Dear Colleagues,

The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine is hosting a webinar to present the newly released report, Science Breakthroughs to Advance Food and Agricultural Research by 2030 on Wednesday, July 18 at 10:00 am PT.

The webinar will feature a presentation and live Q&A by the co-chairs and two committee members of the report's authoring committee: Susan R. Wessler of University of California, Riverside (co-chair), John D. Floros of New Mexico State University (co-chair), Corrie Brown of University of Georgia, and Gregory V. Lowry of Carnegie Mellon University.

Register Here

The prepublication version of the report will be available for free download on Wednesday, July 18 at 8:00 am PT on the National Academies Press website.

This report was a collaboration of the following National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine divisions and boards:

•           Division on Earth and Life Studies: Board on Agriculture and Natural Resources, Board on Atmospheric Sciences and Climate, Board on Life Sciences, Water Science and Technology Board

•           Division of Behavioral and Social Sciences and Education: Board on Environmental Change and Society

•           Health and Medicine Division: Food and Nutrition Board

The goal of Science Breakthroughs 2030 project is to develop a compelling scientific strategy for food and agricultural research for the next decade and beyond that would stimulate transformational change in the food and agricultural system by catalyzing new research directions and partnerships, attracting new research talent, stimulating entrepreneurial activities, increasing funding opportunities, and ultimately opening new paths to a safe, healthful, and sustainable supply of food and fiber.

Major funding for the study has been provided by the Supporters of Agricultural Research (SoAR) Foundation, the Foundation for Food and Agriculture Research (FFAR), the United States Department of Agriculture – National Institute of Food and Agriculture (USDA-NIFA), and the National Science Foundation (NSF).

For more information, please visit: http://nas-sites.org/dels/studies/agricultural-science-breakthroughs/

Thank you.

Kathleen Nolan, Director, ANR Office of Contracts & Grants (OCG)

Dear Colleagues,

Take your fund-seeking to the next level by utilizing best practices in grant-writing to increase your funding proposal competitiveness and expand your capacity to pursue major, multi- and interdisciplinary, team-based funding initiatives.

Grant Essentials Summit is a 1-day targeted professional development intervention focused on enhancing the performance of individual academics as well as teams in attracting and winning grants within the research and extension enterprise, specific to a single discipline as well as across disciplines. This comprehensive day-long program is designed to convey the fundamentals of proposal writing, starting with the concepts, backed up with concrete tips and operational strategies.

The seminar will cover essential topics to grant writing, such as:

- Understanding of the preparation steps before writing

- Techniques for creating a strong argument for the proposed project

- Approaches to defining a writing style and addressing writer's block

- Techniques for communicating the approach clearly

- Approaches to communicating with funding programs

- Understanding the grant review process

- Effective tools, resources, and best practices to support grant writing

Content is geared to participants at all levels who want to better prepare for leading and participating in grant efforts targeting a variety of funding programs sponsored by academia, state government, federal government, private, and industry sponsors.  All ANR academics and staff are invited to participate.

If you are interested in attending, please RSVP by FRIDAY, JULY 20 to attend one of the two scheduled event dates.

• Thursday, September 13, 2018 - UCCE San Diego Office, 9335 Hazard Way, Suite 201 San Diego, CA
• Thursday, September 27, 2018 - UC ANR Building, 2801 Second Street, Davis, CA

For more information, please visit: http://ucanr.edu/sites/anrstaff/Administration/Business_Operations/Contracts_-_Grants/Grant_Essentials_Summit/

Thank you.

Kathleen Nolan, Director, ANR Office of Contracts & Grants (OCG)

Dear Colleagues,

NIFA has announced $182 million in funding for Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (AFRI) Foundational and Applied Science Program.

The Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (AFRI) is America's flagship competitive grants program that provides funding for fundamental and applied research, education, and extension projects in the food and agricultural sciences. The purpose of AFRI is to support research, education, and extension work by awarding grants to solve key problems of local, regional, national, and global importance in sustaining conventional, organic, and urban agricultural systems. These include farm efficiency, profitability and sustainability, ranching, bioenergy, forestry, aquaculture, rural communities and entrepreneurship, human nutrition, mitigating impacts of biotic and abiotic constraints on food production, food safety, mitigating food waste and food loss, physical and social sciences, home economics and rural human ecology, biotechnology, and classical breeding.

The goal of this program is to invest in agricultural production research, education, and extension projects for more sustainable, productive and economically viable plant and animal production systems.  Through this support, AFRI advances knowledge in both fundamental and applied sciences important to agriculture. It also allows AFRI to support education and extension activities that deliver science-based knowledge to end users, allowing them to make informed, practical decisions.

AFRI program descriptions are as follows:

• Plant health and production and plant products
• Animal health and production and animal products
• Food safety, nutrition, and health
• Bioenergy, natural resources, and environment
• Agriculture systems and technology
• Agriculture economics and rural communities
• Crosscutting programs
• Critical agricultural research and extension; and
• Exploratory research

For FY 18, there is a new Plant Health and Production and Plant Products program area priority:  Agricultural Microbiomes in Plant Systems and Natural Resources (Code: A1402).  This program area priority is focused on understanding the multipartite interactions among the host, environment, and the microbiome; thereby providing information critical for improving and sustaining agricultural productivity and quality in plant systems and associated natural resources. Plant productivity includes biotic factors affecting plant health such as pests, diseases or vectors as well as abiotic factors (water, soil health), etc. Research supported by this program area priority will help fill major knowledge gaps in characterizing agricultural microbiomes and microbiome functions across agricultural production systems and natural resources through cross-cutting projects.

Microbiomes have profound impacts on agricultural production systems as well as human, animal, plant, and environmental health. Microbiome research is critical for improving agricultural productivity, sustainability of agricultural ecosystems, safety of the food supply and meeting the challenge of feeding a rapidly growing world population. Better understanding of microbiomes will help reduce the use of chemicals (pesticides, antibiotics, and biocides) in food production, lead to the development of safer alternatives for the management of agriculturally-important pests and diseases, optimize nutrient utilization efficiency, and reduce environmental footprints. Understanding the multipartite interactions among the host, environment, and the microbiome is critical for improving and sustaining agricultural productivity and quality in plant systems and associated natural resources. Plant productivity includes biotic factors affecting plant health such as either pests, diseases or vectors as well as abiotic factors (water, soil health), etc. Research supported by this program area priority will help fill major knowledge gaps in characterizing agricultural microbiomes and microbiome functions across agricultural production systems, and natural resources through cross-cutting projects. This research will capitalize on the convergence of low-cost sequencing and “omics” technologies, manipulation of microbiome composition and of phage and microbial genes (transposons, integrons), genome editing tools, and other novel tools for studying microbiota's structure and function.

The program requires a Letter of Intent, due July 18, 2018, after which applications are due September 26, 2018. The program is soliciting Standard Grants, Strengthening Standard Grants, and New Investigator Grants of up to $750,000 total per project for project periods of up to four years.

Learn more about the Agricultural Microbiomes in Plant Systems and Natural Resources at a webinar scheduled for Friday, June 22, from 11:00 am to 12:00 pm PST.

Webinar Link: https://nifa-usda.webex.com/nifa-usda/j.php?MTID=m18746fd3f1995fb9027ce8807925e4ec (link is external)
Meeting number: 964853991
Join by phone
Call-in toll-free number (ATT Audio Conference): 1-888-844-9904 (US)
Access Code: 4629822

If you have questions regarding Program Area Priority Code A1402, contact either Rachel Melnick, National Program Leader, Institute of Bioenergy, Climate, and Environment at rmelnick@nifa.usda.gov, OR Ann Lichens-Park, National Program Leader, Division of Plant Systems-Protection at apark@nifa.usda.gov.

Thank you.

Kathleen Nolan, Director, ANR Office of Contracts & Grants (OCG)

Dear Colleagues,

The California Air Resources Board (CARB) is requesting research concepts to address current research priorities described within the Triennial Research Plan for Fiscal Years 2018-2021.  The goal of the Triennial Strategic Research Plan is to guide CARB's research funding to produce timely and credible science to inform key decisions needed to meet air quality, climate goals, environmental justice, and public health goals. Rather than identifying individual research projects, the Plan will identify broad research initiatives that will be the focus of funding for the next three years, resulting in several key advantages:

• Improved communication of CARB's long-term vision to better identify co-funding and leveraging opportunities with other research funding organizations, state and federal agencies, and internationally.
• Greater transparency and stakeholder involvement in the planning process.
• More responsive research proposals from universities and other groups.
• Increased flexibility to adjust to budget changes and opportunities.

Submission Requirements: Concept submissions consist of a title and a brief (300 words or less) description of your research concept. The concept description should articulate significance and relevance to CARB's policies and/or programs.  It should include a clearly stated research objective, brief description of methods that could or would be employed, and what the final product or deliverable of the research would be. Information on time and funding needed to conduct the research is helpful but not required.   Only concepts that clearly demonstrate policy relevance to CARB will be considered.

Research concepts should address one or more of the following research initiatives:

·        Health and Environmental Justice (EJ) Research Initiatives

o   Sustainable Communities and Health

o   Exposure assessment

o   Indoor Exposure

o   Exposure Mitigation

o   EJ - Short-term health exposure

o   EJ - Cumulative impacts

o   EJ - Identifying Sources

o   EJ - Satellite data, toxics, odors

• Air Quality Research Initiatives

o   State Implementation Plans - Long range ozone transport

o   State Implementation Plans - Sources of PM2.5 in the San Joaquin Valley

o   Light Duty Vehicles - Fleet deterioration and high-emitter tracking

o   Light Duty Vehicles - Real-world & lab emission discrepancies

o   Heavy Duty, off-road, and freight - Emission reductions from off-road and freight

o   Heavy Duty, off-road, and freight - Inspection/maintenance feasibility

o   Heavy Duty, off-road, and freight - Real-world & lab emission discrepancies

• Climate Initiatives

o   Greenhouse Gas Inventories and Mitigation - Track progress & refine emission estimates

o   Greenhouse Gas Inventories and Mitigation - Mitigation options

o   Sustainable Communities - Track progress & quantify co-benefits

o   Sustainable Communities - Evaluate greenhouse gas emissions reductions

• Cross-cutting Research Initiatives

o   Natural and Working Lands - Optimal use of organic waste

o   Transportation - Potential of advanced technology

o   Economics - Market transformation

Submitted concepts will be reviewed to inform which projects may be funded in the 2019-2020 fiscal year.  The nature and scope of proposed research ideas that are funded by CARB vary, as does the size and duration of the projects. While there is no minimum or maximum funding amount that may be suggested for the conduct of the proposed research, suggested budgets are expected to be consistent with our historical levels. The Board's research budget is approximately $5 million dollars per year and typically supports 10-25 projects, with two to three year duration. There is no specified minimum or maximum project budget, but typical budgets range from $50,000-$650,000.

If you are interested in applying, please submit your concept by August 24, 2018 at 5:00 PM PST.   

If you have any questions, please contact Sarah Pittiglio at (916) 324-0627.

Thank you.

Kathleen Nolan, Director, ANR Office of Contracts & Grants (OCG)