2025 TK Recruitment and Training_Project Narrative.docx

Farmers Market Promotion Program

AND

Local Food Promotion Program 2025 Turnkey RECRUITMENT AND TRAINING Project Narrative Form and instructions This form is mandatory for all Turnkey Recruitment and Training applications. Turnkey applications do NOT require the completion of the Farmers Market Promotion Program (FMPP) and Local Food Promotion Program (LFPP) Narrative Form. Thoroughly review the applicable FMPP or LFPP Request for Applications (RFA) before completing this form. This form must be converted to PDF and attached to the application package within Grants.gov.

1. Applicant Organization Must match box 8 of the SF-424.

Name:

Email:

Phone:

Mailing Address:

2. Authorized Organization Representative (AOR) This person is responsible for signing any documentation should the grant be awarded. Must match box 21 of the SF-424.

Name:

Email:

Phone:

Mailing Address: ☐ Check if same as above

3. Project Coordinator or Director (PC/PD) This cannot be the same person listed as the AOR.

Name:

Email:

Phone:

Mailing Address: ☐ Check if same as above

4. Applicant Entity Type OMB No. 0581‐0240 Select each applicable entity type as defined in Section 2.1 of the RFA. If your organization is a State Agency Regional Farmers Market Authority, you must provide the regulatory statute(s) that identify your agency as that entity type.

☐ Agricultural Business or Cooperatives ☐ Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) Network or Association ☐ Economic Development Corporation ☐ Food Council ☐ Local Government ☐ Nonprofit Corporation ☐ Producer Network or Association ☐ Public Benefit Corporation ☐ Regional Farmers Market Authority ☐ State Agency Regional Farmers Market Authority (Indicate Regulation Below): Comment by Lakins, Velma - MRP-AMS: Flagging for review. This entity is not listed as an eligible entity in the RFA or in the statutory language.

☐ Tribal Government ☐ Other (Specify Below):

5. Project Activity Category Project activities have already been preselected specific to Recruitment and Training Turnkey project focus.

þ Farmer Recruitment and Retention þ Training and Education

6. Project Title (Provide a descriptive title. Must match box 15 of the SF-424.):

7. Grant Application Project Type (Only select one Program Project Type. Described in Section 3.3 of the RFA) Comment by Lakins, Velma - MRP-AMS: Add language "ONLY select one Program Project Type"

FMPP:

☐ FMPP Turnkey Recruitment and Training

LFPP:

☐ LFPP Turnkey Recruitment and Training

8. Requested Funds Insert the total amount ($) of Federal funds requested. This must match the total amount requested on Line 18a. Estimated Federal Funding of the SF-424.

9. Cost Share Funds Applicant must provide a 25% cost share on the total Federal portion of the grant. This must align with the total amount requested on Line 18b Applicant Funding of the SF-424. See Section 2.4 of the RFA for more information.

10. Does the proposal address the Low Income/Low Access (LI/LA) Priority Consideration as described in Section 3.4 of the RFA?

See instructions on how to determine priority eligibility at Qualifying for Priority Consideration at the end of this form.

☐ Yes ☐ No

11. Project Implementation Physical Address Enter up to three addresses where this project will be implemented. If you are requesting consideration as a priority area, enter the Food Access Research Atlas Low Income/Low Access (LI/LA) Census Tract number. For detailed instructions, see Qualifying for Priority Consideration at the end of this form.

Executive Summary In 250 words or less, briefly describe the project’s purpose; activities to be performed, deliverables and expected outcomes; intended beneficiaries; including subrecipients, key partners and collaborators (when applicable); and any other pertinent information. This summary will be made available to the public. Comment by Massey, Elijah - MRP-AMS: Should we add the qualifying “If awarded…” to this sentence?

Technical Merit Work Plan Describe the activities and timeline associated with each project objective selected for the turnkey project. The Turnkey project work plan includes five (5) prescribed objectives. There is flexibility in specific activities, budget, timeline and staffing for each objective. Fill out the table below to include the following information:

A list and description of each planned activity, anticipated date of completion; resource required; milestone(s) for assessing progress and success; and who is responsible for completing the activity, including collaborative arrangements or subcontractors.

Reminder that the project must specifically benefit farm and ranch operations serving local markets, and must benefit more than one agricultural producer, vendor, or individual. To qualify for this Turnkey application, you must work on at least 3 of the objectives in the chart below. For those you will NOT be doing, please mark N/A in the second column for that objective. DO NOT modify this Project Narrative form. The only acceptable modification is to add additional rows to the tables.

Objective:

Include the objective this activity will be tied to List and describe each planned activity:

Include the scope of work and how it relates to the project objectives

For completion of each activity Milestones:

For assessing progress and success of each activity Who will do the work?

Include collaborative arrangements or subcontractors

Refrigerator equipment Milestone 1: Complete XX assessment

Milestone 2: Initiate XX equipment purchases ABC Best Contracting Service

XYZ Company’s Executive Director

Identify and analyze new or improved strategies for vendor and producer recruitment, training, or both.

Develop or revise strategies or plans for vendor or producer recruitment, training, or both.

Design materials for vendor and producer recruitment, training, or both.

Implement plans for vendor and producer recruitment, training, or both

Evaluate outcomes related to vendor and producer recruitment, training, or both.

Have you received a past FMPP or LFPP grant award?

☐ Yes ☐ No Have you submitted this project to another Federal grant program?

☐ Yes ☐ No Are you a current Regional Food System Partnership (RFSP) recipient?

☐ Yes ☐ No If yes to the above questions, please provide the information below. Provide AMS agreement number for grants received in the past 5 years. Describe how the project is/was different from previous grants or how it supplements the proposed activities; and the results of the current project (if applicable). Include lessons learned, what can be improved, and how these lessons and improvements will be incorporated into this application to meet program goals effectively and successfully.

AMS Grant Agreement number;

OR

Federal Financial Assistance Number (FAIN)?

(I don’t think we need both) Description

Achievability This section includes the outcome indicator evaluation plan.

Outcome Indicators Complete all applicable project Outcomes and Indicators with baseline and/or estimated realistic target numbers. Applicants must choose at least one Outcome and Indicator(s). If an outcome indicator does not apply, check N/A (Not Applicable). For additional information on how to collect data for these outcomes and indicators, refer to the Performance Measures Data Collection Guide. The outcomes below are the FMPP and LFPP outcomes that are specific to the Recruitment and Training Turnkey Application. Comment by Massey, Elijah - MRP-AMS: As with the “regular” PN, should we add a statement notifying applicants that if all indicators related to an outcome’s table are marked “N/A” they may collapse the table (to help with page count limitations)? If so, we might want to add a statement that any collapsed table will be treaded as the applicant indicating the outcome does not apply to the proposed project (since once the applicant uploads a PDF of the PN to grants.gov, the Agency will not have the ability to expand the table’s content following conversion).

Such direction would respond to positive feedback we received regarding applicant’s ability to expand/collapse Outcome/indicator tables in the fillable PDF PN in FY25. However, it also presents the potential for new confusion and the possibility of an applicant collapsing a table which contains relevant indicator information. Comment by Massey, Elijah - MRP-AMS: As with the “regular PN” should we add a statement notifying applicants that if all indicators related to an outcome’s table are marked “N/A” they may collapse the table (to help with page count limitations)? If so, we might want to add a statement that any collapsed table will be treaded as the applicant indicating the outcome does not apply to the proposed project (since once the applicant uploads a PDF of the PN to grants.gov, the Agency will not have the ability to expand the table’s content following conversion).

Such direction would respond to positive feedback we received regarding applicant’s ability to expand/collapse Outcome/indicator tables in the fillable PDF PN in FY25. However, it also presents the potential for new confusion and the possibility of an applicant collapsing a table which contains relevant indicator information. Comment by Lakins, Velma - MRP-AMS: The applicant converts the word document to a PDF to upload in Grants.gov. The PDF will not allow to expand the outcome indicators that have been collapsed. Recommendation to not collapse.

Outcome 2:

Outcome 1: Facilitate Regional Food Chain Coordination Andand Increase Capacity Ofof Direct-To-Consumer Entities Comment by Massey, Elijah - MRP-AMS: Does not align with “regular” PN numbering. Should we revise (this would be Outcome 2)?

Renumbering would align with the approach taken in FY24.

þ

þ

Expertise and Partners Key Staff (Applicant Personnel and External Partner/Collaborators) List key staff, including applicant personnel and external project partners and collaborators (see section 33.23 in the RFA for definitions) that comprise the Project Team, their role, their relevant experience, and past successes in developing and operating projects similar to those to be conducted under this project. Applicant must include Letters of Commitment from Partner and Collaborator Organizations to support the information (see section 4.8 5.2.7 in the RFA). If needed, add additional rows. Comment by Massey, Elijah - MRP-AMS: Should we add language directing an applicant to add rows to the table as needed?

Or is there a single place (p.1?) where we can provide such guidance applicable to all tables in the PN?

Key staff Name and Title

Project Management Plan Describe your management plan for coordination, communication, and data sharing and reporting among members of the Project Team and stakeholder groups, including both internal applicant personnel and external partners and collaborators.

Fiscal Plan and Resources Please complete the Budget and Justification below and ensure that you have included Critical Resources and Infrastructure letters to support the application information (see section 4.9 5.2.8 in the RFA). If needed, add additional rows to the tables. You must fill the SF-4234 A Budget Information Non – Construction Programs Form along with this section Budget and JustificationSummary The budget must show the total cost for the project and describe how category costs listed in the budget are derived. The budget justification must provide enough detail for reviewers to easily understand how costs were determined and how they relate to the Project Objectives and Expected Outcomes. The budget must show a relationship between work planned and performed to the costs incurred. The budget summary table totals must match with the subtotals for each expense category.

Refer to RFA Section 3.6 Allowable and Unallowable Costs and Activities for more information on allowable and unallowable expenses.

Budget Summary

applicant and 3rd parties

Personnel

Fringe benefits

Travel

Supplies

Contractual

Other (specify)

Direct costs subtotal

Indirect costs

Total budget (direct + indirect)

Personnel List each person who has a substantive role in the project and the amount of the request and/ or the value of his or her cost share match. Personnel costs should be reasonable for the services rendered, conform to the established written policy of your organization, and consistently applied to both Federal and non-Federal activities. For annual salary please provide the salary for each year.

Suggest we consider a similar approach for the FY25 PN.

Level of effort (# of hours OR

% FTE)

Year 1: $ Year 2: $

In-Kind: ☐

Year 1: $

Year 1: $

In-Kind: ☐

PERSONNEL JUSTIFICATION

For each individual listed in the above table, describe the activities to be completed by name/title including approximately when activities will occur.

Personnel 1: Justification Personnel 2: Justification Personnel 3: Justification Personnel subtotals: $ $ Fringe Benefits Provide the fringe benefit rates for each of the project’s salaried employees listed above. The costs of fringe benefits should be reasonable and in line with established policies of your organization.

In-Kind: ☐

Fringe benefits subtotals: $ $ Travel Explain the purpose for each Trip Request. Please note that travel costs are limited to those allowed by formal organizational policy; in the case of air travel, project participants must use the lowest reasonable commercial airfares. For recipient organizations that have no formal travel policy and for-profit recipients, allowable travel costs may not exceed those established by the Federal Travel Regulations, issued by GSA, including the maximum per diem and subsistence rates prescribed in those regulations. This information is available at http://www.gsa.gov.

(airfare, car rental, hotel, meals, mileage, etc.)

Unit of measure (days, nights, miles)

In-Kind: ☐

CONFORMING WITH YOUR TRAVEL POLICYTravel subtotals: $ $

☐ By checking this box, I affirm that my organization’s established travel policies will be adhered to when completing the above-mentioned trips in accordance with 23 CFR 2300.474 or 48 CFR subpart 31.23, as applicable.

TRAVEL JUSTIFICATION

For each trip listed in the above table, describe the purpose of this trip and how it will achieve the objectives and outcomes of the project. Be sure to include approximately when the trip will occur.

Trip 1: (Approximate Date of Travel MM/YYYY), justification Trip 2: (Approximate Date of Travel MM/YYYY), justification Trip 3: (Approximate Date of Travel MM/YYYY), justification

Supplies List the materials, supplies, and fabricated parts costing less than $510,000 per unit and describe how they will support the purpose and goal of the proposal.

In-Kind: ☐

Supplies subtotal: $ SUPPLIES JUSTIFICATION Describe the purpose of each supply listed in the table above purchased and how it is necessary for the completion of the project's objective(s) and outcome(s).

Supply 1: Justification Supply 2: Justification Supply 3: Justification Contractual The Contractual section includes contractual, consultant, and subaward agreements that are part of the completion of the project. A subaward is an award provided by the non –federal entity to a subrecipient for the subrecipient to carry out part of a Federal award received by the non-federal entity. Contractual/consultant costs are expenses associated with purchasing goods and/or procuring services performed by an individual or organization other than the applicant in the form of a procurement relationship. If there is more than one contractor or consultant or subaward, each must be described separately.

☐ Contract ☐ Subaward

In-Kind: ☐

In-Kind: ☐

In-Kind: ☐

CONFORMING WITH YOUR PROCUREMENT STANDARDS Contractual subtotal: $ $ ☐ By checking this box, I affirm that my organization followed the same policies and procedures used for procurements from non-federal sources, which reflect applicable State and local laws and regulations and conform to the Federal laws and standards identified in 23 CFR §2300.317 through §2300.3237, as applicable. If the contractor(s)/consultant(s) is/are not already selected, I affirm that my organization will follow the same requirements.

CONTRACTUAL JUSTIFICATION

Provide for each of your real or anticipated contractors listed above a description of the project activities each will accomplish to meet the objectives and outcomes of the project. Each section should also include a justification for why contractual/consultant services are to be used to meet the anticipated outcomes and objectives. Include timelines for each activity. If contractor employee and consultant hourly rates of pay exceed the salary of a GS-15 step 10 Federal employee in your area, provide a justification for the expenses. This limit does not include fringe benefits, travel, indirect costs, or other expenses. If awarded, copies of the contractual agreements will be required.

Contractual 1: Justification Contractual 2: Justification Contractual 3: Justification

Other Include any expenses not covered in any of the previous budget categories. Be sure to break down costs into cost/unit. Expenses in this section include, but are not limited to, meetings and conferences, communications, rental expenses, advertisements, publication costs, and data collection.

In-Kind: ☐

Other subtotal: $ $OTHER JUSTIFICATION Describe the purpose of each item listed in the table above and how it is necessary for the completion of the project's objective(s) and outcome(s).

Other 1: Justification Other 2: Justification Other 3: Justification Indirect Indirect costs (also known as “facilities and administrative costs”—defined at 23 CFR §2300.1) represent the expenses of doing business that are not readily identified with a particular grant, contract, or project function or activity, but are necessary for the general operation of the organization and the conduct of activities it performs. For the indirect cost formula and additional information, refer to Section 3.74.2 of the RFA.

Qualifying for Priority Consideration Food Access Research Atlas (Atlas) http://www.ers.usda.gov/data-products/food-access-research-atlas.aspx Once you enter the Atlas, check one of the four the map layer(s) that applies to the proposal’s targeted community.

Zoom in on the map to identify your community. Clicking on your targeted area will produce the census tract and additional information about the locale. In the example below, the dark green area qualifies as low income and low access, and the census tract would be 35047957600.

Equal Opportunity Statement USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender.

Paperwork Burden Statement According to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501), an agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not 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 0581-02340. The time required to complete this information collection is estimated to average 4 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.

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