Memorandum of Understanding

Between

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA)

Rural Development (RD)

And 

Community College Alliance for Agriculture Advancement (Alliance/C2A3) 

USDA – RD and Alliance Agriculture Education Elevation and Support 

PART 1 – GENERAL:

The U.S. Department of Agriculture – Rural Development (“USDA - RD”) and the Community 

College Alliance for Agriculture Advancement (“Alliance”), hereinafter individually a “Party”, 

and together the “Parties”, are committed to improving program effectiveness, ensuring 

sustainable rural communities through community and economic development, including 

agriculture production, and promoting access to and participation in quality agriculture education 

through enhanced collaboration and coordination in areas of mutual interest.

USDA-RD partners with a diversity of organizations to carry out its mission of helping improve 

the economy and quality of life in rural America. Strengthening and expanding such partnerships 

has the potential to accelerate sustainable and vibrant community and economic development 

through increased knowledge of, access to and use of Rural Development programs. The 

member institutions of the Community College Alliance for Agriculture Advancement (C2A3 or 

"Alliance") are all dedicated to the education and success of their students, many of which 

participate in agricultural programs. 

Rural Development primarily operates in rural communities, a substantial number of which rely 

on agriculture as a substantial contributor to and support for community vitality. The U.S., as a 

whole, benefits greatly from agricultural and energy outputs that rural America provides, yet not 

enough is done to keep these sectors of America strong. Moreover, the connection between 

agriculture output and productivity and overall rural community and economic growth is welldocumented. Developing opportunities to strengthen agriculture spurs new economic growth, 

fosters innovation, and connects rural America with its urban and global economies.

PART 2 – PURPOSE:

The purpose of this memorandum of understanding (“MOU) is to work toward accomplishment 

of the shared goal of ensuring quality education and training of field practitioners to enhance 

local and regional capacity to promote, generate and/or continue community and economic 

development efforts in rural communities. The Parties recognize that opportunities for advancing 

this goal may be significantly enhanced through their collaboration.

To accomplish this purpose, this MOU establishes a collaborative framework for cooperative 

activities and exchange of information and resources intended to equip educators and 

practitioners with knowledge of Rural Development initiatives and programs for connecting 
agriculture production to community and economic development efforts aimed at building 

sustainable and strong rural communities. The following activities will occur to coordinate and 

identify opportunities for mutual benefit and improvement: 

USDA – RD agrees to: 

1. Provide guest lectures and demonstrations by RD representatives to students at member 

institutions on a schedule mutually agreed upon by RD and the corresponding community 

college.

2. Provide access to the publicly available data, information and resources for webinars on RD 

initiatives and programs, community and economic development practice and theory and other 

related topics.

3. Connect member institutions to their respective state and local RD offices for additional 

partnership opportunities.

4. Facilitate the development of a collaborative framework for cooperative activities and 

exchange of information and resources intended to equip educators and practitioners with 

knowledge of Rural Development initiatives and programs for connecting agriculture production 

to community and economic development efforts aimed at building sustainable and strong rural 

communities through:

A. Expansion of awareness of Rural Development programs at the community colleges

with specific focus on what programs and resources are available to assist the 

community colleges and what community college resources might be available to 

assist prospective applicants in communities in which the institutions are located, 

B. Community and economic development capacity building through the introduction of 

community and economic development practices and theories, rural workforce 

availability and expansion,

C. Introduction to the Placemaking 101 Planning Toolkit, and 

D. Encouraging participation in the Rural Workforce Innovation Network (RWIN).

5. Explore opportunities for RD to support student learning and leadership development, 

including but not limited to student internships, job shadowing and networking; student 

participation at USDA events; hosting student activities, demonstrations and poster sessions; and 

encouraging student leaders to engage in their rural communities through entrepreneurship, 

innovation and providing of technical expertise and service. Activities may include: 

A. Programming to identify and foster emerging leaders in the field of community and 

economic development through rural community colleges; 

B. Contributing to community and economic development curriculum as well as 

leadership development curriculum at community colleges.

C. Promoting internship, mentoring and Pathways opportunities for community college 

students with possible connections to, interactions with and/or participation in USDA 

Secretary, Ag Outlook Forum, Agriculture Committee Briefings, USDA, National 

Rural Water Association (NRWA), National Rural Electric Cooperative Association 
(NRECA), National Telephone Cooperative Association (NTCA), Association of 

Cooperative Educators, National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA), USDA 

Office of Partnerships and Public Engagement (OPPE), the Office of Tribal Relations 

(OTR), Rural Partnerships Network (RPN), state utilities associations, local economic 

development authorities and community and economic development organizations 

such as councils of government and regional planning commissions.

D. Connecting college and university entrepreneurship association and organizations 

such as the University Economic Development Association (UEDA) and National 

Association for Community College Entrepreneurship (NACCE),

E. Creating hands-on experiences for member institutions’ students to learn about placebased technical assistance and equity initiatives, including the Rural Partnership 

Network (RPN) and CORE, from state staff who perform outreach and/or provide 

technical assistance to distressed and/or disadvantaged communities, 

6. Help identify additional relationships and leveraging of resources within the different mission 

areas of USDA.

7. Participate in at least one meeting annually to evaluate the activities under the MOU and look 

for additional ways to collaborate

The ALLIANCE and its member institutions agree to: 

1. Incorporate the topics related to community and economic development practice and theories 

with production agriculture within their educational and training curricula.

2. Develop new programs of study, curriculum and training programs where appropriate.

3. Utilize USDA partners, including state and local RD staff, to incorporate applied research and 

demonstration activities to provide students and current producers with hands-on learning that 

demonstrates the community and economic benefits of agriculture as well as the effect of placebased development initiatives in rural communities on local agricultural economies.

4. Implement goals and objectives as outlined in the cooperative agreement and in any other state 

or local agreements with RD.

5. Provide opportunities, with RD and USDA partners involvement where possible, for students 

to gain leadership skills to better engage with and support their rural communities. 

6. Host an annual meeting in which all partners in this agreement can evaluate the partnership 

and working relationship for effectiveness and growth potential.

7. Provide different methods of communications, professional development and networking 

opportunities for faculty and staff of member institutions.

PART 3 – AUTHORITIES:

Nothing herein is intended to alter the respective rights and responsibilities of the Parties under 

their respective statutory authorities. USDA enters into this agreement under the authority of 7 

U.S.C. 2204b. This MOU, and any amendments thereto, shall be subject to the applicable 
policies, rules, regulations, and statutes under which the Parties are bound, and does not nullify 

or negate any existing understandings or agreements between the Parties, or between the Parties 

or either Party and any third party.

Each Party agrees that it will be responsible for its own acts and results thereof and shall not be 

responsible for the acts of the other Party and the results thereof. The Alliance agrees that it 

assumes all risk and liability to itself, its agents or employees, for any injury to persons or 

property resulting in any manner from the conduct of its own operations, and the operations of its 

agents or employees, under this MOU; and for any loss, cost, damage, or expense resulting at 

any time from failure to exercise proper precautions, of or by itself, or its own agents or its own 

employees, while occupying or visiting the projects under and pursuant to this MOU. The 

Federal Government's liability shall be governed by the provisions of the Federal Tort Claims 

Act (28 U.S.C. §§ 2671 et seq.).

PART 4 – STATEMENT OF NO FINANCIAL OBLIGATION: 

Execution of this MOU does not constitute a financial obligation on the part of either Party. Each 

Party and its respective agencies and offices will handle its own activities and utilize its own 

resources, including the expenditure of its own funds, in pursuing these objectives. Each Party 

will carry out its separate activities in a coordinated and mutually beneficial manner.

This MOU is neither a fiscal nor funds obligating document. Any endeavor by a Party that 

involves the reimbursement, contribution of funds, or transfer of anything of value between the 

Parties will be handled in accordance with all applicable laws, regulations, and procedures. Such 

endeavors shall be outlined in separate agreements, shall be made in writing by representatives 

of all parties involved, and shall be independently authorized by appropriate statutory authority. 

This MOU does not provide such authority. Negotiation, execution, and administration of any 

such agreements and expenditure of funds in support of this MOU must comply with all 

applicable statutes, regulations, policies, and procedures, including (for federal agencies) the 

Anti-Deficiency Act (31 U.S.C. § 1341).

PART 5 – LIMITATIONS OF COMMITMENT: 

The performance of this MOU and any continuation thereof may be contingent upon the 

availability of funds appropriated by the Congress of the United States. It is understood and 

agreed that any monies allocated for purposes covered by this MOU shall be expended in 

accordance with the terms and in the manner prescribed by the applicable statutory and 

regulatory requirements; Nothing in this MOU shall obligate either Party to obligate or transfer 

any funds. Specific work projects or activities that involve the transfer of funds, services, or 

property among the various agencies and offices of either Party will require execution of separate 

agreements and be contingent upon the availability of appropriated funds. Such activities must be 

independently authorized by appropriate statutory authority. This MOU does not provide such 

authority. Negotiation, execution, and administration of each such agreement must comply with 

all applicable statutes and regulations.

PART 6 – CONGRESSIONAL RESTRICTION: 
Subject to 41 U.S.C. § 22, no member of, or delegate to, Congress shall be admitted to any share 

or part of this MOU or to any benefit to arise thereupon.

PART 7 – PUBLICITY:

The Parties will coordinate all public statements and other disclosures regarding this MOU and 

shall not enter into any publicity regarding this MOU unless the form, timing, and contents of 

any such publicity, announcement, or disclosure have been agreed to in advance.

PART 8 – CONFIDENTIALITY: 

The Parties shall avoid the sharing of confidential information. To the extent the objectives of 

this MOU are impossible to meet without such sharing, the Parties shall enter into a separate 

confidentiality agreement.

PART 9 – NON-EXCLUSIVITY AND NON-ENDORSEMENT: 

This MOU in no way restricts either of the Parties from participating in similar activities or 

entering into similar agreements with other public or private agencies, organizations or 

individuals. Nor shall this MOU be interpreted to imply that either Party endorses any product, 

service, or policy of the other.

This MOU does not restrict the addition of other colleges or partners to this consortium and does 

not preclude the addition of other activities deemed appropriate by its membership.

PART 10 – SEVERABILITY: 

Nothing in this agreement is intended to conflict with current law(s), regulation(s), or the 

directives of either USDA or the Alliance. If any provision in this MOU is found to be 

inconsistent with existing authority, then that provision shall be reviewed and modified or 

annulled as agreed to by the Parties in writing; however, the remaining provisions of this MOU 

shall remain in full force and effect.

PART 11 – NO THIRD-PARTY RIGHTS:

This MOU is not intended to, and does not create, any right, benefit, or trust responsibility, 

substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or equity, by a party against the United States, its 

agencies, its officers, or any person.

PART 12 – EFFECTIVE DATE, DURATION, AND TERMINATION: 

This MOU shall become effective upon the date of final signature and shall remain in effect for 5 

years therefrom, unless otherwise modified. This MOU may be extended or amended upon written 

request of either USDA-RD or the Alliance and the subsequent written concurrence of the other Party. 

Either Party may terminate this MOU at any time by 60-day written notice to the other Party. 

The provisions of this MOU shall be reviewed annually.
Signed the ____ day of __________, 20_____ in ____________________________.

City, State

_______________________________ ____________________________

Roger Glendenning, Acting Under Secretary Dr. Tracy Kruse, Executive Director

United States Department of Agriculture Community College Alliance for 

Agriculture Advancement

_______________________________

Jacqueline Ponti-Lazaruk, Chief Innovation Officer

United States Department of Agriculture