Cooperative Forestry Research

 

NIFA requests applications for the McIntire-Stennis (M-S) Cooperative Forestry Research Program for fiscal year (FY) 2024 to assist all states in carrying out a program of state forestry research at state forestry schools and colleges and developing a trained pool of forest scientists capable of conducting needed forestry research under the following research topics: 1) Reforestation and management of land for the production of crops of timber and other related products of the forest; 2) Management of forest and related watershed lands to improve conditions of water flow and to protect resources against floods and erosion; 3) Management of forest and related rangeland for production of forage for domestic livestock and game and improvement of food and habitat for wildlife; 4) Management of forest lands for outdoor recreation; 5) Protection of forest land and resources against fire, insects, diseases, or other destructive agents; 6) Utilization of wood and other forest products; 7) Development of sound policies for the management of forest lands and the harvesting and marketing of forest products.

Active 10.202 National Institute of Food and Agriculture, Department of Agriculture A - Formula Grants Fiscal Year 2016 For FY 2016: Congress appropriated $33,961,000 for the Program. Pertinent details will be provided by Program at a future date. Fiscal Year (FY) 2016: Congress appropriated $33,961,000 for this Program for FY 2016. After legislatively authorized set-asides, the amount available to support approved projects was $31,920,685.
Fiscal Year 2017 For Fiscal Year 2017, Congress appropriated approximately $34 million for the McIntire-Stennis Program. Approximately $32 million was available for distribution to states, after legislatively authorized set asides.
Fiscal Year 2018 Appropriation for FY 2018 was approximately $33 million. The amount available for awards was $31,888,021, with 79 universities participating in the program.
Fiscal Year 2019 Appropriation for FY 2019 was approximately $36 million. The amount available for awards was $33,802,560, with 78 universities participating in the program. There are currently 979 active McIntire-Stennis projects.
Fiscal Year 2020 Appropriation for FY 2020 are projected to be approximately $28 million. The projected amount for award is $27,104,958, with a potential 81 universities participating, which may include the addition of two new tribal institutions.
Fiscal Year 2024 Pertinent information will be provided by Program at a future date. Public Law 87-778 (76 Stat. 806, 16 U.S.C. 582a, et seq.) signed into law on October 10, 1962 is also known as the McIntire-Stennis Cooperative Forestry Research Act, 16 U.S.C. 582a thru a-7 Funds are appropriated by Congress for distribution to State institutions certified as eligible by a State representative designated by the Governor of each State. Funds are apportioned among States by the Secretary of Agriculture after consultation with a National Advisory Council representing the State- certified forestry schools and other groups concerned with forestry research. This program is also available to Guam, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, American Samoa, Northern Mariana Islands, and Micronesia. Funds are appropriated by Congress for distribution to State institutions certified as eligible by a State representative designated by the Governor of each State. Funds are apportioned among States by the Secretary of Agriculture after consultation with a National Advisory Council representing the State- certified forestry schools and other groups concerned with forestry research. This program is also available in Guam, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, American Samoa, Northern Mariana, and Micronesia. The System for Award Management (SAM) combines eight federal procurement systems, including CCR, and the Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance into one new system. CCR activities are conducted through SAM (the CCR website will redirect users to SAM). Unique Identity Identifier (UEI) Number and System for Award Management (SAM): Each applicant (unless excepted under 2 CFR ? 25.110(b) or (c), or has an exception approved by the Federal awarding agency under 2 CFR ? 25.110(d)) is required to: (i) Be registered in SAM before submitting its application; (ii) Provide a valid UEI number in its application; and (iii) Continue to maintain an active SAM registration with current information at all times during which it has an active Federal award or an application or plan under consideration by a Federal awarding agency. It also must state that the Federal awarding agency may not make a Federal award to an applicant until the applicant has complied with all applicable UEI and SAM requirements and, if an applicant has not fully complied with the requirements by the time the Federal awarding agency is ready to make a Federal award, the Federal awarding agency may determine that the applicant is not qualified to receive a Federal award and use that determination as a basis for making a Federal award to another applicant. Applicants must furnish the information required in the Request for Applications (RFAs). Successful applicants recommended for funding must furnish the information and assurances requested during the award documentation process. These include, but are not limited to the following: Organizational Management Information - Specific management information relating to an applicant shall be submitted on a one time basis, with updates on an as needed basis, as part of the responsibility determination prior to the award of a grant identified under this RFA, if such information has not been provided previously under this or another NIFA program. NIFA will provide copies of forms recommended for use in fulfilling these requirements as part of the pre-award process. Although an applicant may be eligible based on its status as one of these entities, there are factors which may exclude an applicant from receiving Federal financial and nonfinancial assistance and benefits under this program (e.g., debarment or suspension of an individual involved or a determination that an applicant is not responsible based on submitted organizational management information). This information collection is approved under OMB Circular Control No. 0524-0026, "Assurance of Compliance with the Department of Agriculture Regulations Assuring Civil Rights, Compliance and Organization Information." SPECIAL NOTE: Please refer to the Capacity, Competitive, and/or Non-Competitive Request for Applications (RFAs) for further specific and pertinent details. The most current RFA is available via: https://nifa.usda.gov/program/mcintire-stennis-capacity-grant RFAs are generally released annually. Hence, the RFAs provide the most current and accurate information available. Any specific instructions in the Capacity, Competitive, and/or Non-Competitive RFAs supersede the general information provided in the CFDA database. 2 CFR 200, Subpart E - Cost Principles applies to this program. Preapplication coordination is required. All Request for Applications (RFAs) are published on the Agency’s website and Grants.gov. Applicants must complete the Grants.gov registration process. Please see the following Grants.gov link for more information: http://www.grants.gov/. NIFA Applications (R&R Other Project Information - Section 4.4) requires a response to the question regarding "Actual or Potential Impact on the Environment." For this program the response is "No.". Environmental impact information is not required for this program. This program is excluded from coverage under E.O. 12372. 2 CFR 200, Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards applies to this program. The National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) only accepts electronic applications which are submitted via Grants.gov in response to specific Requests for Applications (RFA). Applicants must complete the Grants.gov registration process. For information about the pre-award phase of the grant lifecycle application processes see: http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/learn-grants/grants-101/pre-award-phase.html. Further, applicants must follow the instructions provided in the NIFA Grants.gov Application Guide, which can be assessed as follows: Adobe NIFA Applications. 2 CFR part 200, Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards and 2 CFR part 400 USDA's Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards apply to this program. SPECIAL NOTE: Please refer to the Capacity, Competitive, and/or Non-Competitive Request for Applications (RFAs) for further specific and pertinent details. The most current RFAs are available via: https://nifa.usda.gov/program/mcintire-stennis-capacity-grant RFAs are generally released annually. Hence, the RFAs provide the most current and accurate information available. Any specific instructions in the Capacity, Competitive, and/or Non-Competitive RFAs supersede the general information provided in the CFDA database. Funding is provided to the States through a formula-based allocation process which depends on several factors. First, a base amount (approximately $25,000) is allocated to each State; however, this base amount is excluded from the formula. The balance of funding to each State is determined through a ranking process and dependent upon the following three factors: (1) forty percent of the remaining balance is allocated based on the area of non-Federal commercial forest land; (2) forty percent is allocated based upon the volume of timber cut annually from stock; and (3) twenty percent is allocated based on the total expenditures for forestry research from non-Federal sources. Funds are then distributed to the eligible State-certified Institutions within the State as determined by the Governor's designee. Applications are subjected to a system of peer and merit review in accordance with section 103 of the Agricultural Research, Extension and Education Reform Act of 1998 (7 U.S.C. 7613) by a panel of qualified scientists and other appropriate persons who are specialists in the field covered by the proposal. Within the limit of funds available for such purpose, the NIFA Authorized Departmental Officer (ADO) shall make grants to those responsible, eligible applicants whose applications are judged most meritorious under the procedures set forth in the RFA. Reviewers will be selected based upon training and experience in relevant scientific, extension, or education fields, taking into account the following factors: (a) The level of relevant formal scientific, technical education, or extension experience of the individual, as well as the extent to which an individual is engaged in relevant research, education, or extension activities; (b) the need to include as reviewers experts from various areas of specialization within relevant scientific, education, or extension fields; (c) the need to include as reviewers other experts (e.g., producers, range or forest managers/operators, and consumers) who can assess relevance of the applications to targeted audiences and to program needs; (d) the need to include as reviewers experts from a variety of organizational types (e.g., colleges, universities, industry, state and Federal agencies, private profit and non-profit organizations) and geographic locations; (e) the need to maintain a balanced composition of reviewers with regard to minority and female representation and an equitable age distribution; and (f) the need to include reviewers who can judge the effective usefulness to producers and the general public of each application. Evaluation Criteria will be delineated in the Request for Applications (RFA). 2 CFR 200 - Subpart C and Appendix I and 2 CFR part 400 apply to this Program. SPECIAL NOTE: Please refer to the Capacity, Competitive, and/or Non-Competitive Request for Applications (RFAs) for further specific and pertinent details. The most current RFAs are available via: https://nifa.usda.gov/program/mcintire-stennis-capacity-grant RFAs are generally released annually. Hence, the RFAs provide the most current and accurate information available. Any specific instructions in the Capacity, Competitive, and/or Non-Competitive RFAs supersede the general information provided in the CFDA database. Contact the headquarters or regional location, as appropriate for application deadlines From 30 to 60 days. From 30 to 60 days. Contact the National Program Leader (NPL), as indicated per CFDA Section # 152 - Headquarters Office regarding dates for specific deadlines, start and end dates, and range of approval/disapproval time. Information is also available via our website and may be obtained via the Grants.gov website. NIFA's respective links regarding general information are provided below: http://nifa.usda.gov/ http://www.grants.gov. SPECIAL NOTE: Please refer to the Request for Applications (RFAs) for further specific and pertinent details. The most current RFA is available via: https://nifa.usda.gov/program/mcintire-stennis-capacity-grant RFAs are generally released annually. Hence, the RFAs provide the most current and accurate information available. Any specific instructions in the Capacity, Competitive, and/or Non-Competitive RFAs supersede the general information provided in the CFDA database. Not Applicable. 2 CFR Part 200 - Subparts D & E apply to this program. Specific details are provided in the Request for Applications (RFA), which are generally published annually. The most current RFA is available via: https://nifa.usda.gov/program/mcintire-stennis-capacity-grant Within guidelines established for the program as described in the Capacity Request for Applications (RFA) [formerly known as Formula Grant Opportunity (FGO)]. 2 CFR part 200, Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards and 2 CFR part 400 USDA's Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards apply to this program. Within guidelines established for the program as described in the Capacity, Competitive, and/or Non-Competitive Request for Application (RFA). The most current RFAs are available via: https://nifa.usda.gov/program/mcintire-stennis-capacity-grant The McIntire-Stennis Cooperative Forestry Research Act (M/S) grant is used to assist all states in carrying out a program of state forestry research at state forestry schools and colleges and developing a trained pool of forest scientists capable of conducting needed forestry research, which should include: (1) ecological restoration; (2) catastrophe management; (3) valuing and trading ecological services; (4) energy conservation, biomass energy and bio-based materials development; (5) forest fragmentation: (6) carbon sequestration and climate change; and (7) ways of fostering healthy forests and a globally competitive forest resources sector. Additionally, M/S funds should be allocated to the following high priority issues: (1) science of integration (ecosystem or landscape approaches including interdisciplinary multi-state projects); (2) forest ecosystem services; (3) human attitudes and behaviors; (4) conflict, uncertainty, and decision-making; (5) technological advancements (biotechnology, nanotechnology and geospatial technology), productivity, and forest applications; and (6) urban ecosystems. Funding is provided to the States through a formula-based allocation process which depends on several factors. First, a base amount (approximately $25,000) is allocated to each State; however, this base amount is excluded from the formula. The balance of funding to each State is determined through a ranking process and dependent upon the following three factors: (1) forty percent of the remaining balance is allocated based on the area of non-Federal commercial forest land; (2) forty percent is allocated based upon the volume of timber cut annually from stock; and (3) twenty percent is allocated based on the total expenditures for forestry research from non-Federal sources. Funds are then distributed to the eligible State-certified Institutions within the State as determined by the Governor’s designee. Applications may be submitted by State-certified Schools of Forestry as stipulated in accordance with Section 2 of Public Law 87-788, McIntire-Stennis Act. Section 7412 of the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 amended Section 2 of the McIntire-Stennis Cooperative Forestry Act (16 U.S.C. 582a-1) to include the 1890 Land-grant Institutions and made this change effective October 1, 2008. Performance Reports: PERFORMANCE MONITORING: See above for pertinent and specific details. Records must be available for review or audit by appropriate officials of the Federal agency, pass-through entity, and Government Accountability Office (GAO). This program is also subject to audit by the cognizant Federal audit agency and the USDA Office of Inspector General. In accordance with 2 CFR Part 400 - Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards, ? 200.334 Retention requirements for records. Grantees shall maintain separate records for each grant to ensure that funds are used for authorized purposes. Grant-related records are subject to inspection during the life of the grant and must be retained at least three (3) years. Records must be retained beyond the three (3) year period if litigation is pending or audit findings have not been resolved. 2 CFR Part 200, Subpart D applies to this program Statutory Formula: Public Law 87-778

Matching is mandatory. 100%. Funding is provided to the States through a formula-based allocation process which depends on several factors. First, a base amount (approximately $25,000) is allocated to each State; however, this base amount is excluded from the formula. The balance of funding to each State is determined through a ranking process and dependent upon the following three factors: (1) forty percent of the remaining balance is allocated based on the area of non-Federal commercial forest land; (2) forty percent is allocated based upon the volume of timber cut annually from stock; and (3) twenty percent is allocated based on the total expenditures for forestry research from non-Federal sources. Funds are then distributed to the eligible State-certified Institutions within the State as determined by the Governor’s designee. Formula grant recipients are to provide matching [as detailed in Part VIII.A.6 of the Formula Grant Opportunity (FGO)], either cash or in-kind, on a dollar-for-dollar basis (100 percent) on all Federal funds allotted. Eligible institutions located in insular areas (i.e., American Samoa, Guam, Micronesia, Northern Marianas, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands) are not required to match amounts at or below $100,000, if the allocation is below $200,000.

MOE requirements are not applicable to this assistance listing. M/S funds are expected to be fully expended in the fiscal year (FY) of appropriation; however funds may be carried forward one (1) additional fiscal year (FY). These carryover funds must be fully expended by September 30 of the following year. No prior approval to carryover these funds is required from NIFA. Method of awarding/releasing assistance: quarterly. Further details are provided in the Award document Form NIFA-2009 and the NIFA General Terms and Conditions Grants and Cooperative Agreements (dated October 2016) at: https://nifa.usda.gov/resource/nifa-general-terms-and-conditions-grants-and-cooperative-agreements-october-2016. SPECIAL NOTE: Please refer to the Capacity, Competitive, and/or Non-Competitive Request for Applications (RFAs) for specific and pertinent details. The most current RFAs are available via: https://nifa.usda.gov/program/mcintire-stennis-capacity-grant RFAs are generally released annually. Hence, the RFAs provide the most current and accurate information available. Any specific instructions in the Capacity, Competitive, and/or Non-Competitive RFAs supersede the general information provided in the CFDA database. NIFA utilizes the Automated Standard Application for Payments (ASAP), a secure, web-based electronic payment and information system that allows federal agencies to administer funds. Currently, ASAP is the only payment source for new NIFA grantees. National Institute of Food and Agriculture U.S. Department of Agriculture P.O. Box 419205, Mail Stop 10000, Kansas City, MO 64141-6205 Courier/Package Delivery Address: 2312 East Bannister Road, Mail Stop 10000, Kansas City, MO 64141-3061 USDA, NIFA, National Program Leader
Institute of Bioenergy, Climate and Environment - Division of Environmental Systems,
National Institute of Food and Agriculture
U.S. Department of Agriculture
P.O. Box 419205, Mail Stop 10000, Kansas City, MO 64141-6205
Courier/Package Delivery Address:
2312 East Bannister Road, Mail Stop 10000, Kansas City, MO 64141-3061
Kansas City, MO 64141-3061 US
patrick.cassidy@usda.gov
Phone: (816) 926-1490 http://nifa.usda.gov/program/mcintire-stennis-capacity-grant 12-1500-0-1-352 (Formula Grants (Apportionments)) FY 22$33,802,559.00; FY 23 est $69,400,680.00; FY 24 est $35,461,896.00; FY 21$33,802,559.00; FY 20$33,802,560.00; FY 19$33,802,560.00; FY 18$31,888,021.00; FY 17$31,849,841.00; FY 16$31,920,685.00; - The difference between the appropriation and obligation numbers reflects legislative authorized set-asides deducted as appropriate, and in some cases the availability of obligational authority from prior years. If minimum or maximum amounts of funding per the Capacity, Competitive, and/or Non-Competitive project grant, or cooperative agreement are established, these amounts will be announced in the annual Capacity, Competitive, and/or Non-Competitive Request for Application (RFA). The most current RFA is available via: https://nifa.usda.gov/program/mcintire-stennis-capacity-grant As an administrator of U.S. government support, NIFA works in partnership with grantees to ensure responsible stewardship of federal funds. Our grantees and partners are required to comply with all relevant rules and regulations. The following resources are provided to NIFA's partners and award recipients to support their adherence to federal regulations governing program performance: NIFA's primary (main) website: https://nifa.usda.gov/regulations-and-guidelines The following represent specific documents and direct links: POLICY GUIDE NIFA's Federal Assistance Policy Guide describes agency policies and procedures. https://nifa.usda.gov/policy-guide CERTIFICATIONS AND REPRESENTATIONS Certifications and representations provided through the NIFA application process. https://nifa.usda.gov/certifications-and-representations ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF USDA SUPPORT BY NIFA When acknowledging USDA support in accordance with 2 CFR Part 415, grantees must use the following acknowledgement for all projects or initiatives supported by NIFA. https://nifa.usda.gov/acknowledgment-usda-support-nifa FEDERAL REGULATIONS The Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) lists all regulations published in the Federal Register. https://nifa.usda.gov/federal-regulations FOIA The Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) provides that any person has the right to request access to federal documents and information such as research data. https://nifa.usda.gov/foia NEPA POLICY AND GUIDANCE The National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) Policy and Guidance set the standard for identifying potential environmental impacts. https://nifa.usda.gov/nepa-policy-and-guidance OGFM ISSUED CORRESPONDENCE The Office of Grants and Financial Management occasionally issues correspondence to applicants, grantees, and/or the general public for informational or clarification purposes. https://nifa.usda.gov/ogfm-issued-correspondence RESEARCH MISCONDUCT NIFA requires that all its awardees adhere to the USDA Scientific Integrity Policy and the Federal Policy on Research Misconduct. https://nifa.usda.gov/research-misconduct NIFA'S GENERAL AWARD TERMS AND CONDITIONS Award terms and conditions are determined by statutory, regulatory, and agency requirements, as well as each grant's circumstances. Terms and conditions dictate important items related to your grant, including method of payment, reporting frequency and content, and prior approval requirements. References to the terms and conditions of awards are located on the NIFA 2009 Award Fact Sheet. NIFA's general award terms and conditions (see link below) is applicable to this program, for awards with an award date on December 26, 2014 and thereafter. https://nifa.usda.gov/resource/nifa-general-terms-and-conditions-grants-and-cooperative-agreements-october-2016. Fiscal Year 2016 For FY 2016: Actual amount appropriated by Congress for FY 2016 was $33,961,000. A total amount of $31,920,185 was distributed to states to address projects such as: (1) Nanotechnology in the forest products industry (2) Bioenergy and biomass feedstock (3) Forest fire (4) Forest pest and diseases (5) Watershed management (6) Carbon sequestration (7) Ecotourism and recreation Fiscal Year (FY) 2016: Examples of funded projects were: (1) Green building and climate variability; (2) Non-traditional forestry (agroforestry and urban forestry); (3) Nutrient and Carbon Cycling; (4) Liquid biofuels from woody biomass conversion; (5) Quantification of ecosystem goods and services; (6) Life cycle analysis and value chain; and (7) Ecosystem and watershed restoration.
Fiscal Year 2017 For Fiscal Year 2017: Funding was distributed to states to address projects such as: (1) Nanotechnology in the forest products industry; (2) Bioenergy and biomass feedstock; (3) Forest fire; (4) Forest pest and diseases; (5) Watershed management; (6) Carbon sequestration; (7) Ecotourism and recreation; and (8) Climate change, mitigation and adaptation.
Fiscal Year 2018 This grant is used to assist all states in carrying out a program of state forestry research at state forestry schools and colleges and developing a trained pool of forest scientists capable of conducting needed forestry research under the following research topics: 1) Reforestation and management of land for the production of crops of timber and other related products of the forest; 2) Management of forest and related watershed lands to improve conditions of water flow and to protect resources against floods and erosion; 3) Management of forest and related rangeland for production of forage for domestic livestock and game and improvement of food and habitat for wildlife; 4) Management of forest lands for outdoor recreation; 5) Protection of forest land and resources against fire, insects, diseases, or other destructive agents; 6) Utilization of wood and other forest products; and 7) Development of sound policies for the management of forest lands and the harvesting and marketing of forest products. Example projects include: • Weed, insect and fungal pest control in southern pine nurseries • Biochemical, molecular and ecophysiological responses due to environmental stresses in urban forest tree species • Sustainable Bio-Based Products From Biomass • Black Bear Forest Habitat Use and Management in Mississippi • River biodiversity and food-webs in changing forested landscapes
Fiscal Year 2019 FY 2019 projects have been fully funded and the topic areas and impacts are expected to be similar to FY 2018. Example projects include: • Temporal and spatial distributions of outdoor recreation use and associated impacts on resource conditions at Cimarron National • Discovery of bioactive compounds from medicinal plants • Stream and road network positions as predictors of plant invasions of forests. • Sustainable Urban Forestry Planning Models and Decision Making Dashboard • Characterization of a Wood Composite Bonded with Soy-Based Adhesive
Fiscal Year 2020 Contingent upon available funding, the McIntire-Stennis Cooperative Forestry Research Program will continue to fund projects in FY 2020, and it is anticipated that those projects will have the same breadth and depth of impacts as previously funded projects. Pertinent information will be provided by Program at a future date.
Fiscal Year 2024 Pertinent information will be provided by Program at a future date.