GusNIP Resource Page for Nutrition Incentive (NI) Projects

Overview

NIFA requests applications for the GusNIP Nutrition Incentive Program to support and evaluate projects intended to increase the purchase of fruits and vegetables by providing incentives at the point of purchase among income eligible consumers participating in the USDA Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) in all 50 States, the District of Columbia, Guam, and the United States Virgin Islands, in addition to income-eligible consumers participating in the USDA Nutrition Assistance Program (NAP) in Puerto Rico, American Samoa, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas Islands.

Dear Applicants,

Please review the information and application guidance in the links below carefully to prepare a complete application. Applications that do not satisfy all initial screening criteria are at risk of being returned without review.

GusNIP Nutrition Incentive Program Training, Technical Assistance, Evaluation, and Information (NTAE):  

The GusNIP NTAE’s Nutrition Incentive Hub provides free one-on-one support, as well as templates, checklists, webinars, and other resources, to all GusNIP grantees and applicants.  Applicants are highly encouraged to take advantage of these technical assistance resources and services.  Please visit the resource page.

For prospective and current GusNIP grantees or applicants, the Nutrition Incentive Hub also offers several resources specifically developed to assist with the Request for Applications (RFA). 

For specific questions related to GusNIP proposal development or GusNIP project implementation, the technical assistance team may be reached at:  ta@nutritionincentivehub.org.

For specific questions related to reporting and evaluation, the reporting and evaluation team may be reached at: evaluation@nutritionincentivehub.org.
   
A list of current GusNIP Nutrition Incentive awardees can be found on the Nutrition Incentive Hub’s map of grantee projects.

The following information describes resources for specific topic areas.

Frequently Asked Questions

Visit the GusNIP Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) page to review common applicant questions about eligibility, program policy, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and Nutrition Assistance Program (NAP) policy, program areas, and application requirements.

Underrepresented Communities and Geographies

NIFA encourages applicants to propose projects that serve underrepresented communities and geographies.  Underrepresented communities include tribal communities, communities of color, LGBTQ+ communities, individuals with disabilities, Veterans, rural and remote communities, insular areas, or communities with residents predominantly living under the Federal poverty line.

The underrepresented geographies are determined based on States and Territories that are not a primary place of performance for a GusNIP Nutrition Incentive Program (NI) awardee project.  For FY2023 NI applications from the following States and Territories are underrepresented geographies. 

NIFA Grants.gov Application Guide: 

The Application Guide is part of the corresponding application package for this RFA and provides guidance to help applicants prepare and submit their GusNIP application. 

Note: The RFA overrides the Application Guide if there is a discrepancy between the two documents. 

Grants 101:

The Grants.Gov Grants 101 tool is an online resource that gives a synopsis of the basics behind the grant life cycle and the overall management that comes with a grant. 

Logic Model Guide:

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

Data Management Plan (DMP):

A DMP is required for this program. Applicants should clearly articulate how the project director (PD) and co-PDs plan to manage and disseminate the data generated by the project. A DMP of no more than two pages should be uploaded as an Other Attachment, Field 12. The DMP will be considered during the merit review process (see Part V § B of this RFA, Part III § 3.1 of the Application Guide and NIFA’s Data Management Plan). Below are resources to help applicants develop a DMP.

NIFA DMP Resource Page

NTAE Guide to DMP

Institutional Review Board:

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.

Evaluation Resources:

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.

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.

Indirect Costs

Review the NIFA Indirect Costs page for details on claiming indirect costs.