FOA-Limited Submission – USDA-NIFA – Women and Minorities in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Fields Program (WAMS) – USDA-NIFA-WAMS-007852; November 17, 2020

 

Purpose: The National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) of the US Department of Agriculture announces the Women and Minorities in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Fields Program (WAMS). The purpose of this program is to support research, education/teaching, and extension projects that increase participation by women and underrepresented minorities from rural areas in STEM.

For the FY 2021 award cycle, NIFA intends to support projects with a target audience of K-14 students (kindergarten through twelfth grade plus two years of post-secondary schooling (e.g., vocational technical institutions or community or junior colleges). Four-year undergraduate, graduate, and post-doctoral focused projects will not be awarded under this grant announcement. A proposed project must address one or more Educational Need Areas and/or be an Applied Project that addresses research, outreach and capacity building to benefit the communities served, especially that of their students.

 

1.  Educational Need Areas

a.      Curriculum Design, Materials Development, and Library Resources

b.      Faculty Preparation and Enhancement of Teaching

c.      Instruction Delivery Systems

d.      Scientific Instrumentation for Teaching and Research

e.      Student Experiential Learning

f.       Student Recruitment, Retention, and Educational Equity (including the provision of student

 

2.   Applied Projects

a.      Applied Studies in the Food, Agriculture, Natural Resources, and Human Sciences

b.      Applied Research Support Systems

c.      Technology-based Information Delivery Systems

d.      Other Applied Research and Community Development Applications

 

Applications recommended for funding must highlight and emphasize the development of a competent and qualified workforce in the food, agricultural, natural resources and human sciences (FAHN sciences). WAMS-funded projects should improve the economic health and viability of rural communities by developing research and extension initiatives that focus on new and emerging employment opportunities in STEM occupation.

 

Note: In FY 2021, WAMS will only support new and resubmitted applications. NIFA expects to make four awards.

 

Matching Requirement: 1:1 match if a WAMS grant provides a particular benefit to a specific agricultural commodity.

 

Funding Amount/Project Period:  up to $100,000 total for 2 to 3 years

 

Link to Funding Opportunity Announcement

 

Institutional Limit:  1

 

Internal Competition: To participate in the university’s selection process, please upload the following, assembled into a single PDF file, to the Office of the Vice President for Research via this portal with a copy to your Associate Dean for Research by November 17, 2020:

 

·        Names and departments or affiliations of the Project Director and other key personnel or partners

·        Title of program and/or funding opportunity announcement number

·        Brief project description (2 pages maximum)

·        Budget, including the potential source of matching funds

·        Brief biographical sketch

 

A committee will be convened to review the material and make a recommendation.

 

For questions or issues with submission through the portal, email the limited submission mailbox (limitedsubmissions@uky.edu), or call 257-2861.

 

Agency Deadline: January 21, 2021