Federal Project Grant Award Summary

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts received a $441,180 Project Grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture Food and Nutrition Service under the Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Program (SFMNP, CFDA 10.576) effective October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026. This award provides funding to distribute benefits to low-income seniors in Massachusetts, enabling eligible beneficiaries to purchase fresh, nutritious, locally grown produce—including fruits, vegetables, honey, and fresh-cut herbs—directly from authorized farmers' markets, roadside stands, and community-supported agriculture (CSA) programs.

The grant supports two primary categories of activity: the issuance of benefits to eligible seniors (in the form of checks, coupons, or electronic transfers) and program administration. By facilitating direct transactions between senior consumers and local agricultural producers, the SFMNP simultaneously improves nutritional outcomes for low-income seniors while supporting local farming operations. Massachusetts must maintain comprehensive records of all program operations in compliance with applicable federal regulations (2 CFR Parts 200, 400, 415, and 416) and retain documentation for a minimum of three years following submission of the final expenditure report.