[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 45 (Monday, March 9, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 11447-11448]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-5979]
=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Food and Nutrition Service
Food Stamp Program: Grants for Nutrition Education Projects
AGENCY: Food and Nutrition Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice of availability of competitive grants for Food Stamp
Nutrition Education Projects.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The United States Department of Agriculture announces a new
program of competitive grants mandated by the Balanced Budget Act of
1997. These grants will provide for collaborative efforts to integrate
and coordinate nutrition education into health, social service and food
distribution programs to reach large numbers of food stamp participants
and other low-income households. This notice sets out the objectives
for these grant projects, the eligibility criteria for the projects and
applicants, and the application procedures.
DATES: Applications must be received on or before May 8, 1998.
Applications received after May 8, 1998 will not be considered for
funding.
ADDRESSES: To obtain program grant application materials, and to submit
completed applications, please contact the USDA, Food and Nutrition
Service, Contract Management Branch, Room 914, 3101 Park Center Drive,
Alexandria, Virginia 22302, Attn: Suzanne A. Pastura.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Edward Speshock, Food Stamp Program,
at (703) 305-2410, or via Internet mail at ed__speshock@fcs.usda.gov.
Legislative Authority
Section 1004 of the Balanced Budget Act of 1997 (Pub. L. 105-33)
(BBA) amended Section 11(f) of the Food Stamp Act of 1977, (the Act) 7
U.S.C. 2020(f), to require the Department of Agriculture (the
Department) to make available up to $600,000 in each of fiscal years
1998 through 2001 to pay the Federal share of collaborative grants to
eligible private nonprofit organizations and State agencies. As
required in Section 1004 the Department, in deciding between 2 or more
eligible project proposals, shall give preference to a private
nonprofit organization or state agency that conducted and received
funding for a collaborative nutrition education project before August
5, 1997, the date of enactment of this authorization.
Description of Projects
The Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) of the Department will conduct
a one-time competition for grants to support the development or the
continuation of collaborative food stamp nutrition education projects.
In accordance with the requirements of Section 11(f) of the Act, as
amended by the BBA, the food stamp collaborative nutrition education
projects should be designed to: (i) Meet the food needs of Food Stamp
Program participants and other low-income households; (ii) increase the
self-reliance of households in providing improved food preparation,
safety, and budgeting skills; and (iii) promote comprehensive
approaches to local food and nutrition education activities. Successful
proposals will include objectives which describe how the collaborative
nutrition education project will support the design and implementation
of nutrition education efforts that reach large numbers of food
assistance program recipients, foster the development or continuation
of nutrition network resources to better integrate nutrition education
services, and provide integrated nutrition education outside of
traditional program-centered delivery systems. Proposals that focus
their nutrition education messages on topics that have relevance to
large numbers of program recipients, such as healthful eating behavior
or economical shopping practices are encouraged rather than narrowly
focused topics of interest to small segments of the eligible
population. Healthful eating practices are those that are described in
the Fourth Edition (1995) of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans
published by the U.S. Departments of Agriculture and Health and Human
Services.
Eligibility
Applications may be submitted by private nonprofit organizations
and State agencies. To be eligible for a food stamp collaborative
nutrition education grant, as mandated by Section 1004, private
nonprofit organizations and State agencies must agree to: (1) Use the
funds to direct collaborative efforts to coordinate and integrate
nutrition education into health, nutrition, social service, and food
distribution programs for food stamp participants and other low-income
households; and (2) design the collaborative effort to reach large
numbers of food stamp participants and other low-income households
through a network of organizations including but not limited to
schools, child care centers, farmers' markets, health clinics, and
outpatient education services.
Applications must contain a description of how the grant funds will
be used for the four years of the award. Each year of the grant,
beginning with 1998, should be described as a discrete portion of the
project's work with all four years contributing toward the goals and
objectives as spelled out in the proposal. The authorizing legislation,
in particular Section 11(f)(2)(C), requires FNS, in deciding between
two or more private nonprofit organizations or State agencies that are
eligible to receive a grant, to give preference to an organization or
State agency that conducted and received funding for that collaborative
effort from FNS prior to August 5, 1997.
Availability of Funds and Award Limitations
The total amount of funds available will not exceed $600,000 in
each fiscal year beginning in 1998 and ending in 2001 to pay the
Federal share. The Federal share of each grant will not exceed $200,000
for each fiscal year and will represent 50 percent of each grant. Grant
awards will be made to successful proposals for four years beginning in
fiscal year 1998 with subsequent year funding subject to the
availability of Federal funds. The non-federal share of these projects
must be in cash. Funding
[[Page 11448]]
to support the non-federal share could include State agency as well as
private non-governmental sources. No in-kind contributions are allowed
as the non-federal share of the grant. Private sector contributions
that require product endorsement or an advertising tie-in are not
permitted, only unrestricted cash donations will be considered.
Authority: 7 U.S.C. 2011-2036.
Dated: March 2, 1998.
Yvette S. Jackson,
Administrator.
[FR Doc. 98-5979 Filed 3-6-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-30-U
