Last month, I shared some progress about Project CAFÉ (Collaboratively Achieving Functional Excellence), an initiative to use stakeholder feedback for optimizing NIFA’s service delivery while improving our ability to provide excellent customer service.

To kick off these regular Project CAFÉ updates, I will share how the feedback gathered from partners, stakeholders, and employees formulated the Project CAFÉ improvement recommendations and sparked action. The first set of actions associated with Project CAFÉ are purposefully narrow in scope, quick-win initiatives that are expected to have high impact. NIFA partners and stakeholders should expect to experience improved processes and customer service provided upon completion of these near-term improvements.

One of the first issues that stuck out as a result of feedback gathered through Project CAFÉ centered on NIFA’s grant application deadline. While several stakeholders and partners shared that they’d like to see NIFA adopt a deadline of 5:00 p.m. submitter’s local time, others preferred a 11:59 p.m. EST deadline. As such, NIFA has tasked a team of employees to review all feedback received and submit a comprehensive analysis and recommendation to NIFA leaders detailing the best approach to standardize and modernize NIFA application deadlines.

To date, the team has developed three options for NIFA to consider:

• Option 1: Maintain 5:00 p.m. EST deadline for all applications
• Option 2: Adopt a 11:59 p.m. EST deadline for all applications
• Option 3: Adopt a 5:00 p.m. submitter time deadline for all applications

In vetting each option, the team is using the following criteria to guide decision-making:

1. IT system ability to support the decision
2. Agency ability to support the decision
3. Partner ability to support the decision
4. Partner acceptability, and
5. Agency acceptability

All in all, I can assure you the team charged with recommending a final determination is conducting its review carefully and thoroughly. I look forward to sharing with you the team’s final recommendation on NIFA’s application deadline and other planned quick-action changes in the weeks ahead. In the meantime, please know that you can always reach me should you have any opinions about the options listed above or any other questions and comments about Project CAFÉ initiatives or other NIFA matters by emailing me at Parag.Chitnis@usda.gov.

NIFA Grants Nearly $14 Million for Rapid Response to Help U.S. Universities Find Scientific Solutions Amid Pandemic

To keep science discovery, innovation, and education moving forward, USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) developed a series of COVID-19 Rapid Response funding opportunities targeted to the most critical issues facing university researchers, small businesses and consumers across America during the pandemic. Today, NIFA announced the agency has awarded nearly $14 million in this nationwide effort so far, with more projects to be funded in the next few months.   “It was quickly evident at the onset of the pandemic that the food supply, agricultural systems, families and education – key focus areas for USDA and our partners – would be greatly impacted by all the changes facing our society,” said USDA-NIFA Acting Director Parag Chitnis. “NIFA is uniquely positioned to help fund rapid response research, outreach and education efforts, while continuing to support our base research, Extension and 4-H youth development programs that are in place at all times to respond to producer and consumer needs, large and small, across the nation.” For more information, read the NIFA press release.

Image of test tubes and corn courtesy of Getty Images.

Virtual Meetings

Hispanic-Serving Institutions Education Grants (HSI) Program Stakeholder Meeting

NIFA’s Hispanic Serving Institutions Education Grants (HSI) program will be holding a meeting for stakeholders to meet with program staff to discuss program updates, celebrate successes of award recipients, and understand how NIFA can best serve the HSI community in the future. Anyone with an interest in the HSI program is welcome to join the meeting Sept. 17, 2020 from 3 to 4 p.m. ET. Register online for this meeting.

Alaska Native-Serving Institutions and Native Hawaiian-Serving Institutions Education Grants (ANNH) and Institutions of Higher Education in Insular Areas (RIIA and DEG) Programs Meeting

NIFA’s Alaska Native-Serving Institutions and Native Hawaiian-Serving Institutions Education Grants (ANNH) and Institutions of Higher Education in Insular Areas (RIIA and DEG) program will be holding a meeting for stakeholders to meet with program staff to discuss program updates, celebrate successes of award recipients, and understand how NIFA can best serve these communities in the future. Anyone with an interest in the ANNH or RIAA/DEG programs is welcome to join the meeting Sept. 17, 2020 from 5 to 6 p.m. ET. Register online for this meeting.

NIFA Career Opportunities

We are hiring! Remember to check out NIFA's Career Opportunities webpage, where there is a direct link to all open positions. You can also explore NIFA jobs at the USAjobs.gov website. Current openings in Kansas City, Missouri:

Lead Policy Analyst, GS 13
Closing date: 9/10/2020

Biological/Social Science Specialist (National Program Leader), GS 13-15
Closing date: 9/30/2020

Virginia Cooperative Extension Foresters Win Distinguished Service Award

The Virginia Forestry Association (VFA) presents its 2020 Distinguished Service Award to the Virginia Cooperative Extension Forestry Team. Team members recognized include Scott Barrett, Neil Clark, Adam Downing, Jason Fisher, Jennifer Gagnon, Dan Goerlich, Karen Snape, and Bill Worrell. VFA’s Distinguished Service Award was created to give public recognition to individuals, groups, associations, and/or companies and corporations that have made a significant, continuing and lasting contribution to the conservation of Virginia’s forest resources and/or the enhancement of Virginia’s forest-based community. For more information, read the Virginia Forestry Association press release.