Comment Request - Uniform Grant Application Package for Discretionary Grant Programs

In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this notice invites the general public and other public agencies to comment on this revised information collection. This is a revision of a currently approved collection. The purpose of the uniform grant application package for discretionary grant programs is to provide a standardized format for the development of all requests for applications for discretionary grant programs released by the Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) agency and to allow for a more expeditious OMB clearance process. This revision also addresses additional information to be collected for some grant programs as supplemental information beyond the uniform grant application. This notice provides 60 day notice to the public that state plan information will be submitted in association with this information collection, and program-specific supplemental forms will be used as discussed in this notice.

Abstract

FNS has a number of discretionary grant programs. (Consistent with the definition in 2 CFR part 200, the term “grant” as used in this notice includes cooperative agreements.) The authorities for these grants vary and will be cited as part of each grant application solicitation. The purpose of the revision to the currently approved collection for the uniform grant application package for discretionary grant programs is to continue the authority for the established uniform grant application package and to update the number of collection burden hours, accounting for noncompetitive grants issued by FNS into this information collection request package. FNS is revising the uniform collection package to allow and account for all of FNS' competitive and noncompetitive discretionary grant programs to collect information from grant applicants that are needed to evaluate and rank applicants and protect the integrity of the grantee selection process.

This revision also encompasses the submittal of associated state plan information and the use of program-specific forms, including but not limited to, form FNS-887 Farm to School Coversheet, the Farm to School Baseline Report, and Farm to School Final Report. Under certain criteria, all FNS discretionary grant programs will be eligible to use the uniform grant application package. Before soliciting applications for a competitive or noncompetitive discretionary grant program, FNS will decide whether the uniform grant application package will meet the needs of that grant program. If FNS decides to use the uniform grant application package, FNS will note in the grant solicitation that applicants must use the uniform grant application package and that the information collection has already been approved by OMB. If FNS decides not to use the uniform grant application package or determines that it needs grant applicants to provide additional information not contained in the uniform package, then FNS will publish at least a 30-day notice soliciting comments on its proposal to collect different or additional information before making the grant solicitation, if not already discussed in this notice. This notice discusses and gives 60 day notice to the public that state plan information will be collected in association with grants covered by this information collection and program-specific supplemental forms will also be used, including but not limited to, Form FNS-887 Farm to School Coversheet, the Farm to School Baseline Report, and Farm to School Final Report. State plans can discuss a wide range of information associated with the use of grant funds including, but not limited to, the goals of the project, the implementation plan, associated schedule for implementation and expected and actual results. Applicants complete form FNS-887, Farm to School Coversheet, when applying for a farm to school grant. Farm to School grantees will complete the new Farm to School Baseline Report at the start of their grant. The purpose is to collect information about farm to school activities at the start of the grant, which will be compared to the final grant report. In the new Farm to School Final Report, grantees will provide a final update on their specific project activities and respond to the same series of questions from the baseline report in order to capture changes from the beginning of the grant project to the end.

The uniform grant application package will include: general information and instructions; a checklist; a requirement for the program narrative statement describing how the grant goals and objectives will be reached; the standard form (SF) 424 series forms (SF-424A and SF-424B) that request basic grant project information, budget information, and a disclosure of lobbying activities certification (SF-LLL); and the standardized Performance Progress Report (FNS-908). The revised information collection covered by this notice is related to the requirements for the program narrative statement. The requirements for the program narrative statement described in 2 CFR part 200, Appendix I and will apply to all types of grantees—state and local governments, Indian Tribal organizations (ITOs), business such as non-profit organizations, Institutions of higher education, and for-profit organizations. The information collection burden related to the SF-424 series, and the lobbying certification forms have been separately approved by OMB under OMB Control Numbers: 0584-0512, Dec. 31, 2022.

This collection also encompasses requirements for states to prepare and submit state plans as part of, or in follow-up to, the application process for grants covered under OMB number 0584-0512, as well as the use of program-specific forms including but not limited to form FNS-887 Farm to School Coversheet, the Farm to School Baseline Report, and Farm to School Final Report. This collection has two different affected public, state, local & Tribal government as well as business-for-profit and not-for-profit organizations. The respondent type for business are usually higher education and universities.