usda afri: 2012 climate and bioenergy rfas team discussions: oct. 10, 2011

USDA AFRI: 2012Climate and Bioenergy RFAs

Team discussions: Oct. 10, 2011

http://ard.unl.edu/afri

Outline

• Background information on projects funded under the Climate Variability and Change & Sustainable Bioenergy RFAs: Larkin Powell

• Resources available from the Office of Proposal Development: Carrie Wiese

• Advice from faculty colleagues• INDIVIDUAL DISCUSSIONS: team formation, idea

generation

USDA AFRI 2012

• RFAs Released (as of 10 Oct 2011):• Challenge: Climate Variability and Change• Challenge: Sustainable Bioenergy• Challenge: Food Security (IANR discussion: Oct. 19)• NIFA Fellowships Grant

• RFAs not yet released:• Foundational Programs• Challenge: Childhood Obesity Prevention• Challenge: Food Safety

NIFA Fellowships

• Targets doctoral candidates and postdoctoral trainees • Goal: increase the number of gifted agricultural scientists in the

United States (food, forestry and agricultural sciences)• Research areas:

• One of the five AFRI Challenge Areas: • Agricultural Science for Climate Variability and Change; Childhood

Obesity Prevention; Food Safety; Food Security; Sustainable Bioenergy.

• One of the six AFRI Foundational areas: • Plant health and production and plant products; Animal health and

production and animal products; Food safety, nutrition, and health; Renewable energy, natural resources, and environment; Agriculture systems and technology; Agriculture economics and rural communities

• LOI deadline: Nov. 8, 2011; Application Deadline: Jan. 19, 2012

Climate variability and change

• Long term goals:• Develop new varieties of plants and animals, and identify

new strategies for agriculture and forest production systems for adaptation to climate variability and change

• Advance sustainable use of natural resources and support sustainable rural economies under variable and changing climates

• Reduce the use of energy, nitrogen fertilizer, and water by ten percent (based on 2010 usage)

• Increase carbon sequestration by fifteen percent through resilient agriculture and forest production systems by 2030


• Two programs• Integrated Approaches to Climate Adaptation and Mitigation

in Agroecosystems • LOI deadline: 20 Oct. 2011; Application deadline: 16 Dec. 2011

• Regional Approaches for Adaptation to and Mitigation of Climate Variability and Change • Nebraska led team has received an AFRI planning grant to

prepare a proposal for this call (contact: Galen Erickson)


• Program area: Integrated Approaches to Climate Adaptation and Mitigation in Agroecosystems

• Standard Grants: $750,000, 4 years; also Conference & Food and Agriculture Science Enhancement Grants

• Type: Integrated Projects requested • Must include two functions of research, Extension, or education• Must address mitigation and/or adaptation for research, education,

and/or extension for a broad range of U.S. agricultural systems including forest and range systems


• Program area: Integrated Approaches to Climate Adaptation and Mitigation in Agroecosystems

• Projects must include two of the following program activities:• Management options that will mitigate the impacts of agroecosystems on

climate variability and change • Management strategies, models and technologies that facilitate

adaptation to climate variability and change • Knowledge of how human behavior, decision, and choices affect carbon,

nitrogen, water, and energy use • Educational activities that develop human capital relevant to the

mitigation and adaption goals• Extension and outreach programs to deliver science-based knowledge

and informal educational programs to various communities relevant to the mitigation and adaptation goals

Sustainable bioenergy

• Five programs:• Development and Sustainable Production of Regionally-

appropriate Biomass Feedstocks• Recommend careful coordination: A north central regional CAP was

funded last year based in IA (with several UNL faculty engaged); chance for second from this region?

• Policy Options for and Impacts on Regional Biofuels Production Systems

• Impacts of Regional Bioenergy Feedstock Production Systems on Wildlife and Pollinators

• Socioeconomic Impacts of Biofuels on Rural Communities• Environmental Implications of Direct and Indirect Land Use

Change• All programs LOI deadline: 25 Oct. 2011; Application deadline: 15

Dec. 2011


• Program Area: Policy Options for and Impacts on Regional Biofuels Production Systems

• Standard Grants: $350,000, 2-4 years; Conference & FASE Grants • Type: Research Project (integrated not required)• Projects should evaluate and develop policy options for achieving

sustainable regional biofuels/bioenergy production and commercialization.

• Proposals should address a diverse range of agricultural, biofuels, or environmental policy options and opportunities (e.g., standards, mandates, subsidies, tax credits, trade, and agricultural assistance programs) that may impact economic, environmental, social, and other prospects.


• Program Area: Impacts of Regional Bioenergy Feedstock Production Systems on Wildlife and Pollinators

• Standard Grants: $500,000, 2-4 years; Conference & FASE Grants • Type: Research Project (integrated not required)• Projects should focus on issues such as fragmentation of habitat,

edge-effects, migratory and breeding patterns, predator-prey interactions, and other wildlife issues impacted by biomass development.

• Research should focus on the development of best-management practices to minimize adverse effects of landscape change (for biofuels) on wildlife and pollinators.


• Program Area: Socioeconomic Impacts of Biofuels on Rural Communities

• Standard Grants: $350,000, 2-4 years; Conference & FASE Grants • Type: Research Project (integrated not required)• Projects should enhance scientific knowledge of socioeconomic behaviors,

potential direct and indirect impacts, and implications of sustainable regional production of biofuels and biobased products.

• Proposals should address the nexus of social, economic, legal, or institutional factors; production or markets constraints and vulnerabilities at different scales; or temporal dynamics leading to long-term sustainable biofuels production and commercialization.• Technology adoption; social acceptability; income and welfare effects;

implications for small-scale and minority producers; rural economic diversification and development; public health, employment and human capital issues; the role of agricultural cooperatives; risks and uncertainties management; the linkage among food, feed, fiber, and biofuels production; or the U.S. role in global food and feed markets.


• Program Area: Environmental Implications of Direct and Indirect Land Use Change

• Standard Grants: $500,000, 2-4 years; Conference & FASE Grants • Type: Research Project (integrated not required)• Projects should enhance understanding of the environmental

implications of direct or indirect land use change as a result of biofuels feedstock production.

• Assess ways to minimize potential negative environmental consequences of biofuels-induced land use change. • Risks to ecosystem services; issues of water availability; issues of

soil, water and air quality; and indirect land use change with potential cascading environmental effects.

Final comments

• Food and Agricultural Science Enhancement (FASE) Grants • NIFA Fellowships & New Investigator Grants

• Apply to specific program areas• Follow specific program area rules

• Strengthening Grants• UNL not eligible • UNL can collaborate as co-investigators or receive sub-contracts on

projects with colleagues at other institutions. • EPSCoR States:

• Alabama Montana South Carolina Alaska• Nevada South Dakota Connecticut New Hampshire

• Vermont Idaho New Mexico West Virginia• Kentucky North Dakota Wyoming Maine • Oklahoma Mississippi Rhode Island

Grant Proposal Development at

UNLResources for AFRI Investigators

Carrie WieseOffi ce of Proposal Development

October 10, 2011

About the Offi ce of Proposal Development

Four staff members within the Offi ce of Research focused on improving the quality and competitiveness of external grant proposals

Not the same as the Offi ce of Sponsored Programs, but the two offi ces work together

Offer customized services depending on the needs of the individual investigator or the group

How OPD Can Help

Meet with the PI/project team and outline a plan to develop the proposal; generate a proposal outline and a proposal development timeline

Provide advice on proposal strategy and work to ensure the application package meets sponsor requirements

Manage the proposal draft; make and track all changes to the draft by members of the writing team

Generate non-scientific sections of the proposal (e.g., data management plans, facilities/equipment descriptions, project timelines, etc.)

How OPD Can Help (cont’d)

Proofread and edit the proposal and associated documents and offer formatting suggestions to improve the proposal’s organization and visual appeal

Offer constructive, creative ideas about how to improve the proposal as well as the services of our graphic designer to assist with presentation of charts, tables, graphs, and other graphical elements

Identify areas where the proposal might not address key requirements or review criteria

AFRI Proposal Routing and Submission Business center grant specialists Research and Extension project proposals

– Submitted through IANR Finance & Personnel

Education project proposals– Submitted through Sponsored Programs

Integrated project proposals– Submission determined by the project’s

primary focus

Other Relevant Resources

NURAMP– Comprehensive research administration

education program for UNL faculty, staff, post-docs, and grad students

– More info/register at http://research.unl.edu/nuramp

ORED’s Expert Review of Grant Proposals– Provides peer review of proposals prior to

submission– Request form available online at

http://research.unl.edu/facultyresources/exreview.php

http://research.unl.edu/nuramp



How to Find OPD

http://research.unl.edu/proposaldevelopment

– “Staff Directory” Main offi ce is on City Campus

– 103 Alexander West – NE Corner of 14th and Q Streets

Satellite offi ce on East Campus

– 310E Ag Hall, phone: 472-8058– Offi ce hours: 7:30 am – 4:00 pm– Staffed three days a week (currently W, Th,

F)

Questions?

Carrie Wiese

402.472.4066

[email protected]

http://research.unl.edu/proposaldevelopment

mailto:[email protected]

http://research.unl.edu/proposaldevelopment/

http://research.unl.edu/proposaldevelopment/

Additional comments

ARD Resources

http://ard.unl.edu/afri

Grant Team Facilitation:Larkin Powell402-472-2045

[email protected]

Small group discussions

Please connect to one of the following conference calls:

CLIMATE: 1-888-820-1398 and access code: 9644329#

BIOENERGY: 1-888-820-1398 and access code: 6058218#

usda afri: 2012 climate and bioenergy rfas team discussions: oct. 10, 2011

Documents