rice being harvested

2025 ERME Request for Applications (RFA)

The Southern Extension Risk Management Education (ERME) Center, in conjunction with the North Central, Northeast, and Western Centers announces competitive funding opportunities for educational projects designed to help agricultural producers improve their economic viability through targeted risk management strategies.

Eligibility: This announcement seeks applications from qualified public and private groups, organizations, and institutions including land grant colleges and universities, Cooperative Extension, other colleges and universities, and other public and private entities with a demonstrated capacity to develop and deliver results/impact-based risk management education projects for agricultural producers and their families. The Southern Extension Risk Management Education Center (SRMEC) serves the following 15 Southern states: Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Florida, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands.

ERME is soliciting applications under the following program areas:

1. Education Grants

a. Standard Education Projects

This funding opportunity focuses on educational projects designed to help agricultural producers improve their economic viability through targeted risk management strategies. Proposed programs should address any of the five areas of risk: production, marketing, financial, legal or human. The maximum award will be $75,000 with a grant duration of 18 months to be conducted between April 1, 2025 and September 30, 2026.

b. Exploratory Projects

This funding opportunity focuses on smaller, simplified grants for the purpose of initiating new ideas through producer education programs which address farmer/rancher risk management education needs. Exploratory projects can be used to organize and host a producer education workshop or conference or be used for development projects that lead to application for a Standard Education project in a future year. The maximum award will be $10,000 with a grant duration of 18 months be conducted between April 1, 2025 and September 30, 2026.

2. Producers Underserved by Crop Insurance Grants

This funding opportunity is specifically designated for the delivery of risk management education to agricultural producers underserved by the Federal crop insurance program, with proposed educational programming that aligns with one or more of the five areas of risk: production, marketing, financial, legal or human. The maximum amount of requested funding shall not exceed $100,000 for 18-month projects to be conducted between April 1, 2025 and September 30, 2026.

Applicant Training

How to Apply

  1. RFA: Download and read the 2025 Southern ERME RFA
  2. View the Application Resources which have been developed to help applicants prepare a successful proposal, and which provide a full explanation for every item requested in the application. Applicants are especially encouraged to utilize the Application Tutorial.
  3. Registration Information: If you are already registered in the RVS, skip to step 4. To register, use this link to access the Extension Risk Management Education Results Verification System. Select “Create New Account” and complete the form in order to create a new account. A registration confirmation containing a link back into the system will be sent via email. (If you do not receive the confirmation email within 15 minutes, please check your spam folder.) To complete your registration, visit the enclosed link.
  4. RVS: Login to RVS using your email address and password, which will take you to the “My Projects” page. To begin a new Application, select “Start New Project Application” to see all available funding opportunities. Click the “Southern ERME” tab to see all Southern funding opportunities.
  5. Category: Select the appropriate grant category and click “Apply for this Grant”.
  6. Enter the project information, including: Project Title; Project Director email, Institution Mailing Address, and Financial Contact. You will have the opportunity to edit or update this information once you have created the application.
  7. Complete each section in the Table of Contents on the left sidebar and follow the Instructions accessible on each page of the application via the question mark (?) icon.
  8. Whenever you wish to continue working on your Proposal, return to the Extension Risk Management Education Results Verification System and login. Your active projects will be listed on the “My Projects” page. You may edit your proposal by clicking on the pencil icon.

2025 Award Funding Timeline:

September 16, 2024 – Application Open

November 14, 2024 – Application Deadline

February 14, 2025 – Award Notification