RBS Cooperative Services

RESEARCH ON RURAL COOPERATIVE OPPORTUNITIES
AND PROBLEMS VIA COOPERATIVE AGREEMENTS

This special initiative for 1998 has a primary objective of encouraging research, funded through cooperative agreements, on critical issues vital to the development and sustainability of cooperatives as a means of improving the quality of life in America's rural communities.

Proposals are requested from institutions of higher education or nonprofit organizations interested in applying for competitively awarded cooperative agreements for research related to agricultural and nonagricultural cooperatives serving rural communities.

Among the issues this initiative hopes to address are:

• The appropriate role of cooperatives in fostering rural development
• The role of cooperatives in filling the farm income safety net "void" created by the reductions and / or elimination of price support programs
• The role of cooperatives in an increasingly global environment
• The role of cooperatives in highly integrated agricultural industries
• Effective structures and operations for agricultural bargaining associations
• The role of cooperatives in low-resource areas
• Identification of financial and member control barriers for beginning and small farmers in joining marketing cooperatives.

Availability of funds
The amount of funds available for cooperative agreements in FY 1998 is approximately $1.9 million. Up to one-quarter of total funds awarded will be allocated to research on nonagricultural cooperatives serving rural areas. Funds may be used to pay up to 75% of the costs for carrying out relevant research project. The number of cooperative agreements funded will depend on the quality of proposals received and the amount of funding requested. Proposals must be submitted by June 30, 1998.

Application
To obtain a complete announcement and an application kit containing instructions and all required forms, please contact Cooperative Services Program; USDA/RBS, at (202)690-0368 or FAX (202) 690-2723. When calling Cooperative Services, please indicate that you are requesting an application kit for Fiscal Year 1998 funding for RRCOP. The application kit may also be requested via Internet by sending a message with your name, mailing address (not e-mail) and phone number to thomas.stafford@usda.gov which requests an application kit for FY 1998 funding for RRCOP. The application kit will be mailed to you (not e-mailed or faxed) as quickly as possible.

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