FY25-CFP-RFA-P.pdf

REQUEST FOR APPLICATIONS

Community Food Projects

Competitive Grant Program

FUNDING YEAR: Fiscal Year (FY) 2025 and 2026

APPLICATION DEADLINE: FY 2025: Thursday, November 7, 2024 - 5:00 P.M. ET FY 2026: Thursday, October 30, 2025 - 5:00 P.M. ET

ANTICIPATED PROGRAM

FUNDING:

Fiscal Year 2025: $4,800,000 Fiscal Year 2026: $4,800,000

AVERAGE INDIVIDUAL AWARD

RANGE:

$25,000 - $400,000

FUNDING OPPORTUNITY

NUMBER:

USDA-NIFA-CFP-010954

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 2025: Thursday, November 7, 2024 - 5:00 P.M. ET FY 2026: Thursday, October 30, 2025 - 5:00 P.M. ET

Approximate Award Selection Dates:

May 30, 2025 May 29, 2026 These dates are estimates of when applicants will receive award application status. Dates are subject to change.

Approximate Project Start Dates: September 1, 2025 September 1, 2026 These dates are estimates to be used for planning and are subject to change.

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

WHAT’S NEW FOR FY 2025

1) This RFA will be used to solicit applications for two fiscal years to allow applicants to plan.

Although the RFA will open and close each year, there may be modifications of this RFA between 2025 and 2026.

2) Proposal submissions should be made for the appropriate year. Example: Only applications to be considered for FY 2025 should be submitted in FY 2024.

3) This RFA includes revised program descriptions, clarified goals and program preference elements including food loss and waste reduction.

4) Clarifies expectations for domestic travel and attendance at the annual project director’s meetings during the tenure of the Project Director is designated and entered on the Form SF- 424 R&R Budget described in this RFA at Part IV B. Content and Form of The Application.

5) Emphasizes that a list of required documents for applications to be accepted for review is included in PART IV APPLICATION AND SUBMISSION.

6) Clarifies the review criteria at Part V of this RFA.

For a program informational webinar please visit the NIFA calendar for dates, event registration, and link. If you need a reasonable accommodation to participate in any of the informational webinars listed, please contact the event host listed no later than 10 days prior to the event.

https://www.nifa.usda.gov/grants/upcoming-request-applications-calendar

COMMUNITY FOOD PROJECTS COMPETITIVE GRANT PROGRAM (CFPCGP)

CFPCGP TRAINING AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE (T&TA) PROVIDER

1. The T&TA provider is available to provide free one-on-one technical support and resources to all applicants. The CFPCGP T&TA provider may be reached at this website or by filling out this on-line form.

2. When preparing to apply to this program, consult the T&TA provider for free support.

Grantees awarded under this program will be required to cooperate with the T&TA provider for the following services: (i) Attend Project Director (PD) meetings and (ii) Sharing information provided in NIFA progress reports and final reports with T&TA provider annually for the life of the grant, for preparation of CFPCGP program annual report.

3. Applicants and grantees are strongly encouraged to participate in these additional activities 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, and (iv) leadership/capacity development training. These activities may be provided through a variety of methods. Carefully review this RFA and the NIFA Grants Application Guide for instructions and suggested templates.

GRANTS.GOV TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE

For technical issues with Grants.gov, contact Grants.gov Applicant Support at 1-800-518-4726 or support@grants.gov. NIFA staff cannot support applicants regarding Grants.gov accounts questions or issues.

https://foodsystemsleadershipnetwork.org/community-food-projects-support-technical-assistance/ https://gcc02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fdocs.google.com%2Fforms%2Fd%2F1TP5YkJ0yw5mjUtZjSPGva3RfN2wjC-7hLcN6tPBnkiY%2Fedit&data=05%7C02%7CLydia.Kaume%40usda.gov%7C83bbcfa5dd3d4706566108dc684e7537%7Ced5b36e701ee4ebc867ee03cfa0d4697%7C1%7C0%7C638499933388885302%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=yILfQ1xwyt78FSfDoSEbZFyCI%2BzozSJ82OKLUQ0b%2B7A%3D&reserved=0 https://www.nifa.usda.gov/nifa-22-001-nifa-grants-application-guide mailto:support@grants.gov

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

This RFA is being released prior to the passage of a full appropriations act for Fiscal Years (FY) 2025 and FY 2026. Enactment of additional continuing resolutions or a full appropriations act may affect the availability or level of funding for this program.

The amount available for CFPCGP in FY 2025 is approximately $4,800,000 and approximately $4,800,000 for FY 2026.

This notice identifies the objectives for CFPCGP projects, deadlines, funding information, eligibility criteria for projects and applicants, and application forms and associated instructions for FY 2025, and FY 2026. The CFPCGP requests proposals for two types of projects: 1) Planning Projects (PP), and 2) Community Food Projects (CFP).

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) (7 U.S.C. 2034) 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.

B. PURPOSE AND PRIORITIES

The CFPCGP projects are to be designed to require a one-time contribution of Federal assistance to become self-sustaining and meet short- and long-term goals. Applicants are required to address two or more of the CFPCGP goals that best fit the plan or project being proposed to ensure a comprehensive and sustainable approach to resolving food and nutrition security and hunger.

Short term goals: (Select at least one)

1) Meet the food needs of food-insecure individuals through food distribution.

2) Develop community outreach to assist in participation in Federal nutrition assistance programs.

3) Improve access to nutrient dense food as part of a comprehensive service.

Long term goals: (Select at least one)

1) Develop long-term sustainable projects that increase the self-reliance of communities in providing for the food needs of the community.

2) Develop long-term projects that promote comprehensive responses to local food, food access, farm, and nutrition issues.

3) Meet specific State, local, Tribal, Territory, or neighborhood food and agricultural long-term needs including needs for equipment necessary for the efficient operation of a CFPCGP project.

4) Develop a comprehensive plan for long-term solutions to food and nutrition security.

5) Develop long term projects that lead to the creation of innovative marketing activities that mutually benefit agricultural producers and income-eligible consumers.

Program Preference Elements In addition to meeting the Purpose and Priorities of the program, in selecting projects to receive federal assistance for this program, NIFA shall give preference to Planning Projects (PP) and Community Food Projects (CFP) designed to include these elements:

1. Develop linkages between two or more sectors of the food system.

2. Support the development of entrepreneurial projects.

3. Develop innovative linkages between the for-profit and nonprofit food sectors.

4. Encourage long-term planning activities, and multisystem, interagency approaches with multistakeholder collaborations, that build the long-term capacity of communities to address the food and agricultural problems of the communities, such as food policy councils and food planning associations.

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

a. Developing creative food resources.

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.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

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

c. Creating nutrition education programs for at-risk populations to enhance food-purchasing and food-preparation skills and to heighten awareness of the connection between diet and health.

6. Integrate actionable plans or activities that would reduce food loss and waste within the local food system by keeping food in the human food supply chain and ensuring that such actions are directly tied to reducing community food insecurity. The overarching goal is to create pathways to strengthen food rescue and get surplus food to feed those experiencing food and nutrition insecurity; reduce food loss and food waste, such as by gleaning surplus produce on the farm or finding new outlets for uneaten food to bolster supply chain resiliency or improve human health.

The Program Purpose Priorities listed above inform the evaluation section Part V.B. of this RFA.

NIFA encourages pursuing these priorities listed above through application of Traditional Knowledge in collaboration and consultation with Tribal Nations and Indigenous Peoples if consistent with the project goals and priorities. NIFA also encourages applicants to highlight proposed project plans that emphasize food and nutrition security, nutritional quality, environmental stewardship (e.g., food loss and waste, climate), culturally sensitive food and/or food practices, and economic and social equity.

Additionally, NIFA encourages projects that serve underrepresented communities, such as tribal communities, communities of color, women, LGBTQIA+ communities, individuals with disabilities, Veterans, rural and remote communities, insular areas, or communities with residents predominantly living under the Federal poverty line.

The CFPCGP is directly aligned with the following:

USDA Strategic Plan FY 2022-2026: 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.

USDA Science and Research Strategy, 2023–2026 priority:

Priority 3: Bolstering Nutrition Security & Health

C. PROGRAM AREA DESCRIPTION

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 historically underrepresented communities. CFPCGP projects are to include food insecure community members in the planning, designing, development, implementation and evaluation of activities, services, programs, and policies to combat food and nutrition insecurity; and to address underlying causes and factors related to hunger.

https://www.usda.gov/sites/default/files/documents/usda-fy-2022-2026-strategic-plan.pdf https://www.usda.gov/sites/default/files/documents/usda-science-research-strategy.pdf

The CFPCGP will fund Standard Grants under two Project Types:

1) Planning Projects (PP)

2) Community Food Projects (CFP).

Purpose of Planning Projects (PP) Grant: 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 ). 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 program goals.

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: FY 2025: Thursday, November 7, 2024 - 5:00 P.M. ET FY 2026: Thursday, October 30, 2025 - 5:00 P.M. ET

Planning Grant Duration: 12-36 Months; Up to 3 years

Anticipated Number of Awards Per Applicant:

One

Anticipated Number of Awards: 5 for FY 2025 5 for FY 2026

Minimum Request $25,000 Maximum Request: $50,000

Matching requirements 1:1 or Dollar for Dollar Match is required.

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. Proposals with budget requests that do not adhere to the criteria specified in Table 2 above will not be reviewed. Plans are not limited to any of the suggested activities1 referred to in

1 House Concurrent Resolution 302, referred to in subsec. (a)(3), is H. Con. Res. 302, Oct. 5, 1992, 106 Stat. 5204, not classified to the Code.

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

7 USC 2034, subsection (a)(3), pursuant to House Concurrent Resolution and the Senate concurring 302, Oct. 5, 1992, 106 Stat. 5204 as they work towards a hunger-free community.

Examples: Click on the link provided here for examples of funded projects.

Purpose of Community Food Projects (CFP) Grant: To seek solutions over the longer term rather than focusing on short-term food relief. Applicants 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.

Table 3: Community Food Project (CFP) Key Information

Title Description Program Code: LN.C

Program Code Name Community Food Projects Assistance Listing Number 10.225

Project Type: Community Food Projects Grant Type: Standard

Application Deadlines: FY 2025: Thursday, November 7, 2024 - 5:00 P.M. ET FY 2026: Thursday, October 30, 2025 - 5:00 P.M. ET

Grant Duration: Not to exceed 48 Months Anticipated Number of Awards: 15 for FY 2025

15 for FY 2026

Minimum Request Per Year $125,000 over 12 months Maximum Request Per 4 years: $400,000 over 48 months Number of awards per project: Award supports 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 or Dollar for Dollar Match is required.

Community Food Projects (CFP) applicants should request a budget commensurate with the proposed project. Proposals with budget requests that do not adhere to the criteria specified in Table 3 above will not be reviewed. 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. If awarded, a no-cost extension to a fifth year may be https://portal.nifa.usda.gov/enterprise-search/project_details/ss/1523 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. Projects are not limited to any of these suggested activities as they work towards a hunger -free community. Examples: Click on the link provided here for examples of funded projects.

https://portal.nifa.usda.gov/enterprise-search/project_details/ss/1523

PART II. AWARD INFORMATION

A. AVAILABLE FUNDING

This RFA is being released prior to passage of a full appropriations act for FY 2025 and FY 2026.

Enactment of a continuing resolution or a full appropriations act may affect the availability or level of funding for this program. The estimated amount available for the CFPCGP in FY 2025 and FY 2026 is approximately $4,800,000 for each year. USDA is not committed to fund any 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.

1. Applications for FY 2025 and FY 2026 are limited to the following application types:

• 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).

• 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).

2. Conduct an administrative review of the application before submission via Grants.gov to ensure that it complies with all preparation instructions. An application checklist is included in Part V of the NIFA Grants Application Guide to assist with this review.

3. NIFA will only communicate with the Project Director (PD) and Authorized Representative (AR) regarding the status of submitted applications. This program requires two different contacts for the PD and AR roles. For your proposal ensure the roles are correctly assigned. Please review the Policy Guide on the responsibilities of these roles and assign the appropriate, qualified individuals. Contact information on the grant application must be accurate. We strongly encourage you to provide accurate email addresses, where designated, on the SF-424 and the R&R Application for Federal Assistance.

4. If the PD and/or AR has not received correspondence from NIFA regarding a submitted application within 30 days of the established deadline, contact any of the three Agency Contacts identified in Appendix I of this RFA and include the grants.gov tracking number assigned to the application. Failure to do so may result in the application not being considered for funding by the peer review panel. Once the application has been assigned a proposal number, you should cite this number on all future correspondence.

https://www.fiscal.treasury.gov/fsservices/gov/pmt/asap/asap_home.htm https://www.nifa.usda.gov/grants/regulations-and-guidelines/policy-guide

5. NIFA application status dashboard allows applicants to search for the status of their application. Enter your grants.gov tracking number to check status once the application has been submitted.

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.nifa.usda.gov/data/nifa-dashboards/application-status-dashboard 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 eligibility requirements stated in this RFA and provide qualifying documentation to support their eligibility for this program at the time of application. Failure to meet the eligibility criteria by the application deadline may result in exclusion from consideration or preclude NIFA from making an award.

• Individuals and for-profit entities are not eligible to apply for this program.

• 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 7 USC 2034, 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 and nutrition 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.

Definition of Private Non-Profit: “Private Nonprofit entities” are defined as any nongovernmental corporation, trust, association, cooperative or other organization which:

a. Is operated primarily for scientific, educational, service, charitable, or similar purposes in the public interest.

b. Is not organized primarily for profit; and

c. Uses its net proceeds to maintain, improve, and/or expand its operations.

Acceptable Evidence: The following documents can be used as proof of Private Non-Profit eligibility.

1) A copy of a currently valid Internal Revenue Service tax exemption certificate.

2) 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.

3) A certified copy of the organization’s certificate of incorporation or similar document that clearly establishes private non-profit status.

https://nifa.usda.gov/resource/grants-overview https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=granuleid:USC-prelim-title7-section2034&num=0&edition=prelim

4) 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.

Competency: Applicants must demonstrate competency to implement a project, provide fiscal accountability, collect data, and prepare reports and other necessary documentation.

Fiscal Agents: A Fiscal Agent is an organization managing financial responsibilities on behalf of the applicant. If an eligible applicant’s institution/organization cannot accept Federal funds directly, the applicant must have an assigned Fiscal Agent. The fiscal agent is not required to meet CFPCGP eligibility.

The applicant must provide a letter 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 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. 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.

Key Contacts Required: Applicants must ensure that the Project Director (PD) and Authorized Representative (AR) listed are two separate individuals. In addition, accurate contact information must be included for both PD and AR: email, address, and phone number. This is the information used to contact applicants regarding the award status.

Duplicate or Multiple Submissions: Duplicate or Multiple Submissions – submission of duplicate or predominantly overlapping applications are not allowed. NIFA will disqualify both applications if an applicant submits multiple applications that are duplicative or substantially overlapping to NIFA programs within the same fiscal year. For those new to Federal financial assistance, NIFA’s Grants Overview provide information about grants and other resources to help understand the Federal awards process.

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/grants-overview

B. COST SHARING OR MATCHING

Applicants MUST provide matching contributions on a dollar-for-dollar (1:1) 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 in excess of the required amount will not be considered as part of the application review.

If a project is selected for funding and includes match beyond the required amount, a revised budget will be required which may lead to delays in processing the award. 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 private 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.

A complete list of matching sources must be secured and maintained at applicant’s organization location. Do not submit this list to NIFA or provide match commitment letters unless requested.

The responsibility to secure and expend matching funds rests with the grantee.

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-010954 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/

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.

Field 2. Program to which the applicant is applying. Enter the program name Community Food Projects Competitive Grants Program Accurate entry is critical.

• For Planning Projects, enter the program code LN.B

• For Community Food Project applications, enter the program code LN.C

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.

Field 8. The Project Narrative: 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 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 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. New applications that exceed 15 pages in project narrative will NOT be reviewed in this program.

Resubmissions that exceed 16 pages of the project narrative will NOT be reviewed.

Resubmissions are required to submit one additional page in their project narrative and should be titled "response to reviewer comments.”

All application documents and attachments must be in a Portable Document Format (PDF). Only documents and attachments uploaded in PDF format will be considered for review. If documents are NOT in PDF, they will not be reviewed in this program. Follow the submission instructions – provided in Part IV § 1.5 of the NIFA Grants application guide.

Project Narrative Headings for Planning Projects (PP): The Project Narrative for PP should include the headings in the order provided below. Refer to the evaluation criteria for content expected under each heading.

1) Proposal Goals and Objectives and Alignment with Purpose and Priorities of

CFPCGP

2) Proposal Significance and Relevance

3) Inclusion of Community Members Experiencing Food and Nutrition Insecurity

4) Timeline, Data Management and Evaluation

5) Organization's Capacity and Experience, and Partners and Collaborators

Project Narrative Headings for Community Food Projects (CFPs): The Project Narrative for CFP should include the headings in the order provided below. Refer to the evaluation criteria for content expected under each heading.

1) Proposal Goals and Objectives and Alignment with Purpose and Priorities of CGPCGP

2) Proposal Significance and Relevance

3) Inclusion of Community Members Experiencing Food and Nutrition Insecurity

4) Timeline, Data Management and Evaluation

5) Organization's Capacity and Experience, Partners, and Collaborators

6) Qualifications of Project Director (PD) and Key Personnel

7) Sustainability Plan

Field 12. Other Attachments: Attach where applicable relevant information below under this field.

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 ‘Response to Previous Review’.

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. Letters of commitment: These are important and strongly encouraged in supporting an application; but are optional. Attach a maximum of 5 signed letters of commitment from key organizations or individuals involved in the project acknowledging their support, contributions, and commitment: title the attachment ‘Letters of Commitment’.

Provide evidence of broad community involvement in both planning and decision-making. This section is limited to two-page letters of commitment for each key organization. (See subsection 1. or 2., as appropriate, of Part IV § B for additional information).

e. Logic Model: A logic model is optional for this program. Title the attachment as ‘Logic Model’ in the document header and save file as ‘LogicModel’. Applicants should seek the help of the T&TA team or other experts in evaluation design and implementation. See Logic Model Planning Process for more information

f. Data Management Plan (DMP): A DMP is required and will be evaluated, for these programs. A DMP provides a written description on how the applicant will handle data collection procedures and any data collected and disseminated in this project. The DMP will be considered during the merit review process (see Part V § B of this RFA, Part III § 3.1 of the NIFA Grants Application Guide and NIFA’s Data Management Plan

g. Fiscal Agent Letter: See Part III.A. If it is necessary to include a fiscal agent letter, then title the attachment as ‘Fiscal Agent’ in the document header and save file as ‘FiscalAgent’. R&R Senior/Key Person Profile). See Part V of the NIFA Grants Application Guide for profile requirements, details about the biographical sketch, and suggested support templates.

h. Biographical Sketches/Curriculum Vitae: All biographical sketches /Curriculum Vitae/Resumes must indicate the employment history of each PD and Co-PD for the last 10 years. See Part V of the NIFA Grants Application Guide for profile requirements, details about the biographical sketch, and suggested support templates.

i. Current and Pending: Applicants must include the current and pending support form as an attachment in the application listing PD (also known as Principal Investigator (PI)), Co-PD’s and any named key personnel to be supported by the grant.

j. Conflict-of-interest (COI) Form: The PD and Co-PDs must complete and attach a conflict-of-interest form. This is used to ensure a fair review process.

k. R&R Personal Data: This information is voluntary and is not a precondition of award (see Part V § 6 of the NIFA Grants Application Guide).

l. Supplemental Information Form: See Part V of the NIFA Grants Application Guide.

R&R Budget: See Part V § 7 of the NIFA Grants Application Guide.

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1) Match: Match funds at 1:1 ratio is required for this program. A written verification of commitments of matching support (a pledge agreement) is not required. However, applicants are subject to the documentation, valuing and reporting requirements, as specified in 2 CFR Part 200, “Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards (the Uniform Guidance),” and 7 CFR 3430, “Competitive and Noncompetitive Non- Formula Federal Assistance Programs – General Award Administrative Provisions.”

2) Indirect costs (IDC): See Part IV § C of this RFA for funding restrictions regarding indirect cost, and Section H of the NIFA Grants Application Guide for additional information.

3) Domestic Travel: During the tenure of a grant Project Director (PD) meetings are required as a condition of the award during the period of performance. The purpose of the meeting will be to discuss their projects, opportunities for collaborative efforts, and to enhance dissemination of exemplary end products/results. NIFA in collaboration with the T&TA provider reserves the right to make necessary changes to PD meeting dates, and mode, in-person or virtual.

These PD meetings may alternate between in-person and virtual meetings. In either case, attendance is required as follows.

a. The T& TA and CFP project directors are to budget for in-person travel for all years that federal funding is requested, and award remains active. If funds do not get spent in any year due to attendance of a virtual PD meeting, budget adjustments may be made as necessary.

b. Planning Project (PP) Project Directors must budget travel expenses needed to attend only one PD meeting during their period of performance due award size and shorter period of performance.

c. Travel budgets must be reasonable to cover expenses including meeting registration, air fare, ground transportation, meals, and accommodation costs to attend in-person PD meetings. In-person PD meetings typically last 2-3-days, not including travel days. Estimates depend on applicants’ location and PD meeting venue and location. PD meeting dates are typically announced 3-5 months in advance. Venue for PD meeting is typically announced at 2-3 months in advance for planning. Here is an example to guide travel estimates:

In 2023, the in-person PD meeting was held in New Orleans, Louisiana.

Meeting registration cost was $200, which included only 2 meals; hotel was discounted to $162/night and PDs travelled from all over the country to attend for 2.5 days, excluding travel days.

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C. FUNDING RESTRICTIONS

Fully negotiated Indirect Cost (IDC) rate: Applicants may use the current negotiated IDC rate established by its cognizant Federal agency (the agency that provides the most funds). If awarded, the applicant will be required to produce a negotiated IDC rate agreement from the cognizant agency to recover IDC. If unable to obtain a negotiated rate from the cognizant agency, the applicant is not permitted indirect cost reimbursement and may only be reimbursed for allowable direct costs. Violation of cost accounting principles is not permitted when re-budgeting or charging costs to awards, and costs must be consistently charged as either indirect or direct costs.

If the applicant wants full IDC (Indirect Cost), but does not have a negotiated rate, and NIFA is the cognizant agency, the applicant must calculate an IDC rate in order to request IDC. Applicants are not required to complete the IDC package during the application process. Applicants need only to calculate an IDC rate to serve as a basis for requesting IDC, please see National Institute of Food and Agriculture (usda.gov) for additional resources. If awarded, the applicant will be required to submit a complete IDC proposal package to obtain a negotiated rate.

If the applicant does not have a negotiated rate and NIFA is the cognizant agency, the applicant may request an IDC rate. Applicants are not required to complete the IDC package during the application process and need only to calculate a rate to serve as a basis for requesting IDC. If awarded, the applicant will be required to submit a complete IDC proposal package to obtain a negotiated rate.

Organizations that do not have a current negotiated (including provisional) rate, may elect the de minimis rate (2 CFR 200.414(f)). Currently the Uniform Guidance offers the option of electing to charge a de minimis rate of 10 percent of modified total indirect costs (MTDC) which may be used indefinitely. OMB has updated the 2 CFR allowing an indirect cost de minimis rate increase from 10 to 15 percent effective October 1, 2024.

Budgets for indirect costs will be increased accordingly if the recipient selects the de minimis indirect cost recovery option. As described above and in 2 CFR 200.403, costs must be charged consistently as either indirect or direct costs but may not be double charged or…