Understanding Impacts of Hub Farm Resources in Adopting Beneficial Agriculture Practices

The work funded through this RFA supports research that will lead to a successful, sustainable, scalable and replicable initiative. A successful application may include drivers for hub farms to implement this type of program and influencing factors of farmer participation and adoption. Successful proposals will also provide project analysis and an innovation dissemination and communication plan to leverage learning and achieve widespread impact. This includes establishing clear metrics for success, identifying potential barriers to adoption, and outlining strategies to overcome these challenges to ensure the benefits reach the intended audience effectively.

This funding opportunity seeks projects that will support research on both large and small dairy farms and will aim to (1) promote replication across the farm environments and (2) lead middle adopters to increase and maintain cover crop acres and facilitate the acquisition of appropriate equipment and infrastructure to scale beneficial practices. Such activities aim to stimulate more resource-sharing opportunities for new/middle adopters.

The project should also contribute to the goal of sustainable food and agriculture, defined as practices that “satisfy human food and fiber needs; enhance environmental quality and the natural resource base upon which the agricultural economy depends; make the most efficient use of nonrenewable resources and on-farm resources and integrate, where appropriate, natural biological cycles and controls; sustain the economic viability of farm operation; and enhance the quality of life for farmers and society as a whole.” (Food and Agriculture, Conservation and Trade Act of 1990, Public Law 101-624, Title XVI, Subtitle A, Section 1603).

1. Fit within FFAR’s Priority Areas.
   • Cultivating Thriving Production Systems: supports research that equips producers with information and tools to manage their enterprises efficiently and profitably, including animal and crop management practices.
   • Sustaining Vibrant Agroecosystems: supports research that provides tools, technologies and integrative models at scales that allow producers to build and maintain healthy, productive agroecosystems.
   • Bolstering Healthy Food Systems: supports research that provides food processors, distributors and retailers with the information and technology needed to create efficient supply chains that deliver nutritious food to consumers.
2. Increase understanding of factors that impact adoption of RA practices: To foster broader adoption of beneficial practices, it is crucial to deepen our understanding of the social and economic factors that influence this shift. By identifying and harnessing these key drivers, we can develop targeted strategies to engage both middle and late adopters, thereby accelerating the transition toward a healthier and more efficient agricultural system. Fully integrated partnerships with different sectors are imperative to make research outcomes scalable and applicable to food and agriculture systems. The proposed research program should clearly be expected to benefit the U.S. food and agriculture system.
3. Promote replication across different farm environments.
4. Seeking unique perspectives through participatory stakeholder engagement and developing results to serve a variety of stakeholders committed to addressing challenges related to food supply and agricultural sustainability.

Any individual(s) with the skills, knowledge, and resources necessary to conduct the proposed research as Program Director(s)/Principal Investigator(s) may apply to the RFA through their home institution or organization.

The Foundation for Food & Agriculture Research welcomes applications from all domestic and international higher education institutions, nonprofit and for-profit organizations, and U.S. government-affiliated research agencies. The following principles guide FFAR’s international engagement under this RFA:

• The proposal must identify a clear benefit to the U.S. food and agriculture system and a clear pathway to deploy the technology or solution in the U.S.
• FFAR will prioritize research that delivers broader benefits across geographies and production systems while ensuring mutual benefit for the U.S. and other nations.

FFAR will not support research that addresses a challenge primarily limited to another country or region outside the U.S. or where the technology or solution is not broadly relevant to the U.S.

Proposed projects that also demonstrate the following characteristics will receive preference:

1. Experience working with both small and large dairy producers.
2. Experience working in the East and Midwest regions of the United States.

Up to two awards between $225,000 and $450,000 will be granted under this funding opportunity. The performance period for completing the proposed work will be two years.

Matching funds are optional but encouraged for this funding opportunity. The funded applicant will receive annual disbursements contingent upon meeting reporting requirements.

A budget justification is required for this funding opportunity. Applicants are encouraged to contact FFAR’s Grant Team to discuss any questions or concerns.

• If matching funds are included in your project, matching funds must come from a non-U.S.Federal Government entity. Matching funds cannot supplement or supplant preexisting funds for projects initiated before or during 2024. Matching funds must correspond to project costs in the budget justification.

A maximum of 10% of the total award may be used for indirect costs. FFAR’s indirect cost allotment is not an indirect cost rate applied to the total modified direct costs; instead, it is an overall allotment from the Total Funds Request, also known as the Total Project Costs. This requirement means at least 90% of the total funds requested must go directly to the proposed research.

Matching funds are optional but encouraged for this funding opportunity. The funded applicant will receive annual disbursements contingent upon meeting reporting requirements.

All proposals must be submitted by the deadline through FFAR’s online application Grant Management System, BBGM. Applications submitted outside of BBGM will not be considered. To start a new application, please click here. If you are a new user, register for an account by clicking the “Create Account” button 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 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 our applicants, FFAR will not grant extensions to applicants who missed the deadlines posted in the Key Dates section.

For questions related to the online submission system, please contact FFAR’s Grant Management team at grants@foundationfar.org.

For all other questions related to the funding opportunity please contact Scientific Program Director LaKisha Odom (lodom@foundationfar.org)

FFFAR strives to respond to inquiries within two business days, but our response time depends on the volume of questions received and the complexity of the questions asked. Please note that we do not monitor mailboxes on evenings, weekends or federal holidays.