The USDA is accepting economic research proposals that focus on USDA's food assistance and nutrition programs. Applicants may address multiple issues, but must specify one of the three Priority Research Areas below:

I. Economic Incentives in Food Assistance Programs

•  Program Incentives, Policy Choices and Economic Impacts

•  Improving Evaluation Methodology with Administrative Data

II. Food Assistance as a Safety Net

•  Household Tradeoffs and Well-Being

•  Filling the Gap or Duplication Efforts

III. Food Choices, Obesity and Human Capital

•  Economics of Food Choices of Low-Income Populations

•  Obesity, Food Security and Human Capital

Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service (CSREES), U.S. Department of Agriculture

Rural youth encounter economic and physical barriers that prevent them from receiving adequate care, services or resources necessary for healthy development. The Rural Youth Development Grants Program (available only to Girl Scouts of the Unites States of America, the National 4-H Council, the Boy Scouts of America and the National FFA Organization) is intended to facilitate collaboration between eligible youth development organizations to break down barriers to participation, especially for rural youth. The program is also intended to enhance opportunities for youth involvement in policy and decision-making; create safe and inviting environments for youth activities; and improve access to information and technology.

The Southern Region USDA Program on Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) is requesting pre-proposals for research and education activities that address issues of sustainable agriculture of current and potential importance to the region and nation.

The Southern Region includes: Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

The Southern Region Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) Professional Development Program is requesting pre-proposals for projects of one to two year(s) duration that provide training on sustainable agriculture for agricultural professionals and educators who serve farmers and other interested people in USDA's Southern Region.

The Southern Region includes: Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

The Laura Jane Musser Fund proposes to assist public or not-for-profit entities to initiate or implement projects in rural areas to undertake consensus-based activities in environmental stewardship or dispute resolution.

The Musser Fund encourages communities to use a consensus-based approach to environmental decision-making. By this we mean a collaborative process, involving a neutral facilitator where appropriate, that strives to involve all key stakeholders as well as local citizens in developing environmental programs and policies that satisfy common interests.

Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service (CSREES), U . S. Department of Agriculture

The purpose of the New Technologies for Ag Extension Program (NTAE) is to increase the capacity of each state to contribute expertise and content to the development of eXtension, a national web-based information and education delivery system that provides direct access to science-based educational resources from land-grant and other partner institutions about subjects of high importance to the general public.

Health Resources & Services Administration

The intent of the program is to support a project that will address the health needs of the Mississippi Delta including but not limited to access to care, economic development, health education, research and workforce development.

Risk Management Agency

The Federal Crop Insurance Corporation (FCIC), operating through the Risk Management Agency (RMA), announces the availability of approximately $4 million for Research Partnerships to fund the development of Non-Insurance Risk Management Tools that will be utilized by agricultural producers to assist them in mitigating the risks inherent in agricultural production.

National Institutes of Health

$150,000 (total amount awarded and number of awards will depend on the numbers, quality, duration and costs of received applications)

A central goal of this program is to facilitate interdisciplinary collaboration and innovation in population research while providing essential and cost-effective core services in support of the development, conduct and translation of population research based in centers or comparable administrative units.

Applicants may request funds under this announcement to support infrastructure development designed to:

•  enhance the quality and quantity of population research conducted at an institution, and

National Endowment for the Humanities

$75,000

Humanities Initiatives for Faculty are intended to strengthen and enrich humanities education and scholarship at historically black colleges and universities. These grants may be used to enhance the humanities content of existing programs, develop new programs or lay the foundation for more extensive endeavors in the future. Each project must be organized around a core topic or set of themes.