The intent of the SCRI is to promote collaboration, open communication, the exchange of information, and the development of resources that accelerate application of scientific discovery and technology to solving needs of the various specialty crop industries. SCRI will give priority to projects that are multistate, multi-institutional, or trans-disciplinary, and include explicit mechanisms to communicate results to producers and the public.
The SCRI offers the following six project types in FY 2008. These project types are described in more detail in Part II(C) of the RFA.
| 1. |
Standard Research and Extension Projects (SREPs) |
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a. Project Period – Up to 4 years. |
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b. Budget –Federal funds up to $1 million per project. |
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c. Purpose –To support targeted problem-solving efforts that lead to measurable benefit to producers and consumers and contribute to the overall sustainability of a component or primary system. SREPs are smaller in scope that CAPs (see below). |
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| 2. |
Coordinated Agricultural Projects (CAPs) |
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a.
Project Period – 3 to 5 years. |
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b. Budget –Federal funds in the range of $1 million to $6 million per project. |
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c.
Purpose –To address specific components of a primary system, with the expectation that the project will make strong contributions to the sustainability of the system of which the component is a part. A CAP must seek to bring together a multi-state, multi-institutional, and/or trans-disciplinary team to integrate scientific discoveries and technology with practical application; and provide complementary extension efforts to bring science-based information to relevant audiences that will allow them to make informed decisions. |
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| 3. |
Regional Partnerships for Innovation (RPIs) |
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a.
Project Period – 2 to 3 years. |
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b.
Budget – Federal funds in the range of $1 million to $2 million per project. |
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c.
Purpose –To form broad-based partnerships that provide the local or regional infrastructure needed to fully exploit future technology commercialization and adoption. These networks will be comprised of partnerships among universities, local governments, financial stakeholders, end-user industries, manufacturers, community organizations, etc. RPI awards will support the initial development of regional partnerships with the expectation that they would be self-supporting by the end of a grant’s project period. |
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| 4. |
Science Delivery Projects (SDPs) |
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a.
Project Period – 3 to 5 years. |
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b.
Budget –Federal funds in the range of $250,000 to $4 million per project. |
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c.
Purpose – To distill, synthesize, organize, package, and deliver components of the existing science base. SDPs are sought that would support applied research (making fundamental studies more applicable), development activities (creating appropriate tools and technologies), and extension programming (translating applied research for practical use and providing informal training in the use of new tools). SDPs will emphasize projects that cross disciplinary boundaries and incorporate economic, social, and environmental exposure in a way that integrates those different perspectives within the tools that are disseminated. |
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| 5. |
eXtension Projects |
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a.
Project Period – 3 to 5 years. |
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b. Budget – Federal funds up to $500,000 per project. |
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c.
Purpose – To develop Communities of Practice (COP) proposals for the eXtension system, to support existing COPs,and provide additional resources to ensure that information and technology transfer reach potential adopters as quickly as possible. |
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| 6. |
Research and Extension Planning Projects |
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a.
Project Period – 1 year. |
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b.
Budget – Federal funds up to $100,000 per project. |
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c.
Purpose – To provide assistance to applicants in the development of quality proposals. Applications are encouraged for meetings that bring together scientists and others, including end-users and technology providers, to identify research and/or extension needs, update information, and advance understanding of specialty crop issues and problems. This information should be used to build teams that can develop applications to address the identified challenges using a systems-based, trans-disciplinary focus. |
