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FFAR » Achieving Conservation through Targeting Information, Outreach and Networking (ACTION) Program Request for Applications
Open Opportunity
Contact
Dr. Kathleen Boomer kboomer@foundationfar.org Grants Team grants@foundationfar.org
Applications are closed
The Foundation for Food & Agriculture Research (FFAR) and the Walton Family Foundation are awarding up to approximately $1 million for projects that increase farmer and landowner adoption of conservation practices and provide a range of ecosystem benefits including water quality improvements, particularly those identified in the Edge of Field Roadmap.
Projects that commit to testing key hypotheses through project implementation incorporating landowner outreach and engagement efforts to increase conservation practice adoption will be prioritized.
Example hypotheses include, but are not limited to, the following:
Associated projects currently supported by National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) through its various programs or those with potential for future NFWF support will be given priority.
The Foundation for Food &Agriculture Research and the Walton Family Foundation welcome applications from domestic and international higher education institutions, non-profit and for-profit organizations, and U.S. government-affiliated research agencies.
Any individual(s) with the skills, knowledge and resources necessary to carry out the proposed research as Program Director(s)/Principal Investigator(s) may apply to the ACTION program through their home institution or organization.
Matching Funds are not required for this program but forming collaborative partnerships that provide additional funding/match is encouraged.
LOIs and invited full proposals must be submitted by the deadline date through FFAR’s online application Grant Management System. Applications submitted outside of this System will not be considered.
To start a new application, please click here. If you are a new user, register for an account by clicking “Create Account” button located under the email address field on the left side of the home page. Once you log in, you may begin working on your application. Please be sure to save your work often by clicking on “Save and Finish Later.” To access a saved application, please do so through your Grant Management Account.
Only LOIs and invited full proposals submitted by the deadline through FFAR’s Grant Management System will be accepted and considered eligible for evaluation. To be fair to all applicants, FFAR will not grant extensions to applicants who missed the deadlines posted in the Key Dates & Information section.
At FFAR and WFF’s discretion, we will award grants ranging from $200,000 to $500,000, for a program total of approximately USD$1 million. Additional support to expand pilot programs and further validate results is possible, contingent on funding availability. Successful projects will receive annual disbursements.
All applicants must submit their proposal through FFAR’s online Grant Management System.
Required components
Pre-Application Review: Submitted pre-applications undergo an internal peer review by experts from program sponsors, including FFAR, WFF, and NFWF, to assess the project’s relevance to the ACTION RFA, whether the application demonstrates the potential to meet the evaluation criteria and alignment with NFWF program priorities and funding potential. The most innovative and cutting-edge projects with significant potential for advancing FFAR’s mission will be invited to submit a full application. Applicants must submit a pre-application to be eligible to submit a full application.
Full Application Review: Full proposals undergo a two-tiered review process. First, a panel of three to six external peer reviewers assesses the technical merit and feasibility of the proposal. Then the advisory committee, including program sponsors, considers the reviewer comments to evaluate which proposals fit best with program objectives.
All external reviewers must agree to and adhere to the terms outlined in FFAR’s Conflict of Interest Policy and Non-Disclosure Agreement. FFAR makes reasonable efforts to ensure that applications are not assigned to reviewers with a potential conflict with the applicant, institution, or project personnel. Reviewers with a conflict of interest are recused from evaluating or participating in the related discussions. Each stage of the review is conducted confidentially, and as such, FFAR is responsible for protecting the confidentiality of the contents of the applications.
All proposals will be screened for relevance, accuracy, completeness, and compliance with FFAR policies. Pre-proposal applications must demonstrate the potential to meet the evaluation criteria. Full proposals then will be evaluated on the following criteria:
Strategic Impact – Novelty, Innovation, and Originality (30%)
Feasibility – Technical Merit and Feasibility (30%)
Potential Outcomes and Outreach – Impacts and Outcomes (25%)
Qualifications -Investigator (15%)
Selection Notice: Following the full application review process, the principal investigator and the authorized organization representative listed on the project will be officially notified by email of the status of the application. If an application is selected for funding, FFAR reserves the right to request additional or clarifying information for any necessary reason. Potential grantees are free to accept or reject the Grant Agreement as offered.
Intent to Fund Notification: FFAR notifies applicants of their awards through email. The notice does not constitute an award or obligate funding from FFAR until there is a fully executed Grant Agreement. FFAR encourages applicants to review a sample Grant Agreement before applying to ensure they know the terms under which grants are offered.
Grant Terms and Conditions: FFAR expects applicants to have reviewed the Sample Grant Agreement before applying to ensure that the applicants are aware of the applicable terms under which the grant is offered. Successful applicants are strongly encouraged to sign the Grant Agreement as presented.
Requirement to Demonstrate Matching Funds: Matching funds are optional for this program. If the applicant provides matching funds, the applicant agrees to identify and certify matching funds annually prior to disbursement of award funds. The match share is intended to supplement, not supplant existing funding for the principal investigator (PI). The applicant will abide by FFAR’s Matching Guidelines to meet FFAR’s matching requirements. To constitute a valid match, all matching funds on a FFAR grant must be expended during the grant period.
Grant Period: Upon receipt of the Grant Agreement, the grantee should confirm the project’s start and end dates. Once signed, the start date cannot be changed. Grantees may use FFAR funds only on project expenditures on or after the Grant Agreement is fully executed or with prior approval of pre-award expenditure. Charging expenditures to the grant before the fully executed date is strictly prohibited. Likewise, grantees may not use FFAR funds after the end date except to pay allowable project costs committed on or before that date.
A grantee may request up to two (2) no-cost extension of up to twelve (12) months apiece to complete the work’s planned scope. The request must be communicated to FFAR and submitted through the Grant Management System at least thirty (30) days before the grant’s end date. The request must justify the need for the extension, including a summary of the remaining unobligated funds, and provide a plan for fulfilling the project’s terms. If a no-cost extension request is approved, FFAR will amend the Grant Agreement. This extension will not be approved merely for using unexpended funds.
Annual Reporting Requirements: After FFAR confers a grant, the grantee must provide annual scientific and financial progress reports. The report should include 1) activities carried out under the grant relative to the anticipated timeline presented in the grant application, 2) planned vs. actual budget expenditures, and 3) match verification. The report also should highlight project accomplishments. Awardees will be provided with access to the required online forms.
Final Report Requirements: Within ninety (90) days of completing the project, the grantee shall provide a final project report. This report should address the project objectives outlined in the original grant application, describe any modifications to the project objectives and scope, present the results and interpretation, describe the final project accomplishments, and include a final project accounting of all grant funds.
Scientific Integrity: FFAR strives to advance knowledge and the application of science to address challenges related to food supply and sustainable agriculture. FFAR’s ability to pursue its mission depends on the integrity of the funded science projects and programs. All FFAR grants must be conducted with the highest standards of scientific integrity.
For questions related to the online submission system, please contact FFAR’s Grant Management team at grants@foundationfar.org.
For questions related to ACTION, please email Dr. Kathleen Boomer at kboomer@FoundationFAR.org. We only accept scientific or programmatic and grants inquiries by email.
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