FOA-USDA
Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (AFRI) -
Education and Workforce Development (USDA-NIFA-AFRI-007252); August 20,
2020
Agency
US
Department of Agriculture - National Institute of Food and Agriculture
(NIFA)
Description
The
US Department of Agriculture’s Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (AFRI) -
Education and Workforce Development (EWD) program focuses on developing the next
generation of research, education, and extension professionals in the food and
agricultural sciences. A new area has been added to the FY20 EWD
solicitation, Rapid Response to Novel Coronavirus (SARS-COV-2): Innovating
Formal and Non-Formal Educational Experiences in Food and Agricultural Sciences
During the Time of Social Distancing.
The
COVID-19 pandemic is impacting the nation’s programs for youth development,
education, and workforce development, including those in the food and
agricultural sciences supporting the six Farm Bill Priority areas of AFRI. There
is a need for the formal and non-formal education activities, particularly in
the rural areas as the economy reopens, while social distancing to keep COVID-19
infection rates under control. This program area priority addresses the need to
develop and deploy rapid, reliable, and readily-adoptable strategies in
workforce preparation through formal K-14 education, as well as in youth
development through non-formal (e.g., extension) education to cultivate interest
and competencies in STEM and agriculture during this challenging time. Funded
projects are expected to develop tools, techniques, and other practices that can
be rapidly adopted at home or by various educators and extension specialists to
ensure the effective formal and non-formal education of K-14 students and youth
development.
A
justification of how the project addresses a critical and urgent stakeholder
need related to the COVID-19 pandemic must be included in the Project Narrative
of the full application. The applicant must provide evidence that the training
and resources developed through the proposed project will be immediately
deployed. It should not take the duration of the project to have meaningful
impacts.
Note:
Before preparing an application, applicants must contact Dr Emma Moran (Program
Area Priority Contact, emma.moran@usda.gov) by email to inquire
about the suitability of their project for submission to this
program.
Announcement
Number
USDA-NIFA-AFRI-007252
Closing
Date
August
20, 2020
Link
to Full Announcement
Contact
Information
Emma
Moran