FEDERAL AGENCY:

COOPERATIVE STATE RESEARCH, EDUCATION AND EXTENSION SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

AUTHORIZATION:

Section 759, Public Law 106-78, 7 U.S.C. 3242.

OBJECTIVES:

To recruit, support and educate under-represented scientists and professionals, and to advance the educational capacity of the Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian (AN/NH) Serving Institutions.

TYPES OF ASSISTANCE:

Project Grants. Place Cursor Here for Definition

USES AND USE RESTRICTIONS:

Funds may be used to enhance educational equity for under-represented students in order to prepare them for careers related to the food, agricultural, and natural resource systems of the United States; to strengthen institutional educational capacities, including libraries, curriculum, faculty, scientific instrumentation, instruction delivery systems, and student recruitment and retention, in order to respond to identified educational needs in the food and agricultural sciences; and to facilitate activities and cooperative initiatives between AN/NH Serving Institutions, or between AN/NH Serving Institutions and units of State government or the private sector, to maximize the development and use of resources, faculty, facilities, and equipment, to improve food and agricultural sciences teaching programs.

ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS:

Applicant Eligibility:   Alaska Native Serving Institutions and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions.

Beneficiary Eligibility:   Alaska Native Serving Institutions and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions.

Credentials/Documentation:   Each first-time recipient must furnish organizational management information requested by the funding agency, and each applicant must provide assurances specified in the annual solicitation of applications.

Pre-application Coordination:   All proposals/solicitations are published in the Federal Register. This program is excluded from coverage under E.O. 12372.

Application Procedure:   Formal proposals should be submitted to the Office of Extramural Programs, CSREES, as outlined in the solicitation of applications. Application procedures are contained in the program regulations and required forms are contained in the Grant Application Kit. This program is subject to the regulatory provisions of USDA, 7 CFR Part 3015, et seq., and all successor regulations.

Award Procedure:   Proposals are reviewed and evaluated by CSREES staff members with the assistance and advice of peer panels of qualified educators, administrators, industrialists, and other appropriate persons who are specialists in the fields covered by the proposals, as needed. Grant payments may be made by the electronic transfer system, advance by Treasury check, or reimbursement by Treasury check.

Deadlines:   All deadlines are announced in the Federal Register. The deadline for submission of fiscal year 2002 proposals is April 19, 2002.

Range of Approval/Disapproval Time:   From 90 to 180 days.

Appeals:   None.

Renewals:   None.

ASSISTANCE CONSIDERATIONS:

Formula and Matching Requirements:   Funds are awarded on an equal basis to Alaska Native-Serving and Native Hawaiian-Serving Institutions to carry out higher education programs. There are no matching requirements.

Length and Time Phasing of Assistance:   Grants are awarded for project periods of 12 to 36 months duration.

POST ASSISTANCE REQUIREMENTS:

Reports:   Grant terms and conditions will specify reporting requirements.

Audits:   In accordance with the provisions of OMB Circular No. A- 133 (Revised, June 24, 1997), "Audits of States, Local Governments, and Non-Profit Organizations," non federal entities that expend financial assistance of $300,000 or more in Federal awards will have a single or a program-specific audit conducted for that year. Nonfederal entities that expend less than $300,000 a year in Federal awards are exempt from Federal audit requirements for that year, except as noted in Circular No. A-133.

Records:   Grantees are expected to maintain separate records for each grant to ensure that funds are expended for authorized purposes. Grant related records must be retained at least 3-years; records must be retained beyond the 3 year period if litigation is pending or audit findings have not been resolved.

FINANCIAL INFORMATION:

Account Identification:   12-1500-0-1-352.

Obligations:   (Grants) FY 01 $2,873,664; FY 02 $2,877,120; and FY 03 est $2,877,120.

Range and Average of Financial Assistance:   If minimum or maximum amounts of funding per competitive project grant or cooperative agreement are established, these will be announced in the annual program announcement or Request for Application (RFA).

Not applicable. This is a newly funded program.

REGULATIONS, GUIDELINES, AND LITERATURE:

7 CFR Part 3015, USDA Uniform Federal Assistance Regulations (implementing the provisions of OMB Circular Nos. A-21 and A-110); 7 CFR Part 3017, Governmentwide Debarment and Suspension (Nonprocurement) and Governmentwide Requirements for Drug-Free Workplace (Grants); 7 CFR Part 3018, Restrictions on Lobbying; 7 CFR Part 3019, Uniform Administrative Requirements for Grants and Agreements with Institutions of Higher Education, Hospitals, and Other Nonprofit Organizations.

INFORMATION CONTACTS:

Regional or Local Office:   None.

Headquarters Office:   USDA, NIFA, National Program Leader, Institute of Youth, Family, and Community, Division of Community and Education, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW., STOP 2250, Washington , District of Columbia 20250-2250 Email: Policy@nifa.usda.gov Phone: (202) 720-2324 Fax: (202) 720-2030

Web Site Address:  
http://nifa.usda.gov/program/alaska-native-serving-and-native-hawaiian-serving-institutions-education-competitive-grants

EXAMPLES OF FUNDED PROJECTS:

Not applicable. This is a newly funded program.

CRITERIA FOR SELECTING PROPOSALS:

Criteria are expected to include the following: (1) The likelihood that the project will have a substantial impact upon and advance the quality of higher education in the food and agricultural sciences higher education by strengthening institutional capacities to meet clearly delineated needs; (2) the soundness of the proposed approach, including objectives, procedures, timetable, evaluation and dissemination plans, and partnerships and collaborative efforts; (3) the qualifications and the adequacy of the key personnel who will carry out the proposed project; (4) the institution's commitment to the project and the adequacy of institutional resources available to carry out the project; (5) the extent to which the total budget adequately supports the project and is cost effective; and (6) the degree to which the proposal complies with the application guidelines and is of high quality.