PKG00256040-instructions.pdf

Regional Farm to School Institute Grants Fiscal Year 2020 Request for Applications

Catalog for Federal Domestic Assistance Number (CFDA): 10.575

Dates:

Release Date: October 22, 2019

Application Due Date: 11:59 PM, Eastern Standard Time (EST), December 27, 2019

Anticipated Award Date: March 2020

Application Checklist This application checklist provides a list of the required documents; however FNS expects that applicants will read the entire RFA prior to the submission of their application.

In order to apply, at least four weeks prior to submission, you must have:

Obtained a Dun and Bradstreet Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number;

Registered the DUNS number into the System for Award Management (SAM); and, Registered in Grants.gov.

When preparing your application, ensure:

Your application format and narrative meet the requirements included in Section 5

“Application and Submission Information,” including page limits and all necessary attachments.

When preparing your budget, ensure the following information is included:

At least a 25 percent cash or in-kind match is provided with a detailed description of the source of those funds.

All key staff who are paid by this grant.

The percentage of time the project director will devote to the project in full-time equivalents.

Your organization’s fringe benefit amount along with the basis for the computation.

The type of fringe benefits to be covered with Federal funds.

Itemized travel expenses (including type of travel), travel justifications and basis for lodging estimates.

Types of equipment and supplies, justifications, and estimates, ensuring that the budget is in line with the project description.

Information for all contracts and justification for any sole-source contracts.

Justification, description, and itemized list of all consultant services.

Indirect cost information (either a copy of a Negotiated Indirect Cost Rate Agreement

(NICRA) or if no agreement exists, applicant may request de minimis indirect costs up to 10% of the grant amount.). If none requested, please indicate this in the budget narrative.

Organize your budget in a tabular format, with budget categories matching those on the SF- 424A form.

When submitting your application, ensure you have submitted the following:

SF-424 – Application for Federal Assistance (fillable PDF in Grants.gov) SF-424A – Budget Information and Instruction Form (fillable PDF in Grants.gov) SF-424B – Assurances for Non-Construction Programs (fillable PDF in Grants.gov) SF-LLL - Disclosure of Lobbying Activities.

FNS-906 - Grant Program Accounting System & Financial Capability Questionnaire (in

Appendix B) Negotiated Indirect Cost Rate Agreement (PDF - Upload using the “Add Attachments” button under SF-424 item #15) Include 501(c)(3) determination letter issued by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) (Upload using the “Add Attachments” button under SF-424 item #15) https://apply07.grants.gov/apply/forms/sample/SF424A-V1.0.pdf https://apply07.grants.gov/apply/forms/sample/SF424A-V1.0.pdf https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/forms/sf-424-family.html https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/forms/sf-424-family.html https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/forms/sf-424-family.html javascript:downloadFile('https://apply07.grants.gov/apply/forms/sample/SFLLL_1_2-V1.2.pdf');

A current copy of the organization’s bylaws that details, at a minimum, the organization’s official name, mission, and purpose (Upload using the “Add Attachments” button under SF- 424 Item #15)

Signed Letters Verifying Matching Funds for EVERY cash and/or in kind resource (PDF or MS Word - Upload using the “Add Attachments” button under SF-424)

Staff Resumes for up to three key staff (PDF or MS Word - Upload using the “Add Attachments” button under SF-424 item #15)

No more than three (3) letters of commitment, not to exceed one page in length, from key partners participating in the grant project (Upload using the “Add Attachments” button under SF-424 item #15)

When applicable, application packages are required to include the following documents:

AD-3030 – Representations Regarding Felony Conviction and Tax Delinquent Status for

Corporate Applicants (fillable PDF in Grants.gov).

AD-1047 – Certification Regarding Debarment, Suspension, and Other Responsibility

Matters Primary Covered Transactions AD-1048 – Certification Regarding Debarment, Suspension, Ineligibility and Voluntary

Exclusion Lower Tier Covered Transactions AD-1049 – Certification Regarding Drug-Free Workplace Requirements (Grants) Alternative

I – For Grantees Other Than Individuals AD-1052 – Certification Regarding Drug-Free Workplace State and State Agencies, Federal

Fiscal Year http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/forms.html https://www.ocio.usda.gov/document/ad-1047 https://www.ocio.usda.gov/document/ad-1048 https://www.ocio.usda.gov/document/ad-1049 https://www.ocio.usda.gov/document/ad-1052

Contents

1. Program Description

1.1 Background

1.2 Legislative Authority

1.3 Purpose

1.4 Key Definitions

2. Program Requirements

2.1 Objectives

2.2 Evaluation

3. Federal Award Information

3.1 Award Amounts and Period of Performance

3.2 Allowable Costs

3.3 Match Requirements and Cost Sharing

4. Eligibility Criteria

4.1 General Eligibility Information

4.2 Key Objectives

4.3 Additional Parameters

4.4 Pre-application Screening Requirements

4.5 Acknowledgement of USDA support

5. Application and Submission Information

5.1 Application Format

5.2 Application Content: Project Narrative

5.3 Application Content: Budget and Budget Narrative

5.3.1 Budget

5.3.2 Budget Narrative

5.4 Application Content: Required Attachments

5.5 Special Instructions

5.5.1 Required Grant Application Forms

5.5.2 Submission Date

5.5.3 Electronic Submission Details

5.5.4 How to Submit an Application via Grants.gov

5.5.5 Additional Information on Grants.gov and the Registration Process

5.5.6 Funding Restrictions

6. Application Review Information

6.1 Initial Screening

6.2 Panel Review

6.2.1 Scoring

6.3 Review and Selection Process

6.4 Determination of Award Amounts

7. Federal Award Administration Information

7.1 Federal Award Notice

7.2 Non-selected Applicants

7.3 Administrative and National Policy Requirements

7.3.1 Confidentiality of an Application

7.3.2 Safeguarding Personally Identifiable Information

7.3.3 Conflict of Interest and Confidentiality of the Review Process

7.3.4 Administrative Regulations

7.3.5 Code of Federal Regulations and Other Government Requirements

7.4 Reporting

7.4.1 Financial Reporting

7.4.2 Progress Reporting

8. Federal Awarding Agency Contacts

9. Other Information

9.1 What is Farm to School?

9.2 A Vision for Health and Economic Opportunity

Appendix A: RFA Budget Narrative Checklist Appendix B: Grant Program Accounting System and Financial Capability Questionnaire36

1. Program Description

1.1 Background

The Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) administers the nutrition assistance programs of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). The mission of FNS is to work with partners to provide food and nutrition education to people in need in a way that inspires public confidence and supports American agriculture. Among these nutrition assistance programs are the Child Nutrition Programs (CNP), including the National School Lunch Program (NSLP), the School Breakfast Program (SBP), the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP), the Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) and Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program (FFVP). Administered by State agencies, the CNPs help fight hunger and obesity by reimbursing organizations such as schools, child care centers, and after school programs for providing nutritionally balanced meals and snacks to children at low or no cost.

The Regional Farm to School Institute Grants are part of the USDA Farm to School Grant Program, housed within the FNS’s Office of Community Food Systems (OCFS). The OCFS three pillars of work include the Farm to School Grant Program; training and technical assistance; and research and evaluation. OCFS clarifies policies and regulations, develops resources, and conducts training to assist stakeholders with starting or expanding their farm to school activities. USDA also conducts the Farm to School Census, which captures information about the level and impact of farm to school initiatives across the nation (https://www.fns.usda.gov/farmtoschool/farm-school).

1.2 Legislative Authority

Section 18 of the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act (NSLA) establishes a Farm to School Program in order to provide grants and technical assistance to eligible entities implementing programs that improve access to local foods in eligible schools. To fulfill the farm to school mandate in the NSLA, funding is provided annually to support grants, technical assistance, and the Federal administrative costs related to USDA’s Farm to School Program.

In FY 2019 the Senate Report 115-259 associated with the FY 2019 agricultural appropriation directed the Secretary of Agriculture to use at least $150,000 to coordinate with established entities, such as Regional Farm to School Institutes, for the creation and dissemination of information on farm to school program development, and to provide practitioner education and training, and ongoing school year coaching and technical assistance. Similar language was included in Senate Report 116-110, associated with the FY 2020 agriculture appropriation.

1.3 Purpose

To respond to the Congressional directive, FNS is releasing a separate Request for Applications (RFA) aimed specifically at “regional farm to school institutes.” This RFA is competitive and FNS anticipates awarding at least two grants to meet the $150,000 threshold, as outlined in the directive. The Regional Farm to School Institute grant funds will assist in creating and disseminating information on farm to school program development and providing practitioner education and training, and will also support ongoing school year coaching and technical assistance. It is anticipated that this will be a one-time initiative.

https://www.fns.usda.gov/farmtoschool/farm-school

For FY 2020 only, OCFS is releasing two solicitations to the annual Farm to School Grant: the regular RFA, available on Grants.gov with applications due no later than December 13, 2019, and the Regional Farm to School Institute Grant described in this RFA. Please note that while each RFA includes unique requirements, both are authorized by the NSLA and are therefore subject to the same basic specifications, including, but not limited to, funding limits and match requirements; and criteria for selection.

1.4 Key Definitions

1. Regional Farm to School Institute(s) - For the purposes of this RFA, a regional farm to school institute is defined as an established tax-exempt, 501(c)(3) organization that works in a regional capacity and has:

a. Five or more years of experience working across the farm to school supply chain to institutionalize farm to school within Child Nutrition Program systems, structures, and operations;

b. Produced at least one major publication, such as a report, toolkit, or white paper, related to farm to school in last five years;

c. Conducted regular, ongoing farm to school trainings, either in-person or virtual, for on the ground stakeholders, such as schools, school districts, Indian tribal organizations, agricultural producers and/or non-profit organizations, and have evaluation data detailing the effectiveness of such trainings.

2. Regional capacity - Working with at least three adjacent states (interstate) or territories within one USDA-FNS region. USDA acknowledges that there may be other definitions used to define “regional” scope. For the purposes of this RFA, “regional” capacity is defined as working with at least three adjacent states or territories within one USDA-FNS region.

3. Practitioner(s) - Entities or organizations that operate CNPs or work with schools or institutions operating CNPs as defined in the NSLA to institute farm to CN practices. A practitioner may include State and local agencies, School Food Authorities or other CNP operators, nonprofit entities, Indian tribal organizations, and agricultural producers.

2. Program Requirements

2.1 Objectives

The proposed Regional Farm to School Institute activities must support the USDA’s Farm to School Program, which aims to assist eligible schools, State and local agencies, Indian tribal organizations (ITOs), agricultural producers or groups of agricultural producers, and nonprofit entities through trainings and technical assistance to implement farm to school programs that improve access to local foods in eligible CNPs (NSLP, SBP, CACFP, SFSP, and FFVP).

Activities under this grant must be clearly aligned with objectives 1, 2, and 3 below.

Required Objectives:

1. Create and disseminate information on farm to school program development.

https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/view-opportunity.html?oppId=321407

2. Provide practitioner education and training. Training may be conducted in-person or virtual.

3. Provide ongoing school year coaching and technical assistance. For the purposes of this RFA, “ongoing” means throughout at least one school year or program operational period (e.g. for SFSP during summer months) to practitioners.

Each objective is described in greater detail below. Please note that for each objective, the applicant must include one or more activities aligned with the objective. Each activity must include the following: an indicator that will permit the applicant to gauge progress towards completion; a timeline that includes start and completion dates at minimum for each activity; a target audience for materials, training, or coaching and a description of how the applicant will recruit their audience; and the individual(s) or group(s) responsible for the activity.

1. Create and Disseminate Information on Farm to School: Grant funding may be used to adapt existing materials and resources or to create new materials. Content created and disseminated under this grant must be designed with the intent to support and enhance eligible CNP (NSLP, SBP, CACFP, SFSP and FFVP) operators in developing robust, sustainable, and integrated Farm to School programs. Applicants who plan to utilize existing materials and resources must provide a detailed description of the material and/or resource content and how practitioners may apply the information to help support and advance farm to school efforts in their CNPs. Applications should also specify if materials have been piloted or tested. If new materials are developed as a part of this grant, the application must include a detailed description of the intended content of materials and resources and how practitioners may apply the information to help support and advance farm to school efforts in their CNPs. Applications should also specify how the grantee will pilot or test resources for efficacy.

All new materials developed must be provided to FNS upon finalization, to be made available free of charge to the public on the OCFS website. All new materials developed under this grant must be in compliance with section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended (https://www.section508.gov/training/508-training). The goal is to share and make these grant-developed materials widely available and accessible to all eligible CN practitioners and other farm to school stakeholders. USDA/FNS reserves a royalty-free, nonexclusive, and irrevocable license to reproduce, publish or otherwise use, and authorize others to use for Federal government purposes, any materials developed using funding from the grant.

2. Education and Training: Applicants must include a comprehensive description of the proposed education and training, including content, format(s), and materials used to deliver proposed training to the intended target audience. Grantees may use the grant funds to develop and deliver the training themselves or collaborate with other Farm to School practitioners for training development and/or delivery. Each partnering organization/affiliate must be identified in the grant application and submit a letter of commitment with the application.

The education and training may utilize any format or combination of formats, including, but not limited to, in-person trainings or workshops; online learning modules; webinars; videos; web-based applications; and/or blended learning (i.e., an educational program that combines online/web based digital media or modules with traditional face-to-face instruction).

https://www.section508.gov/training/508-training

3. Coaching and Technical Assistance: Conduct regular, ongoing farm to school trainings, either in-person or virtual, for on-the-ground stakeholders, such as schools, school districts, Indian tribal organizations, agricultural producers, and/or non-profit organizations. The applicant must provide ongoing coaching and technical assistance for at least one school year or program operational period; however, the applicant may determine such factors as the frequency, scope, and intensity of any proposed coaching and/or technical assistance sessions within the operational period.

2.2 Evaluation

The applicant must complete a program evaluation assessing the efficacy and impact of any activities undertaken under the grant, including any materials, training, or coaching developed or provided. The applicant may design and implement an evaluation plan of the applicant’s choosing. For the purposes of this RFA, there are no restrictions on the evaluation model the applicant may use; however, evaluation activities funded by the Regional Farm to School Institute Grant must align with activities proposed in the applicant’s application for funding under this RFA.

3. Federal Award Information

3.1 Award Amounts and Period of Performance

Funding amounts and availability are subject to the same limitations as the Farm to School Grant as defined in the NSLA. Therefore, individual award amounts may not exceed $100,000. Because Senate Report 115-259 for FY 2019 Agricultural Appropriation directs the Secretary to use at least $150,000 for coordinating with established entities, USDA anticipates making at least two awards under this solicitation. There is no maximum number of awards that may be distributed. All awards are subject to funding availability.

Applicants may request from $50,000 to $100,000 under this solicitation. Request amounts greater than $100,000 or lower than $50,000 will not be considered. NOTE: If a discrepancy exists between the total funding request (submitted on SF-424, SF-424A, and budget or budget narrative) within the application package in response to this solicitation, FNS will only consider and evaluate the estimated funding request contained on SF-424.

The period of performance will be 24 months. All grant funds must be obligated, and all program activities under the grant (other than activities relating to the closeout of the grant) must be completed by the end of the award period. The closeout of the grant must occur no later than 90 days following the end of the award period, and all obligations incurred under the grant must be liquidated by this date. Any funds that are not used within 90 days following the end of the award period must be returned to USDA. In addition, final reports are due to USDA no later than 90 days following the end of the award period.

3.2 Allowable Costs

Among other costs, budgets may include expenses related to personnel, contractors, equipment and supplies, meeting expenses, travel, and trainings.

Equipment and Supplies: Expenditures for both equipment (i.e., items of personal property having a useful life of more than one year and a cost of $5,000 or more such as walk-in freezers, coolers, processing equipment, hoop houses, and ovens) and supplies (e.g., knives, cutting boards, gardening or farming supplies, and food processors) are allowable expenses.

Salad bars are also an allowable expense.

Equipment and supplies purchased using Regional Farm to School Institute grant funds must be used during the grant period for the sole purpose of accomplishing the stated project objective. If purchased equipment or supplies are not fully dedicated to the grant project objective, including beyond the grant period end date, the applicant must determine what percentage of the good’s time or space will be dedicated to project activities. This percentage must then be applied to the value of the good in order to determine the amount of Federal funds that can be used to purchase said good.

For example:

• Purchase large walk-in freezer that will store local foods for Child Nutrition

Program but will also store food for the community food pantry.

• Walk-in Freezer total cost: $8,000

• 25% of freezer space used to store food that will be served in the Child Nutrition

Programs

• $8,000 x 25% = $2,000 (amount of Federal funds that can used to make this purchase)

Food Expenses: No more than 10 percent of the federal share of grant funds may be used for food purchases, and the use must be clearly delineated in the grant budget. The ultimate goal of funded projects should be to make local food products available on menus long-term; however, purchasing local products should not be a primary use of grant funds. Food purchases should be limited to educational purposes, such as: farm to school sample tables, taste tests, or promotional use. Food costs related to conducting a test run of a new local or regional product are also deemed an appropriate use of funds.

Partnerships: Partners essential to the proposed project that may require funding from USDA to participate in the proposed project can be included in applicant budgets as sub-grantees or line item contractors. Please be sure to describe the specific services provided and provide a rationale for the partner(s)’ services in both the Project Narrative and Budget Narrative.

3.3 Match Requirements and Cost Sharing

For all grant types, Federal funds should constitute no more than 75 percent of the total project budget. Applicants may not use any federal funds as the source of any part of their match. The grant recipient must show evidence of matching support of at least 25 percent of the total budget in the form of cash or in-kind contributions, including facilities, equipment, or services provided by state and local governments, nonprofit organizations, and private sources as defined in The Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act (42 U.S.C. 1751 et seq.).

Federal Funds (no more than 75% of total) + Match Funds (No less than 25% of total) = Project Total

For example:

Federal Funds (Grant Request): $100,000 Match Funds: $35,000 Project Total: $135,000 Match Percent: 26% (match ÷ total project cost) USDA Percent: 74% (grant request ÷ total project cost)

In-kind contributions are generally defined as the value of goods or services provided by a third-party for the benefit of the grant program, where no funds transferred hands. Applicants may not use Federal funds of any kind, including Federal food service funds, as a match for this grant program. The host agency contribution for AmeriCorps service members, including FoodCorps service members, is unallowable as a match because both AmeriCorps and FoodCorps are federally funded programs. The match contributions reflected in the submitted grant proposal must be documented, including the basis for the value determination, as well as be reasonable, allocable, and allowable under the criteria for this grant award.

Matching funds may be in the form of allowable direct or indirect costs. For example, the value of buildings and/or property are unallowable costs for the Regional Farm to School Institute Grant, and therefore unallowable as a source of matching funds. The basis for determining the value of cash and in-kind contributions must be in accordance with 2 CFR 200.306.

All applicants are required to submit signed match letters verifying matching funds for every cash and/or in-kind resource in the proposed budget. Match letters are not subject to the three document limit, and are considered separate from letters of commitment described in Sections

5.1 and 5.4.

The grantee must maintain written records to support all allowable costs which are claimed as matching contributions, as well as costs paid by the Federal Government. In the event the grantee does not provide the minimum amount of cost share, as described in the budget, the Government’s contribution will be reduced in proportion to the grantee’s contribution. These requirements will be described in more detail in the Terms and Conditions provided upon award.

4. Eligibility Criteria

4.1 General Eligibility Information

For the purposes of this RFA, eligible entities are defined as established 501(c)(3) organizations that are working in a regional capacity (work with at least three adjacent states or territories within one USDA-FNS region) and have:

• Five or more years of experience working across the farm to school supply chain to institutionalize farm to school within Child Nutrition Program systems, structures, and operations;

• Produced at least one major publication, such as a report, toolkit, or white paper, related to farm to school in the last five years;

• Conducted regular, ongoing farm to school trainings, either in-person or virtual, for practitioners, such as schools, school districts, Indian tribal organizations, agricultural producers and/or non-profit organizations, and have evaluation data detailing the effectiveness of such trainings.

http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/CFR-2014-title2-vol1/xml/CFR-2014-title2-vol1-sec200-306.xml http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/CFR-2014-title2-vol1/xml/CFR-2014-title2-vol1-sec200-306.xml

Applicants must provide a 501(c)(3) Determination Letter to indicate nonprofit status, as well as a current copy of the organization’s bylaws that details, at a minimum, the organization’s official name, mission, and purpose. Applicants must clearly describe how their organization(s) satisfies the criteria for an “eligible entity” as stated above. For the purposes of this RFA, “the last five years” refers to any publication released no earlier than 2014.

4.2 Key Objectives

Below is a list of the Program objectives, with which proposed activities should be clearly aligned in the Project Narrative as described in Section 5.2, including the Project Work Plan Narrative and the Project Work Plan Table.

Objectives:

1. Create and disseminate information on farm to school program development.

2. Provide practitioner education and training. Training may be conducted in-person or virtually.

3. Provide ongoing school year coaching and technical assistance. For the purposes of this

RFA, “ongoing” means throughout at least one school year or program operational period (e.g. for SFSP during summer months) to practitioners.

4.3 Additional Parameters

Because this solicitation must conform to the requirements set forth in the NSLA, Regional Farm to School Institute grants are subject to the same funding limits as the FY 2020 Farm to School Grant. Consequently, award amounts may not exceed $100,000 per award, and each recipient is required to provide matching support in the form of cash or in-kind contributions and agree to cooperate in an evaluation of the program carried out using grant funds. The following additional conditions also apply:

• Regional Farm to School Institute proposals must meet all of the criteria outlined in the Senate Report: create and disseminate information on farm to school program development; provide practitioner education and training; and offer ongoing school year coaching and technical assistance.

• Regional Farm to School Institute grantees will have a 24-month performance period. All grant funds must be obligated, and all program activities under the grant (other than activities relating to the closeout of the grant), must be completed by the end of the award period.

• Applicants who are not eligible for a Regional Farm to School Institute grant may apply for an FY 2020 Farm to School grant as long as the applicant meets all eligibility criteria for a Planning, Implementation, or State Agency grant. An entity that is eligible for both grant programs must choose between submitting a Farm to School grant or a Regional Farm to School Institute grant. An eligible applicant can serve as the lead on only one grant application; however, applicants may be listed as a key partner on more than one application.

• While a group of organizations may collaborate on a single project, the lead applicant must individually meet all of the eligibility criteria in order to apply for a Regional Farm to School Institute grant.

• Unlike the Implementation and Planning tracks of the FY 2020 Farm to School Grant, projects proposed under the Regional Farm to School Institute Grant can serve all Child Nutrition Program operators, not just school-based sites.

• Proposals should aim to increase local procurement among program operators. In the proposal narrative, applicants are required to provide evidence of impact and their history of previous success through outcome data demonstrating an increase in the quantity and quality of farm to school programs. Examples of acceptable outcome data include, but are not limited to, the Farm to School Census, regional surveys, and/or program evaluations.

4.4 Pre-application Screening Requirements

In reviewing applications in any discretionary grant competition, Federal Awarding Agencies, in accordance with 2 CFR 200.400, are required, prior to making a Federal award, to review information available through various OMB-designated repositories for eligibility qualification or financial integrity, and to have in place a framework for evaluating the risks posed by applicants before they receive Federal awards. The evaluation of the information obtained from the designated repository systems and the risk assessment may result in the Food and Nutrition Service Agency (FNS) imposing special conditions that correspond to the degree of risk assessed. The Federal repository systems FNS will review include:

1) SAM, the System for Award Management, the Official U.S. Government system that consolidated the capabilities of CCR/FedReg, ORCA, and EPLS;

2) FAPIIS, the Federal Awardee Performance and Integrity Information System, is a database that has been established to track contractor misconduct and performance;

3) Dun and Bradstreet, the system where applicants establish a DUNS number which is used by the Federal government to better identify related organizations that are receiving funding under grants and cooperative agreements, and to provide consistent name and address data for electronic grant application systems. The Federal government requires that all applicants for Federal grants and cooperative agreements with the exception of individuals other than sole proprietors have a DUNS number.

4) U.S. Department of Agriculture, AD-3030, Representations Regarding Felony Conviction and Tax Delinquent Status for Corporate Applicants.

Applicants must also respond to the pre-application assessment questions in Appendix B: Grant Program Accounting System and Financial Capability Questionnaire to allow FNS to evaluate aspects of the applicant’s financial stability, quality of management systems, and history of performance, reports and findings from audits. A questionnaire containing these questions has been provided to facilitate the process. Applicants must answer all the pre-application questions.

While answering “yes” may be an indicator of risk, the consideration and evaluation of these questions is only an indicator of potential risk and may or may not result in any additional oversight requirements or special conditions being placed on an award should an award be made.

Decisions regarding additional oversight requirements will take into consideration the total number of risks identified.

4.5 Acknowledgement of USDA support

As outlined in 2 CFR 415.2, grant recipients shall include acknowledgement of USDA Food and Nutrition Service support on any publications written or published with grant support and, if feasible, on any publication reporting the results of, or describing, a grant-supported activity.

Recipients shall include acknowledgement of USDA Food and Nutrition Service support on any audiovisual which is produced with grant support and which has a direct production cost of over $5,000.

• When acknowledging USDA support, use the following language: "This material is based upon work that is supported by the Food and Nutrition Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture.” Grantees are asked to follow the USDA Visual Standards Guide when using the USDA logo.

Grant recipients may be asked to host USDA officials for a site visit during the course of their grant award. All costs associated with the site visit will be paid for by USDA and are not expected to be included in grant budgets.

5. Application and Submission Information Applicants may request paper copy of this solicitation and required forms by contacting the FNS Grants Officer at:

Anna Arrowsmith Grants and Fiscal Policy Division

U.S. Department of Agriculture, FNS 3101 Park Center Drive, Room 740

Alexandria, VA 22303 E-mail: anna.arrowsmith@usda.gov

5.1 Application Format

Applications should meet the following formatting guidelines:

• Include a cover sheet (not counted towards page limit);

• Include a table of contents (not counted towards page limit);

• 5-page maximum length for grant narrative response;

• A suggested word count for each subsection of the proposal narrative is provided.

• Narrative response page restrictions apply only to content of the narrative proposals and do not apply to other required forms/attachments, nor the budget-related documents.

Pages exceeding the stated page limits may be omitted during the review process.

• 1-page maximum length for each resume of key staff or, if a key position has not been filled, a job description which includes desired knowledge, skills, and education. Up to three resumes may be submitted;

• 1-page maximum length for each letter of commitment, up to three letters;

• 8 ½” by 11” paper;

• 12 point Times New Roman font size (10 point font may be used in tables, charts, and graphs as long as they are clearly readable);

• Single-spaced;

• At least 1 inch margins on the top and bottom of the page; and,

• Numbered pages.

https://www.usda.gov/sites/default/files/documents/visual-standards-guide-january-2013.pdf mailto:anna.arrowsmith@usda.gov

The cover page should include, at a minimum, the applicant’s name and mailing address; the primary contact’s name, job title, mailing address, phone number and e-mail address; and the grant program title and subprogram title (if applicable).

Letters of commitment are required to confirm the extent and reach of the proposal, verify participation from key partners, and serve as evidence of the applicant’s capacity to complete proposed activities. Letters of commitment should be written in size 12 font, Times New Roman using standardized letter formatting and are not to exceed one page. Letters may be addressed to “Gregory Walton.” Information provided beyond the page limit will not be considered. These documents must be attached to the Grants.gov application package using the “Add attachments” button under SF-424 item #15. Applications that do not follow guidelines may be subject to a reduced score during review. Please note that letters of commitment are a separate requirement from signed letters verifying matching funds.

5.2 Application Content: Project Narrative

When preparing a proposal narrative, applicants should provide the information requested, in the order presented below. Please note that each section of the proposal narrative will be evaluated independently. Only address what is asked within each section. Additional information outside the scope of each independent section will not be considered.

• Experience (suggested length 350 words or fewer): Briefly describe experience with creating and disseminating information on farm to school program development, providing practitioner education and training, and ongoing school year coaching and technical assistance. Explicitly state the number of years’ experience the applicant has working across the farm to school supply chain to institutionalize farm to school within Child Nutrition Program operators’ systems, structures, and operations. Describe at least one major farm to school related publication produced by the applicant organization in the last five years, such as a report, toolkit, or white paper. Provide evidence of impact and history of previous success with at least one piece of outcome data demonstrating an increase in the quantity and quality of farm to school programs. Examples of acceptable outcome data include, but are not limited to, the Farm to School Census, regional surveys, and/or program evaluations.

• Project Work Plan Narrative (suggested length 1,050 words or fewer): Describe the proposed project and how the activities will contribute to the development of broad-based knowledge of best practices regarding coordination among farmers, processors, distributors, students, teachers, dietary and food preparation staff, and USDA professionals. Include in your description how the proposed project will increase local procurement among program operators.

Include a comprehensive description of the proposed education and training approach, including formats and materials used to deliver proposed training to the intended target audience. Where possible, specify such factors as the frequency, scope, and intensity of any proposed coaching and/or technical assistance sessions within the operational period.

List the activities, start and completion dates, target audiences, required resources, and responsible parties needed to achieve each objective. Ensure that the content of this section is reflected in the Project Work Plan Table section. Where dates are included, activities should not begin before April 1, 2020.

Note whether the project will use existing materials or if resources will be developed as part of the proposed project. If new materials are to be developed, the application must include a detailed description of the intended content of materials and resources and how practitioners may apply the information to help support and advance farm to school efforts in their CNPs.

• Staffing, Partnerships, Management, and Quality Assurance (suggested length 300 words or fewer): Describe the management approach (staffing, procurement of contractors [if applicable], quality assurance planning, tracking timelines, monitoring progress) that will be used for the project. Describe your plan for coordination, data sharing, and reporting among members of the project team and stakeholder groups.

Provide a clear description of staff or partners’ relevant experience as it relates to the proposed project. Identify key partner or collaborator organizations involved with the project.

Attach resumes of key project staff and letters of commitment from key partners to your grant application within Grants.gov using the “Add Attachments” button under SF-424 item #15. If a key position has not been filled, a job description no more than one page in length, which includes desired knowledge, skills, and education may be included in the application in lieu of a resume. Please note that there is a limit of three resumes and three letters of commitment per grant application. Please see section 3.1 of the RFA for more information.

• Evaluation Plan (suggested length 400 words or fewer): Briefly describe your organization’s ability to track progress on project activities and how the overall impact will be evaluated. For the overall impact of the project, indicate how the effectiveness of materials, training, or coaching developed or provided will be determined.

Emphasize any outcome measures that will be used to evaluate whether activities funded by the grant result in a measurable impact, such as an increase in farm to school participation or activities.

Describe the evaluation activities you will conduct to measure your program against each required objective. Identify the indicator(s) that will be used for each activity.

Indicate the date and frequency of the proposed activities. Lastly, identify a person or organization responsible for overseeing the evaluation plan and their experience conducting evaluations.

Please note that awardees will be required to report data indicating progress towards completing their proposed activities. For more information on evaluation resources, please see the Farm to School Applicant Resource page.

https://www.fns.usda.gov/farmtoschool/resources-farm-school-grant-program-applicants

• Sustainability (suggested length 200 words or fewer): Describe how the project will continue beyond the period of performance (without additional USDA Farm to School grant funds). Indicate which project components will require continued funding and identify potential sources of such funding (e.g. other grants, in-kind donations, volunteers, integration into organization’s long-term budget etc.). Discuss partners’ and staff’s roles in continuing farm to school efforts past the grant period.

• Project Work Plan Table (three page limit): For each objective, list the activities, start and completion dates, target audiences, and responsible parties needed by recreating the table on the following page. Activities should not begin before April 1, 2020. There is a three page limit on content in the table.

The Project Work Plan Table must contain the following seven columns, clearly labeled and in the following order: “Objective”; “Activity”; “Indicator”; “Anticipated Start Date (Month, Year)”; “Anticipated Completion Date (Month, Year)”; “Target Audience”;

and “Responsible Party (Name, Title, Organization).” In the “Objective” column, please clearly indicate with which objective from section 4.2 each activity, indicator, start date, completion date, target audience, and responsible party aligns. Applicants may simply indicate “Objective 1,” “Objective 2,” or “Objective 3.” There is no need to rewrite each objective in full every time. Only the seven columns will be considered. Additional columns will not be scored.

Applicants are encouraged to copy and paste the table into their application, and may add or remove as many rows as necessary to complete the table. Please include in the table any activities mentioned in the Project Work Plan Narrative section, and ensure that the information in the table matches the information provided in the narrative.

Project Work Plan Table Please ensure that content in this table aligns with the Project Work Plan Narrative.

Objective Activity Indicator Anticipated Start Date (Month, Year)

Anticipated Completion

Date (Month, Year)

Target Audience

Responsible Party (Name, Title, Organization)

• Budget (no limit on section length): Provide an itemized budget. Include a narrative line item description for every line item expense and show how that expense was derived (e.g., provide the formula used to develop line item total) and supports the project goals. Briefly describe how the total amount for that line item was determined.

All budget line item expenses must be allowable costs as defined in this RFA. If key partner(s) are receiving a portion of grant funds to provide essential services, justify the organizations’ participation in the project by describing their experience, expertise, and specific services to be provided. Ensure that all budget line items and partner services align with the activities described in the Project Work Plan Table above.

Proposed costs must be necessary, reasonable, and allocable to carry out the project’s goals and objectives. Include a total project budget, the amount requested from USDA, and the match contributed to the project. Remember, USDA will contribute no more than 75 percent of the total project costs; applicants must include a funding match of at least 25 percent of the total project cost from non-federal sources. Please see Section 3.2 Match Requirements and Cost Sharing as well as Section 5.3.1 Budget of the RFA. All applicants must submit a budget narrative and SF-424A (see Section 4.3 for more information).

5.3 Application Content: Budget and Budget Narrative

In addition to the submission of the “Budget Information and Instruction Form” (SF-424A),” an itemized budget with justification/rationale must be submitted using the appropriate Project Narrative format.

NOTE: If a discrepancy exists between the total funding request (submitted on SF-424, SF- 424A, and budget or budget narrative) within the application package in response to this solicitation, FNS will only consider and evaluate the estimated funding request contained on SF- 424.

5.3.1 Budget

Provide a proposed budget describing appropriate use of grant funds and justifying costs. Your budget must be submitted using the “Budget Information and Instruction Form” (SF-424A).

Proposed costs must be necessary, reasonable, and allocable to carry out the project’s goals and objectives. Include a total project budget, the amount requested from USDA, and the match contributed to the project.

When submitting the SF-424A, please separate federal and non-federal funds into two columns on the second page of the form (federal request in column 1 and match/non-federal in column 2).

You can do this by typing in “Federal Request” in box 1(a) and “Non-Federal” in box 2(a) on the first page. Please note that when applying for a two-year grant, the SF-424A must include amounts for both years of the grant.

Reminder: USDA will contribute no more than 75 percent of the total project costs; applicants must include a funding match of at least a 25 percent of the total project cost from non-federal sources. Please see section 3.3.

Sample Match Grant Request: $100,000 Match Amount: $35,000 Total Project Cost: $135,000 Match Percent: 26% (match ÷ total project cost) USDA Percent: 74% (grant request ÷ total project cost)

Reminder: Allowable food costs may not constitute more than 10 percent of the federal share of the grant award.

Indirect Cost Rate: A current Negotiated Indirect Cost Rate Agreement (NICRA), negotiated with a Federal negotiating agency, is to be used to charge indirect costs. Indirect costs may not exceed the negotiated rate. If a NICRA is used, the percentage and base should be indicated. If the applicant does not have, and has never been approved for, a NICRA, they may charge up to 10% de minimis; in this instance, the applicant must note that this is what they are requesting. An applicant may elect not to charge indirect costs and, instead, use all grant funds for direct costs. If indirect costs are not charged, the phrase "None requested" should be stated in the budget narrative. If there are any questions related to Indirect Cost Rate, please work with the Grant Officer (see contact information provided in Section 8) to address.

5.3.2 Budget Narrative

In addition to the budget submitted via the “Budget Information and Instruction Form” (SF- 424A), you must also submit a budget narrative. You will provide a line item description for every allowable cost and show how it supports the project goals as well as briefly describe how the total amount for that line item was determined. Items/activities that are included in the budget narrative should be described in the proposal narrative as well. If your budget narrative includes items/activities not described in your proposal narrative, they will not be considered for funding.

If key partner(s) are receiving a portion of grant funds to provide essential services, please justify the organizations’ participation in the project. All of this information is submitted in the Project Narrative as described in section 5.2.

5.4 Application Content: Required Attachments

The following attachments are required for applicants to this grant opportunity:

• Project Narrative.

• Include no more than three resumes, each no more than one page in length, for staff managing or implementing this project.

• If a key position has not been filled, a job description no more than one page in length, which includes desired knowledge, skills, and education must be included in the application in lieu of a resume.

• An applicant must include a signed letter verifying matching funds for every cash and/or in-kind resource included in the budget.

• All applicants must have 501(c)(3) status at the time of application. Applicants must include their 501(c)(3) determination letter issued by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), as well as a current copy of the organization’s bylaws that details, at a minimum, the organization’s official name, mission, and purpose

Proof of existing support: All applicants may submit up to three letters of commitment from key partners identified in the project plan or budget. Applications which do not include any letters of commitment may be subject to a reduced score in the review process. No more than three letters of commitment will be considered. There is a one-page limit on letters of commitment.

Letters must include a description of the partner’s:

• overall support of the project’s execution;

• role and responsibility in achieving the proposed project; and

• demonstrated experience or expertise with executing the assigned role/responsibility.

Letters of commitment must be attached to the Grants.gov application package using the “Add attachments” button under SF-424 item #15. Please note that letters of commitment are a separate and distinct requirement from match letters, which are required from every source of matching funds. Please see section 3.3 for more information on match letters.

5.5 Special Instructions

Late application submission will not be considered in this competition. FNS will not consider additions or revisions to applications once they are received. Applications not submitted via the Grants.gov portal will not be considered.