Faith-Based and Community Initiatives: Grant Catalog

Food and Nutrition

FORMULA GRANT PROGRAMS

Community Food and Nutrition Program
Department of Health and Human Services

To provide for community-based, local, statewide and national programs which: (1) coordinate existing private and public food assistance resources to better serve low-income populations, whenever such coordination is determined to be inadequate; (2) assist low-income communities to identify potential sponsors of child nutrition programs and initiate new programs in underserved or unserved areas; and (3) develop innovative approaches at the State and local level to meet the nutritional needs of low-income individuals.

States receive Community Food and Nutrition funds for Statewide Community Food and Nutrition initiatives, which must be subgranted to eligible agencies. Federal funds are competitively-awarded to eligible agencies for statewide and local program activities which address one or more of the above objectives and also include outreach and public education efforts designed to inform low-income individuals and displaced workers of the nutrition services available to them under the various federally-assisted nutrition programs. Projects are normally funded for 1 year and each project will have an expiration date; however, at the Director's discretion, competitively-awarded grants may support projects for shorter or longer periods.

Approximately $7,000,000 is appropriated for FY 2003 and funding has not been requested for the program for FY 2004.

Contact: Thelma Woodland, (202) 401-5294, twoodland@acf.hhs.gov, CFDA: 93.571

[ Return to Top ]

The Emergency Food Assistance Program
Department of Agriculture

The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP) helps supplement the diets of low-income needy people, including the elderly, by providing them with emergency food and nutrition assistance at no cost. Under TEFAP, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) makes commodity foods available to States. States provide the food to local agencies, usually food banks, which in turn, distribute the food to soup kitchens and food pantries that directly serve the public. USDA also provides funds to State agencies to cover administrative costs-including processing, storage and distribution-incurred by State and local organizations in the operation of the program.

Commodity assistance and administrative funds are allocated among States by formula. Public or private non-profit organizations that provide food assistance to the needy are eligible to receive a portion of each State's administrative allocation. Funds are provided as needed for actual expenditures in a fiscal year.

Approximately $130,000,000 is appropriated for commodity procurement and $60,000,000 is appropriated for administrative costs for FY 2003, and the President requested $190,000,000 for the program for FY 2004.

Contact: Philip Cohen, (703) 305-2662, philip.cohen@fns.usda.gov, CFDA: 10.568 and 10.569

[ Return to Top ]

Food Stamp Program Outreach and Nutrition Education
Department of Agriculture

The Food Stamp Program serves as the first line of defense against hunger. It enables low-income families to buy nutritious food in authorized retail stores and farmers markets.

States can receive reimbursement for half of their costs in reaching out to low-income persons and families with information about the program. States, in turn, can work with local organizations, congregations, and other agencies to provide information about the program and its benefits. USDA has also, on occasion, provided research grants directly to non-profit organizations and others to improve program access by low-income persons and families.

States can also receive reimbursement for half of their costs in providing nutrition education to program participants to increase the likelihood that they make healthy food choices within their limited food budget. States that elect this option most commonly enter into agreements with local organizations to develop and deliver the nutrition education programs.

Approximately $10,000,000 is appropriated for FY 2003, and the President requested $10,000,000 for the program for FY 2004. States plan to spend approximately $177,000,000 on nutrition education for food stamp participants. States invest an equal amount of funding from non-Federal sources, thereby doubling the investments noted above.

Contact: Lou Pastura, (703) 305-2414, lou.pastura@fns.usda.gov, CFDA: 10.551

[ Return to Top ]

Food Distribution
Department of Agriculture

The purpose of this program is to improve the diets of school and preschool children; the elderly; needy persons in charitable institutions; other individuals in need of food assistance; and, to increase the market for domestically produced foods acquired under surplus removal or price support operations.

USDA makes food available to State agencies for distribution to qualifying outlets, such as emergency feeding organizations, soup kitchens and food banks, schools, child and adult day care, charitable institutions, nutrition programs for the elderly, nonprofit summer camps and Summer Food Service for children. Individuals may not be charged. Charitable institutions are eligible to the extent they serve needy persons. Emergency feeding operations must provide food to needy persons including unemployed persons. All children in schools, childcare institutions, and summer camps, which participate in the program, may benefit from food donations. Foods donated to charitable institutions (on the basis of needy persons served) and to nutrition programs for the elderly, may be used for the benefit of all served.

Schools, other child nutrition organizations, nonprofit summer camps for children, charitable institutions, and nutrition programs for the elderly must apply to State distributing agencies on their forms. Under TEFAP, a household eligibility and distribution plan must be approved for each State; heads of households apply to receive commodities for home consumption to local welfare authorities on forms supplied by State or local office. Persons receiving commodities in the form of meals from sites that serve prepared meals are presumed to be eligible.

Program continues once approved unless withdrawal is requested or required because of program irregularities.

Assistance in the form of Donations for FY 2002 estimated $1,516,758,000

Contact: Food Distribution Division, Food and Nutrition Service, Department of Agriculture, Alexandria, VA 22302. Telephone: (703) 305-2680. Contact: Les Johnson, Director. Web Site Address: http://www.fns.usda.gov/fdd. CFDA: 10.550

[ Return to Top ]

School Breakfast Program
Department of Agriculture

This program is the nutritious nonprofit breakfast service for school children, through cash grants and food donations. Federally appropriated School Breakfast Program funds are available to reimburse participating public and nonprofit private schools, of high school grade and under and residential child care institutions, for breakfasts, meeting the nutritional requirements prescribed by the Secretary of Agriculture, served to eligible children. The rates of reimbursement are adjusted on an annual basis to reflect changes in the Food Away From Home series of the Consumer Price Index for all Urban Consumers. All participating schools must agree to serve free and reduced price meals to eligible children, and to operate the program on a nonprofit basis for all children regardless of race, sex, color, National origin, age, or disability.

Eligible applicants include nonprofit private schools of high school grade and under; public and nonprofit private residential childcare centers, residential summer camps and private foster homes.

Participants must agree to operate a nonprofit breakfast program that is available to all children regardless of race, sex, color, national origin, age or disability.

All children attending the schools where the breakfast program is operating may participate.

Breakfast is served free to children who are determined by local school authorities to have household income levels at or below 130, or at a reduced price to children from households with incomes higher than 130 and at or below 185, percent of the income eligibility guidelines.

Meals served to non-needy children also get cash assistance.

Approximately $1,681,000,000 is appropriated for FY 2003, and the President requested $1,798,000,000 for the program for FY 2004.

Contact: Director, Child Nutrition Division, Food and Nutrition Service, Department of Agriculture, Alexandria, VA 22302. Telephone: (703) 305-2590. Contact: Stanley C. Garnett, Director. Web Site Address: http://www.fns.usda.gov/cnd. CFDA: 10.553

[ Return to Top ]

School Lunch Program
Department of Agriculture

The purpose of this program is to assist, through cash grants and food donations, in making the school lunch program available to schoolchildren and to encourage the domestic consumption of nutritious agricultural commodities. Federally appropriated National School Lunch Program funds are available to each State agency to reimburse public and nonprofit private schools, of high school grades or under, including residential child care institutions, for lunches meeting the nutritional requirements prescribed by the Secretary of Agriculture, served to eligible children. Schools meeting eligibility criteria may be reimbursed for meal snacks served to children enrolled in after school hour care programs. All participating schools must agree to serve free and reduced price meals to eligible children.

Eligible applicants include nonprofit private schools of high school grade and under; public and nonprofit private residential child care institutions, residential summer camps that participate in the Summer Food Service Program for children and private foster homes.

Schools and residential child care institutions desiring to participate must agree to operate a nonprofit food service that is available to all children regardless of race, sex, color, National origin, age, or disability.

Lunch is served free to children who are determined by local school authorities to have household income levels at or below 130, and at a reduced price to children from households with incomes higher than 130 but at or below 185, percent of the poverty line respectively.

The application forms are furnished by FNS or the State agency

Approximately $6,389,000,000 is available for FY 2003, and the President requested $6,684,000,000 for the program for FY 2004.

[ Return to Top ]

Special Milk Program for Children
Department of Agriculture

This program is to provide subsidies to schools and institutions to encourage the consumption of fluid milk by children. Funds are made available to State agencies to encourage the consumption of fluid milk by children in public and private nonprofit schools of high school grade and under, public and private nonprofit nursery schools, child-care centers, settlement houses, summer camps, and similar nonprofit institutions devoted to the care and training of children, provided that these schools and institutions do not participate in another meal service program authorized under the National School Lunch Act or the Child Nutrition Act of 1966. The Child Nutrition Amendments of 1986 expanded eligibility in the program to include children in split session kindergarten and pre-kindergarten programs in nonprofit schools and institutions who do not have access to the Federal meal service program operating in schools the children attend. All schools and child care institutions which participate must agree to operate the program on a nonprofit basis for all children without regard to race, sex, color, National origin, age or disability.

Applicant organizations must furnish evidence of nonprofit status.

The standard application forms as furnished by the State agency or Food and Nutrition Service, as applicable, must be used for this program

An applicant should consult the office or official designated as the single point of contact in his or her State for more information on the process the State requires to be followed in applying for assistance.

State agency or Food and Nutrition Service regional office, where applicable, reviews written application of school or child care institution and upon determination of eligibility makes written agreement with sponsor for participation in the program.

Agreements are effective upon approval of the State Agency or Food and Nutrition Service, where applicable for the period covered by the agreement.

Approximately $15,000,000 is appropriated for FY 2003, and the President requested $15,000,000 for the program for FY 2004.

Contact: Director, Child Nutrition Division, Food and Nutrition Service, Department of Agriculture, Alexandria, VA 22302. Contact: Stanley C. Garnett, Director. Telephone: (703) 305-2590. Web Site Address: http://www.fns.usda.gov. CFDA: 10.556

[ Return to Top ]

Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children
Department of Agriculture

The purpose of this program is to provide, low-income pregnant, breastfeeding and postpartum women, infants, and children to age five determined to be at nutritional risk, at no cost with supplemental nutritious foods, nutrition education, and referrals to health care providers. Grants are made to State health departments or comparable agencies. These agencies distribute funds to participating local public or nonprofit private health or welfare agencies. Funds are expended to pay for supplemental foods, nutrition education and health care referrals for participants, as well as specified administrative costs, including certification services. Only local agencies qualifying under State agency applications with formal agreements may operate WIC programs.

A local agency is eligible to apply to locally deliver the services of the WIC Program provided: 1) it serves a population of low-income women, infants, and children at nutritional risk; and 2) it is a public or private nonprofit health or human service agency. All local agencies must apply through the responsible State agency. An applicant should consult the office or official designated as the single point of contact in his or her State for more information on the process the State requires to be followed in applying for assistance.

Local agencies must apply to the State agency in writing.

Funds are awarded by the Department on the basis of funding formulas to State agencies for distribution to approved local agencies subject to available funds.

The program is currently authorized through September 30, 2003.

Approximately $4,508,000,000 is appropriated for FY 2003, and the President requested $4,696,000,000 for the program for FY 2004.

Contact: Supplemental Food Programs Division, Food and Nutrition Service, Department of Agriculture, Alexandria, VA 22302. Contact: Patricia Daniels, Director. Telephone: (703) 305-2746. Use the same number for FTS. Web Site Address: http://www.fns.usda.gov. CFDA: 10.557

[ Return to Top ]

Summer Food Service Program for Children
Department of Agriculture

The purpose of this programs is to assist States, through grants-in-aid and other means, to conduct nonprofit food service programs for low-income children during the summer months and at other approved times, when schools are out of session or are closed for vacation. Funds are made available for disbursement to eligible service institutions (sponsors) which provide free meals to children in areas where at least 50 percent of the children meet the income eligibility criteria for free and reduced price lunches. Meals may be served to children 18 and younger, and to individuals over 18 who participate in State approved school programs for persons with disabilities.

The program generally operates during the months of May through September at site locations where regularly scheduled food services are provided for children. Service institutions operating food programs for children on school vacation under a continuous year-round calendar may apply for participation in other months. Disbursement to service institutions equals the full cost of food service operations, not to exceed per meal reimbursement rates. Camps and sites primarily serving children of migrant workers may be approved to serve up to three reimbursable meals each day.

Assistance is in the form of Formula Grants. A service institution that conducts a regularly scheduled program for children from areas in which poor economic conditions exist is eligible to participate in the program. Service institutions may apply directly to the responsible State administering agency.

Such institutions include public or private nonprofit school food authorities; public or private nonprofit residential summer camps; public or private nonprofit colleges or universities operating the National Youth Sports Program during the months of May to September, other private nonprofit organizations are eligible to participate under certain conditions.

An applicant should consult the office or official designated as the single point of contact in his or her State for more information on the process required by the State.

The program's budget for FY 2003 is $288,000,000, and the President requested $309,000,000 for the program for FY 2004.

Contact: Director, Child Nutrition Division, Food and Nutrition Service, United States Department of Agriculture, Alexandria, VA 22302. Contact: Stanley C. Garnett, Director. Telephone: (703) 305-2590. Web Site Address: http://fns.usda.gov/cnd. CFDA: 10.559

[ Return to Top ]

FEATUREDPROGRAMS | Compassion Capital Fund | Mentoring Children of Prisoners | Access to Recovery | Prisoner Re-entry Initiative