CCG NOFO.pdf

Cold Chain Grants for Emergency

Food Assistance

Fiscal Year 2026 Notice of Funding Opportunity

Funding Opportunity Number: USDA-AMS-TM-CCG-G-26-0001

Publication Date: August 17, 2026

Application Due Date: 11:59 PM Eastern Time on October 1, 2026

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1.0 BASIC INFORMATION

1.1 Executive Summary

1.2 Available Funding

1.3 Federal Award Period Duration and Size

1.4 Tips for Applicants

1.5 Timing to Obtain and Submit Grants.gov Required Elements

1.6 Agency Contact Information

2.0 ELIGIBILITY

2.1 Eligible Applicants

2.2 Cost Sharing

3.0 PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

3.1 Legislative Authority

3.2 Purpose

3.3 Subaward Program Implementation

3.4 Performance Measures

4.0 RECIPIENT COSTS

4.1 Allowable and Unallowable Costs and Activities

4.2 Program Administration Indirect Costs

5.0 APPLICATION CONTENTS AND FORMAT

5.1 Application Checklist

5.2 SF-424 Application for Federal Assistance

5.3 SF-424A Budget Information for Non-Construction Programs

5.4 Project Narrative

5.5 Negotiated Indirect Cost Rate Agreement (NICRA)

6.0 SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS AND DEADLINES

6.1 Electronic Application Package

6.2 Submission and Receipt Procedures and Requirements

6.3 Additional Submission Details

6.4 Submission Date and Time

6.5 Intergovernmental Review

7.0 APPLICATION REVIEW INFORMATION

7.1 Initial Review (Initial Screening)

7.2 Review Criteria (Technical Review)

7.3 Administrative Review (Selection Process and Risk Review)

8.0 AWARD NOTICES

8.1 Successful Applicants

8.2 Unsuccessful Applicants

9.0 POST-AWARD REQUIREMENTS AND ADMINISTRATION

9.1 Administrative and National Policy Requirements

9.2 Reporting Requirements

9.3 Acknowledgment of USDA Support

10.0 OTHER INFORMATION

10.1 Civil Rights Obligations/Non-Discrimination

10.2 AccessIbility Accommodation

10.3 Accommodations and Complaints

10.4 Freedom of Information Act Requests

10.5 Paperwork Reduction

1.0 BASIC INFORMATION

Federal Agency: Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS)

Funding Opportunity Title: Cold Chain Grants for Emergency Food Assistance

Announcement Type: Initial

Funding Opportunity Number: USDA-AMS-TM-CCG-G-26-0001

Assistance Listing Number: 10.197

Type of Federal Assistance: Grant Agreements will be used to provide federal awards to successful applicants.

Type of Application: New applications will be evaluated competitively using the selection process and evaluation criteria described in section 7.0 Application Review Information.

Application Deadline: The application deadline to AMS is 11:59 PM Eastern Time on October 1, 2026.

Applications received after these deadlines will not be considered for funding.

1.1 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS), requests applications for the fiscal year (FY) 2026 Cold Chain Grants for Emergency Food Assistance (CCG). AMS will competitively award funds to one or more recipients to offer subawards for cold storage and distribution equipment to food banks, food pantries, and other emergency food assistance operations to improve their ability to provide high quality meats, eggs, seafood, dairy, and fresh and minimally processed fruits and vegetables to vulnerable Americans. Through these subawards, more Real Foods1 produced by America’s dedicated farmers and ranchers will be made available in support of healthier families and healthier communities and in alignment with the 2025-2030 Dietary Guidelines for

Americans. Creating these new pathways for donated food products through cold chain support will additionally result in more efficient utilization of the U.S. food supply and avoidance of food waste.

Approximately $7.5 million is available to fund applications under this solicitation.

This announcement identifies the eligibility criteria for CCG projects and applicants, and the application forms and associated instructions needed to apply for a CCG grant. All applications will be reviewed using merit and evaluation procedures described in 7.0 Application Review Information.

AMS will award these funds competitively to at least one eligible organization that meets program requirements and whose expertise is consistent with the purpose of the grant program. The selected grant recipient(s) will provide management, oversight, consultation and expertise necessary to advance the purpose and activities of the program, primarily through a subaward program to support cold storage within the middle of the supply chain. All applicants must demonstrate their capacity to provide subawards to other entities for projects over a broad, relevant geographic coverage area.

1https://realfood.gov

1.2 AVAILABLE FUNDING

Anticipated Available Funding: Approximately $7.5 million. This is a one-time program. There is no commitment by USDA to fund any particular application, to guarantee minimum funding levels, or to make a specific number of awards.

Anticipated Number of Awards: 1 to 4.

Cost Share Requirement: There is no cost share requirement for applicants applying through this NOFO to manage the program.

A cost share is required from subrecipients in the form of cash contributions equal to 10% of the amount of Federal funds being requested. This cost share requirement applies to each subaward project.

1.3 FEDERAL AWARD PERIOD DURATION AND SIZE

AMS expects applicants to complete their projects within the performance period of the grant. It is acceptable to complete a project before the scheduled performance period end date. The applicant must indicate the start date and end date on Block 17 of the SF-424 “Application for Federal Assistance.”

Applicants may not request less than or more than the respective minimum/maximum amounts.

Applicants must justify the requested funding amounts within the Project Narrative.

Duration Start Date End Date Minimum award Maximum award

2 years September 30, 2026* September 29, 2028* $2M $7.5M

*Dates are approximate. Start dates are set at the time of the award.

1.4 TIPS FOR APPLICANTS

• To submit your application electronically using Grants.gov, you must:

o Have a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) and a Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN);

o Be registered in SAM.gov;

o Provide your UEI number and TIN on your application; and o Maintain an active and current SAM registration.

• Allow time for Registration Completion:

o The organization registration process can take as long as four weeks.

o Complete the registration as early as possible to meet all deadlines. See section 6.0

Submission Requirements and Deadlines for more information.

• Review General Terms and Conditions:

Review the CCG Program Specific Terms and Conditions, AMS General Terms and Conditions (AMS GT&C), and USDA General Terms and Conditions (USDA GT&C) to understand allowable and unallowable costs.

• Ensure File Compatibility:

o Use latest version of Adobe Reader that is compatible with Grants.gov.

https://www.grants.gov/ https://www.ams.usda.gov/services/grants/terms-and-conditions https://www.ams.usda.gov/services/grants/terms-and-conditions https://www.ams.usda.gov/services/grants/terms-and-conditions https://www.usda.gov/about-usda/general-information/staff-offices/office-chief-financial-officer/federal-financial-assistance-policy/usda-general-terms-and-conditions https://www.grants.gov/applicants/adobe-software-compatibility.html

• File Naming and Size:

o Limit file names to 50 characters or fewer.

o Avoid special characters in file names ($, %, &, *, Spanish "ñ", etc.).

• Attachment Upload:

o Use the “Add Attachments” button in Grants.gov for upload.

o Do not use the “paperclip” icon in Adobe Reader.

• File Security and Formatting:

o Do not password protect files.

o Accept all tracked changes in documents before submission.

• Accurate Data Entry:

o Verify that your UEI number is correctly entered on the SF-424 form cover page.

• Grants.gov Resources for Support:

o Applicant FAQs o Workspace Overview

By following these steps and recommendations, applicants can reduce errors, meet deadlines, and ensure compliance with submission requirements.

1.5 TIMING TO OBTAIN AND SUBMIT GRANTS.GOV REQUIRED ELEMENTS

Required Action Timing to

Obtain/Submit

AMS Deadline to receive final application and all supporting materials through Grants.Gov

October 1, 2026 – 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time

Obtaining Your Organization’s UEI Number (if you do not already have one) 7-10 business days

Establishing an Active SAM.gov Account (if you do not already have one) Up to 4 weeks

Obtaining a TIN/EIN (if you do not already have one) Up to 2 weeks

Creating your Grants.gov profile and registering your Authorized

Organizational Representative (AOR) authorization Up to 4 weeks

1.6 AGENCY CONTACT INFORMATION

1.6.1 AMS PROGRAM CONTACTS

After closely reviewing this NOFO in its entirety, applicants and other interested parties are encouraged to contact the CCG staff by e-mail with questions about the grant program at AMS.CCG@usda.gov.

AMS provides resources and information on the CCG website that may be helpful to applicants, including webinar information and required application forms. AMS staff are available to provide timely technical assistance. Staff cannot provide feedback on the merits of an application.

https://www.grants.gov/applicants/applicant-faqs.htm https://www.grants.gov/applicants/workspace-overview.html mailto:AMS.CCG@usda.gov http://www.ams.usda.gov/services/grants/ccg

Cold Chain Grants for Emergency Food Assistance USDA, Agricultural Marketing Service 1400 Independence Avenue, SW Room 1510-S South Building Stop 0264 Washington, DC 20250-0264 AMS.CCG@usda.gov

1.6.2 GRANTS.GOV CONTACT INFORMATION

All questions regarding Grants.gov technical assistance or issues must be directed to Applicant Support

Center. Applicants may also call the 24/7 (excluding federal holidays) toll-free support number 1-800-

518-4726 or email support@grants.gov.

2.0 ELIGIBILITY

2.1 ELIGIBLE APPLICANTS

All applicants must be domestic entities owned, operated, and located within the 50 States, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, Guam, American Samoa, the United States Virgin

Islands, or the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands.

Eligible entities: Nonprofit Corporations. Specifically, this includes any organization or institution, including nonprofits with State or Internal Revenue Code Section 501(c)(3) status where no part of the organization’s or institution’s net earnings inure to the benefit of any private shareholder or individual.

This may include charitable organizations or private foundations.

An eligible applicant must be able to demonstrate capacity to implement and manage a competitive subaward program funding others to conduct projects that meet the goals of the program. This includes competitive application solicitation, application review, award, oversight, and reporting.

2.2 COST SHARING

2.2.1 COST SHARING FOR ELIGIBLE APPLICANTS

Eligible applicants are not required to provide a cost share at the prime recipient level. A cost share is required at the subaward level as described in section 3.3.8 Cost Sharing for Subawards.

3.0 PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

3.1 LEGISLATIVE AUTHORITY

Legislative authority is provided in Section 1001(b)(4) of the American Rescue Plan (ARP) Act of 2021

(Pub. L. 117-2), which authorizes the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), to make grants to maintain and improve food and agricultural supply chain resiliency.

mailto:AMS.CCG@usda.gov https://www.grants.gov/support mailto:support@grants.gov https://www.congress.gov/117/plaws/publ2/PLAW-117publ2.pdf

3.2 PURPOSE

The purpose of the Cold Chain Grants for Emergency Food Assistance (CCG) is to support cold chain equipment investments that enable food assistance entities to temporarily store, effectively package, and distribute fresh and minimally processed foods. This NOFO requests applications to administer a

CCG subaward competition for investments in cold chain—refrigeration, freezers, refrigerated/freezer vehicles and trailers—and repackaging equipment. These equipment investments will be made through subawards to food banks, faith-based organizations, and other public or private nonprofit organizations that provide nutrition assistance, such as prepared meals or food for use at home, to people with low-income or challenging financial circumstances. The program aims to ensure more nutrient-dense proteins and other healthy foods from our nation’s dedicated farmers and ranchers get to the kitchen tables of American families in need, while supporting more efficient utilization of donated food products as well as food and agricultural supply chain resilience.

In the Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2025-2030, HHS and USDA call on every American to eat more

Real Food. CCG program investments will help put U.S. farmers and ranchers at the center of solving the nation’s chronic health problems, support recovery of foods that would otherwise go to waste, improve food and agricultural supply chain resilience, and ensure that all families, regardless of circumstance, can access Real Food. This includes working with food banks, food pantries, faith-based organizations and others providing food to America’s most vulnerable individuals and families. These entities require sufficient equipment to efficiently and effectively receive, repackage, and store high quality, nutrient-dense proteins such as meat, eggs, and dairy, and healthy, minimally processed fruits and vegetables.

The investments through this new grant program will enable them to meet this call by upgrading their capacity and facilities to handle and distribute more Real Foods.

3.3 SUBAWARD PROGRAM IMPLEMENTATION

AMS will issue at least one grant award to an eligible entity with experience in grants implementation, cold chain coordination, and food assistance distribution. Grant awards will be issued through Grant

Agreements.

The selected grant recipient(s) will be responsible for designing, managing, and overseeing a competitive subaward program, including providing consultation and subject matter expertise to subapplicants in support of cold storage in consumer-facing food assistance operations.

Applicants must submit a proposal describing their approach to program implementation that includes the design and administration of a competitive subaward program.

3.3.1 RECIPIENT RESPONSIBILITIES FOR MANAGING SUBAWARDS

The selected applicant(s) are responsible for the management and administrative oversight of all subawards, including financial management, performance monitoring, enforcement of subaward requirements, and conducting outreach to potential applicants and stakeholders.

Responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

• Designing and administering a competitive Cold Chain subaward program;

• Developing and issuing subaward solicitations;

• Conducting outreach to and engaging with a wide array of stakeholders to ensure broad participation in applying for funding;

• Recruiting and training reviewers for application review;

• Managing the subaward review and selection process;

• Ensuring fair, open, and conflict-free competition;

• Making subaward grants to selected subapplicants;

• Monitoring subrecipient performance in accordance to 2 CFR 200.332;

• Maintaining complete documentation of funding decisions and program activities;

• Ensuring compliance with all applicable federal requirements, including the CCG Program

Specific T&C, AMS GT&C, and USDA GT&C; and

• Collecting project data, including outcomes, and submitting reports to AMS.

3.3.2 SUBAWARD PROCESS

The selected grant recipient(s) must competitively make subaward grants within the first year of the award, leaving a minimum of one year for subaward equipment purchases, payment reimbursement requests, and required reporting. The recipient(s) must develop and issue a subaward solicitation that includes all information necessary for eligible entities to prepare applications that align with the purpose and eligible activities of the program. The recipient(s) must provide their solicitation document to AMS for confirmation of compliance prior to issuance. The recipient may consult with AMS staff regarding the solicitation process, including to confirm project eligibility and/or obtain guidance on required information to collect from potential subrecipients in their project narratives.

The selected grant recipient(s) must ensure that the subaward funding opportunity is made available publicly to reach eligible subrecipient entities, as described in section 3.3.4, and may not require membership or participation in a specific food assistance organization or network to qualify for funding.

The recipient must use the provided Subrecipient Project Narrative template to collect required information from potential subaward applicants. The subrecipient narrative must include all requested information in support of their proposed project.

The subaward review process must follow standard, documented procedures and include an independent review panel of subject matter experts or other qualified individuals, overseen by appropriate officials, where applicable. The review process must be fair, impartial, and free of conflicts of interest in accordance with 2 CFR 200.112, 2 CFR 400.2 and described in AMS Conflict of Interest (COI)

Policy. All reviewers must disclose potential conflicts and sign conflict of interest certifications.

As described in the AMS COI Policy, recipient(s) must disclose any potential conflicts of interest, in writing, to AMS. Subrecipients must also disclose any potential conflicts of interest, in writing, to the recipient. This includes organizational conflicts of interest relating to relationships with a parent company, affiliate, or subsidiary organization, shared or overlapping governance structure, or other relationship between or among the applicant and its partners and collaborators. The relationships may be subject to AMS review and approval.

https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-A/chapter-II/part-200/subpart-D/subject-group-ECFR031321e29ac5bbd/section-200.332 https://www.ams.usda.gov/services/grants/terms-and-conditions https://www.ams.usda.gov/services/grants/terms-and-conditions https://www.ams.usda.gov/services/grants/terms-and-conditions https://www.usda.gov/about-usda/general-information/staff-offices/office-chief-financial-officer/federal-financial-assistance-policy/usda-general-terms-and-conditions https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-A/chapter-II/part-200/subpart-B/section-200.112 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-B/chapter-IV/part-400/section-400.2 https://www.ams.usda.gov/services/policies-procedures https://www.ams.usda.gov/services/policies-procedures

The recipient(s) must maintain complete documentation supporting funding decisions, including approvals, denials, deferrals, or other determinations. All records must be maintained in a centralized and accessible program file and be available to AMS for review upon request. Reviews must be conducted in accordance with USDA regulations at 2 CFR 200.332.

Prior to issuing any subawards, the recipient must submit the proposed subaward package to AMS for review and clearance. The package must include all recommended subaward projects and at a minimum:

• Subapplicant Name/Business Name;

• Subaward amount and funding period;

• Subrecipient project narrative (utilizing required template);

• Project Budget and Budget Narrative

• Cost Share Verification Letter(s);

• Documentation to substantiate the costs of each piece of proposed equipment; and

• Letter of Critical Resources and Infrastructure.

This information can be compiled and submitted via email as a single PDF, MS Word, or MS Excel documents. The package must be reviewed and approved by AMS before informing the subapplicants of their subaward and prior to making any public announcements. AMS will provide feedback and will notify the recipient(s) of clearance to move forward with awarding. After that, recipients must notify all subaward applicants of the outcome of the competitive review process.

3.3.3 SUBAWARD FUNDING

The selected applicant(s) must allocate at least 80 percent of the total award amount to support competitive subaward grants for cold chain infrastructure as follows:

Duration (Months) Minimum Award Amount Maximum Award Amount

12 $10,000 $200,000

The period of performance for each subaward shall not exceed one year (12 months). Subawards may not be less than $10,000 or more than $200,000.

Note: Subaward applicants should not apply directly to this NOFO. Subaward opportunities will be made available at a later date through the competitive process administered by the selected grant recipient(s).

3.3.4 SUBAWARD ELIGIBLE ENTITIES

Eligible entities for the subaward program(s) include food banks, food pantries, faith-based organizations and other public or private nonprofit organizations that provide nutrition assistance to https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-A/chapter-II/part-200/subpart-D/subject-group-ECFR031321e29ac5bbd/section-200.332 people with low-income or challenging financial circumstances, by providing prepared meals or food for use at home.

Entities must also meet the following criteria to be eligible for subaward funding:

• Be operating for at least two years;

• Have an existing facility and the necessary infrastructure in place in order to install and operate the requested equipment; and

• Have demonstrated stability and sustainability in the organization to provide staffing and services to continue to receive, store, and distribute these foods to customers into the future.

All subaward recipients must be based and operating in the 50 States, American Samoa, the District of

Columbia, Guam, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, the Commonwealth of Puerto

Rico, or the U.S. Virgin Islands.

3.3.5 DEFINITION OF A SUBAWARD PROJECT

A subaward project is a set of related activities designed to achieve a specific, defined goal within a fixed period of time. Projects must follow a planned and organized approach and adhere to the established cost, scope, and performance requirements. Projects use resources that are specifically allocated to the work and typically involve a defined project team. Unlike ongoing operations, a project has a clear beginning and end. For subawards, applicants must ensure a fair and open competitive process for selecting subapplicants, clear documentation of selection criteria and decision-making, and appropriate oversight and monitoring of subapplicant performance. Projects must demonstrate a measurable benefit to the emergency food distribution industry and should avoid duplication of existing efforts while promoting coordination among industry stakeholders.

Examples of eligible projects include, but are not limited to:

• Acquiring refrigerators or a cold storage unit and shelving to receive and supply fresh and minimally processed foods to customers and meet local food safety and health codes.

• Purchasing a cold storage vehicle and pallet jack for the ease of loading and unloading large pallets of donated food for distribution.

• Investing in a mobile cooling unit, trailer and ethylene scrubber to reduce the speed of ripening, spoilage, and decay of fresh fruits and vegetables.

• Procuring a walk-in freezer, stainless steel tables, and packaging and labeling equipment that increases efficiency of product use and saves on electricity and/or cleaning costs.

• Purchasing a commercial chest freezer, scale, and prep/bagging tables for reproportioning and preserving foods for distribution.

3.3.6 ELIGIBLE SUBAWARD ACTIVITIES

Eligible subaward activities are limited to the purchase, delivery, and installation of various cold storage equipment (such as refrigerators, freezers, remote cooling units), refrigerated mobile units and vehicles, and essential ancillary equipment and supplies.

Equipment requiring installation must have pre-existing critical resources and infrastructure in place prior to applying for this funding opportunity (i.e. cement pads, electrical and plumbing connections, permitting, etc.), see section 3.3.10 for Subaward Activities Not Eligible for Funding.

Examples of eligible equipment include:

Cold Storage

• Refrigerators o Small/chest refrigerator o Remote cooling unit o Walk-in cooler

• Freezers o Small chest freezer o Commercial chest freezer o Reach-in freezer o Walk-in freezer

• Combination fridge/freezer o Combined cooler/freezer storage

Refrigerated Mobile Units and Vehicles

• Refrigerated vehicle

• Mobile cooling unit/trailers

• Mobile cooler/freezer combination

Ancillary Equipment/Supplies

• Shelving units

• Prep table/ bagging table

• Pallet jack

• Forklift

• Ethylene scrubber

• Back-up generators or external battery systems

• Insulated coolers, ice and gel packs, thermal blankets, insulated totes

• Enhanced temperature monitoring devices

• Stainless steel tables

• Scales

• Scoops

• Labeling Equipment

• Packaging/labeling supplies – one-time purchase

Ancillary equipment and supplies below the $10,000 acquisition threshold must be essential to the operation and usage of requested cold storage equipment. For instance, the purchase of a forklift or pallet jack could be justified along with the purchase of a refrigerated vehicle for loading purposes.

3.3.7 SUBRECIPIENT EVIDENCE OF CRITICAL RESOURCES AND INFRASTRUCTU RE

Subaward applicants MUST provide written evidence of Critical Resources and Infrastructure to confirm critical resources and/or infrastructure necessary for the installation of proposed equipment is in place and in working condition at the time of application submission. The letter must indicate the critical resources that are necessary for initiation and completion of the project and certify that they are in place and committed prior to the start date of the project. Subaward applicants may use the AMS

Suggested Evidence of Critical Resources and Infrastructure Template Letter. If another template is used, letters of Evidence of Critical Infrastructure must minimally include the following:

• Project Applicant Name

• Project Title

• A statement about committing/approving/granting permission, etc. of the critical resource or infrastructure to the project for the time period

• A description of the approved use of the critical resource or infrastructure approved for the project, any costs associated with its use, and any qualifying circumstances for its use.

3.3.8 COST SHARING FOR SUBAWARDS

When establishing subawards, the prime recipient must ensure that each eligible subaward entity provides funds in the form of cash equal to 10 percent of the total federal funds received under the subaward.

Cash contributions are generally defined as actual monetary funds (not the ‘value’ of someone’s time/effort) from the applicant’s general revenue/reserves/savings/line of credit, 3rd-party partner(s), or other non-Federal grants. The applicant must be able to track and show the source of the cost share and that the funding source will be dedicated entirely to the grant project and produce records to that effect (for example, taking the cash cost share in your accounting system, or from your partner, and placing it into a special ‘grant project’ account).

Any cost share amount exceeding the requirement will be considered voluntary and must be documented and secured at the time of the award. There is no competitive advantage for an applicant to provide a cost share that exceeds the required amount. If the project is selected for funding, any exceeding amount will be considered voluntary and must be documented and secured at the time an applicant is recommended for the award.

Cost sharing must be in the form of allowable direct costs. Refer to 2 CFR 200.306 for additional Federal requirements and definitions, including the basis for determining the value of cash contributions.

All cost-share contributions must be committed or secured at the time a subaward applicant is selected for an award. A subaward will not be issued unless all cost sharing funds over the life of the grant are secured. Additional anticipated cost sharing funds not in place by the time the project starts cannot be counted toward the cost sharing requirement.

Cost share contributions cannot be used for this program if they are already being used toward satisfying a cost share requirement under any other Federal grant agreement.

https://www.ams.usda.gov/sites/default/files/media/CriticalResourceInfrastructureTemplateLetter.docx https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-A/chapter-II/part-200/subpart-D/section-200.306

Subrecipients may not use Federal funds of any kind (as defined in 2 CFR 200.306(b)(5)) or program income as cost share.

3.3.9 SUBRECIPIENT LETTERS OF VERIFICATION FOR COST SHARE

Subaward applicants MUST provide written proof of the cost share commitments from every party who will contribute cash cost share to the subawards.

Submit one letter verifying the cost share for EACH cash resource that is being contributed. The letter must be signed by the cost share contributing organization.

AMS will provide a Letter of Verification for Cost Share template to recipients. Subapplicants are strongly encouraged to use this template. If a subapplicant does not use this template, the cost share verification documentation must include the following:

• Project Applicant Name

• Project Title

• Cash Commitment per year (if applicable) and Total Cash Cost Share Contribution

• Explanation of how each type of contribution will correspond to the budget or be used by the applicant

• Signature of Organization Representative providing the cost share, with typed name and title

Instructions for organizations submitting Letter of Verification for Cost Sharing Funds: Submit Letter of

Verification for Cost Share on letterhead and address them to the subaward applicant (i.e. Project

Director). Clearly indicate at the top of the documents that they are “LETTER OF VERIFICATION FOR

COST SHARE”. All letter(s) must be signed and attached to the sub-award application package.

Refer to 2 CFR 200.306 for additional Federal requirements and definitions, including the basis for determining the value of cash and in-kind contributions.

3.3.10 SUBAWARD ACTIVITIES NOT ELIGIBLE FOR FUNDING

Subaward projects are not eligible for funding if the proposed activities involve:

• Purchasing land, buildings, or facilities, or any interest therein.

• New construction and/or structural changes to an existing building/facility.

• Installation of concrete pads or other ground disturbing activities.

• Routine maintenance and repair of an organization’s buildings and operational facilities.

• Paying staffing or operational costs.

• Food safety systems, compliance, and staff training.

• Information technology and software systems, other than those that may be necessary for the operation of the requested equipment (for example, thermostat and safety cut-off systems).

• Agricultural production-related expenses, including crop production and the purchase of farm equipment, tools, materials, supplies, and other related costs.

• Marketing product(s)/services(s) or organizations.

• Expenses that have been or will be reimbursed under any other Federal, State, or local government funding.

https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/part-200/section-200.306#p-200.306(b)(5) https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-A/chapter-II/part-200/subpart-D/section-200.306

• Equipment meant for large-scale, high-volume processing of food products is not eligible, such as bandsaws for cutting large animal carcasses, industrial size mixers, industrial meat grinders, and other value-added processing equipment.

• Daily operational business expenses/costs including the purchase of healthy and nutrient-dense food products for distribution.

Projects requiring groundbreaking or ground disturbing activities, or that do not have the existing critical resources and infrastructure in place for installation, are ineligible for this funding opportunity (i.e.

cement pads, permitting, etc.). Projects with new construction/modifications conducted for the sole purpose of this funding opportunity will be ineligible for funding. Recipients should consult with AMS on projects requiring minimal upgrades or modifications to existing electrical or plumbing.

Although this program will not fund activities such as food safety systems, compliance, or staff training, entities are encouraged to separately budget for training and related activities that ensure compliance with local, state, and federal food and safety laws and to ensure smooth and safe operations. See, for example, the USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service Guideline to Assist with the Donation of Eligible

Meat & Poultry Products to Non-Profit Organizations.

Projects that have received other federal funding for such modifications may be eligible for this funding opportunity as long as the other federal award activities have been completed prior to the start of this program’s period of performance and are not duplicative of this funding opportunity.

3.3.11 SUBAWARD PRIORITIES

Recipients shall prioritize subaward applications that describe a commitment to one or more of the following priorities.

1. Food assistance sites that have little or no current capacity to store or hold foods requiring refrigeration or freezer space (meaning the sites are only or mainly able to provide shelf-stable foods and/or would need to move fresh produce quickly).

2. Increasing purchasing, and/or receiving donations of fresh or frozen meat, seafood, dairy, or produce.

3. When purchasing food, sourcing products from local and regional producers when feasible to provide economic benefits.

3.4 PERFORMANCE MEASURES

To evaluate and report on the outcomes of the CCG program on a national scale, AMS collects information on performance measures. Each subaward proposal submitted must include both outcomes and at least one indicator in each outcome as listed in CCG performance measures.

The prime recipient(s) must report progress on the selected outcomes and indicators reported by subrecipients in the semi-annual Performance Reports and provide final results in the Final Performance

Report. Please refer to the AMS Grant Performance Measures for more information.

https://www.usda.gov/guidance-documents/food-donation/fsis/fsis-guideline-assist-donation-eligible-meat-poultry-egg-products-non-profit-organizations-0 https://www.usda.gov/guidance-documents/food-donation/fsis/fsis-guideline-assist-donation-eligible-meat-poultry-egg-products-non-profit-organizations-0 https://www.ams.usda.gov/services/grants/performance-measures

4.0 RECIPIENT COSTS

4.1 ALLOWABLE AND UNALLOWABLE COSTS AND ACTIVITIES

All AMS awards are subject to the applicable laws, federal cost principles, USDA regulations, and the

CCG Program Specific T&C, AMS GT&C, and the USDA GT&C.

Applicants that have questions concerning the allowability of costs after reviewing these documents should contact AMS staff using the contact information listed under section 1.6.1 AMS Program

Contacts.

4.1.1 PROGRAM ADMINISTRATION COSTS

Administrative costs are costs for the recipient to conduct their subaward management activities, including the subaward outreach, selection process, and award management. These include direct and indirect costs and are limited to 20 percent of the total Federal funds requested provided under the award to the recipient, as described in section 3.3.1, Recipient Responsibilities for Managing

Subawards.

Recipients must ensure they have support staff capacity to manage these award funds and internal controls to administer the award effectively, including timely payment to subrecipients, and that Federal funds are managed appropriately.

Applicants must clearly describe how funds will be allocated for the administration of the CCG competitive subaward program and implementation.

4.1.2 PROGRAM ADMINISTRATION COSTS NOT ELIGIBLE FOR FUNDING

The following costs are not eligible for funding:

• Ongoing operational business or staffing expenses/costs not associated with the operation of this grant.

• Costs relating to food purchases or distribution.

• Agriculture production, processing, real property improvements or construction.

• Routine maintenance and repair of an organization’s buildings and operational facilities.

• Food safety systems, compliance, and staff training.

• Marketing product(s)/services(s) not associated with the outreach activities of conducting the competitive subaward program.

• Expenses that have been or will be reimbursed under any other Federal, State, or local government funding.

4.2 PROGRAM ADMINISTRATION INDIRECT COSTS

Indirect costs (also known as “facilities and administrative costs”—defined at 2 CFR 200.1) are costs

“incurred for a common or joint purpose benefitting more than one cost objective, and not readily https://www.ams.usda.gov/services/grants/terms-and-conditions https://www.ams.usda.gov/services/grants/terms-and-conditions https://www.usda.gov/about-usda/general-information/staff-offices/office-chief-financial-officer/federal-financial-assistance-policy/usda-general-terms-and-conditions https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/part-200/section-200.1#p-200.1(Indirect%20cost) assignable to the cost objectives specifically benefitted, without effort disproportionate to the results achieved).

In accordance with section 4.5 of the USDA GT&C, 2 CFR 200.413, and 2 CFR 200.414(f), an applicant that does not have a current or provisional negotiated indirect cost rate (NICRA), except State and Local

Government and Indian Tribe Indirect Cost Proposals, may choose to charge a de minimis rate of 15 percent of Modified Total Direct Costs (MTDC).

The de minimis rate may be used without providing documentation to justify it. An applicant can use the de minimis rate indefinitely for all Federal awards or choose to negotiate a rate, which they may do at any time through their cognizant agency (Federal Agency that provides the largest amount of funding). As described in 2 CFR 200.403, costs must be consistently charged as either direct or indirect costs and may not be double charged or inconsistently charged as both.

All applicants who elect to charge a de minimis rate must use the MTDC as the base. MTDC are defined in 2 CFR 200.1 as all direct salaries and wages, applicable fringe benefits, materials and supplies, services, travel, and up to the first $50,000 of each subaward (regardless of the period of performance of the subawards under the award). MTDCs exclude equipment, capital expenditures, charges for patient care, rental costs, tuition remission, scholarships and fellowships, participant support costs, and the portion of each subaward above $50,000. Other items may be excluded only when necessary to avoid a serious inequity in the distribution of indirect costs, and with the approval of the cognizant agency for indirect costs.

If an applicant has an approved NICRA by its cognizant agency, the entity must submit a copy of its approved NICRA with its application. Applicants that would like to negotiate an indirect cost rate must contact their cognizant agency. For assignments of cognizant agencies, see 2 CFR 200.1.

4.2.1 DIRECT AND INDIRECT COSTS

Applicants are responsible for presenting direct and indirect costs appropriately and consistently and must not include costs associated with their organization’s indirect cost rate agreement as direct costs.

Similarly, a cost may not be allocated as an indirect cost if it is also incurred as a direct cost for the same purpose.

Direct costs are costs that can be identified specifically with a particular award, project or program, service, or other organizational activity or that can be directly assigned to such an activity relatively easily with a high degree of accuracy. Typically, direct costs include, but are not limited to, compensation of employees who work directly on the award to include salaries and fringe benefits, travel, equipment, and supplies directly benefiting the grant-supported project or program.

Indirect costs are defined in section 4.2. Applicants must ensure costs are properly classified as direct or indirect in accordance with 2 CFR 200.414.

The salaries of administrative and clerical staff should typically be treated as indirect costs. However, charging these costs as direct costs may be appropriate when all the following conditions are met:

1. Administrative or clerical services are integral to a project or activity;

2. Individuals involved can be specifically identified with the project or activity;

https://www.usda.gov/about-usda/general-information/staff-offices/office-chief-financial-officer/federal-financial-assistance-policy/usda-general-terms-and-conditions https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/section-200.413 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/part-200/section-200.414#p-200.414(f) https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-A/chapter-II/part-200/subpart-E/subject-group-ECFRea20080eff2ea53/section-200.403 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/part-200/section-200.1#p-200.1(Modified%20Total%20Direct%20Cost%20(MTDC)) https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-A/chapter-II/part-200/subpart-A/subject-group-ECFR2a6a0087862fd2c/section-200.1 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-A/chapter-II/part-200/subpart-E/subject-group-ECFRd93f2a98b1f6455/section-200.414

3. Such costs are explicitly included in the budget or have the prior written approval of the Federal awarding agency; and

4. The costs are not also recovered as indirect costs.

NOTE: Subaward applicants are not eligible to charge indirect costs to their subaward due to the nature of their awards being equipment only purchases and cannot be used for cost-sharing purposes.

5.0 APPLICATION CONTENTS AND FORMAT

Applicants MUST submit the required documentation in the appropriate format as listed in this section.

Applications that do not comply with the requirements may be deemed incomplete and ineligible for review.

5.1 APPLICATION CHECKLIST

Before submitting an application, applicants must read this Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) in its entirety to fully understand the program requirements. This application checklist provides the mandatory requirements and, if applicable, documents for an application package.

Mandatory Documents:

SF-424 – Application for Federal Assistance (Grants.gov)

SF-424A – Budget Information - Non-Construction Programs (Grants.gov)

Project Narrative Form (section 5.4 Project Narrative)

Must use the required template.

Executive Summary is no more than 250 words.

Ensure it does not exceed the page limit.

Ensure the application excludes unallowable costs and activities per section 4.1.2.

Ensure the federal funds requested do not exceed the maximum or minimum award amount per section 1.3.

If applicable, packages may also be required to include the following document:

NICRA (PDF Attachment)

AMS recommends submitting applications at least two weeks before the deadline to account for any issues.

5.2 SF-424 APPLICATION FOR FEDERAL ASSISTANCE

Required. Form SF-424 is available via the application package in Grants.gov. Most information Boxes on the required form are either self-explanatory or are adequately explained in the instructions. However, you must use the following supplemental instructions associated with specific boxes on form SF-424.

Box Instructions

1 - Type of Submission Select Application type

2 - Type of Application Select New

4 through 7 Not required https://www.ams.usda.gov/sites/default/files/media/CCG_ApplicationTemplate.docx

Box Instructions

8.c - Organizational Unique Entity Identifier

(UEI)

Enter applicant UEI for the organization submitting the application. The UEI must match the active registration in SAM.gov.

8.d - Address Enter the organization street address as it appears in SAM.gov. P.O. Boxes will not be accepted. Enter a 9-digit zip code.

10 - Name of Federal Agency AMS, USDA

11 - Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number (Assistance Listing Number)

10.197

12 - Funding Opportunity Number Enter USDA-AMS-TM-CCG-G-26-0001

13 - Competition Identification Number Not applicable

14 - Areas Affected by Project Enter cities, counties, states affected by project.

15 - Descriptive Title of Applicant’s Project Provide a short description of the project.

16a - Congressional Districts for Applicant Enter the Congressional district where your main office is located.

16b - Congressional Districts for Program/Project

Enter the Congressional district where your project will be implemented. Write “All” if the projects will be implemented in more than one location.

17 - Proposed Project Start Date and End Date

Enter Start Date: September 30, 2026.*

End date: September 29, 2028.* The project period cannot be more than 24 months (2 years) in length.

18 - Estimated Funding – Federal Enter the Total Federal award requested.

18b - Estimated Funding – Applicant Enter the Total Cost Share amount from the subapplicant organization and/or other parties

19 - Is Applicant Subject to Review by State Under Executive Order 12372 Process.

See section 6.5 Intergovernmental Review.

*Dates are approximate. Start dates are set at the time of the award.

5.3 SF-424A BUDGET INFORMATION FOR NON-CONSTRUCTION PROGRAMS

Required. The SF-424A is available via the opportunity at Grants.gov. Most information boxes on the required form are either self-explanatory or adequately explained in the instructions. The following supplemental instructions associated with specific boxes on form SF-424A should be used for this NOFO.

Do not use instructions found in Grants.gov or elsewhere on the internet for these blocks.

Please fill in only sections A and B. Do not complete sections C, D, E, and F.

Section A – Budget Summary

Box Instructions

1.a – Grant Program Function or Activity (a) Enter “Cold Chain Grants for Emergency Food Assistance – Federal”

1.b – Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number (b)

Enter “10.197”

1.e – Federal Enter the amount of Federal funding requested for the project

Box Instructions

1.f – Non-Federal Enter the total cost share contribution amount for the project

Section B – Budget Categories

Box Instructions

6.a – 6.j – Object Class Categories In Column 1, enter the amount of Federal funds requested for each Object Class Category. Do not include cost share funding.

For example, if you are requesting $2,000 in Federal funds for “Travel”, enter 2000 in Column 1, box 6.c

5.4 PROJECT NARRATIVE

Required. Applicants MUST prepare and submit a project narrative using the CCG project narrative template. The form and instructions are available on the “How to Apply” webpage using the CCC Project

Narrative form. The Project Narrative must clearly describe the objectives and goals, types and order of project activities, strategies for monitoring and evaluating the proposed activities, how the applicant will manage the project and subaward competition, and fiscal plan and resource information.

The Project Narrative must be typed and single-spaced in an 11-point font. It MUST not exceed fifteen

(15) 8.5 x 11 pages (excluding existing Project Narrative form content). For example, if the Project

Narrative form is 15 pages before you begin entering your project information into the form, your narrative may be up to 30 pages (15 pages original pages + 15 pages of applicant content). DO NOT modify the CCG Project Narrative form. Evaluation points will be deducted if the Project Narrative form is modified. Before submitting the application to Grants.gov, please make sure no tracked changes or mark-up edits and comments are visible. Handwritten applications or applications submitted in MS

Word will not be accepted.

Applicants must submit the CCG Project Narrative as a PDF and attached to the Grants.gov application package using the “Project Narrative Attachment Form” button in SF-424 item #15. Applications not submitted in the required narrative template and missing critical information will be disqualified.

The supporting documents listed in sections 4.5 through 4.6 do not count toward the 30-page limit.

5.5 NEGOTIATED INDIRECT COST RATE AGREEMENT (NICRA)

Required if the applicant has NICRA. Applicants must submit a copy of the current, approved NICRA.

The NICRA must be in PDF format and attached to the Grants.gov application package using the “Add

Attachments” button under SF-424 item #15.

http://www.ams.usda.gov/services/grants/ccg/how-apply https://www.ams.usda.gov/sites/default/files/media/CCG_ApplicationTemplate.docx

6.0 SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS AND DEADLINES

6.1 ELECTRONIC APPLICATION PACKAGE

Applicants MUST apply to this program electronically via Grants.gov. No other submission method is accepted. AMS urges applicants to submit early to the Grants.gov system. The How to Apply for Grants in Grants.gov webpage gives an overview of the application process. This NOFO contains the information needed to complete the required application forms and AMS-specific attachments. More information about applying through Grants.gov can be found in section 5.0 Application Contents and

Format.

Applicants can find the opportunity under either the Assistance Listing number “10.197,” or the CCG

Funding Opportunity Number “USDA-AMS-TM-CCG-G-26-0001”.

6.2 SUBMISSION AND RECEIPT PROCEDURES AND REQUIREMENTS

6.2.1 HOW TO REGISTER TO APPLY

Applicants MUST have a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI), an active SAM.gov account, and a Grants.gov account to submit an application. AMS recommends that applicants start the registration process in these systems immediately to allow enough time to meet application submission deadlines. Registration in these systems collectively may take more than four weeks to complete. The steps below provide details on how to complete each registration.

Organization applicants can find complete instructions here:

https://www.grants.gov/help/register/organizations

1. Obtain a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI): Entities applying for funding, including renewal funding, must have a UEI from SAM.gov. Applicants must enter the UEI number in the data entry field labeled "Organizational UEI" on the SF-424. Getting a UEI requires validation steps in SAM.gov.

Applicants are encouraged to start this process as early as possible, and, if applicable, this includes providing guidance to sub applicants on getting their own UEI.

2. Register with the System for Award Management (SAM): In addition to having a UEI number,…