Information for FREP Researchers

This page contains information for researchers that have been advanced to the second phase of the competitive grant process, as well as those with ongoing projects. Please contact FREP staff with any questions or concerns about your full proposal or ongoing project.

The information provided below is a basic outline of grantee requirements and due dates; please reference the full Grant Procedures Manual for additional information.

Invoices and Submission of Project Reports

Invoices must be submitted biannually, in arrears, and are due no later than 30 calendar days after the end of the invoice period.

Period 1: January 1 — June 30
Period 2: July 1 — December 31

Invoices submitted before the completion of an interim, annual, or final report will not be paid until the required project report has been received, reviewed and accepted by FREP staff. CDFA cannot reimburse the project leader for work performed before the start date of the grant or for work performed after the expiration date on the grant or extension.

Project Report Due Dates

Interim reports for all ongoing projects are due by July 31 and cover all work done during the previous six months (Period 1: January 1 - June 30).

Annual reports for all ongoing projects are due by January 31 and cover all work done during the previous year (Period 1: January 1 - June 30, and Period 2: July 1 - December 31).

Final reports are due by January 31 following the termination of the grant agreement period and cover all work done during the duration of the project. Final reports must include data, results, and discussion from all years of the project in order to form a comprehensive and stand-alone document; a reader should not be required to refer to earlier reports to discern the main activities and findings from the project.

Report Formatting Requirements

FREP researchers are to submit all interim, annual, and final project reports in the following format:

12 point Times New Roman font
1" margins
Numbered pages
Organize report as specified in the Grant Management Procedures Manual, clearly labeling each section by letter and name
Keep reports de-personalized. Use organization names instead of personal pronouns or names of individuals
Fully spell out all acronyms at their first use in the reports
Email Microsoft Word versions of all reports to FREP@cdfa.ca.gov

Reports that do not adhere to these formatting requirements will not be accepted.

Extensions and Special Circumstances

Generally, interim and annual reports function as status updates and should still be submitted on time (July and January, respectively) even when a project is behind schedule. Use the report to explain why the project is not meeting the scheduled work plan identified in the project proposal and identify measures that will be taken to address the delay. If an interim or annual report cannot be submitted on time due to other circumstances, please notify FREP staff via email at FREP@cdfa.ca.gov at least four weeks prior to the scheduled due date.

Final reports, however, should not be submitted until the project is complete and the data has been analyzed. No cost time extensions are generally allowable due to unforeseen conditions experienced beyond the control of the primary investigator. For example, conditions such as equipment malfunction or failure, unexpected field staff departure or turnover, and unfavorable climatic conditions preventing grant work are some of the examples of unforeseen conditions. If the project leader needs a time extension on his/her grant, he/she must notify the FREP staff in writing TWO (2) months prior to the scheduled end of the grant. Please send any requests for time extensions to FREP@cdfa.ca.gov.

Outreach Requirements

FREP funded projects must complete at least three outreach activities per year. Some examples of outreach activities include grower field days, workshops, meetings, and trade journal articles. Grantees are required to notify FREP staff of upcoming outreach activities via email at least one month prior to the event. FREP staff will use this information to publicize the event via the FREP website, CDFA press release, and the WPHA newsletter. Notify FREP staff of upcoming outreach activities by emailing FREP@cdfa.ca.gov.

Conference Participation

Project leaders are required to prepare a brief (three to five pages) interpretive summary annually for the duration of the grant agreement. These interpretive summaries are collected and published in the annual FREP Conference Proceedings. Interpretive summaries are typically due in August in order to allow enough time for creation and printing of the Proceedings before the FREP Conference in October. FREP staff will contact grantees in July with specific requirements and deadlines for the interpretive summaries.

In addition to submitting annual interpretive summaries, grantees must present their research during at least one FREP conference during the course of their project. FREP staff will contact grantees with projects that fit with each year's conference themes.