2021 AGROFORESTRY OUTREACH PROPOSALS | USDA FS AGROFORESTRY 01 2021

Opportunity Information: Apply for USDA FS AGROFORESTRY 01 2021

The 2021 Agroforestry Outreach Proposals opportunity is a competitive grant program run by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service to expand the amount of practical, science-based agroforestry information available to farmers, ranchers, and the natural resource professionals who advise them. Agroforestry, as defined in the announcement, is the deliberate integration of trees and shrubs into crop and livestock systems in ways that generate environmental benefits (like soil and water protection), economic benefits (like added products and income streams), and social benefits. The work is meant to directly support the USDA National Agroforestry Center (NAC) and its mandate under Section 8502 of the 2018 Farm Bill, with an emphasis on turning proven, on-the-ground knowledge into materials that help producers make real decisions about whether and how to adopt specific agroforestry practices.

This funding is focused on creating regionally relevant, practice-specific educational resources that fill known gaps where good information is limited, not publicly accessible, or not tailored to local conditions. The Forest Service is looking for outreach and decision-support content that natural resource professionals (such as extension, conservation district, and technical assistance staff) can use with landowners and producers who may be anywhere from “just curious” to “ready to implement.” Applicants must choose at least one of the targeted practice-and-region options identified in the notice: (A) income-generating windbreaks in any region; (B) income-generating riparian forest buffers in any region; (C) alley cropping outside of the Midwest; (D) silvopasture in any region using livestock other than cattle; (E) silvopasture with any type of livestock in the Southwest; or (F) forest farming (multi-story cropping) in the Caribbean and Pacific Islands, the Upper Midwest, or the West. These priorities reflect where NAC specifically wants to increase the amount of usable, region-specific guidance available to the field.

The expected outputs are concrete deliverables that can be distributed digitally, especially through the NAC website, and that clearly credit NAC and include USDA branding elements as required. The program strongly emphasizes materials grounded in producer experience and operational reality rather than research trials, with the idea that real examples reduce uncertainty and make adoption feel achievable. The announcement gives detailed examples of the kinds of deliverables applicants can propose, including an “assembly” of written publications, videos, and basic economic information. Typical deliverables include five to seven visually attractive, 1 to 2 page producer case studies in shareable PDF format (with high-quality photos and signed USDA photo releases), four to six short producer testimonial videos of about 3 to 5 minutes each (also requiring signed USDA video releases), and two to four detailed agroforestry “scenarios” that describe viable example systems for a region. Those scenarios are meant to be generalized, replicable production models rather than profiles of a single farm, and they should spell out recommended species combinations, spacing, site conditions, management actions, expected yields, markets and price considerations, seasonal workflow, possible value-added opportunities, and how the system changes from establishment to maturity. If adequate cost and yield data exist, applicants can also propose enterprise budgets for the scenarios in an easy-to-use format (for example, spreadsheets or web-based tools). Another suggested deliverable type is short “how-to” educational videos aligned with prior outreach approaches (such as those used in the eXtension Forest Farming Community of Practice). The Forest Service also allows other creative deliverable ideas, as long as the proposal explains in detail how those products meet the program goals.

Several requirements and preferences shape what a competitive proposal looks like. Materials created through the award must comply with Section 508 accessibility standards, meaning they need to be usable by people with disabilities (for example, accessible PDFs, captioning, and other standard accessibility practices where applicable). Proposals must clearly identify deliverables up front, including the format, scope, and how content will be developed and gathered. Preference is given to projects that cover a range of farm sizes, include examples from multiple states within the same geographic region, and include participation by Socially Disadvantaged Farmers or Ranchers and/or produce materials intentionally targeted for those audiences. At the same time, the program draws firm boundaries around what it will not fund: it is not a basic research program, and it will not support equipment purchases or construction. It also will not pay for self-marketing or self-promotion costs such as company brochures, business cards, or display materials, reinforcing that the purpose is public-facing educational content rather than branding for the applicant organization.

From an administrative standpoint, this is a discretionary grant opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number: USDA FS AGROFORESTRY 01 2021) with CFDA/Assistance Listing 10.664. The maximum award amount listed is $100,000, and the Forest Service anticipated making about three awards. A wide range of applicant types are eligible, including federal-recognized tribal governments and tribal organizations, state and local governments, special districts, public and private institutions of higher education, nonprofit organizations (including those with or without 501(c)(3) status), and for-profit organizations (including small businesses). The opportunity was posted April 1, 2021, and the application deadline was May 28, 2021 at 5:00 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time, with the notice stating there would be no extensions even if the government was closed. For questions, the announcement directed applicants to contact Richard Straight (richard.straight@usda.gov) or Kate MacFarland (katherine.macfarland@usda.gov).

Overall, the core idea of the grant is straightforward: produce high-quality, accessible, regionally specific agroforestry outreach tools that professionals can immediately use to help producers evaluate and implement windbreaks, riparian buffers, alley cropping, silvopasture, or forest farming in the specific under-served regions and practice areas identified by the National Agroforestry Center. The Forest Service is essentially paying for practical translation and packaging of proven, real-world agroforestry know-how into case studies, videos, scenarios, and budgeting tools that lower the barrier to adoption and strengthen technical assistance capacity nationwide.

• The Department of Agriculture, Forest Service in the agriculture, community development, disaster prevention and relief, education, environment, food and nutrition, natural resources, science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "2021 AGROFORESTRY OUTREACH PROPOSALS" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 10.664.
• This funding opportunity was created on Apr 01, 2021.
• Applicants must submit their applications by May 28, 2021. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $100,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 3 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: State governments, County governments, City or township governments, Special district governments, Independent school districts, Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized), Public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities, Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments), Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Nonprofits that do not have a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Private institutions of higher education, For profit organizations other than small businesses, Small businesses.

Apply for USDA FS AGROFORESTRY 01 2021

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