MCGOVERN-DOLE INTERNATIONAL FOOD FOR

EDUCATION AND CHILD NUTRITION PROGRAM

(FOOD FOR EDUCATION)

NOTICE OF FUNDING OPPORTUNITY

FISCAL YEAR 2026

Table of Contents

1. BASIC INFORMATION

1.1 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

1.2 FEDERAL AGENCY NAME

1.3 FUNDING OPPORTUNITY TITLE

1.4 ANNOUNCEMENT TYPE

1.5 FUNDING OPPORTUNITY NUMBERS

1.6 ASSISTANCE LISTING NUMBER

1.7 FUNDING DETAILS

1.8 KEY DATES

1.9 ESTIMATED PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE

1.10 AGENCY CONTACT INFORMATION

2. ELIGIBILITY

2.1 ELIGIBLE APPLICANTS

2.2 ELIGIBILITY THRESHOLD CRITERIA

2.3 SUBSTANTIAL COMPLIANCE

2.4 EVIDENCE OF ELIGiBILITY

2.5 FUNDING RESTRICTIONS

2.6 MULTIPLE APPLICATIONS

2.7 COST SHARE/MATCH REQUIREMENT

3. PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

3.1 AUTHORIZING STATUTES AND REGULATIONS

3.2 TYPE OF ASSISTANCE INSTRUMENT

3.3 PROGRAM SPECIFIC UNALLOWABLE COSTS

4. APPLICATION CONTENT AND FORMAT

4.1 FORM OF APPLICATION SUBMISSION

4.2 CONTENT GUIDANCE

4.3 ELECTRONIC SIGNATURES

4.4 PROPRIETARY INFORMATION

4.5 OTHER APPLICATION INFORMATION

5. SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS AND DEADLINES

5.1 ADDRESS TO REQUEST APPLICATION PACKAGE

5.2 UNIQUE ENTITY IDENTIFIER AND SYSTEM FOR AWARD MANAGEMENT

(SAM)

5.3 SUBMISSION INSTRUCTIONS

5.4 SUBMISSION DATES AND TIMES

5.5 INTERGOVERNMENTAL REVIEW

6. APPLICATION REVIEW INFORMATION

6.1 ELIGIBILITY THRESHOLD REVIEW

6.2 REVIEW CRITERIA

6.3 PROGRAMMATIC CAPABILITY AND PAST PERFORMANCE

6.4 REVIEW AND SELECTION PROCESS

6.5 RISK REVIEW

7. AWARD NOTICES

8. POST-AWARD REQUIREMENTS AND ADMINISTRATION

8.1 ADMINISTRATIVE AND NATIONAL POLICY REQUIREMENTS

8.2 REPORTING

8.3 MONITORING

8.4 CONFLICT OF INTEREST

8.5 MANDATORY DISCLOSURES

8.6 OTHER AGREEMENT REQUIREMENTS

9. OTHER INFORMATION

9.1 EXTENSIONS

9.2 NO AWARDS

9.3 SAM.GOV REGISTRATION INSTRUCTIONS

9.4 FAITH-BASED ORGANIZATIONS

APPENDIX A – Application Content Checklist APPENDIX B – Country Specific Guidance APPENDIX C – Budget Summary APPENDIX D – Budget Narrative

APPENDIX E – Results Framework and Illustrative Examples of Foundational Results APPENDIX F – Instructions for Completing the SF-424A APPENDIX G – SF-424A Example APPENDIX H – Available Food Aid Commodities APPENDIX I –Activity Description Example APPENDIX J – Graduation Timeline Example

APPENDIX K – LIST OF ACRONYMS

NEW IN FISCAL YEAR 2026

1. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has implemented a department-wide standardization of its General Terms and Conditions (GT&Cs) for all federal financial assistance awards. Effective December 31, 2025, a single, consolidated set of GT&Cs will apply across all USDA grants, cooperative agreements, and similar instruments, replacing the previous regime of 106 agency-specific documents. This update enhances consistency, streamlines award administration, and supports stronger oversight — including clearer expectations around prohibited entities, performance benchmarks, termination protocols, and advance payment controls.

2. USDA/FAS has reorganized, streamlined and simplified the Content Guidance to reduce redundancies and burden on Applicants. USDA/FAS encourages Applicants to review the Content Guidance carefully to ensure they meet requirements in the correct section of their application. USDA/FAS has changed page limits and application review points accordingly.

a. Most of the required information on local and regional procurement (LRP) has been moved from the Introduction and Strategic Analysis and combined into the Commodity Management section.

b. The previous standalone Sustainability and Lasting Impact section has been removed, and the critical elements and strategy have been moved into the Introduction and Strategic Analysis or Plan of Operation to reduce redundancy and ensure further integration of sustainability throughout the project design.

USDA/FAS expects a similar level of detail to prior years and application review points dedicated to graduation and sustainability have been reallocated to the Introduction and Strategic Analysis or Plan of Operation sections.

c. The Monitoring and Evaluation section requirements at the application stage have been simplified. USDA/FAS also now requires information on routine project monitoring plans in the Monitoring and Evaluation section. Applicants should still review the Monitoring and Evaluation Handbook while preparing their application and note what will still be required for selected Applicants at the negotiation or post-award stage.

d. USDA/FAS has moved requirements on risk assessment and management and now requires that information in relevant places throughout application sections.

3. To reduce the burden on Applicants, USDA/FAS no longer requires Applicants to include Past Performance Reviews as part of the application package. However, Applicants will still be subject to risk assessment parameters set by USDA/FAS to determine risk posed by applicants as described in section 6.5 Risk Assessment.

4. USDA/FAS has added Appendix J, which provides an example of a graduation timeline as required in the Plan of Operation.

5. To promote innovation, burden-sharing, and sustainability of projects, USDA/FAS will consider voluntary committed cost sharing and matching when reviewing applications.

Strong cost share and match proposals may earn up to two additional bonus points.

1. BASIC INFORMATION

1.1 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS), International Food Assistance Division, McGovern-Dole Branch announces this funding opportunity to support the McGovern-Dole International Food for Education and Child Nutrition Program (McGovern-Dole) by issuing new awards. This funding opportunity is available to:

Private Voluntary Organizations (see 7 CFR 1599.2); Cooperatives; Intergovernmental Organizations; Governments of developing countries and their agencies; and Other organizations. Per the McGovern-Dole program’s authorizing legislation, this funding opportunity is intended to improve food security, reduce the incidence of hunger, and improve literacy and primary education, particularly with respect to girls, through the procurement of U.S. agricultural commodities, the provision of financial and technical assistance, and provision of maternal, infant, and child nutrition programs. In accordance with the authorizing legislation, all McGovern-Dole projects provide school feeding through a combination of predominantly U.S.-provided and some locally and regionally procured commodities and address the two strategic program objectives 1) Improved Literacy of School-Aged Children, and 2) Increased Use of Health, Nutrition and Dietary Practices. McGovern-Dole projects may also provide some context-specific complementary activities that support these program objectives. McGovern- Dole projects need to represent America First objectives, including a strong focus on providing U.S. agricultural commodities purchased from American Farmers; clear oversight and monitoring of activities to reduce fraud, waste, and abuse; and realistic strategies to graduate project activities and have a sustainable lasting impact after USDA McGovern-Dole support ends. USDA/FAS expects to enter into multiple new cooperative agreements under McGovern- Dole to make awards totaling no more than $240,000,000 subject to the availability of funding.

These awards will be for approximately five-year projects.

1.2 FEDERAL AGENCY NAME

United States Department of Agriculture, Foreign Agricultural Service (USDA/FAS)

1.3 FUNDING OPPORTUNITY TITLE

Food for Education

1.4 ANNOUNCEMENT TYPE

New Announcement

1.5 FUNDING OPPORTUNITY NUMBERS

• USDA-FAS-10.608-0700-26-(511) Bolivia

• USDA-FAS-10.608-0700-26-(442) Cambodia

• USDA-FAS-10.608-0700-26-(518) Ecuador

• USDA-FAS-10.608-0700-26-(675) Guinea

• USDA-FAS-10.608-0700-26-(522) Honduras https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-7/part-1599/section-1599.2#p-1599.2(Private%20voluntary%20organization)

• USDA-FAS-10.608-0700-26-(669) Liberia

• USDA-FAS-10.608-0700-26-(472) Timor Leste

• USDA-FAS-10.608-0700-26-(000) Non-priority country applications

Please refer to Appendix B for Country Specific Guidance for each priority country.

1.6 ASSISTANCE LISTING NUMBER

10.608 Food for Education

1.7 FUNDING DETAILS

Total Available Federal Funding: Up to $240,000,000; Subject to the availability of funding

Anticipated Number of Awards: 7

Each individual award is expected to be in the range: $10 million – $35 million

USDA/FAS reserves the right to make additional awards under this opportunity if additional funding becomes available after the original selections are made, consistent with agency policy and guidance. Any additional selections for awards will be made no later than 6 months after the original selection decisions.

1.8 KEY DATES

Deadline for Question Submission: June 12, 2026 Applicants may submit questions up until 5:00:00 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time (EDT) on June 12, 2026, by emailing ppded@usda.gov and including “FY26 McGovern-Dole NOFO” in the subject line of the email. USDA/FAS will consider questions submitted by the deadline to the extent practicable and USDA/FAS will post responses to questions on Grants.gov on a weekly basis as they are received. Applicants may access the responses in the “Related Documents” tab of the grant opportunity page on Grants.gov.

Application Submission Deadline: June 22, 2026, prior to 5:00:00 P.M. EDT

1.9 ESTIMATED PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE

Approximately 60 months Projected Period of Performance Start Date(s): 10/01/2026 Projected Period of Performance End Date(s): approximately 09/30/2031

1.10 AGENCY CONTACT INFORMATION

Lindsay Carter, McGovern-Dole Director, Foreign Agricultural Service, Global Programs, International Food Assistance Division

(FAS/GP/IFAD)

Phone: (202) 236-1095 Email address: ppded@usda.gov

Website: https://apps.fas.usda.gov/fais/webapp/ https://sam.gov/fal/a3a8ff78dc1c44b79c6526fb533e1c64/view mailto:ppded@usda.gov https://www.grants.gov/ mailto:ppded@usda.gov https://apps.fas.usda.gov/fais/webapp/

Hours of Operation: Monday–Friday 9:00 A.M. – 5:00 P.M. EDT

2. ELIGIBILITY

2.1 ELIGIBLE APPLICANTS

In accordance with the McGovern-Dole authorizing legislation, 7 U.S.C. 1736o-1, the following entities are eligible Applicants:

• Private Voluntary Organizations (defined at 7 CFR 1599.2 );

• Cooperatives;

• Intergovernmental Organizations;

• Governments of developing countries and their agencies; and

• Other Organizations, including Higher Education Institutions

All Applicants must have an active registration in the U.S. Government System for Award Management (www.sam.gov) before the application submission deadline of the announcement;

Applicants with inactive, expired, pending, or excluded listings will be deemed ineligible.

Requests for exceptions, waivers, or extensions will not be considered. More information about SAM.gov registration can be found in Section 9.3: SAM.gov Registration Instructions.

2.2 ELIGIBILITY THRESHOLD CRITERIA

In addition to other eligibility requirements listed, to be considered eligible, an application must propose the use of U.S. commodities as an integral part of its proposed project and must propose providing assistance on a multiyear basis.

2.3 SUBSTANTIAL COMPLIANCE

All applications will be reviewed for eligibility and must meet the eligibility requirements described above to be considered eligible. Applicants deemed ineligible for funding consideration as a result of the threshold eligibility review will be notified within 14 calendar days of the ineligibility determination.

Applications must substantially comply with the application submission instructions and requirements set forth in Section 4: Application Content and Format of this solicitation or else they will be deemed ineligible for funding consideration.

2.4 EVIDENCE OF ELIGIBILITY

Applicants are responsible for including documentation, if necessary, establishing that they meet the stated eligibility requirements, when it is not immediately obvious. Applicants should not presume that USDA/FAS is sufficiently familiar with the Applicant organization or that additional information would be unnecessary. USDA/FAS will not make assumptions as to the nature of the Applicant’s work, qualifications, or background, and will rely solely on the materials provided.

2.5 FUNDING RESTRICTIONS

https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?hl=false&edition=prelim&req=granuleid%3AUSC-prelim-title7-section1736o-1&num=0&saved=%7CKHRpdGxlOjcgc2VjdGlvbjoxNzM2byBlZGl0aW9uOnByZWxpbSk%3D%7C%7C%7C0%7Cfalse%7Cprelimhttps://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?hl=false&edition=prelim&req=granuleid%3AUSC-prelim-title7-section1736o-1&num=0&saved=%7CKHRpdGxlOjcgc2VjdGlvbjoxNzM2byBlZGl0aW9uOnByZWxpbSk%3D%7C%7C%7C0%7Cfalse%7Cprelim https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-7/part-1599/section-1599.2#p-1599.2(Private%20voluntary%20organization) http://www.sam.gov/

Funds may not be used in any manner that is prohibited by applicable regulations, including 2 CFR 200, 2 CFR 400, and 7 CFR 1599. Awards issued pursuant to this notice of funding opportunity may only be used for the purpose set forth in the award, consistent with the statutory authority for the award. Capital expenses, such as the purchase of equipment, not entirely attributable to this award, must be pro-rated.

Agreement funds and other support may not be used for matching contributions for other federal grants or cooperative agreements, lobbying, or intervention in federal regulatory or adjudicatory proceedings. Federal employees are prohibited from acting as an agent of the Applicant in any capacity (paid or unpaid) on any proposal submitted under this program. Federal funds may not be used to sue the Federal Government or any other government entity.

Compensation for personal services: Employees, consultants, or other personnel, including those of subrecipients, and regardless of the method of engagement, may not exceed the pro-rata equivalent of GS-15 on the General Schedule (for 2026, $ 164,301 per year, $629.84 per day, or $78.73 per hour). Post Hardship Differential, other Department of State Standardized Regulations-aligned allowances, and non-monetizable fringe benefits, such as health insurance coverage, are not included in this ceiling.

In general, costs incurred for a common or joint purpose benefitting more than one cost objective but not readily assignable to specific awards, without effort disproportionate to the results achieved, are considered indirect costs. These may include facilities not specific to individual projects, enterprise-wide services such as information technology, and enterprise management.

Pursuant to USDA Departmental Regulation DR2255-001, a Negotiated Indirect Cost Rate Agreement (NICRA) with a cognizant U.S. Government agency will be honored, except when prohibited by statute.

If an application is submitted that includes any ineligible tasks, activities, or cost items, that portion of the application will be deemed ineligible for funding and may, depending on the extent to which it affects the application, render the entire application ineligible for funding.

2.6 MULTIPLE APPLICATIONS

An individual Applicant may submit applications for more than one funding opportunity in response to this NOFO and may be offered more than one award.

2.7 COST SHARE/MATCH REQUIREMENT

Not required.

USDA/FAS encourages, but does not require, voluntary committed cost sharing and matching (see 2 CFR 200.306 and 7 CFR 1599.2), also referred to as “cost share,” to maximize program impacts and bring about in-country sustainability. USDA/FAS will consider cost share when reviewing applications and may award bonus points for strong, feasible cost share commitments (see Section 6.2 Review Criteria). If Applicants choose to provide voluntary committed cost sharing or matching, they should identify and explain any cost sharing in the budget summary and narrative (7 CFR 1599.4(b)(4)(i)). Applicants should include any cost share contributions as part of the total award value on the Standard Form (SF) 424 and other required budget documents. Applicants may not use cost share to reach the three percent minimum monitoring https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-A/chapter-II/part-200?toc=1 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-A/chapter-II/part-200?toc=1 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-B/chapter-IV/part-400 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-7/subtitle-B/chapter-XV/part-1599 https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/pay-leave/salaries-wages/salary-tables/26Tables/html/GS_h.aspx https://www.usda.gov/directives/dr-2255-001 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-A/chapter-II/part-200/subpart-D/section-200.306 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-7/subtitle-B/chapter-XV/part-1599/section-1599.2 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-7/subtitle-B/chapter-XV/part-1599/section-1599.4 and evaluation budget or the ten percent LRP budget goal. Applicants’ unrecovered indirect costs are not allowable cost share. Food vouchers and cash-based transfers are not currently allowable LRP methods and thus USDA/FAS does not consider them as allowable cost share within McGovern-Dole projects.

Cost sharing or matching to which Applicants voluntarily commit in the application will be included in and become binding as part of an agreement, and Award Recipients are responsible for obtaining and providing these contributions. USDA/FAS will monitor cost share expenditures during implementation.

3. PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

The principal objectives of the McGovern-Dole program are to carry out: 1) school and preschool food for education programs in foreign countries to improve food security, reduce the incidence of hunger, and improve literacy and primary education, particularly with respect to girls; and 2) maternal, infant, and child nutrition programs for pregnant women, nursing mothers, infants, and children who are five years of age or younger. Sustainability and lasting impact are also a key part of McGovern-Dole, including developing government, institutional, and community capacity, as well as strengthening local systems and coordinating structures so that host Governments and communities can realistically sustain school feeding and results after USDA support ends.

In accordance with the authorizing legislation, McGovern-Dole feeds school children and improves literacy, especially for girls, in low-income, food-deficit countries globally. The program provides U.S. agricultural commodities and limited funds to procure local and regional agricultural commodities, as well as financial and technical assistance, to support McGovern- Dole objectives.

By providing school meals and related education and nutrition support, McGovern-Dole helps boost school enrollment, increase attendance, and improve reading outcomes and literacy.

McGovern-Dole can also support Maternal and Child Nutrition (MCN). To improve health, nutrition, and dietary practices, McGovern-Dole projects may include health- and nutrition-sensitive activities such as the use of micronutrient-fortified products; take-home rations;

deworming treatment; water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH); and curriculum-based nutrition education.

McGovern-Dole projects advance U.S. interests by contributing to a stronger, safer, and more prosperous America. This is accomplished through a combination of economic, diplomatic, and sustainability-focused measures, including:

• Strengthening U.S. agriculture and related industries by sourcing packaged commodities from American farmers and producers, and shipping through U.S. ports using U.S.-flag vessels for at least 50 percent of ocean transport, thereby supporting domestic jobs and rural economies;

• Demonstrating American leadership and expertise through visible, impactful projects that deliver school meals and reduce hunger among the world’s most vulnerable children; and

• Promoting long-term sustainability and burden-sharing by setting clear goals and expectations for graduation, ensuring that benefits continue after USDA support ends.

U.S.-provided commodities are an integral part of McGovern-Dole and Applicants must use U.S.-provided commodities to maximize program reach to targeted beneficiaries in the most cost-effective manner. Additionally, in accordance with the McGovern-Dole authorizing legislation, 7 U.S.C. 1736o-1, Applicants may allocate an amount not exceeding ten percent of the total federal award amount to local or regional commodity procurement (LRP). All activities must be consistent with the objectives of the program.

For FY 2026, USDA/FAS will accept applications for projects in the following priority countries: Bolivia, Cambodia, Ecuador, Guinea, Honduras, Liberia, and Timor-Leste. Applicants are advised to refer to Appendix B for country-specific information on program emphasis and agency priorities. While USDA/FAS rarely funds projects in non-priority countries, USDA/FAS will accept applications for non-priority countries, excepting countries listed in Proclamation 10998. However, USDA/FAS will prioritize funding applications for the identified priority countries and Applicants considering submitting a non-priority application should recognize that USDA/FAS is highly unlikely to fund projects in non-priority countries, especially where there is no prior McGovern-Dole programming or countries listed in Proclamation 10998. Applicants should refer to program authorizing legislation to critically consider whether the proposed non-priority country meets requirements for income level, host country government commitments to education and school feeding, and sustainability; Applicants should strongly justify non-priority country appropriateness in their application.

3.1 AUTHORIZING STATUTES AND REGULATIONS

The Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002, 7 USC1736o-1.

Awards USDA/FAS makes under this funding opportunity to Applicants other than foreign public entities will be subject to McGovern-Dole regulations, 7 CFR 1599. As provided in 7 CFR 1599, awards to Applicants other than foreign public entities will also be subject to 2 CFR 200, as supplemented by 2 CFR 400 and 7 CFR 1599, with the exception that 2 CFR 200 Subpart F will not apply to a foreign organization or a for-profit entity.

3.2 TYPE OF ASSISTANCE INSTRUMENT

USDA/FAS anticipates that a cooperative agreement will be funded pursuant to this funding opportunity. This type of agreement provides for substantial involvement between USDA/FAS, and/or other USDA Agencies, and the selected Applicant in the performance of the project. This may include:

• Specification of the manner, method, performance, or timing of the work in an approved work plan;

• Review and approval of one stage of work before a subsequent stage may begin during the performance period;

• Close monitoring of the successful Applicant’s performance to verify the achievement of expected results;

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• Review and approval of proposed subawards and contracts, prior to award;

• Review of proposed procurement, in accordance with 2 CFR section 200.325;

• Review and approval of an evaluation plan;

• Participation in the selection and approval of the individuals or organizations that will conduct all required evaluations;

• Participation in data collection and analysis for required evaluations and other performance reports;

• Approval of an organizational chart identifying the names, roles and responsibilities of all the Applicant’s key personnel, as well as key personnel qualifications, and any subsequent changes or absences; and

• Provision of specific direction or redirection of the work during the period of performance.

3.3 PROGRAM SPECIFIC UNALLOWABLE COSTS

Funds provided under McGovern-Dole may not be used in any manner that is prohibited by applicable regulations. USDA/FAS strongly recommends that Applicants familiarize themselves with program-specific unallowable costs described in 7 CFR 1599 to avoid proposing program-specific unallowable costs.

Applicants may refer to Appendix D, Appendix F, 2 CFR 200.1, and 2 CFR 200.414 for information on what costs are allowable as indirect costs.

4. APPLICATION CONTENT AND FORMAT

This announcement contains all information necessary to apply for this funding opportunity.

4.1 FORM OF APPLICATION SUBMISSION

4.1.a Application Format

Applicants must complete the application in English and adhere to the maximum page limits in Section 4.1.b: Required Content and Forms.

Applicants should:

• Use 12-point font (including in tables and graphs);

• Use standard 8.5” x 11” sized paper with 1-inch margins;

• Use single or double-spacing

• Number each page;

• Cite source information (with at least author and year) and/or provide an explanation of their analysis; and

• Submit their application in PDF file format.

4.1.b Required Content and Forms https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/section-200.325 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-7/subtitle-B/chapter-XV/part-1599?toc=1 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/part-200/section-200.1#p-200.1(Indirect%20cost) https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-A/chapter-II/part-200/subpart-E#200.414

Each application must include the following content and forms within the required page limits.

Bolded page limits are requirements— if an Applicant exceeds the page limits for a section, USDA/FAS will only review and score material within the page limits for the section. Italicized page limits within the Introduction and Strategic Analysis and Plan of Operation are suggestions to guide Applicants. Requirements marked with “no page limit” do not count towards their section page limits.

A complete application package must include:

• A project narrative with the following sections:

• Introduction and Strategic Analysis – 12 pages total o Summary – 1 page o Main Section—11 pages o Country Overview and Context (6-7 pages) o Coordination and Opportunities (2 pages) o Strategy (2-3 pages) o Project Map (no page limit) o List of Acronyms (no page limit)

• Plan of Operation and Activities – 20 pages total o Activity Descriptions (15-16 pages) o Ration Justification (1-2 pages) o Graduation Plan and Timeline (3 pages)

• Organizational Capacity and Staffing – 8 pages total o Organizational Capacity and Staffing Plan – 6 pages total o Organizational Chart – 1 page o In-Country Registration – 1 page o Other Attachments (no page limit) o Project-specific Commitment Letters from anticipated Subrecipients (if Subrecipients are proposed) o Curriculum Vitae (CV) for Project Lead

• Monitoring and Evaluation – 11 pages total o Project-Level Results Framework – 3 pages o Performance Indicator Table – 5 pages o M&E Brief – 3 pages

• Commodity Management – 7 pages total

• Budget – 26 pages total o Budget Summary – 1 page o Budget Narrative – 25 pages

• Applicant’s most recent approved NICRA agreement (no page limit)

• SF-424A (See Appendix F for instructions) Budget Information for Non-Construction

Programs, showing the budget categorization.

• SF-424 Signed Application for Federal Assistance, showing the Unique Entity Identifier

(UEI), and signed by the Applicant.

https://www.grants.gov/forms/forms-repository/sf-424-family https://www.grants.gov/forms/forms-repository/sf-424-family

• Proof of 501(c)(3) status documentation to support eligibility determination

Applicants should ensure they are using active, i.e. non-expired versions of standard forms. The use of an expired standard form will not itself be grounds for a determination of ineligibility but may delay the processing of an application selected for award.

Find additional requirements on the content of each section of the application below in Section 4.2: Content Guidance. Applicants should review the content guidance carefully to determine what sections they may submit as attachments and what information they are required to input directly into the Food Aid Information System (FAIS). USDA/FAS will not consider any materials submitted by or on behalf of the Applicant other than those materials specifically requested in this NOFO.

4.2 CONTENT GUIDANCE

To assist Applicants, below is an overview of what applications must include:

• A school meals activity that utilizes U.S.-provided agricultural commodities to maximize program reach;

• Use of locally and/or regionally procured commodities that complement U.S.-provided commodities and are utilized to further graduation;

• Interventions that address the two Strategic Objectives (SO): 1) Literacy and Education (SO1) and 2) Nutrition and Health (SO2) including in the following priority areas:

o Girls’ education;

o Safe food storage and handling;

o Water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH); and o Deworming1;

• A focus on graduation and sustainability: USDA/FAS expects Applicants to include advocacy, capacity building, policy, and system strengthening activities at all levels of government and within schools and communities to facilitate the transfer of responsibility for project interventions to the host country (graduation) and to sustain benefits after the project ends (sustainability); and

• Robust risk management strategies, internal controls, and practices for assessing, managing, and mitigating the risks of fraud, waste, abuse or other misuse of U.S.

Government resources.

Applicants are encouraged to bring innovative approaches and tools into their application.

Innovation can be included in both the design of the proposed project interventions and/or how the project is carried out. For example, applicants are encouraged to consider innovative, evidence-based strategies and activities to effectively deliver on the McGovern-Dole program objectives and build lasting impact after USDA support ends. Applicants are also encouraged to incorporate innovation in the form of appropriate tools and technology to support robust oversight and monitoring.

All McGovern-Dole applications must include the following attachments:

1 Deworming interventions are required if helminth infection rates in the target area are 20 percent or higher and other actors are not implementing deworming. If other actors are implementing deworming activities that include the project’s target population, Applicants are not required to propose deworming activities.

4.2.a Introduction and Strategic Analysis (ISA)

(Page limit: 12 pages total, including Summary and Main Section)

i. General Guidance for the ISA

The ISA communicates the need for the project, persuades technical reviewers of the needs in the target area(s) and that the Applicant’s proposed strategy is the strongest response to those needs.

Applicants should analyze country context, needs, challenges, opportunities, and constraints that can impact project implementation and success, then succinctly describe how the project will effectively respond to contextual factors. Where relevant, Applicants must describe lessons learned from past McGovern-Dole programming or other programming in the country that is relevant to the proposed project. Applicants, particularly those that have not implemented McGovern-Dole or similar programming, should consult evaluations2 for lessons learned from prior/current McGovern-Dole programming in the country and explicitly reference their own research into the country and relevant perspectives they have gathered from on-the-ground stakeholders, experts, and project implementers working in similar areas.

Applicants must briefly explain the strategy behind their proposed intervention. A strong ISA will be evidence-based and convince reviewers why the Applicant prioritizes certain needs, challenges, beneficiaries, or approaches over others. Applicants are also encouraged to incorporate innovative, evidence-based approaches into their strategy. If Applicants do not plan to address the needs prioritized in the NOFO or Country Guidance, they should provide strong justification. Applicants are encouraged to explicitly describe existing policies and interventions and how the proposed project aligns with and avoids duplicating the efforts of other organizations or programs.

Technical reviewers have different levels of familiarity with a country’s context and programming. Applicants are therefore encouraged to assume reviewers’ lack of detailed knowledge and write accordingly.

Applicants must ensure that their ISA aligns with the other sections of the application.

ii. Requirements of the ISA

There are three required items to submit for the Introduction and Strategic Analysis: a one-page summary; the main body (page limit: 11); and two attachments: a project map that clearly indicates targeted regions, office location(s) and warehouse(s); and a list of all acronyms used in the application. These attachments will not count towards the section page limits.

The one-page summary must list: the proposed project name, the duration of the project, the proposed period of performance, the proposed federal award amount, the proposed target region(s), the number of targeted school-age children, the number of direct beneficiaries, the number of targeted schools, and the total metric tonnage and types of U.S.- provided and LRP commodities.

2 USDA/FAS will post evaluations for priority countries with recent McGovern-Dole programming on Grants.gov as Related Documents for this announcement.

Applicants must include their table of estimated costs using the following format:

Table 1: Recommended format for summary table of estimated costs

Cost Type Subtotal

(USD)

Administration Activities LRP Commodity and Food Purchases Internal Transportation, Storage, and Handling (ITSH) Total Indirect Costs Sub-total Project Operating Budget (not including cost share)

U.S. Commodity Cost Freight Cost

TOTAL PROGRAM VALUE

(not including cost share)

Cost Share, if applicable Total subrecipient award value(s), if applicable Total LRP Costs

USDA/FAS encourages Applicants to use any remaining space to list key deliverables or highlight the unique strengths of their proposed project, for example: number of latrines or water points constructed, goals for host country government commitments to school feeding, or key indicators of sustainability for the project.

The main body of the ISA must include: Country Overview and Context, Coordination and Opportunities, and Strategy sub-sections.

Country Overview and Context

Applicants must provide information regarding the following topics in the target area(s), or country level if unavailable or not relevant at regional level:

• The number of days in-school and start and end dates of a typical school year, and days of the week children are typically in school.

• The target country government’s frameworks, strategies, policies, programs and financial commitments to school feeding, education, health and nutrition, and:

o The extent and strength of existing school feeding programs;

o How target country education policies and interventions demonstrate commitment to education for all in alignment with the World Declaration on Education for All (Jomtien Declaration and the follow-up Dakar Framework for Action of the World Education Forum); and o Dietary guidelines for school meals, if applicable.

• Education and literacy status of the target population(s) and relevant context, needs, and barriers related to literacy and education, such as:

https://unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/pf0000127583 https://sdgs.un.org/sites/default/files/publications/1681Dakar%20Framework%20for%20Action.pdf o Literacy, school enrollment, and education retention rates;

o Quality of teacher training, attendance, and capacity to target instruction;

o Status of school administration;

o Engagement and participation of parents in target communities;

o Teaching and learning materials development, distribution, and use;

o Early childhood and pre-primary education activities; and o Girls’ education.

• Food security, health and nutrition status of the target population(s) (including school age children and, if proposing MCN activities, pregnant and lactating women and children under five) and relevant context, needs, and barriers related to health and nutrition such as:

o Malnutrition, food insecurity, and morbidity rates;

o Nutritional context of the target population(s), including typical diet, dietary quality issues and nutrient gaps;

o Prevailing hygiene practices and behaviors;

o Whether current WASH infrastructure ensures adequate access to potable water and sanitation to support cooking, hygiene, and safe food preparation in schools;

o The enabling environment for food safety, including regulations, standards, enforcement, and laboratory capacity; and o Neglected tropical diseases prevalence rates (including diseases transmitted by worms, such as guinea worm disease, lymphatic filariasis, onchocerciasis, schistosomiasis, and soil-transmitted helminths) through sources such as the Global Atlas of Helminth Infections, Ministry of Health data, or the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Applicants should note if other actors are implementing deworming in the target population.

• Relevant programs and interventions implemented by other stakeholders (including U.S.

Government [USG], other public and private donors, and private sector) and key lessons learned from these interventions in the priority areas.

• Graduation and Lasting Impact: Any prior successes regarding long-term sustainability under food assistance, education, or nutrition projects, especially those funded by USG agencies and graduating beneficiaries from USG support after projects end. Applicants should review Appendix B for further information on USDA/FAS’s country-specific emphasis on graduation.

• Other key challenges and gaps experienced by targeted communities, and specific in-country constraints that could obstruct the project’s efforts to address identified needs, including at minimum:

o Risks of fraud, waste, abuse or other misuses of USG resources;

o Risks to girls’ education and child safeguarding that exist in the proposed project context; and o Environmental vulnerabilities that directly impact project communities.

A strong application will address the target country’s current health system and how it interacts with the school system in the proposed target area(s) and any efforts in micronutrient fortification, biofortification, and supplementation at the national level and in the proposed target area(s).

Coordination and Opportunities

Applicants must describe how they intend to coordinate with stakeholders across relevant intervention areas (such as literacy, nutrition, WASH, deworming, MCN, etc.) and at various levels. Relevant stakeholders can include but are not limited to: the government of the target country; USG and other public and private donors; and international and local non-governmental organizations, the private sector, school leadership, parent teacher associations, and cluster/technical working groups, where applicable.

Applicants should describe how they will strategically align with complementary programming, policies, and strategies to leverage lessons learned, avoid duplication, maximize cost efficiencies, and amplify impact where appropriate. Applicants should describe any plans to leverage partnerships with private donors or other sources of funding and resources to amplify impact.

Graduation and Lasting Impact: Applicants should identify opportunities to address gaps and to support policy development and coordination structures. Applicants must explain their plans to build government and community capacity to take ownership of the activities. Applicants are strongly encouraged to describe existing coordination mechanisms with the host government detailing a path towards sustainability, or to describe their plans for developing and scaling coordination mechanisms and securing commitments (such as a Memorandum of Understanding [MOU]) in support of sustainability and graduation with the host government.

Strategy

Applicants must provide an overview of their implementation strategy (with corresponding detailed activity descriptions in the Plan of Operation section). In describing their overall strategies, Applicants must:

• Briefly summarize how they will address problems and gaps they identified in the country overview and context.

• List their targeted geographic regions and beneficiaries and briefly explain how they meet the Country Specific Guidance OR justify deviation from, or narrowing of, the targeting guidance in the Country Specific Guidance. If deviating, USDA/FAS expects Applicants to address the following questions:

o What is the reason for deviating from the Country Specific Guidance;

o Who they collaborated with and what criteria, methodology, and sources of information (e.g. government survey, interviews, assessment) they used to identify target areas and beneficiaries;

o What the specific needs are in the target areas that support targeting and how they assessed them; and o How the targeting aligns with previous McGovern-Dole or similar programming, promotes sustainability, and/or reduces duplication of efforts.

• Provide the percentage of schools the project will target within target regions and note how they will mitigate the potential risk of students migrating between project and non-project schools.

• If not all targeted schools will receive all interventions, explain how the more limited interventions will be targeted. Applicants proposing MCN activities must justify that those activities complement the school feeding component and are in the same catchment areas as the schools.

• (If the Applicant proposes continuing an existing project) Clarify if the project will implement activities with the same beneficiaries towards the same long-term goals as the prior project and how they will build upon previous results to progress towards and achieve graduation from USG support.

• List the U.S. provided and LRP commodities they plan to use in their project and explain how LRP will contribute to their implementation strategy. Examples may include, but are not limited to, mitigating pipeline breaks; facilitating graduation and sustainability; improving dietary diversity; or targeting specific population, e.g., pregnant and lactating women and children under five.

• Address how interventions will improve basic reading and literacy skills as part of a multi-sectoral approach to ensure that children are physically, nutritionally, and cognitively fit to succeed in school.

• Address how interventions will especially benefit girls’ education and contribute to child safeguarding for all children.

• (If the Applicant proposes take home rations) State the purpose(s) of providing take home rations, such as to encourage school attendance; incentivize behavior change, and/or to meet the nutritional needs of target populations.

• (If the Applicant proposes anthropometry) State the purpose(s) of conducting anthropometry, such as to test its utility and feasibility in the school feeding context, build capacity, or better understand the impact of school meals on children’s nutritional status.

• Address how the proposed project will align with U.S. foreign assistance priorities, support the economic prosperity of the American agricultural community; and make America stronger, safer, and more prosperous.

• Applicants should briefly note any anticipated challenges in meeting the McGovern-Dole Terms and Conditions Regarding the Acknowledgment of USDA Funding, the Use of the USDA Logo, and Communications to the Public, if applicable.

4.2.b Plan of Operation

(Page limit: 20 pages)

The Plan of Operation communicates how Applicants will implement their proposed strategy through a clear, feasible, and effective set of evidence-based activities that are connected to the McGovern-Dole objectives. In the Plan of Operation, the Applicant must address the needs and gaps outlined in the Introduction and Strategic Analysis and must demonstrate their plan to ensure sustainability beyond the life of the project. A strong Plan of Operation will clearly describe what the Applicant will do, how they will do it, and how they will transition efforts to local ownership.

Applicants must provide three components in this section: Activity Descriptions, Ration Justification, and a Graduation Plan and Timeline. Together, these components should illustrate how the project will implement school meals and complementary interventions, maintain quality and accountability, and transition to local ownership in a systematic and measurable way. Applicants should ensure that all content is consistent with other sections of the application.

https://www.fas.usda.gov/sites/default/files/2025-01/Terms%20and%20Conditions%20Regarding%20the%20use%20of%20USDA%20logo%20and%20McGovern-Dole%20Branding%20and%20Marking%20.pdf https://www.fas.usda.gov/sites/default/files/2025-01/Terms%20and%20Conditions%20Regarding%20the%20use%20of%20USDA%20logo%20and%20McGovern-Dole%20Branding%20and%20Marking%20.pdf https://www.fas.usda.gov/sites/default/files/2025-01/Terms%20and%20Conditions%20Regarding%20the%20use%20of%20USDA%20logo%20and%20McGovern-Dole%20Branding%20and%20Marking%20.pdf

iii. Activity Descriptions

Applicants must provide comprehensive descriptions of all proposed activities. Descriptions should focus on the “how” of implementation rather than providing contextual justification. This section should also note how each activity will lead to the results the Applicant includes in the Section 4.2.e.i: Results Framework. USDA/FAS expects Applicants to propose approximately 8 to 14 focused activities with clear activity titles, preferably utilizing the standard activity titles in

FAIS.

USDA/FAS provides an optional example template for activity descriptions in Appendix I.

Each activity description must include:

• The activity title;

• The recipient, subrecipient, or entity responsible for implementing the activity;

• Coordinating entities on the activity, if applicable;

• The objective(s) of the activity;

• The anticipated number of beneficiaries,

• Key graduation milestones; and

• A narrative description of the activity.

The narrative description should include the implementation steps, the anticipated implementation timeline, an explanation of how the activity will address key needs and challenges identified in the Introduction and Strategic Analysis, how the Applicants will overcome and navigate barriers to graduation of the activity, and activity-specific risk management efforts as applicable to the activity, such as:

• Commodity management and oversight plans;

• Community feedback and response mechanisms;

• Frequency of site monitoring;

• Systems for detecting and addressing fraud, waste, and abuse; and/or

• Trainings for stakeholders on risk management topics, such as whistleblowing, ethics, and commodity security.

Specific to the core focus of the McGovern-Dole program on providing school meals, Applicants must, in the most relevant activity description:

• Discuss how they will mitigate contamination of project commodities at every stage of food handling, including the cooking and serving of meals;

• Describe how the project will train cooks and storekeepers…