(Word document for full RFP).

The Agricultural Research, Extension, and Education Reform Act of 1998 (AREERA)—a.k.a. the 1998 Farm Bill—required a change in focus of both the RI Agricultural Experiment Station, and RI Cooperative Extension. The 2002 RIAES Request for Proposals represents the culmination of a 4-year paced change of organizational culture, moving away from use of Station funds as a supplement to academic department operating budgets—a near entitlement program—to a competitive outcome-focused granting program.

The RI AES Request for Proposals was fully congruent with the spirit and language of the Farm bill. I had sent a final draft to Dr. David MacKenzie, Executive Director of the Northeast Regional Association of Agricultural Experiment Station Directors, for his review and comment. Coincidentally, he was scheduled to meet with the other three regional directors the next day on a contentious issue of format for multistate research projects, a core issue in revision of USDA/CSREES's Multistate Research Manual. Dave told me that the RI RFP was adopted by the directors for their draft, overcoming previously devisive points of view.

I include the RFP here as an example of outcome focused funding, with what have proven to be useful mechanisms for managing the AES research enterprise in Rhode Island. If you find this useful or would care to comment, please do not hesitate to contact me.