The purpose of the Smith-Lever Act Sections 3(b) and 3(c) Special Needs capacity grant is to support extension activities identified in the eligible institution’s approved pre-existing five-year plan of work (POW). SLSN funds are allocated to a State Cooperative Extension Service to fulfill a purpose not normally a part of the continuing extension program.
Applications may only be submitted by the following 1862 Land-grant Institutions: University of Alaska-Fairbanks, University of Arizona, Colorado State University, University of Idaho, Kansas State University, Montana State University, University of Nebraska, University of Nevada-Reno, New Mexico State University, North Dakota State University, Oregon State University, South Dakota State University, Texas A & M University, Utah State University, University of Vermont, and University of Wyoming.
The Capacity Grants Mailbox is the designated inbox for recipient inquiries.
Reporting
Organizations receiving Smith-Lever Act Sections 3(b) and 3(c) Special Needs Capacity Grant funding from the National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA), are required to submit the following reports:
Program
NIFA utilizes the NIFA Reporting System (NRS) for all programmatic reporting. NRS currently contains the Agricultural Research, Extension, and Education Reform Act of 1998 (AREERA) Plans of Work, Annual Reports of Accomplishments and other capacity grant data for research projects and Extension programs. To access the NRS application, click the button below.
Grants Management
Per 2 CFR 200.238, awardees are required to submit a SF-425, Federal Financial Report annually no later than 90 calendar days after the reporting period. The final SF-425 is due no later than 120 calendar days after the conclusion of the period of performance. The form should be submitted through the ezFedGrants (eFG) Portal. To access the SF-425 instructions and the required manual form for submitting a revised SF-425, click the button below.
For SF-425 report inquiries, correspondence should be directed to the Capacity Grants Mailbox.
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National Program Leader (NPL) |
The Policy Guide continues to provide comprehensive guidance on roles and responsibilities, application and review processes, award notification and administration procedures, award terms and conditions, uniform administrative requirements, allowable costs, reporting requirements, close-out...
Award terms and conditions are determined by statutory, regulatory, and agency requirements, as well as each grant’s circumstances. Terms and conditions dictate important items related to your grant, including method of payment, reporting frequency and content, and prior approval requirements. The...
The U.S. Code defines the legal authority for federal program funding. Click below to explore 7 USC Chapter 13, Subchapter IV: Agricultural Extension Work Appropriation to learn more.
This page contains resources capacity grantees can use in managing their grants, including detailed information and resources on the equipment prior approval requirement for capacity grants.
FY 2025 Capacity Program Request for Applications. For general administrative application questions, please contact us at Grantapplicationquestions@usda.gov.
Understanding the life cycle of the award process can help you determine actions you may be responsible for within each step and can be a useful planning tool in preparing for Pre-Award, Award, and Post-Award activities.