Dear Colleagues,
1) USDA NIFA is soliciting proposals for the Mentoring at Risk and Rural Youth Program (MARRY). Mentoring promotes positive behaviors, attitudes, and outcomes for youth and reduces risk factors associated with delinquency and juvenile justice system involvement, such as poor school attendance, school failure, and alcohol and drug abuse. The MARRY program supports the expansion of high-quality mentoring services for targeted youth across the country to help close this gap.
All projects funded under MARRY must support opportunities for targeted youth to have meaningful positive youth development opportunities through established mentoring programs and/or expansion of target audience for existing mentoring programs as part of the 4-H program. Projects must indicate how their 4-H program opens opportunities for at least one of the following 1) juvenile justice-involved youth, 2) youth at-risk of juvenile justice involvement or 3) rural youth so that they have access to the same programs and opportunities as other 4-H youth.
Visit the program web page at https://www.nifa.usda.gov/grants/funding-opportunities/mentoring-risk-rural-youth#:~:text=The%20mission%20of%20the%20MARRY,services%20through%204%2DH%20programming for more information.
Applications Due: August 5, 2024 at 2PM
Grant Amount: $308,333 for implementation of mentoring project (plus $50,000 to one grantee to implement the MARRY Project Director meeting)
Eligibility: Project Directors and Co-Project Directors can only participate on one application.
2) The California Blueberry Commission is seeking research proposals that benefit California blueberry growers and processors by increasing the efficiency of blueberry production and processing practices in California.
California Blueberry Commission Research Priorities for 2024-2025
- Mechanical Harvesting for fresh blueberries
- Packing house automation techniques
- Mechanical pruning
- Management of Spotted Wing Drosophila (SWD)
- GPS Blueberry Acreage Mapping
- Irradiation of Blueberries
- Low-cost UAV Based System for Bird Control
- Frost detection/prevention technology
- Postharvest treatments/alternatives to methyl bromide fumigation
- Increase shelf life/quality preservation
- Alternate packaging options instead of single use plastic in response to CA state laws
- Any other topic related to cost reduction/increasing the effectiveness of California blueberry production.
Please see the RFA for specific details: https://ucanr.edu/sites/anrstaff/files/399408.pdf
Applications Due: September 6, 2024
Thank you.
ANR Office of Contracts & Grants (OCG)