CAPACITY PROJECTS
An important source of funding for the College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences (ACES) is legislatively authorized capacity funds, sometimes called Hatch Funds. The federal dollar amounts allocated to each state, including New Mexico, depend on variables such as rural population, farm population, forest acreage, and poverty rates. These funds, and matching state funds, strengthen ACES' capacity to hire excellent faculty researchers. ACES Ag Experiment Station applies for these funds annually. The Ag Experiment Station (AES) creates research capacity by underwriting the salaries of ACES researchers with these capacity funds. Federal law requires that these researchers document their research by establishing a project and providing annual reports, based on the goals and objectives of their projects.
Any of the capacity projects below will satisfy the requirement that you, as an ACES/AES faculty researcher, have a project.
- Hatch (1862 LGUs only)
- Hatch Multistate (1862 LGUs only)
- McIntire-Stennis
- Animal Health
- Renewable Resources Extension
*Please keep in mind that Multistate projects needs to be maintained in REEport and NIMSS. The two systems do not link together and approval and reporting need to be completed in both systems.* For more information or to start up or join an active project, contact Claire Montoya.
Hatch projects (HA):
Individual, or small group project: At any time, an individual faculty researcher or a small group of faculty researchers whose research overlaps may write a project proposal--a two to five-year plan of work--and submit it for consideration to the Ag Experiment Station (AES). Please request the proposal template.
Who needs one? Any AES faculty with a .25 FTE or higher is required to have an active project; unless determined otherwise by their department head and/or AES Director.
Umbrella Projects
Beginning in Spring 2023, Hatch capacity projects will be faculty team research projects that are organized under the following umbrella areas. These Umbrella Areas are meant to encompass most current and emerging areas of ACES research. For faculty with a specific need for an individual project, please work with your department head and Dr. Lara Prihodko for initiating an individual project. For more information regarding Umbrella Projects, please contact Dr. Lara Prihodko and Claire Montoya.
Hatch Multistate Projects (HM):
Multi-state projects are monitored and approved by Dr. Lara Prihodko, AES Associate Director. Each project will need to be initiated and maintained through the NIFA Reporting System (NRS) and NIMSS. The two systems do not link together and approval and reporting needs to be completed in both systems.
To become active on a multi-state project, please contact Dr. Lara Prihodko. You will need to provide a completed Appendix E from NIMSS, the objectives you plan to address, and which knowledge Area, Subject of Investigation, and Field of Science that best describes your research. Click here for the Manual of Classification provided by NIFA.
Animal Health projects (AH)
This capacity funding supports research activities into animal health and diseases. The department chair for Animal Science oversees the capacity funding for these projects. Once you have this department chair's approval to propose an Animal Health and Disease capacity project, please contact Claire Montoya for instructions.
McIntire-Stennis projects (M-S) (forestry):
This capacity funding supports research in one of these areas:
1) reforestation and land management;
2) forest and watershed management;
3) forest and rangeland management;
4) management of forest lands for outdoor recreation;
5) protections of forest and resources against fire, insects, disease, etc;
6) utilization of wood and other forest-related products;
7) development of land management policies; and 8) studies promoting fullest and most effective use of forest resources.
When you receive approval to propose a McIntire-Stennis project, please contact Claire Montoya.
USDA/NIFA GRANT PROJECTS (Non-capacity funding)
If you apply for and receive a competitive grant award from the USDA that is administered by NIFA, such as an AFRI grant, you will need to initiate an associated project in REEport. Your grant reporting will also be done in REEport. Do not create your own project initiation. NIFA will place a project initiation shell in your REEport draft folder, within a few days of notifying you of your award.
