2020 Soil Science Collaborative Research Proposals

The Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), an agency under the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), is announcing the potential availability of funding for agreements for the purposes of:

• Promoting research collaboration between the NRCS Soil and Plant Science Division (SPSD) and university cooperators on significant national issues;
• Providing technology transfer and training for NRCS staff;
• Assisting in training of students in soil science and related fields.

Proposals must be for projects based in the United States and its territories and possessions and focus on the priorities described in Section A of this notice. Research proposals are sought. NRCS anticipates that the amount available for support of this program in FY 2020 will be up to $1,700,000.00. Eligibility is limited to institutions of higher education in the Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit (CESU) network (http://www.cesu.psu.edu/). Proposals are requested for competitive consideration of awards for projects 1-2 years in duration. 

This notice identifies the objectives, eligibility criteria, and application instructions for projects. Proposals will be screened for completeness and compliance with the provisions of this notice. Incomplete and/or noncompliant proposals will be eliminated from competition, and notification of elimination will be sent to the applicant.

Key Dates

May 19, 2020 - Questions submission due date

May 25, 2020 - Questions and Answers posting date

June 11, 2020 - Application submission due date

June 30, 2020 - Notifications to selected proposals

September 15, 2020 - Planned project start date

Applicants must submit their applications via Grants.gov by 11:59 pm Eastern Time. For technical issues with Grants.gov, please contact Grants.gov Applicant Support at 1-800-518-4726 or support@grants.gov. Awarding agency staff cannot support applicants regarding Grants.gov accounts.

Miscellaneous

• Other