FY24-CFP-RFA-508-MOD1-P.pdf

REQUEST FOR APPLICATIONS

Community Food Projects

Competitive Grant Program

MODIFICATIONS: 10/24/2023 – This RFA has been modified from the original announcement.

Edits are indicated using track changes and red font so the public/potential applicants can identify the changes within the solicitation.

Edits appear on pages: 1, 2, 7, 9, and 23

FUNDING YEAR: Fiscal Year (FY) 2024

LETTER OF INTENT DEADLINE:

APPLICATION DEADLINE:

Not Required

October 30, 2023 November 6, 2023 5:00 P.M. Eastern Time

ANTICIPATED PROGRAM FUNDING: $4,800,000

AVERAGE INDIVIDUAL AWARD

RANGE:

FUNDING OPPORTUNITY NUMBER:

$25,000 - $400,000

USDA-NIFA-CFP-009982

ASSISTANCE LISTING NUMBER: 10.225

INITIAL ANNOUNCEMENT

National Institute of Food and Agriculture United States Department of Agriculture

Assistance Listing Number (ALN): The Community Food Projects Competitive Grant Program is listed in the Assistance Listings under number 10.225.

Table 1: Key Dates and Deadlines Task Description Deadline

Application: FY 2024 - 5:00 P.M. Eastern Time, October 30, 2023 November 6, 2023

Letter of Intent: Not Required Applicants Comments: Within six months from the issuance of this notice

(NIFA may not consider comments received after the sixth month)

Advancing Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility (DEIA). The National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) recognizes research, education, and extension efforts will have the greatest impacts when programs are grounded in DEIA. NIFA is committed to enhancing diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility of programs and encourages individuals, institutions, and organizations from underserved communities to apply to funding opportunities as lead, co-lead, or subaward recipient(s), and to engage as leaders in the peer panel review process to support the development of strong networks and collaborations. NIFA encourages applications that engage diverse communities and have broad impacts through research, education, extension, and integrated activities to address current and future challenges.

Stakeholder Input. NIFA seeks comments on all Request for Applications (RFA) so it can deliver programs efficiently, effectively, with integrity, and with a focus on customer service.

NIFA considers comments to the extent possible when developing RFAs, and uses comments to help meet the requirements of Section 103(c)(2) of the Agricultural Research, Extension, and Education Reform Act of 1998 (7 U.S.C. 7613(c)(2)). Applicants may submit written comments to Policy@usda.gov (email is for comments only). Please use the following subject line:

Response to the Community Food Projects RFA.

https://nifa.usda.gov/resource/agricultural-research-extension-and-education-reform-act-1998 https://nifa.usda.gov/resource/agricultural-research-extension-and-education-reform-act-1998 https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=(title:7%20section:7613%20edition:prelim)%20OR%20(granuleid:USC-prelim-title7-section7613)&f=treesort&edition=prelim&num=0&jumpTo=true mailto:Policy@usda.gov

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

This RFA is being released prior to the passage of a full appropriations act for FY 2024.

Enactment of additional continuing resolutions or a full appropriations act may affect the availability or level of funding for this program.

This notice identifies the objectives for Community Food Projects Competitive Grant Program (CFPCGP) projects, deadlines, funding information, eligibility criteria for projects and applicants, and application forms and associated instructions for FY 2024. The CFPCGP requests proposals for two types of projects: 1) Planning Projects (PP), and 2) Community Food Projects (CFP). The amount available for CFPCGP in FY 2024 is approximately $4,800,000 to fund PP and CFP.

The CFPCGP’s Training and Technical Assistance (T&TA) provider is available to provide free one-on-one support, as well as templates, checklists, webinars, and other resources to all applicants. The CFPCGP T&TA provider may be reached at 971-801-8281 or via email at:

ised.cfp@gmail.com. When preparing to apply to this program, applicants are encouraged to consult the T&TA provider for free support.

Updates for FY 2024

1. Successful CFPCGP grantees of PP and CFP are to cooperate with the CFPCGP T&TA provider for services such as project development, grant writing training, data collection, project evaluation, and leadership development. Activities may include, but are not limited to, Project Director meetings, conference meetings, telephone appointments, workshop training, peer to peer interaction, one-on-one training, curricula development, webinars, and/or videoconferencing.

2. The evaluation requirements are streamlined for all solicitated grant types.

mailto:ised.cfp@gmail.com

TABLE OF CONTENTS

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

PART I. FUNDING OPPORTUNITY DESCRIPTION

A. Legislative Authority B. Purpose and Priorities C. Program Area Description

PART II. AWARD INFORMATION

A. Available Funding B. Application Restrictions C. Ethical Conduct of Funded Projects

PART III. ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION

A. Eligibility Requirements B. Cost Sharing or Matching

PART IV. APPLICATION AND SUBMISSION

A. Method of Application B. Content and Form of the Application C. Funding Restrictions

PART V. APPLICATION REVIEW REQUIREMENTS

A. NIFA’s Evaluation Process B. Evaluation Criteria C. Organizational Management Information D. Application Disposition

PART VI. AWARD ADMINISTRATION

A. General B. Administrative and National Policy Requirements C. Expected Program Outputs and Reporting Requirements

PART VII. OTHER INFORMATION

A. Use of Funds and Changes in Budget B. Confidential Aspects of Applications and Awards C. Regulatory Information D. Limited English Proficiency

APPENDIX I: AGENCY CONTACT

APPENDIX II: GLOSSARY OF TERMS

APPENDIX III: DEFINITIONS

TABLE OF TABLES

Table 1: Key Dates and Deadlines Table 2: Planning Project (PP) Key Information Table 3: Community Food Project (CFP) Key Information Table 4: Steps to Obtain Application Materials Table 5: Help and Resources Table 6: Key Application Instructions

PART I. FUNDING OPPORTUNITY DESCRIPTION

A. Legislative Authority The Community Food Projects Competitive Grants Program (CFPCGP) is authorized by Public Law 104-127 (Title IV, section 401(g), April 4, 1996) which amended the Food Stamp Act of 1977 (7 U.S.C. 2011) and added Section 25, Assistance for Community Food Projects (7 U.S.C.

2034).

B. Purpose and Priorities The CFPCGP is designed to:

1. a. Meet the food needs of low-income individuals through food distribution, community outreach to assist in participation in Federally assisted nutrition programs, or improving access to food as part of a comprehensive service;

b. Increase the self-reliance of communities in providing for the food needs of the communities; and

c. Promote comprehensive responses to local food, food access, farm, and nutrition issues; or

2. Meet specific State, local, or neighborhood food and agricultural needs, including needs relating to:

a. Equipment necessary for the efficient operation of a project;

b. Planning for long-term solutions; or

c. The creation of innovative marketing activities that mutually benefit agricultural producers and low-income consumers.

The CFPCGP is intended to bring together stakeholders from distinct parts of the food system and to foster understanding of national food security trends and how they might improve local food systems. Understanding that people with low incomes experience disproportionate access to healthy foods, projects should address food and nutrition security, particularly among our nation’s most vulnerable populations. Nutrition security is defined as having consistent access, availability, and affordability of foods and beverages that promote well-being. Applications from organizations that address food insecurity in rural, tribal, and underserved communities are encouraged.

USDA Strategic Plan FY 2022-2026: The CFPCGP priorities directly align with USDA Strategic Goal 4: Make Safe, Nutritious Food Available to All Americans; Objective 4.1; Increase Food Security Through Assistance and Access to Nutritious and Affordable Food.

C. Program Area Description In FY 2024, CFPCGP will fund two project types: 1) Planning Projects (PP), and 2) Community Food Projects (CFP).

https://www.congress.gov/104/plaws/publ127/PLAW-104publ127.pdf https://www.congress.gov/104/plaws/publ127/PLAW-104publ127.pdf https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=(title:7%20section:2011%20edition:prelim)%20OR%20(granuleid:USC-prelim-title7-section2011)&f=treesort&edition=prelim&num=0&jumpTo=true https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=(title:7%20section:2034%20edition:prelim)%20OR%20(granuleid:USC-prelim-title7-section2034)&f=treesort&edition=prelim&num=0&jumpTo=true https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=(title:7%20section:2034%20edition:prelim)%20OR%20(granuleid:USC-prelim-title7-section2034)&f=treesort&edition=prelim&num=0&jumpTo=true https://www.usda.gov/sites/default/files/documents/usda-fy-2022-2026-strategic-plan.pdf

Table 2: Planning Project (PP) Key Information Title Description

Program Code: LN. B Program Code Name: Planning Projects

Assistance Listing Number: 10.225 Project Type: Planning Project

Grant Type: Standard Application Deadline: October 30, 2023 November 6, 2023, at 5:00

PM Eastern Time Planning Activity Duration: 12-36 Months; Not to Exceed 3 years

Maximum # of Awards Per Applicant: 1 Anticipated Award Amounts: Average award is $25,000 for 12-36 months.

Maximum award is $35,000 over 12-36 months. One-time award.

Matching requirements 1:1 Match is required-See Part III-B

Planning Projects (PP) PP applicants should request a budget commensurate with the proposed project. Please see Table 2 for PP funding details. This is a one-time award. Applicants are to provide matching on a dollar-for-dollar basis for all federal funds requested at the time the application is submitted. See Part III-B. All PP awards will be made based on the merit of the proposed project and supporting documents. USDA reserves the right to negotiate final budgets with applicants recommended for awards. Grantees of PP will be required to participate in the CPPCGP program evaluation, including required project data collection, and sharing of data with the program’s T&TA provider.

Purpose of PP: The purpose is to provide early-stage investment in new, startup projects or to invest in completing project plans toward the improvement of community food security in keeping with the primary goals of the CFPCGP (see Part I § B of this RFA). Planning Projects are to focus on a defined community and describe in detail the activities and outcomes of the planning project. The PP is to prepare a plan for a successful Community Food Project in keeping with the purpose of CFP program goals. Therefore, the PP is expected to model all aspects of the Community Food Projects.

PP Proposals: Preference will be given to proposals designed to:

1. Develop linkages between two or more sectors of the food system including collaborating with one or more local partner organizations and using one or more action steps proposed by congress to achieve a “hunger-free communities' goal;

2. Support the development of entrepreneurial plans;

3. Develop innovative connections between the for-profit and non-profit food organizations;

4. Encourage long-term planning activities, and sustainable, multi-system, interagency approaches with collaborations from multiple stakeholders that build the sustainable capacity of communities to address the food and agricultural problems of the communities, such as food policy councils and food planning associations; or

5. Develop plans for new resources and strategies to help reduce food insecurity in the community and prevent food insecurity in the future through planning strategies to:

a. Develop creative food resources on food systems;

https://www.nifa.usda.gov/sites/default/files/resources/Goals_for_aHungerFreeCommunity.pdf

b. Coordinate food services with park and recreation programs and other community-based outlets to reduce barriers to access; or

c. Plan to create or leverage existing nutrition education programs for at-risk or vulnerable populations to enhance food-purchasing and food-preparation skills, and to heighten awareness of the connection between diet and health. Extant federally funded programs that can be leveraged include The Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program (EFNEP), the Women, Infants and Children Program (WIC), and The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program – Education (SNAP- Ed).

6. Additionally, apply a systems approach to address social determinants of health (SDOH) and increase the capacity of communities to increase food security through assistance and access to nutritious and affordable food; and prioritize nutrition security and critical current and future effects of climate change on food systems. The CFPCGP seeks to improve food and nutrition security in limited resource communities through a Social Determinants of Health (SDOH) framework.

For this RFA, the SDOH framework is defined as conditions in the places where people live, learn, work, and play that can affect health risks and outcomes. Food systems are defined as a range of sectors or subsystems and activities involved in the production, aggregation, processing, distribution, consumption, and disposal of food products that originate from agriculture, forestry or fisheries, and parts of the broader economic, societal, and natural environments in which they are embedded. A sustainable food system is one that delivers food and nutrition security equitably in such a way that the economic, social, and environmental bases to generate food and nutrition security for future generations are not compromised.

Consultation with T&TA Provider:

PP grantees will be required to cooperate with the T&TA provider for the following services:

(i) Attend Project Director (PD) meetings.

(ii) Share copies of all the NIFA required progress reports and final reports with T&TA provider annually for the life of the grant, for preparation of CFPCGP program annual report.

PP grantees are also strongly encouraged to participate in the optional services provided by the T&TA provider including:

(i) technical assistance related to application preparation and, project development, etc.

(ii) grant writing training

(iii) project evaluation training

(iv) leadership/capacity development training

These optional activities may include but are not limited to conferences, telephone appointments, workshops, peer to peer interaction, one on one training, curricula development, webinars, and/or videoconferencing. Refer to T&TA goals for more information in Part I description under (Table 1).

Examples: PP examples include, but are not limited to, community food assessments, coordination of collaboration development plans, Global Information System (GIS) analyses, food sovereignty studies, and farm-to-institution exploration. All projects must involve people with low incomes.

Table 3: Community Food Project (CFP) Key Information

Title Description Program Code: LN.C

Program Code Name Community Food Project Assistance Listing Number 10.225

Project Type: Community Food Project Grant Type: Standard

Application Deadline October 30, 2023 November 6, 2023, at 5:00 PM Eastern Time Grant Duration: Not to exceed 48 Months

Anticipated Award Amounts:

The minimum award is $125,000 over 12 months and maximum award is $400,000 over 48 months. The purpose of the award is to support the development of a Community Food Project with a ONE-TIME contribution of federal dollars to become self-sustaining (7 U.S.C. 2034(b)).

Matching requirement 1:1 Match is required-See Part III-B

Community Food Projects (CFP) Grant Community Food Projects (CFP) applicants should request a budget commensurate with the proposed project. Please see table 3 for CFP funding details. This is a one-time award. Applicants are to provide matching on a dollar-for-dollar basis for all federal funds requested at the time the application is submitted (See Part III-B). Applicants may request one, two, three, or four years of funding, but in all cases, the grant term may not exceed four years for any proposal. A no-cost extension to a fifth year may be requested. All CFP awards will be made based on the merit of the proposed project and supporting documents. USDA reserves the right to negotiate final budgets with applicants recommended for awards.

Grantees of CFP will be required to participate in the CPPCGP program evaluation, including required project data collection, and sharing of data with the program’s Training and Technical Assistance (T&TA) provider.

Purpose of CFP: The purpose is to seek solutions over the longer term rather than focusing on short-term food relief. They will seek comprehensive solutions to problems across all levels of the food system from farmer to consumer. Community food projects should not be designed to merely support individual food pantries, farmers markets, community gardens or other established projects. Rather, the community food projects should build on these experiences and encourage innovative long-term solutions to food and nutrition security. A successful project should be sustainable beyond government and matching funding. CFP should be designed to become self-supporting (or have a sustainable funding source) and expand or prove to be a replicable model.

Funding can support the development of such long-term projects or to accelerate or expand the work of a project. CFP are designed to create community-based food projects with objectives, activities and outcomes that are in alignment with CFPCGP primary goals.

https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=(title:7%20section:2034%20edition:prelim)%20OR%20(granuleid:USC-prelim-title7-section2034)&f=treesort&edition=prelim&num=0&jumpTo=true

CFP Proposals: Preference will be given to proposals designed to:

1. Develop linkages between two or more sectors of the food system including collaborating with one or more local partner organizations and using one or more action steps proposed by congress to achieve a “hunger-free communities' goal;

2. Support entrepreneurial projects;

3. Develop innovative connections between the for-profit and non-profit food sectors;

4. Encourage long-term planning activities, and sustainable, multi-system approaches that build capacity of communities to address the food and agricultural problems of communities.

5. Develop new resources and strategies to help reduce food insecurity in the community and prevent food insecurity in the future by:

a. Developing creative food and nutrition security solutions within the food systems;

b. Coordinating food services with park and recreation programs and other community-based outlets to reduce barriers to access; or

c. Creating or leveraging existing nutrition programs for at-risk or vulnerable populations to enhance food-purchasing and food-preparation skills and to heighten awareness of the connection between diet and health. Extant federally funded programs that can be leveraged include The Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program (EFNEP), the Women, Infants and Children Program (WIC), and The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program – Education (SNAP-Ed).

6. Additionally, preference will be given to CFP proposals that apply a systems approach to address social determinants of health (SDOH) and increase the capacity of communities to increase food security through assistance and access to nutritious and affordable food; and prioritize nutrition security and critical current and future effects of climate change on food systems. CFPCGP seeks to improve food and nutrition security in limited resource communities through a SDOH framework. For this RFA, the SDOH framework is defined as conditions in the places where people live, learn, work, and play that can affect health risks and outcomes. Food systems are defined as a range of sectors or subsystems and activities involved in the production, aggregation, processing, distribution, consumption, and disposal of food products that originate from agriculture, forestry or fisheries, and parts of the broader economic, societal, and natural environments in which they are embedded. A sustainable food system is one that delivers food and nutrition security equitably in such a way that the economic, social, and environmental bases to generate food and nutrition security for future generations are not compromised.

Consultation with the Training and Technical Assistance Provider (T&TA):

CFP grantees will be required to cooperate with the T&TA provider for the following services:

(i) Attend PD meetings;

(ii) Share copies of all the NIFA required progress reports and final reports with T&TA provider annually for the life of the grant, for preparation of CFPCGP program annual report.

CFP grantees will be strongly encouraged to participate in the optional services provided by the T&TA provider including:

(i) technical assistance related to application, project development etc.

(ii) grant writing training

(iii) project evaluation training

(iv) leadership/capacity development training These optional activities might include but are not limited to conferences, telephone appointments, workshops, peer to peer interaction, one on one training, curricula development, webinars, and/or videoconferencing.

Examples: CFP examples include, but are not limited to, community gardens with market stands, value chain projects, food hubs, farmers’ markets, farm-to-institutions projects, and marketing & consumer cooperatives. All projects must involve consumers with low incomes.

PART II. AWARD INFORMATION

A. Available Funding This RFA is being released prior to passage of a full appropriations act for FY 2024. Enactment of a continuing resolution or a full appropriations act may affect the availability or level of funding for this program. The amount available for the CFPCGP in FY 2024 is approximately $4,800,000. USDA is not committed to fund any particular application or to make a specific number of awards.

The Automated Standard Application for Payments, operated by the Department of Treasury, Bureau of Fiscal Service, is the designated payment system for awards resulting from this RFA.

B. Application Restrictions NIFA will evaluate applications using the criteria described in Part V of this RFA. Applications for FY 2024 are limited to the following application types:

1. New applications: New applications will be evaluated using the criteria described in Part V of this RFA and are subject to the due dates herein (see Appendix III for definition).

2. Resubmitted applications: Resubmitted applications will be evaluated using the criteria described in Part V of this RFA and are subject to the due dates herein (see Appendix III for definition). Resubmitted applications must include the response to the previous review panel summary and are subject to the same criteria. Resubmitting applicants must enter the NIFA-assigned proposal number of the previously submitted application in the Federal Field (Field 4) on the application form (see Appendix III for definition). NIFA will not review applications for proposals that exceed the budgetary guidelines.

C. Ethical Conduct of Funded Projects In accordance with sections 2, 3, and 8 of 2 CFR Part 422, institutions that conduct USDA-funded extramural research must foster an atmosphere conducive to research integrity, bear primary responsibility for prevention and detection of research misconduct, and maintain and effectively communicate and train their staff regarding policies and procedures. In the event an application to NIFA results in an award, the Authorized Representative (AR) assures, through acceptance of the award that the institution will comply with the above requirements. Award recipients must, upon request, make available to NIFA the policies, procedures, and documentation to support the conduct of the training. See Responsible and Ethical Conduct of Research for further information.

https://www.fiscal.treasury.gov/fsservices/gov/pmt/asap/asap_home.htm https://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?SID=3f96ab05cf1fc2d2713e5e46755e7696&mc=true&node=pt2.1.422&rgn=div5#se2.1.422_12 https://nifa.usda.gov/responsible-and-ethical-conduct-research

PART III. ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION

A. Eligibility Requirements Applicants for the CFPCGP must meet all the requirements stated in this RFA. Failure to meet the eligibility criteria by the application deadline may result in exclusion from consideration or preclude NIFA from making an award. For those new to Federal financial assistance, NIFA’s Grants Overview provides highly recommended information about grants and other resources to help understand the Federal awards process.

To be eligible for a grant under CFPCGP, a public food program service provider, a tribal organization, or a private nonprofit entity, including gleaners, must

1) have experience in the area of-

a) community food work, particularly concerning small and medium-sized farms, including the provision of food to people in communities with low incomes and the development of new markets in communities with low incomes for agricultural producers;

b) job training and business development activities for food-related activities in communities with low incomes; or

c) efforts to reduce food insecurity in the community, including food distribution, improving access to services, or coordinating services and programs;

2) demonstrate competency to implement a project, provide fiscal accountability, collect data, and prepare reports and other necessary documentation;

3) demonstrate a willingness to share information with researchers, practitioners, and other interested parties; and

4) collaborate with one or more local partner organizations using one or more action steps proposed by congress to achieve a “hunger-free communities' goal.

“Private Nonprofit entities” are defined as any nongovernmental corporation, trust, association, cooperative or other organization which: (i) is operated primarily for scientific, educational, service, charitable, or similar purposes in the public interest; (ii) is not organized primarily for profit; and (iii) uses its net proceeds to maintain, improve, and/or expand its operations.

Acceptable evidence of non-profit eligibility in this program includes the following: (i) A copy of a currently valid Internal Revenue Service tax exemption certificate; (ii) A statement from a state taxing body, State Attorney General, or other appropriate state official certifying that the applicant organization has a non- profit status; (iii) A certified copy of the organization’s certificate of incorporation or similar document that clearly establishes non-profit status; or (iii) Any of the above proof for a state or national parent organization and a statement signed by the parent organization that the applicant organization is a local non-profit affiliate. See the NIFA Policy Guide for additional information.

To demonstrate competency to implement a project and provide fiscal accountability, an applicant must assign a Fiscal Agent. A Fiscal Agent is an organization managing financial responsibilities on behalf of the applicant. If an institution/organization cannot accept Federal funds directly, a letter must be included in the application stating that in the event the application results in an award, the award funds must be administered through a Fiscal Agent on their behalf. This agent must be identified in the letter from the applicant and the letter must be countersigned by an authorized representative of the fiscal agent organization. The letter should include the Fiscal https://nifa.usda.gov/resource/grants-overview https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=granuleid:USC-prelim-title7-section2034&num=0&edition=prelim https://www.nifa.usda.gov/sites/default/files/resources/Goals_for_aHungerFreeCommunity.pdf https://www.nifa.usda.gov/sites/default/files/resources/Goals_for_aHungerFreeCommunity.pdf https://www.nifa.usda.gov/sites/default/files/NIFA%20Policy%20Guide%20-%20NIFA-21-002%20-%2004142021%20-%20508.pdf https://www.nifa.usda.gov/sites/default/files/NIFA%20Policy%20Guide%20-%20NIFA-21-002%20-%2004142021%20-%20508.pdf

Agent’s point of contact, address, telephone number, fax number and e-mail address. This letter is to be included as an attachment to Field 12, Other Attachments (see Part IV § B of this RFA). In the event an application is recommended for funding, NIFA will request that both the applicant or institution/organization and the fiscal agent organization submit complete management information (see Part V § C of this RFA).

Partners and Collaborators: Applicants are encouraged to seek and create partnerships with public or private, nonprofit, or for-profit entities, including links with academic institutions (including minority serving colleges and universities), and/or other appropriate professionals, community-based organizations, and local government entities. When planning collaborations, see Part III § A of this RFA.

Only the applicant must meet the eligibility requirements. Applicants must ensure that the PD and AOR listed are separate individuals, and information is included for both, including email, address, and phone number. Project partners and collaborators do not need to meet the eligibility requirements. Award recipients may sub-award to organizations not eligible to apply provided such organizations are necessary for the successful completion of the project. See Part IV § C of this RFA.

Duplicate or Multiple Submissions – Duplicate or multiple submissions are not allowed. NIFA will disqualify both applications if an applicant submits duplicate or multiple submissions. For those new to Federal financial assistance, NIFA’s Grants Overview provides highly recommended information about grants and other resources to help applicants understand the Federal awards process.

B. Cost Sharing or Matching Applicants MUST provide matching contributions on a dollar-for-dollar basis for all Federal funds requested at the time the application is submitted. Matching funds must be accurately documented for all project years at the time the application in the R&R Budget and SF-424 forms.

Matching funds may include cash and/or in-kind contributions, including third-party in-kind contributions, fairly evaluated, including facilities, equipment, or services. In-kind contributions are donations of goods, services, or time.

The matching funds, or non-federal share of the funding, may come from State government, local government, other non-profit entities, or private sources. Federal money cannot be used to match unless it is expressly authorized to be used for this purpose. Examples of qualifying matching contributions may include direct costs such as: rent for office space used exclusively for the funded project; duplication or postage costs; and staff time from an entity other than the applicant.

PART IV. APPLICATION AND SUBMISSION

A. Method of Application Applicants must apply to this RFA electronically; no other method or response is accepted. The electronic application for this RFA and additional resources are available on Grants.gov and Grants 101. Table 4 provides instructions on how to obtain an electronic application. Part III of the NIFA Grants Application Guide contains detailed information regarding the Grants.gov registration process. The NIFA Grants Application Guide is contained in the specific funding opportunity package, or a sample of the guide can be found here. When applying for a NIFA award, it is important to reference the version of the guide that is included in the specific funding opportunity application package.

Table 4: Steps to Obtain Application Materials

Steps Action Step One: Register New Users to Grants.gov must register early with Grants.gov prior to submitting an application (Register Here).

Step Two:

Download Adobe

Download and install Adobe Reader (see Adobe Software Compatibility for basic system requirements)

Step Three: Find Application

Using this funding opportunity number USDA-NIFA-CFP-009982 search for application here: Opportunity Package.

Step Four: Assess Readiness

Contact an AR prior to starting an application to assess your organization’s readiness to submit an electronic application.

Table 5: Help and Resources

Grants.gov Support NIFA Support Grants.gov Online Support Telephone support: 800-518-4726 Toll-Free or 606-545-5035 Email support: support@grants.gov Self-service customer-based support:

Grants.gov iPortal Key Information: Customer service business hours 24/7, except federal holidays.

Email: grantapplicationquestions@usda.gov

Key Information: Business hours: Monday thru Friday, 7a.m. – 5p.m. ET, except federal holidays

B. Content and Form of the Application The NIFA Grants Application Guide is part of the corresponding application package for this RFA. The RFA overrides the NIFA Grants Application Guide if there is a discrepancy between the two documents. Applicants that do not meet the application requirements, to include partial applications, risk being excluded from NIFA’s review. NIFA will assign a proposal number to all applications that meet the requirements of this RFA. Applicants must refer to the proposal number when corresponding with NIFA. Table 6 outlines other key instructions for applicants.

https://www.grants.gov/ https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/learn-grants/grants-101/pre-award-phase.html/ https://www.nifa.usda.gov/nifa-22-001-nifa-grants-application-guide https://www.grants.gov/ https://www.nifa.usda.gov/nifa-22-001-nifa-grants-application-guide https://www.nifa.usda.gov/nifa-22-001-nifa-grants-application-guide https://www.grants.gov/ https://www.grants.gov/ https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/register.html https://get.adobe.com/reader/ https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/adobe-software-compatibility.html https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/search-opportunity-package.html https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/support.html mailto:support@grants.gov https://grants-portal.psc.gov/Welcome.aspx?pt=Grants https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/snow-dismissal-procedures/federal-holidays/ mailto:grantapplicationquestions@usda.gov https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/snow-dismissal-procedures/federal-holidays/ https://www.nifa.usda.gov/nifa-22-001-nifa-grants-application-guide

Table 6: Key Application Instructions Instruction References

(All references are to the NIFA Grants Application Guide)

Attachments must be in a portable document format (PDF) format.

Part IV

Check the manifest of submitted files to verify attachments are in the correct format.

Part IV

Conduct an administrative review of the application before submission.

Part IV

Follow the submission instructions. Part IV

Provide an accurate email address, where designated, on the SF-424 R&R.

Part V

Contact the Grants.gov helpdesk for technical support and keep a record of the correspondence.

N/A

Contact NIFA if applicant does not receive correspondence from NIFA regarding an application within 30 days of the application deadline.

N/A

SF 424 R&R Cover Sheet. See Part V of the NIFA Grants Application Guide for the required certifications and assurances.

SF 424 R&R Project/Performance Site Location(s). See Part V of the NIFA Grants Application Guide.

R&R Other Project Information Form. See Part V of the NIFA Grants Application Guide.

1. Field 7. Project Summary (PS)/Abstract. The PS must show how the project goals align with the project goals of the CFPCGP See Part V of the NIFA Grants Application Guide for instructions and suggested templates.

2. Field 8. The Project Narrative Please Note: The project narrative is not to exceed 15 pages and may be written as 10 pages of text and 5 pages of tables and figures or tables and figures embedded in text for a maximum of 15 pages. Spacing required is 1.5 spacing. The font size for project narrative and for all text on tables and figures are to be no smaller than 11 points, in Times New Roman, Arial or Calibri. The page limits outlined here ensure fair and equitable competition.

I. Planning Projects (PP) The Project Narrative for PP should include the heading followed by the response for each of the items noted below.

https://www.nifa.usda.gov/nifa-22-001-nifa-grants-application-guide https://www.nifa.usda.gov/nifa-22-001-nifa-grants-application-guide https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/support.html https://www.nifa.usda.gov/nifa-22-001-nifa-grants-application-guide https://www.nifa.usda.gov/nifa-22-001-nifa-grants-application-guide https://www.nifa.usda.gov/nifa-22-001-nifa-grants-application-guide

a. The Community to Be Involved in the Project and the Needs to Be Addressed.

Identify and succinctly describe your approach to determining the critical elements and needs of the local food economy or food system, including demographics, income, and geographic characteristics of the area including zip codes and community to be served.

It is strongly recommended that assets of communities with low incomes be included in the analysis. The needs addressed should directly relate to project goals and objectives described below. It is recommended that this section be no more than one and one-half pages.

b. The Organizations and Communities Involved in the Project. List the organizations and communities to be involved in carrying out the proposed PP and the segments of the local food economy or system they link. Include a description of the relevant experience of each community group or organization, including the applicant organization that will be involved, and any related project history. Proposals should demonstrate extensive community linkages and coalitions. Planning Projects should address how the proposed project assists applicants, eligible entities, and others in understanding the primary goals of the CFPCGP which are to: (1)(a) meet the food needs of people with low incomes through food distribution, community outreach to assist in participation in Federally assisted nutrition programs, or improving access to food as part of a comprehensive service; (b) increase the self-reliance of communities with low incomes in providing for their own food needs; and (c) promote comprehensive responses to local food access, farm, and nutrition issues; or (2) meet specific State, local, or neighborhood food and agriculture needs for (a) equipment necessary for the efficient operation of a project; (b) planning for long-term solutions;

or (c) the creation of innovative marketing activities that mutually benefit agricultural producers and consumers with low incomes. It is recommended that this section be no more than two pages. Letters from the key organizations involved in the project, acknowledging their support and contributions, must be provided. A limited number of other support letters – such as those from farmers or schools – where appropriate, are encouraged to provide evidence of broad community involvement. All support letters should be attached in Field 12, Other Attachments (See Part IV, B.3.c., below, Key Organization Support).

c. Project Goals and Objectives. List the outcome-based goals and objectives of the planned project and a justification for the goals in terms of the identified need(s). Be specific. Ensure that residents with low incomes are actively engaged in planning project goals, objectives, and outcomes. Also include a description of low-income input and decision-making in the formulation of the goals and objectives. Discuss how significant the food security issues are that will be addressed by the proposed project.

It is recommended that this section be no more than two pages.

d. Activities to Achieve the Goals. Discuss how the goals and intended outcomes will be achieved. Discuss how the proposed project outcomes will be realized by providing a systematic description of how the most important steps or milestones will be accomplished. In addition to these descriptions, it is recommended that a table of is provided with implementation details for these activities, including: (a) specific steps and achievements in planning and implementation; (b) timetables for milestones; and, as relevant, (c) expected numbers of participants involved in each step of the process.

e. Relationship to Program Objectives. Discuss how project outcomes will address the objectives of the CFPCGP as described in Part I., B., and how the project will make a difference for the community with low incomes. It is recommended that this section be no more than one page.

II. Community Food Projects (CFPs) The Project Narrative for C Grants must include the following headings followed by the response for each of the points noted below.

a. The Community to Be Involved in the Project and the Needs to Be Addressed Identify and succinctly describe the critical elements and needs of the local food economy or food system, including demographics, income, and geographic characteristics of the area including zip codes and community to be served. Beyond a recitation of statistics, applications should describe local capabilities and assets, such as those identified in a community food assessment, and involvement of communities with low incomes in the context of project activities and operations. Most relevant is an explanation of why the applicant and its partners selected the activities proposed in the application. Note the main targets or beneficiaries of the project and the community needs and opportunities being addressed. The needs addressed must directly relate to project goals and objectives described below. It is recommended that this section be no more than one and one-half pages.

b. The Organizations and Communities Involved in the Project List the organizations and communities to be involved in carrying out the proposed project and the segments of the local food economy or system they link. Include a description of the relevant experience of each community group or organization, including the applicant organization that will be involved, and any related project history. Proposals should demonstrate extensive community linkages and coalitions.

Applicant organizations should demonstrate a history of commitment to and direct involvement in food security projects in communities with low incomes or in communities with low-income groups, as well as success in outreach to participants with low incomes. The qualifications of staff involved with the proposed project and/or organizational leadership must reflect the expertise necessary to carry out the proposed project activities or similar types of activities. Experience in and connections with the community will be considered as important as academic or professional credentials in this regard. Ensure that people with low incomes are represented and actively involved in planning project goals, objectives, and outcomes. In particular, describe how the communities being served – particularly the targeted residents and organizations – were involved in planning the project and will be engaged in its implementation. Please reference planning activities, assessments, meetings, or other activities that demonstrate community members as the “center of efforts and key decision-makers” and not recipients of assistance.

c. Project Goals and Intended Outcomes List the goals and intended outcomes of the project. Outcomes must describe specific changes or results that will occur as a consequence of the project and that will constitute “success” for the initiative. These may include benefits caused by program activities such as changes in participants’ skills, behavior, or qualities of life, and positive changes in conditions in the community served or reductions in negative conditions. Outcomes must be specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, and timely, and must describe what will be accomplished, and who and how many people, e.g., residents, participants, will benefit. It is recommended that this section be no more than two pages.

d. Activities to Achieve the Goals Discuss how the goals and intended outcomes will be achieved. Discuss how the proposed project outcomes will be realized by providing a systematic description of how the most important steps or milestones will be accomplished. In addition to these descriptions, it is recommended that a table be provided with implementation details for these activities, including: (a) specific steps and achievements in implementation;

(b) timetables for milestones; and, as relevant, (c) expected numbers of participants involved in each step of the process.

e. Relationship to Program Goals Discuss how the project and its proposed outcomes will address the goals of this program as described in Part I. B. Discuss the specific changes that will result among participants or in the communities served that address these CFPCGP priorities. It is recommended that this section be no more than one page.

f. Evaluation Proposals must contain a strong evaluation component. Innovative evaluation strategies are especially encouraged. Evaluations should focus on “logic models” (the logic model must be attached to Field 12, see Part IV. B) and the measurement of Indicators of Success in meeting the legislative goals and objectives of the CFPCGP.

(See Appendix III, Definitions.) Through CFPCGP project operations and an evaluation of them, USDA seeks to determine best practices, including valuable lessons learned; therefore, proposals are encouraged that include both process evaluations (developing and monitoring indicators of progress towards the objectives) and outcome evaluations (to determine whether the objectives were met). In order to allow for sufficient evaluation of projects as described, it is recommended that applicants set aside between five and ten percent of the total project budget for evaluation purposes. Grantees of Community Foods Projects will be required to participate in the CPPCGP program evaluation, including required project data collection, and sharing with the T&TA provider annually.

g. Self-Sustainability A successful project should be able to endure and outlive the one-time infusion of government and matching funds. Community food projects should be designed to become self-supporting (or have a sustainable funding source) and expand or prove to be a replicable model. Describe how a one-time infusion of federal funds will be sufficient for the proposed project. Projects must provide evidence, e.g., a market analysis or the outline of a business plan, to demonstrate that it is likely to become self-sustaining and provide employees with important job skills. Business plan outlines or any other document of evidence for sustainability are limited to five pages and should be included as an appendix. Such evidence is part of the additional seven pages of the project narrative (see page 16) and should be included as an appendix and attached in Field 12 Other Attachment (see Part IV § B).

1. Field 12. Other Attachments

a. Response to Previous Review. This requirement only applies to "Resubmitted

Applications” Part II § B identifies the type of application(s) that may be submitted in response to this RFA. PDs must respond to the previous review summary on no more than one page titled "RESPONSE TO PREVIOUS REVIEW" and save file as ‘ResponsetoPreviousReview’. If desired, additional comments may be included in the text of the Project Narrative subject to the page limitations of that section.

b. Appendices to Project Narrative. Title the attachment as ‘Appendices’ in the document header and save file as ‘Appendices’. Appendices to the Project Narrative are allowed if they are directly germane to the proposed project. Appendices germane to the project include, market analysis, business plans etc. The addition of appendices must not exceed seven (7) pages and should not be used to circumvent the text and/or figures and tables page limitations.

c. Results from Prior CFPCGP Support. This requirement only applies to applicants who have received prior grant award(s) under this program. If the PD or a co-PD has received CFPCGP, including support in the past five years, information on results from that prior funding is required. This information will be used in the review of the application. PDs must summarize prior results from funding and limit the response to one page per award. For each award, list the NIFA award number, the amount and period of support, the title of the project and a summary of the results of the completed work. Save file as Prior CFPCGP Support.

d. Key Organization Support. Attach signed letters from key organizations involved in the project acknowledging their support, contributions, and commitment; title the attachment ‘Key Organization Support’. Provide evidence of broad community involvement in both planning and decision-making. This section is limited to two-page letters of support for each key organization. (See subsection 1. or 2., as appropriate, of Part IV § B for additional information).

e. Appendices to Project Narrative. Title the attachment as ‘Appendices’ in the document header and save file as ‘Appendices’. Appendices to the Project Narrative are allowed if they are directly germane to the proposed project. The addition of appendices must not exceed seven (7) pages and should not be used to circumvent the text and/or figures and tables page limitations.

f. Logic Model. A logic model is required for this CFP program. Title the attachment as ‘Logic Model’ in the document header and save file as ‘LogicModel’. Applicants should seek the help of academic or other experts in evaluation design and implementation, as appropriate and available. A logic model or chart may also be used. It is recommended that this section be no more than one page. See Logic Model Planning Process for more information.

g. Data Management Plan (DMP). A DMP is required for this program. Handling of baseline data and data collection will be addressed in the DMP. Applicants should clearly articulate how the PD and co-PDs plan to manage and disseminate the data generated by the project.