Gus Schumacher Nutrition Incentive Program - Nutrition Incentive Program (GusNIP-NI)

Applicants to the GusNIP - Nutrition Incentive Program must meet all eligibility requirements outlined in 7 U.S.C. 7517 and discussed in this RFA. Failure to meet the eligibility criteria by the application deadline may result in exclusion from consideration or, preclude NIFA from making an award. For those new to Federal financial assistance, NIFA’s Grants Overview provides highly recommended information about grants and other resources to help understand the Federal awards process.

Eligibility to apply for a GusNIP - Nutrition Incentive Program grant is limited to governmental agencies and non-profit organizations.

Applicants for GusNIP grants 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 universities) 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 certain communities. 

Nutrition Incentive Program applicants may partner with or make subgrants to public, private, nonprofit, or for-profit entities; including an emergency feeding organization, an agricultural cooperative, a producer network or association, a community health organization, a public benefit corporation, an economic development corporation, a farmers market, a community-supported agriculture program, a buying club, a retail food store participating in SNAP/NAP, and a Tribal, State, Territory, or local agency. 

Only the applicant must meet the requirements specified above for grant eligibility. When planning partnerships and collaborations, applicants may sub-award to organizations not eligible to apply directly to the Nutrition Incentive Program provided such organizations are necessary for the successful completion of the project, will complete and maintain active registration with SAM, and are otherwise eligible to receive Federal Assistance awards. All organizations not eligible to receive a Federal award are listed in SAM with the Exclusion Type. See SAM Exclusion Types. See Part IV, C of this RFA for the subaward funding restriction.

If a non-profit organization cannot accept Federal funds directly, a letter must be included in the application stating that in the event the application results in an award, the award funds must be administered through a fiscal agent organization on their behalf. This agent must be identified in the letter from the applicant and the letter must be countersigned by an authorized representative of the fiscal agent organization. The letter must include the fiscal agent’s point of contact, address, telephone number, fax number and e-mail address. This letter is to be included as an attachment to Field 12, Other Attachments (See Part IV, B of this RFA) of the application. In the event an application is recommended for funding, 26 NIFA will request that both the applicant institution/organization and the fiscal agent organization submit complete management information (see Part V, C of this RFA). Include documents showing the applicant organization’s non-profit status when responding to this request.

FPP Applications: 

1. Project Summary/Abstract
2. Project Narrative (limit 10-pages)
3. Bibliography & References Cited
4. Logic Model (limit 1-page)
5. Data Management Plan (limit 2-pages)
6. Letter of Support from SNAP/NAP State/Territory Agency
7. Verification Letter from GusNIP NTAE Center
8. Current and Pending Support
9. Conflict of Interest List
10. Budget
11. Budget Justification 

FIP and FLSP Applications: 

1. Project Summary/Abstract
2. Project Narrative (limit 15-pages)
3. Bibliography & References Cited
4. Logic Model (limit 1-page)
5. Data Management Plan (limit 2-pages)
6. Business Plan (limit 5-pages)
7. Letter of Support from SNAP/NAP State/Territory Agency
8. Verification Letter from GusNIP NTAE Center
9. Current and Pending Support
10. Conflict of Interest List
11. Budget
12. Budget Justification

Participant-Level Metrics:
All GusNIP Nutrition Incentive grantees, except for GusNIP Pilot Projects, will be required to collect participant-level core metrics from a subsample of their participants over the course of their award. A defined number of cross-sectional (i.e., single time point) surveys are required to be collected from this subsample for each active grant year of a grantee’s project. The NTAE will work with each grantee to determine the sample size and sampling plan.

Please visit the suite of resources to help applicants with participant-level metrics, including a list of the core metrics, surveys, and more. 

Firm-Level Metrics: 
All GusNIP grantees, with the exception of GusNIP Pilot Projects, are required to collect firm-level core metrics from all participating GusNIP institutions, including farmers markets, mobile markets, grocery stores, corner stores, CSA programs, or any other institution types.

Please visit the suite of resources to help applicants with firm-level metrics, including a list of core metrics, and firm-level reporting instructions.

The logic model is the diagram or chart depicting your organization's planned work and intended results for a given project. A logic model is required for GusNIP applications and is limited to one page (see under Part IV § B of the RFA). Below are resources from NIFA and the GusNIP NTAE Center around Logic Models.

• NIFA Logic Model Resource
• GusNIP NTAE Center Logic Model Resource

Institutional Review Boards (IRBs) are administrative organizations established to protect the rights, privacy and welfare of human subjects that are recruited to participate in research activities. All GusNIP grantees are required to engage in an IRB review to ensure that research and evaluation activities are ethical, unbiased, and complies with laws and regulations designed to protect program participants. Upon request, the NTAE can also help applicants navigate the IRB process and determine the best IRB through which to submit for approval (submit requests to evaluation@nutritionincentivehub.org).

Please visit the suite of resources to help applicants navigate IRB requirements.

Project evaluations must follow USDA guidelines to ensure an appropriate level of comparability of methods, outcomes, and measures that will inform the USDA of potential new strategies and promising new programs to consider in future funding cycles. All grantees (except GusNIP Pilot Projects) will be required to participate in the GusNIP comprehensive program evaluation, which involves collecting a core set of participant-level and firm-level metrics, in cooperation with the Nutrition Incentive Program Training, Technical Assistance, Evaluation, and Information Centers (NTAE).

All GusNIP Pilot Projects must submit a project proposal that includes a self-assessment method of evaluating the success of the program in developing a viable project, such as process evaluation or formative evaluation (see under Part I § C , point 1 of the RFA). Because GusNIP Pilot Projects are in the earliest stages of development and would not offer a fair test of outcome effectiveness, they will only be required to submit limited information and data for the GusNIP comprehensive program evaluation that will inform the USDA of potential new strategies and promising new programs to consider in future funding cycles. Project assessments must follow USDA guidelines to ensure an appropriate level of comparability of methods, outcomes, and measures. Pilot Project grantees will be required to provide their self-assessment data to the Nutrition Incentive Program Training, Technical Assistance, Evaluation, and Information Centers (NTAE). In addition to general requirements, all Nutrition Incentive (NI) projects must involve SNAP/NAP participants.

These mistakes commonly lead Nutrition Incentive Program applications to be administratively declined without further review. Prior to submitting your application, carefully review your materials to ensure you do not miss an administrative requirement. 

1. Meet the format requirements (page length and PDF format all documents)
2. Make sure to complete and submit the following documents:
   • Current and Pending
   • NTAE (consultation) letter of support
   • Healthcare partner letter of support
   • Logic model
   • Business plan
3. Understand the SNAP/NAP Policy and Regulations
4. Review that the budget is within the maximum award amount. Ensure 1:1 match requirement is met.
5. Review the SF424 and R&R budgets are the same.
6. Be attentive of the due date: Late submission represents an automatic decline. The project budget request exceeds the maximum allowable award amount.

Follow these tips to help ensure your application will pass administrative review and move on to the peer review process. This list is not designed to be comprehensive; refer to the Nutrition Incentive Program Request for Applications (RFA) for detailed requirements and instructions. 

1. Plan early for your 1-on-1 consultation with the Nutrition Incentive Hub, request the letter of verification/support, and upload the PDF verification letter they provide in field 12 of your application.
2. Review the matching funds requirements (RFA Part III.B.) and ensure your match is one-to-one with your federal budget request or higher.
3. Include a budget and budget justification in PDF format in your application.
4. Include an up-to-date letter of support for your project from the local SNAP/NAP implementing agency.
5. Include a bibliography in PDF format in your application.
6. Include current and pending support documents in PDF format for the project director and all co-project directors in your application.
7. Convert all application documents to PDF format prior to attaching them in Grants.gov.
8. Review the detailed description of the content and form of the application in Part IV.B. of the RFA.