Deadline: 19-May-22
The National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) is pleased to announce the 2022 Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program (BFRDP) to support delivery of education, mentoring, and technical assistance for beginning farmers and ranchers in the United States and its territories that are entering, establishing, building, and managing successful farm and ranch enterprises.
The primary goal of BFRDP is to help beginning farmers and ranchers in the United States and itsterritories enter and/or improve their successes in farming, ranching, and management of nonindustrial private forest lands, through support for projects that provide education, mentoring, and technical assistance to give beginning farmers and ranchers the knowledge, skills, and tools needed to make informed decisions for their operations and enhance their sustainability. The term “farmer” is used in the broadest sense and may be interpreted to include agricultural farmers, ranchers, and non-industrial private forest owners and managers.
Priorities
BFRDP grants may fund programs or services relating to these priorities:
- Basic livestock, forest management, and crop farming practices.
- Innovative farm, ranch, and private, nonindustrial forest land transfer and succession strategies.
- Entrepreneurship and business training.
- Technical assistance to help beginning farmers or ranchers acquire land from retiring farmers and ranchers.
- Financial and risk management training, including the acquisition and management of agricultural credit.
- Natural resource management and planning.
- Diversification and marketing strategies.
- Curriculum development.
- Mentoring, apprenticeships, and internships;
- Resources and referral;
- Farm financial benchmarking;
- Agricultural rehabilitation and vocational training for veteran farmers and ranchers;
- Farm safety and awareness;
- Food safety and recordkeeping, and 15 other subject areas of use to beginning farmers or ranchers such as: projects that address climate change with climate smart agriculture, food, and forestry solutions; improved nutritional security; and economic revitalization, particularly in socially disadvantaged communities.
Types of Grants
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Standard BFRDP Projects and Simplified Standard Grants:
- Standard BFRDP 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 andforestry opportunities. The maximum award for a large standard grant is approximately $250,000 per year for up to three years; medium standard grants of no more than $175,000 per year for up to three years of project duration; small standard grants of no more than $100,000 per year for up to three years of project duration and simplified standard grants of $49,999 or less for one year of project duration. All work must be completed within three years, except simplified standard grants. A no cost extension may be requested for up to 12 months.
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Simplified Standard Grants: Simplified Standard Grants are intended to assist organizations:
- to sustain and enhance important collaborations and innovative activities relevant to beginningfarmer and rancher programs; and
- to initiate and develop beginning farmer and rancher projectideas to lead to future program success or success in obtaining other grants for beginning farmer and rancher education.
- Educational Team Projects: The long-term goals of Educational Team (ET) 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. The maximum award for an ET project is approximately $250,000 per year for up to three years. A no cost extension may be requested for up to 12 months.
- Curriculum and Training Clearinghouse: The purpose of the Curriculum and Training Clearinghouse is to serve as an online platform and library for curricula, training materials, technical assistance materials and any other appropriate information for beginning farmers and ranchers. The maximum award for a curriculum and training Clearinghouse project is approximately $250,000 per year for up to three years. A no cost extension may be requested for up to 12 months.
Eligibility Criteria
- Applicants for the Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program (BFRDP) must meet all the requirements discussed in this RFA. Failure to meet the eligibility criteria by the application deadline mayresult in exclusion from consideration or, preclude NIFA from making an award.
- Applications may only be submitted by a collaborative state, tribal, local, or regionally based network orpartnership of qualified public and/or private entities. These collaborations may include the following entities: State Cooperative Extension Services; Federal, State, municipal or tribal agencies; community-based organizations (CBOs); nongovernmental organizations (NGOs); junior and four-year colleges or universities or foundations maintained by a college or university; and private for-profit organizations.
- Inclusions of beginning and/or non-beginning farmers and ranchers as part of the collaborative group is strongly encouraged.
For more information, visit Grants.gov.
For more information, visit https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/view-opportunity.html?oppId=338676