[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 97 (Friday, May 21, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Page 27556]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-10709]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Food and Nutrition Service


Child Nutrition Programs: Non-Competitive Technology Innovation 
Grant Funding

AGENCY: Food and Nutrition Service (FNS), USDA.

ACTION: Notice and request for comment.

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SUMMARY: This Notice announces the availability of non-competitive 
technology innovation grant funding, which will be distributed on a 
formula basis beginning in fiscal year (FY) 2021 among all eligible 
State agencies administering the Child Nutrition (CN) Programs and 
requests comment on this non-competitive approach. This non-competitive 
grant opportunity replaces the competitive CN Technology Innovation 
Grants (TIG) previously administered by FNS in FYs 2017 and 2019.

DATES: This non-competitive technology innovation grant funding is 
anticipated to be announced in late Spring 2021, and distributed to 
State agencies by late Summer 2021. Written comments must be received 
on or before June 21, 2021.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Requests for additional information or 
comments concerning this notice may be sent to: J. Kevin Maskornick, 
Program Monitoring and Operational Support Division, Child Nutrition 
Programs, Food and Nutrition Service, United States Department of 
Agriculture, 1320 Braddock Place, Suite 401, Alexandria, Virginia 
22314, 703-305-2537 or [email protected] with subject line 
``CNP Non-Competitive TIG Funding.'' Comments may also be sent through 
the Federal eRulemaking Portal. Go to http://www.regulations.gov, and 
follow the online instructions for submitting comments electronically.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The non-competitive technology innovation 
grant funding was authorized by the Further Consolidated Appropriations 
Act, 2020 (Pub. L. 116-94) and Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 
(Pub. L. 116-260). Eligible State agencies accepting the non-
competitive technology innovation grant funding will be required to 
submit to FNS, via www.grants.gov, a brief application, including 
streamlined project and budget narratives, describing the State 
agency's intended use of the funding. State agencies will have three 
(3) years to expend the awarded funds and be required to submit bi-
annual progress reports and quarterly financial reports to FNS. Final 
progress and financial status reports will be due 120 days after the 
termination date of the project. The public is invited to provide 
comment on the proposed use of the non-competitive grant funding 
approach described in this FR Notice.
    In each FYs 2020 and 2021, FNS received $25 million in State 
funding for the purpose of developing, improving, and maintaining 
automated information technology systems used to operate and manage all 
CN Programs (i.e., the National School Lunch Program, School Breakfast 
Program, Summer Food Service Program, and Child and Adult Care Food 
Program). In FY 2021, 54 States and territories (69 State agencies) are 
administering the CN Programs and therefore eligible to receive this 
funding. Funding will be offered by FNS to all eligible States and 
territories in an equal distribution based on total available funds for 
FYs 2020 and 2021 (i.e., $50 million). In FY 2021, each State will be 
offered approximately $925,926 for the purposes described above; 
amounts available in future fiscal years will be subject to the 
availability of funds and formula adjustments as determined appropriate 
by FNS. In States where more than one (1) eligible agency administers 
the CN Programs, the funding will be divided proportionally among those 
agencies based on the same distribution percentages used in the State 
Administrative Expense funding formula, as described in Section 7 of 
the Child Nutrition Act and per Title 7, Part 235 of the Code of 
Federal Regulations.

Cynthia Long,
Acting Administrator, Food and Nutrition Service.
[FR Doc. 2021-10709 Filed 5-20-21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-30-P