Funding-New Crop Opportunities; deadline March 6, 2009

***********************************************************************************************************************************

Dear Chairs,

Please find pasted below and attached as a Word file a call for proposals by the New Crop Opportunities Center. Please pass this information along to any faculty members conducting research or considering conducting research on horticultural crops or specialty grains crops that would be appropriate for funding by the Center.

Also attached is the rating sheet that will be used by external reviewers of proposals.

If you have questions, please contact either of us or Christy Cassady, Staff Coordinator for the Center.

MEMORANDUM

TO: College of Agriculture Faculty Conducting Research with Horticultural Crops and Specialty Grains

FROM: Dewayne Ingram and David Van Sanford Co-Directors of the New Crop Opportunities Center

DATE: January 26, 2009

RE: Call for Proposals

In anticipation of continued funding of the New Crop Opportunities Center through a USDA Special Grant, we are issuing a call for research proposals. Below are identified priority areas, criteria for program evaluation, and the required proposal format. *Please note that funding is anticipated, but not guaranteed. Also, the priority areas are subject to change, as is the title of the grant, pending federal funding decisions. *Also note that the justification section of your proposal *must include an assessment of how your project would meet a market or cropping system need or opportunity in Kentucky.* Investigators whose specialty grains proposals received partial funding in the 2008 round of New Crop Opportunities Center funding are encouraged to resubmit the proposals, including progress reports and updates, for consideration for additional funding.

Priority areas for project proposals include:

*Horticulture*

* Production and marketing systems for horticultural crops with

economic potential and appropriate for diversification of farms.

* Development of new value-added products.

* Development of organic cropping systems that lead to the

production of certified organic horticultural products.

*Specialty Grains*

* Development and evaluation of value-added, niche market and/or

identity preserved corn, soybean, wheat, and barley hybrids and

cultivars that offer economic opportunities for Kentucky's grain

producers.

* Production and marketing systems for grain crops that offer

opportunities for increased income and diversification.

* Development of organic cropping systems that lead to the

production of certified organic specialty grains.

Proposals will not be limited to these priority areas, but must meet the following criteria:

*Measurable results and/or impact in 3 years *Potential for increased farm income *Focus on high-value, marketable products *An identified market demand or market development opportunity *Emphasis on multi-disciplinary research *Potential for positioning for other extramural funding

Your proposal must show how your research would advance a potentially profitable production/marketing system. Proposals, which should be three to five pages, are due by *5 p.m. on March 6, 2009*. Proposals received after this date will not be considered. Please submit your proposals by e-mailing them to Christy Cassady at cgcass0@uky.edu. If you plan to submit a proposal, please contact Christy via e-mail by February 9.

Three external reviewers will be utilized, and proposals will be ranked to determine funding. According to USDA guidelines, your proposal should

include:

-Objectives

-A progress report if you are requesting additional funding for an existing project -Procedures -Justification -Literature review -Project timetable -References -A list of key personnel -A detailed budget, which should include a narrative and the following categories, where applicable:

- Personnel

- Fringe benefits

- Equipment

- Equipment maintenance and repair

- Agricultural and laboratory supplies (these no longer have to be

separated)

- Office supplies

- Travel

- Publications

When preparing your budget, keep in mind that the University of Kentucky defines equipment as nonexpendable, tangible personal property having a useful life of more than one year that costs in excess of $2,000; anything that costs less than $2,000 should be listed under agricultural and laboratory supplies in your budget. You must identify each piece of equipment and list its price in your budget narrative. If your budget includes the purchase of a computer, your budget narrative must indicate that the computer will be specifically identified with your project; be required to fulfill the scientific objectives of your project; and have a preponderance of use (75% or greater) on your project. Be sure to list the model and the price of the computer in your narrative. Also note that these funds cannot be used for tuition, so do not list graduate student tuition in your budget.

Projects may be planned for one to three years. Annual progress reports on your project will be required. If you have received a previous New Crop Opportunities grant, please submit, in a separate document, a one-page, single-spaced narrative that lists 1) the important discoveries/applications of your research, 2) the products of that research (publications, degrees awarded, presentations), and 3) the extramural grants sought utilizing the results of the previous grants.

xc: Dr. Nancy Cox, Associate Dean for Research

Christy Cassady

New Crop Opportunities Center

N-318 Agricultural Science Center

University of Kentucky

Lexington KY 40546-0091

(859) 257-1477