Children, Youth, and Families At-Risk Sustainable Community Projects

Bonita Williams
Bonita.Williams@usda.gov
816.926.1686

Andrea Wikiera
Andrea.Wikiera@usda.gov
816.400.8959

The Children, Youth, and Families At-Risk (CYFAR) Sustainable Community Projects Program will provide grants for cooperative extension to work in collaboration with other organizations to develop and deliver educational programs that help at-risk youth build the skills they need to lead positive, productive, and contributing lives. The program falls under USDA's strategic goal to expand opportunities for economic development and improve quality of life in rural and tribal communities.

Program objectives include:

• Support community educational programs for at-risk, low-income children, youth, and families that are based on locally identified needs, grounded in research, and lead to the accomplishment of one of four CYFAR National Outcomes
• Integrate CYFAR SCP programming into ongoing extension programs for children, youth, and families ensuring that at-risk, low-income children, youth, and families have access to resources and educational opportunities

CYFAR national outcomes:

• Early Childhood - Children will have their basic physical, emotional and intellectual needs met. Babies will be born healthy.
• School Age (K-8) - School age youth will demonstrate knowledge, skills, attitudes, and behavior necessary for fulfilling and contributing lives.
• Teen - Teens will demonstrate knowledge, skills, attitudes and behavior necessary for fulfilling and contributing lives
• Parent/Family - Parents/caregivers will take primary responsibility for meeting their children's physical, social, emotional, and intellectual needs and providing guidance and direction. Families will promote positive, productive, and contributing lives for all family members.

Considerations for populations and programs of focus should include:

• Children of migrant workers
• New immigrant children and families
• Children in families coping with military deployments, separations, and reunions
• Children and youth facing issues related to use of substances
• Violence and crime
• Mental health
• Social-emotional skills
• Bullying
• Teen pregnancy
• Children being raised by grandparents or older adult family members
• Sexually transmitted infections/diseases
• HIV/AIDS
• Obesity
• Isolation
• Poverty
• Poor school achievement
• Climate change and environmental justice

Eligible applicants include 1862, 1890, and 1994 land grant Institutions.

Award ceiling: $160,000
Award floor: $80,000
Project period: 5 years
Estimated number of awards: 25
Estimated total program funding: $5,440,000

Links to the full announcement, application instructions, and the online application process are available through grants.gov.