The Northeast Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) program seeks an administrator for our new BIPOC* Communities Grant Program (BCGP). Join the Northeast SARE team and help us launch an exciting new effort and assist in continuing existing programing!
The new BCGP is designed to address systemic/structural barriers to access that disproportionately limit the ability of BIPOC communities to fully participate in SARE programs. This grant program will fund projects that create farming and food system opportunities for BIPOC communities and prioritize work engaged by and led by people with experience serving those communities.
About Northeast SARE
Northeast SARE is a USDA grant-making program hosted by the University of Vermont (UVM). Northeast SARE currently coordinates six competitive grant programs offered to educators, farmers, graduate students and scientists in 12 states and Washington DC. See www.northeastsare.org for more information.
Our work is guided by this Outcome Statement: Northeast agricultural communities honor the holistic connection among land, water, air, and all living beings. Agriculture in the Northeast is accessible, sustainable, and just, addressing historic and current inequities so all farmers and farm employees can steward resources to ensure sustainability, resilience, economic viability, and a high quality of life.
Congress has funded the SARE program for 35 years. Northeast SARE’s current annual budget is $10.80 million. The Northeast SARE Administrative Council has initially allocated $3 million for the BCGP. In addition, a separate but complementary Technical Assistance program is under development that will support our applicants and grantees, starting with the BCGP.
* Northeast SARE understands BIPOC to align with the USDA definition of socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers as those belonging to groups that have been subject to racial or ethnic prejudice, including but not limited to farmers who are Black or African American, American Indian or Alaska Native, Hispanic or Latino, and Asian or Pacific Islander.
Roles and Responsibilities
Grant Administrators provide leadership for recruitment of applicants, review of proposals, contracting with grantees, project reporting, and other activities related to the BIPOC Communities Grant. The BIPOC Communities Grant will be launched in the fall of 2024, with initial grant awards made in the spring of 2025. About 16 awards are expected to be made in the first year of this grant program.
The BIPOC Grant Administrator will also provide support for the operations of six other competitive grant programs offered by the Northeast Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) program. This will include assisting individual grant program coordinators, each with unique annual cycles of activities, to process applications; manage proposal review; set up awards, review funded project reports, support administration of projects, and organize grant program data.
The Grants Administrator supports Northeast SARE’s diversity, equity, inclusion and justice values and its strategic plan, including engagement with under-served communities. They collaborate to develop and improve policies and procedures in support of Northeast SARE grant program effectiveness and commitment to the organization’s outcome statement.
Responsibilities of the Position
- Work with staff to edit Call for Proposals and update review criteria as needed.
- Work with staff and community partners to distribute Call for Proposals and supporting information for potential applicants.
· Provide leadership and coordination for recruitment, review, award and implementation of research and outreach projects funded by the Northeast Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) program, a USDA grants program hosted by UVM that serves the 12 Northeastern states.
· Serve as the primary source of scientific research assistance to internal and external constituents regarding research grant programs offered by Northeast SARE, including eligible techniques and procedures.
· Ensure that plans for compliance with IRB and IACUC research protocols are developed when necessary.
· Lead and coordinate grant review panels and aggregate evaluative data to ensure that funded research activities follow and comply with UVM and USDA policies and support the mission of Northeast SARE, and designated university research initiative.
· Analyze experimental design, methods, and timeline relative to schedule and budget: Must understand outreach methods for dissemination of research results and ensure that expenses meet the requirements of USDA allowable costs.
- Cultivate positive relationships to promote the programs to people and organizations in diverse communities.
- Prepare materials and presentations to engage with BIPOC communities in ways that support applying for and managing grants.
- Use SARE’s on-line grant management system to process applications, proposal reviews, and project reporting.
- Compile and analyze review team results and recommendations.
- Synthesize reviewer comments on proposals; provide feedback to all applicants.
- Review the budgets of approved proposals to make sure expenses are allowable.
- Work with staff to finalize awards for contracting.
- Support project leaders with reporting; review and approve all project reports.
- Make occasional site visits to funded projects.
- Promote the grant program by sharing project experiences and impacts.
- Support grant program evaluation.
Required Qualifications
- Master’s degree two to four years of relevant experience required, or equivalent combination of education and experience.
- Ability to help ensure diverse, equitable, and inclusive programs.
- Ability to oversee budgets and provide rigorous programmatic oversight.
- Ability to communicate clearly with diverse audiences.
- Ability to manage data and produce reports.
- Ability to use independent judgment, manage multiple tasks, meet deadlines, work with a team, and coordinate projects.
- Proficiency or ability to learn and use grant program software, spreadsheets, word processing. Experience with Microsoft Office is a plus.
- Ability to meet the occasional travel requirements associated with the position.
- Ability to work flexible hours which may include evenings and/or weekends especially during peak periods of grant administration activity.
This is a 12-month, 1.0 FTE position, with a robust benefits package. The salary range for this position is $62,000 to $73,000, depending on candidate experience. The position can be housed at any office of UVM Extension where space is available, or it may be a remote position, depending on candidate needs and UVM telework policy.
At Northeast SARE we believe that diversity and inclusion among our staff is critical to our success as an organization, and we seek to recruit, hire, and retain talented applicants from a diverse candidate pool. Research suggests that women and BIPOC individuals may not apply for opportunities if they think they don’t meet 100% of the job requirements. We encourage individuals who believe they have the necessary skills to thrive in this position to apply, even if you don’t meet every qualification as described.
The University of Vermont is an Equal Opportunity / Affirmative Action Employer. Women, veterans, individuals with disabilities and people from diverse racial, ethnic, and cultural backgrounds are encouraged to apply.
Northeast SARE team members are not allowed to apply for or be named in Northeast SARE grant applications. You can find the Northeast SARE current conflict of interest policy here.
Applications must be submitted using the UVM jobs web site, see posting # S5044PO.
The deadline for applications is June 3, 2024, with an anticipated start date of July 15, 2024.To apply, please submit the following:
- A cover letter describing your motivation for applying for the position, and your relevant experience and skills.
- A resume, including contact information for three professional references.