Opportunity Information: Apply for USDA NIFA CFP 004920
Apply for USDA NIFA CFP 004920
- The National Institute of Food and Agriculture in the health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Community Foods Program" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 10.225 Community Food Projects.
- This funding opportunity was created on Feb 13, 2015 and posted on Feb 13, 2015.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Mar 17, 2015. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- The funding agency has allocated a total of $9,000,000.00 to eligible and selected applicants.
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $250,000.00 in funding.
- Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).
- Public food program service providers, tribal organizations, or private nonprofit entities, including gleaners (see Definition in Part VIII, E.). Please refer to eligibility in the RFA.
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Opportunity Summary:
The Community Foods Program grant opportunity (USDA NIFA CFP 004920) was a FY 2015 funding announcement from the U.S. Department of Agriculture's National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) under the Community Food Projects Competitive Grant Program (CFPCGP). The program was designed to support community-driven efforts that improve food access and food security, especially for low-income individuals and neighborhoods, while also strengthening local capacity to sustain those improvements over time. The overall intent is not just short-term food assistance, but coordinated, practical solutions that connect food distribution, nutrition support, local agriculture, and community self-reliance into a more comprehensive response to local food challenges.
NIFA planned to fund two different grant types through this opportunity. The first was Community Food Projects (CFP), which generally supports direct, on-the-ground projects that deliver services and measurable outcomes in communities. The second was Planning Projects (PP), which focuses on early-stage work such as building partnerships, assessing needs, developing strategies, and designing long-term solutions that can later be implemented or scaled. Together, these two tracks allow applicants to either launch or expand established community food initiatives (CFP) or take the critical planning steps needed to create stronger, more sustainable future projects (PP).
The program priorities centered on four major goals. One goal was meeting the food needs of low-income individuals in concrete ways, including food distribution efforts, outreach that helps eligible residents participate in Federally assisted nutrition programs, and broader initiatives that improve access to food as part of a comprehensive service approach. Another goal was increasing community self-reliance, meaning projects were expected to help communities build their own capacity to provide for local food needs rather than relying solely on temporary or external support. The program also emphasized comprehensive responses to interconnected issues like food access, farming, and nutrition, encouraging applicants to address root causes and systems barriers rather than treating food insecurity as an isolated problem. Finally, it sought to meet specific state, local, or neighborhood food and agricultural needs, including practical project requirements such as purchasing equipment necessary for efficient operations, conducting planning for long-term solutions, or creating innovative marketing approaches that benefit both agricultural producers and low-income consumers (for example, strategies that help local farmers reach underserved buyers while making healthy food more affordable and accessible).
This was a mandatory grant opportunity (not a cooperative agreement or contract) listed under CFDA 10.225 (Community Food Projects). The estimated total funding available was $9,000,000, with an award ceiling of $250,000 and no stated award floor. A cost-sharing or matching requirement applied, meaning applicants needed to plan for contributing non-federal resources as part of the project budget, consistent with the requirements described in the full Request for Applications (RFA). The opportunity was posted on February 13, 2015, and the application deadline was March 17, 2015, with the listing archived on March 18, 2015.
Eligibility was aimed at organizations positioned to carry out community-based food access work. Eligible applicants included public food program service providers, tribal organizations, and private nonprofit entities, including gleaners (as defined in the program materials). The announcement noted that applicants should consult the RFA for full eligibility details and definitions, which is typical for programs that have specific statutory requirements or detailed qualifications.
For support, NIFA provided a help desk contact for technical issues accessing the announcement and indicated there were points of contact for questions related to preparing application content. The Additional Information link referenced the FY 2015 Community Food Projects Competitive Grant Program materials, which would include the full rules on project scope, match requirements, evaluation expectations, budget allowability (including equipment), and submission instructions.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs): Community Foods Program (USDA NIFA CFP 004920, FY 2015)
1) What is the Community Foods Program grant opportunity (USDA NIFA CFP 004920)?
It was a FY 2015 funding announcement from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA), offered under the Community Food Projects Competitive Grant Program (CFPCGP). The opportunity supported community-driven efforts to improve food access and food security, particularly for low-income individuals and neighborhoods, while strengthening local capacity to sustain improvements over time.
2) What was the overall purpose of this program?
The program aimed to go beyond short-term food assistance by encouraging coordinated, practical solutions that connect food distribution, nutrition support, local agriculture, and community self-reliance into a more comprehensive response to local food challenges.
3) What types of grants were planned under this opportunity?
NIFA planned to fund two grant types:
- Community Food Projects (CFP): Generally supports direct, on-the-ground projects that deliver services and measurable outcomes in communities.
- Planning Projects (PP): Supports early-stage work such as building partnerships, assessing needs, developing strategies, and designing long-term solutions that can later be implemented or scaled.
4) How do Community Food Projects (CFP) differ from Planning Projects (PP)?
CFP projects are typically geared toward launching, operating, or expanding community food initiatives with direct services and measurable community outcomes. PP projects focus on the groundwork needed for future success, such as needs assessments, partnership development, and strategy design for longer-term solutions.
5) What were the program priorities or major goals?
The priorities centered on four major goals:
- Meet the food needs of low-income individuals: Including food distribution, outreach to improve participation in Federally assisted nutrition programs, and broader access initiatives as part of a comprehensive approach.
- Increase community self-reliance: Building local capacity so communities can address food needs sustainably, not only through temporary or external assistance.
- Support comprehensive responses: Encouraging applicants to address interconnected issues like food access, farming, and nutrition, including root causes and systems barriers.
- Address specific state/local/neighborhood needs: Including practical elements such as equipment purchases for efficient operations, planning for long-term solutions, and innovative marketing approaches that benefit producers and low-income consumers.
6) What kinds of activities were mentioned as examples of meeting low-income food needs?
Examples included food distribution efforts and outreach that helps eligible residents participate in Federally assisted nutrition programs, along with broader initiatives designed to improve access to food as part of a comprehensive service strategy.
7) Did the program focus only on short-term food assistance?
No. A stated intent of the program was to support coordinated and practical solutions that strengthen long-term food security and community capacity, rather than only providing short-term assistance.
8) What does “community self-reliance” mean in the context of this opportunity?
It refers to projects helping communities build their own capacity to provide for local food needs over time, reducing reliance on temporary or external supports.
9) What does a “comprehensive response” mean for proposed projects?
A comprehensive response was described as addressing multiple interconnected elements of local food challenges (such as food access, farming, and nutrition) and focusing on root causes and systems barriers, rather than treating food insecurity as a standalone issue.
10) Were equipment purchases allowed under this opportunity?
Equipment purchases were mentioned as an example of practical project requirements (for efficient operations). Specific budget allowability rules, including equipment details, were indicated as being provided in the full Request for Applications (RFA).
11) Were marketing approaches an eligible focus?
Innovative marketing approaches were specifically mentioned as a way to benefit both agricultural producers and low-income consumers, such as strategies that help local farmers reach underserved buyers while improving affordability and access to healthy food.
12) What funding mechanism was used (grant vs. contract vs. cooperative agreement)?
This was a mandatory grant opportunity (not a cooperative agreement or contract).
13) What CFDA number was associated with this opportunity?
The opportunity was listed under CFDA 10.225 (Community Food Projects).
14) How much total funding was estimated to be available?
The estimated total funding available was $9,000,000.
15) What was the maximum award amount (award ceiling)?
The award ceiling was $250,000.
16) Was there a minimum award amount (award floor)?
No award floor was stated in the information provided.
17) Was cost sharing or matching required?
Yes. A cost-sharing or matching requirement applied, meaning applicants needed to contribute non-federal resources as part of the project budget, consistent with the requirements described in the full RFA.
18) When was the opportunity posted, and what was the application deadline?
The opportunity was posted on February 13, 2015, and the application deadline was March 17, 2015.
19) When was the listing archived?
The listing was archived on March 18, 2015.
20) Who was eligible to apply?
Eligibility included organizations positioned to carry out community-based food access work, including:
- Public food program service providers
- Tribal organizations
- Private nonprofit entities, including gleaners (as defined in the program materials)
Applicants were directed to consult the RFA for full eligibility details and definitions.
21) Where could applicants find full rules on scope, match, evaluation, budget allowability, and submission instructions?
The Additional Information link referenced the FY 2015 Community Food Projects Competitive Grant Program materials, which would include the full rules on project scope, match requirements, evaluation expectations, budget allowability (including equipment), and submission instructions.
22) What support contacts were available for applicants?
NIFA provided a help desk contact for technical issues accessing the announcement and indicated that there were points of contact for questions related to preparing application content.
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