Deadline: 1-Apr-21
The National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) is seeking applications for the Food Safety Outreach Competitive Grants Program.
The Food Safety Outreach Program will complement and expand the national infrastructure of the National Food Safety Training, Education, Extension, Outreach, and Technical Assistance Competitive Grants Program. The Food Safety Outreach Program will build upon that national infrastructure, with a sustained focus on delivery of customized training to members of the target audiences.
Awardees will develop and implement food safety training, education, extension, outreach and technical assistance projects that address the needs of owners and operators of small to mid-sized farms, beginning farmers, socially-disadvantaged farmers, small processors, or small fresh fruit and vegetable merchant wholesalers. Grant applications will be solicited directly from those in local communities to include those from community-based organizations, non-governmental organizations, food hubs, farm cooperatives, extension, and other local groups.
In FY 2021 FSOP, under Assistance Listing 10.328, will maintain and continue to grow the training, education, outreach and coordination across FSOP by soliciting new Community Outreach Projects and Collaborative Education and Training Projects.
Program Areas
NIFA is soliciting applications under the following program areas:
- Community Outreach Projects: Community Outreach Projects will support the development of food safety education and outreach programs in local communities and the expansion of existing food safety education programs that address the needs of small, specialized audiences whose education needs have not previously been adequately addressed. Projects will focus on building the capacity of local groups to identify very specific needs within their communities, and to implement appropriately-customized food safety education and outreach programs to meet those specific needs.
- Collaborative Education and Training Projects: Collaborative Education and Training Projects should at least include the following:
- Be led by project teams who demonstrate a record of developing and maintaining community partnerships and working successfully to serve the educational needs of the target audiences identified; and
- Develop and implement customized food safety education and outreach programs for those working with various agricultural production and processing systems, including conservation systems, sustainable systems, and organic farming systems.
- Regional Center Projects: Regional Center Projects will maintain the infrastructure of the program by coordinating across their region and expand upon the implementation of FSMA-related training, education, and Technical Assistance to the intended audience. Education and training for a cadre of regional FSMA trainers must be developed, with a focus on an implementation plan for extending technical assistance to the targeted audiences of farmers, processors and vendors in the respective regions.
Funding Information
- Estimated Total Program Funding: $9,600,000;
- Award Ceiling:$1,000,000;
- Award Floor: $80,000.
- Maximum Award Amount:
- Community Outreach Projects: $300,000;
- Collaborative Education and Training Projects:$550,000;
- Regional Center Projects: $800,000-$1,000,000.
Project Types
This Request for Applications (RFA) will solicit proposals for two project types:
- Community Outreach Projects (award requests: $80,000 – $150,000) – An additional $150,000 may be requested for Collaborative Engagement Supplements, for a total budget request of up to $300,000.
- Collaborative Education and Training Projects (awards request: $200,000 – $400,000) – An additional $150,000 may be requested for Collaborative Engagement Supplements, for a total budget request of up to $550,000.
- Regional Centers (awards requests: $800,000; an additional $200,000 may be requested for (1) Lead Regional Center for a total budget request of up to $1,000,000).
Eligibility Requirements
Entities are eligible to apply to the National Food Safety and Outreach Program (FSOP) if they meet at least one of the following criteria:
- The Cooperative Extension Service for a U.S. state or territory;
- Non-government organizations and/or community-based organizations representing owners and operators of farms, small food processors, or small fruit and vegetable merchant wholesalers that has a commitment to public health and expertise in administering programs that contribute to food safety;
- Federal, State, local, or tribal agencies;
- An institution of higher education (as defined in Section 101(a) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001(a)) or a foundation maintained by an institution of higher education;
- A collaboration of two or more eligible entities.
For more information, visit https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/view-opportunity.html?oppId=331020