2012 team nutrition training grants rfa-final.pdf

FNS 728

OMB Control No. 0584-0512

2012 Team Nutrition Training Grants

REQUEST FOR APPLICATIONS

CFDA # 10.574

Application Deadline: April 27 2012

Letter of Intent is due March 15, 2012

U.S. Department of Agriculture

Food and Nutrition Service

This application package is available on-line at http://teamnutrition.usda.gov/grants/2012.html

OMB BURDEN STATEMENT: According to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, no persons are required to respond to a collection of information unless it displays a valid OMB control number. The valid OMB control number for this information collection is 0584-0512. The time required to complete this information collection is estimated to average 40 hours per response, including the time for reviewing instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and completing and reviewing the collection of information.

2012 Team Nutrition Training Grant RFA

Table of Contents

Tips for Applications 3

I. General Information 4

II. Grant Requirements 7

Focus of the 2012 Team Nutrition (TN) Grants Request for Applications 7

Time Commitment and Responsibility 11

Grantee Meeting 11

Use of Grant Funds 11

Determination of Grant Awards and Amounts 12

III. Selection Criteria 13

IV. Application Content 15

Attachments

A. Letter of Intent 17

B. Terms and Conditions of Award 18

C. Guidance for Interpreting Cost Principles of Sub-Grants 20

D. Grant Application Cover Sheet 23

E. Budget Narrative Checklist (do not return with the application) 24

F. Application for Federal Assistance Package 25

Tips for Applications

A. Before You Begin

Read this application package carefully and follow all of the instructions, as new information has been included for FY 2012.

B. Preparing Your Application

Be thorough in your technical proposal. Write so that someone who knows nothing about your organization or your program plan can understand what you are proposing.

Address each of the selection criteria in your application and respond comprehensively.

Provide enough detail in your budget narrative (see “budget narrative checklist” in attachment E) about planned expenditures so reviewers can easily determine how the funds will be spent.

Link your planned expenditures to the goals and objectives of your program, and demonstrate that proposed expenditures are necessary to carry out your project and activities. DO NOT request funds for miscellaneous purposes.

C. Submitting Your Application

Include all required forms signed by an authorized representative of your organization.

Include letters of commitment from the Project Director, key staff and their supervisors, and partners (if applicable) in the appendices.

Your application must be received by Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) by the deadline date (April 27, 2012).

You may submit an application for a competitive grant (up to $350,000) or a non-competitive grant (up to $50,000).

If submitting applications for both competitive and non-competitive grants, State agencies must submit two application packages, not to exceed $350,000 total.

If submitting an application for a competitive grant only, the proposal must include activities designed to increase the number of HealthierUS School Challenge applications submitted from the State.

Comply with the following page limitations for your application(s):

Competitive Grant Non-Competitive Grant

Proposal Summary: One page One page

Technical Proposal: 20 pages 10 pages

Budget Narrative: 3 pages 3 pages

Appendices: 15 pages 10 pages

FY 2012 Team Nutrition Training Grants

Request for Application (RFA)

I. GENERAL INFORMATION

Purpose

The purpose of this grant is for State agencies to expand and enhance their training programs that incorporate and implement the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans and USDA Foods in meals served under the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) or the Child and Adult Care Food Program

(CACFP). States must apply Team Nutrition’s three behavior-focused strategies in their proposals:

Provide training and technical assistance to child nutrition foodservice professionals to enable them to prepare and serve nutritious meals that appeal to children.

Provide fun and interactive nutrition education for children, teachers, parents, and other caregivers.

Build school and community support for creating healthy school environments that are conducive to healthy eating and physical activity.

Critical Dates

March 15, 2012 Intent to Submit an Application is due to FNS (see Attachment A)

April 27, 2012 Applications are due to FNS

September 2012 Team Nutrition (TN) Training Grants will be awarded

Who May Apply

State agencies that administer the NSLP and/or the CACFP may apply.

Novice States

Novice States are those that have not received TN Training Grants for the past 3 fiscal years.

Applications from novice states will receive an additional 5 points for competitive grants.

Funding and Duration

Up to $5.5 million is anticipated in Fiscal Year 2012 for TN Training Grants. Approximately $1.5 million will be set aside to provide non-competitive grants (up to $50,000) to State agencies that did not receive a non-competitive grant for FY 2011 and that commit to specific strategies to increase the number of HealthierUS School Challenge (HUSSC) applications submitted for approval

(http://teamnutrition.usda.gov/HealthierUS/index.html). State agencies that received a non-competitive grant in FY 2011 are not eligible to apply again for a FY 2012 non-competitive grant. Up to $350,000 may be requested through a competitive grants process. Up to $350,000 may be requested per State agency to include both competitive and non-competitive grants. For example, a State may apply for a $50,000 non-competitive grant, but they would then only be eligible to apply for up to

$300,000 in competitive funding; the maximum amount a State may request is $350,000. The submission of an application for a non-competitive grant guarantees funding, provided the application meets all the required criteria. The submission of an application for a competitive grant does NOT guarantee funding for a competitive grant.

http://teamnutrition.usda.gov/HealthierUS/index.html

Both competitive and non-competitive TN Training Grants will be funded for the period of September

30, 2012- September 30, 2014. Funding for approved TN Training Grants will be provided through the Grant Award/Letter of Credit process, in the same manner as other Federal funds, upon receipt of a properly executed Federal-State TN Training Grant Agreement and subject to availability of funding.

All TN Training Grant funds must be obligated and all activities under the TN Training Grant must be completed by September 30, 2014.

Application Due Date

The complete application package must be uploaded on www.Grants.gov on or before Friday, April

27, 2012 at 5:00 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time. Applications received after the deadline date and/or time will be deemed ineligible and will not be reviewed or considered. FNS WILL NOT consider any additions or revisions to applications once they are received.

Submission of Application

FNS will not accept applications sent via U.S. Mail, email, fax, or those that are hand-delivered.

1) Submit application(s) through Grants.gov

The Grants.gov is a government-wide web site designed for electronic submission of applications/proposals. We advise that you allow ample time to familiarize yourself with the system’s requirements. You will need both the Data Universal Number (DUNS) and the Contract

Registry Number (CCR) for your State agency to access the system. You can contact Dun and

Bradstreet at 1-800-234-3867 to obtain a DUNS number if you do not have one already.

Please be aware that the Grants.gov system provides several confirmation notices; you need to be sure that you have confirmation that the application was accepted.

2) Late applications will not be considered in this competition. FNS will not consider additions or revisions to applications once they are received.

3) Applications submitted without all the required supporting documents, forms, certification, and signatures will not be considered for competition.

4) Applications should clearly indicate submission of a competitive or non-competitive application, or both.

All questions regarding the application should be referred to Leslie Byrd at leslie.byrd@fns.usda.gov.

Grants.gov will actively reject submissions from organizations with expired CCR registration.

Please be advised that on August 9th, 2011, Grants.gov implemented a real-time registration confirmation with the Central Contractor Registration (CCR) system. (Per 2 CFR Part 25, all applicants must have current CCR status at the time of application and throughout the duration of any

Federal award.)

Central Contractor Registration will now be checked at the time of every Grants.gov application submission. If your CCR registration is expired and you attempt to submit an application, you will receive a rejection email indicating that your CCR account is expired. Your organization will be required to go to CCR and renew the registration.

http://www.grants.gov/ http://www.grants.gov/ mailto:leslie.byrd@fns.usda.gov

Applicants should verify their CCR status and renew registration if needed. You can check CCR status at http://www.ccr.gov.

Terms and Conditions of Award

Terms and Conditions of Award for the TN Training Grant are listed in Attachment B.

http://www.ccr.gov/

2012 GRANT REQUIREMENTS

State agencies may apply for a traditional competitive grant described in the first three objectives below, a non-competitive TN-HUSSC grant described further below, or both. If applying for both competitive and non-competitive grants, States must submit separate application packages for each.

Competitive Grant

For a Competitive Grant, activities must include one or more of the following objectives, but not necessarily all of the sample activities under each objective:

1. Provide training for NSLP or CACFP foodservice staff on implementing the 2010 Dietary

Guidelines for Americans (DGAs), applying for the HealthierUS School Challenge, maximizing the use of USDA Foods, and meeting the requirements for the new meal patterns for school meals mandated by the Healthy Hunger Free Kids Act of 2010.

State agencies must describe how their plan will assist foodservice staff in one or more of the following areas:

Develop smarter lunchrooms to increase student choice of whole grains, fat-free or low-fat dairy products, fruits, vegetables, and legumes through the use of behavioral economics.

Increase the amount and variety of high fiber, whole-grain products offered to students.

Increase the availability of both fruits and vegetables within the meals programs, including the promotion of school or child care center gardens and farm to school initiatives.

Offer fat-free or low-fat milk, yogurt, or cheese.

Reduce sodium incrementally.

Reduce saturated fat.

Eliminate trans fats.

Take the HealthierUS School Challenge at both the elementary and secondary levels.

Understand the nutritional benefits of USDA Foods, including their contribution to the

Dietary Guidelines for Americans, and how to maximize the use of those foods in nutritious, low-cost school meals.

2. Provide fun and interactive nutrition education and/or physical activity for children, teachers, parents, and other caregivers.

State agencies must describe how their plan will include one or more of the following activities:

Increase behavior-focused nutrition education provided in the classroom, cafeteria, school or child care garden, and at home.

Increase opportunities for children to participate in structured physical education and physical activity both during the school day and afterschool programs.

Increase opportunities for students to participate in efforts to make healthier foods available in schools.

Educate the school community on the healthful contributions USDA Foods make to nutritious, low cost school meals.

Grant activities should provide instruction to students through a variety of fun and interactive nutrition education lessons and activities, as well as training for teachers and caregivers.

Instruction and training should include USDA Team Nutrition materials, materials from the

National Food Service Management Institute (NFSMI), and USDA Foods Toolkit. Grant activities should also provide opportunities for students to taste new foods or menu items, choose healthier foods and beverages outside of school meals, and be physically active both in and outside of school or child care programs.

3. Provide schools or child care centers with technical assistance to create and maintain a healthier school or child care environment, as well as implement and review their wellness policies to align with the requirements set forth in the Healthy Hunger Free Kids Act of 2010, including those for school or child care meals, competitive foods, nutrition education, nutrition promotion, physical education, physical activity, and other school- or child care program-based activities that promote wellness, as appropriate.

State agencies must describe how their plan will assist schools or child care centers in one or more of the following areas:

Implement and enforce local wellness policies, as applicable.

Develop and implement a nutrition promotion plan for the school or child care community.

Evaluate compliance with existing local wellness policy and provide training and technical assistance, as appropriate, to ensure compliance.

Inform and update the public (including parents, students or children, and others in the community) about the content and implementation of the local wellness policy.

Improve the nutritional quality of foods and beverages sold outside of the school meals program.

Mobilize parents, teachers, caregivers, school foodservice staff, and others in capitalizing on their role-model potential.

Educate parents, teachers, caregivers, and food service staff on the nutritional benefits of child nutrition (CN) meals over foods and beverages sold outside of the meal program -emphasizing the nutritional quality of CN meals and the healthful contribution USDA

Foods make to CN meals.

Apply for the HealthierUS School Challenge at both the elementary and secondary levels.

In addition, all Competitive grant proposals must:

a. Include a grant impact assessment plan that reflects attainable and measurable objectives.

State agencies should describe how they plan to:

Assess the effectiveness and usefulness of training approaches, programs, and activities.

Document information on targeted audiences (such as number of students, foodservice staff, teachers, caregivers, parents, administrators, etc.) who were reached through the TN Training Grant.

Document best practices and lessons learned from implementing these grant activities, as well as document changes to the nutrition environment of targeted schools, if applicable.

b. Include a plan that describes how activities will be sustained beyond the end of the grant period.

c. Include the use of USDA or NFSMI-developed materials:

Team Nutrition (http://teamnutrition.usda.gov/library.html);

USDA Foods (http://www.fns.usda.gov/fdd/CommodityFoodfacts.htm);

NFSMI (http://www.nfsmi.org/PageController.aspx?pID=2).

d. Include a HealthierUS School Challenge component if not applying for a non-competitive

TN-HUSSC grant.

e. Collaborate and partner with existing State and local organizations, businesses, and local community at large to achieve the goals of the grant.

http://teamnutrition.usda.gov/library.html http://www.fns.usda.gov/fdd/CommodityFoodfacts.htm http://www.nfsmi.org/PageController.aspx?pID=2

Non-Competitive Grant TN-HUSSC Grant

For a Non-Competitive TN-HUSSC Grant, State agencies can receive guaranteed grant funding up to a maximum of $50,000 for committing to increase the number of applications submitted for the HUSSC. State agencies must commit to getting the specified number of schools to submit applications for a HUSSC award to their Regional FNS Office before the end of the grant period.

Grant funding amounts will be based on the following:

Number of schools guaranteed to apply for award Guaranteed funding amount

50+ schools $50,000

40+ schools $40,000

30+ schools $30,000

20+ schools $20,000

These funds may be used to assist the State agency in providing training and technical assistance to school staff in meeting the HUSSC criteria. In order to qualify for the guaranteed funding, State agencies must describe how their plan will assist schools in one or more of the following areas:

Planning menus for increased whole grains, dark green/orange vegetables, fresh fruits, fat-free or low-fat milk and milk products, and dry beans/peas. This could include creating and standardizing recipes and menus that incorporate these items;

Creating, modifying, or adopting recipes that support such menus;

Assisting with the development or implementation of nutrition education curricula, regular physical activity programs, and/or local school wellness policies. This could include increasing acceptance of a variety of types and forms of whole grains, fresh fruits, dark green/orange vegetables, and dry beans/peas through nutrition education sessions and activities, such as taste tests, with the student population;

Bringing schools into compliance with the competitive foods criteria of the Challenge. This could include providing technical assistance to schools on model vendor contracts that provide competitive food and beverage options that meet HealthierUS School Challenge criteria; and

Funding staff to assist with compilation of application components or other related activities.

Applications must address all HUSSC criteria. State agencies not focusing grant activities on all

HUSSC criteria must state why all criteria are not addressed (i.e., if all schools are already serving fat-free or low-fat milk, there is no reason to include that in the proposed grant-funded activities).

Eligible State agencies may choose to apply for these guaranteed non-competitive funds only, or apply for the guaranteed funds in addition to their competitive grant proposal for one or more of the first three objectives beginning on page 7 above. States choosing the latter option must submit two application packages, not to exceed a total of $350,000.

Time Commitment and Responsibilities

A minimum 0.5 full-time equivalent (FTE) is required for the designated Project Director(s) for the

Competitive grant (no more than two staff positions can be combined to reach 0.5 FTE). The Project

Director(s) should be clearly identified by name with their FTE planned for work on the project. A

Project Director must be identified for a Non-Competitive grant, although there is no requirement for minimum time commitment.

The State agency is responsible for overseeing and coordinating grant activities; providing fiscal oversight; and exercising effective internal control of funds that are provided to a sub-contractor, school food authorities, and/or child care centers as sub-grant recipients, including the appropriate use of the “Guidance for Interpreting Cost Principles of Sub-Grant Awards (formerly Mini-Grants)” listed in Attachment C.

Grantee Meeting

All applicants must include in their budget the costs for two key project staff to attend one grantee meeting (a 2-day meeting in Alexandria, VA) in March 2013 -- this is a tentative date. The purpose of the Grantee meeting is to allow grantee States to share their plans/projects approved under the TN

Training Grants, share their past successes, discuss barriers encountered, and seek solutions from peer grantee States. Technical assistance on grant administrative requirements and cost principles also will be provided during the meeting.

Use of Grant Funds

All costs must be considered as allowable, allocable, necessary, and reasonable in accordance with new OMB Code of Federal Regulations Cost Principles as follows:

Code of Federal Regulations (Cost Principles):

2 CFR, Subtitle A, Chapter II, Part 225: States, Local, and Indian Tribal Governments

2 CFR, Subtitle A, Chapter II, Part 220: Institutions of Higher Education and Hospitals

2 CFR, Subtitle A, Chapter II, Part 230: Non Profit Organizations

Allowable use of funds includes, but is not limited to:

a. Education and Training

- Deliver State conducted training for foodservice personnel, TN school leaders, teachers, and/or school and child care decision-makers

- Provide train-the-trainer workshops

- Establish an instructors' network for State-wide training

- Conduct a grant-impact assessment (shall not exceed 20% of the TN Training Grant)

- Tuition for trainees

- Cost for trainers

- Travel reimbursement (reimbursement may only be paid for travel expenses in accordance with the Federal Travel Regulations 41 CFR 301 and shall not exceed the lesser of State or

Federal maximum per diem rates)

b. Local TN Training Grants

- All sub-grant awards must follow the “Guidance for Interpreting Cost Principles of Sub-

Grant Awards (formerly Mini-Grants)” (see Attachment C).

c. Personnel Costs

- Percentage of salary and benefits for the Project Director(s) and key staff (must be equal to their time spent on the grant activities)

- Contracted employee salaries (must be equal to their time spent on the grant activities)

- Pay for substitutes while teachers and/or foodservice staff attend training

d. Materials/Resources and Other Supplies

- While USDA requires States to use some of the USDA or NFSMI-developed materials, a portion of grant funds may be used for justified development of needed materials when: 1) no existing materials are available; 2) materials have potential as a national resource; or 3) materials require translation into other languages. Examples include development of an integrated nutrition education curriculum that meets the State’s learning standards for appropriate grade levels, compilation of the best practices of TN activities, and/or innovative ideas for delivering nutrition messages through multiple communication channels.

- Purchase of nutrition education materials when no existing, comparable free materials are available. A list of materials should be included in the proposal.

- Printing, duplicating, and disseminating existing materials. A list of materials should be included in the proposal.

- Coordination with existing resource centers and libraries, such as Food and Nutrition

Information Center (FNIC), or State TN websites.

e. Technology to Deliver Training

- Procurement of hardware and/or software for the purpose of conducting training on one or more of TN’s behavior-oriented strategies (shall not exceed 10% of the TN Training Grant).

Determination of Grant Awards

The grants review panel will provide recommendations for funding to the selecting official. The selecting official will consider panel recommendations and may consider additional factors, such as geographic distribution or specific FNS/USDA priorities, as well as selecting officials’ confidence in a prospective grantee's ability to perform grant requirements satisfactorily based on their past TN Grants performance. USDA reserves the right to not fund an application based on any of the above mentioned factors.

Determination of Award Amounts

If a State agency’s application has been selected and approved for funding, is well-justified, and the budget submission is realistic and well-supported, the application will be funded at the level requested.

USDA reserves the right to fund applications out of rank order and at a lesser dollar amount if it is judged that the application can be implemented with fewer Federal dollars, or if Federal funding is not sufficient to fully fund all applications that merit awards.

Any materials developed with TN Grant funds should be submitted in electronic format and be subject to other requirements specified in the Grant Agreement.

III. SELECTION CRITERIA

For State agencies applying for a combination of competitive and non-competitive funding, the competitive portion of the application will be ranked according to the criteria below. The criteria for the non-competitive funding is similar to that of the competitive funding, but applications will not be scored, just reviewed for completeness.

For a Competitive Grant:

The following selection criteria will be used to evaluate applications under this competition. The maximum score for all criteria is 100 points. Each criterion has a maximum score as indicated in parentheses. Novice State applicants will receive an additional five points. The maximum score a novice application can receive is 105 points.

Soundness or Merit of Project Design: (40 points)

Proposal provides justification of the project(s) and activities being proposed.

Proposal has objectives and goals that are appropriate to the target audience, are measurable, realistic, attainable, assessable, and address one or more focus areas (objectives – see page 7) requested in the

2012 Team Nutrition Training Grants Request for Application (RFA). Competitive proposals must include a HealthierUS School Challenge component if not also applying for a non-competitive grant.

Project activities incorporate one or more of the TN behavior-oriented strategies (see page 4).

Proposal describes State agency’s use of USDA-TN or NFSMI-developed materials, and adequate justifications are made if a portion of the grant funds will be used to develop or purchase needed materials.

Proposal adequately describes the tasks and activities with realistic timelines.

Proposal includes a chronological timeline, not to exceed two pages.

Proposal is written concisely, succinctly, and demonstrates a comprehensive planning process.

Proposal includes a plan for sustainability after the grant period has ended.

Grant Impact Assessment (25 points)

Proposal adequately describes how State agency will assess the effectiveness and usefulness of training approaches, programs, and proposed activities.

Proposal describes how State agency will document the number of targeted audiences reached, as well as best practices and lessons learned as result of the grant activities.

Qualification of Project Personnel, Project Management, and Organizational Experiences (15 points)

Proposal describes the qualifications of Project Director (PD) and other key personnel. Resumes must be provided which demonstrate that they have the appropriate educational, technical, and experiential backgrounds for their proposed roles. A position description must be included for PD and/or key staff to be hired after the grant is awarded. The Project Director, or one of the Project Co-Directors, should have a four-year degree in nutrition/dietetics, public health, health education, or other related field.

Proposal describes the organization’s credibility and capabilities to administer the grant.

The organization of the project allows sufficient time for proposed tasks, and clearly discusses and demonstrates that effective communication will exist among staff.

Proposal describes State agency’s commitment to provide financial and administrative oversight for the grant. If part of proposal funding is used for local sub-grants to school districts/schools and/or child care centers, criteria for funding and plans for oversight must be provided.

Letters of commitment are provided by project director, project director’s supervisor, and key staff.

Budget Appropriateness and Efficiency (20 points)

Budget narrative describes how funds will be spent, by whom and for various categories.

Budget demonstrates consistency with project objectives and specific activities/tasks planned. Budget line items are linked to specific grant objectives.

The level of funding requested is economical and reasonable in relation to the proposed scope and effort of the project.

For a Non-competitive Grant:

With the exception of the number of HUSSC applications, descriptions of the following criteria are identical to those under the criteria for the competitive grant. Applications not meeting the criteria listed below will be deemed incomplete and not considered for funding.

Applications must include:

An identified Project Director (the same reporting requirements apply as for a competitive grant);

Project Design with measurable goals and objectives, including a timeline for activities such as training, technical assistance, reviewing HUSSC applications, and submission of HUSSC applications to USDA/FNS;

Number of HUSSC applications to be submitted prior to the end of the grant period;

Qualifications of Project Personnel;

Budget; and

Budget Narrative.

IV. APPLICATION CONTENT

Applicants must organize the information in their application in the following order. All pages should be numbered consecutively.

1. Cover Sheet. This is the title page of your application. See Attachment D.

2. Table of Contents. Include a one-page table of contents.

3. Proposal Summary. Provide a one-page summary that describes the proposed activities and intended outcomes.

4. Application Type. Indicate if application is for Competitive Grant, or Non-competitive Grant.

5. Technical Proposal. For competitive funding, the narrative section must address all the selection criteria. The narrative must be limited to 20 typed pages, single-spaced, with a one-inch margin.

The paper size shall be 8½ x 11 inches. The pages must be numbered consecutively. The font size must be no smaller than 12-point type using Times New Roman. It is in the best interest of the applicants to ensure that the technical proposal section is easy to read, logically developed in accordance with the selection criteria, and fully addresses each rating factor.

For non-competitive funding, the narrative must be limited to 10 typed pages, subject to the same formatting criteria as the competitive proposals described above.

6. Budget. Use the SF 424 and SF 424A forms (see Attachment F) to prepare a complete budget for the project. Provide amounts for all major budget categories. Provide separate budgets for the competitive funded grant and the non-competitive funded grant.

7. Budget Narrative. Applicants should provide a detailed explanation for all funds requested on the

Budget Form (SF 424A) and describe how those costs relate to the project objectives and proposed activities. The budget narrative must be limited to three typed pages, single-spaced, with a one-inch margin. The paper size shall be 8 ½ x 11 inches, and the font size must be no smaller than 12-point font using Times New Roman. The budget narrative should provide enough detail for reviewers to easily understand how costs were determined and how they relate to the goals and objectives of the project.

8. Indirect Cost. A copy of the State agency’s negotiated and approved rate must be attached. Please note that the submission of an approved indirect cost rate plan is required only if indirect costs are charged to the TN Grant.

9. Assurance and Disclosure. The following forms must be attached (see Attachment F):

Assurances - Non-Construction Programs, SF 424B

Disclosure of Lobbying Activities, SF LLL

10. Appendices. This section must include only required supporting documentation that addresses the applicant’s capacity to carry out the proposed project. Documentation includes resumes of the

Project Director(s) and key staff (limit of 2 pages per resume); letters of commitment from Project director(s) and key staff, as well as their supervisors; and letters of agreement from partners, collaborators, and/or other State agencies. If applicable, also include how much time and resources these partners and collaborators will contribute. Do not include the budget, the technical proposal, or timelines and deliverables in this section. The page limit of the appendices is 15 pages for a competitive grant, and 10 pages for a non-competitive grant.

Other attachments will not be reviewed nor returned to the applicant.

Attachment A - Letter of Intent

If you intend to submit an application for a Team Nutrition Training Grant, please complete the section below and return this form by March 15, 2012. This intent does not obligate a State agency in any way, but will provide useful information to us as we prepare for the review and selection process. The intent may be e-mailed or faxed. Thank you for your interest. Please submit your Letter of Intent to:

Anna Arrowsmith, RD

Child Nutrition Division

Food and Nutrition Services, USDA

3101 Park Center Drive, Room 630

Alexandria, VA 22302

Fax 703-305- 2549 anna.arrowsmith@fns.usda.gov

2012 Team Nutrition Training Grant

Intent to Submit an Application

Applicant (State agency name and address):

Project Director or Contact Person _________________________________

Telephone _____________________________________ e-mail _____________________________

State CN Director _____________________________

Telephone _____________________________________ e-mail _____________________________

Applying for (check one):

Non-Competitive Grant

Both mailto:anna.arrowsmith@fns.usda.gov

Attachment B – Terms and Conditions of Award

This grant will be awarded and administered in accordance with the following regulations and the corresponding cost circular that establishes the principles for cost determination found at OMB Code of Federal Regulations

Cost Principles: 2 CFR, Subtitle A, Chapter II, Part 225: State, Local, and Indian Tribal Governments; Part 220:

Institutions of Higher Education and Hospitals; and Part 230: Non-Profit Organizations.

a. 2 CFR Part 170: “Reporting Subaward and Executive Compensation Information”

b. 2 CFR Part 25: “Universal Identifier and Central Locator Contractor Registration”

c. 7 CFR Part 15: “Nondiscrimination”

d. 7 CFR Part 210: “National School Lunch Program” and Part 220: “School Breakfast Program”

e. 7 CFR Part 3015: “Uniform Federal Assistance Regulations”

f. 7 CFR Part 3016: “Uniform Administrative Requirements for Grants and Cooperative Agreements to State and Local Governments other than Entitlement Programs (Reference OMB Circular A-102

Common Rule)

g. 7 CFR Part 3017: “Government-wide Debarment and Suspension (Non-Procurement)”

h. 7 CFR Part 3018: “New Restrictions on Lobbying”

i. 7 CFR Part 3019: “Uniform Administrative Requirements for Grants and Cooperative Agreements with Institutions of Higher Education, Hospitals, and other Non-Profit Organization”

j. 7 CFR Part 3021: “Government-wide Requirements for Drug-free Workplace (Financial

Assistance)”

k. 7 CFR Part 3052: “Audits of States, Local Governments, and Non-Profit Organizations”

l. 2 CFR Part 175: “Trafficking in Persons: Grants and Cooperative Agreements”

Copies of these documents are available online at http://www.gpoaccess.gov/cfr/index.html or upon request, from:

Leslie Byrd, Grants Officer

Grants & Fiscal Policy Division

Food and Nutrition Services, USDA

Team Nutrition Training Grants

3101 Park Center Drive, Room 738

Alexandria VA 22302

Leslie.byrd@fns.usda.gov http://www.gpoaccess.gov/cfr/index.html mailto:Leslie.byrd@fns.usda.gov

ADDITIONAL REGULATIONS IN EFFECT FOR FY 2012: TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF AWARD

2 CFR PART 170—REPORTING SUBAWARD AND EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION

INFORMATION

As required by the Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act (FFATA) of 2006 (Public

Law 109–282), as amended by section 6202 of Public Law 110–252, hereafter referred to as “the

Transparency Act,” requirements for recipients' reporting of information on subawards and executive total compensation.

Prime Grant Recipients awarded a new Federal grant greater than or equal to $25,000 as of October 1, 2010 are subject to FFATA subaward reporting. The prime recipient is required to file a FFATA subaward report by the end of the month following the month in which the prime recipient awards any sub-grant greater than $25,000. The grants subaward reporting data must be entered into the Federal

Subaward Reporting System (FSRS) available at www.fsrs.gov. Specific OMB award terms and conditions will be included in all grant awards.

2 CFR Part 25 UNIVERSAL IDENTIFIER AND CENTRAL CONTRACTOR

REGISTRATION

Effective October 1, 2010, all grant applicants must obtain a Dun and Bradstreet (D&B) Data

Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number as a universal identifier for Federal financial assistance applicants, as well as active grant recipients and their direct sub-recipients of a sub-grant award. To request a DUNS number, visit http://fedgov.dnb.com/webform.

The grant recipient must register its DUNS number into the Central Contractor Registration (CCR) as the repository for standard information about applicants and recipients, and the registration must be maintained in the CCR throughout the performance period of the grant award. To register a DUNS number and or maintain a CCR registration, visit www.ccr.gov. OMB requires grant recipients’ DUNS numbers registered in CCR to be current in order to access the Federal Prime Grant Recipient

Reporting website (www.usaspending.gov).

FNS may not make an award to an entity until the entity has complied with the requirements described in 2 CFR 25.200 to provide a valid DUNS number and maintain an active CCR registration with current information.

https://www.fsrs.gov/ http://fedgov.dnb.com/webform http://www.ccr.gov/ http://www.usaspending.gov/

Attachment C – Guidance for Interpreting “Cost Principles of Sub-Grant Awards

(formerly Mini-Grants)”

Use of Team Nutrition Training Grant Funds for Sub-Grants

State agencies that award Team Nutrition (TN) Training Grants in the form of sub-grants are expected to:

Provide oversight to these sub-grant recipients to ensure that expenditures authorized under the sub-grants are allowable, allocable, and reasonable.

Ensure that all expenditures are consistent with all local, State, and Federal policies, regulations, and procedures.

Ensure that the expenditure does not exceed that which would be incurred by a prudent person under similar circumstances and would qualify as a sound business practice.

Ensure that schools that receive sub-grants are enrolled as TN Schools.

(Visit http://teamnutrition.usda.gov/team.html to enroll)

Ensure that Team Nutrition sub-grant funds support one or more of the Team Nutrition strategies and deliver Team Nutrition messages of healthy eating and being physically active. Team Nutrition strategies and nutrition messages must be part of the objectives and work plan of the sub-grant recipient.

The three TN behavior-oriented strategies include:

Provide training and technical assistance to child nutrition foodservice professionals to enable them to prepare and serve nutritious meals that appeal to children and meet the recommendations of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans.

Provide fun and interactive nutrition education for children, teachers, parents and other caregivers.

Build school and community support for creating healthy school environments that are conducive to healthy eating and physical activity.

Ensure that all activities and expenses specified in the sub-grants support and promote children’s participation in the child nutrition programs.

Some general guidance for allowability of selected items of cost under the Cost Principles:

Food Cost

Team Nutrition funds may be used to pay for food if the food is part of a specific educational activity.

For example, conducting a classroom taste test of specific fruits or vegetables, or demonstrating the making of simple, healthy snacks, is a reasonable request. The use of the food must be related to nutrition education activities specified under objectives of the sub-grant proposal or work plan. Team

Nutrition funds should not be used to purchase a meal for anyone.

http://teamnutrition.usda.gov/team.html

Food and Nutrition Equipment

Team Nutrition funds may not be used to purchase foodservice operation equipment, such as salad bar equipment, refrigerators, food processors, etc. However, small mobile kitchen equipment to be used for classroom food preparation demonstration or hands-on food experiences may be permissible if such activities are part of the integrated nutrition education lessons specified under objectives of the proposed sub-grants. Teachers’ commitment to teach nutrition in the classroom and share the use of the purchased mobile kitchen equipment among other teachers within the same building, if applicable, should be clearly indicated in the sub-grant proposal. A total expenditure of food and nutrition-related equipment purchases should not exceed 10% of the total sub-grant awarded.

Medical Equipment

Team Nutrition funds may not be used to purchase medical equipment or health services related to health assessments, such as obtaining clinical data on nutritional status, chronic disease, or chronic disease risk assessment. Therefore, measurement of height, weight, skin fold thickness, blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood glucose and iron levels are not allowable costs under the TN grant. Although the

Body Mass Index (BMI) concept may still be part of the nutrition education component for the age-appropriate students, obtaining the height and weight status should come from the school nurse’s office, students’ health care providers, or the individual student's knowledge.

Physical Activity Eating healthy and being physically active are desired behavior outcomes of Team Nutrition. States are encouraged to coordinate with community, youth and recreational organizations, and others whose primary mission is to make regular opportunities for physical activity accessible to children.

Educational and program materials developed with TN funds to promote and reinforce physical activity for all target audiences must include messages that link nutrition and physical activity, such as

“balance your day with food and play” (Eat Smart. Play Hard. ). It might be permissible to use sub-grant funds to purchase posters, pamphlets, audiovisuals, and small, consumable supplies, such as a few classroom jump ropes or hula hoops, to help teachers promote life-long physical activity habits as part of a classroom nutrition education activity. However, TN funds are not intended to purchase pedometers or award pins for everyone, or to subsidize the regular physical education program in the school. The costs associated with physical activities should not detract significantly from funds for promoting healthy eating.

Team Nutrition funds may not be used to purchase playground equipment, exercise or sports equipment, or sports lessons (swimming, skating, etc.), or to pay for the services of a for-profit physical fitness organization. Children should not be given the message that they must belong to a health club in order to be physically active. Schools are encouraged to look to other funding sources for physical activity such as forming partnerships with local non-profit organizations such as the

YMCA, YWCA, Sierra Club, 4-H, and others in providing the kind of resources that might continue to supplement this type of activity when the Team Nutrition grant dollars are no longer available at the school.

Promotional/Incentive Items

The purpose of the Team Nutrition Grants is to promote Team Nutrition messages, not Team Nutrition, itself. Any promotional item or incentive should promote one or more of the Team Nutrition messages or refer the target audience to a website that provides the Team Nutrition messages. Team Nutrition messages are:

Eat a variety of foods

Eat more fruits, vegetables and whole grains

Eat lower fat foods more often

Get your calcium-rich foods

Be physically active.

Any cost associated with such promotions or incentives must be reasonable in comparison to the sub-grant funding. A total expenditure of promotional/incentive items should not exceed 5% of the total sub-grant awarded.

Staff Development and/or Substitute Pay

If adequate funding is available and acceptable to the State agency, Team Nutrition funds may be used to hire a substitute for a teacher, school administrator, or school foodservice staff representative to attend training (including HealthierUS School Challenge training), or participate in planning sessions or other avenues for staff development in nutrition education. For accounting purposes, a record of who attended the session, how long it lasted, and the purpose of the session is required.

Gardening

It is recognized that some of the Team Nutrition materials promote activities related to gardening, and gardening is an excellent way to involve the entire school or child care center, parents, and the community in a Team Nutrition activity. If the plans submitted by the sub-grant recipient(s) specify a gardening activity, Team Nutrition funds may be used to purchase a reasonable amount of supplies

(e.g., seeds, potting soil, and starter pots) for classroom gardening projects or even a few shovels and hoes for a school gardening project. Funds may not be used to purchase bulk soils such as topsoil, irrigation supplies, fencing or any type of large equipment such as a tiller or greenhouse.

Schools and child care centers are encouraged to partner with local gardening supply sources for creating sustainability of the gardening project after the TN Training Grant period. Schools and child care centers may also contact their local Cooperative Extension office to see if there is a Master

Gardener program that can assist you with the gardening project.

Summary

There is limited funding to accomplish Team Nutrition’s important goal of improving children’s lifelong eating and physical activity habits. State agencies will want to ensure that the best use of the limited funding is achieved. In approving sub-grant requests, a positive answer should always be sought to the following questions:

1. Is the cost applicable to my grant and the sub-grant’s objectives?

2. Is the cost allowable according to program cost principles?

3. Is the cost reasonable?

Attachment D – 2012 Team Nutrition Training Grant Application Cover Sheet______

2012 Team Nutrition Training Grant

CFDA 10.574

State: ______________________

Applying for (check one):

Non-Competitive Grant

State Child Nutrition Director(s): _____________________________________

E-mail address: ___________________________

Phone: _________________________ Fax: ____________________________

Grant Contact Person/Project Director: _________________________________

E-mail address: ___________________________

Phone: _________________________ Fax: _____________________________

The complete application package must be uploaded on www.Grants.gov on or before Friday, April

27, 2012, no later than 5:00 PM Eastern Daylight Time. Applications received after the deadline date and/or time will be deemed ineligible and will not be reviewed or considered. FNS WILL NOT consider any additions or revisions to applications once they are received. FNS will not accept mailed or hand-delivered applications.

http://www.grants.gov/

Attachment E: Budget Narrative Checklist – This checklist will assist you in completing the budget narrative portion of the application. Please review the checklist to ensure the items below are addressed in the budget narrative.

NOTE: The proposal project description (statement of work) must capture the bona fide need. The budget and budget narrative must be in line with the proposal project description. FNS reserves the right to request information not clearly addressed.

YES NO

Personnel

Did you include all key employees paid for by this grant under this heading?

Are employees of the applicant’s organization identified by name and position title?

Did you reflect percentage of time the Project Director will devote to the project in full-time equivalents (FTE)?

Fringe Benefits

Did you include your organization’s fringe benefit amount, along with the basis for the computation?

Did you list the type of fringe benefits to be covered with Federal funds?

Travel

Are travel expenses itemized? For example: origination/destination points, number and purpose of trips, number of staff traveling, mode of transportation, and cost of each trip.

Are the Attendee Objectives and travel justifications included in the narrative?

Is the basis for the lodging estimates identified in the budget? For example, include excerpt from travel regulations.

Equipment

Is the need for the equipment justified in the narrative?

Are the types of equipment, unit costs, and the number of items to be purchased listed in the budget?

Is the basis for the cost per item or other basis of computation stated in the budget?

Supplies

Are the types of supplies, unit costs, and the number of items to be purchased reflected in the budget?

Is the basis for the costs per item or other basis of computation stated?

Contractual: (FNS reserves the right to request information on all contractual awards and associated costs after the contract is awarded.)

Has the bona fide need been clearly identified in the project description to justify the cost for a contract or sub-grant expense(s) shown on the budget?

A justification for all Sole-source contracts must be provided in the budget narrative prior to approving this identified cost.

Other

Consultant Services. – Has the bona fide need been clearly identified in the project description to justify the cost shown on the budget? The following information must be provided in the justification: description of service, the consultant’s name and an itemized list of all direct cost and fees, number of personnel including the position titles

(specialty and specialized qualifications as appropriate to the costs), number of estimated hours x hourly wages, and all expenses and fees directly related to the proposed services to be rendered to the project.

For all other line items listed under the “Other” heading, list all items to be covered under this heading, along with the methodology on how the applicant derived the costs to be charged to the program.

Indirect Costs

Is the amount requested based upon a rate approved by a Federal Agency? If yes, a copy of the negotiated rate agreement must be provided along with the application.

If no negotiated agreement exists, the basis and the details of the indirect costs to be requested should also be reflected in the budget.

FOR GRANT APPLICANT USE ONLY. DO NOT RETURN THIS FORM WITH THE APPLICATION

Attachment F-- Application for Federal Assistance Package

Application

For

Federal Assistance

Package

Complete and sign the following information that is included in this section:

Application…