Women and Minorities in Science, Engineering,
Technology, and Mathematics Fields (WAMS) Program
Purpose of the WAMS Grant Program | WAMS Grant Support | More Information | Eligibility Requirements |Application Process | Evaluation Process | Selection Process | WAMS Program Grantees
Purpose Of The WAMS Grant Program
WAMS Grant Support
More Information
Eligibility Requirements
Application Process
Evaluation Process
Selection Process
WAMS Program Grantees
Purpose Of The WAMS Grant Program
What Is NIFA And What Is NIFA’s mission?
Established in 2009, the National Institute of Food and Agriculture is a
federal science agency within the United States Department of Agriculture
(www.usda.gov). Congress created NIFA through the Food, Conservation,
and Energy Act of 2008 (www.nifa.usda.gov) as a successor to the
Cooperative State Research, Education and Extension Service (CSREES).
What Is The Purpose Of The WAMS Grant Program?
The purpose of the WAMS Grant Program is to support competitive research
and extension grants that increase participation of women and minorities
from rural areas in: (i) Promotion of a safe, sufficient, and nutritious food
supply for all Americans and for people around the world; (ii) Sustainable
agricultural policies that foster economic viability for small and mid-sized
farms and rural businesses, protect natural resources, and promote valueadded
agriculture; (iii) national leadership in climate change mitigation and
adaptation; (iv) Building a modern workplace with a modern workforce; and
(v) Support for 21st century rural communities. See the Request for
Applications (RFA) for details.
What Are The Expectations For Funded WAMS Projects For Fiscal
Year (FY) 2010?
Any funded WAMS grant project is to support research and extension
activities that: Provide STEM knowledge, skills and competencies to women
and underrepresented minorities from rural areas with successful placement:
(a) in the workforce in STEM fields, or (b) as innovators and entrepreneurs
adding value to the STEM fields in areas that have relevancy to the USDA
Secretary’s priorities of Sustainable Energy; Climate Change; Food Safety;
Nutrition and Childhood Obesity; and Global Food Security and Hunger.
Initiatives that WAMS might support include, but are not limited to:
- Implementing multi-track technology career advancement training
programs and providing related services to engage and encourage
participation by women and underrepresented minorities from rural
areas in STEM fields;
- Developing and administering training programs for educators, career
counselors, and industry representatives in recruitment and retention strategies to increase and retain women and underrepresented
minority students and job entrants into STEM fields; and
- Supporting education-to-workforce programs for women and
underrepresented minorities from rural areas to provide counseling,
job shadowing, mentoring, and entrepreneurial internship
opportunities to guide participants in the academic, training, and work
experience needed for STEM careers.
See RFA for more information.
Can Eligible Applicants Collaborate On WAMS Projects For Fiscal Year
(FY) 2010?
Priority will be given to those grant proposals, found in the peer review
process to be scientifically meritorious, that involve cooperation of multiple
entities. Eligible applicants should develop robust collaborations to develop
WAMS projects that will ensure successful placement of WAMS participants in
STEM fields that address USDA mission science.
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WAMS Grant Support
What Types Of Applications Are Expected For The WAMS Grant
Program?
Single Applicant Projects
In a Single Applicant Project application, the applicant proposes to
conduct the research and extension project with one eligible institution as the
principal. There are no restrictions on the number of sub-awards an eligible
applicant may enter for additional FY 2010 WAMS projects. Applicants may
request between $75,000 and $150,000 total (including indirect costs), not
per year.
Joint Applicant Projects
Applicants may request up to $300,000 total (including indirect costs), not
per year. In a Joint Applicant Project application, a minimum of three
entities, with no more than two in the same domain, will propose to execute
the research and extension project as part of a collaborative arrangement. To
demonstrate a substantial involvement with the project, the applicant
institution/organization submitting a joint project proposal must
retain at least 30 percent of the awarded funds, and no cooperating
entity may receive less than 10 percent of awarded funds. The
fourteen (14) WAMS referenced domains for FY 2010 are: (i) Education, 4-
Year Post-secondary; (ii) Education, 2-Year Post-secondary; (iii) Education,
Grades 10 – 12; (iv) Education, Grades 7 – 9; (v) Education, Grades 4 – 6;
(vi) Education, Grades 1 – 3; (vii) Education, Home-School Associations;
Virtual STEM Education; Pre-K – K; (viii) Informal Education incl. Science
Museums, Zoos, Botanical Gardens, etc.; (ix) Government – State; City;
Local; Region; Tribal Nations; (x) Government – Federal Agency incl. U.S. Small Business Administration; (xi) Non-Profit: Private or Public (incl.
Regional Centers); (xii) For-Profit: Private or Public; (xiii) Professional
Group: Society, Trade Groups, etc.; and (xiv) Foundations and Community
Groups. See RFA for details.
Is There A Cost Sharing Or Matching Requirement for WAMS Grant
Projects?
Grant recipients are required to match the USDA funds awarded on dollarfor-
dollar basis from non-Federal sources with cash and in-kind contributions
(see RFA, Part IV, B. 6. for details).
NIFA may waive the matching funds requirement for a grant if NIFA
determines that:
(a) the results of the project, while of particular benefit to a specific
agricultural commodity, are likely to be applicable to agricultural
commodities generally; or
(b) the project involves a minor commodity, the project deals with
scientifically important research, and the grant recipient is unable to
satisfy the matching funds requirement.
What Are WAMS Funding Restrictions?
Funding restrictions include WAMS Program funds may only be used for
research and extension activities in the training, outreach and
mentoring of rural women and underrepresented minorities from
rural areas in STEM fields relevant to USDA mission. Funds made
available for grants in this program shall not be used for the construction of a
new building or facility or the acquisition, expansion, remodeling, or
alteration of an existing building or facility (including site grading and
improvement, and architect fees). See RFA for a complete description of
funding restrictions.
What is the Duration of the WAMS Award
Project periods for any WAMS project may range from 18 to 36 months.
Recipients may be eligible for no-cost extensions, but no carry over or
extension is permitted for these projects beyond five years. Any unexpended
funds must be returned to the U.S. Treasury.
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More Information
How can I get more information about the NIFA WAMS Grant Program?
Read the Request for Applications and the NIFA Grants website, http://nifa.usda.gov/fo/funding.cfm.
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Eligibility Requirements
Who is eligible to apply for a WAMS Grant?
The eligibility requirements state that applicants must be: (a) State
agricultural experiment stations; (b) colleges and universities; (c) university
research foundations; (d) other research institutions and organizations; (e)
Federal agencies; (f) national laboratories; (g) private organizations or
corporations; (h) individuals; or (i) any group consisting of 2 or more of the
entities described in subparagraphs (a) through (h).
Eligible applicants may be a collaborative state, tribal, local, or regionallybased
network or partnership of public or private entities. Priority will be
given to eligible institutions that carry out continuing programs funded by the
Secretary. Applicants must have demonstrated success in preparing and
developing a robust and diverse food and agricultural STEM workforce that is
highly competent in the application of STEM knowledge and skills, with
increased participation of women and minorities from rural areas across a
broad spectrum of rural, local, state or national communities.
Will I be Eligible to Apply for a WAMS Grant if I Have An Active
Award with NIFA Through Another Program?
Having a current award does not prevent you from applying. The objectives
of your application to the WAMS Grant Program must be different from your
current award.
Who is eligible to receive WAMS Support?
Award Beneficiary Eligibility for WAMS Support – It is the responsibility
of the grantee institution to support only persons who meet the eligibility
requirements provided in the Request for Applications (RFA). Eligible
beneficiaries are from rural areas and must be:
(i) Women and/or
(ii) Underrepresented minorities.
What Does Underrepresented Minority Mean?
Underrepresented minority means any ethnic group – African American,
Alaskan Native, American Indian, Asian-American, Hispanic American, Native
Hawaiian, Pacific Islander, or any other group – whose representation among
food and agricultural professionals in science, technology, engineering, and
mathematics (STEM) fields is disproportionately less than their proportion in
the general population as indicated in standard statistical references, or as
documented on a case-by-case basis by national survey data submitted to
and accepted by the Secretary.
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Application Process
How Do I Apply For A WAMS Grant?
Applicants submit their WAMS application through www.grants.gov portal.
Applicants are advised to prepare their material early and pass the complete
package through their institution’s Grants Office for submission by 5:00 P.M
(EASTERN) on the due date.
What Must I Submit To Apply?
Application package as identified in the published Request for Applications
(RFA).
Can I Submit More Than One Application As The Principal Investigator (Project Director) To The FY 2010 WAMS Program?
Eligible applicants may submit any number of application but only one
application as the Principal Investigator (Project Director).
Is There A Limit To The Number Of Applications An Institution Can Submit To The FY 2010 WAMS Program?
A single eligible applicant (Project Director) may receive only one award. A
single institution may receive ONLY one award.
When Are The WAMS Applications Due To NIFA?
Applications must be received by Grants.gov by COB on June 7, 2010 (5:00
p.m. Eastern Time).
What If I Miss The Deadline?
You may apply when the WAMS program publishes a call for application, in
the next cycle. The WAMS application submission deadline is adhered to
rigorously.
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Evaluation Process
What Is The Administrative Review?
WAMS Grants Program team conducts an initial administrative
review of WAMS applications to determine compliance with
requirements and complete content of applications. Only complete
applications that meet all eligibility requirements, project
requirements, and supporting documents described in the RFA will
be considered for a merit review. Applications identified as
incomplete or that do not meet the eligibility or complete application
package requirements will be deemed ineligible.
What Is The Merit Review?
All complete WAMS applications from eligible institutions undergo a peer
review by a panel of scientific experts in the areas of study related to the
WAMS Grant Program. WAMS proposal will be evaluated using a peer review process to find win-win matches between the proposed work, capabilities of applicant organization(s), and the WAMS grant program purpose, priorities and goals. Reviewers will be selected based upon training and experience in relevant scientific, extension, or education fields, taking into account the following factors: (a) The level of relevant formal scientific, technical
education, or extension experience of the individual, as well as the extent to
which an individual is engaged in relevant research, education, or extension
activities; (b) the need to include as reviewers experts from various areas of
specialization within relevant scientific, education, or extension fields; (c) the
need to include as reviewers other experts (e.g., producers, and
managers/operators in STEM fields) who can assess relevance of the
applications to targeted audiences and to program needs; (d) the need to
include as reviewers experts from a variety of organizational types (e.g.,
colleges, universities, industry, state and Federal agencies, private profit and
non-profit organizations) and geographic locations; (e) the need to maintain
a balanced composition of reviewers with regard to minority and female
representation and an equitable age distribution; and (f) the need to include
reviewers who can judge the effective usefulness to producers and the
general public of each application. Panel members rate applications based on
the evaluation criteria described below.
How Will My Application Be Evaluated?
Applications are evaluated by a review panel on the following criteria:
1. Relevancy (20%)
2. Technical Merit (35%)
3. Achievability (15%)
4. Key Personnel (10%)
5. Adequacy of Available or Obtainable personnel, Facilities, and
Instrumentation (10%)
6. Adequacy of Plans for Management of the proposed Project (10%)
Following the completion of a peer review process for WAMS grant proposals,
those grant proposals, found in the peer review process to be scientifically
meritorious, will be given priority when they involve the cooperation of
multiple entities [see 7 U.S.C. § 5925{d)]. See RFA for details.
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Selection Process
When Will I Be Notified With A Decision?
WAMS will not review applications or supporting materials received after the
deadline date. Applications and materials that are received after June 7,
2010, 5:00 P.M. [EASTERN] will be deemed ineligible. WAMS Grant Program
adheres strictly to the application deadline date.
Can I Receive My Scores And The Review Panel’s Comments?
Panel consensus comments are sent to each applicant after awards have
been made.
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WAMS Program Grantees
What Happens Once I Am Selected As A Potential WAMS Award Recipient?
WAMS Grant Program staff submits an offer of funding letter and requests
responses to clarifying questions raised in the peer panel meeting. Applicants
respond to all issues and queries.
What Are The Responsibilities Of A WAMS Beneficiary?
Beneficiaries must be engaged in a cross‐section of disciplines relevant to
USDA mission areas. The WAMS award enables WAMS beneficiaries – rural
women and underrepresented minorities from rural areas, in STEM fields – to
develop new knowledge and acquire skills to increase their participation in
the STEM work force, in areas relevant to USDA mission.
How Can I Be A Peer Reviewer For This WAMS Grant Program?
If you are not submitting an application, you may submit your curriculum
vita and explain in an e-Mail [WAMS@nifa.usda.gov] your interest to serve as
a reviewer. The selection of reviewers will be confirmed after the deadline for
submission of applications.
Are There Restrictions Or Conflicts That Apply To Serving As Reviewer?
Yes. If any of the following apply as a relationship with any of the key
personnel on a proposal, you are ineligible to serve as a peer reviewer for the
proposal:
(i) Co-author on any publication (print or digital), within the past
three (3) years;
(ii) Collaborator on teaching, research and/or extension projects,
within the past three (3) years, or pending/planned future
collaborations;
(iii) Consulting arrangement, financial arrangement or any other
conflict or interest, within the past three (3) years;
(iv) Advisee/advisor on thesis, or dissertation, or postdoctoral training.
There is a lifetime conflict for a major professor-advisee
relationship. There is a three-year conflict for service on graduate
committees, or as academic or professional mentor, including
postdoctoral mentor; and
(v) Belonging to same institution. If you have moved from an
institution, there is a one-year institutional conflict. Additionally,
the above restrictions (i - iv) apply.
If I Am An Applicant, Can I Serve As A Reviewer For FY 2010 WAMS Applications?
No.
How Can I Get Answers About My WAMS Application?
For Program Office (Programmatic Technical Issues) in Women and Minorities
in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Fields Grant Program:
WAMS@nifa.usda.gov, or 202-720-1973.
For NIFA (Electronic Application Process Issues) questions: call 202- 401-
5048 OR electronic@nifa.usda.gov.
For Submission Issues in www.grants.gov seek assistance by e-mail:
support@grants.gov or phone: 1-800-518-4726. Hours of Operation: 24
hours a day, 7 days a week.
Disclaimer: This FAQ document is not a substitute for reading the
published Request for Applications and providing the information
requested for a complete WAMS Grant Program application package.
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