2012artmethod1 memo to states.pdf

AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER

Dear State Directors:

The Child Nutrition and WIC Reauthorization Act of 2004 (P.L. 108-265) amended

Section 22 of the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act (NSLA), to establish a requirement that State agencies (SAs) conduct additional administrative reviews (AARs) of selected local educational agencies. It also amended Section 7 of the Child Nutrition

Act to provide funding for States to conduct administrative reviews and provide training for local educational agencies. These requirements are focused on school food authorities

(SFAs) which have demonstrated a high level of, or a high risk for, administrative error.

To assist SAs in achieving these requirements, the Department of Agriculture Food and

Nutrition Service (FNS) will provide funding for Administrative Reviews and Training

Grants (ART). The grant funds will be available only to the 57 SAs that administer the

Child Nutrition Programs for the purpose of conducting AARs of SFAs that have demonstrated a high level of, or a high risk for, administrative error.

Since 2009, FNS has announced application opportunities for two types of ART grants.

Method I ART grants provide funding for additional administrative reviews and Method II

ART grants provide funding for training and oversight activities. This announcement describes the FY 2012 Method I grant application process. Information pertaining to

Method II grants will be issued later in FY 2012.

The goal of the ART Method I Request for Applications (RFA) for grant funding is to encourage and support SAs in their efforts to decrease administrative errors by conducting

AARs of those SFAs that may have a high level of, or a high risk for, administrative error.

This RFA seeks applications for funding to conduct AARs of high-risk SFAs and a plan for reviews that would be conducted to address these errors. The requirement for AARs is described in FNS memorandum SP 48-2011 which can be found on the FNS public website (http://www.fns.usda.gov/cnd/governance/policy.htm) or on the Agency’s

PartnerWeb (https://www.partnerweb.usda.gov).

SAs interested in obtaining funding under ART Method I should review the attached

Request for Applications (Attachment A), and complete the attached template

(Attachment B), and other required forms, as explained in the RFA. Please refer to the full RFA for a complete list of required documents. Funding of up to $3,500 per review may be requested. If an SA requests more than $3,500 per review, appropriate justification must be provided to enable FNS to determine whether the increase is justifiable. All allocated costs, including indirect costs, must be actual and documented.

United States Department of Agriculture

Food and Nutrition

Service

3101 Park Center Drive Alexandria, VA

22302-1500 http://www.fns.usda.gov/cnd/governance/policy.htm https://www.partnerweb.usda.gov/

State Directors

Applications must be received via www.grants.gov no later than 5:00 p.m. Eastern Standard

Time on March 2, 2012. Applications received after this date and time will not be considered.

We strongly recommend that SAs submit the online application two weeks before the application deadline in case there are problems with the website. All questions regarding the application and electronic submission should be referred to FNS Grant Officer Carla Garcia via email at Carla.Garcia@fns.usda.gov.

We look forward to receiving your application for FY 2012 ART Method I grant funding.

Sincerely, Lael J. Lubing Cynthia Long

Director Director

Grants and Fiscal Policy Division Child Nutrition Division

Enclosures

FINAL:FNS:SNP:CND:JacquelineMitchell:kw:01-03-2012:703-305-2744 http://www.grants.gov/ mailto:Carla.Garcia@fns.usda.gov