Reviewing an Actual Request For Proposals: �United States Department of Agriculture�National Institute of Food and Agriculture�Community Food Projects Competitive Grant Program��Grant Writing Workshop #3��

Today’s Agenda

1. Welcome & brief CEEJH and EFC introduction
2. Purpose of today’s workshop
3. Getting prepared & Key federal registrations
4. Introduction of the funding opportunity
5. Eligible categories and activities
6. Example projects
7. Application development
8. Where to find additional information & support

Introduction

Background

The Center for Community Engagement, Environmental Justice, and Health (CEEJH) aims to build capacity of and provide technical assistance to frontline and fenceline organizations working on environmental, climate, and energy justice issues.

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The Environmental Finance Center provides communities with the information, tools and resources to access funding programs and develop financing strategies.

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CEEJH & EFC Assistance Available

• Consultation on application design and materials
• Assistance in identifying and securing partner organizations
• Assistance in editing application materials
• Assistance with federal registration processes
• Other assistance, as needed

Contact: Dr. Paul Kavanaugh at pkavanau@umd.edu

Jen Cotting at jcotting@umd.edu

Medessa Burian at msburian@umd.edu

Purpose:��This workshop will walk through the key pieces of a specific Request for Applications & offer information, tools and tips for developing a successful application.

Learning Objectives:

• Participants will learn how to review and work with an actual USDA RFP for which they might choose to develop an application for submission.
• Participants will learn how to determine whether their organization is eligible for this funding opportunity.
• Participants will learn how to incorporate grant writing tips from workshops #1 and #2 into writing an actual proposal.
• In reviewing the USDA CFP RFP, participants will learn how to prioritize the various required grant development activities and the importance of delegation of activities.
• Participants will learn how to incorporate the contributions of partners, collaborators, sub-awardees into their grants applications.
• This workshop will walk through the key pieces of the Request for Applications & offer tools to submit a successful application.

A little advice upfront:

Developing a grant proposal is hard work. It takes physical, emotional and intellectual energy. Only develop a grant to support a project to which you are deeply committed.

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Find a funding announcement that fits your idea, do not try to develop an idea to fit a funding announcement.

Questions:��Have you ever led a grant proposal effort in your organization?  ��If not, do you know someone who has been successful that can mentor you?

Getting Prepared: Steps that can be taken in advance

Registering with GRANTS.gov

Before you can apply for a federal grant you must register your organization with Grants.gov

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The Grants.gov webpage says that the Grants.gov registration process can be completed in minutes. However, it can take much longer, so do this far in advance to ensure you are able to submit your application properly.

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Having trouble?

We can help!

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Obtaining a Unique Entity ID

• SAM.Gov, the System for Award Management, is the account registration for organizations that expect to receive money from the federal government.
• Applicants for federal dollars must have an active SAM.gov registration.
• If you have never done business with the federal government, you will need to register your organization in SAM.gov.
• The process for entity registration includes obtaining an Unique Entity ID (UEI).
• The UEI is VERY important. If your organization does not have a UEI begin the process immediately to obtain a UEI.
• Obtaining an UEI validates your organization’s legal business name and address with the federal government.

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Programmatic Capability

A Programmatic Capability statement describes your qualifications. You will want to:

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• Describe your organizational experience related to the proposed project.
• Explain why your organization will be able to successfully implement the proposed project.
• Describe how the proposed Project Manager and other staff associated with the project are qualified to perform the project successfully.
• Describe similar activities the Project Manager has worked on with the community and/or your organization.

Past Performance

• Prepare a list of federally and/or non-federally funded assistance agreements that your organization has received.
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• These are typically limited to a maximum of five and need to be within the last three years.
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• Describe whether, and how, your organization was able to successfully complete those agreements, manage those funds, and meet the reporting requirements.

Questions:��Is your organization registered with grants.gov and sam.gov and does your organization have a UEI number?  ��Is there someone in your organization that you can delegate this task?

Important Information When Getting Started

REQUEST FOR APPLICATIONS�Community Food Projects Competitive Grant Program (CFPCGP)��FUNDING YEAR: Fiscal Year (FY) 2024��APPLICATION DEADLINE: October 30, 2023, 5:00 P.M. Eastern Time��ANTICIPATED PROGRAM FUNDING: $4,800,000��AVERAGE INDIVIDUAL AWARD RANGE: $25,000 - $400,000��FUNDING OPPORTUNITY NUMBER: USDA-NIFA-CFP-009982��NOTE: Advancing Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility (DEIA). The National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) recognizes research, education, and extension efforts will have the greatest impacts when programs are grounded in DEIA. NIFA is committed to enhancing diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility of programs and encourages individuals, institutions, and organizations from underserved communities to apply to funding opportunities as lead, co-lead, or subaward recipient(s), and to engage as leaders in the peer panel review process to support the development of strong networks and collaborations.

The Community Food Projects Competitive Grant Program is designed to either: ��• Meet the food needs of low-income individuals through food distribution, community outreach to assist in participation in federally assisted nutrition programs or improve access to food as part of a comprehensive service. ��• Increase the self-reliance of communities in providing for the food needs of the communities; and��• Promote comprehensive responses to local food access, farm and nutrition issues ���

Program Purpose and Priorities

OR, meet specific state, local neighborhood food and agricultural needs including needs related to: �

Program Purpose and Priorities

• Equipment necessary for efficient operation of a project;

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• Planning for long-term solutions; or

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

Funding Information

The Community Food Program Competitive Grants Program will award $4,800,000 across two separate funding tracks:

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• Planning Projects
• Community Food Projects

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Funding Information

Planning Projects

• Provide early-stage investment in new, startup projects or to invest in completing project plans toward the improvement of community food security.
• Focus on a defined community and describe in detail the activities and outcomes of the planning project.

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Community Food Projects

• Seek long-term, comprehensive solutions across all levels of the food system from farmer to consumer.
• Should not be designed to merely support individual food pantries, farmers markets, community gardens or other established projects.
• Should build on these experiences and encourage innovative long-term solutions to food and nutrition security. �

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Award Expectations

Planning Projects:

• 12-36 months (not to exceed 3 years)
• Maximum # of Awards Per Applicant: 1
• Average award is $25,000 for 12-36 months
• Maximum award is $35,000 over 12-36 months.
• One-time award.
• Matching requirements 1:1

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Community Food Projects:

• Not to exceed 48 months
• Minimum award is $125,000 over 12 months; maximum award is $400,000 over 48 months.
• ONE-TIME contribution of federal dollars to become self-sustaining
• Matching requirement 1:1

Key Application Dates

• Archived informational webinars: https://www.nifa.usda.gov/cfp-webinars

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• Application packages must be submitted on or before October 30, 2023 at 11:59 PM eastern

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• Applicants should plan for projects to begin on April 1, 2024

Eligible Applicants and Applications

Who is Eligible to Apply?

Eligible entities including public food program service providers, Tribal organizations or private nonprofit entities, including gleaners, must:

1) Have experience in:

• Community food work, particularly small and medium-size farms,
• Job training and business development for food related activities in low-income communities, or
• Efforts to reduce food insecurity in the community, including food distribution, improving access to services, or coordinating services and programs.

And must also:��2) Demonstrate competency to implement a project, provide fiscal accountability, collect data, and prepare reports and other necessary documentation; ��3) Demonstrate a willingness to share information with researchers, evaluators, practitioners, and other interested parties; and ��4) Collaborate with one or more local partner organizations to achieve at least one hunger-free community’s goal. �

Who is Eligible to Apply?

Ineligible Organizations

If, at any time, you question whether your organization is eligible to apply for a federal, state or private grant please communicate with the designated program officer.

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Program Contacts:

• Lydia Kaume, Ph.D., RDN

sm.nifa.cfp@usda.gov

• Donna Fairhurst, P.S.M

sm.nifa.cfp@usda.gov

• Briana Burke, M.S

sm.nifa.cfp@usda.gov

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To be eligible for review, applications must . . .

• Applicants must meet the eligibility requirements stated in the NIFA program guide.

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• Applications must be submitted through Grants.gov on or before October 30, 2023, at 11:59 PM (Eastern Time).

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• Applicants may submit only one application under this solicitation.

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• Applications must be written in English only. Applications written in languages other than English will not be considered for award.

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• Applicants MUST provide matching contributions on a dollar-for-dollar basis for all federal funds requested at the time the application is submitted.

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• Matching funds must be accurately documented for all project years at the time the application in relevant forms.

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

• The matching funds, or non-federal share of the funding, may come from state government, local government, other non-profit entities, or private sources.

• Federal money cannot be used to match unless expressly authorized for this purpose. ��

Cost Sharing or Matching

Eligible & Ineiligible Activities

Eligible Planning Project examples:

• Community food assessments
• Coordination of collaboration development plans
• Global Information System (GIS) analyses
• Food sovereignty studies
• Farm-to-institution exploration

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All projects must involve people with low incomes

Eligible Community Food Project examples:

• Community gardens with market stands
• Value chain projects
• Food hubs
• Farmers’ markets�Farm-to-institutions projects
• Marketing & consumer cooperatives

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All projects must involve consumers with low incomes

Ineligible Activities

• Entertainment – costs of entertainment, including amusement, diversion, social activities, and food or refreshments, and any associated costs
• Incentives – cash or cash value items provided to individuals to incentivize behavior
• Lobbying – any actions designed to influence the obtaining of grants or influence or give special consideration to action on an award or regulatory matter
• Memberships – costs of membership in organization whose primary purpose is lobbying
• Personal Injuries – grant funds cannot be used for compensation for injuries to persons or loss, theft, or damage to property during project activities
• Promotional items – items to give away: conference giveaways; t-shirts; bags, pens, pencils
• Fundraising – costs of organized fund raising, including financial campaigns, endowment drives, solicitation of gifts and bequests, and similar expenses incurred to raise capital or obtain contributions
• Infrastructure and Construction – erection, acquisition, renovation, repair, remodeling or expansion of new or existing buildings or other physical facilities

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The Application

• Application for Federal Assistance (SF-424)
• Budget Information for Non-Construction Programs (SF-424A)
• Conflict of Interest List 
• Project Summary 
• Current & Pending Support 
• Representation Regarding Felony Convictions or Tax Delinquent Status 
• Confidentiality Agreement Template 
• 0524-0026 NIFA-666 FORM.pdf 
• SBIR/STTR: Required Disclosures of Foreign Affiliations or Relationships to Foreign Countries 

Applicable Forms

Project Summary/Abstract

Summarize proposed project to include:

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• Overall project goals and supporting objectives.
• Activities that will accomplish goals.
• Relevance of project goals to the RFP program priorities.
• A good abstract of about 250 words is recommended.
• Use suggested Project Summary template: https://www.nifa.usda.gov/application-support-templates

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Project Narrative

• Includes narrative text, tables and figures
• Limited to 15 pages total, strictly enforced, applications exceeding the page limitation will not be reviewed
• 1.5 spacing is required
• Font requirements: 12 point, no smaller than 11 point, in Times New Roman,

Arial or Calibri

Project Narrative Elements: Planning Projects

• Community involved and needs to be addressed (no more than one and a half pages)
• Organizations and communities involved (no more than two pages, key letters of support encouraged)
• Project goals and objectives (no more than two pages)
• Activities to achieve goals (descriptions and tables encouraged)
• Relationship to program objectives (no more than one page)

Project Narrative Elements: Community Food Projects

• Community involved and needs to be addressed (no more than one and a half pages)
• Organizations and communities involved
• Project goals and intended outcomes (no more than two pages)
• Activities to achieve goals (descriptions and tables encouraged)
• Relationship to program objectives (no more than one page)
• Evaluation strategy (logic models encouraged, 5% to 10% of project budget)
• Self-sustainability

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Project Narrative Spotlight: Outputs & Outcomes

https://grantwritingandfunding.com/169-what-is-the-difference-between-an-output-and-outcome-in-a-grant-proposal/

Project Narrative Spotlight: Milestones

Project Narrative Spotlight: Evaluation

Performance metrics to keep in mind:

• What are the measurable short term and longer term results the project will achieve?
• How does the project measure progress in achieving the desired outputs and outcomes?
• Do the projected outputs and outcomes include specific measures?
• How do those outcomes tie back to the programmatic goals?
• Are the target measures reasonable and achievable within the project period given the amount of funding requested?

Project Narrative Spotlight: Logic Models

Project Narrative: Other Attachments

• Response to previous review (if a resubmittal)
• Appendices to Project Narrative (market analysis, business plan, etc, seven pages max, most relevant to Community Food Projects)
• Results from prior support (only for previously awarded applicants)
• Key Organization Support (letters of support, max two pages per letter)
• Logic Model (for Community Food Projects)
• Data Management Plan (for management and dissemination of data)
• Fiscal Agent Letter (if needed)
• Research and Related Forms Budget

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These are not included in the narrative page count!

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Question:

Why are letters of commitment (LOCs) better than letters of support?

Other Attachments Spotlight: Budget

Other Attachment Spotlight: Budget

What are your tips and tricks for navigating an RFP?

Reminder: Assistance Available

• Consultation on application design and materials
• Assistance in identifying and securing partner organizations
• Assistance in editing application materials
• Assistance with federal registration processes
• Other assistance, as needed

Contact: Dr. Paul Kavanaugh at pkavanau@umd.edu

Jen Cotting at jcotting@umd.edu

Medessa Burian at msburian@umd.edu

Questions, Comments, Suggestions?

Dr. Paul Kavanaugh, CEEJH

pkavanau@umd.edu

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Jen Cotting, EFC

jcotting@umd.edu