Children, Youth and Families At-Risk Sustainable Community Projects | USDA NIFA SLBCD 007972

Opportunity Information: Apply for USDA NIFA SLBCD 007972

The Children, Youth and Families At-Risk (CYFAR) Sustainable Community Projects grant is a USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) funding opportunity designed to strengthen community-based programs that serve children, youth, and families facing elevated risk due to limited resources and unmet basic needs. The core goal is to improve both the quality and the availability of comprehensive, local programming delivered through the Cooperative Extension System. In practical terms, the program backs education-focused projects that help participants build real-life skills and supports that make it more likely they can thrive personally, academically, and economically, and contribute positively to their communities.

CYFAR is grounded in the idea that Land-Grant universities and Extension networks are uniquely positioned to bring evidence-based education, outreach, and community partnerships together in a way that is sustained beyond a short-term intervention. The mission statement emphasizes mobilizing the capacity of the Land-Grant and Cooperative Extension Systems to develop and deliver educational programs that equip at-risk youth and limited-resource families with skills for “positive, productive, contributing lives.” While the opportunity sits within USDA’s broader portfolio (CFDA 10.521) and is categorized under Agriculture as a funding activity area, the focus here is clearly on youth and family development through Extension-led community programming rather than farm production.

Eligibility is narrowly defined. Applications can only be submitted by Extension units at eligible Land-Grant institutions, including 1890 Land-Grant Institutions (with examples listed such as Tuskegee University, Central State University, and West Virginia State University), 1862 Land-Grant Colleges and Universities, the University of the District of Columbia, and 1994 Land-Grant Institutions. A key administrative constraint is that only one application per Land-Grant institution is allowed. The solicitation also makes clear that duplicate or multiple submissions are not permitted; if an applicant submits more than one or submits duplicates, NIFA will disqualify both submissions, so internal coordination at the institution is essential before anything is filed.

Even though the applicant pool is restricted, awardees are allowed to subcontract with organizations that are not themselves eligible to apply, as long as those partners are necessary to carry out the project. This structure supports the typical CYFAR model where Extension serves as the lead organizer and fiscal agent while local nonprofits, schools, youth-serving organizations, health and human services providers, and community coalitions may deliver portions of programming or provide specialized services under subawards or contracts.

The opportunity also addresses how returning or current CYFAR Sustainable Community Projects (SCP) grantees may approach reapplication. Existing grantees can apply for a new project, but if they propose using the same community site, they must provide a justification as required in the Request for Applications (referenced as Part IV, item 167B). In other words, reusing a site is not automatically disallowed, but the applicant must explain why continuing in the same location is warranted and how the proposed work represents a new or justified continuation consistent with the solicitation’s expectations.

A notable feature is the “Center of Excellence” (COE) designation pathway. Only CYFAR SCP Joint Projects may be considered for COE status, and additional requirements apply (also referenced in Part IV, item 167B). While the excerpt does not spell out the COE criteria, the takeaway is that institutions interested in being recognized as a higher-performing or model site must pursue the joint project structure and meet extra standards laid out in the full RFA.

From an administrative standpoint, the notice underscores that failing to meet eligibility criteria by the application deadline can result in removal from consideration or prevent NIFA from making an award. It also points new federal funding recipients to NIFA’s Grants Overview as a recommended primer on how federal awards work, signaling that compliance, proper submission, and grants management readiness matter as much as program design.

The posted opportunity details show it is a discretionary grant (not a formula allocation), with a funding opportunity number of USDA NIFA SLBCD 007972. The original closing date listed is February 19, 2021, and the award ceiling shown is $280,000. The listing also indicates it is administered by USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture and is intended to support Extension-led, community-based work that measurably improves outcomes for at-risk children, youth, and families through sustained, comprehensive local projects.

• The National Institute of Food and Agriculture in the agriculture sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Children, Youth and Families At-Risk Sustainable Community Projects" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 10.521.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2021-01-18.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2021-02-19. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $280,000.00 in funding.
• Eligible applicants include: Others.

Apply for USDA NIFA SLBCD 007972

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