Center for International Programs

3. NIFA Director (Acting) Chavonda Jacobs-Young Equal Opportunity Staff Institute of Youth, Family, and Community Institute of Food Production and Sustainability Institute of Bioenergy, Climate, and Environment Institute of Food Safety and Nutrition Office of Grants and Financial Management Office of Information Technology Budget Staff Division of Animal Systems Division of Bioenergy Division of Nutrition Division of Community and Education Awards Management Division Applications Division Communications Staff Planning, Accountability, & Reporting Staff Division of Plant Systems - Protection Division of Global Climate Change Division of Food Safety Division of Youth and 4-H Policy and Oversight Division Operations and Administrative Systems Division Division of Plant Systems - Production Division of Environmental Systems Division of Family and Consumer Sciences Financial Operations Division Information Policy, Planning, and Training Division Center for International Programs Division of Agricultural Systems

4. National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) established by the 2008 Farm Bill • Research enables us to develop the knowledge needed to solve many of the issues facing our nation • Educationstrengthens schools and universities to train the next generation of scientists, educators, producers, and citizens • Extension brings the knowledge gained through research and education to the people who need it most – in the United States and around the world

5. Tom Vilsack Secretary, USDA Dr. Cathie Woteki Under Secretary Research, Education, and Economics (REE) mission area, and the Department's Chief Scientist Dr. Chavonda Jacobs-Young Acting Director, NIFA

6. Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (AFRI)

7. Agriculture and Food Research Initiative • Authorized for appropriation of $700 million for each of fiscal years 2008 through 2012 • FY 2010 funding = $262 million • FY 2011 funding = $264 million • Indirect costs capped at 22% • No less than 30% of funds will be made available for integrated programs

8. Agriculture and Food Research Initiative Of funds allocated for research: • No less than 40% made available for applied research • No less than 60% made available for fundamental research • No less than 30% for multi-disciplinary teams • No less than 2% for equipment grants

9. Agriculture and Food Research Initiative FY 2011/2012 Challenge Area RFAs • Childhood Obesity Prevention • Climate Change • Global Food Security • Food Safety • Sustainable Bioenergy

10. Agriculture and Food Research Initiative FY 2011/12 Challenge Area RFAs • Significant focus on achieving measurable outcomes • Offers funding for research, education, extension, and integrated projects • Most grants made as continuation awards • Range of award sizes; some as large at $2 million per year

11. Agriculture and Food Research Initiative Foundational Program RFA • Plant Health and Production and Plant Products • Animal Health and Production and Animal Products • Food Safety, Nutrition, and Health • Renewable Energy, Natural Resources, and Environment • Agriculture Systems and Technology • Agriculture Economics and Rural Communities

12. Agriculture and Food Research Initiative Foundational Program RFA • Building a foundation of knowledge critical for solving current and future societal challenges • Offers funding for research projects only • Grants generally $500,000 or less each in total

13. Agriculture and Food Research Initiative NIFA Fellowships Program RFA • Offering individual fellowships for pre- and postdoctoral students – NIFA Fellows • Projects to focus on the broad Challenge Areas • Pre-doctoral fellowships: $75,000 for two years of support (stipend, tuition, fees, fringe, travel) • Post-doctoral fellowships: $130,000 for two years of support (primarily salary; also supplies, travel, etc.)

14. Project Types and Eligibility • Research Projects – basic and applied, multidisciplinary • Education Projects • Extension Projects The broader AFRI Eligibility applies to these single-function project types

15. AFRI Eligibility • State agricultural experiment stations • Colleges and universities (including junior colleges offering associate degrees or higher) • University research foundations • Other research institutions and organizations • Federal agencies and national laboratories • Private organizations or corporations • U.S. Citizens, nationals, or permanent residents • Eligible institutions do not include foreign and international organizations

16. Project Types and Eligibility • Integrated Projects – integration of research, education and extension (at least two of three, or all three when specified in the RFA) The 406 or Integrated Eligibility applies to this multi-functional project type

17. 406 or Integrated Eligibility • Colleges and universities • 1994 Land-Grant Institutions • Hispanic-serving agricultural colleges and universities

18. Grant Types • Standard Grant • Coordinated Agricultural Project (CAP) Grant • Conference Grant • Food and Agricultural Science Enhancement (FASE) Grant

19. FASE Grants • Improve research, education, and extension capabilities of: • institutions in EPSCoR states • faculty from small, mid-sized, and minority-serving institutions (with limited success) • single or co-investigators beginning research, education, or extension careers • pre-doctoral students and post-doctoral scientists

20. FASE Grants • Pre-doctoral Fellowship Grants • Postdoctoral Fellowship Grants • New Investigator Grants • Strengthening Grants • Sabbatical Grants • Equipment Grants • Seed Grants • Strengthening Standard

21. An Overview of Integrated Research, Education, and Extension Programs

22. I To bring the three functions of the agricultural knowledge system around a problem area or issue ntegrated Research Education Extension

23. NIFA’s Integrated Programs The three functions should: • Be interwoven throughout the life of the project • Complement and reinforce one another • Be interdependent and necessary for the success of the project

24. NIFA’s Integrated Programs • Agriculture and Food Research Initiative • Section 406 Integrated, Research, Education, and Extension Competitive Grants Program • Specialty Crop Research Initiative • Organic Agriculture Research and Extension Initiative • Regional Integrated Pest Management • International Science and Education Competitive Grants Program

25. Agriculture and FoodResearch Initiative (AFRI)

26. AFRI Integrated Programs • Fundamental and applied research • Education • Extension • Integrated research, extension, and/or education

27. AFRI Integrated Programs Authorized for appropriation of $700 million for each of fiscal years 2008 through 2012 No less than 30% will be made available for integrated programs

28. AFRI Integrated Eligibility Colleges and universities,1994 land-grant institutions, and Hispanic-serving agricultural colleges and universities

29. AFRI Grant Types • Standard Grants • Coordinated Agricultural Project Grants • Planning/Coordination Grants • Conference Grants • Food and Agricultural Science Enhancement Grants (FASE) • Pre- and Postdoctoral Fellowship Grants • New Investigator Grants • Strengthening Grants

30. Key Points for AFRI Integrated Projects • Must include two of the three functions (research, education, and/or extension per the RFA!) • Applications must contain objectives for each function in the project • Must budget sufficient resources to carry out the set of research, education, and/or extension activities • No more than 2/3 on a single function

31. Key Points for AFRI Integrated Projects • Applications must provide the elements of a logic model (e.g., activities, outputs, and outcomes) in narrative form or logic model chart • Must include individuals on the project team with significant expertise in each component of the project • Applications must contain a clearly articulated management plan to ensure efficient functioning of the team

32. AFRI Integrated Program Areas • Childhood Obesity Prevention Challenge Area • Climate Change Challenge Area • Global Food Security Challenge Area • Food Safety Challenge Area • Sustainable Bioenergy Challenge Area • Foundational Program

33. Integrated Research, Education, and Extension Competitive Grants Program (Section 406)

34. Section 406 Authorized in Section 406 of the Agricultural Research, Extension and Education Reform Act of 1998 (AREERA) Provides funding for integrated, multifunctional agricultural research, education, and extension activities

35. Section 406 Appropriations 2006 $42.29 M 2007 42.29 M 2008 41.99 M 2009 41.99 M 2010 45.15 M 2011 45.15M 2000 $39.54 M 2001 41.85 M 2002 42.85 M 2003 44.23 M 2004 39.55 M 2005 43.06 M

36. Section 406 Eligibility Colleges and universities,1994 land-grant institutions, and Hispanic-serving agricultural colleges and universities

37. Section 406 Program Areas • National Integrated Food Safety Initiative • National Integrated Water Quality Program • Organic Transitions Program

38. Section 406 Program Areas • Integrated Pest Management • Regional Pest Management Centers • Crops at Risk • Risk Avoidance & Mitigation • Methyl Bromide Transitions

39. Specialty Crop Research Initiative (SCRI)

40. Specialty Crop Research Initiative Supports research and extension that takes a systems-based, trans-disciplinary approach to solving critical specialty crop issues, priorities or problems

41. SCRI Eligibility Federal agencies, national laboratories, colleges and universities, research institutions and organizations, private organizations or corporations, State agricultural experiment stations, individuals, or groups consisting of two or more of these entities

42. SCRI Program Areas Projects must address at least one of five focus areas: • Plant breeding, genetics, and genomics to improve crop characteristics • Identification and addressing threats from pests and diseases, including threats to specialty crop pollinators

43. SCRI Program Areas • Improvement of production efficiency, productivity, and profitability over the long term • New innovations and technology, including improved mechanization and technologies that delay or inhibit ripening • Methods to prevent, detect, monitor, control, and respond to potential food safety hazards in production and processing of specialty crops

44. Organic Agriculture Research and Extension Initiative(OREI) Supports projects that will enhance the ability of producers and processors who have already adopted organic standards to grow and market high quality organic agricultural products

45. OREI Eligibility State agricultural experiment stations, colleges and universities, university research foundations, other research institutions and organizations, Federal agencies, national laboratories, private organizations or corporations, individuals who are United States citizens or national, or a group consisting of two or more of these entities

46. OREI Program Characteristics • OREI is particularly interested in projects that emphasize research and outreach that assist farmers and ranchers with whole farm planning and ecosystem integration • Fieldwork must be done on certified organic land or on land in transition to organic certification, as appropriate to project goals and objectives

47. OREI Program Characteristics • Projects should plan to deliver applied production information to producers • Priority concerns include biological, physical, and social sciences, including economics

48. International Science and Education Program Support research, extension, and teaching activities that will enhance the capabilities of American colleges and universities to conduct international collaborative research, extension, and teaching

49. Even More Competitive Programs…

50. Other Competitive Programs • Biotechnology Risk Assessment • Renewable Resource Extension Act -National Focus Funds • Rangeland Research • Biomass Research and Development • Beginning Farmers and Ranchers Development • Small Business Innovation Research • Sustainable Agricultural Research and Education