[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]


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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.

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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 [email protected].

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]
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