FY2017 Team Nutrition Training Grant Request for Applications.pdf

Team Nutrition Training Grant RFA FY 2017 Page 1 of 57

OMB BURDEN STATEMENT: According to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, no persons are required to respond to a collection of information unless it displays a valid OMB control number. The valid OMB control number for this information collection is 0584-0512. The time required to complete this information collection is estimated to average 60 hours per response, including the time for reviewing instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and completing and reviewing the collection of information.

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

FOOD AND NUTRITION SERVICE

Child Nutrition Programs

FY 2017 Team Nutrition Training Grants

REQUEST FOR APPLICATIONS

CFDA#: 10.574

DATES:

RFA Release Date: March 6, 2017

Letter of Intent Date: April 3, 2017

Application Submission Date: 11:59 PM ET, May 22, 2017

Anticipated Award Date: September 2017

Team Nutrition Training Grant RFA FY 2017 Page 2 of 57

TABLE OF CONTENTS

PAGE

I. PROGRAM DESCRIPTION 3

II. FEDERAL AWARD INFORMATION 12

III. ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION 17

IV. APPLICATION INFORMATION 18

V. CONTENT AND FORM OF APPLICATION SUBMISSION 18

VI. APPLICATION REVIEW INFORMATION 27

VII. FEDERAL AWARD ADMINISTRATION INFORMATION 32

VIII. FEDERAL AWARDING AGENCY CONTACTS 37

IX. OTHER INFORMATION 37

ATTACHMENTS

A: Letter of Intent 40

B: Team Nutrition Training Grant Cover Sheet 41

C: Guidance for Interpreting Cost Principles for Grants and Sub-Grant Awards 42

D: Letter of Agreement 46

E: Quarterly Progress Report Form 47

F: Performance Measures Annual Report 48

G: Grant Program Accounting System & Financial Capability Questionnaire 56

Team Nutrition Training Grant RFA FY 2017 Page 3 of 57

I. PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

A. Background and Legislative Authority

The Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) administers the nutrition assistance programs of the United

States Department of Agriculture (USDA). The mission of FNS is to work with partners to provide food and nutrition education to people in need in a way that inspires public confidence and supports

American agriculture.

Among these nutrition assistance programs are the Child Nutrition Programs, including the National

School Lunch Program (NSLP), School Breakfast Program (SBP), the Child and Adult Care Food

Program (CACFP), and the Summer Food Service Program (SFSP). Administered by State agencies, the Child Nutrition Programs help fight hunger and obesity by reimbursing organizations such as schools, child care centers, and after-school programs for providing nutritionally balanced meals to children at low or no cost. USDA established Team Nutrition as a comprehensive nutrition education initiative in 1995. The goal of Team Nutrition is to support the Child Nutrition Programs through training and technical assistance for foodservice professionals, nutrition education for children and their caregivers, and school and community support for healthy eating and physical activity. Since its inception, Team Nutrition has provided Team Nutrition Training Grant funds to State agencies that implement Child Nutrition Programs. These funds have helped States train school nutrition and child care professionals on meal pattern requirements, teach children about food and nutrition, and create environments that support healthy choices.

Team Nutrition Training Grants are authorized under Public Law 111–296, which amended Section 19 of the Child Nutrition Act of 1966. As authorized under Section 6(a)(3) of the Richard B.

Russell National School Lunch Act, 42 USC 1755(a)(3), FNS provides training and technical assistance for school foodservice, nutrition education for children and their caregivers, and encourages school and community support for healthy eating and physical activity. These activities are implemented under the

Agency’s Team Nutrition initiative that is designed to improve children’s lifelong eating and physical activity habits by using the principles of the 2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans.

B. Team Nutrition Grant Purpose

The purpose of this Fiscal Year (FY) 2017 Team Nutrition Training Grant is for State agencies to implement and evaluate nutrition education, training, and technical assistance activities to support implementation of USDA nutrition standards for meals and snacks offered through the Child Nutrition

Programs (e.g., NSLP, SBP, and CACFP).

C. Team Nutrition Grant Summary

Grant applicants must select only ONE of the following two Team Nutrition Training Grant

Objectives to accomplish during the three-year grant period. As part of the grant application, applicants must describe the activities they will implement in order to accomplish the selected Team Nutrition

Training Grant Objective.

Team Nutrition Training Grant RFA FY 2017 Page 4 of 57

Grant Objective 1:

Assist schools/districts administering NSLP and SBP programs in providing: 1) appealing and nutritious school meals, 2) nutrition education, and 3) school environments that promote healthy eating; ultimately encouraging students to follow healthy eating patterns which align with the recommendations set forth in the 2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans.

Grant Objective 2:

Improve the nutritional content of meals and snacks offered in child care centers and family day care homes participating in the CACFP to be consistent with the updated CACFP meal patterns and to assist participating children with following healthy eating patterns that align with the recommendations set forth in the 2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans.

Applications that propose activities under multiple objectives will not be considered. Proposals must describe how the applicant will meet the selected objective with evidence-based strategies from all three of the Team Nutrition behavior-focused strategies to:

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

2. Increase nutrition education through multiple communication channels to help children have the knowledge, skills, and motivation to make healthy food and physical activity choices as part of a healthy lifestyle.

3. Build support for healthy school and child care environments that encourage nutritious food choices and physically active lifestyles.

Each proposal must include nutrition education delivered through all six of the following communication channels:

school or child care center events classrooms (such as through incorporation in academic instruction or child care programing) cafeterias/dining areas (i.e., where meals are eaten) home connections community involvement media (print and/or social)

In addition, applicants’ proposals must describe a comprehensive evaluation plan that includes how required performance measures and unduplicated counts will be collected, while assessing how well the project’s goals were met.

D. Team Nutrition Grant Objective 1:

Assist schools/districts administering NSLP and SBP programs in providing: 1) appealing and nutritious school meals, 2) nutrition education, and 3) school environments that promote

Team Nutrition Training Grant RFA FY 2017 Page 5 of 57 healthy eating; ultimately encouraging students to follow healthy eating patterns that align with the recommendations set forth in the 2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans.

Applicants who will address Objective 1 must describe how the activities will incorporate the three

Team Nutrition behavior-focused strategies:

1. Provide training and technical assistance to school nutrition professionals (i.e., school foodservice). Examples of allowable activities include training school nutrition staff on behavioral economics strategies as defined on the Smarter Lunchrooms Scorecard

(http://smarterlunchrooms.org/sites/default/files/slm-scorecard2.0_0.pdf); providing culinary training to improve the taste and appeal of school meals; and implementing elements of the

Team Up for School Nutrition Success (https://www.fns.usda.gov/tn/team-school-nutrition-success) training model.

2. Provide nutrition education utilizing all aforementioned six communication channels. Examples of allowable activities include implementing Team Nutrition’s Serving Up MyPlate; Discover

MyPlate; Summer Food, Summer Moves; The Great Garden Detective Adventure; Dig In!;

and/or SuperTracker lesson plans.

3. Build support for healthy school environments that encourage nutritious food choices and physically active lifestyles. Examples of allowable activities include conducting trainings and using Team Nutrition’s Local School Wellness Policy Outreach Toolkit to generate awareness among school staff, parents and the community of the school wellness policy; educating parents and school staff about Smart Snack requirements, hosting student taste tests to get feedback on existing or new school meal menu items; and other schoolwide events such as those described in the Team Nutrition Popular Events Idea Booklet (https://www.fns.usda.gov/team-nutrition-popular-events-idea-booklet).

Applicants must include a plan for incorporating student feedback to inform school meal menu development, promotion, preparation, and presentation in the proposed approach.

Objective 1: Required Performance Measures Applicants that select Objective 1 must describe a comprehensive evaluation plan that includes the collection of data related to the following performance measures:

a. Process evaluation measures to describe the reach and implementation of grant-funded activities. Required metrics include, but are not limited to:

Number of trainings and activities offered to school nutrition professionals, school staff, students, and parents.

Hours of trainings and activities offered to school nutrition professionals, school staff, students, and parents.

Grant applicants must propose an approach for collecting this data, such as through attendance logs, training and activity agendas, and other surveys administered to attendees during the trainings and activities. Grant applicants must describe how they will ensure that school http://smarterlunchrooms.org/sites/default/files/slm-scorecard2.0_0.pdf https://www.fns.usda.gov/tn/team-school-nutrition-success https://www.fns.usda.gov/tn/team-school-nutrition-success https://www.fns.usda.gov/team-nutrition-popular-events-idea-booklet https://www.fns.usda.gov/team-nutrition-popular-events-idea-booklet

Team Nutrition Training Grant RFA FY 2017 Page 6 of 57 nutrition professionals participating in trainings are logging their training hours as part of the

Professional Standards training requirements using a method such as on the USDA’s Web-based Professional Standards (https://www.fns.usda.gov/school-meals/professional-standards)

Tracking Tool.

b. Outcome measures of students’ nutrition knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors to describe changes in these characteristics after implementation of grant-funded activities. Required metrics include, but are not limited to:

Number and percentage of students with increases in nutrition knowledge

Number and percentage of students with more favorable attitudes toward fruits and vegetables

Number and percentage of students with improved recognition/identification of

MyPlate and the five MyPlate food groups

Number of schools that increased student selection of servings of vegetables from the Dark-Green, Red, and Orange, and Beans and Peas Number and percentage of students participating in the School Breakfast Program and the

National School Lunch Program; number of schools increasing participation in these two programs

Grant applicants must clearly describe their evaluation design and tools in their proposal.

Applicants must describe how evaluation tools have or will be pre-tested for relevance and accuracy.

Examples of tools for the various performance measures are provided in Table 1.

Table 1: Examples of tools to use when measuring student-related constructs from Team Nutrition

Training Grant Objective 1

Performance Measure Example Measurement Tools

Nutrition knowledge among students EFNEP Eat Well + Move Survey (for K-2 nd grade)

(https://www2.ag.purdue.edu/programs/hhs/efnep/Page s/Resource-Evaluation.aspx )

Attitudes toward fruits and vegetables Evaluation of the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program:

Final Evaluation Report (Appendix F-Student Survey)

(http://www.fns.usda.gov/sites/default/files/FFVP.pdf )

Recognition and identification of

MyPlate

Age-appropriate questionnaires asking students to identify the various MyPlate food groups

Servings of vegetables from the

Dark-Green, Red and Orange, and

Beans and Peas subgroups that were selected by students.

School meal production records

School meal (NSLP and SBP) participation

School meal participation records https://www.fns.usda.gov/school-meals/professional-standards https://www2.ag.purdue.edu/programs/hhs/efnep/Pages/Resource-Evaluation.aspx http://www.fns.usda.gov/sites/default/files/FFVP.pdf

Team Nutrition Training Grant RFA FY 2017 Page 7 of 57

c. Food environment and wellness policy outcome measures to describe changes in the school environment after implementation of grant-funded activities. The required metrics include, but are not limited to:

Number of schools that have increased the score on the 2016 Smarter

Lunchrooms Self-Assessment Scorecard

(http://smarterlunchrooms.org/resource/lunchroom-self-assessment-score-card ).

This tool may not be altered by grantees, without prior approval from FNS (such as for translation or accessibility).

Number of schools that have increased the score on CDC’s School Health Index

Module 2 Health Education; question N.1 (Essential topics on healthy eating).

This tool may not be altered by grantees, without prior approval from FNS (such as for translation or accessibility).

Number of schools that have increased the score on CDC’s School Health Index

(http://www.cdc.gov/healthyschools/shi/index.htm ) Module 8 Family and

Community Involvement, question N.1 (Student and family involvement in the school meals programs and other foods and beverages sold, served, and offered on school campus). This tool may not be altered by grantees, without prior approval from FNS (such as for translation or accessibility).

Successful grant applicants will report annually on the aforementioned performance measures.

A copy of the FY 2017 Team Nutrition Training Grants: Performance Measures Annual Report can be found in Attachment F.

E. Team Nutrition Grant Objective 2:

Improve the nutritional content of meals and snacks offered in child care centers and family day care homes participating in the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) to be consistent with the updated CACFP meal patterns and to assist participating children with following healthy eating patterns that align with the recommendations set forth in the 2015-

2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans.

Applicants who address Team Nutrition Training Grant Objective 2 must describe how the activities will incorporate the three Team Nutrition strategies:

1. Provide training and technical assistance to child care staff that prepare meals for children.

Examples of allowable activities include training child care providers on menu planning, the

2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, CACFP meal pattern requirements, behavioral economics in child care settings, and applying the Team Up for School Nutrition Success training model to CACFP providers.

2. Provide nutrition education utilizing all aforementioned communication channels. Examples of allowable activities include implementing Team Nutrition’s Grow It, Try It, Like It!; Discover

MyPlate; Summer Food, Summer Moves; and/or the Two Bite Club resources.

http://smarterlunchrooms.org/resource/lunchroom-self-assessment-score-card http://www.cdc.gov/healthyschools/shi/index.htm

Team Nutrition Training Grant RFA FY 2017 Page 8 of 57

3. Build and sustain a healthy child care environment in child care sites. Examples include:

training child care providers on ways to create a positive mealtime environment and family-style meal service; and social marketing efforts about the importance of healthy meal patterns for young children in a manner consistent with the 2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines for

Americans.

Objective 2: Required Performance Measures

State agencies whose grant-funded activities will address Objective 2 must describe how they will collect and report on the following performance measures:

a. Process evaluation measures to describe the reach and implementation of grant-funded activities. Required metrics include, but are not limited to:

Number and duration of trainings and activities offered to child care providers, parents, and/or children

Number of child care sites, as well as the breakdown of the number of child care providers, parents, and/or children that completed the grant-funded activities

Grant applicants must propose an approach for collecting this data, such as through attendance logs, training and activity agendas, and other surveys administered to attendees during the trainings and activities.

b. Outcome measures of providers’ knowledge and skills related to healthy eating and child feeding practices to describe changes in these characteristics after implementation of grant-funded activities. Required metrics include, but are not limited to:

Number and percentage of child care providers who demonstrated increases in knowledge of CACFP meal pattern requirements

Number and percentage of child care providers who improved the number of healthy food and beverage offerings to children at the sites

Number and percentage of child care providers who provided nutrition education at the sites

Grant applicants must clearly describe their evaluation design and tools in their proposal.

Applicants must describe how evaluation tools have or will be pre-tested for relevance and accuracy.

Examples of tools for the various performance measures are given in Table 2 on page 9.

Team Nutrition Training Grant RFA FY 2017 Page 9 of 57

Table 2: Examples of tools to use when measuring provider-related constructs from Team Nutrition

Training Grant Objective 2

Performance Measure Example Measurement Tools

Knowledge of CACFP meal pattern requirements

Pre- and post-test scores from participating in an evidence-based training

Healthy food and beverage offerings at providers’ facilities and child feeding practices implemented

Facility menus and associated records Go NAP SACC Self-Assessment Instrument

(https://gonapsacc.org/resources/nap-sacc-materials )

Implementation of Team Nutrition curricula

Facility calendars that note Team Nutrition curriculum instruction days/times

c. Food environment and wellness outcome measures to describe changes in the child care center and/or family day care home environment after implementation of grant-funded activities. Required metrics include, but are not limited to:

Number and percentage child care centers and family day care homes that improved the healthfulness of the child care food environments as indicated by the Minnesota Mealtime Assessment for Child Care Centers Score Card

(https://healthymeals.nal.usda.gov/hsmrs/Minnesota/ChildCareMealtimeAssessm ent.pdf )

This tool may not be altered by grantees, without prior approval from FNS (such as for translation or accessibility.

Successful grant applicants will report annually on the aforementioned performance measures.

A copy of the FY 2017 Team Nutrition Training Grants: Performance Measures Annual Report can be found in Attachment F.

Table 3: List of the FY 2017 Team Nutrition Training Grant Objectives, the required performance measures, and example tools to collect the required performance measures

Performance Measures Example Measurement Tools

Team Nutrition Training Grant Objective 1: Assist students participating in the National School

Lunch and School Breakfast Programs with meeting the recommendations set forth in the 2015

Dietary Guidelines for Americans by providing appealing and nutritious meals, evidence-based nutrition education, and school environments that are conducive to healthy eating.

Process evaluation

Number of trainings and activities offered to school nutrition professionals, school staff, students, and parents

Attendance logs, training and activity agendas, and/or other surveys administered to attendees during the trainings

Hours of trainings and activities offered to school nutrition professionals, school staff, Attendance logs, training and activity agendas, and/or other surveys

Please see Attachment F for a copy of the FY 2017 Team Nutrition Training Grants: Performance Measures Annual

Report. This report will be completed by grantees on an annual basis and will capture the performance measures described in Table 3.

https://gonapsacc.org/resources/nap-sacc-materials https://healthymeals.nal.usda.gov/hsmrs/Minnesota/ChildCareMealtimeAssessment.pdf https://healthymeals.nal.usda.gov/hsmrs/Minnesota/ChildCareMealtimeAssessment.pdf

Team Nutrition Training Grant RFA FY 2017 Page 10 of 57 students, and parents administered to attendees during the trainings

Outcome

Measures:

Students’ nutrition knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors

Number and percentage of students who had increases in nutrition knowledge after participating in grant-funded activities

EFNEP Eat Well + Move Survey (for K-nd grade)

(https://www2.ag.purdue.edu/programs/h hs/efnep/Pages/Resource-

Evaluation.aspx)

Number and percentage of students who had more favorable attitudes toward fruits and vegetables

Evaluation of the Fresh Fruit and

Vegetable Program: Final Evaluation

Report (Appendix F-Student Survey)

(https://www.fns.usda.gov/sites/default/fi les/FFVP.pdf )

Number and percentage of students that improved the recognition/identification of

MyPlate and the associated food groups

Age-appropriate questionnaires asking students to identify the various MyPlate food groups

Number of schools who increased the servings of vegetables from the Dark-

Green, Red and Orange and Beans and

Peas subgroups that were offered to and selected by students

School meal production records

Number and percentage of students participating in the SBP and NSLP;

number of schools increasing participation in these two programs

School meal participation records

Outcome

Measures:

Food environ-ment and wellness policy

Number of schools that have increased the score on the 2016 Smarter Lunchrooms

Self-Assessment

2016 Smarter Lunchrooms Self-

Assessment

(http://smarterlunchrooms.org/60_scorec ard )

Number of schools that have increased the score on CDC’s School Health Index, Module 2 Health Education, question N.1

CDC’s School Health Index

(https://www.cdc.gov/healthyschools/shi/ index.htm )

Number of schools that have increased the score on CDC’s School Health Index, Module 8 Family and Community

Involvement, question N.1

CDC’s School Health Index

(https://www.cdc.gov/healthyschools/shi/ index.htm ) https://www2.ag.purdue.edu/programs/hhs/efnep/Pages/Resource-Evaluation.aspx https://www.fns.usda.gov/sites/default/files/FFVP.pdf https://www.fns.usda.gov/sites/default/files/FFVP.pdf http://smarterlunchrooms.org/60_scorecard http://smarterlunchrooms.org/60_scorecard https://www.cdc.gov/healthyschools/shi/index.htm https://www.cdc.gov/healthyschools/shi/index.htm https://www.cdc.gov/healthyschools/shi/index.htm https://www.cdc.gov/healthyschools/shi/index.htm

Team Nutrition Training Grant RFA FY 2017 Page 11 of 57

Team Nutrition Training Grant Objective 2: Improve the nutritional content of meals and snacks offered in child care centers and family day care homes participating in the Child and

Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) to be consistent with healthy eating patterns and to assist young children with meeting the 2015 Dietary Guidelines for Americans.

Process evaluation

Number and duration of trainings and activities offered to child care providers, parents, and/or children

Attendance logs, training and activity agendas, and other surveys administered to attendees during the trainings and activities

Number of child care sites, as well as the breakdown of the number of child care providers, parents, and/or children that completed the grant-funded activities

Attendance logs, training and activity agendas, and other surveys administered to attendees during the trainings and activities

Outcome

Measures:

Providers’ knowledge and skills related to healthy eating and child feeding practices

Number and percentage of child care providers who demonstrated increases in knowledge of CACFP meal pattern requirements and the 2015-2020 Dietary

Guidelines for Americans

Pre- and post-test scores from an evidence-based training

Number and percentage of child care providers who improved the number of healthy food and beverage offerings to children at the sites

Facility menus and associated records Go NAP SACC Self-Assessment

Instrument

(https://gonapsacc.org/resources/nap-sacc-materials )

Number and percentage of child care providers who provided nutrition education

Facility calendars that note TEAM

NUTRITION curriculum instruction days/times

Outcome

Measures:

Food environ-ment and wellness

Number and percentage child care centers and family day care homes that improved the healthfulness of the child care food environments

Minnesota Team Nutrition’s Mealtime

Assessment for Child Care Centers Score

Card

(https://healthymeals.fns.usda.gov/hsmrs/

Minnesota/ChildCareMealtimeAssessme nt.pdf ) https://gonapsacc.org/resources/nap-sacc-materials https://gonapsacc.org/resources/nap-sacc-materials https://healthymeals.fns.usda.gov/hsmrs/Minnesota/ChildCareMealtimeAssessment.pdf https://healthymeals.fns.usda.gov/hsmrs/Minnesota/ChildCareMealtimeAssessment.pdf https://healthymeals.fns.usda.gov/hsmrs/Minnesota/ChildCareMealtimeAssessment.pdf

Team Nutrition Training Grant RFA FY 2017 Page 12 of 57

F. Project Evaluation

Grant applicants must describe their evaluation plan and how methods for collecting required performance measures in their proposal. The evaluation plan must evaluate how well the grant objective was met. The proposal must address: how/when baseline and post-intervention data will be collected; and, how unduplicated participant (child care providers for Objective 2; or foodservice professionals, teachers, parents, and students for Objective 1) counts will be managed. Applicants must specify evaluation instruments and how they will be (or have previously been) pre-tested and determined to produce reliable and valid data. Training of data collectors and data management must also be addressed in the applicant’s proposal.

The grant application and evaluation plan must identify a social scientist as key personnel responsible for overseeing and implementing the evaluation plan (See Section II, part E, Program Requirements). A letter of commitment and Curriculum Vitae (CV) /resume from the identified social scientist must be submitted in the application. Please see Section IV – Application and Submission Information, Content and Form of Application Submission for more information on what must be included in the Project

Evaluation section of the grant application.

FNS will provide technical assistance to grantees on evaluation. All grantees must agree to cooperate fully with FNS regarding the evaluation approach, proposed evaluation tools, and metric reporting methods. An agreement to cooperate with FNS must be submitted in the application (see Attachment

D).

II. FEDERAL AWARD INFORMATION

A. Total Amount of Funding Expected to Award

In FY 2017, up to $5.6 million in funding is anticipated for Team Nutrition Training Grants.

B. Anticipated Award Amounts

Up to $500,000 may be requested per State agency. FNS reserves the right to make greater or fewer grant awards based upon the level of funding requested, the quality of applications received, or other

Agency priorities. The submission of an application does NOT guarantee funding. FNS reserves the right to reduce, increase, or revise proposed budgets based on the availability of funds.

C. Anticipated Start Dates and Period of Performance

Through a competitive grants process, FY 2017 TEAM NUTRITION Training Grants will be funded for the period of September 30, 2017 - September 30, 2020.

Team Nutrition Training Grant RFA FY 2017 Page 13 of 57

D. Type of Federal Financial Assistance

Funding for approved Team Nutrition Training Grants will be provided through the Grant Award/Letter of Credit process, upon receipt of a fully executed Federal-State Team Nutrition Training Grant

Agreement and subject to availability of funding. All Team Nutrition Training Grant funds must be obligated and all activities under the Team Nutrition Training Grant must be fully completed by

September 30, 2020.

E. Program Requirements

1. Identification: Select which Team Nutrition Training Grant Objective will be accomplished and describe the activities to meet the objective.

2. Strategies: Use all of the three Team Nutrition Strategies associated with the selected

Objective.

3. Needs Assessment: Provide a justification of grant-funded activities through a needs-assessment conducted at the appropriate State or local level.

4. Evaluation: Include a thorough grant evaluation plan that describes who will collect the required performance measures and how the measures (including unduplicated participant counts, as appropriate) for each objective will be collected. Costs associated with evaluation activities should be included in the budget and budget narrative.

FNS’s evaluation staff will provide technical assistance regarding the grantees’ evaluations. All grantees must agree to cooperate fully with FNS and FNS’s evaluation staff regarding the evaluation approach, proposed evaluation tools, and metric reporting methods. An agreement to cooperate with FNS must be submitted in the application (see Attachment D).

5. Social Scientist: Applications must include a social scientist, with past experience evaluating public health or nutrition programs, as key personnel who will serve as the evaluation lead and oversee this portion of the project. The number of hours the social scientist will spend on the project must be specified. Adequate time should be included for the social scientist to participate in a quarterly technical assistance call with FNS’s evaluation staff. A letter of commitment and CV/resume from the social scientist must be included in the grant application.

6. Sustainability and Transferability: Include a plan that describes how activities will be sustained beyond the end of the grant period. Describe how the project could be implemented in other locales or States.

7. Use of Team Nutrition and MyPlate Materials: Nutrition education activities must include the use of Team Nutrition (https://www.fns.usda.gov/tn/resource-library ) or

ChooseMyPlate.gov materials. Applicants must specify the Team Nutrition and/or

ChooseMyPlate.Gov materials that will be used in grant activities:

States are encouraged to use training materials developed by the Institute of Child Nutrition

(ICN), when available and applicable (http://www.nfsmi.org/PageController.aspx?pID=2).

https://www.fns.usda.gov/tn/resource-library http://www.nfsmi.org/PageController.aspx?pID=2

Team Nutrition Training Grant RFA FY 2017 Page 14 of 57

Applicants must specify in the proposal any ICN materials they plan to use in the grant activities.

8. Use of Materials Developed with Team Nutrition Grant Funds: When reasonable and appropriate, States may also develop additional materials that support the identified objective.

All materials developed with Team Nutrition grant funds must meet accessibility standards and be in compliance with section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended

(https://www.section508.gov/content/learn ) Materials must be submitted, in electronic format, to Team Nutrition (TeamNutrition@fns.usda.gov) for publishing online through the Healthy

Meals Resources System by the end of the three year period of performance:

USDA/FNS reserves a royalty-free, nonexclusive, and irrevocable license to reproduce; publish or otherwise use; to authorize others to use for Federal government purposes, the following:

d. The copyright in any work developed under a grant, sub-grant, or contract under a grant or sub-grant; and

e. Any rights of copyright to which a grantee, sub-grantee, or a contractor purchases ownership with grant support.

9. Partnerships and Collaborations: In support of FNS’ Strategic Priorities, the State Team

Nutrition Training Grant director or the designee is required to participate on State Nutrition

Action Committees (SNAC), when available, or with similar type of collaboration activity to maximize coordinated nutrition education efforts. A SNAC seeks to improve coordination, cooperation, partnerships, and communication among State agencies, FNS nutrition assistance programs, public health agencies, and the Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program

(EFNEP).

The applicant must describe how they will collaborate and partner with existing State and local organizations, businesses, and the local community at large to achieve the goals of the grant.

Grantees are encouraged to collaborate with intrastate partners. Intrastate partners may include, but are not limited to Land-Grant Universities, SNAP- Ed Grant recipients, and 1305 CDC

Grant recipients.

10. Grantee Meetings: In the proposed budget, applicants must include the costs for one key project staff to attend three, two-day in-person grantee meetings (one meeting for each grant year – FY 2018, 2019, and 2020). When estimating travel costs for these meetings, the applicant should use the U.S. General Service Administration (GSA)’s 2018 Per Diem Rates for

Washington, DC (http://www.gsa.gov/portal/content/104877 ) for lodging and for meals and incidental expenses (M&IE). There is no registration fee for the grantee meetings, so no such fees need to be included in the applicant’s budget.

The purpose of these in-person grantee meetings is to facilitate grantee States to share:

plans/projects approved under the Team Nutrition Training Grants; past successes; future opportunities; barriers encountered; and solutions from peer grantee States. Technical assistance https://www.section508.gov/content/learn mailto:TeamNutrition@fns.usda.gov http://www.gsa.gov/portal/content/104877

Team Nutrition Training Grant RFA FY 2017 Page 15 of 57 on grant administrative requirements, cost principles, and evaluation will also be provided during the meeting.

11. Presentation at Conferences: As part of grant requirements, grantees will submit an abstract for a poster presentation at the Society of Nutrition Education and Behavior’s (SNEB) 2020

Annual Conference. This abstract will highlight key grant-funded activities and project outcomes. If the grantee’s abstract is accepted for presentation, the grantee must send one key project staff to the conference to present the poster. In addition, grantees must submit an oral abstract or educational session proposal to present the outcomes of their grant project at a national nutrition meeting (SNEB or another national nutrition meeting), as agreed upon with

FNS. If the grantee’s oral abstract/session proposal is accepted for presentation, the grantee must send one key project staff to the conference to present the session.

Grant application budgets must include cost estimates for poster printing, conference registration fees, and associated travel to this conference(s). Because the location of the conference(s) has not yet been determined, applications can estimate the costs using current

GSA per diem rates for Washington, DC.

12. Time Commitment and Responsibilities: A minimum 0.5 full-time equivalent (FTE) is required for the designated Project Director(s) for this grant (no more than two staff positions can be combined to reach 0.5 FTE). The Project Director(s) should be clearly identified by name with the FTE planned to work on the project.

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

Awards” listed in Attachment C.

Because grantees will be required to conduct a comprehensive evaluation and report on specific performance measures, grant applications must identify a social scientist who will be responsible for managing the evaluation of grant-funded activities; selecting the appropriate pre-tested evaluation tools (or pre-testing as part of the grant); collecting data on performance measures; and reporting annually on these measures. The social scientist must have experience in evaluating public health and / or nutrition programs. Adequate time should be included for the social scientist to participate in quarterly technical assistance calls with FNS’s evaluation staff. Grant applications must specify the duties performed by the social scientist and his/her

FTE planned for work on the evaluation component of the project. Grant applications must also include a letter of support from the social scientist, as well as a copy of his/her CV/resume detailing previous evaluation experience.

Selected grantees may be asked to host USDA officials and/or the FNS’s evaluation staff for a site visit during the course of the three year grant period. (All costs associated with the site visit will be paid for by USDA and are not expected to be included in grant budgets). These site visits serve to augment USDA’s understanding of the challenges with and best practices of

Team Nutrition efforts.

Team Nutrition Training Grant RFA FY 2017 Page 16 of 57

13. Use of Grant Funds: Team Nutrition Training Grant funding will be used for State agencies to expand and enhance the training and educational activities to support implementation of USDA nutrition standards for meals and snacks offered through the Child Nutrition Programs (NSLP, SBP, CACFP, SFSP), as noted in the two objectives discussed in this Request for Applications.

Grantees that are managing concurrent Team Nutrition Training Grants cannot co-mingle funds from different grant cycles. All requested costs must be allowable, allocable, necessary, and reasonable in accordance with new OMB Code of Federal Regulations Cost Principles as follows:

2 CFR Part 200: “Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit

Requirements for Federal Awards”

2 CFR Part 400 “Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit

Requirements for Federal Awards”

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

a. Education and Training

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

Provide train-the-trainer workshops

Establish an instructors' network for State-wide training

Conduct a grant evaluation and collect the required performance measures

Tuition for trainees

Cost for trainers

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

b. Local Team Nutrition Training Grants (or Sub-Grants)

All sub-grant awards must follow the “Guidance for Interpreting Cost Principles of Grants and Sub-Grant Awards”, see Attachment C)

c. Collaborations

SNAC - supporting SNAC collaborative activities is an allowable cost as long as the collaborative activities are clearly related to the grant objective

d. Personnel Costs

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

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

Pay for substitutes while teachers, child care providers, and/or foodservice staff attend training

e. Materials/Resources and Other Supplies

While USDA requires States to use Team Nutrition and ChooseMyPlate.gov

Team Nutrition Training Grant RFA FY 2017 Page 17 of 57 developed materials as appropriate for the target audience and project, a portion of grant funds may be used for justified development of needed materials when:

1) no existing materials are available; or 2) materials have potential as a national resource. Examples include translation of materials into other languages and innovative ideas for delivering nutrition messages using technology. All developed materials must be consistent with the 2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans and use positive nutrition messages.

All materials developed with Team Nutrition grant funds must meet accessibility standards and be in compliance with section 508 of the

Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended

(https://www.section508.gov/content/learn ).

When nutrition education materials are not available in print from USDA, printing, duplication and distribution are allowable costs.

f. Technology to Document and Deliver Training/Nutrition Education

Procurement of electronic devices and software (such as tablets, laptops, nutrient analysis software, digital display boards, etc.) to implement grant activities (shall not exceed 10 percent of the requested grant funds).

As part of the FY 2017 Team Nutrition Training Grant: Performance Measures

Annual Report (see Attachment F), grantees will be asked to submit high-resolution photographs of grant-funded activities

Funds used to purchase high-resolution photography equipment shall not exceed

$2,000 total. These photos and the accompanying photo releases (for photos including children and adults) will provide USDA with additional documentation of grant-funded activities and will aid in the promotion of the Team Nutrition

Training Grant program. USDA will retain rights to these photos and may use them in social media and other USDA materials.

III. ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION

Only State agencies that administer the NSLP, SBP, SFSP, and/or the CACFP may submit an application in response to this solicitation. Each State may submit only one application on behalf of all interested Child Nutrition State agencies within that State. Each State may address only one of the two

Team Nutrition Training Grant Objectives in the application.

FNS reserves the right to award a FY 2017 TN Training Grant to any State agency that did not receive any Team Nutrition Training Grants in fiscal years 2014, 2015, and 2016.

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

https://www.section508.gov/content/learn

Team Nutrition Training Grant RFA FY 2017 Page 18 of 57

IV. APPLICATION INFORMATION

Applicants may request a paper copy of this solicitation and required forms by contacting the FNS

Grants Officer at:

Anna Arrowsmith, Grant Officer

Grants and Fiscal Policy Division

U.S. Department of Agriculture, FNS

3101 Park Center Drive, Room 740

Alexandria, VA 22302

E-mail anna.arrowsmith@fns.usda.gov

V. CONTENT AND FORM OF APPLICATION SUBMISSION

Applicants must organize the information in the application in the following order. All pages must be numbered consecutively. The paper size shall be 8½ x 11 inches, single-spaced, with a one-inch margin. The font size must be no smaller than 12-point type using Times New Roman. The completed application should be uploaded as a PDF document into Grants.gov. The application should follow this format:

1. Introductory Materials (maximum 3 pages)

2. Abstract (maximum 1 page)

3. Project Design and Implementation (maximum 7 pages)

4. Project Evaluation (maximum 6 pages)

5. Sustainability and Transferability (maximum 2 pages)

6. Key Personnel (maximum 4 pages)

7. Budget, Budget Narrative and Management Plan (maximum 5 pages)

8. Appendices (not to exceed 20 pages)

Grant applications should not exceed 48 pages. Use of this format will make it easier for grant reviewers to locate the requested information and to evaluate each application.

1. Introductory Material

a. Cover Sheet: See Attachment B. Designate a single point of contact for your application.

Provide the individual’s name, title, mailing address, phone number, fax number, and email address.

b. Title Page with Project Summary: Include a concise one-paragraph description of your project including the target audience, key strategies, projected number of participants, and the evaluation plan. Include specific Team Nutrition materials and key behavioral outcomes. This paragraph will provide the basis for any short summaries of the proposed grant that FNS prepares during the procurement process. This paragraph may be posted on the FNS Team Nutrition Training Grants Web site (http://www.fns.usda.gov/Team mailto:anna.arrowsmith@fns.usda.gov http://www.fns.usda.gov/tn/team-nutrition-training-grants

Team Nutrition Training Grant RFA FY 2017 Page 19 of 57

Nutrition/team-nutrition-training-grants) along with the name and email address of the

Project Director.

c. Table of Contents: Include the title and page number of each required section and appendix and page numbers.

2. Abstract: Provide a 1 page summary of your project that includes: (1) which one of the Team

Nutrition Training Grant Objectives the project will address; (2) a description of the planned project that specifies key activities under the three Team Nutrition behavioral strategies and the targeted audience; (3) evaluation plan, including its basic research questions, research design, and planned data collection, and (4) key personnel.

3. Project Design and Implementation: Provide a detailed description of the following:

a. Need for Project: Discuss the problem that the proposed project addresses (i.e., findings from the needs assessment) and how the proposed project can be used to meet the

Team Nutrition Training Grant Objective specified in your proposal.

b. Goals: List each goal of the project design and implementation and discuss how the goal is directly related to the Team Nutrition Training Grant Objective.

c. Project Objectives: For each of the goals, list and discuss the associated project objectives. Project objectives should be specific, measurable, and realistic. Project objectives should be related to the required performance measures specified in Table 3

(page 9) of this Request for Applications. Planned tasks must be necessary to meet the project’s stated goals and project objectives.

d. Timeline: Discuss each specific task or activity that will be undertaken during project design, implementation, and evaluation. When discussing tasks, include which of the three

Team Nutrition behavior-focused strategies will be addressed and which of the six communication channels will be utilized. Clearly explain how and when specific Team

Nutrition materials will be used. Proposals must include a detailed chronological timeline with realistic and specific benchmarks that include key personnel; appropriate time for planning, hiring, approving, processing; pretesting and validating materials; reporting; and contingency plan development when appropriate. The timeline describes when tasks will take place including a detailed outline of when evaluation activities will occur.

4. Project Evaluation: State agencies applying for funding must identify a social scientist with experience in designing, developing, implementing and evaluating public health or nutrition research projects as key personnel to lead the evaluation.

a. Type of Evaluation: Team Nutrition Training Grant requires that applicants design both process and outcome evaluations. Process evaluations provide detailed descriptive information on the way a program operates or how a project is implemented. Outcome evaluations are usually more quantitative in nature and are designed to measure actual http://www.fns.usda.gov/tn/team-nutrition-training-grants

Team Nutrition Training Grant RFA FY 2017 Page 20 of 57 project outcomes. Performance measures pertaining to both process and outcome evaluations are specified for each of the Team Nutrition Training Grant Objectives.

b. Research Design:

Research Questions: For each of the project objectives and related performance measures, list and discuss specific research questions that will be answered during the evaluation.

Measurement Tools: For each research question, discuss specific measurement tools that you will use. Discuss the strengths/weaknesses, validity and reliability of the proposed measurement tools.

Please note that example tools are provided for each of the required performance measures in Table 3 (page 9). For some metrics, specific measurement tools are required. For helpful resources on developing an evaluation plan, refer to:

The SNAP-Ed Evaluation Framework and Interpretive Guide is a useful resource that can help match the activities with appropriate evaluation strategies (https://snaped.fns.usda.gov/national-snap-ed/snap-ed-evaluation-framework-and-interpretive-guide ).

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Program Performance and Evaluation Office Web site (http://www.cdc.gov/eval).

c. Research Methods: The evaluation methods, measures, and measurement tools presented in the proposal are appropriate for the type of activities being funded and will be (or have previously been) pre-tested to indicate reliability and validity. Costs associated with evaluation activities should be included in the budget and budget narrative. Discuss the methods that will be used to answer the research questions, including:

Sampling plan(s) and expected sample size(s)

Obtaining comparison group(s), if appropriate

Methods to obtain unduplicated counts

Controlling or accounting for confounding variables

Data collection methods (how, by whom, how often, when), including baseline and post-intervention data collection

Training of data collectors

Data analysis methods (how and by whom)

Data management

Strengths and weaknesses of the research methods.

5. Sustainability and Transferability:

a. Sustainability: Confirm that the planned project meets all Child Nutrition programs regulations and guidance. Discuss how your project and its results will be sustained financially and administratively once the grant ends.

https://snaped.fns.usda.gov/national-snap-ed/sna…