The 1890 Universities Foundation collaborated with the Extension Foundation to implement the system-wide program, Extension Collaborative on Immunization, Teaching and Engagement (EXCITE). EXCITE addresses barriers and increases confidence about COVID–19, flu, and other vaccinations among rural and medically underserved audiences and informs CDC, USDA–NIFA, Cooperative Extension, and health partners about how best to implement public health programs to reduce health disparities. EXCITE projects at 1890 Institutions strive to promote health, remove disparities, and empower Black communities through immunization education programs.

The “Vaccinate with Confidence“ campaign was completed in October of 2022 and educated various target populations about the importance of immunizations against COVID–19 in order to increase vaccine confidence. Seventeen 1890 institutions participated in the one–year project.

Immunization Education Pilots develop and evaluate new strategies to inform best practices for future vaccination education programming. Immunization Education Pilots are two–year projects that will wrap up in May 2023. These projects have been busy creating and testing messages, as well as learning from the communities about how CES, CDC, and local healthcare providers could collaborate to inform and reach people with adult immunization education. Five 1890 institutions were chosen to lead these initiatives.

1890 EXCITE project’s impact:

• Seventeen 1890 LGUs participated in EXCITE
• 3,605,836 and couting individuals reached
• 98 counties in 17 states reached
• 2 Native American reservations reached
• 80 community and healthcare partners formed

Learn more about the 1890 EXCITE projects:

• EXCITE project map with reach and project info
• Watch Project videos from the EXCITE teams to see the innovative ways 1890 projects are implementing Immunization Education in their communities.
  • Alabama A&M University
  • University of Maryland Eastern Shore
  • Alcorn University
  • Lincoln University
  • Tennessee State
  • Texas A&M Prairie View
  • West Virginia State
  • Florida A&M and the University of Florida
  • Kentucky State University

The application for the EXCITE Design Phase has been extended to November 30th, 2022 at 11:59 PM PST.

The application is short, here are the requirements:

• Contact Information for Principal Investigator, Administrative Contact, and Financial Contact
• Subrecipient Information for FFATA Reporting (DUNS Name & Number, etc…)
• Letter of Support from Extension Director/Administrator
• Budget Template/Negotiated Indirect Cost Rate Agreement

EXCITE is a nationwide local response by U.S. Cooperative Extension made possible through an interagency agreement between USDA-NIFA and the CDC. The CDC chose Extension to continue as a partner in adult immunization education because of the system’s ability to collaborate, deliver whole-health educational programming, and is a trusted messenger to share science-based knowledge.

• The objective of this Design phase is to assist institutions to prepare for the Implementation phase with competitive proposals and/or proposals that could be used for other funding opportunities.
• With the support of the EXCITE Program team, including CDC partners, the Design phase will include workshops on the identification of priority populations, implementation of rapid community assessments of vaccine confidence for identified populations, partnership development, selection of best practices for delivery methods, and training in the use of the LGU vaccine confidence tool kit.
• Upon completion of the Design phase, you will be prepared to apply for the EXCITE Implementation phase. The Design phase is a non-competitive phase available to all 111 LGUs in the amount of $10,000 each.

 

The competitive Implementation phase will implement the plans for adult immunization education and vaccination developed during the Design phase at the local level and directed to identified rural and medically-underserved communities and address COVID-19 Vaccine confidence in their LGU. You do not have to participate in the Design phase in order to apply for the Implementation phase.

Design Phase Grant Information:

ELIGIBILITY: Non-competitive phase available to ALL Land-grant universities (LGUs) (1862, 1890, 1994) by completing a simple online application. Submit only one application per institution.

AWARD AMOUNT: $10,000

TIMELINE:

Application Open: September 22, 2022

Application Deadline: November 30th, 2022 November 1, 2022, 11:59 PM PST

Award Period: October 1, 2022 – March 15, 2023

Click Here For More Information and the Application Link

REQUEST FOR APPLICATIONS

EXCITE: Design Phase

 

ELIGIBILITY: Non-competitive phase available to ALL Land-grant universities (LGUs) (1862, 1890, 1994) by completing a simple online application. Submit only one application per institution.

AWARD AMOUNT: $10,000

TIMELINE: 

• Application Open: September 22, 2022
• Application Deadline: November 1, 2022, November 30, 2022, 11:59 PM PST
• Award Period: October 1, 2022 – March 15, 2023

APPLICATION ACCESS: The deadline for receipt of the application is November 1, 2022, 11:59pm PT. Applications should be completed through Extension Foundation here: https://registry.extension.org/222228253316853.  Applications received after this date will NOT be considered. For additional information, questions, or clarifications, please contact EXCITE@extension.org.

Extension Collaboration on Immunization Teaching and Engagement (EXCITE) is a nationwide local response by U.S. Cooperative Extension made possible through an interagency agreement between USDA-NIFA and the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and a cooperative agreement with the Extension Foundation. EXCITE embeds partners to strengthen immunization education with a special focus on adult vaccination confidence around COVID and other adult immunizations. Over 11 million adults in rural and isolated populations have been reached.

Cooperative Extension’s partnership with the CDC initiated by the ECOP Health Innovation Task Force is happy to release EXCITE Phase 3. The long-term goal of this partnership is to strengthen Immunization Education with a special focus on adult vaccination confidence around adult immunizations. EXCITE will address COVID-19 vaccine confidence in LGU Extension communities and advance the work of EXCITE 1 and 2 for adult immunization education in local communities.  (https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/adults/index.html)

EXCITE will be in two phases: The Design phase (6 months), which is the subject of this RFA, and the Implementation phase (18 months, through December 2024), which will be competitive funding with a forthcoming additional RFA due March 15, 2023. The Implementation phase expects to fund up to 53 LGUs.

The overall objectives of the EXCITE project are to increase COVID-19 and other adult immunizations through (1) Increasing partnerships with local Departments of Public health with special emphasis placed on those at the local level. Other potential partners include Federally Qualified Health Centers and Rural Health Clinics, or other types of partners that can provide adult immunization in prioritized communities (2) Increasing positive perception of public health partners and vaccine providers of the value of collaboration with Extension (3) Changing attitudes and beliefs within LGUs about adult immunization that will lead the organization to become an asset model focused on building early adoption and innovation leaders in adult immunization education (4) Assessing best practices for adult immunization in rural communities through a National Convening and three selected pilot projects.

The objective of this Design phase is to assist institutions to prepare for the Implementation phase with competitive proposals and/or proposals that could be used for other funding opportunities. With the support of the EXCITE Program team, including CDC partners, the Design phase will include workshops on the identification of priority populations, implementation of rapid community assessments of vaccine confidence for identified populations, partnership development, selection of best practices for delivery methods, and training in the use of the LGU vaccine confidence tool kit. Upon completion of the Design phase, you will be prepared to apply for the EXCITE Implementation phase. The Design phase is a non-competitive phase available to all 111 LGUs in the amount of $10,000 each.

The competitive Implementation phase will implement the plans for adult immunization education and vaccination developed during the Design phase at the local level and directed to identified rural and medically-underserved communities and address COVID-19 Vaccine confidence in their LGU. You do not have to participate in the Design phase in order to apply for the Implementation phase.

Only one submission per institution will be allowed. Institutional Indirect Costs (IDC) are allowed at your institution’s negotiated rate. No match is required.

LATEST INFORMATION & QUESTIONS

• Subscribe to the EXCITE program mailing list here: https://extension.org/excite/

• Send Questions to: EXCITE@extension.org

WHAT TO KNOW BEFORE YOU APPLY FOR THE DESIGN PHASE

1. A letter of support from your Extension Director/Administrator will be required for the Design Phase.
2. Contact information for a person in your grants and contracts office will be required.
3. Application to the Design phase will generate a contract including a Statement of Work and Budget to be sent by Extension Foundation for signature to your grants and contracts office.
4. The Design phase is a buyout of time from your institution. You can choose to receive the funding as a stipend or a buyout of time.  Consult with your Grants and Contracts office on the best option.  If you select a buyout, then you will need a budget. (Salary, Fringe, and % of Effort).
5. Application to and participation in the Design phase does not guarantee funding for the competitive Implementation phase.
6. The Design phase offers six (6) workshops, 1 hour each, and optional additional office hours; Design Phase awardees will be expected to attend live or review the recordings at another time.
7. Upon completion of the Design phase, teams will have the necessary information to apply for the EXCITE Implementation phase. In the Design phase, you will:
   1. Identify Priority Population for Adult Immunization Education supported by data and community assessment data
   2. Identify key health department partners and letters of commitment.  Partners must include at least one of the following as a partner at least at the Networking Level:  Department of Public Health (state, regional, or local level), Federally Qualified Health Centers, Rural Health Clinics or Tribal Health Center, or Indian Health Services.
   3. Knowledge of adult vaccine needs and insurance coverage in your community
   4. Develop a detailed Implementation Plan
   5. Develop a budget for Implementation Plan
   6. Attend six (6) 1-hour live workshops or recorded sessions related to aspects of the Implementation Phase application.
   7. Respond to the EXCITE Implementation Phase RFA or complete a final report.

 

WHERE TO APPLY

The deadline for receipt of your application is November 1, 2022 at 12:59pm PT. Applications should be completed through Extension Foundation here: https://registry.extension.org/222228253316853. Applications received after this date will NOT be considered.

 

BUDGET AND BUDGET CONSIDERATIONS

The Design phase is essentially a buyout of time from your institution. You will have the option on the application to select to receive the funding as a stipend or a buyout. Consult with your Sponsored Programs (or Grants & Contracts) office on the best option.  If you select a buyout, then you will need a budget. (Salary, Fringe, and % of Effort)

A stipend is essentially a support/subsistence allowance for the benefit of the named Recipient that an institution may choose to spend on behalf of the recipient rather than provide in the form of direct compensation. Use of the stipend on behalf of the Recipient is expected primarily to support the Recipient’s professional development, although *incidental* expenses incurred by the Recipient to fulfill the deliverables outlined in the application may also be funded from the stipend. Use of the stipend for other project direct expenses, e.g., salaries, benefits, or capital equipment, is permitted only via amendment of the contract to establish a specific cost-line budget.  Note that your institution may not receive indirect costs on a stipend.

If you select a buyout, you will need a budget (Salary, Fringe, and % of Effort). The budget will consist of Personnel Costs Compensation in the form of Salaries and Wages, Fringe Benefits and Indirect Costs. Indirect Costs are based on your pre-negotiated federal rate. Your institution has the option to reduce or waive the indirect cost rate. If you do not have a negotiated federal rate, you may include 10% indirect costs.

Personnel Costs Compensation in the form of Salaries and Wages for the faculty, technicians, research associates and assistants, postdoctoral associates, and other technical personnel necessary to meet the goals of the project, computed as either percent effort, hourly wages, or person months.

Fringe Benefits normally encompass employer contributions for social security, employee life, health, unemployment, worker’s compensation insurance, and pension plan costs related to the personnel charged to the project. Costs must be expressed as a percentage of salaries and wages in the proposal budget based on negotiated Federal rates applicable to each person or role.

 

APPLICATION FORM FIELDS

1. Institution Name
2. Project Team Leader and/or Principal Investigator Contact Information
   1. First and Last Name
   2. Email
   3. Phone Number
3. Entity’s DUNS Name and DUNS Number
4. EIN Number
5. Currently registered in SAM.gov?
   1. Yes
   2. No
6. Congressional District
7. Zip Code
8. Administrative Contact Information
   1. First and Last Name
   2. Email
   3. Phone number
9. Financial Contact Information
   1. First and Last Name
   2. Email
   3. Phone Number
10. Invoice/Payment Email
11. Authorized Official Contact Information
    1. First and Last Name
    2. Email
    3. Phone number
12. Legal Address
13. Administrative Address
14. Payment Address
15. EXCITE: Design phase Checklist of Expectations
    1. Upon completion of the Design phase, you will have the necessary information to apply for EXCITE Implementation phase. Throughout the Design phase, with the support of the EXCITE Program team, including CDC partners, you will be expected to:
       1. Identify Priority Population for Adult Immunization Education supported by data and community assessment data
       2. Identify key health department partner and letter of commitment.  Partners must include at least one of the following as a partner at least at the Networking Level:  Department of Public Health (state, regional, or local level), Federally Qualified Health Centers, Rural Health Clinics or Tribal Health Center or Indian Health Services.
       3. Knowledge of adult vaccine needs and insurance coverage in your community
       4. Develop a detailed Implementation Plan
       5. Develop a budget for Implementation Plan
       6. Attend six (6) 1-hour live workshops or recorded sessions related to aspects of the Implementation Phase application.
       7. Respond to the EXCITE Implementation Phase RFA or complete a final report.
16. Upload a letter of support from your Extension Director/Administrator
17. Budget
    1. How would you like to receive this award?
    2. Provide a detailed budget using the budget template linked below. The total budget should not exceed $10,000, including indirect costs based on your pre-negotiated federal rate. Your institution has the option to reduce or waive the indirect cost rate. If you do not have a negotiated federal rate, you may include 10% indirect costs.
    3. Download the budget template HERE.
       1. To complete the budget template using Google Sheets, go to File > Make a Copy.
       2. To complete the budget template using Microsoft Excel go to File > Download > Microsoft Excel.
    4. Upload completed budget
    5. Upload Negotiated Indirect Cost Rate Agreement
18. Application Confirmation

The Extension Collaborative on Immunization Teaching and Engagement, (EXCITE) program received a letter of gratitude from CDC director Samuel F. Posner, and a spotlight on the CDC’s Health Equity in Action page for their work.

In the letter, Samuel Posner recognizes the value of a partnership with Cooperative Extension, stating “..we’re looking forward to learning from CES and understanding community concerns to develop and deliver effective tailored messaging to increase vaccination in hard-to-reach communities, in both rural and urban settings. I know how hard field agents work, the long hours and distances traveled especially in rural and frontier areas, and how much you all care about the community members you serve.

He highlights how this strength of CES has led to great success in vaccine uptake, “because Extension field agents are known trusted messengers working in every county across the nation,….Tailored messaging in rural areas works… In rural areas, 71.4% of people ages 18 and older have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine. Thank you to those who helped realize these achievements by getting vaccinated and helping others do the same.”

A great shout out to our EXCITE team members doing work in their communities! To view the impactful work EXCITE is doing including the full CDC letter, project success stories, and breakdown of projects by state head to the new EXCITE website hosted by Extension.org — https://extension.org/excite/