Northeast Region Sustainable Agriculture Research & Education Program
Call for Preproposals
Research & Education and Professional Development Grants
for the 2010 grant funding cycle
Submit on or before July 31, 2009

Northeast SARE reviews preproposals to see if the performance target, design, and overall thrust of projects are consistent with the Northeast SARE outcome statement. Preproposals are required for Research and Education grants and for Professional Development grants from Northeast SARE. Preproposals must be submitted by July 31 and applicants will be notified by September 1 if they have been selected to develop a full proposal. Full proposals are due October 29 with 2010 grant awards announced in early March.

Before submitting a preproposal, you should become familiar with the Northeast SARE outcome statement and read the Guide for Applicants. You may also want to visit the national SARE data base and see what kinds of projects have been funded in the past and to understand the difference between the Research and Education program and the Professional Development program.

Do not use this template to submit a preproposal for Agroecosystems Research. Instead, click here.

A preproposal is brief and submitted on line using this template. This system does not send you a copy, so draft your text in a word processor, save your copy, and cut and paste to the template. You must observe the word limitations. Check word counts before pasting to the text windows. You must make sure that the combined total of the performance target and narrative do not exceed 500 words. Excess text will be discarded.

Crafting a high quality narrative is especially important. No words should be wasted given the limited space allowed. Keep in mind the following criteria that reviewers will use to judge your preproposal:

• the performance target contributes to the Northeast SARE outcome statement
• the performance target is specific, measurable, and meaningful
• justification of the need for the change described in the performance target is provided (when possible, provide evidence based on supporting data)
• the target is sufficiently ambitious for the funds requested
• the target audience is appropriate to this grant program
• the approach is clear, logical, and feasible
• the cooperators suit the project and its objectives
• SARE is the appropriate source of funds for the project

First, provide a project description consisting of a performance target and a brief narrative. This total section should not exceed 500 words.

1. Performance Target

State your performance target. An example of a Research and Education program performance target might be, “30 dairy farmers in Maryland and West Virginia will conduct a comprehensive assessment of soil conditions on their farm and 25 of these farmers will implement a new practice such as conservation tillage, whole-farm nutrient management planning, or improved crop rotation on a total of at least 500 acres.” A Professional Development program performance target might be, “24 Cooperative Extension professionals from the Northeast will complete a three-day intensive training on soil health, and 20 of these will subsequently use the knowledge gained to deliver educational programs on soil heath that reach at least 1000 farmers." Who will change, how many, and what change will occur are the basic components of a performance target. You may also list a few milestones--these are the important intermediate steps your target audience will take as they move toward your performance target. For more about performance targets and milestones, see the Guide for Applicants. Keep your performance target section to less than 100 words.

Enter your performance target here. In all, it must not exceed 100 words.

2. Narrative

Next, write a brief narrative that describes the important themes of your project. Give us an essential description of what you intend to do, emphasizing the project design points you feel are most important. You may wish to include information about the problem to be addressed, barriers to be overcome, and your solution to the problem. Say why SARE money is needed to overcome the barriers. If your project will include a research component, describe the research. Make your narrative less than 400 words.

Enter your completed narrative here. In all, it must not exceed 400 words.

Next, fill out the basic information we need to identify you, your project, and the type of grant you are applying for.

3. Project Type

Research & Education
Professional Development

4. Project Title

5. Project Leader

First Name:
Last Name:
Address1:
Address2:
City:
State:
Zip:
Phone:
Ext:
E-Mail:

6. Organization

What is the project leader’s organization or institution that will sponsor this project?

7. Other Organizations
What other organizations (if any) will be collaborating, receiving some of the money from SARE to carry out the project, or contributing money, personnel time, or facilities and equipment to the project?

8. Project Leader Description
Please provide a brief description (no more than 50 words) of the project coordinator's background and experience relevant to this project.

9. Team Members
Next, list your anticipated collaborators. You do not need to know specific names or titles of potential collaborators, but a draft of your potential team is required. An acceptable entry might say “at least six growers in Orange County,” or “two extension agents with experience teaching water quality.” If you know specific individuals now, list them. Make sure that representatives of your project's beneficiaries are also collaborators. For a definition of “beneficiaries,” see the Guide for Applicants. Please limit your response to no more than six primary team members, their organizational affiliation, and no more than a dozen words for each describing their role. Total text allowed for this section is 150 words. Excess text will be discarded.

10. Duration

What is your projected project duration? Allow sufficient time to complete evaluation and verification of targets.

1 year
2 years
3 years
4 years

11. Previous Proposal

Did you submit this project as a full proposal in a previous year, i.e., would this be a resubmission?

yes
no

12. Projected Request

What is the approximate amount of your anticipated SARE request? (Please enter a whole number and numbers only, for example 54000 -- do not use $, comma, or decimals.)

13. Budget Description

Briefly describe how the budget will be used. Is it most likely to be for things like salaries, equipment, travel, or supplies? Applicants should be aware that SARE funds cannot be used for tuition remission, indirect costs, or capital expenditures such as constructing buildings, greenhouses, and laboratories. Limit your budget description to 50 words.

Enter your budget description here. In all, it must not exceed 50 words.

Finally, please check off the category in 14 and 15 below that best describes your project.

14. Project Category A
Check only one category that best represents this project.

15. Project Category B
Check only one category that best represents the crop or animal production enterprise being addressed.

Now, go back and check the accuracy and completeness of the information you have given before clicking the Submit Preproposal button.
A confirmation screen will appear if you have submitted your preproposal successfully.