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Orientation to NIFA

Orientation to NIFA. 2010 National Extension and Research Administrative Officers’ Conference. This Is My Hope. …that my talk will not be like the dairy farmer and the fly. Overview of this session…. We will cover three broad areas: How NIFA relates to the Land-Grant System;

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Orientation to NIFA

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  1. Orientation to NIFA 2010 National Extension and Research Administrative Officers’ Conference National Institute of Food and Agriculture

  2. This Is My Hope • …that my talk will not be like the dairy farmer and the fly. National Institute of Food and Agriculture

  3. Overview of this session… • We will cover three broad areas: • How NIFA relates to the Land-Grant System; • How the Federal budget process works; and, • How NIFA provide funds to universities and others. National Institute of Food and Agriculture

  4. What Is a Land-Grant? • In the beginning: 1862 • USDA and Land-Grants • Why they are called land-grant institutions. National Institute of Food and Agriculture

  5. Key Legislation • USDA - May 15, 1862. • First Morrill Act of 1862. • Hatch Act of 1887. • Second Morrill Act of 1890. • Smith-Lever Act of 1914. • Equity in Educational Land-grant Status Act of 1994. National Institute of Food and Agriculture

  6. More Legislation • Natl. Agricultural Research, Extension and Teaching Policy Act of 1977 - P.L. 95-113 • Section 1444…1890 Extension • Section 1445…1890 Research National Institute of Food and Agriculture

  7. NIFA • We are USDA’s primary link to the land-grant community; • We are a financial assistance agency; and, • We are the Federal partner in collaborative and cooperative ventures in: • Education • Extension • Research National Institute of Food and Agriculture

  8. The Mission of NIFA • To advance knowledge for agriculture, the environment, human health and well being, and communities. National Institute of Food and Agriculture

  9. Federal/State Partnership • Delivering in three functional areas: Higher Education NIFA Extension Research National Institute of Food and Agriculture

  10. NIFA Partner Institutions • 130 Colleges of Agriculture, including Land-Grant Institutions; • 59 Agricultural Experiment Stations; • 57 Cooperative Extension Services; • 63 Schools of Forestry; • 27 Colleges of Veterinary Medicine; • 42 Schools & Colleges of Family & Consumer Sciences; • 18 1890 Universities & Tuskegee University; • 34 1994 Native American Land-Grant Institutions. • Over 250 Hispanic Serving Institutions National Institute of Food and Agriculture

  11. New Category: HSACUs • Hispanic Serving Agricultural Colleges and Universities • Will come from the community of more than 250 HSIs currently accredited by the Department of Education • HSACU = HSI + degree in field related to agriculture National Institute of Food and Agriculture

  12. One Example of NIFA Programs:The Cooperative Extension System • Federal Partner = USDA • State Partner = LGU’s • Local Partner = Counties (~3,100) • Ultimate Partner = American Citizens National Institute of Food and Agriculture

  13. Agency Mechanisms for Land-Grant Support • Non-competitive • Formula Funds • Special Grants • Administrative Grants • Competitive • Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (AFRI) • Other competitive grant authorizations (education, extension, and facilities) National Institute of Food and Agriculture

  14. Note on the Partnership • CES is the largest, and arguably the best, non-formal adult education system in the world. • Major reason for success: State and local governments decide which state and local issues to address. National Institute of Food and Agriculture

  15. Some Mechanics • USDA MOU  States • States  MOU  Counties • Matching Dollars National Institute of Food and Agriculture

  16. Counties and Citizens • Counties  Volunteers • Volunteers???? National Institute of Food and Agriculture

  17. Anecdote Number 1 A few years ago, USDA’s Forest Service was battling a serious disease problem, “Sudden Oak Death (Phytophthoraramorum ).” They needed additional trained “scouts,” but did not have the resources to get them. Solution? Extension Master Gardeners. More than100,000 of them. National Institute of Food and Agriculture

  18. Anecdote Number 2 • 4-H: utilizes more than 3 million adult person days of volunteer assistance each year. This is equivalent to adding another federal agency that employs 11,500 people. National Institute of Food and Agriculture

  19. Final Anecdote • Question: How are 4-H kids possibly related to Urban Serving Institutes? More than half the current 6.5 million 4-H kids are suburban or urban dwellers. • And…Remember the 3 million person days of adult volunteer assistance? National Institute of Food and Agriculture

  20. Final Anecdote, Part 2 • Those 6.5 million kids plus millions of adults should be suggestive of what Extension would call a community of interest, but what I call a political resource: there are more than 45 million living 4-H alumni in the U.S. • That’s a voting bloc! National Institute of Food and Agriculture

  21. Before we move on… • Do you have any questions? ? National Institute of Food and Agriculture

  22. Interlude • …Jumper cable • ……Alligator • ………Grasshopper National Institute of Food and Agriculture

  23. Introduction to the Federal Budget Process andNIFA Funding National Institute of Food and Agriculture

  24. Cautionary Disclaimer • Traditionally, the NIFA Budget Officer, Tina Buch, speaks on the federal budget process. • Unfortunately, she cannot be here, so you are stuck with me. But Tina knows many of you, and sends her regards. National Institute of Food and Agriculture

  25. Federal Budget Process Timeline stays the same from year to year…usually. But as we all have seen recently, sometimes the process varies: In FY 2007, we had a full-year continuing resolution. National Institute of Food and Agriculture

  26. More on the Budget Process • In 2009, we had a CR until mid-March. • The FY 2010 budget that should have become public this past February was also delayed. National Institute of Food and Agriculture

  27. More on the Federal Budget Process Appropriations…October 1(but note that Congress doesn’t usually get this done on time. In FY 2007, we didn’t even have a full-year continuing resolution until February 15, 2007; in 2008, our appropriation was signed December 26, 2007. And in 2009, it was signed in March.) National Institute of Food and Agriculture

  28. Budget Process • During the spring and up until around July 4 of each year, NIFA develops input for the President’s budget request for the second year following. For example, we are currently in the spring of FY2010, and we are developing our input for the budget that will fund FY2012. • On/about July 4, we will submit our request to the Secretary of Agriculture. Note that this request will comply with OMB guidance. National Institute of Food and Agriculture

  29. More on the Federal Budget Process • OMB Passback (Late November)…often the day after Thanksgiving…this will be for FY 2012 • President’s 2012 Budget due to Congress no later than the first Monday in February, 2011 National Institute of Food and Agriculture

  30. Federal Budget Process(continued) • AND FINALLY (sort of*) • Appropriation hearings…February, March, April • Culminating, we hope, in an appropriation on October 1, 2010, the first day of FY 2011. * The process really never ends…Hearings on a given year are followed by Agency Estimates being due for the following year, and so on, and on, and on…. National Institute of Food and Agriculture

  31. Federal Budget FAQs • Who are the key players in the budget process? • OMB • Secretary of Agriculture • OBPA • REE Under Secretary • NIFA Director National Institute of Food and Agriculture

  32. Federal Budget FAQs • What is the role of stakeholders in the budget process? • When can stakeholders provide input? • Why aren’t budgets larger? • Why doesn’t the NIFA budget mirror the budget recommendations of stakeholders like APLU? National Institute of Food and Agriculture

  33. Federal Budget FAQs • Why doesn’t NIFA share all the details with its staff and stakeholders prior to the release of he budget in February? And what does it mean that the budget is “Behind the Curtain?” • What if I file a Freedom of Information Act request to get this budget information? National Institute of Food and Agriculture

  34. Federal Budget FAQs • What are the differences among an appropriation, an authorization, and a budget resolution? National Institute of Food and Agriculture

  35. QUESTIONS so far? ? ? ? ? National Institute of Food and Agriculture

  36. 2nd Interlude A man walks into a florist shop and tells the proprietor, “I’d like 2 dozen of the beautiful anemones in your window.” The proprietor replies, “I don’t have 2 dozen of them, but I can give you 2 dozen of these lovely ferns, instead.” The customer says, “Fine… National Institute of Food and Agriculture

  37. End (thank God) of 2nd Interlude • “…with fronds like these, who needs anemones?” National Institute of Food and Agriculture

  38. ON TO FUNDING! • FINE…WE HAVE AN APPROPRIATION…WHAT DOES NIFA DO WITH ALL THAT MONEY? • We award more than 96 percent of it to grantees. National Institute of Food and Agriculture

  39. Who Does NIFA Fund? • You (or, at least, your institution.) • …and lots of other eligible persons and organizations. Eligibility varies from program to program. National Institute of Food and Agriculture

  40. What Does NIFA Fund? The mission of NIFA is to advance knowledge. • We carry out this mission by enabling others to conduct research, extension, and education activities. • So…we fund research, extension, and education programs that tend to advance knowledge in agriculture. National Institute of Food and Agriculture

  41. Three Types of Funding • Competitive…Agriculture and Food Research Initiative, for example • Formula…Smith-Lever 3(b) and 3(c), for example • Congressionally Directed funding...these are the “special” projects that Congress inserts into the NIFA budget…Earmarks. National Institute of Food and Agriculture

  42. Cautionary note… • There is enough of this stuff to put you to sleep easily…but we don’t want that. • So…go tohttp://www.NIFA.usda.gov/ and click on “Funding Opportunities” Fine…let’s talk about a few selected programs from each type of funding. National Institute of Food and Agriculture

  43. Competitive • Big example: the Agriculture and Food Research Initiative…$262 million in FY 2010. • Small example: Methyl Bromide Transition Program…$3.1 million in FY09. National Institute of Food and Agriculture

  44. Other Competitive Programs • Specialty Crop Research Initiative (uses mandatory funding) • Food Safety Initiative (“406 authority”) • International Science and Education Grants Program (“non-406 integrated activity.”) National Institute of Food and Agriculture

  45. Formula • Big Example…Hatch Research…$215 million in FY 2010 • Small Example…Section 1433 Animal Health and Disease…$2.95 million in FY 2010. National Institute of Food and Agriculture

  46. Other Formula Programs • Evans-Allen Research • Smith-Lever 3(b) and 3(c) • Extension for 1890 Institutions • McIntire-Stennis Cooperative Forestry Research National Institute of Food and Agriculture

  47. Earmarks • We don’t like them, because they tend to address limited audiences, and because in a zero-sum budget environment they reduce resources for everyone else. • But once we have them, they get subjected to the same rigorous treatment as any of our other grant programs… National Institute of Food and Agriculture

  48. In Summary THINK “3” National Institute of Food and Agriculture

  49. Think “3” 3 Partners --Federal --State --Local National Institute of Food and Agriculture

  50. Think “3” 3 Functions • Research • Education • Extension National Institute of Food and Agriculture

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