During the State of New Mexico’s 2007-2009 legislative sessions, the New Mexico Chile Association (NMCA) successfully lobbied to secure recurring funding in support of the chile industry. These monies have since been rolled into the base budgets of the Agricultural Experiment Station, the Cooperative Extension Service, and the NM Department of Agriculture. As in previous years, we have combined these funds and the Agricultural Experiment Station (AES) is soliciting research proposals for the 2024 crop year, with funding to begin July 2024 (FY25). We encourage proposals on topics that will strengthen the NM chile industry including (but NOT limited to) disease resistance, genetics, incidence of pathogens and pathogen control in chile, increased yields, nutritional value, food safety, and mechanization. Proposals may be submitted for 12 or 24 months. 

Many of you involved with chile research have been funded in the past; however, this request should be treated as a new proposal. Your previous work (especially work completed during the past year) should be discussed as background. Proposals funded for two years in FY24 will not require a new submission; however, an annual report on progress must be submitted. The AES will evaluate all proposals in conjunction with NM Chile Association members, representing the chile processors and growers.

FY25 Chile Request for Proposals

FUNDING LIMITATIONS

• No project will be considered without a proposal even if you have been funded in the past.
• Approved projects must be completed within the period agreed upon in the final award document.
• Two-year projects must ensure continuity and consistency in project implementation. Benchmarks of progress must be met before the release of funds for successive years.
• Indirect costs are not allowed.

PROPOSAL CRITERIA AND FORMAT

• Application material submitted should be limited to 7 single-spaced pages (12-point font, 1-inch margins) in length maximum (not including budget and abbreviated CV of project participant(s)). Projects exceeding this length will not be reviewed.

1. Title: Project title should be brief and indicate what the project is about.
2. Personnel: List the project leader(s), collaborator(s), and support personnel assigned to the project and identify their affiliation (e.g., agency, university, etc.).
3. Contact information: List the Lead principal investigator's address, phone number, and email address.
4. Amount Requested: State the amount of grant money being requested.
5. Abstract of the Proposed Research Project/Scope of Work: In the text, not to exceed one paragraph (250 words maximum), provide a concise abstract/summary of the proposed research project.
6. Justification and Statement of Problem: Include a short statement (one-page maximum) of the problem, its magnitude, the status of the current research knowledge, and the anticipated benefits/impacts of the proposed work.
7. Literature Review: A summary of pertinent publications with emphasis on their relationships to the effort being proposed should include all important and recent publications.
8. Hypothesis and Research Objectives: State the hypothesis to be tested in the project and state the specific objectives of the proposed study. The concise objectives should be numbered and listed in order of importance. Clearly state how the results of this project will support the NM chile industry and how project is practicable in field setting.
9. Research Procedures by Objective (including cooperative efforts): Include expected results, a brief description of the methods to be used for attaining each objective. If applicable: A general explanation of proposed research site design, field sampling procedures, and/or technical innovations.
10. Implementation Plan: Describe specific products and deliverables expected upon completion of the project. Provide a description and timetable of specific activities and benchmarks to be accomplished during the project. Payment of funds will be contingent upon timely reporting and execution of benchmarks and deliverables following the project timetable.

1. CV of project participants: An up-to-date abbreviated 2-page curriculum vita for the principal investigator(s) is required.
2. Annual budget(s): Provide budgets and a budget narrative for each year.

GRANT APPLICATION SUBMITTAL

• Application deadline April 16, 2024 (late applications will not be accepted)
• Submit to: aces_proposals@nmsu.edu. Please submit one PDF consisting of the proposal and the addenda using the title and subject: FY25 Chile Proposal_ [PI last name]. Proposals that do not follow the required title format and proposals submitted to a different email address WILL NOT be accepted.
• Awards will be announced by April 26, 2024

PROJECT REPORTING

• Semi-annual progress reports must be provided to the Agricultural Experiment Station Director’s office after grant project approval. Reports must follow the format of the grant application outline above and should be concise. A final report, including a 100-word impact statement, will be required at the end of the funded grant period. In addition to the final report, grantees will be required to present project findings in at least one public forum.

EVALUATION CRITERIA WILL BE BASED ON THE FOLLOWING:

1. Overall quality of the proposed research/technology: (35%)
   1. Scientific rigor and merit. 
   2. Project does not duplicate efforts already completed or in progress.
   3. Project collaboration with other projects having related objectives.
   4. Clear objectives and experimental design/plan.
   5. Feasibility that the work can be accomplished within the proposed timeframe and budget. 
   6. Appropriate personnel to accomplish the objectives.
2. Originality (5%)
3. Usefulness to the chile industry (40%)
   1. Impact to the chile industry (broad vs. narrow impact).
   2. Project benefits at least one sector of the NM chile industry.
   3. Long-term vs. short-term (strategic vs. tactical) impacts.
   4. Total anticipated time of research to implement a benefit for the industry.
   5. Total anticipated cost of research to implement a benefit for the industry.
   6. Cost/benefit ratio.

4. Industry-wide solutions practicality (15%)
   1. Description of how research procedures and results can be scaled to industry-wide
   2. Description (if applicable) of in-field trials and producer partnerships

5. Addressing Identified key industry issues (5%)
   1. Explain how the proposal addresses one of the following key issues:
      1. Labor Shortages
      2. Drought
      3. Expanding global markets opportunities
      4. Disease

*Funding is subject to change based on AES FY25 budget.