by Rick Koelsch, UNL Extension, January 15, 2015
USDA NIFA's Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program awards grants to
organizations implementing programs to train beginning farmers and
ranchers, including workshops, educational teams, training, and
technical assistance. The 2015 request for proposals (RFA) is now available with proposal applications due on March 13, 2015.
Here are a few Q&A's for your information...
Where do I find additional information about the program? If you want a short overview of the program, review the USDA news release. The 2015 Requests for Application is your bible for a successful application and should be the starting point for anyone contemplating an application. A webinar is planned for Wednesday, February 11 from 2 to 4 pm Eastern Time. But don't wait until the webinar to begin assembling your team and proposal. A more detailed set of documents and resources are found on NIFA web page.
What has this program supported in the past? From 2009-2012, 145 awards were made for more than $71 million
through the Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program. Additional
information about USDA support for new farmers and ranchers is
available at www.usda.gov/newfarmers. Specific information about outcome and examples of successful projects from 2010 funded projects and 2011 funded projects area available. Abstracts of all funded projects are also available.
Who is eligible to participate? The proposal is available to a broad range of public and private entities, including Extension. Partnerships are highly valued. Extension should consider partnerships with
Federal, State or tribal agencies; a community-based and nongovernmental
organization; college or university (including an institution awarding
an associate’s degree) or foundation maintained by a college or
university. Because 10% of the funding is targeted towards projects that reach military veterans as well as social disadvantaged audiences, partnerships that lead to reaching these audiences will have an advantage.
What types of projects will be funded? The RFA introduces two general categories for grants: 1) Standard projects and 2) Educational Enhancement Projects. The long-term goals of the Standard BFRDP
projects are to enhance the sustainability of beginning farmers and ranchers
through education, training, mentoring and outreach programs that enhance
self-employment in farming, ranching and forestry opportunities. The long-term goals of the Educational
Enhancement Team (EET) projects are to identify gaps in beginning farmer and
rancher training by evaluating all existing programs, and to develop and
conduct train-the-trainer projects to address these gaps.
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