ARS maintains strong stakeholder relationships at the local, regional, and national levels, ensuring the relevance of its research and adoption of its results.  We are actively seeking partners that can benefit from ARS’ research capacity and have interest in the topics of ARS research. 

 

Agricultural Technology Innovation Partnership (ATIP) Program

 

The purpose of ATIP is to help increase the likelihood that ARS research outcomes will be adopted by private sector firms and facilitate economic growth.  Under the ATIP program, ARS has formed formal partnerships with nine regional economic development entities nationwide to serve as portals to businesses to enhance the effectiveness and impact of ARS technology transfer. The members in the national ATIP network are:

 

• Ben Franklin Technology Development Authority, Pennsylvania (BFTDA)

• California Association for Local Economic Development (CALED)

• Center for Innovation at Arlington, TX (CFI)

• Center for Innovative Food Technology, Toledo, OH (CIFT)

• Georgia Research Alliance (GRA)

• Innovate Mississippi

• Kansas Bioscience Authority (KBA)

• Maryland Technology Development Corporation (TEDCO)

• Wisconsin Security Research Consortium (WSRC)

 

 

 

ATIP members work with ARS to expand outreach activities to disseminate USDA-ARS research advances to private sector audiences.  ATIP members coordinate regional co-sponsored events with ARS to showcase technologies and research capabilities.  The goals of these events are to provide technical and business assistance to farmers and businesses; identify potential collaborators; and transfer patented ARS technologies to the private sector for commercial use.

 

ATIP members serve dual roles as ARS partnership intermediaries described above and as Board Managers for the ATIP Foundation.  The ATIP members established the Foundation to provide unifying entity independent of ARS, as well as, the flexibility to engage other organizations that have a vested interest in seeing USDA research outcomes adopted by the private sector.  Foundation objects are:  (1) Expedite the transition of USDA-ARS technologies from USDA-ARS labs into the commercial sector; (2) Seek funds to support the research needs of the USDA-ARS; (3) Develop industry access to utilize USDA-ARS research and research facilities; (4) Create sustainable communities by promoting regional innovation clusters, supported by USDA-ARS research outcomes; and (5) Host regional events co-sponsored with ARS, showcasing technologies and research capacity.

 

Cathleen Cohn

Tech Transfer Liaison

Cathleen.Cohn@ars.usda.gov
Phone: (301)504-4523
Fax: (301) 504-5060

 

 

Partnership & Grants

 

Partnerships and Grants helps coordinate the development of partnerships, working with those interested in partnering with ARS to identify and connect with the appropriate ARS scientists. Partnerships and Grants also works to help ARS scientists become more successful in obtaining soft funding by providing assistance in finding funding opportunities, providing training and resources, and developing partnership opportunities

 

Dr. Robert MacDonald

Coordinator 
Robert.MacDonald@ars.usda.gov
Phone: (301) 504-1184
Fax: (301) 504-5060

 

Dr. Mary Ann Ottinger

Deputy Coordinator 
MaryAnn.Ottinger@ars.usda.gov
Phone: (301) 504-4531

Fax: (301) 504-5060

 

 

Technology Transfer Agreements

 

Agreements with outside organizations, whether public or private, produce many direct benefits. They allow research scientists to obtain expertise, proprietary products, and information that would not otherwise be available to them. The selection of the type of agreement to use is important. It is not just a matter of choice, but often a matter of law, regulation, or policy. Different situations require specific types of agreements and actions.

 

Thomas Moreland

Partnership Liaison

Tom.Moreland@ars.usda.gov
Phone: (301)504-4838
Fax: (301) 504-5060