**AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** THE CONSORTIUM FOR CULTIVATING HUMAN AND NATURALLY REGENERATIVE ENTERPRISES, OR C-CHANGE, IS A TRANSDISCIPLINARY PARTNERSHIP UNITED IN THE EFFORT TO ADVANCE A NEW BIOBASED VALUE CHAIN. THIS NEW VALUE CHAIN IS BASED ON THE PRODUCTION OF RENEWABLE NATURAL GAS (RNG) AND ASSOCIATED BIOPRODUCTS THROUGH THE ANAEROBIC DIGESTION (AD) OF HERBACEOUS BIOMASS COMBINED WITH MANURE. IT IS EXPECTED TO PROVIDE A SUSTAINABLE INCOME STREAM FOR AGRICULTURAL STAKEHOLDERS IN THE US UPPER MIDWEST AND MID-ATLANTIC REGIONS, WHERE MOST OF THE NATION'S CORN, SOYBEAN, HOGS, POULTRY, EGGS, BIOFUELS, AND LARGE QUANTITIES OF DAIRY ARE PRODUCED. RNG IS THE BEST-INCENTIVIZED, FASTEST GROWING PRODUCT IN TODAY'S BIOECONOMY. THE NOVELTY OF THE PROJECT LIES IN LEVERAGING A SUCCESSFUL BUSINESS MODEL BASED ON THE AD OF MANURE TO ENCOMPASS NEW AGRICULTURAL FEEDSTOCKS, MORE DIVERSE PRODUCTS, AND INCREASED VALUE THROUGHOUT THE SUPPLY CHAIN. C-CHANGE PROVIDES INTEGRATED RESEARCH, EDUCATION, AND EXTENSION ACTIVITIES DIRECTED TOWARD FEEDSTOCK DIVERSIFICATION, MODULARI&SHY;ZATION, PROCESS INTENSIFICATION, AND STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT TO REDUCE SUPPLY CHAIN RISKS, INCREASE PRODUCT VALUE, AND IMPROVE PRODUCTION, PROFITABILITY, AND SUSTAINABILITY. THE PRESSING NEEDS TO ALLEVIATE SOCIAL, ECO&SHY;NOMIC, AND ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERNS ASSOCIATED WITH CURRENT AGRICULTURAL SYS&SHY;TEMS, AND TO FOSTER NEW ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IN RURAL AMERICA, DRIVES THE DEMAND FOR C-CHANGE. MORE THAN 55 ORGANIZATIONS HAVE ALREADY PROVIDED IN&SHY;PUT, HELPED REFINE PROJECT SCOPE AND PRIORITIES, AND ENLISTED FOR DEMONSTRATIONS, DEPLOYMENT, AND SCALE UP. ONCE FULLY DEVELOPED, THE VALUE CHAIN WILL SUBSTANTIALLY CONTRIBUTE TO NATIONAL TARGETS FOR BIO&SHY;FUELS AND BIOPRODUCTS WHILE SIMULTANEOUSLY MEETING OTHER GOALS PRO&SHY;MOTING HUMAN HEALTH, ECONOMIC PROSPERITY, ENERGY SECURITY, AND ECOSYSTEM RESOURCES.