Opportunity Information: Apply for USDA NIFA EXCA 006005
The Department of Defense Virtual Lab School (VLS) grant opportunity, offered through the U.S. Department of Agriculture's National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA), is a discretionary grant program for fiscal year 2016 focused on sustaining an existing online training system rather than building a new one from scratch. The Virtual Lab School (also called the Virtual Laboratory School) is a virtual learning platform used by Department of Defense (DoD) child development programs, and it contains training that is required by statute for DoD child development program staff. In practical terms, the purpose of the funding is to ensure the platform remains fully operational, up to date, and supported so that the mandated training remains continuously available to the workforce that relies on it.
The core work supported by this award centers on maintenance and support of the VLS platform. That typically implies ongoing technical upkeep, content hosting and delivery, system reliability and performance, user support functions, and general operational continuity needed to keep a large-scale e-learning platform running smoothly. Because the description emphasizes "all maintenance and support necessary to maintain" the VLS, the intent is clearly operational sustainment: keeping the platform stable, functional, and capable of delivering required training to DoD child development staff without disruption.
This opportunity is administered by NIFA under the broader umbrella of USDA programs that advance research, extension, or teaching in the food and agricultural sciences, and it is tied to CFDA number 10.500. While the end user community in this case is the DoD child development workforce, the funding mechanism runs through USDA/NIFA, reflecting the agency's role in supporting education and training infrastructure that aligns with its statutory mission and partnerships. The funding instrument is a grant, and the activity category is listed as Agriculture, consistent with NIFA's categorization even though the subject matter is workforce training for child development programs.
Eligibility is broad and inclusive. Applications may be submitted by state agricultural experiment stations, state cooperative extension services, colleges and universities, and other research or educational institutions and organizations. The notice also allows federal and private agencies and organizations, as well as individuals and essentially any other recipient type, whether domestic or foreign, as long as the work furthers research, extension, or teaching programs within USDA's food and agriculture sciences framework. This wide eligibility suggests the program is open to a range of entities that can credibly operate and support a national-scale online training platform and meet federal grant management expectations.
Key administrative details include the funding opportunity title "Department of Defense Virtual Lab School (VLS)" and funding opportunity number "USDA NIFA EXCA 006005." The original application closing date was September 6, 2016, and the opportunity was created on August 12, 2016. The award ceiling listed is $454,546. The source information also notes "ExpectedAwards:" but does not provide a number, so the announcement does not clearly state how many awards were anticipated based on the data provided.
Overall, this grant is best understood as targeted sustainment funding to keep an established, mission-critical online training platform running for DoD child development program staff, ensuring that legally required training remains accessible and supported through a stable, maintained Virtual Lab School environment.Apply for USDA NIFA EXCA 006005
- The National Institute of Food and Agriculture in the agriculture sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Department of Defense Virtual Lab School (VLS)" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 10.500.
- This funding opportunity was created on 2016-08-12.
- Applicants must submit their applications by 2016-09-06. (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 $454,546.00 in funding.
- Eligible applicants include: Others.
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