Food Insecurity Nutrition Incentive (FINI) Grant Program | Apply Online

FINI Grant Program FAQs

What is the Food Insecurity Nutrition Incentive (FINI) Grant Program?

The Food Insecurity Nutrition Incentive (FINI) Grant Program is a discretionary grant opportunity administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture's National Institute of Food and Agriculture (USDA NIFA). It funds projects that help low-income households participating in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) purchase more fruits and vegetables by offering incentives at the point of purchase.

What problem is FINI designed to address?

FINI is designed to reduce barriers to buying fruits and vegetables among SNAP participants by making produce more financially attractive at checkout. By lowering the effective price of fruits and vegetables through incentives, the program aims to improve diet quality and food security outcomes in communities experiencing higher rates of nutrition-related hardship.

How do FINI-funded incentives typically work at the register?

FINI commonly supports models that match or multiply SNAP dollars when they are used to purchase eligible fruits and vegetables. In practice, this means SNAP shoppers may receive additional value specifically tied to fruit and vegetable purchases right at the point of sale.

What kinds of projects does FINI fund?

FINI funds projects that implement fruit and vegetable incentive strategies for SNAP participants, especially approaches that operate directly at the point of purchase. Projects are expected to strengthen the ability of SNAP households to buy more produce by making healthy foods more affordable.

Is FINI only about distributing incentives, or is there a research/learning focus too?

FINI places major emphasis on learning what works and why. Beyond expanding incentives, the program expects projects to test strategies and generate evidence that can guide future efforts to increase fruit and vegetable purchasing among SNAP participants.

What types of questions is FINI trying to learn from funded projects?

Based on the opportunity description, FINI is interested in evidence about effective program design, such as which incentive structures drive the biggest change, which settings are most effective (for example, farmers markets, grocery stores, or other retail environments), and which approaches are most workable for participants and retailers.

Does FINI support technology improvements for incentive redemption?

Yes. The opportunity highlights the development of effective and efficient benefit redemption technologies. This signals interest in improving the systems that apply and track incentives smoothly at the register or point of sale, including solutions that reduce administrative burden, improve accuracy and accountability, and keep the customer experience straightforward and dignified.

Which federal agency runs this grant opportunity?

This grant opportunity is run by USDA NIFA (the U.S. Department of Agriculture's National Institute of Food and Agriculture).

What is the Funding Opportunity Number for this FINI announcement?

The Funding Opportunity Number listed for this announcement is USDA NIFA FINI 004695.

What CFDA number is associated with this program?

The program is listed under CFDA number 10.331, Food Insecurity Nutrition Incentive Grants Program.

How much funding was estimated to be available for this round?

The estimated total funding available for this round was $31,500,000.

What type of funding instrument is FINI using?

The funding instrument type for this opportunity is a grant.

What activity category does this opportunity fall under?

The activity category is agriculture, reflecting the program's role at the intersection of nutrition access, food systems, and public benefits.

When was the application due date for this opportunity?

Applications for this specific announcement were due December 15, 2014.

When was this opportunity posted and when was it archived?

The announcement was posted on September 29, 2014, and later archived on January 14, 2015.

Does FINI require cost sharing or matching funds?

Yes. The program includes a cost sharing or matching requirement. This means applicants generally must bring non-federal resources to the project rather than relying only on grant dollars.

Why does FINI include a cost share or match requirement?

The description explains that matching requirements are commonly used in federal programs to strengthen local investment and partnership. This feature can encourage collaborations among nonprofits, local governments, retailers, farmers, community organizations, and other stakeholders that can contribute cash, in-kind support, or other forms of match.

Who is eligible to apply for FINI?

Eligibility is described broadly as "Others," with specific eligibility requirements provided in the request for applications (RFA). Applicants would need to review the eligibility section of the full announcement to confirm whether their organization type and proposed partnership structure qualify.

Where can applicants find the detailed rules (allowable activities, evaluation, budget, and match documentation)?

Detailed program requirements, including allowable activities, evaluation expectations, budget rules, and matching documentation, are provided in the full request for applications (RFA) associated with the announcement.

What should someone do if they have trouble accessing the full announcement electronically?

USDA NIFA provided a help desk contact for difficulty accessing the full announcement electronically: 202-401-5048.

What are the help desk hours for assistance accessing the announcement?

The help desk hours listed are Monday through Friday, 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time, excluding federal holidays.

Where should applicants direct questions about application content?

Questions related to application content were directed to contact information included in the announcement, indicating applicants were expected to consult the full RFA and use the provided contacts for program-specific guidance.