_Request for Applications_FY24_Farm to School Grant.pdf

USDA United States Department of Agriculture

Food and Nutrition Service

Information Collection: 0584-0512

Expiration date: 07/31/2025

Farm to School Grant Program

Fiscal Year 2024 Request for Applications (RFA)

Catalog for Federal Domestic Assistance Number (CFDA): 10.575

Release Date: October 11, 2023

Application Due Date: 11:59 pm, Eastern Time (ET), January 12, 2024

Anticipated Award Date: July 2024

OMB BURDEN STATEMENT: According to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, no persons are required to respond to a collection of information unless it displays a valid OMB control number.

The valid OMB control number for this information collection is 0584-0512. The estimated average time required to complete this information collection is 60 hours per response including time for reviewing instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and completing and reviewing the collection of information.

Form RFA 01-23

Application Checklist This Application Checklist provides applicants with a list of the required documents. However, Food and Nutrition Service expects that applicants will read the entire RFA prior to the submission of their application and comply with all requirements outlined in the solicitation. The Application Checklist is for applicant use only and should not be submitted as part of the Application Package.

Complete the following at least four weeks prior to submission:

Obtain a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) number;

Register the UEI number in the System for Award Management (SAM); and, Register in Grants.gov.

When preparing your application, ensure:

Application format and narrative meet the requirements included in Section 3.0. This includes page limits, priorities outlined in Section 1.7, and all necessary attachments.

You are eligible to apply for a grant as described in Section 3.0 “Eligibility Information.”

The chosen track best fits your project, as described in Section 1.6 “Grant Tracks,” and the track is correctly indicated on the Farm to School Coversheet.

Application format and narrative meet the requirements included in Section 3.0. This includes page limits, priorities, and all necessary attachments.

You include any required letter(s) of commitment (up to a maximum of three letters).

If your organization does not operate the National School Lunch Program (NSLP), Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP), Summer Food Service Program (SFSP), and/or the School Breakfast Program (SBP), you must include at least one letter of commitment from a school, child care institution, or summer sponsor operating the NSLP, CACFP, SFSP, and/or the SBP, or from a State Agency administering NSLP, CACFP, SFSP, and/or the SBP. This letter does count towards the three-letter limit.

If applicable, you completed the Optional Priority Group Declaration Checklist (Appendix B) and included it in the project narrative (not counted towards page limit). Applicants that do not submit the completed checklist with their application will not receive bonus priority points.

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

The total funding amounts requested on the Coversheet, SF-424, SF-424A, and Budget

Narrative are identical and do not exceed the maximum request amount for that grant track/type.

At least a 25 percent cash or in-kind match is provided with a detailed description and signed commitment letter for ALL matching funds. All matching funds must comply with 2 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) 200.306.

Applicants failing to provide the match contribution documentation will be deemed ineligible and removed from further consideration.

All key staff proposed to be paid by this grant.

Form RFA 01-23 2 https://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?SID=c5defe6d98d2be50955cbd6a74e19582&mc=true&node=se2.1.200_1306&rgn=div8 https://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?SID=c5defe6d98d2be50955cbd6a74e19582&mc=true&node=se2.1.200_1306&rgn=div8

The percentage of time the Project Director will devote to the project in full-time equivalents (FTEs).

Your organization’s fringe benefit rate and amount, as well as the basis for the computation.

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

Itemized travel expenses (including type of travel), travel justification, and basis for lodging estimate.

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 an 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 and the applicant has never been approved for a NICRA, they may charge up to 10 percent de minimis). If an applicant is requesting the de minimis rate or indirect costs are not required, please state this in the budget narrative.

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

Farm to School Grant Program (FSGP) Coversheet (fillable PDF in Grants.gov) 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 and Financial Capability Questionnaire Negotiated Indirect Cost Rate Agreement (PDF - Upload using the “Add Attachments” button under SF-424 item #15) A signed letter accounting for every source of matching funds, totaling a minimum 25 percent of the total project cost Resumes of key staff Letters of support/commitment from key staff and partners Project Narrative and Activities/Indicators Tracker Budget Narrative Optional: Priority Group Declaration Checklist

Form RFA 01-23 3 http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/forms.html http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/forms.html http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/forms.html https://apply07.grants.gov/apply/forms/sample/SFLLL_1_2-V1.2.pdf https://Grants.gov https://Grants.gov https://Grants.gov

Table of Contents

1. Program Description and Objective

1.1 Executive Summary

1.2 Legislative Authority

1.3 What is Farm to School?

1.4 Promoting Health and Economic Opportunity Through Farm to School

1.5 Defining Local Sourcing and Local Foods

1.6 Grant Tracks/Key Objectives

1.7 Funding Priorities (Bonus Scoring Points)

2. Federal Award Information

2.1 Type of Federal Assistance

2.2 Award Amounts

2.3 Period of Performance

2.4 Allowable Costs

2.5 Unallowable Costs

3. Eligibility, Activities, Application, and Submission Information

3.1 Eligible Applicants

3.1.2 Eligible Child Nutrition Programs

3.1.3 Current and Former Farm to School Grantee Eligibility

3.1.4 Other Eligibility

3.2 Ineligible Applicants

3.3 Cost Sharing or Matching Considerations

3.4 Pre-Award Screening Requirements

3.5 Acknowledgement of USDA Support

3.6 Content and Form of Application Submission

3.6.1 Special Instructions

3.6.2 Formatting

3.6.3 FSGP Coversheet

3.6.4 Application Project Summary

3.7 Turnkey Activities, Eligibility, and Application Content

3.7.1 Turnkey – Action Planning Activities

Form RFA 01-23 4

3.7.2 Turnkey – Edible Garden Activities

3.7.3 Turnkey – Agricultural Education Activities

3.7.4 Turnkey Grant Eligibility

3.7.5 Turnkey Application Content: Project Narrative

3.8 Implementation Track and State Agency Track Activities, Eligibility, and Application Content

3.8.1 Implementation Grant Activities

3.8.2 State Agency Grant Activities

3.8.3 Implementation Grant Eligibility

3.8.4 State Agency Grant Eligibility

3.8.5 Application Content: Project Narrative

3.8.6 Sample Activities/Indicators Tracker Table

3.9 Application Content: Budget and Budget Narrative

3.9.1 Budget

3.9.2 Application Budget Narrative

3.9.3 Indirect Cost Rate

3.9.4 Funding Restrictions

3.10 Application Content: Required Attachments

3.11 Required Grant Application Forms

3.12 Submitting an Application

3.12.1 Preparing for Electronic Application Submission through Grants.gov

3.12.2 How to Submit an Application via Grants.gov

3.12.3 Grants.gov Receipt Requirements and Proof of Timely Submission

4. Application Review Information

4.1 Review Criteria

4.2 Evaluation Factors and Criteria

4.2.1 Scoring for Turnkey Grant Applications (100 points)

4.2.2 Scoring for Implementation and State Agency Grant Applications (100 points)

4.3 Review and Selection Process

4.4 Grant Applicant Webinars and Trainings

5. Federal Award Administration Information

Form RFA 01-23 5

5.1 Federal Award Notice

5.2 Administrative and National Policy Requirements

5.2.1 Confidentiality of an Application

5.2.2 Safeguarding Personally Identifiable Information

5.2.3 Conflict of Interest and Confidentiality of the Review Process

5.3 Administrative Regulations

5.3.1 Federal Tax Liabilities Restrictions

5.3.2 Felony Crime Conviction Restrictions

5.3.3 Debarment and Suspension 2 CFR Part 180 and 2 CFR Part 417

5.3.4 Universal Identifier and Central Contractor Registration 2 CFR Part 25

5.3.5 Reporting Subaward and Executive Compensation Information 2 CFR Part 170

5.3.6 Duncan Hunter National Defense Authorization Act of Fiscal Year 2009, Public Law 110-

5.3.7 Freedom of Information Act Requests

5.3.8 USDA Non-Discrimination Statement

5.3.9 Privacy Policy

5.4 Code of Federal Regulations and Other Government Requirements

5.4.1 Government-wide Regulations

5.5 Reporting Requirements

5.5.1 Financial Reports

5.5.2 Performance Progress Reports (PPR)

5.5.3 Evaluation and Impact

6. Federal Awarding Agency Contacts

7. Other Information

7.1 Debriefing Requests

Appendix A: Urban/Rural Classification Instructions

Appendix B: Optional Priority Group Declaration Checklist (Bonus Points)

Appendix C: Suggested Budget Narrative Template and Checklist

Suggested Budget Narrative Template

Budget Narrative Checklist

Appendix D: Grant Program Accounting System and Financial Capability Questionnaire

Form RFA 01-23 6

Purpose

Organization Information

Financial Stability and Quality of Management Systems

Audit Reports and Findings

Applicant Certification

Appendix E: Template CNP Operator Letter of Commitment

Appendix F: Match Letter Template

Form RFA 01-23 7

1. Program Description and Objective

1.1 Executive Summary

The Patrick Leahy Farm to School Grant Program is designed to increase the availability of local foods in schools and help connect students to the sources of their food through education, taste tests, school gardens, field trips, and local food sourcing for school meals. Grants can launch new farm to school programs or expand existing efforts. The Fiscal Year (FY) 2024 Farm to School Grant awards projects of 24 months in length for funding up to $500,000. Applicants are required to provide matching support of at least 25 percent of the total project budget in the form of cash or in-kind contributions. The RFA offers three tracks - Implementation, State Agency, and Turnkey

- to support a variety of projects and implementation stages. Eligible applicants may include schools and other institutions that operate Child Nutrition Programs, Indian Tribal Organizations, agricultural producers or groups of agricultural producers, nonprofit entities, and State and local agencies.

1.2 Legislative Authority

The Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act (NSLA) (42 U.S.C. 1751 et seq.) establishes a Farm to School Program in order to assist eligible entities, through grants and technical assistance, in implementing farm to school programs that improve access to local foods in the USDA Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) Child Nutrition Programs (CNP), including the National School Lunch Program (NSLP), School Breakfast Program (SBP), Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP), and Summer Food Service Program (SFSP).

Each year $5 million is provided to the Department of Agriculture (USDA) to support grants, technical assistance, and other activities related to USDA’s Farm to School Program. Additional funding for the Farm to School Program was made available from the FY 2018 through FY 2023 agriculture appropriations acts and, as a result, USDA expects to award approximately $12 million under this solicitation. As mandated by the NSLA, selected grant projects are limited to no more than $100,000 each. However, in recent years the Agriculture Appropriations Act has included a provision to allow grant projects of up to $500,000. In anticipation of authority to provide grants of up to $500,000 being again provided in the FY 2024 agriculture appropriations, USDA will consider proposals of up to $500,000 from State agencies or other eligible organizations proposing projects that are multi-State or national in scope. Indian Tribal Organizations (ITOs) are also eligible to submit proposals of up to $500,000. For more information about projects above $100,000 and multi-State projects, please see Section 3.8. For a definition of ITOs, see Section 3.1. Final award decisions will depend upon the final appropriation language. The USDA Patrick Leahy Farm to School Grant Program is administered by FNS Community Food Systems Division (CFSD).

Form RFA 01-23 8

Authorizing language in Section 18(g) of the NSLA (42 U.S.C 1769(g)) directs the Secretary of Agriculture to award competitive grants, designed to improve access to local foods in eligible schools, for activities such as:

• Training;

• Supporting operations;

• Planning;

• Purchasing equipment;

• Developing school gardens;

• Developing partnerships; and

• Implementing farm to school programs.

The NSLA also directs the Secretary to ensure geographical diversity and equitable treatment of urban, rural, and tribal communities in the distribution of grant awards, as well as give the highest priority to funding projects that, as determined by the Secretary:

• Make local food products available on the menu of the eligible school(s);

• Serve a high proportion of children who are eligible for free or reduced price lunches;

• Incorporate experiential nutrition education activities in curriculum planning that encourage the participation of school children in farm and garden-based agricultural education activities;

• Demonstrate collaboration between eligible schools, nongovernmental and community-based organizations, agricultural producer groups, and other community partners;

• Include adequate and participatory evaluation plans;

• Demonstrate the potential for long-term program sustainability; and,

• Meet any other criteria that the Secretary determines appropriate.

The NSLA also requires each Farm to School Grant recipient 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. Please refer to Section 3.4 for a discussion of matching and in-kind requirements.

1.3 What is Farm to School?

While individual farm to school programs are shaped by their unique community, geographic region, and scope, the term ‘farm to school’ is generally understood to include efforts that connect schools with local or regional farmers, food processors, and manufacturers in order to serve locally or regionally procured foods in school cafeterias. Bringing more locally sourced, fresh fruits and vegetables into school cafeterias is a foundational activity of many farm to school efforts;

procuring locally sourced, minimally processed meal items so that the entire school meal is representative of regional options is also a focus of many farm to school programs. Thus, USDA considers farm to school to be inclusive of many types of producers, such as farmers, ranchers, and fishers, as well as many types of food businesses, including food processors, manufacturers, Form RFA 01-23 9 distributors, and other value-added operations. Farm to school also encompasses a variety of meal-serving institutions, including schools, child care institutions, and summer sponsors and sites. These entities are broadly referred to as CNP operators or CNP sites in this RFA.

In addition to local sourcing activities, farm to school programs often include agriculture and nutrition-based educational efforts including standards-based curriculum and a whole host of hands-on experiential activities, such as school gardens, field trips to local farms, and cooking classes. For example, students might dissect vegetables in science class, run farm stands using school garden produce to learn business skills, or practice data visualization techniques using plant growth measurements, all contributing to a holistic approach to learning centered on food, agriculture, and nutrition. To embed farm to school activities into school culture, promotion and outreach efforts often aim to keep farm to school activities front and center in both the school and broader community.

The potential impact of farm to school programs is significant, and program operators often use evaluations and impact assessments to monitor progress toward goals. Ultimately, farm to school programs are believed to strengthen children’s and communities’ knowledge about, and attitudes toward, agriculture, food, nutrition, and the environment; increase children’s consumption of fruits and vegetables; increase market opportunities for farmers, fishers, ranchers, food processors, and food manufacturers; and support economic development across numerous sectors.

1.4 Promoting Health and Economic Opportunity Through Farm to School

Farm to school programs can play an important role in improving local economies and increasing health and learning outcomes by connecting children and communities to the farm. Effective and comprehensive farm to school programs incorporate locally and regionally produced foods across the entire plate, connect children to food and agriculture education, improve consumption of nutritious food, and inspire children to pursue agriculture related careers while establishing the U.S. school cafeteria as a consistently reliable market for U.S. agricultural producers.

Consistent with the authorizing language referenced in Section 1.2, USDA intends to strategically invest in a wide variety of farm to school initiatives that improve access to local and regional foods in eligible CNP sites. Helping CNP operators find and procure regionally produced food is a key component of the USDA’s local and regional food systems work (https://www.ams.usda.gov/services/local-regional). For more information on USDA’s many farm to school initiatives, or to access resources associated with farm to school, please visit USDA’s Farm to School Program webpage at https://www.fns.usda.gov/f2s/farm-to-school.

1.5 Defining Local Sourcing and Local Foods

For the purposes of farm to school, USDA does not define “local”. Instead, CNP operators and applicants to this RFA may have varying definitions of “local” that align with their particular needs and goals. Local and regional food systems typically include the producing, processing, Form RFA 01-23 10 https://www.ams.usda.gov/services/local-regional https://www.fns.usda.gov/f2s/farm-to-school distributing, and marketing of foods within a specific geographic area. How a program operator defines “local” or “regional” – which are used interchangeably in this RFA – can depend on geographic, social, governmental, physical, or economic parameters, seasonality, and/or other factors. This definition is not all encompassing, as program operators may vary their definition of “local” or “regional” for specific foods or food groups to best align with what is available in their geographic area.

For the purpose of this RFA, local sourcing means purchasing or obtaining foods that meet the program operator’s definition of local for service in CNPs. There are a variety of methods by which CNP operators may source local foods for service in their meal programs. The primary method is by purchasing or procuring foods from local producers, sometimes through intermediaries like distributors and food hubs, using allowable procurement methods. Purchasing local foods can benefit local economies, increase communities’ access to local foods, and build connections and infrastructure that help make more local foods available on program menus in the long term.

Program operators also source local foods by receiving donated foods from a variety of sources like school gardens, local producers, and local community organizations.

1.6 Grant Tracks/Key Objectives

Grant funds will be made available on a competitive basis, subject to the availability of Federal funds, using five grant tracks:

• State Agency grants;

• Implementation grants;

• Turnkey – Action Planning grants;

• Turnkey – Agricultural Education grants; and

• Turnkey – Edible Garden grants.

Applicant eligibility varies by grant track. For eligibility information, see Section 3.0. Applicants should carefully read the entire RFA before applying to determine which grant track is best for their organization and proposed project.

Below is a list of the Program Objectives. Implementation and State Agency applicants may propose any activities aligned with the objective below. Applicants to all Turnkey tracks must adhere to the activities specific to their track of choice as detailed in Section. Examples of activities that meet the objectives for State Agency and Implementation grants are provided in Section 3.8. Note that if awarded, grantees will be required to report on progress towards activities aligned with the required objective using the FNS-908 Performance Progress Report.

Form RFA 01-23 11

Track Objectives Turnkey – Action Planning Develop a Farm to School Action Plan to facilitate launching or scaling farm to school activities.

Turnkey – Edible Gardens Plan, implement, and evaluate a food production operation that produces food for CNP operator activities.

Turnkey – Agricultural Education

Plan, implement, and evaluate the integration of farm to school topics into CNP sites’ curriculum.

Implementation Improve access to local foods in eligible CNP sites through comprehensive farm to school programming that includes local sourcing and agricultural education efforts.

State Agency Improve access to local foods in eligible CNP sites through comprehensive farm to school programming that includes local sourcing and agricultural education efforts.

Note: although the objectives for the Implementation and State Agency tracks are the same, each track has distinct allowable activities and eligibility, please see Section 3.8.

1.7 Funding Priorities (Bonus Scoring Points)

In addition to the general program purpose and priorities outlined in Section 1.2, and in alignment with the Executive Order on Advancing Racial Equity and Support for Underserved Communities Through the Federal Government (Executive Order 13985, https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/presidential-actions/2021/01/20/executive-order-advancing-racial-equity-and-support-for-underserved-communities-through-the-Federal-government/), the FY 2024 Patrick Leahy Farm to School Grant program takes a comprehensive approach to advancing equity for all in farm to school programming, including people of color and others who have been historically underserved, marginalized, and adversely affected by persistent poverty and inequality. To reflect this, the FY 2024 Farm to School Grant awards will offer up to 10 priority scoring incentives (bonus points) to applications serving at least 40 percent of students who are eligible for free or reduced price meals; applications from ITOs serving tribal communities; applications from organizations led by and serving Black, Indigenous or other communities of color; applications based in and serving rural communities; and applications from agricultural producers or groups of agricultural producers. The priorities are grouped into two categories and are detailed as follows:

Racial Equity Priorities

• Applications from ITOs, or an entity led and/or staffed by American Indians and Alaska Natives and serving American Indian and Alaska Native communities.

• Applications from organizations led and/or staffed by Black/African Americans and serving Black/African American communities.

• Applications from organizations led and/or staffed by people of color and serving communities of color (defined as Black/African American, American Indian, Alaskan Native, Hispanic/Latino, Asian, and/or Pacific Islander).

Form RFA 01-23 12 https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/presidential-actions/2021/01/20/executive-order-advancing-racial-equity-and-support-for-underserved-communities-through-the-federal-government/ https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/presidential-actions/2021/01/20/executive-order-advancing-racial-equity-and-support-for-underserved-communities-through-the-federal-government/ https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/presidential-actions/2021/01/20/executive-order-advancing-racial-equity-and-support-for-underserved-communities-through-the-federal-government/

Organization Type Priorities

• Applications that serve a high proportion of children (at least 40 percent or more) who are eligible for free or reduced price meals.

• Applications from small- to medium-sized agricultural producers or groups of small- to medium-sized agricultural producers. Please refer to the specific eligibility criteria in Section 3.0 for the definition of an eligible small- to medium-sized agricultural producer.

• Projects operating in and serving eligible CNP sites located in rural areas. For the purposes of Farm to School Grants, rural is defined as an area where the school or site participating in the project is located in the attendance boundary of a school or in a location with a locality code of 41, 42, or 43 using the National Center for Education Statistics online tool to determine urban/rural classification, as described in Appendix A.

In selecting successful applicants, to the maximum extent practicable, USDA will seek to ensure geographical diversity and equitable treatment of urban, rural, and Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) communities.

If an applicant’s project reaches one or more priority groups as outlined above and the applicant would like to be considered for up to an additional 10 bonus priority points to be added to the scoring of their application, please fill out the checklist included in Appendix B and include the completed checklist with the Project Narrative. Seven points will be awarded for meeting one or more of the Racial Equity priorities and one point per Organization Type priority, up to three points, will be awarded for a total of up to 10 bonus points. The Priority Group Declaration Checklist does not count towards the narrative page limit. Applicants that do not complete the Priority Group Declaration Checklist will not be eligible for consideration of these bonus points.

Note that the Priority Declaration Checklist must be easily identifiable within the application.

Applicants should include the Priority Declaration Checklist as its own page or as a separate attachment to ensure full credit.

If USDA is unable to verify information declared on the Priority Group Declaration Checklist, the applicant will not be eligible to receive bonus points.

2. Federal Award Information

2.1 Type of Federal Assistance

The following information is intended to provide applicants with information to help make informed decisions about proposal submissions.

• Total amount of funding across all grant tracks listed in Section 1.5 that FNS expects to award: $12 million

• Anticipated number of awards across all grant tracks: 150

• Minimum award amount (award floor): $0

• Maximum award amount (award ceiling): varies by grant track, see Section 2.2

Form RFA 01-23 13

• Anticipated award announcement date: July 2024

• Anticipated period of performance (start and end date of the award): 24 months, see

Section 2.3

• Anticipated funding of individual awards: varies by grant track, see Section 2.2

• Application due date: January 12, 2024

Please note:

• Grant awards are subject to the availability of funding and/or appropriations of funds.

• FNS reserves the right to use this solicitation and competition to award additional grants this year or in the subsequent fiscal year, should additional funds become available.

2.2 Award Amounts

Award amounts vary by grant track. Turnkey grant awards will range up to $50,000, with no minimum award amount. Implementation and State Agency grants will range from $50,000 - $500,000. While USDA sets specific Federal award amounts for each grant track, please note that the total project costs (comprised of the Federal award and the non-Federal match portion) may exceed these amounts.

The award amounts for the FY 2024 USDA Farm to School Grant Program will be as follows:

Grant Track Award Amount

Turnkey Grant – Action Plan Up to $50,000

Turnkey Grant – Edible Garden Up to $50,000

Turnkey Grant – Agricultural Education Up to $50,000

Implementation Grants ($100,000 or less) $50,000 - $100,000

Implementation Grants (greater than $100,000)

$100,001 - $500,000 (see note below)

State Agency Grant $50,000 - $500,000

Note: Eligible entities proposing projects of national or multi-State scope may apply for Implementation grants that exceed $100,000 and be up to $500,000. If FNS cannot verify the national or multi-State scope based on the information contained in the application materials, the application may be removed from consideration. ITOs are also eligible to submit proposals of up to $500,000. ITOs applying for more than $100,000 are not required to propose projects that reach multiple tribes or States or are national in scope. For more information about projects above $100,000 and multi-State projects and eligibility, please see Section 3.8.

2.3 Period of Performance

The period of performance for the FY 2024 USDA Farm to School Grant Program will be 24 months for all tracks, beginning from the date of the award.

Form RFA 01-23 14

However, a grantee might not need the entire grant period to complete their projects and may closeout early. 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 should anticipate all grant requirements including start-up activities, execution, and closeout activities (final financial and program reports, accounting, etc.) within the period of performance. Applicants are expected to plan accordingly to achieve project deliverables within the award period.

2.4 Allowable Costs

In order to accomplish Farm to School Grant Program goals, grantees must ensure that the best use of the available funding is achieved. Expenditures and purchases need to contribute to an approved project activity. In approving grant or subgrant expenditures, a positive answer should always be sought to the following questions:

1. Is the cost applicable to my grant and/or the subgrant’s objectives?

2. Is the cost allowable according to program cost principles?

3. Is the cost reasonable and appropriate?

Among other costs, budgets may include expenses related to personnel, contractors, equipment and supplies, meeting expenses (other than meals), travel, and trainings. Financial requirements will be provided in the Terms and Conditions upon award.

Please see the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) document under the “Related Documents” tab on Grants.gov for more information and examples of allowable and unallowable costs.

Please refer to the general guidance of selected items under the Cost Principles found in 2 CFR 200, (https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/part-200#part-200).

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 implements, and food processors) are allowable expenses. Salad bars are also an allowable expense.

Equipment and supplies purchased using Farm to School Grant Program 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

Form RFA 01-23 15 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/part-200#part-200 said good. All equipment over $5,000 has additional reporting and disposition requirements.

Please see the regulations found at 2 CFR §200.313 and confirm that you are willing and able to meet the additional requirements. The regulation can be found online at:

https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-A/chapter-II/part-200/subpart-D/subject-group- ECFR8feb98c2e3e5ad2/section-200.313.

For example:

• Purchase of a large walk-in freezer that will store local foods for CNP site(s) but will also store food for the community food pantry.

• Walk-in freezer total cost: $8,000

• 25 percent of freezer space used to store food that will be served in CNP site(s)

• $8,000 x 25 percent = $2,000 (amount of Federal funds that can be 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. Furthermore, no more than 10 percent of the non-federal match may be used for food purchases, and the use must also 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; therefore, purchasing local products should not be a primary use of grant funds. Food purchases should be limited to educational purposes only, such as farm to school sample tables, taste tests, or promotional use. Food costs related to conducting a test offering of a new local or regional product are also deemed an appropriate use of funds. Any food purchase, as well as any expenditures associated with food purchases, must be clearly identified within the submitted budget narrative. In general grant funds may NOT be used to purchase meals or snacks for training or meeting attendees, unless approved in advance in accordance with 2 CFR 200.432.

Partnerships

Partners essential to the proposed project and partners contributing to project activities may require funding from USDA to participate in the proposed project. These funds may be included in applicant budgets as subgrantees or line-item contractors. Please be sure to describe the specific services provided by the partner and provide a rationale for the partner(s)’ services in both the Project Narrative and Budget Narrative.

Evaluation

Farm to School Grant funds may be used to support costs associated with evaluation activities.

The evaluation methods and measurement tools in the proposal must be appropriate for the grant objective.

Form RFA 01-23 16 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-A/chapter-II/part-200/subpart-D/subject-group-ECFR8feb98c2e3e5ad2/section-200.313 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-A/chapter-II/part-200/subpart-D/subject-group-ECFR8feb98c2e3e5ad2/section-200.313

Promotional Items

The purchase of promotional items is allowed if they are directly related to the grant proposal’s objective. Any cost associated with such promotions must be reasonable in comparison to the grant funding. A total expenditure of promotional items should not exceed 5 percent of a total subgrant awarded. Promotional costs associated with advertising and public relations are unallowable. The term advertising costs means the costs of advertising media and corollary administrative costs. Advertising media include magazines, newspapers, radio and television, direct mail, exhibits, electronic or computer transmittals (2 CFR 200.421 Advertising and Public Relations).

Staff Development and/or Substitute Pay

If adequate funding is available, Farm to School Grant funds may be used to hire substitute food service staff while school food service staff attend workshops and training. For accounting purposes, a record of who attended the session, how long it lasted, and the purpose of the session is required.

Stipends

Stipends are an allowable expense, but the applicant should describe how they will be used and how the amount was determined. Please refer to 2 CFR 200.75, Participant Support Costs, for further information.

Subgrants from State Agencies

State agencies that award subgrants are expected to:

• Ensure that all subgrant recipients are eligible and participate in the NSLP, CACFP, SFSP as authorized under the Richard B. Russell School Lunch Act, or the SBP established under Section 4 of the Child Nutrition Act of 1966.

• Provide oversight to these subgrant recipients to ensure that expenditures authorized under the subgrants are allowable, allocable, and reasonable.

• Ensure that all expenditures are consistent with all local, State, and Federal policies, regulations, and procedures.

• Ensure that the expenditure does not exceed that which would be incurred by a prudent person under similar circumstances and would qualify as a sound business practice.

• Ensure that funds support the grant track objective.

• State agencies that apply for Farm to School Grant funds with a proposal to award subgrants must describe in the project narrative their process for awarding subgrants.

Travel

Reimbursement for travel and hotel costs for project staff or participants to attend trainings and activities is allowable. A clear oversight process must be in place to ensure the appropriate use of funds according to established travel allowances within the State.

Form RFA 01-23 17 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-A/chapter-II/part-200/subpart-E/subject-group-ECFRed1f39f9b3d4e72/section-200.421 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-A/chapter-II/part-200/subpart-E/subject-group-ECFRed1f39f9b3d4e72/section-200.421 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-A/chapter-II/part-200/subpart-E/subject-group-ECFRed1f39f9b3d4e72/section-200.456

2.5 Unallowable Costs

All costs proposed in the budget and detailed in the budget narrative must be allowable, reasonable, necessary, and allocable. Refer to 2 CFR Part 200 Subpart E – Cost Principles for a detailed description of all allowable and unallowable costs.

Entertainment

Costs of entertainment, including amusement, diversion, and social activities and any associated costs are unallowable (such as mascot costumes, promotional items, etc.) unless there is a programmatic purpose and prior approval is granted by FNS.

AmeriCorps and FoodCorps

Because AmeriCorps and FoodCorps programs are federally funded programs, Farm to School Grant funds may not be used to pay for AmeriCorps/FoodCorps service member stipends or benefits, either directly or as matching funds. Additionally, service member time may not be used as match for a Farm to School Grant. Service site fees that do not support service member stipends or benefits, or project activities conducted by AmeriCorps/FoodCorps programs, sites, and/or service members may be allowable grant costs.

Construction

Construction is not an allowable cost of the nonprofit school food service account. However, construction of a greenhouse may be an allowable use of Farm to School Grant funds, as long as the grant funds are not placed in the nonprofit school food service account at any time.

Gift Cards

Gift cards are not an allowable expense under this grant opportunity. For the purposes of this grant opportunity, “gift cards” refers to any token, voucher, ticket, certificate, or other item with cash value that serves as a substitute for cash.

Medical Equipment

Farm to School Grant funds may not be used to purchase medical equipment or health services related to health assessments, such as obtaining clinical data on nutritional status, chronic disease, or chronic disease risk assessment. Please note that hospitals are not eligible as lead applicants for the FY 2024 Farm to School Grant.

Vehicles

Purchasing a vehicle with grant funds is not an allowable cost. Applicants can consider leasing a vehicle or purchasing a trailer/attachment if there is a clear need for delivery of the grant project.

Trailers and/or attachments are not permitted to be self-propelling (i.e., have an engine).

Form RFA 01-23 18 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-A/chapter-II/part-200/subpart-E

3. Eligibility, Activities, Application, and Submission Information

3.1 Eligible Applicants

The following are generally eligible entities, which are described in more detail below. Please see each track’s eligibility section for track-specific eligibility.

• Eligible schools, including nonprofit private and charter schools, which operate the NSLP and/or SBP;

• Eligible child care institutions, including non-school based institutions that have an agreement with the State agency to operate CACFP;

• Eligible summer sponsors, including non-school based institutions that have an agreement with the State agency to operate SFSP;

• State agencies;

• Local agencies;

• Indian Tribal Organizations;

• Agricultural producers or groups of agricultural producers; and

• Non-profit entities.

Entity type must be clearly indicated and unambiguous in all application materials. If USDA cannot determine the applicant to be an eligible entity based on information contained within the application, the applicant will be deemed ineligible and removed from competition without further consideration.

Eligible schools are defined as schools that participate in the NSLP, CACFP, or SFSP as authorized under the Richard B. Russell NSLA or the SBP established under Section 4 of the Child Nutrition Act of 1966. The school(s) that comprise the primary focus of the grant project must have an agreement with the appropriate administering State agency to participate in the NSLP, CACFP, SFSP, and/or SBP, and must be in good standing. Where a school food authority (SFA) exists, the application must come from the SFA, and only one application per SFA is allowed. School districts should select “Eligible school” when completing the Farm to School Coversheet. Multiple applications from within the same entity will not be considered; for example, if both a school district and an individual school within the district apply, neither application will be considered.

FNS will not choose between different applications from the same entity to determine which should be forwarded for consideration.

Eligible child care institutions are defined as non-school based institutions that have an agreement with the State agency to operate CACFP. The institutions and site(s) that comprise the primary focus of the grant project must have an agreement with the appropriate administering State agency to participate in CACFP and must be in good standing.

Eligible summer sponsors are defined as non-school based institutions that have an agreement with the State agency to operate SFSP. The sponsors and site(s) that comprise the primary focus

Form RFA 01-23 19 of the grant project must have an agreement with the appropriate administering State agency to participate in SFSP and must be in good standing.

State agencies are any statewide government agency that administers or works in partnership with the agency that administers the Federal CNPs (e.g., Office of Public Instruction, Department of Education, Department of Agriculture, Department of Health, etc.). If a State Agency applicant does not administer the NSLP, CACFP, SFSP, and/or the SBP, the applicant must include a letter of commitment from the CNP-administering State agency. This letter of commitment does count toward the three-letter limit.

Local agencies are any unit of government within a State, including but not limited to a county, borough, municipality, city, town, township, parish, special district, or council of governments.

Note: For the purposes of this RFA, school districts, SFAs, and other institutions operating CNPs are not considered local agencies and should select “eligible school,” “eligible child care institution,” or “eligible summer institution” on the Farm to School coversheet as appropriate.

Indian Tribal Organizations (ITOs) include:

• An Indian tribe, band, or group recognized by the Department of the Interior;

• an intertribal council or group which is an authorized representative of Indian tribes, bands or groups recognized by the Department of the Interior and which has an ongoing relationship with such tribes, bands or groups for other purposes and has contracted with them to administer a Federal CNP located in an eligible school; and

• tribal entities recognized as charitable under Section 7871 of the Internal Revenue Code (https://www.irs.gov/government-entities/indian-tribal-governments/irc-section-7871-treatment-of-indian-tribes-as-states).

Agricultural producers are defined as any individual or entity that produces an agricultural commodity or agricultural food product. Please note that agricultural producers are not limited to those producing fruits, vegetables, or grains, but also include fishers, ranchers, and those raising other livestock for consumption. For the purposes of this grant program, an eligible agricultural producer is any individual or entity who operates a small- to medium-sized farm. A small-to medium-sized farm is any place from which up to $1 million (gross) of agricultural products were produced and sold, or normally would have been sold, during the previous calendar year.

Alternatively, a small-to medium- sized farm is any place with land acreage measuring less than 1,582 acres that produced and sold, or normally would have sold agricultural products.

Groups of agricultural producers are defined as cooperatives, food hubs, or non-profit membership organizations that represent independent producers whose mission includes working on behalf of independent producers and the majority of whose membership and board of directors is comprised of independent producers representing eligible agricultural producers. Groups of agricultural producers must represent small- to medium-sized agricultural producers as their primary stakeholders.

Form RFA 01-23 20 https://www.irs.gov/government-entities/indian-tribal-governments/irc-section-7871-treatment-of-indian-tribes-as-states https://www.irs.gov/government-entities/indian-tribal-governments/irc-section-7871-treatment-of-indian-tribes-as-states

Non-profit entities are defined as any corporation, trust, association, cooperative, or other organization which: (1) Is operated primarily for scientific, educational, service, charitable, or similar purposes in the public interest; (2) Is not organized primarily for profit; and (3) Uses its net proceeds to maintain, improve, and/or expand its operations. For the purposes of this grant program, non-profit entities are required to have 501(c)(3) status. If a non-profit entity operates a CNP, they should select “eligible school,” “eligible child care institution,” or “eligible summer institution,” as appropriate, on the application coversheet rather than selecting “non-profit entity.” For the purpose of Farm to School Grants, the term “non-profit entity” excludes colleges and universities, college and university foundations, cooperative extension services, hospitals, hospital foundations, and State, local, and Federally recognized Indian tribal governments.

3.1.2 Eligible Child Nutrition Programs

For all tracks, if a proposal seeks to target a specific school(s) or site(s), the school(s) or site(s) discussed in the project proposal as benefiting from the project must participate in one or more of the CNPs (e.g., NSLP, CACFP, SFSP, and/or SBP).

3.1.3 Current and Former Farm to School Grantee Eligibility

Read this section carefully if your organization currently has a Farm to School grant or received a Farm to School grant within the last three fiscal years (FY 2021, FY 2022, or FY 2023). Except for State agencies, all applicants must have passed the current approved end date on their most recent fully executed FNS-529 by the RFA close date regardless of former grant track, current grant track, or proposed grant track. If an applicant to the Turnkey or Implementation track has not passed the current approved end date on its 529, the application will be removed from consideration. Additionally, as outlined in the first bullet below organizations which received Implementation grants through the USDA Patrick Leahy Farm to School Grant Program in the last three funding cycles (FY 2021 – FY 2023) are ineligible to apply for an Implementation grant in FY 2024 regardless of project end date.

To be considered an applicant for a current (FY 2024) Farm to School award, all entities in receipt of any existing or prior year Farm to School grant must submit all deliverables required by the Terms and Conditions, including, but not limited to, all progress and financial status reports.

These deliverables must be submitted on or before June 1, 2024. If the required deliverables are not received by the required due date, the applicant will be deemed nonresponsive and considered ineligible for award.

Current or Former Implementation Grantees

• Organizations which received Implementation grants through the USDA Patrick Leahy Farm to School Grant Program in the last three funding cycles (FY 2021, FY 2022, or FY 2023) are ineligible to apply for an Implementation grant in FY 2024 regardless of project end date.

• Current and former Implementation grantees, regardless of the year of award, are eligible to apply for any of the Turnkey tracks, except for the FY 2024 Turnkey – Action Planning

Form RFA 01-23 21 track, if they have completed all project activities and passed their approved current end date at the time that the RFA closes.

• Current and former Implementation grantees are not eligible to apply for the FY 2024 Turnkey – Action Planning track regardless of the year they…