WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced the National Sheep Industry Improvement Center Board of Directors (NSIIC) is accepting grant proposals for the Sheep Production and Marketing Grant Program (SPMGP). The SPMGP was established by Congress to foster improvements in the U.S. sheep industry and will be accepting proposals through Sept. 15, 2022.

In 2019, AMS awarded a 5-year grant for $1.9 million to NSIIC, and this announcement is a part of NSIIC’s yearly competitive sub-award process. This year, the Center budgeted approximately $300,000 to support projects that do one or more of the following:

• Strengthen and enhance the production and marketing of sheep and sheep products in the United States through the improvement of infrastructure, business, resource development, and the development of innovative approaches to solve long-term problems.
• Provide leadership training and education to industry stakeholders.
• Assist all segments of the industry in addressing sustainable production and marketing of sheep and sheep products.
• Promote marketing of sheep and sheep products through an organized method that can measure tangible results.
• Enhance the sheep industry by coordinating information exchange and seeking mutual understanding and marketing within the industry community.

In the past four years, the average grant project was funded at $29,000. Applications are submitted directly to the NSIIC and reviewed by the Board of Directors via a competitive process, which makes funding recommendations to USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) for approval. AMS then reviews subaward proposals for alignment with the criteria listed above.

For more information about applying, contact Program Manager Steve Lee at (207) 236-6567 or stevelee@nsiic.org, or send mail to:

National Sheep Industry Improvement Center
1578 Spring Water Way
Highlands Ranch, CO 80129

The National Sheep Industry Improvement Center was established in 2008. In 2019, AMS’s Sheep Production and Marketing Grant Program awarded approximately $1.9 million for a five-year grant: https://www.ams.usda.gov/services/grants/spmgp.

Additional information about the center, including previous awardees, is available on its website: www.nsiic.org.

–USDA AMS