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UC Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education Program
UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA
Agriculture & Natural Resources
Sustainable Agriculture Research & Education Program

Request For Proposals

2007 Agricultural Sustainability Competitive Grants Program

PROPOSALS DUE: April 11, 2007, 5 p.m.

The UC Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education Program (SAREP) is a statewide program within UC Agriculture and Natural Resources. It was created through the grassroots efforts of organizations and individuals concerned about the environmental impacts of agriculture, the health of rural communities, and the profitability of family farming operations in California. SAREP’s primary goals are:
  • To assist California farmers and ranchers in developing and implementing sustainable production and marketing systems; and
  • To support California's rural and urban communities in understanding the concept and value of sustainable agriculture and participating in sustainable food and agricultural systems.
In keeping with SAREP’s mission and goals, this Request for Proposals (RFP) is directed toward the following outcomes:
  • Farmers and other food systems participants will reduce fuel consumption, thereby enhancing their own economic viability and contributing to the public benefit of energy conservation. Theme: Energy Costs in Agriculture
  • Small-, medium- and large-scale farmers will adopt marketing strategies and practices that address consumer concerns for environmental and social responsibility and contribute to the economic viability of California agriculture. Theme: Innovative Agricultural Marketing Strategies
  • Farmers and public agencies will identify and test potential adaptations to farming practices and regulations and take other appropriate steps to prepare for climate changes. Theme: Impacts of Global Climate Change

Who May Apply

This RFP is targeted to University of California Cooperative Extension advisors and directors. A CE advisor or director must be the Principal Investigator on submitted proposals. Meaningful collaboration with UCCE specialists, AES scientists, USDA-ARS scientists, California graduate students, farmers, ranchers, community groups and/or other participants from non-profit organizations or public agencies is strongly encouraged. Collaborations may originate and develop in a variety of ways; please contact us if you have any questions about this process.

Funding Availability

Total funding for this cycle will be approximately $100,000. We will provide awards of up to $25,000 for research and/or extension projects addressing one of the priority themes described below. Due to the limited funds available, only one-year projects will be considered. Projects must be completed by June 30, 2008; funds may not be carried forward.  

Priority Themes

Proposals are being requested for research and/or extension projects in three thematic areas:

(1) Energy costs in agriculture. The cost of energy affects all aspects of the food system, from production and harvest, to storage, processing and distribution. Issues related to petroleum-based energy sources are of particular concern given rising fuel costs, increasing worldwide demand for oil, political instability in many oil-producing countries, and the deepening evidence and scientific consensus linking fossil fuel use to climate risks. Energy costs in agriculture are particularly important and relevant in assessing the sustainability of the agricultural and food system.

Grants in this category will be directed toward comparisons of energy consumption under different agricultural production, processing, and marketing scenarios.

(2) Innovative agricultural marketing strategies. Over the past decade, California farmers have become increasingly pressured by the costs of production as well as increased competition from low-priced imports. Many California producers are positioned to gain competitive advantage by providing a unique and superior value in terms of product quality and special features such as environmental and social responsibility, or after-sales service.

Grants in this category will be directed to comparative research into innovative marketing strategies based on local, regional, and international consumer preferences for food produced with environmentally sound and socially responsible practices.

(3) Impacts of global climate change. Global warming presents important challenges to California agriculture. To support irrigation, California agriculture relies on a vast infrastructure of irrigation districts, dams, reservoirs, pumping stations and canals. It also relies on Sierra Nevada snowpack, which is increasingly at risk with global climate change. Global climate change also involves extreme weather events, including storms and droughts, which can reduce yields, threaten infrastructure and interfere with management.

Grants in this category will be directed toward projects that explore and analyze: 1) vulnerabilities to climate change in concert with other stressors, and 2) means of adaptation to a range of plausible climate change scenarios.

Criteria/Requirements

All proposals will be judged according to the following criteria:

 A. Relevance to Priority Thematic Areas

  • State which thematic area your project relates to, and describe how your project helps address the issues outlined for that theme (see priority themes above).
  • Cite results of other related projects or activities - - either your own or that of other investigators - - and describe how your proposed project will build upon and extend this prior work.

B. Relevance to Target Audience (Justification)

  • Define the target audience(s)/community for the project.
  • Describe the importance of the proposed research or project to this audience.
  • Describe how the target audience/community will be involved in the development and implementation of the project.
  • Describe how the results/outcomes of the project will address the priority themes and goals stated above.   

C. Goals and Objectives

  • Based on the needs of your target audience, state the realistic goal(s) for the project. Goals are purpose statements about what you want the project to accomplish. (They are not activities.)
  • Under each goal, state measurable, outcome-oriented objectives that are necessary to reach that goal.

D. Methods/Activities/Timetable

  • Provide a plan that states how the project goals and objectives will be achieved.
  • For research projects, provide a description of your methodology, including the proposed research design, spatial and/or temporal scale(s) of analysis, survey method, and plan for statistical analysis.
  • For education/extension projects, justify the education/outreach methods.
  • Include a timetable linked to the various activities and phases of the project.

E. Products

  • Projects should include tangible products (for example, publications, decision support tools, report, workshop and related materials, etc.). Innovative use of media is encouraged.
  • Describe how information and results from this project will be extended to the target audience/community, and beyond to other potential statewide audiences.

F. Evaluation/Lessons Learned

  • Describe how you plan to evaluate and measure whether your stated objectives were met.
  • Describe your plans for maintaining or expanding your project in the future.

G. Capabilities of Investigators and Cooperators

  • Describe the specific roles and capabilities of each project participant.
  • Attach an abbreviated CV (one-page limit) for each investigator including past experience with similar projects/activities.
  • Provide a letter of support from each cooperating organization, agency, or business. Letters should state how the organization will participate in the project.
  • Attach a letter of support and recommendation from major professor of any graduate students participating in the project.  

H. Budget

  • Provide a complete budget in the indicated format; show how line items are calculated. Funds requested must be realistic given the objectives of the project. ($25,000 limit)
  • Projects may begin as soon as funding is received, no later than July 1, 2007. Projects must be completed by June 30, 2008; funds may not be carried forward.

Budget Category

Requested Funds

Personnel

Name and/or payroll title and % time

Employee Benefits

 

Supplies and Expenses (1)

 

Permanent Equipment (2)

 

Travel (3)

 

Subcontracts (4)

 

Total Funds Requested

 

(1) List by major category, with total cost for each category and how amount was calculated. (2) List specific items and their cost. Equipment requests are scrutinized carefully, and are generally not approved unless the equipment is crucial to the project and access is not available by means other than purchase. (3) Indicate destination(s), number of travelers, estimated number of trips and cost of each. (4) List contractor name and services to be provided.

Guiding Principles of Agricultural Sustainability Grants Program

Investigators and research teams are encouraged to use the following principles to guide the development of their projects. These are not strict requirements, but should be incorporated as key elements of the project where appropriate.
  • Projects emphasize research-based, scientific investigation.
  • Projects integrate research and outreach to ensure that information is useful and available to inform grower and consumer choices and respond to their needs and concerns.
  • Projects use grant funds as seed money to develop capacity for expanded projects.
  • Projects maintain and enhance collaborations between county- and campus-based scientists to respond to the needs of farmers and local communities throughout the state.
  • Projects create new linkages and enhance existing partnerships with other institutions and agencies in order to contribute to a unified approach in addressing core areas of concern.
  • Partnerships with external stakeholders are encouraged and strengthened.
  • Since the knowledge base is limited in the thematic areas, facilitated focus sessions and other meetings are used to determine strategy and enhance synergies among collaborators and otherwise build capacity.

Format Requirements

All proposals should be submitted as an email attachment, either as a Word document or as PDF. The email with the proposal attached MUST come from the Principal Investigator / Project Leader; this email will serve as your electronic signature. Proposal must be in 12 pt. font size with one-inch margins. Please observe the word and page limits stated below. Refer to Criteria/Requirements section for description of what should be in each part of section II and III.

Section I.  

  • Cover Page (1 page) - Use the cover page provided below, or an exact duplicate, for the requested information.
  • Title and Project Summary -150 words or less (The project description and budget together usually fit on 1 page).
  • Budget - (see H. Budget format under Criteria/Requirements above)
Section II. Body of Proposal - must not exceed five single-spaced pages (12 pt. font)  
  1. Relevance to Priority Thematic Areas in this RFP
  2. Relevance to Target Audience (Justification)
  3. Goals and Objectives
  4. Methods/Activities/Timetable
  5. Products
  6. Evaluation/Lessons Learned
  7. Capabilities of Investigators and Cooperators (Attach CVs in Section III. Appendices)
Section III. Required Appendices  
  • Literature Cited
  • CVs
  • Letters of support (Should be on official letterhead). Letters must be included in proposal (scanned or electronic copy). Letters should not be sent separately to SAREP.

Submittal and Review Schedule

Complete proposals, including all required appendices, must be submitted by email as a Word or PDF attachment.  Proposals should be sent to dechaney@ucdavis.edu The email with the proposal attached MUST come from the Principal Investigator/Project Leader; this email will serve as your electronic signature. Your Regional office’s financial manager must also be notified of your proposal submission; please copy that individual on the email you submit to us.

Proposals must be received by Wednesday, April 11, 2007, at 5 p.m..  Proposals received after this deadline will not be considered for review.  Proposals will not be accepted via FAX or hardcopy.

All proposals will be reviewed by a committee of ANR personnel with related experience and members of SAREP's staff.  Successful applicants will be notified of awards by June 1, 2007.

If you have any questions, please call David Chaney (530-754-8551) or Robert L. Bugg (530-754-8549) or email to dechaney@ucdavis.edu.

 

The University of California prohibits discrimination or harassment of any person on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, gender identity, pregnancy (including childbirth, and medical conditions related to pregnancy or childbirth), physical or mental disability, medical condition (cancer-related or genetic characteristics), ancestry, marital status, age, sexual orientation, citizenship, or status as a covered veteran (covered veterans are special disabled veterans, recently separated veterans, Vietnam era veterans, or any other veterans who served on active duty during a war or in a campaign or expedition for which a campaign badge has been authorized) in any of its programs or activities. University policy is intended to be consistent with the provisions of applicable State and Federal laws. Inquiries regarding the University's nondiscrimination policies may be directed to the Affirmative Action/Staff Personnel Services Equal Opportunity Director, University of California, Agriculture and Natural Resources, 1111 Franklin Street, 6th Floor, Oakland, CA 94607, (510) 987-0096.

Cover Page

UC SAREP 2007 Agricultural Sustainability Grants

Project Title:

 

Principal Investigator (main contact)
Name:

Title, affiliation:

Mailing Address:

Telephone Email FAX:

 

ANR REGIONAL Financial Manager
Name:

Mailing Address:

Telephone Email FAX:

q Check to indicate you have notified this individual of your proposal submission; please copy your regional financial manager on the email you submit to us.

 

Other Investigators:

Name & Affiliation---------------Mailing Address---------------Telephone-------------------Email

 

Cooperators:

Name & Affiliation---------------Mailing Address---------------Telephone-------------------Email

 

Budget Total: (Total requested from SAREP)

 

County(ies) and Region project would be conducted in: