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AIHEC – USDA/NRCS PROGRAM
PARTNERSHIP TO SUPPORT
TRIBAL FARMERS, RANCHERS AND COMMUNITIES
OPPORTUNITY ANNOUNCEMENT
DECEMBER 2014
AIHEC is pleased to announce that we are conducting a second round of competition for the
Partnership to Support Tribal Farmers, Ranchers, and Communities project. TCUs interested in
providing opportunities for their faculty and students to support American Indian farmers, ranchers
and communities in strengthening their agricultural, financial, and natural resource management
practices are strongly encouraged to apply. This opportunity is made available through funding
from the USDA National Resources Conservation Service (NRCS). Up to 4 additional awards of up to
$25,000 each will be made in this, the pilot year of the project, to cover the costs of college faculty,
staff, and students offering training and support services. We anticipate that this pilot program will
serve as a model for other USDA agencies seeking to broaden their outreach efforts with Tribal
communities through partnerships with TCUs.
Project Overview
The project involves a partnership with 1994 Land Grant Tribal Colleges and Universities (TCUs).
Participating TCUs will serve as local training, education and outreach service providers,
encouraging and supporting the adoption of sound conservation and ranching and farming
practices. TCUs will work with local farmers and ranchers, informing them of NRCS and other USDA
resources available to them, and assisting in the application process.
Participating TCUs will help to promote sustainable economic, agricultural and natural resource
management practices, thereby helping protect culturally and economically important Tribal land
and water resources.
The Natural Resource Conservation Service will provide webinars to prepare the TCU
partners. Webinar topics will include:
1. The Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP), which promotes
coordination between NRCS and its partners to deliver conservation assistance to
producers and landowners;
2. Conservation Innovation Grants (CIG), a voluntary program intended to stimulate
the development and adoption of innovative conservation approaches and
technologies while leveraging Federal investment in environmental enhancement
and protection, in conjunction with agricultural production. Under CIG,
Environmental Quality Incentives Program funds are used to award competitive
grants to non-Federal governmental or nongovernmental organizations, Tribes, or
individuals.
Project Activities
Student Interns: We encourage applicants to involve your students in all of the activities described
below. Funding should allow for the recruitment of 3-5 student interns to work with the project
director to implement project objectives. We encourage participating TCUs to offer the students
credits under a special topics course within your natural resources or environmental science
programs.
1. Assist American Indian farmers and ranchers in accessing NRCS and other USDA agency
resources intended to promote sustainable agricultural and business practices.
Each participating Tribal College will be required to conduct a series of short workshops once every
two months for local farmers and ranchers providing information about available NRCS (and other
USDA agency) resources and programs as well as the 1200 application process. One-on-one
support to individual farmers and ranchers could be arranged by appointment or by setting up a
regular time for walk-ins, providing opportunities for individual farmers and ranchers to discuss
their specific needs and receive assistance in developing applications for technical or financial
assistance.
2. Assist Tribes and Tribal communities with the process of conducting a Resource Assessment
a. General Resource Assessment
TCU project teams will be asked to identify the status of the local Tribal Resource Assessment (e.g.
planned, under way or completed) and identify the key individuals and Tribal agencies involved in
carrying out the assessment. If no assessment is being planned, the teams will be expected to work
with relevant Tribal agencies to identify the process through which the assessment can be initiated.
If an assessment is ongoing or completed, the teams should plan to identify opportunities to
provide support, if appropriate.
b. Climate change vulnerability study
TCU teams are asked to develop a climate change vulnerability analysis based on local and regional
climate change projections and discussions with local community stakeholders. TCU teams will be
provided technical support through arrangements by AIHEC, and will be encouraged to work with
regional climate science resources such as the Climate Science Centers (managed by the USGS).
The climate change vulnerability reports will be shared with the relevant Tribal agencies. For
example, see Kickapoo Tribe Vulnerability Assessment and Tribes and Climate Change, maintained
by Northern Arizona University’s Institute for Tribal Environmental Professionals.
Application Requirements
Applicant Eligibility
Applications must be 1994 Land Grant Institutions, and AIHEC member institutions in good
standing. Applications must include documentation of approval by the President, and/or Provost
supporting release time for staff and faculty members involved in the project.
Application Format
Applicants are requested to follow the outline below when preparing a proposal for consideration.
Applications will be scored using the criteria described. While there is no page restriction, we
anticipate that complete applications need not be greater than 6 pages in length.
Application Sections
The project narrative should contain the following sections:
1. Project Team Description [25 points]
The description must list all of the college’s faculty and staff who are to be involved with the
project, and identifying the team lead. The description should include a short biographical
sketch of each team member, detailing the member’s professional preparation, and
relevant experience. The descriptions should also indicate the level of commitment on the
part of each team member in terms of time they plan to devote to the project.
2. Target/Focus population [25 points]
This section should include a brief description of the community your project will be serving.
Please provide a documented estimate of the number of farmers and ranchers (or other
agricultural producers) in your service area that could be impacted by the project. If known,
the prevalent types of farming and ranching operations (e.g. for ranchers: sheep or cattle,
average herd size; for farmers: average size of farm/acres under cultivation; typical crops
grown, including subsistence vs cash crops). Please include a brief description of any local
Tribal natural resources management agencies.
3. Outreach Plan [15 points]
The dissemination plan provide a description of the plan to disseminate information about
the availability of resources offered through this project (i.e. web communication, printed
materials, TCU newsletter, etc.).
4. Evaluation Plan [15 points]
The evaluation plan should be adequate and reasonable for describing the overall impact of
your project on your local farmers, ranchers, and communities. This includes tracking
number of individuals that attend project activities, that are provided one-on-one support,
and number of NRCS/USDA applications submitted by local farmers and ranchers. Feedback
from participants (including student interns) should be used to assist in determining project
impact.
5. Project Timeline [10 points]
The timeline should provide the dates at which project activities will be initiated and by
which they will be completed. The schedule of activities associated with Project Activity 1,
that depend on training and support provided by NRCS and other project partners, will be
finalized by AIHEC in coordination with the TCU project leads. The anticipated project start
date is February 16, 2015; the period of performance will extend through September 30,
2015.
6. Budget [10 points]
a. Please complete the attached budget template for projects up to $25,000.
Please also include a concise budget narrative detailing line item expenses. Nonpersonnel costs, may include travel (to local meetings), workshop materials,
supplies, and other project-related expenses.
b. While in-kind support is not required, if provided, please specify the nature of
the support and amount.
7. Letter of commitment: A letter of commitment from the President or authorized
representative confirming the institution’s intention to participate in the project, and
approving of the personnel commitments described in the application. Applications
without a letter of commitment will be considered non-responsive and returned.
Proposal Submission:
Send proposal package (cover letter, project narrative, budget documents and TCU letter of
commitment) as a Microsoft Word or PDF file by e-mail to [email protected] Please do not
mail hard copies. Applications must be received electronically by January 28, 2015. Application
packages received after the deadline date will not be considered.
If you have any questions regarding the proposal process, please contact: John Phillips at
[email protected] and Erica Newland at [email protected].
Award Notification:
A proposal review committee will evaluate applications and will make recommendations for
funding. AIHEC will make the final selection. Award notification will be made by February 5, 2015.
Awards will be made directly to the applicant’s institution. The awardee institutions will be
responsible for ensuring that all financial, reporting, and other post-award requirements are met,
as described in the award document.
2014 AIHEC/NRCS
PARTNERSHIP TO SUPPORT
TRIBAL FARMERS, RANCHERS AND COMMUNITIES
COVER SHEET
INSTITUTION NAME
MAILING ADDRESS
CITY
STATE
NAME of Lead Faculty or Staff Member
TITLE
PHONE
E-MAIL (Required)
EXT
ALTERNATE CONTACT
E-MAIL
ZIP