Outreach Education and Technical Assistance for Farm Service Agency Programs, Functions and Activities | USDA FSA MULTI 21 NOFO0001104

Opportunity Information: Apply for USDA FSA MULTI 21 NOFO0001104

The Outreach Education and Technical Assistance for Farm Service Agency Programs, Functions and Activities funding opportunity (USDA FSA MULTI 21 NOFO0001104) is a discretionary cooperative agreement program designed to expand the Farm Service Agency's (FSA) outreach, education, and hands-on technical assistance for socially disadvantaged applicants, with a specific emphasis on farmers and ranchers. The core idea behind the grant is straightforward: FSA delivers a wide range of farm and farm loan programs, but not every producer is equally aware of these services or knows how to navigate them, especially where programs are complex, documentation is intimidating, or prior outreach has not reached certain communities effectively. Through this NFO, USDA is looking for partners who can meet producers where they are, build trust, explain program benefits and requirements in plain language, and help eligible producers successfully participate in FSA offerings.

The target audience is socially disadvantaged producers, defined as individuals who have experienced racial, ethnic, or gender prejudice tied to their identity as part of a group rather than personal characteristics. The NFO specifically names American Indians or Alaska Natives, Asians, Blacks or African Americans, Native Hawaiians or Pacific Islanders, and Hispanics, and it also includes women in the context of FSA farm loan programs. A major emphasis is placed on communities and geographic areas where outreach has historically been less effective and where participation by socially disadvantaged producers in FSA programs has been lower than it should be. In other words, the program is meant to close awareness and access gaps and to increase successful participation, not just general promotion.

Funded projects are expected to provide targeted outreach and education and to strengthen technical assistance related to FSA farm programs and farm loan programs. While FSA county and state offices already conduct typical outreach such as public meetings, workshops, and one-on-one interactions with producers, the NFO recognizes that additional, more focused efforts are needed to reach underserved communities. Successful projects under this opportunity would generally involve practical education (what programs exist, who qualifies, what benefits are available, what deadlines apply) paired with technical help (how to prepare applications, how to assemble required records, how to understand program rules, and how to avoid common errors that prevent approval).

The NFO encourages applicants to focus on one or more specific FSA programs and services, with the goal of increasing the number of successful participants from socially disadvantaged groups. The listed topics include farm and disaster assistance programs, conservation and risk management programs, and multiple loan options. Examples include Farm Enrollment for Heirs Property Operators/Landowners, the FSA Relending Program, the Highly Fractionated Indian Land Program, the Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program, the Emergency Conservation Program, Agriculture Risk Coverage and Price Loss Coverage, guaranteed and direct operating and ownership loans, the Organic Certification Cost-Share Program, Farm Storage Facility Loans, the Tree Assistance Program, the Livestock Forage Disaster Program, the Wildfires and Hurricanes Indemnity Program Plus, commodity loans and loan deficiency payments, emergency assistance for livestock, honeybees and farm-raised fish, urban agriculture county committees, and the Quality Loss Adjustment Program. Priority consideration is given to projects that include a focus on Coronavirus Food Assistance Program 2 (CFAP 2), meaning proposals that build awareness of CFAP 2 and help producers successfully access that assistance are favored.

Funding is relatively small and intended for short, focused projects. Individual awards range from $20,000 to $99,999, with project periods between six months and one year. The total estimated funding available is $2 million, with an estimated 50 awards. Eligible applicants include public and state-controlled institutions of higher education, federally recognized Tribal governments, other Tribal organizations, and nonprofit organizations with 501(c)(3) status (excluding higher education institutions when applying as nonprofits). Applications were required to be submitted through Grants.gov by 11:59 pm Eastern Time on May 5, 2021, and questions were accepted until April 20, 2021, with responses planned to be posted on Grants.gov about a week before the deadline. Additional program information was made available through FSA's cooperative agreements webpage at www.fsa.usda.gov/cooperativeagreements.

• The Department of Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation Service in the agriculture sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Outreach Education and Technical Assistance for Farm Service Agency Programs, Functions and Activities" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 10.051, 10.054, 10.056, 10.089, 10.110, 10.111, 10.112, 10.113, 10.129, 10.132, 10.133, 10.171, 10.406, 10.407, 10.421, 10.451.
• This funding opportunity was created on Apr 05, 2021.
• Applicants must submit their applications by May 05, 2021 Applicants must submit their applications via Grants.gov by 1159 pm Eastern Time on May 5, 2021. Questions regarding this notice of funding opportunity (NFO) may be submitted until April 20, 2021. Responses to questions posed will be posted on Grants.gov approximately one week before the application due date.. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $99,999.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 50 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized), Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments), Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education.

Apply for USDA FSA MULTI 21 NOFO0001104

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