Air Force Mental Health Reseach Project | USDA NIFA COOP 006389

Opportunity Information: Apply for USDA NIFA COOP 006389

The Air Force Mental Health Research Project (MHRP) is a FY 2017 discretionary grant opportunity administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture's National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) to support the Air Force Medical Operations Agency (AFMOA), specifically its Mental Health Division. The central purpose is to strengthen psychological health and overall well-being for Airmen and their families by improving the programs and systems used to prevent and treat mental health concerns across the Air Force community. In practical terms, the project is designed to move beyond general awareness efforts and instead build, test, and refine concrete programming and support structures that can be measured and improved over time.

The work funded under this opportunity is focused on assessment, development, and evaluation of mental health programming. That includes identifying needs and gaps, designing or adapting interventions and resources, and then evaluating whether those interventions actually work. The description highlights several core activity areas that applicants are expected to address: staff development (training and capacity-building for personnel who deliver or support mental health services), consultation (expert guidance to improve service delivery and program design), program and resource development (creating tools, curricula, services, or supports for Airmen and families), program evaluation (measuring outcomes and effectiveness), and data tracking (developing or improving systems to monitor program use, trends, and results). Taken together, these elements point to an implementation-oriented research effort where the goal is not just to study mental health, but to improve operational programs through evidence and continuous quality improvement.

This opportunity also explicitly supports the broader DoD-USDA Partnership for Military Families Memorandum of Understanding signed in 2010 between NIFA and Department of Defense leadership. That interagency partnership is aimed at improving coordination across federal agencies and building long-term capacity for collaboration with public and private partners, so that military members and families have sustained access to effective programs and services. In that context, the MHRP grant is positioned as part of a larger federal strategy to align resources, reduce duplication, and scale approaches that demonstrably support military family readiness and resilience.

Eligibility is limited to specific institutional types. Applications can be submitted by state agricultural experiment stations, state cooperative extension services, colleges and universities, and other research or educational institutions or organizations that advance research, extension, or teaching in food, agriculture, natural resources, and human sciences. While that eligibility language reflects NIFA's statutory mission areas, the project itself is clearly oriented toward human sciences and military family well-being. 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 work. The notice also emphasizes that eligibility requirements must be met by the application deadline; failing to meet them can lead to the application being excluded from consideration or otherwise prevent NIFA from making an award even if the proposal is reviewed.

Key administrative details provided in the notice include the funding opportunity title (Air Force Mental Health Reseach Project), opportunity number (USDA NIFA COOP 006389), funding instrument type (grant), activity category (Agriculture), and CFDA number (10.200). The original closing date for submissions was September 12, 2017, and the funding ceiling and expected number of awards were not specified in the provided source data.

• The National Institute of Food and Agriculture in the agriculture sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Air Force Mental Health Reseach Project" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 10.200.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2017-08-29.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2017-09-12. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Eligible applicants include: Others.

Apply for USDA NIFA COOP 006389

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