Due at 12:00 p.m. MDT, October 31, 2012
The Administrative Council of the Western Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education program announces the call for proposals for Professional Development program competitive grants for 2013.
Grants are aimed at helping Cooperative Extension Service, Natural Resources Conservation Service and other agricultural professionals in the Western Region increase their understanding and proficiency in sustainable agriculture. Proposals are evaluated by a Review Panel against the criteria outlined in this call and in comparison with other PDP grant proposals.
The Western SARE Administrative Council –a board of agricultural producers, scientists, educators and business leaders – will then make the final selections of projects to fund.
The council typically selects proposals diverse in subject matter and geography and that demonstrate outcomes that farmers and ranchers in the region can successfully adopt.
Congress mandates that the SARE grant program depart from “business as usual.” To that end, the Administrative Council requires that agricultural producers be involved from start to finish in the planning, design, implementation and educational outreach of any SARE-funded project.
PDP projects should:
- Increase agricultural professionals’ sustainable agriculture knowledge, skills and action.
- Have outreach plans that demonstrate how the project will effectively deliver this knowledge.
Professional Development Program Grants are designed to educate agricultural professionals about sustainable agriculture so that they, in turn, can help educate and train farmers and ranchers. Funded PDP grants must help achieve this long-term outcome Cooperative Extension, Natural Resource Conservation Service and other agricultural professionals are conversant in sustainable agriculture principles and systems. They have ready access to resources that can help producers make informed decisions about adopting sustainable approaches with greater certainty and less risk.
Projects must improve the ability of agricultural professionals to conduct educational programs and activities in sustainable agriculture principles and systems and to respond to inquiries on the subject from farmers, ranchers and the public.
Approaches can include:
- Workshops
- Conferences
- Development of materials
- Demonstrations
- Web-based courses
- Tours
Multi-faceted proposals are encouraged. Projects using multiple techniques or methods are preferred, as are efforts whose results can be applied to wide and diverse audiences.
Subject matter can include any sustainable agriculture endeavor, including animal agriculture, agronomic or horticultural crop production or the effects of sustainable practices on quality of life for producers or rural communities. Projects with a scope beyond a single state or area are encouraged. Funding is capped at $75,000 per project. Projects requesting significantly less than the maximum allowable amount generally have a greater likelihood of being funded.
For further information, visit the link.
