Opportunity Information: Apply for USDA NIFA FINI 010594
The Gus Schumacher Nutrition Incentive Program (GusNIP) Competitive Grants Program is a U.S. Department of Agriculture initiative administered by the National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) that funds projects designed to help low-income households buy more fruits and vegetables. The central idea is to provide a financial incentive right at the point of purchase, so that when eligible shoppers use their nutrition benefits, they can receive an added boost that makes fruits and vegetables more affordable and more likely to end up in the shopping basket. The program also emphasizes bringing together partners across the food and healthcare systems, with the goal of improving nutrition and health outcomes and building a clearer picture of what works, for whom, and under what conditions.
Funded projects must support and evaluate approaches that increase fruit and vegetable purchases among income-eligible consumers who participate in USDA nutrition assistance programs. The opportunity applies broadly across the United States, covering SNAP participants in all 50 states as well as the District of Columbia, Guam, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. It also includes income-eligible consumers participating in the USDA Nutrition Assistance Program (NAP) in Puerto Rico, American Samoa, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. In practice, this means applicants can propose interventions that operate in a wide range of geographic and administrative settings, including states, territories, and island areas, as long as the target participants are eligible users of SNAP or NAP and the intervention is designed around point-of-purchase incentives for fruits and vegetables.
Eligibility to apply is restricted to governmental agencies and nonprofit organizations. Colleges and universities are not automatically eligible unless they are formally part of a governmental structure at the local, county, tribal, territorial, or state level. For those institutions, the application must include documentation showing that the university or Cooperative Extension is designated as an entity within government, for example as part of a Department of Agriculture, Department of Education, Department of Public Health, or similar governmental department. This documentation must be provided in the application package as an attachment (specifically referenced in the solicitation as Field 12, Other Attachments), and it needs to clearly establish the institution's governmental status for eligibility purposes.
This is a mandatory grant opportunity (meaning it is backed by authorizing legislation and appropriations rather than being a discretionary pilot), categorized under Agriculture with CFDA number 10.331. The funding opportunity number is USDA NIFA FINI 010594. NIFA anticipated making about 15 awards, with an award ceiling of up to $15,000,000 per award. The opportunity was posted on February 14, 2024, and the original application closing date was May 14, 2024. Overall, the program is positioned for applicants who can coordinate multi-stakeholder efforts, implement incentive mechanisms where food is purchased, and generate credible evaluation findings that help strengthen nutrition incentive strategies in real-world retail and community contexts.Apply for USDA NIFA FINI 010594
- The National Institute of Food and Agriculture in the agriculture sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "The Gus Schumacher Nutrition Incentive Program Competitive Grants Program" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 10.331.
- This funding opportunity was created on 2024-02-14.
- Applicants must submit their applications by 2024-05-14. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $15,000,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 15 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Others.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the Gus Schumacher Nutrition Incentive Program (GusNIP) Competitive Grants Program?
The Gus Schumacher Nutrition Incentive Program (GusNIP) Competitive Grants Program is a U.S. Department of Agriculture initiative administered by the National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA). It funds projects designed to help low-income households buy more fruits and vegetables by providing a financial incentive at the point of purchase.
What problem is this grant intended to address?
This opportunity is designed to make fruits and vegetables more affordable for income-eligible shoppers who use USDA nutrition assistance benefits, with the goal of increasing fruit and vegetable purchases and supporting improved nutrition and health outcomes.
How do funded projects typically help people buy more fruits and vegetables?
Funded projects use point-of-purchase incentives. In practical terms, when eligible shoppers use their nutrition benefits, they receive an added financial incentive at checkout (or at the time of purchase) that helps reduce the effective cost of fruits and vegetables.
Who must the project serve?
Projects must target income-eligible consumers who participate in USDA nutrition assistance programs, and the funded work must support and evaluate approaches that increase fruit and vegetable purchases among those participants.
Which nutrition assistance programs are included for participant eligibility?
The opportunity includes participants in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and also income-eligible consumers participating in the USDA Nutrition Assistance Program (NAP) in specified locations.
Where can projects operate geographically?
The opportunity applies broadly across the United States. It covers SNAP participants in all 50 states as well as the District of Columbia, Guam, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. It also includes income-eligible consumers participating in NAP in Puerto Rico, American Samoa, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands.
Does the program require incentives to be provided at the point of purchase?
Yes. The central idea described for GusNIP is to provide a financial incentive right at the point of purchase so eligible shoppers receive an added boost when using their nutrition benefits.
Is evaluation required as part of a funded project?
Yes. Funded projects must support and evaluate approaches that increase fruit and vegetable purchases among income-eligible consumers who participate in USDA nutrition assistance programs.
What kinds of partnerships does the program emphasize?
The program emphasizes bringing together partners across the food and healthcare systems, aiming to improve nutrition and health outcomes and build a clearer picture of what works, for whom, and under what conditions.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility to apply is restricted to governmental agencies and nonprofit organizations.
Are colleges and universities eligible to apply?
Colleges and universities are not automatically eligible. They may be eligible only if they are formally part of a governmental structure at the local, county, tribal, territorial, or state level.
What documentation is required if a university or Cooperative Extension is applying as part of government?
The application must include documentation showing the university or Cooperative Extension is designated as an entity within government (for example, within a Department of Agriculture, Department of Education, Department of Public Health, or a similar governmental department). This documentation must be included as an attachment in the application package.
Where in the application package should the governmental-status documentation be included?
The solicitation specifies that this documentation must be provided as an attachment in Field 12, labeled as "Other Attachments," and it must clearly establish governmental status for eligibility purposes.
Which federal agency administers this grant opportunity?
The grant is a U.S. Department of Agriculture initiative administered by the National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA).
Is this a discretionary pilot program or a mandatory program?
This is described as a mandatory grant opportunity, meaning it is backed by authorizing legislation and appropriations rather than being a discretionary pilot.
What is the CFDA number for this opportunity?
The opportunity is categorized under Agriculture with CFDA number 10.331.
What is the funding opportunity number?
The funding opportunity number is USDA NIFA FINI 010594.
How many awards were anticipated?
NIFA anticipated making about 15 awards.
What is the maximum award amount (award ceiling)?
The award ceiling is up to $15,000,000 per award.
When was the opportunity posted?
The opportunity was posted on February 14, 2024.
What was the original application closing date?
The original application closing date was May 14, 2024.
What is the overall focus of the program for applicants?
The program is positioned for applicants who can coordinate multi-stakeholder efforts, implement incentive mechanisms where food is purchased, and generate credible evaluation findings that strengthen nutrition incentive strategies in real-world retail and community contexts.
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