Funding Opportunities for the Western IPM Center

EPA Announces Grant Opportunity: May 10, 2002 Deadline

Request for Grant Proposals

Grants for Education and Demonstration for FQPA Transition
and Integrated or Reduced-Risk Practices for Pest/Crop Management
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region 9
Agriculture Initiative - FY2002-2003

Introduction and Purpose

The Food Quality Protection Act (FQPA), passed by Congress in 1996, establishes health-based standards for pesticide residues in raw and processed food. It is intended to protect public health from exposure to pesticides. FQPA is also intended to create an environment favorable for the development and adoption of lower risk, effective crop protection tools for U.S. agriculture. The Environmental Protection Agency, the US Department of Agriculture, and numerous agricultural organizations are working on efforts to implement the FQPA.

The EPA has established regional programs for FQPA implementation and partnership activities and to reduce risks and use of pesticides in agriculture. EPA Region 9 (which covers California, Nevada, Arizona, Hawaii, and the Pacific Trust Islands) is soliciting proposals for a grant program that provides support to projects for education, extension, demonstration, and implementation of integrated pest management practices and related methods of sustainable agriculture—aimed for FQPA transition. "Transition" is interpreted as a positive opportunity to enable growers to alleviate dependence on pesticides, reduce health and environmental risks from pesticides, and move towards the widespread implementation of ecologically-based or integrated pest and crop management methods. ("Sustainable" agriculture refers to farming practices that are environmentally-sound, economically viable, and socially responsible.)

Previous experiences have shown that grower participation and collaborative approaches are important factors in enabling successful transition and implementation of integrated pest and crop management methods. Proposed projects should therefore include partnerships and participation of growers as part of project activities. This grant program also welcomes (but does not require) proposals for projects that use a "systems" approach that incorporates soil, crop, and pest management practices. (See selection criteria below.)

Eligibility

Those eligible to submit a proposal are: state agencies, universities, cooperative extension, tribes, and non-profit organizations (including not-for-profit commodity groups or farmers’ groups). The projects must be located in California, Nevada, Arizona, Hawaii or in the Pacific Trust Islands (which are in Region 9 of the Environmental Protection Agency). Both new projects and existing projects wishing to expand are eligible. For profit organizations are not eligible.

Criteria for Selection

The following criteria will be used in evaluating the proposals:

A) Importance of project in relation to FQPA and key challenges/opportunities:

1. Does the proposed project address a critical issue (or issues) in terms of pest management and environmental-agriculture opportunities? Does the proposal provide evidence to verify the importance of the issue or commodity featured in the project?
2. To what extent is the project relevant to efforts to address the Food Quality Protection Act?

B) Achievement of objectives:

1. Are the project objectives stated clearly and are they realistic? Is the workplan appropriate for achieving the objectives?
2. How likely is the project to contribute to fulfilling one or more of the following goals of this grant program?:

1. significantly reduce or eliminate the use of organophosphate, carbamate and carcinogenic pesticides identified in the Food Quality Protection Act (FQPA); and/or
2. increase farmers’ adoption of reduced-risk alternatives and/or ecologically-based integrated pest or crop management methods, in significant commercial land area.

C) Extent of grower participation and collaborative approaches:

1. Does the project involve active participation or leadership of farmers (growers) and/or agriculture industry representatives in the project activities?
2. Does the project involve team-work and cooperation among growers, scientists, extension officers, pest control advisors, or non-profit organizations and/or other partners? Are there letters of support from collaborators that indicate their roles or contributions in the project?

D) Potential for achieving adoption and impacts:

1. Does the project involve clear plans for extension, outreach and/or communication that are likely to lead to effective adoption/learning of new practices?
2. Are the results likely to be applicable to other places or situations beyond this project site?
3. Does the proposal include a clear explanation of plans and methods that will be used to evaluate or measure the progress or impacts of the project?

E) Qualifications/capacities

1. To what extent are the qualifications and experiences of those involved in the project suitable and strong for the project?

PLEASE NOTE: These small grants cannot be used for basic research on this subject. However, the projects may include a component for applied on-farm research, as long as they also have demonstration, education and/or outreach activities.

Funding and Project Duration

Each award will be up to $30,000, and a total of approximately $170,000 will be awarded. For those selected, the award will be available in October of 2002. Funding can be used by the applicant for up to two years from the time that the grant is awarded.

Matching funds are not required. However, it is strongly encouraged that the projects leverage funds from other sources. For future years, additional funding from EPA Region 9 for this small-grant program focused on FQPA transition is anticipated, but it is not assured.

Application Process and Format

The proposal must consist of the following:

A) Abstract (maximum of one page); Please include details of contact persons on this page.

B) Body of Proposal and Workplan (maximum of six pages). This should include:

1. Brief background on the main issues or challenges, explaining the importance or justification of the proposed project;
2. Summary of specific objectives, main activities in the workplan, and expected outcomes or deliverables;
3. Explanation of how progress or impacts will be evaluated or measured;
4. A time-line or schedule (for one or two years).

C) Budget. Please include information on other sources of funding being used or expected, if any. (maximum one page)

D) Required Attachments:

1. Qualifications and background on the main people or organizations involved. (This information should not exceed four pages.)
2. Letter(s) of support from growers and/or other collaborators. Please specify any role or contribution they have in project implementation.

Reporting

The selected grant recipients will be asked to complete a concise progress report 6 months after the grant is awarded, and at the end of the grant period. Progress reports should address the status of all of the objectives and activities in the proposal, and a statement of impacts and expenses.

Submission of Grant Proposals

The proposals must be postmarked by May 10, 2002. The proposals should be sent to EPA Region 9 to the address noted below. Applications must include a hard copy and also an electronic version on a floppy disk, in Word Perfect or MS Word.

Lori Ann Thrupp
Agriculture Initiative
US Environmental Protection Agency Region 9
75 Hawthorne Street, CMD-4-1
San Francisco, CA 94105

Proposals will be reviewed and ranked by a panel of experts, and decisions on the grants will be made by June 5, 2002. Applicants will be notified the results as soon as possible after that day. Award recipients then will need to complete financial and administrative grant paperwork, working with EPA project managers, in order to finalize the grant procedure.

For further information, please contact:
Lori Ann Thrupp, PhD.
Agriculture Initiative, EPA Region 9
75 Hawthorne St CMD-4-1
San Francisco, CA 94105
tel: 415-947-4242
fax: 415-947-3583
email: thrupp.loriann@epa.gov