[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 249 (Wednesday, December 27, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 81819-81820]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-32992]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Food and Nutrition Service


Food Stamp Program: Research Grants to Improve Food Stamp Program 
Access

AGENCY: Food and Nutrition Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice of availability of research grants to improve Food Stamp 
Program Access through Partnerships and New Technology.

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SUMMARY: The Food and Nutrition Service, USDA, announces a program of 
competitively awarded grants and cooperative agreements for research 
that will improve the administrative effectiveness of the Food Stamp 
Program (FSP) in delivering nutrition related benefits. Of particular 
interest are efforts that will assist potentially eligible customers in 
accessing the FSP. The grants will support research on the effects of 
community partnerships to reach underserved populations such as working 
families, children, immigrants, elderly and able-bodied adults without 
dependent children. This notice summarizes the objectives, the 
eligibility criteria, and the application procedures for these grants.

DATES: Applications must be received on or before 3:00 pm on January 5, 
2001. Applications received after 3:00 pm, January 5, 2001, 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 220, 3101 Park Center Drive, 
Alexandria, Virginia 22302, Attn: Patsy Palmer. Grant application 
material can also be obtained at the Department's web site at http://www.fns.usda.gov/fsp/GRANTS/ProgramAccess.HTM.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Patricia Seward, Food Stamp Program, 
at 703-305-2428, or via Internet mail at [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Legislative Authority

    Under section 17(a)(1) of the Food Stamp Act of 1977, (the Act), 7 
U.S.C. 2026(a)(1), the Food and Nutrition Service intends to make 
grants for research to improve FSP access and the education of 
potentially eligible non-participants about the nutrition and health 
benefits of the FSP. The Food and Nutrition Service expects to make 
available at least $3,000,000 but no more than $3,500,000 for Fiscal 
Year 2001 to fund competitive grants for research in the form of 
demonstration projects. The competitive grants will be awarded to 
encourage research by non-food stamp governmental authorities (e.g., 
State/local school districts, public health clinics), cooperating 
nonprofit grassroots customer organizations, institutions of higher 
education (e.g., 1890's Colleges and Universities), foundations and 
other non-profit research institutes. If a joint project is awarded, 
the grant award will be made to the lead agency or organization. 
Current Food and Nutrition Service grantees may compete under the 
requirements of the solicitation but not for extensions of previously 
funded projects. This solicitation is not intended to extend or 
continue previously funded projects.

Description of Research Projects

    Research is a systematic inquiry, including demonstration projects, 
into a subject--in this case, ways to facilitate participation in the 
Food Stamp Program among people eligible for its benefits. The Food and 
Nutrition Service will conduct a competition for grants for research on 
measures that may identify and educate food stamp eligibles not 
currently participating in the program--including, but not limited to, 
the working poor, children, immigrants, elderly and able-bodied adults 
without dependent children--about the nutrition benefits, eligibility 
requirements, and application procedures of the FSP. The Food and 
Nutrition Service is seeking research that will produce information on 
the effectiveness of FSP program delivery with special emphasis on 
methods used to improve access to low-income families and individuals 
to the nutrition benefits of the FSP. The Food and Nutrition Service 
will analyze the information collected and reported by grantees at the 
end of the project. Such research projects could include:
     Informational and educational projects about the nutrition 
benefits, eligibility rules, and application procedures of the program;
     Projects testing the effects of assistance with the 
application procedures, including eligibility pre-screening services; 
and,
     New approaches such as ``one-stop shopping'' or joint 
client-oriented service delivery strategies.
    We expect to receive proposals at various funding levels and expect 
to make awards up to $300,000 each, depending upon the number and 
quality of the proposals received. The duration of the research 
projects may be up to but may not exceed 24 months, depending upon the 
type and complexity of the

[[Page 81820]]

projects proposed. Successful applications will demonstrate one or more 
of the following characteristics:
     The feasibility for widespread replication if proven 
effective and efficient;
     Client-orientation research projects carried out by 
grassroots organizations or others with close ties to the target 
population groups mentioned above;
     Research designed to demonstrate joint public/private 
partnerships that deliver high quality customer service;
     Research that identifies critical barriers to food stamp 
participation among client group(s) and specific to overcome these 
barriers;
     Detailed information on the proposed research including 
research project design, staffing information, methods used, 
partnerships developed, timeframes, successes, and lessons learned; 
and,
     The capability of the subject of the research to be 
sustained with local resources beyond the grant period, and the 
transferability of the research results.

Eligibility

    Applications may be submitted individually or jointly. The Food and 
Nutrition Service encourages project applications by non-food stamp 
governmental authorities (e.g., State/local school districts, public 
health clinics), and/or cooperating nonprofit grassroots customer 
organizations. Applications must contain a thorough description of how 
and for whom the grant funds will be used for the entire period of the 
grant award. Grant applicants will be required to provide substantial 
descriptive documentation of their partnerships and letters of 
commitment or memoranda of understanding from all partner agencies/
organizations.

Availability of Funds

    A minimum of $3,000,000 and a maximum of $3,500,000 is available in 
Fiscal Year 2001 from FSP funds for this program. Grant awards will be 
made to successful proposers in Fiscal Year 2001. Project duration may 
extend beyond Fiscal Year 2001, but will not extend beyond 24 months 
from the date of award. The grant award will be 100 percent Federal 
funding with no matching requirement. Grant funds are not available for 
the conduct of studies or evaluations, although applicants are free to 
draw upon existing evaluations in designing their proposals. The Food 
and Nutrition Service may award competitive grants or cooperative 
agreements under this announcement. Applicants need not specify the 
type of award in their proposal. The Food and Nutrition Service 
reserves the right to determine the type of award based on the criteria 
set out in 31 U.S.C. 6305. Completion of the grant does not obligate 
the Food and Nutrition Service to a continued relationship, either 
financial or technical, with the grantee.

    Authority: 7 U.S.C. 2026(a)(1).

    Dated: December 20, 2000.
George A. Braley,
Acting Administrator, Food and Nutrition Service.
[FR Doc. 00-32992 Filed 12-26-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-30-U