Dear Colleagues,

USDA NIFA invites applications for the Smith-Lever Special Needs Competitive Grants Program (SLSNCGP). This program enables the Cooperative Extension System (CES) to assist communities in preparing for, responding to, recovering from, and mitigating disasters and disaster threats. The SLSNCGP will fund the development of educational programs, resource deliverables, and demonstration activities that focus on disaster preparedness, response, recovery, and mitigation.  

SLSNCGP projects must address at least one of these Topical Areas:

• Agriculture: Includes but is not limited to row crop and forage health and production; livestock health and production; aquaculture; fruit and vegetable production; food loss and waste; farm and agribusiness management; economics; urban agriculture; farm safety; and agricultural biosecurity.  
• Natural Resources: Includes but is not limited to water; forestry; wood sciences; range; waste management; energy, wildlife; recreation; and environmental education. 
• Community and Economic Development: Includes but is not limited to small business; workforce development; community planning; placemaking; revitalization; tourism; visioning and strategic planning; leadership development; housing; homeowner education; civic engagement; volunteerism; broadband; and rural life. 
• Family and Consumer Sciences: Includes but is not limited to nutrition; food safety; food loss and waste; nutrition security; health management and wellness; health equity; well-being; mental health; personal and family finance; child development; early childhood education; individual and family relationships; textiles; and hospitality.  
• 4-H and Youth Development: Includes but is not limited to youth development; career exploration; civic engagement; STEM education; and volunteerism. 

SLSNCGP projects must address at least one of the Strategies as detailed in the solicitation: 

• Program and Resource Development
• Exercise and Training
• Communications
• Disaster Planning
• Professional Development and Capacity Building

Key Details:

Grant Types:

• Extension Standard Projects: Duration: 12–36 months; Maximum Award: $115,000
• Extension Planning Projects: Duration: 12 months; Maximum Award: $30,000

Required match: 1:1 match required
Proposal Deadline: February 13, 2025

Visit the NIFA website to learn more about this funding opportunity and access the full Request for Applications (RFA).

Thank you,

Kendra Rose, Associate Director, ANR Proposal Development Services

Dear Colleagues,

The Swine Health Information Center (SHIC), in collaboration with the Foundation for Food & Agriculture Research (FFAR) and the Pork Checkoff, has launched a $4 million research initiative to strengthen the U.S. swine industry's capabilities in prevention, preparedness, mitigation, and response for H5N1 influenza. With ongoing H5N1 outbreaks in poultry and rising cases across diverse mammalian species, the disease has become a priority for the pork industry. The recent discovery of H5N1 in a dairy herd and a backyard pig in Oregon highlights the urgent need for a deeper understanding of the virus and proactive risk management.

Eligibility and Project Priorities

All projects should strive to address the H5N1 risk to swine research priorities, aiming for high impact, industry-wide benefit, and clear value to pork producers. Collaborative projects involving the pork industry, allied sectors, dairy or poultry industries, academic institutions, or public/private partnerships are strongly encouraged. Proposals that focus on the most urgent priorities and provide significant value to pork producers will be prioritized for funding. The program priorities include:

1. Vaccines: Develop and assess H5N1 vaccines.
2. Clinical Presentation: Study H5N1 symptoms and transmission.
3. Mammary Transmission: Examine virus transmission from sows to piglets via milk.
4. Surveillance: Identify effective sampling and testing for early detection.
5. Transmission Risks: Assess potential H5N1 entry points from livestock and wildlife.
6. Caretaker Protection: Define PPE and practices to prevent zoonotic transmission.
7. Biosecurity: Create protocols to prevent H5N1 spread on farms.
8. Pork Safety: Ensure safe handling and assess H5N1 presence in pork products.
9. Production Impact: Develop strategies to limit spread and production losses.
10. Business Continuity: Manage swine movement from exposed herds with safety measures

Key Details

• Award ceiling: $250,000 per award
• Required match: None
• Performance Period: 12 – 18 months
• Proposal Deadline: 5 p.m. CST on December 31, 2024.

For more information and to access the proposal template, visit Swine Health Information Center website.

Thank you.

Kendra Rose, Associate Director, ANR Proposal Development Services

Dear Colleagues,

The California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) Fertilizer Research and Education Program (FREP) has announced its 2025 Request for Pre-Proposals, inviting innovative project ideas to advance the efficient and environmentally safe use of fertilizers and irrigation in agriculture. This FREP is dedicated to supporting efforts that promote sustainable and effective nutrient and water management practices across California.

FREP is particularly interested in projects that target:

1. Outreach, Education, and Demonstration Projects – Focused on enhancing nutrient and irrigation management practices through technical training, certification programs, extension materials, and creating resources for underserved growers and non-English speakers. These projects should aim to improve adoption rates of proven management practices among growers and field staff.
2. Research and Demonstration Projects – Geared towards advancing knowledge in areas such as:

• Improving Nutrient and Irrigation Management: Projects might explore the barriers to adopting best practices, the role of organic materials in soil health, and validating tools that optimize Nutrient and/or irrigation water use
• Evaluating Nutrient Loss Pathways: With an emphasis on understanding nutrient movement from the root zone to the environment and mitigating nutrient losses, these projects could cover topics like nutrient loss through runoff and methods for reducing gaseous emissions from fertilizers.

Range of Awards: $75,000 - $100,000 per year
Required match: None
Performance Period: 1-3 years
Pre-Proposal Deadline: December 16, 2024
Full Proposal Deadline: April 14, 2025 (by invite only)

For more information and to access the pre-proposal template, visit CDFA FREP's website.

Thank you.

Kendra Rose, Associate Director, Proposal Development Services

Dear Colleagues,

The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE) is now accepting proposals for its Forest Health Research Program, which funds scientific research aimed at enhancing forest health and wildland fire resilience in California. Research proposals should address one or more of the following priority topics, which focus on California's ecosystems and their management:

1. Recovery, restoration, regeneration, and reforestation strategies following wildfires and other disturbances in a changing climate.
2. Effectiveness of current and alternative management strategies to reduce wildfire impacts and improve hydrologic functions, air quality, biodiversity, and more.
3. Ecological monitoring to assess the impacts, effectiveness, and benefits of vegetation treatments.
4. Community resilience to wildfires and other ecological disturbances under current and future climate conditions.
5. Research centering Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK) and tribal forest and fire management practices.
6. Utilization of forest residues from fuel reduction and forest health treatments.
7. Improved prediction of wildland fire behavior, spread, and impacts, especially under extreme weather conditions.
8. Cost-benefit analysis for forest restoration, fuel treatments, and wildfire mitigation strategies.

Research Project Categories and Funding:

• Wildfire and Forest Research (General): 2 expected awards; maximum amount of $750,000.
• Demonstration State Forests Research: 1 expected award; maximum amount of $750,000.
• Graduate Student Research: 5 expected awards; maximum amount of $100,000.
• Science Synthesis and Tool Development: 1 expected award; maximum amount of $750,000.
• Special Topics Research: 1 expected award; maximum amount of $500,000.

For more information, please visit the sponsor's website at https://www.fire.ca.gov/what-we-do/grants/forest-health-research-program

Concept Proposals Due: 3 p.m. November 14, 2024
Full Proposals Due: 3 p.m. March 14, 2025 (by Invite Only)

Thank you,

Kendra Rose, Associate Director, Proposal Development Services (OCG)