Recipient Organization
UNIVERSITY OF DELAWARE
(N/A)
NEWARK,DE 19717
Performing Department
(N/A)
Non Technical Summary
The primary purpose of the Northeast Center is to provide U.S. agricultural producers and their families, as appropriate, with knowledge, skills and tools needed to make informed risk management decisions that enhance the profitability of their operations. As an investor of federal resources designated for risk management education, the Northeast Center, in conjunction with the other three regional ERME Centers, will continue to conduct the producer-focused, results-based ERME Competitive Grants Program, which provides funding to both public and private organizations for educational projects designed to improve the ability of agricultural producers to effectively manage risk in five categories (Production, Marketing, Financial, Legal and Human).The Center will pay particular attention to ensuring that the risk management education needs of special emphasis populations are addressed, including risk management education and training programs for agricultural producers and their families who are underserved by the Federal Crop Insurance program. The Center's activities will be conducted in accordance with the protocols of USDA/NIFA and the "Operational Guidelines for Regional Extension RME Centers". It will evaluate the progress and publicly report the accomplishments and impacts of all funded projects.
Animal Health Component
(N/A)
Research Effort Categories
Basic
(N/A)
Applied
(N/A)
Developmental
(N/A)
Goals / Objectives
The major goal of this project is to enable the Northeast Extension Risk Management Education (NERME) Center to continue administering an established, successful program while maintaining momentum and continuity in agricultural risk management education programming in the region. The primary purpose of the Northeast Center is to provide U.S. agricultural producers and their families, as appropriate, with knowledge, skills and tools needed to make informed risk management decisions that enhance the profitability of their operations through a competetive grants program.1. The NERME Center will work to further foster cooperative relationships between the public and private sectors for the purpose of delivering quality educational programs during the period of 2024 - 2027.2. The Center will continue to conduct the Extension Risk Management Education (ERME) Competitive Grants Program - with two funding opportunities: 1) to provide educational programming in five areas of agricultural risk management and 2) to provide risk management education for producers who are underserved by the Federal Crop Insurance program in the Northeast Region for the three years of this award as projected in the budget of our application.3. The Center will evaluate the progress of each award and publicly report the accomplishments (the changes in risk management behavior of participating producers) of all funded projects.4. In its role as a regional resource, the Northeast Center will provide leadership and coordination, establish priorities for risk management education programming, and disseminate information regarding risk management activities occurring throughout the Northeast and the nation.5. In an effort to share results and producer impacts of funded ERME projects and other successful public and private sector ag risk management programming, the Center will participate in and support an annual risk management education national conference.6. When a specific education need arises, the Northeast Center will work with regional and national contacts to gather resources to ensure the need is promptly addressed.
Project Methods
An (ERME program wide) RFA is developed each year for two separate funding opportunities (1. Extension RME Competitive Grants Program; and 2. Risk Management Education for Producers Underserved by Crop Insurance Competitive Grants Program) utilizing the template provided in the Guidelines, and incorporating regional priorities identified by the Northeast's Advisory Council (AC).• All applications and supporting materials are submitted online through the ERME Results Verification System (RVS). Significant resources are made available in the RVS to assist grant applicants in understanding the results-based emphasis of the program, as well as each section of the application.• All applications received are read and reviewed by the Center's AC. For their evaluation process, Council members utilize the online evaluation program which is part of the RVS.• With facilitation provided by the Center Director, grant deliberations take place according to the process stipulated in the Operational Guidelines. Special care is taken to ensure that any AC member who has a conflict of interest (or perceived conflict of interest) in relation to a particular application leaves the room during discussion of that application and does not vote on theapplication. All conflict-of-interest issues are addressed according to the Operational Guidelines.• Following the recommendations of the ACs, the Center Director notifies the applicants whether (or not) their application has been approved for funding. Feedback, addressing the strengths and weaknesses of each application, is provided to all applicants.• National Conference: NERME supports the ERME Electronic Support Center with the annual ERME national conference by participating on the planning committee, promoting the conference, identifying speakers, providing travel support to participants in thenortheast region, and moderating conference sessions.Timeline:September 15 - Request for Application is announced on or about September 15, in conjunction with the other three Regional ARME Centers.November 15 - The current deadline for submission is 60 days following the release of the RFA, which is on or about November 15.Approximately 8 weeks following the application due date, the ACs convene in person to conduct deliberations.In mid-February, following the recommendations of the ACs, the Northeast Center Director notifies the applicants whether or not their application has been approved for funding. Feedback addressing the strengths and weaknesses of each application is provided to applicants.The current period of performance for ERME grants is 18 months - from April 1 through September 30 of the following year.Projects are evaluated through an on-going process. Project directors (PDs) are expected/required to submit quarterly progress reports through the Result Verification System. NERME Center staff read the progress reprorts and provide feedback to the PDs. In addition, PDs organizations are expected/required to submit regular invoices. NERME confirms with PDs on up-tto-date invoiving.