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For additional questions, please contact sm.fn.GusNIP@usda.gov, Mallory M. Koenings, Ph.D., RDN, Pascale Jean, Ph.D., RD
To see the full Request for Application (RFA), please visit the Funding Opportunity page.
For additional information about GuSNIP, please visit our home page.
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Eligibility Questions
Can a university/university extension apply as the primary applicant for the GusNIP Training, Technical Assistance, Evaluation, and Information Centers (NTAE)?
Yes, if the university extension is the state cooperative extension service. State cooperative extension services are eligible to apply. Please see item (ii) below from Part III. A. of the NTAE request for applications.
Organizations eligible to apply to the GusNIP NTAE program include: (i) nongovernmental organizations; (ii) state cooperative extension services; (iii) regional food systems centers; (iv) Federal, State, or Tribal agencies; (v) Institutions of higher education (as defined in section 101 (a) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20) U.S.C. 1001 (a): or (vi) other appropriate entities as determined by the Secretary.
Applicants are encouraged to seek and create partnerships with public or private, non-profit, or for-profit entities, including links with academic institutions (including minority-serving colleges and universities and tribal colleges) and/or other appropriate professionals; community-based organizations; Tribal Nations and local government entities; and/or partnering entities for the purposes of providing additional resources and strengthening historical failure in underserved communities.
Program Area Questions
GusNIP was appropriated $56 million in FY2023. Why is available funding listed in the FY2023 NTAE RFA $7M?
The annual mandatory appropriations of $56M in FY2023 are for the entire GusNIP portfolio, nutrition incentive projects ($36.3M), produce prescription projects ($5.3M), NTAE ($7M), USDA administrative expenses ($4.2M), and Presidential sequestration order ($3.2M).
Who is the current GusNIP NTAE awardee? Is there more than one?
The GusNIP Nutrition Incentive Training, Technical Assistance, Evaluation, and Information Center (NTAE) is led by the Gretchen Swanson Center for Nutrition (awarded in FY 2018). In partnership with Fair Food Network, they created the Nutrition Incentive Hub, a coalition of partners including the Farmer’s Market Coalition, National Grocers Association Foundation, Michigan Farmers Market Association, and Ecology Center. The Nutrition Incentive Hub coalition of partners support nutrition incentive projects and produce prescription projects. Currently there is only one GusNIP NTAE.
Should applicants plan for a transition period from the outgoing NTAE in their proposals?
Yes, applicants should plan to receive training and technical assistance services and evaluation and information support services from the previous NTAE at the beginning of the project period as well as transition these services and operations to the incoming NTAE at the end of the project period.
When budgeting, should applicants budget for travel to any USDA-sponsored conferences or workshops? If so, how much should be budgeted and for what?
During the grant period of performance, GusNIP PDs must attend the NIFA Community Nutrition PD meeting each year. The purpose of the meeting is to discuss the progress, outputs, outcomes, and impacts of their projects; opportunities for collaborative efforts; and to enhance award management and reporting. NIFA recommends budgeting reasonable travel expenses for the PD to attend annual NIFA Community Nutrition PD meetings in the application’s budget under travel expenses.
Community Nutrition PD Meetings will be virtual in even years and in-person in odd years. The NIFA Community Nutrition PD meeting format spans 4 days, bringing together PDs from three competitive community nutrition program portfolios: (1) Community Food Projects Competitive Grant Program (CFP), (2) Food and Agriculture Service Learning Program (FASLP), and (3) GusNIP.
Can there be more than one GusNIP NTAE?
Yes, there can be more than one GusNIP NTAE. Cooperative agreement(s) will be made with one or more organizations with expertise related to the GusNIP Nutrition Incentive Program and/or the GusNIP Produce Prescription Program. USDA is not committed to fund any particular application or to make a specific number of awards. The total funding available in 2023 is $7 million to support NTAE training and technical assistance resources and evaluation and information support services for both the GusNIP Nutrition Incentive Program and the GusNIP Produce Prescription Program. NTAE Centers must assist with collaboration among grantee projects, applicable Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and Nutrition Assistance Program (NAP) implementing agencies, other relevant governmental agencies at the State, Tribal, U.S. Territory, and local levels, Federal nutrition education programs, healthcare providers, evaluators, and researchers, among other relevant stakeholders.
Can there be one GusNIP NTAE for training and technical assistance resources and one for evaluation and information support services?
No, GusNIP NTAEs must provide all components of training and technical assistance and evaluation and information support services described in Part I. C. of the NTAE request for applications. Applicants may propose to provide these services to either the GusNIP Produce Prescription Program community, the GusNIP Nutrition Incentive Program community, or both.
Fund Matching Questions
Is there matching required for the GusNIP NTAE center application?
The NTAE has NO matching requirement. NIFA will not factor matching resources into the review process as an evaluation criterion.
Application Questions
Can organizations that apply to the NTAE RFA also apply to other GusNIP programs (i.e. PPR/NI)?
Entities eligible to apply for the GusNIP NTAE RFA differ from entities eligible to apply for the PPR and NI programs. With regards to the NTAE RFA: Organizations eligible to apply to the GusNIP NTAE program include: (1) nongovernmental organizations; (2) state cooperative extension services; (3) regional food systems centers; (4) Federal, State, or Tribal agencies; (5) Institutions of higher education (as defined in section 101 (a) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20) U.S.C. 1001 (a): or (6) other appropriate entities as determined by the Secretary.
Organizations eligible to apply for the NI and PPR programs are non-profit organizations and governmental agencies.
If an organization is eligible for NTAE, NI, and PPR programs, then the same organization may submit an NTAE proposal, PPR proposal and a proposal. Applicants are encouraged to think critically about their organization’s capacity to complete the work proposed. Organizations should also clearly articulate in their Management Plan the strategy for the governance of multiple projects, as well as coordination, collaboration, communication, roles and functions, and data sharing and reporting among members of the multiple project teams.
When is the estimated start date for funded applicant(s)?
The start date of the grant must be no later than September 30, 2023.
Based on the information from the RFA, this sounds to us like we can submit our indirect cost rate that we have calculated from audits (but is not a federally negotiated rate yet), and if awarded we will go through the process of submitting the indirect rate package for review. Does this sound accurate?
You may calculate an indirect cost (IDC) rate to serve as a basis for requesting IDC in your application and indicate on the budget and justification that the rate is pending negotiation. If awarded, you will be required to submit a complete IDC proposal package to obtain a negotiated rate and recover IDC. Please note, it may take six to nine months to negotiate a rate if NIFA is your cognizant negotiating agency. The funds for the indirect costs will not be released for payment until the rate has been approved. Please see NIFA Indirect Cost Information for additional guidance.
Is pre-award spending allowable?
NIFA authorizes award recipients to incur project costs up to 90 calendar days before the Federal award start date. Expenses more than 90 days pre-award require prior approval from NIFA.
Costs incurred, may be reimbursed after the Federal award start date, but are at the risk of the recipient. NIFA is not required to reimburse costs if for any reason the: (1) award is not made; (2) award is less than anticipated; or (3) award is inadequate to cover such costs. If charged to the award, these costs must be charged to the initial budget period of the award, unless otherwise specified by NIFA.
Is there any subaward restriction?
The NTAE request for applications (RFA) Sub-award Restrictions require no more than 50% of the budget be sub-awarded without prior NIFA approval from one of the National Program Leaders who oversees this program. Find more information in Part IV. C. of the RFA.
Can subawards collect indirect costs?
In accordance with 2 CFR Part 200.332(a)(4), if the subrecipient has an approved federally recognized indirect cost rate negotiated between the subrecipient and the Federal Government, that rate may be applied. If no approved rate exists, the pass-through entity must determine the appropriate rate in collaboration with the subrecipient which is either: a negotiated rate between the pass-through entity and the subrecipient or the de minimis indirect cost rate. The pass-through entity must not require use of a de minimis indirect cost rate if the subrecipient has a Federally approved rate.
Are grants eligible for advance payment?
In accordance with 2 CFR Part 200.305(b), grantees may be paid in advance, provided that they maintain or demonstrate the willingness to maintain both written procedures that minimize the time elapsing between the transfer of funds and disbursement, and financial systems that meet the standards for fund accountability. The timing and amount of advanced payments must be as close as is administratively feasible to the actual disbursement for direct program or program costs and the proportionate share of any allowable indirect costs.
If a grantee cannot meet the criteria for advance payments, NIFA may determine that reimbursement is the preferred method and will set reimbursement as a specific term of the award.
Is the maximum total award amount, also known as the budget ceiling, for each year of the project or for the entire project period?
The maximum annual award amount and the maximum total award amount are provided in Table 2 of the NTAE RFA. The maximum total award amount, $28M, is for the entire period of performance, which is 48 months. The maximum total award amount would be split among each year of the project(s) for a maximum annual award amount of $7M. These totals are the amounts available to support training and technical assistance, evaluation, and informational support services for both the GusNIP Nutrition Incentive Program and the GusNIP Produce Prescription Program.
For additional questions, please contact sm.fn.GusNIP@usda.gov, Mallory M. Koenings, Ph.D., RDN, Pascale Jean, Ph.D., RD
To see the full Request for Application (RFA), please visit the Funding Opportunity page.
For additional information about GuSNIP, please visit our home page.