*SUSPENSION OF REQUEST FOR APPLICATIONS*

Please note that FNS has suspended the review of applications under this RFA due to limited availability of remaining funds. FNS will again accept applications under this RFA should funds be returned by grantees administering awards under previous Direct Certification Improvement Grant RFAs. Interested applicants should periodically check the School Meals Grants Opportunities website for the status of this RFA.

Request for Applications

FNS invites state agencies that administer NSLP and SBP to apply for a Direct Certification Improvement Grant to fund the costs of improving their direct certification rates with the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and other assistance programs, as allowed under Federal statute and regulations. Under this RFA, approximately $2 million is available for grants to NSLP state agencies to fund direct certification improvement projects. The number of grants awarded is dependent upon the number and types of applicants, and any further availability of funds returned by previous grantees under previous Direct Certification Improvement Grant RFAs.

Two types of Direct Certification Improvement Grants are available:

1. Tier 1 Grants: up to $250,000 for limited-scope planning and implementation projects, and
2. Tier 2 Grants: up to $1,000,000 for full-scope implementation projects.

Critical Dates

Who May Apply

This RFA is extended to all state NSLP agencies. However, please note the following items associated with the FY 2018 RFA:

1. All NSLP state agencies are eligible to apply for Tier 1 Direct Certification Improvement Grants, even if they were awarded grant(s) under previous direct certification grant RFAs. However, applications must clearly demonstrate the state’s need for grant funds to enable it to reach and maintain SNAP direct certification rates at the 95 percent level.
2. All NSLP state agencies are eligible to apply for Tier 2 Direct Certification Improvement Grants. State agencies applying for a second Tier 2 award or who have direct certification rates with SNAP that are already at 95 percent or higher, as reported in the latest Direct Certification Report to Congress, must present a compelling case in their application proposals as to why additional funds are necessary for improvements in their direct certification system or processes for them to reach and/or maintain rates at or above the mandated 95 percent benchmark.
3. FNS will accept only one grant application from any state agency under this RFA. However, if funds remain available at the end of the RFA period (ending Feb. 15, 2019), FNS reserves the right to extend the RFA and reconsider this application restriction at that time.

Application Due Date

Under the FY 2018 RFA, states will have six opportunities to apply for Tier 1 or Tier 2 grants beginning Nov. 15, 2017 and ending Feb. 15, 2015 (pending availability of funds). The complete application must be uploaded on www.grants.gov by 11:59 PM, Eastern Time of the scheduled on the scheduled RFA due date. Applications received after the deadline date will be held until the following review period. FNS will not consider any additions or revisions to an application once it is received. FNS will not accept mailed, faxed, or hand-delivered applications.

Reference Documents

• Direct Certification Improvement Grant Summaries and History
• Evaluation of Demonstrations of National School Lunch Program and School Breakfast Program Direct Certification of Children Receiving Medicaid Benefits: Access Evaluation Report
• Direct Certification in the National School Lunch Program Report to Congress: State Implementation Progress, School Year 2014-2015

Authorization

The Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act (HHFKA) of 2010, under Section 141, added a new Section 23 on Childhood Hunger Research to the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act. This section provides substantial new mandatory funding to research the causes and consequences of childhood hunger and to test innovative strategies to end child hunger and food insecurity. The authorizing program legislation and relevant section for this Request for Application (RFA) is: Childhood Hunger Research Demonstration Projects to End Childhood Hunger (42 USC1769d).

The HHFKA provided $40 million to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to conduct and evaluate the demonstration projects. The funding was authorized as of Oct. 1, 2012 and will remain available until Sept. 30, 2017. USDA will commission and oversee a rigorous independent evaluation of each demonstration project. The primary outcome measure for the evaluation will be the change in the prevalence of food insecurity among children as measured by the USDA food security measure. Other site-specific outcomes related to particular interventions may be considered for the evaluation, but will be secondary to food insecurity among children.

Purpose

The purpose of the demonstration projects is to test innovative strategies to end childhood hunger, including alternative models for service delivery and benefit levels that promote the reduction or elimination of childhood hunger and food insecurity. Projects could include enhanced SNAP benefits for eligible households with children; enhanced benefits or innovative program delivery models in school meals, afterschool snacks programs, and the Child and Adult Care Food Program; and other targeted Federal, State or local assistance, including refundable tax credits, emergency housing, employment and training, or family preservation services, for households with children who are experiencing food insecurity. HHFKA requires that at least one demonstration project be carried out on an Indian reservation in a rural area with a service population having a prevalence of diabetes that exceeds 15 percent.

Demonstration Projects

• Chickasaw Nation: The Chickasaw Nation will implement the Chickasaw Nation Nutrition Services Demonstration Project to End Childhood Hunger, which will provide food through home delivery to households with children who qualify for free school meals. Grant amount: $9.7 million.
• Kentucky: The Commonwealth of Kentucky will implement the Ticket to Healthy Food Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Demonstration, which will test the impact of providing households with children an additional transportation deduction that may increase their SNAP benefits. The project will serve the Kentucky Highlands area in the southeastern part of the state – a designated Promise Zone. Grant amount: $3.6 million.
• Navajo Nation: The Navajo Nation Division of Health will implement the Food Access Navigation Project, which will employ Food Access Navigators to evaluate assets and gaps in food access in selected regions of the reservation and provide technical assistance for connecting eligible households to nutrition assistance programs. Grant amount: $2.4 million.
• Nevada: The Nevada Division of Public and Behavioral Health will implement the Nevada SNAP Enhancement Demonstration Project to test the relative impacts on SNAP households with children of (1) an increase in SNAP benefits, and (2) a SNAP increase plus additional outreach, education, and case management. Grant amount: $3.1 million.
• Virginia: The Virginia Department of Education will implement the Virginia Hunger-Free Kids Act Demonstration Project, which will test the impact of providing (1) three school meals a day to all children in select schools during the school year, (2) food for weekends and school breaks, and (3) more resources for low-income households to purchase food during the summer months. Grant amount: $8.8 million.

Reports to Congress:

• 2014 Report to Congress

Application Package:

• Q&As on Demonstration Projects

Request for Applications: Direct Certification Improvement Grants (CFDA#: 10.579)

FNS invites state agencies that administer NSLP and SBP to apply for a Direct Certification Improvement Grant to fund the costs of improving their direct certification rates with the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and other assistance programs, as allowed under federal statute and regulations. Under this RFA, approximately $4.5 million is available for grants to NSLP state agencies to fund direct certification improvement projects.

Two types of Direct Certification Improvement Grants are available:>

1) Tier 1 Grants: up to $150,000 for limited-scope planning and implementation projects, and
2) Tier 2 Grants: up to $1,000,000 for full-scope implementation projects.

Critical Dates

Who May Apply

This RFA is extended to all state NSLP agencies. However, a state agency may apply for only one grant during the RFA period. Additionally, please note the following items associated with the 2015 RFA:

• All NSLP state agencies are eligible to apply for Tier 1 Direct Certification Improvement Grants even if they were awarded grants under previous direct certification grant RFAs. However, applications must clearly demonstrate the state's need for grant funds to enable it to reach and maintain SNAP direct certification rates at the 95% level.
• All NSLP state agencies are eligible to apply for Tier 2 Direct Certification Improvement Grants. State agencies applying for a second Tier 2 award or that have direct certification rates with SNAP that are already at 95% or higher, must present a compelling case in their application proposals as to why additional funds are necessary for improvements in their direct certification system or processes for them to reach and/or maintain rates at or above the mandated 95% benchmark.

Application Due Date

Under the 2015 RFA, states will have five opportunities to apply for Tier 1 or Tier 2 grants beginning July 2015 and ending July 2016 (pending availability of funds). The complete application must be uploaded on www.grants.gov by 11:59 PM, Eastern Time of the scheduled on the scheduled RFA due date. Applications received after the deadline date will be held until the following review period. FNS will not consider any additions or revisions to an application once it is received. FNS will not accept mailed, faxed, or hand-delivered applications.

Summaries and Reports

• Direct Certification Improvement Grant Summaries and History
• Evaluation of Demonstrations of National School Lunch Program and School Breakfast Program Direct Certification of Children Receiving Medicaid Benefits: Access Evaluation Report
• National School Lunch Program Direct Certification Improvement Study