Grants & New Projects

Research conducted at the Hopland Research and Extension Center is done on a project basis. Typically, approximately 30 ongoing projects are in progress at this Center, each having been reviewed and approved by a committee of academics.

Grants of Center labor at a subsidized UC rate, to support projects conducted at HREC, may be requested by investigators who hold an academic appointment in the University of California Agricultural Experiment Station or with Cooperative Extension. Labor grants are also available to approved USDA academic researchers.

For details on submitting new project proposals, see the Call for Proposals (below).

Research Advisory Committee

Each Center has a Research Advisory Committee (RAC) that is charged with reviewing research proposals submitted for consideration. The Hopland RAC evaluates proposals in terms of their scientific merit, design, and suitability for being conducted at this Center. The RAC reviews the progress of ongoing projects at three-year intervals or more frequently if needed. The RAC also considers requests for Center labor support and annually recommends labor awards to new or ongoing projects. The RAC's recommendations are made to the ANR Associate Vice President.

Typical Year Schedule

Date	Description
by February 1st	Annual "Call for Proposals" distributed to appropriate groups and individuals within DANR
by March 1st	Current Project Leaders receive from HREC instructions for requesting labor grants and use of other Center resources; receive Annual Report form and Land, Labor & Facilities request form
April 1st	Due date for HREC to receive: Research Project Proposal (new projects) Land, Labor & Facilities Request (new and continuing projects) Annual Report from continuing projects (or) Accomplishment Report + Renewal Request for projects scheduled for 3-year review (or) Accomplishment / Termination Report from projects ending during the current program year
April 15th to April 20th	HREC staff will review proposals for feasibility and for concurrence with long-term strategic goals of Center. HREC will inform RAC members of resources available for upcoming program year, based on budget projections.
April 21th to May 7th	RAC members will individually review and rank proposals according to established criteria.
May 7th to May 21th	Annual RAC meeting will occur; Project Leaders of new projects or projects seeking 3-year renewal will be invited to meet with RAC at Hopland to discuss project proposals. RAC will recommend allocation of labor resources among projects that request assistance. Recommendation will be forwarded to Director- Research and Extension Centers System.
June 1st to June 15th	Project Leaders will receive notification of project approval and Center labor grant, if awarded. Response form will be provided by HREC.

The Year Schedule - Due Dates for New/Continuing Projects

Date	Description
April 1th	Due date for HREC to receive: Research Project Proposal (new projects) Land, Labor & Facilities Request (new and continuing projects) Annual Report from continuing projects (or) Accomplishment Report + Renewal Request for projects scheduled for 3-year review (or) Accomplishment / Termination Report from projects ending during the current program year
July 1st	Past Center program year ends; new program year begins.
August 1	Project Leader's acknowledgment and acceptance of project approval and labor grant must be received by HREC.

Call for Proposals

The UC Hopland Research & Extension Center seeks research project proposals for the period of July 1, 2013 through June 30, 2014.

The Center encompasses more than 5,300 acres of Oak woodland, grasslands, and chaparral rangeland in southeastern Mendocino County. The facility provides research opportunities in the fields such as animal science, range management, wildlife ecology, entomology and epidemiology, pest management, viticulture, and natural resources management.

New projects utilizing the Center’s facilities and lands are encouraged and please refer to our website for a complete description - http://ucanr.org/sites/hopland/ . Examples of the HREC facilities and resources diversity include: an array of habitat types, almost 700 species of vascular plants including 12 species of oaks, a resident large sheep flock, an array of mammal species including black-tailed deer, and array of amphibians and reptiles, 12 acres of irrigated land, all-season road access, lab space, HS internet, and a dormitory.

The Center expects to award in excess of 1800 hours of Center-provided labor at minimal cost to support approved projects during this coming cycle.

Proposals are due electronically to Meggin Lewman (email: mdlewman@ucdavis.edu ) on or before April 1, 2013.

Please use the following form for your project submital:

Project Proposal Form

Land, Labor, and Facilities Form

For additional information contact the Center Superintendent Robert J. Keiffer (707) 744-1424 ext 112 rjkeiffer@ucdavis.edu , or the Center Business Officer Meggin Lewman (707) 744-1424 ext 113 mdlewman@ucdavis.edu.