A1 - CN Team Nutrition Training Grants

OMB No.: 0584-0512

Expiration Date: 3/31/2019

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U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

FOOD AND NUTRITION SERVICE

Child Nutrition Programs

FY 2017 Team Nutrition Training Grants

REQUEST FOR APPLICATIONS

CFDA#: 10.574

DATES:

RFA Release Date: March 6, 2017

Letter of Intent Date: April 3, 2017

Application Submission Date: 11:59 PM ET, May 22, 2017

Anticipated Award Date: September 2017

TABLE OF CONTENTS

PAGE

1. PROGRAM DESCRIPTION 3

2. FEDERAL AWARD INFORMATION 12

3. ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION 17

4. APPLICATION INFORMATION 18

5. CONTENT AND FORM OF APPLICATION SUBMISSION 18

6. APPLICATION REVIEW INFORMATION 27

7. FEDERAL AWARD ADMINISTRATION INFORMATION 32

8. FEDERAL AWARDING AGENCY CONTACTS 37

9. OTHER INFORMATION 37

ATTACHMENTS

A: Letter of Intent 40

B: Team Nutrition Training Grant Cover Sheet 41

C: Guidance for Interpreting Cost Principles for Grants and Sub-Grant Awards 42

D: Letter of Agreement 46

E: Quarterly Progress Report Form 47

F: Performance Measures Annual Report 48

G: Grant Program Accounting System & Financial Capability Questionnaire 56

I. PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

A. Background and Legislative Authority

The Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) administers the nutrition assistance programs of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). The mission of FNS is to work with partners to provide food and nutrition education to people in need in a way that inspires public confidence and supports American agriculture.

Among these nutrition assistance programs are the Child Nutrition Programs, including the National School Lunch Program (NSLP), School Breakfast Program (SBP), the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP), and the Summer Food Service Program (SFSP). Administered by State agencies, the Child Nutrition Programs help fight hunger and obesity by reimbursing organizations such as schools, child care centers, and after-school programs for providing nutritionally balanced meals to children at low or no cost. USDA established Team Nutrition as a comprehensive nutrition education initiative in 1995. The goal of Team Nutrition is to support the Child Nutrition Programs through training and technical assistance for foodservice professionals, nutrition education for children and their caregivers, and school and community support for healthy eating and physical activity. Since its inception, Team Nutrition has provided Team Nutrition Training Grant funds to State agencies that implement Child Nutrition Programs. These funds have helped States train school nutrition and child care professionals on meal pattern requirements, teach children about food and nutrition, and create environments that support healthy choices.

Team Nutrition Training Grants are authorized under Public Law 111–296, which amended Section 19 of the Child Nutrition Act of 1966. As authorized under Section 6(a)(3) of the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act, 42 USC 1755(a)(3), FNS provides training and technical assistance for school foodservice, nutrition education for children and their caregivers, and encourages school and community support for healthy eating and physical activity. These activities are implemented under the Agency’s Team Nutrition initiative that is designed to improve children’s lifelong eating and physical activity habits by using the principles of the 2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans. 

B. Team Nutrition Grant Purpose

The purpose of this Fiscal Year (FY) 2017 Team Nutrition Training Grant is for State agencies to implement and evaluate nutrition education, training, and technical assistance activities to support implementation of USDA nutrition standards for meals and snacks offered through the Child Nutrition Programs (e.g., NSLP, SBP, and CACFP).

C. Team Nutrition Grant Summary

Grant applicants must select only ONE of the following two Team Nutrition Training Grant Objectives to accomplish during the three-year grant period. As part of the grant application, applicants must describe the activities they will implement in order to accomplish the selected Team Nutrition Training Grant Objective.

Grant Objective 1:

Assist schools/districts administering NSLP and SBP programs in providing: 1) appealing and nutritious school meals, 2) nutrition education, and 3) school environments that promote healthy eating; ultimately encouraging students to follow healthy eating patterns which align with the recommendations set forth in the 2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans.

Grant Objective 2:

Improve the nutritional content of meals and snacks offered in child care centers and family day care homes participating in the CACFP to be consistent with the updated CACFP meal patterns and to assist participating children with following healthy eating patterns that align with the recommendations set forth in the 2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans.

Applications that propose activities under multiple objectives will not be considered. Proposals must describe how the applicant will meet the selected objective with evidence-based strategies from all three of the Team Nutrition behavior-focused strategies to:

1. Provide training and technical assistance to child nutrition professionals to enable them to prepare and serve nutritious meals that appeal to children.

2. Increase nutrition education through multiple communication channels to help children have the knowledge, skills, and motivation to make healthy food and physical activity choices as part of a healthy lifestyle.

3. Build support for healthy school and child care environments that encourage nutritious food choices and physically active lifestyles.

Each proposal must include nutrition education delivered through all six of the following communication channels:

• school or child care center events

• classrooms (such as through incorporation in academic instruction or child care programing)

• cafeterias/dining areas (i.e., where meals are eaten)

• home connections

• community involvement

• media (print and/or social)

In addition, applicants’ proposals must describe a comprehensive evaluation plan that includes how required performance measures and unduplicated counts will be collected, while assessing how well the project’s goals were met.

D. Team Nutrition Grant Objective 1:

Assist schools/districts administering NSLP and SBP programs in providing: 1) appealing and nutritious school meals, 2) nutrition education, and 3) school environments that promote healthy eating; ultimately encouraging students to follow healthy eating patterns that align with the recommendations set forth in the 2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans.

Applicants who will address Objective 1 must describe how the activities will incorporate the three Team Nutrition behavior-focused strategies:

1. Provide training and technical assistance to school nutrition professionals (i.e., school foodservice). Examples of allowable activities include training school nutrition staff on behavioral economics strategies as defined on the Smarter Lunchrooms Scorecard (http://smarterlunchrooms.org/sites/default/files/slm-scorecard2.0_0.pdf); providing culinary training to improve the taste and appeal of school meals; and implementing elements of the Team Up for School Nutrition Success (https://www.fns.usda.gov/tn/team-school-nutrition-success) training model.

2. Provide nutrition education utilizing all aforementioned six communication channels. Examples of allowable activities include implementing Team Nutrition’s Serving Up MyPlate; Discover MyPlate; Summer Food, Summer Moves; The Great Garden Detective Adventure; Dig In!; and/or SuperTracker lesson plans.

3. Build support for healthy school environments that encourage nutritious food choices and physically active lifestyles. Examples of allowable activities include conducting trainings and using Team Nutrition’s Local School Wellness Policy Outreach Toolkit to generate awareness among school staff, parents and the community of the school wellness policy; educating parents and school staff about Smart Snack requirements, hosting student taste tests to get feedback on existing or new school meal menu items; and other schoolwide events such as those described in the Team Nutrition Popular Events Idea Booklet (https://www.fns.usda.gov/team-nutrition-popular-events-idea-booklet).

Applicants must include a plan for incorporating student feedback to inform school meal menu development, promotion, preparation, and presentation in the proposed approach.

Objective 1: Required Performance Measures

Applicants that select Objective 1 must describe a comprehensive evaluation plan that includes the collection of data related to the following performance measures:

1. Process evaluation measures to describe the reach and implementation of grant-funded activities. Required metrics include, but are not limited to:

• Number of trainings and activities offered to school nutrition professionals, school staff, students, and parents.

• Hours of trainings and activities offered to school nutrition professionals, school staff, students, and parents.

Grant applicants must propose an approach for collecting this data, such as through attendance logs, training and activity agendas, and other surveys administered to attendees during the trainings and activities. Grant applicants must describe how they will ensure that school nutrition professionals participating in trainings are logging their training hours as part of the Professional Standards training requirements using a method such as on the USDA’s Web-based Professional Standards (https://www.fns.usda.gov/school-meals/professional-standards) Tracking Tool.

2. Outcome measures of students’ nutrition knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors to describe changes in these characteristics after implementation of grant-funded activities. Required metrics include, but are not limited to:

• Number and percentage of students with increases in nutrition knowledge

• Number and percentage of students with more favorable attitudes toward fruits and vegetables

• Number and percentage of students with improved recognition/identification of MyPlate and the five MyPlate food groups

• Number of schools that increased student selection of servings of vegetables from the Dark-Green, Red, and Orange, and Beans and Peas Number and percentage of students participating in the School Breakfast Program and the National School Lunch Program; number of schools increasing participation in these two programs

Grant applicants must clearly describe their evaluation design and tools in their proposal. Applicants must describe how evaluation tools have or will be pre-tested for relevance and accuracy.

Examples of tools for the various performance measures are provided in Table 1.

Table 1: Examples of tools to use when measuring student-related constructs from Team Nutrition Training Grant Objective 1

Performance Measure	Example Measurement Tools
Nutrition knowledge among students	EFNEP Eat Well + Move Survey (for K-2nd grade) (https://www2.ag.purdue.edu/programs/hhs/efnep/Pages/Resource-Evaluation.aspx )
Attitudes toward fruits and vegetables	Evaluation of the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program: Final Evaluation Report (Appendix F-Student Survey) (http://www.fns.usda.gov/sites/default/files/FFVP.pdf )
Recognition and identification of MyPlate	Age-appropriate questionnaires asking students to identify the various MyPlate food groups
Servings of vegetables from the Dark-Green, Red and Orange, and Beans and Peas subgroups that were selected by students.	School meal production records
School meal (NSLP and SBP) participation	School meal participation records

3. Food environment and wellness policy outcome measures to describe changes in the school environment after implementation of grant-funded activities. The required metrics include, but are not limited to:

• Number of schools that have increased the score on the 2016 Smarter Lunchrooms Self-Assessment Scorecard (http://smarterlunchrooms.org/resource/lunchroom-self-assessment-score-card ). This tool may not be altered by grantees, without prior approval from FNS (such as for translation or accessibility).

• Number of schools that have increased the score on CDC’s School Health Index Module 2 Health Education; question N.1 (Essential topics on healthy eating). This tool may not be altered by grantees, without prior approval from FNS (such as for translation or accessibility).

• Number of schools that have increased the score on CDC’s School Health Index (http://www.cdc.gov/healthyschools/shi/index.htm ) Module 8 Family and Community Involvement, question N.1 (Student and family involvement in the school meals programs and other foods and beverages sold, served, and offered on school campus). This tool may not be altered by grantees, without prior approval from FNS (such as for translation or accessibility).

Successful grant applicants will report annually on the aforementioned performance measures. A copy of the FY 2017 Team Nutrition Training Grants: Performance Measures Annual Report can be found in Attachment F.

E. Team Nutrition Grant Objective 2:

Improve the nutritional content of meals and snacks offered in child care centers and family day care homes participating in the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) to be consistent with the updated CACFP meal patterns and to assist participating children with following healthy eating patterns that align with the recommendations set forth in the 2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans.

Applicants who address Team Nutrition Training Grant Objective 2 must describe how the activities will incorporate the three Team Nutrition strategies:

1. Provide training and technical assistance to child care staff that prepare meals for children. Examples of allowable activities include training child care providers on menu planning, the 2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, CACFP meal pattern requirements, behavioral economics in child care settings, and applying the Team Up for School Nutrition Success training model to CACFP providers.

2. Provide nutrition education utilizing all aforementioned communication channels. Examples of allowable activities include implementing Team Nutrition’s Grow It, Try It, Like It!; Discover MyPlate; Summer Food, Summer Moves; and/or the Two Bite Club resources.

3. Build and sustain a healthy child care environment in child care sites. Examples include: training child care providers on ways to create a positive mealtime environment and family-style meal service; and social marketing efforts about the importance of healthy meal patterns for young children in a manner consistent with the 2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans.

Objective 2: Required Performance Measures

State agencies whose grant-funded activities will address Objective 2 must describe how they will collect and report on the following performance measures:

1. Process evaluation measures to describe the reach and implementation of grant-funded activities. Required metrics include, but are not limited to:

• Number and duration of trainings and activities offered to child care providers, parents, and/or children

• Number of child care sites, as well as the breakdown of the number of child care providers, parents, and/or children that completed the grant-funded activities

Grant applicants must propose an approach for collecting this data, such as through attendance logs, training and activity agendas, and other surveys administered to attendees during the trainings and activities.

2. Outcome measures of providers’ knowledge and skills related to healthy eating and child feeding practices to describe changes in these characteristics after implementation of grant-funded activities. Required metrics include, but are not limited to:

• Number and percentage of child care providers who demonstrated increases in knowledge of CACFP meal pattern requirements

• Number and percentage of child care providers who improved the number of healthy food and beverage offerings to children at the sites

• Number and percentage of child care providers who provided nutrition education at the sites

Grant applicants must clearly describe their evaluation design and tools in their proposal. Applicants must describe how evaluation tools have or will be pre-tested for relevance and accuracy.

Examples of tools for the various performance measures are given in Table 2 on page 9.

Table 2: Examples of tools to use when measuring provider-related constructs from Team Nutrition Training Grant Objective 2

Performance Measure	Example Measurement Tools
Knowledge of CACFP meal pattern requirements	Pre- and post-test scores from participating in an evidence-based training
Healthy food and beverage offerings at providers’ facilities and child feeding practices implemented	Facility menus and associated records Go NAP SACC Self-Assessment Instrument (https://gonapsacc.org/resources/nap-sacc-materials )
Implementation of Team Nutrition curricula	Facility calendars that note Team Nutrition curriculum instruction days/times

3. Food environment and wellness outcome measures to describe changes in the child care center and/or family day care home environment after implementation of grant-funded activities. Required metrics include, but are not limited to:

• Number and percentage child care centers and family day care homes that improved the healthfulness of the child care food environments as indicated by the Minnesota Mealtime Assessment for Child Care Centers Score Card (https://healthymeals.nal.usda.gov/hsmrs/Minnesota/ChildCareMealtimeAssessment.pdf )

This tool may not be altered by grantees, without prior approval from FNS (such as for translation or accessibility.

Successful grant applicants will report annually on the aforementioned performance measures. A copy of the FY 2017 Team Nutrition Training Grants: Performance Measures Annual Report can be found in Attachment F.

Table 3: List of the FY 2017 Team Nutrition Training Grant Objectives, the required performance measures, and example tools to collect the required performance measures¹

	Performance Measures	Example Measurement Tools
Team Nutrition Training Grant Objective 1: Assist students participating in the National School Lunch and School Breakfast Programs with meeting the recommendations set forth in the 2015 Dietary Guidelines for Americans by providing appealing and nutritious meals, evidence-based nutrition education, and school environments that are conducive to healthy eating.
Process evaluation	Number of trainings and activities offered to school nutrition professionals, school staff, students, and parents	Attendance logs, training and activity agendas, and/or other surveys administered to attendees during the trainings
	Hours of trainings and activities offered to school nutrition professionals, school staff, students, and parents	Attendance logs, training and activity agendas, and/or other surveys administered to attendees during the trainings
Outcome Measures: Students’ nutrition knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors	Number and percentage of students who had increases in nutrition knowledge after participating in grant-funded activities	EFNEP Eat Well + Move Survey (for K-2nd grade) (https://www2.ag.purdue.edu/programs/hhs/efnep/Pages/Resource-Evaluation.aspx)
	Number and percentage of students who had more favorable attitudes toward fruits and vegetables	Evaluation of the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program: Final Evaluation Report (Appendix F-Student Survey) (https://www.fns.usda.gov/sites/default/files/FFVP.pdf )
	Number and percentage of students that improved the recognition/identification of MyPlate and the associated food groups	Age-appropriate questionnaires asking students to identify the various MyPlate food groups
	Number of schools who increased the servings of vegetables from the Dark-Green, Red and Orange and Beans and Peas subgroups that were offered to and selected by students	School meal production records
	Number and percentage of students participating in the SBP and NSLP; number of schools increasing participation in these two programs	School meal participation records
Outcome Measures: Food environ-ment and wellness policy	Number of schools that have increased the score on the 2016 Smarter Lunchrooms Self-Assessment	2016 Smarter Lunchrooms Self-Assessment (http://smarterlunchrooms.org/60_scorecard )
	Number of schools that have increased the score on CDC’s School Health Index, Module 2 Health Education, question N.1	CDC’s School Health Index (https://www.cdc.gov/healthyschools/shi/index.htm )
	Number of schools that have increased the score on CDC’s School Health Index, Module 8 Family and Community Involvement, question N.1	CDC’s School Health Index (https://www.cdc.gov/healthyschools/shi/index.htm )
Team Nutrition Training Grant Objective 2: Improve the nutritional content of meals and snacks offered in child care centers and family day care homes participating in the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) to be consistent with healthy eating patterns and to assist young children with meeting the 2015 Dietary Guidelines for Americans.
Process evaluation	Number and duration of trainings and activities offered to child care providers, parents, and/or children	Attendance logs, training and activity agendas, and other surveys administered to attendees during the trainings and activities
	Number of child care sites, as well as the breakdown of the number of child care providers, parents, and/or children that completed the grant-funded activities	Attendance logs, training and activity agendas, and other surveys administered to attendees during the trainings and activities
Outcome Measures: Providers’ knowledge and skills related to healthy eating and child feeding practices	Number and percentage of child care providers who demonstrated increases in knowledge of CACFP meal pattern requirements and the 2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans	Pre- and post-test scores from an evidence-based training
	Number and percentage of child care providers who improved the number of healthy food and beverage offerings to children at the sites	Facility menus and associated records Go NAP SACC Self-Assessment Instrument (https://gonapsacc.org/resources/nap-sacc-materials )
	Number and percentage of child care providers who provided nutrition education	Facility calendars that note TEAM NUTRITION curriculum instruction days/times
Outcome Measures: Food environ-ment and wellness	Number and percentage child care centers and family day care homes that improved the healthfulness of the child care food environments	Minnesota Team Nutrition’s Mealtime Assessment for Child Care Centers Score Card (https://healthymeals.fns.usda.gov/hsmrs/Minnesota/ChildCareMealtimeAssessment.pdf )

F. Project Evaluation

Grant applicants must describe their evaluation plan and how methods for collecting required performance measures in their proposal. The evaluation plan must evaluate how well the grant objective was met. The proposal must address: how/when baseline and post-intervention data will be collected; and, how unduplicated participant (child care providers for Objective 2; or foodservice professionals, teachers, parents, and students for Objective 1) counts will be managed. Applicants must specify evaluation instruments and how they will be (or have previously been) pre-tested and determined to produce reliable and valid data. Training of data collectors and data management must also be addressed in the applicant’s proposal.

The grant application and evaluation plan must identify a social scientist as key personnel responsible for overseeing and implementing the evaluation plan (See Section II, part E, Program Requirements). A letter of commitment and Curriculum Vitae (CV) /resume from the identified social scientist must be submitted in the application. Please see Section IV – Application and Submission Information, Content and Form of Application Submission for more information on what must be included in the Project Evaluation section of the grant application.

FNS will provide technical assistance to grantees on evaluation. All grantees must agree to cooperate fully with FNS regarding the evaluation approach, proposed evaluation tools, and metric reporting methods. An agreement to cooperate with FNS must be submitted in the application (see Attachment D).

II. FEDERAL AWARD INFORMATION

A. Total Amount of Funding Expected to Award

In FY 2017, up to $5.6 million in funding is anticipated for Team Nutrition Training Grants.

B. Anticipated Award Amounts

Up to $500,000 may be requested per State agency. FNS reserves the right to make greater or fewer grant awards based upon the level of funding requested, the quality of applications received, or other Agency priorities. The submission of an application does NOT guarantee funding. FNS reserves the right to reduce, increase, or revise proposed budgets based on the availability of funds.

C. Anticipated Start Dates and Period of Performance

Through a competitive grants process, FY 2017 TEAM NUTRITION Training Grants will be funded for the period of September 30, 2017 - September 30, 2020.

D. Type of Federal Financial Assistance

Funding for approved Team Nutrition Training Grants will be provided through the Grant Award/Letter of Credit process, upon receipt of a fully executed Federal-State Team Nutrition Training Grant Agreement and subject to availability of funding. All Team Nutrition Training Grant funds must be obligated and all activities under the Team Nutrition Training Grant must be fully completed by September 30, 2020.

E. Program Requirements

1. Identification: Select which Team Nutrition Training Grant Objective will be accomplished and describe the activities to meet the objective.

2. Strategies: Use all of the three Team Nutrition Strategies associated with the selected Objective.

3. Needs Assessment: Provide a justification of grant-funded activities through a needs-assessment conducted at the appropriate State or local level.

4. Evaluation: Include a thorough grant evaluation plan that describes who will collect the required performance measures and how the measures (including unduplicated participant counts, as appropriate) for each objective will be collected. Costs associated with evaluation activities should be included in the budget and budget narrative.

FNS’s evaluation staff will provide technical assistance regarding the grantees’ evaluations. All grantees must agree to cooperate fully with FNS and FNS’s evaluation staff regarding the evaluation approach, proposed evaluation tools, and metric reporting methods. An agreement to cooperate with FNS must be submitted in the application (see Attachment D).

5. Social Scientist: Applications must include a social scientist, with past experience evaluating public health or nutrition programs, as key personnel who will serve as the evaluation lead and oversee this portion of the project. The number of hours the social scientist will spend on the project must be specified. Adequate time should be included for the social scientist to participate in a quarterly technical assistance call with FNS’s evaluation staff. A letter of commitment and CV/resume from the social scientist must be included in the grant application.

6. Sustainability and Transferability: Include a plan that describes how activities will be sustained beyond the end of the grant period. Describe how the project could be implemented in other locales or States.

7. Use of Team Nutrition and MyPlate Materials: Nutrition education activities must include the use of Team Nutrition (https://www.fns.usda.gov/tn/resource-library ) or ChooseMyPlate.gov materials. Applicants must specify the Team Nutrition and/or ChooseMyPlate.Gov materials that will be used in grant activities:

States are encouraged to use training materials developed by the Institute of Child Nutrition (ICN), when available and applicable (http://www.nfsmi.org/PageController.aspx?pID=2). Applicants must specify in the proposal any ICN materials they plan to use in the grant activities.

8. Use of Materials Developed with Team Nutrition Grant Funds: When reasonable and appropriate, States may also develop additional materials that support the identified objective. All materials developed with Team Nutrition grant funds must meet accessibility standards and be in compliance with section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended (https://www.section508.gov/content/learn ) Materials must be submitted, in electronic format, to Team Nutrition ([email protected]) for publishing online through the Healthy Meals Resources System by the end of the three year period of performance:

USDA/FNS reserves a royalty-free, nonexclusive, and irrevocable license to reproduce; publish or otherwise use; to authorize others to use for Federal government purposes, the following:

4. The copyright in any work developed under a grant, sub-grant, or contract under a grant

or sub-grant; and

5. Any rights of copyright to which a grantee, sub-grantee, or a contractor purchases

ownership with grant support.

9. Partnerships and Collaborations: In support of FNS’ Strategic Priorities, the State Team Nutrition Training Grant director or the designee is required to participate on State Nutrition Action Committees (SNAC), when available, or with similar type of collaboration activity to maximize coordinated nutrition education efforts. A SNAC seeks to improve coordination, cooperation, partnerships, and communication among State agencies, FNS nutrition assistance programs, public health agencies, and the Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program (EFNEP).

The applicant must describe how they will collaborate and partner with existing State and local organizations, businesses, and the local community at large to achieve the goals of the grant.

Grantees are encouraged to collaborate with intrastate partners. Intrastate partners may include, but are not limited to Land-Grant Universities, SNAP- Ed Grant recipients, and 1305 CDC Grant recipients.

10. Grantee Meetings: In the proposed budget, applicants must include the costs for one key project staff to attend three, two-day in-person grantee meetings (one meeting for each grant year – FY 2018, 2019, and 2020). When estimating travel costs for these meetings, the applicant should use the U.S. General Service Administration (GSA)’s 2018 Per Diem Rates for Washington, DC (http://www.gsa.gov/portal/content/104877 ) for lodging and for meals and incidental expenses (M&IE). There is no registration fee for the grantee meetings, so no such fees need to be included in the applicant’s budget.

The purpose of these in-person grantee meetings is to facilitate grantee States to share: plans/projects approved under the Team Nutrition Training Grants; past successes; future opportunities; barriers encountered; and solutions from peer grantee States. Technical assistance on grant administrative requirements, cost principles, and evaluation will also be provided during the meeting.

11. Presentation at Conferences: As part of grant requirements, grantees will submit an abstract for a poster presentation at the Society of Nutrition Education and Behavior’s (SNEB) 2020 Annual Conference. This abstract will highlight key grant-funded activities and project outcomes. If the grantee’s abstract is accepted for presentation, the grantee must send one key project staff to the conference to present the poster. In addition, grantees must submit an oral abstract or educational session proposal to present the outcomes of their grant project at a national nutrition meeting (SNEB or another national nutrition meeting), as agreed upon with FNS. If the grantee’s oral abstract/session proposal is accepted for presentation, the grantee must send one key project staff to the conference to present the session.

Grant application budgets must include cost estimates for poster printing, conference registration fees, and associated travel to this conference(s). Because the location of the conference(s) has not yet been determined, applications can estimate the costs using current GSA per diem rates for Washington, DC.

12. Time Commitment and Responsibilities: A minimum 0.5 full-time equivalent (FTE) is required for the designated Project Director(s) for this grant (no more than two staff positions can be combined to reach 0.5 FTE). The Project Director(s) should be clearly identified by name with the FTE planned to work on the project.

The State agency is responsible for overseeing and coordinating grant activities; providing fiscal oversight; and exercising effective internal control of funds that are provided to a sub-contractor, school food authorities, and/or child care centers as sub-grant recipients, including the appropriate use of the “Guidance for Interpreting Cost Principles for Grants and Sub-Grant Awards” listed in Attachment C.

Because grantees will be required to conduct a comprehensive evaluation and report on specific performance measures, grant applications must identify a social scientist who will be responsible for managing the evaluation of grant-funded activities; selecting the appropriate pre-tested evaluation tools (or pre-testing as part of the grant); collecting data on performance measures; and reporting annually on these measures. The social scientist must have experience in evaluating public health and / or nutrition programs. Adequate time should be included for the social scientist to participate in quarterly technical assistance calls with FNS’s evaluation staff. Grant applications must specify the duties performed by the social scientist and his/her FTE planned for work on the evaluation component of the project. Grant applications must also include a letter of support from the social scientist, as well as a copy of his/her CV/resume detailing previous evaluation experience.

Selected grantees may be asked to host USDA officials and/or the FNS’s evaluation staff for a site visit during the course of the three year grant period. (All costs associated with the site visit will be paid for by USDA and are not expected to be included in grant budgets). These site visits serve to augment USDA’s understanding of the challenges with and best practices of Team Nutrition efforts.

13. Use of Grant Funds: Team Nutrition Training Grant funding will be used for State agencies to expand and enhance the training and educational activities to support implementation of USDA nutrition standards for meals and snacks offered through the Child Nutrition Programs (NSLP, SBP, CACFP, SFSP), as noted in the two objectives discussed in this Request for Applications. Grantees that are managing concurrent Team Nutrition Training Grants cannot co-mingle funds from different grant cycles. All requested costs must be allowable, allocable, necessary, and reasonable in accordance with new OMB Code of Federal Regulations Cost Principles as follows:

• 2 CFR Part 200: “Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards”

• 2 CFR Part 400 “Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards”

Allowable use of funds includes, but is not limited to:

1. Education and Training

• Deliver State-conducted training for foodservice personnel, Team Nutrition school leaders, teachers, and/or school and child care decision-makers

• Provide train-the-trainer workshops

• Establish an instructors' network for State-wide training

• Conduct a grant evaluation and collect the required performance measures

• Tuition for trainees

• Cost for trainers

• Travel reimbursement (reimbursement may only be paid for travel expenses in

accordance with the Federal Travel Regulations 41 CFR 301 and shall not exceed the lesser of State or Federal maximum per diem rates)

2. Local Team Nutrition Training Grants (or Sub-Grants)

• All sub-grant awards must follow the “Guidance for Interpreting Cost Principles

of Grants and Sub-Grant Awards”, see Attachment C)

3. Collaborations

• SNAC - supporting SNAC collaborative activities is an allowable cost as long

as the collaborative activities are clearly related to the grant objective

4. Personnel Costs

• Percentage of salary and benefits for the Project Director(s), social scientist, and key staff (must be equal to the time spent on the grant activities)

• Contracted employee salaries (must be equal to the time spent on the grant activities)

• Pay for substitutes while teachers, child care providers, and/or foodservice staff attend training

5. Materials/Resources and Other Supplies

• While USDA requires States to use Team Nutrition and ChooseMyPlate.gov

developed materials as appropriate for the target audience and project, a portion of grant funds may be used for justified development of needed materials² when: 1) no existing materials are available; or 2) materials have potential as a national resource. Examples include translation of materials into other languages and innovative ideas for delivering nutrition messages using technology. All developed materials must be consistent with the 2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans and use positive nutrition messages.

• All materials developed with Team Nutrition grant funds must meet

accessibility standards and be in compliance with section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended (https://www.section508.gov/content/learn ).

• When nutrition education materials are not available in print from USDA,

printing, duplication and distribution are allowable costs.

6. Technology to Document and Deliver Training/Nutrition Education

• Procurement of electronic devices and software (such as tablets, laptops, nutrient

analysis software, digital display boards, etc.) to implement grant activities (shall not exceed 10 percent of the requested grant funds).

• As part of the FY 2017 Team Nutrition Training Grant: Performance Measures

Annual Report (see Attachment F), grantees will be asked to submit high-resolution photographs of grant-funded activities

• Funds used to purchase high-resolution photography equipment shall not exceed

$2,000 total. These photos and the accompanying photo releases (for photos including children and adults) will provide USDA with additional documentation of grant-funded activities and will aid in the promotion of the Team Nutrition Training Grant program. USDA will retain rights to these photos and may use them in social media and other USDA materials.

III. ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION

Only State agencies that administer the NSLP, SBP, SFSP, and/or the CACFP may submit an application in response to this solicitation. Each State may submit only one application on behalf of all interested Child Nutrition State agencies within that State. Each State may address only one of the two Team Nutrition Training Grant Objectives in the application.

FNS reserves the right to award a FY 2017 TN Training Grant to any State agency that did not receive any Team Nutrition Training Grants in fiscal years 2014, 2015, and 2016.

IV. APPLICATION INFORMATION

Applicants may request a paper copy of this solicitation and required forms by contacting the FNS Grants Officer at:

Anna Arrowsmith, Grant Officer

Grants and Fiscal Policy Division

U.S. Department of Agriculture, FNS

3101 Park Center Drive, Room 740

Alexandria, VA 22302

E-mail [email protected]

V. CONTENT AND FORM OF APPLICATION SUBMISSION

Applicants must organize the information in the application in the following order. All pages must be numbered consecutively. The paper size shall be 8½ x 11 inches, single-spaced, with a one-inch margin. The font size must be no smaller than 12-point type using Times New Roman. The completed application should be uploaded as a PDF document into Grants.gov. The application should follow this format:

1. Introductory Materials (maximum 3 pages)

2. Abstract (maximum 1 page)

3. Project Design and Implementation (maximum 7 pages)

4. Project Evaluation (maximum 6 pages)

5. Sustainability and Transferability (maximum 2 pages)

6. Key Personnel (maximum 4 pages)

7. Budget, Budget Narrative and Management Plan (maximum 5 pages)

8. Appendices (not to exceed 20 pages)

Grant applications should not exceed 48 pages. Use of this format will make it easier for grant reviewers to locate the requested information and to evaluate each application.

1. Introductory Material

1. Cover Sheet: See Attachment B. Designate a single point of contact for your application. Provide the individual’s name, title, mailing address, phone number, fax number, and email address.

2. Title Page with Project Summary: Include a concise one-paragraph description of your project including the target audience, key strategies, projected number of participants, and the evaluation plan. Include specific Team Nutrition materials and key behavioral outcomes. This paragraph will provide the basis for any short summaries of the proposed grant that FNS prepares during the procurement process. This paragraph may be posted on the FNS Team Nutrition Training Grants Web site (http://www.fns.usda.gov/Team Nutrition/team-nutrition-training-grants) along with the name and email address of the Project Director.

3. Table of Contents: Include the title and page number of each required section and appendix and page numbers.

2. Abstract: Provide a 1 page summary of your project that includes: (1) which one of the Team Nutrition Training Grant Objectives the project will address; (2) a description of the planned project that specifies key activities under the three Team Nutrition behavioral strategies and the targeted audience; (3) evaluation plan, including its basic research questions, research design, and planned data collection, and (4) key personnel.

2. Project Design and Implementation: Provide a detailed description of the following:

1. Need for Project: Discuss the problem that the proposed project addresses (i.e.,

findings from the needs assessment) and how the proposed project can be used to meet the Team Nutrition Training Grant Objective specified in your proposal.

2. Goals: List each goal of the project design and implementation and discuss how the goal is directly related to the Team Nutrition Training Grant Objective.

3. Project Objectives: For each of the goals, list and discuss the associated project objectives. Project objectives should be specific, measurable, and realistic. Project objectives should be related to the required performance measures specified in Table 3 (page 9) of this Request for Applications. Planned tasks must be necessary to meet the project’s stated goals and project objectives.

4. Timeline: Discuss each specific task or activity that will be undertaken during project design, implementation, and evaluation. When discussing tasks, include which of the three Team Nutrition behavior-focused strategies will be addressed and which of the six communication channels will be utilized. Clearly explain how and when specific Team Nutrition materials will be used. Proposals must include a detailed chronological timeline with realistic and specific benchmarks that include key personnel; appropriate time for planning, hiring, approving, processing; pretesting and validating materials; reporting; and contingency plan development when appropriate. The timeline describes when tasks will take place including a detailed outline of when evaluation activities will occur.

2. Project Evaluation: State agencies applying for funding must identify a social scientist with experience in designing, developing, implementing and evaluating public health or nutrition research projects as key personnel to lead the evaluation.

1. Type of Evaluation: Team Nutrition Training Grant requires that applicants design both process and outcome evaluations. Process evaluations provide detailed descriptive information on the way a program operates or how a project is implemented. Outcome evaluations are usually more quantitative in nature and are designed to measure actual project outcomes. Performance measures pertaining to both process and outcome evaluations are specified for each of the Team Nutrition Training Grant Objectives.

2. Research Design:

• Research Questions: For each of the project objectives and related performance measures, list and discuss specific research questions that will be answered during the evaluation.

• Measurement Tools: For each research question, discuss specific measurement tools that you will use. Discuss the strengths/weaknesses, validity and reliability of the proposed measurement tools.

• Please note that example tools are provided for each of the required performance measures in Table 3 (page 9). For some metrics, specific measurement tools are required. For helpful resources on developing an evaluation plan, refer to:

• The SNAP-Ed Evaluation Framework and Interpretive Guide is a useful resource that can help match the activities with appropriate evaluation strategies (https://snaped.fns.usda.gov/national-snap-ed/snap-ed-evaluation-framework-and-interpretive-guide ).

• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Program Performance and Evaluation Office Web site (http://www.cdc.gov/eval).

3. Research Methods: The evaluation methods, measures, and measurement tools presented in the proposal are appropriate for the type of activities being funded and will be (or have previously been) pre-tested to indicate reliability and validity. Costs associated with evaluation activities should be included in the budget and budget narrative. Discuss the methods that will be used to answer the research questions, including:

• Sampling plan(s) and expected sample size(s)

• Obtaining comparison group(s), if appropriate

• Methods to obtain unduplicated counts

• Controlling or accounting for confounding variables

• Data collection methods (how, by whom, how often, when), including baseline and post-intervention data collection

• Training of data collectors

• Data analysis methods (how and by whom)

• Data management

• Strengths and weaknesses of the research methods.

2. Sustainability and Transferability:

1. Sustainability: Confirm that the planned project meets all Child Nutrition programs regulations and guidance. Discuss how your project and its results will be sustained financially and administratively once the grant ends.

2. Transferability: Discuss how your project and its results might inform other State agencies and the feasibility (both financially and administratively) of implementing it in other States. Discuss plans for preparing and disseminating a final report including how and with whom the report will be shared (e.g., FNS, Society for Nutrition Education and Behavior Annual Conference Poster Session, etc.).

2. Key Personnel:

1. Applicants are responsible for identifying the individuals in the application that qualify as key personnel. Key personnel can include individuals receiving funding through this grant, individuals who are making an in-kind contribution, and contractors/sub-contractors. Key Personnel generally are identified as those individuals who:

• Have a direct bearing on the outcome of the project by their participation

• Assume a substantive responsibility for developing, modifying and achieving the objectives of the project

• Are responsible for managing, administering, conducting or providing oversight for a significant component of the project

2. For all identified key personnel, including but not limited to the Project Director and social scientist, please provide the following information:

• Indicate the individual’s current position and what the title will be on the proposed project.

• Describe the individual’s specific role and duties on the project and how key staff will effectively communicate with each other. Where possible, make reference to the project design/ implementation or project evaluation narrative.

• Identify time commitment for each key staff with percentages of FTE or total work hours for each year of the three years of the project.

• In an appendix, provide a current Resume or CV for key personnel that reflect prior relevant experience and how it relates to project duties. Also provide letters of commitment from the Project Director, social scientist and the supervisor of Project Director indicating the individual’s time commitment to the project.

• In an appendix, provide the following information for key project positions that are currently vacant and must be filled in the course of the project,: 1) position title; 2), a detailed position description with required qualifications, skills, and knowledge; 3) a description of specific roles and duties on the project, making reference back to the project or evaluation narrative; 4) an anticipated date of hire; and 5) what arrangements will be made if the position is not filled in a timely manner.

3. For key personnel (especially evaluation personnel or organizations), please identify any potential conflicts of interest (actual or perceived) that might prevent an independent and objective assessment of the implementation, impacts, or benefits of the proposed project (e.g. having a contractor both develop and assess a project). If any conflicts are identified, provide a discussion of what steps the State agency will take to ensure an objective and complete evaluation.

2. Budget, Budget Narrative and Management Plan:

1. Management Plans

• Credibility: Describe the organization’s credibility and capabilities to administer the grant.

• Describe the State agency’s commitment to provide financial and administrative oversight for the grant. If part of proposal funding is used for local sub-grants to school districts/schools and/or child care sites, criteria for funding and plans for oversight must be provided.

• Chain of Command and Responsibilities: Provide an organizational chart that indicates who has authority over whom.

• Discuss how the Project Director(s) will be held accountable to keep the project on time and within budget.

• Describe how and by whom quarterly, annual and final reports to FNS will be prepared.

• Outside Personnel: Discuss how and by whom relationships with all personnel outside of the State agency will be managed (e.g., personnel from partner agencies or outside entities, other State agencies, universities, consultants, contractors).

2. Budget and Justification:

• Budget: Use the SF 424 and SF 424A forms to prepare a complete budget for the project. Provide amounts for all major budget categories. Please remember to include the budget-related components requested.

• Budget Narrative: Applicants must provide a detailed explanation for all funds requested on the Budget Form (SF 424A) in the form of a line item budget and describe how and by whom funds will be spent. The budget narrative must be limited to three typed pages, single-spaced, with a one-inch margin. The budget narrative should provide enough detail for reviewers to easily understand how costs were determined and how they relate to the goals, objectives, and specific activities of the project.

• In an Appendix, all non-profit organizations must include the 501(c) (3) determination letter issued by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).

• Indirect Cost Rate Agreements (ICRA): Applicants claiming indirect costs must provide a copy (in an appendix) of an approved ICRA for all indirect costs and a written explanation for how the indirect costs were applied to the budget. Please indicate if no indirect costs are being claimed.

• Use of Subcontractors: Any contract that a State agency procures under this grant must be competitive unless FNS approves an exception for the State agency and allows it to use a sole-source contract. Please identify any contracts that you expect to award if this grant is awarded to you. Indicate whether the procurement will be competitive or sole source. If sole source procurement is planned, include a written request for an exception as part of your application. The request should include the name of the proposed contractor, a brief explanation of why the state has decided to award this contract as sole source, and a description of how the state determined the proposed cost of the contract to be fair and reasonable.

8. Appendices:

Include the title and page number of each appendix in the Table of Contents under the Appendices section.

Each of the following sections may be included as a separate appendix:

1. Resumes and CV for key personnel, including the Project Director and social scientist

2. Letters of commitment from the Project Director, social scientist and supervisor of the Project Director

3. Job descriptions for key personnel that must be hired

4. Copies of agreements, memoranda of understanding and/or letter of Support with partner agencies and/or outside entities. This documentation should be on the appropriate letterhead.

5. A copy of the State agency’s negotiated and approved indirect costs rate must be attached (please note that the submission of an approved indirect cost rate plan is required only if indirect costs are charged to the Team Nutrition Grant)

6. Standard Form 424 – Application for Federal Assistance

7. Standard Form 424A – Budget Summary

8. Assurance and Disclosure Forms (SF 424B and SF LLL)

9. Any other supporting documentation (Do not include the budget, technical proposal, timelines or deliverables in this section)

8. Required Grant Application Forms and Information

All applicants must complete the following forms:

1. Non-Construction Grant Projects Forms: SF-424 Series Family (https://apply07.grants.gov/apply/FormsMenu?source=agency)

• Application and Instruction for Federal Assistance (SF-424)

• Budget Information and Instruction (SF-424A)

• Assurance-Non-Construction Programs (SF-424B)

2. SF LLL (Disclosure of Lobbying Activities)

Indicate on the form whether your organization intends to conduct lobbying activities. If your organization does not intend to lobby, write “Not Applicable.”

3. Dun and Bradstreet Universal Numbering System and System for Award Management (SAM)

In order to submit an application via Grants.gov, applicants must have obtained a Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number and registered in both the new Systems for Award Management (SAM) and on Grants.gov. The applicant is strongly advised to allow ample time to initiate the Grants.gov application submission process. Please visit the following Web sites to obtain additional information on how to obtain a DUNS number (https://www.dnb.com) and register in SAM (https://www.sam.gov/portal/public/SAM/).

• DUNS Number: In order to obtain a DUNS number, if your organization does not have one, or if you are unsure of your organization’s number you can contact Dun and Bradstreet at (http://fedgov.dnb.com/webform) or by calling 866-705-5711. There is no fee associated with obtaining a DUNS number. Obtaining a DUNS number may take several days.

• System for Award Management (SAM)

The System for Award Management (SAM) is combining Federal procurement systems and the Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance into one new system.

For additional information regarding SAM see the following link

(https://www.acquisition.gov/SAM_Guides/Quick%20Guide%20for%20Grants%20Registrations%20v1.pdf).

• SAM Registration: For applicant organizations that were previously registered in the Central Contractor Registration (CCR), relevant applicant information is already in SAM; set up a SAM account as necessary to update any information. To register in SAM, the applicant’s DUNS number, Tax ID Number (TIN), and taxpayer name (as it appears on the applicant’s last tax return) are all required. SAM verifies all information submitted by the applicant using several systems. This verification takes at least 48 hours after your registration is submitted to SAM. Applicants must have a valid SAM registration no later than 3 days prior to the application due date of this solicitation. GSA has created a presentation of a SAM training (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mmHcKCchaiY).

PLEASE BE AWARE: In some instances, the process to complete the migration of permissions and/or the renewal of the entity record will require 5-7 days or more. We strongly encourage grantees to begin the process at least 3 weeks before grant the due date of the grant solicitation.

4. Grants.gov Registration: In order to apply for a grant, your organization must have completed the above registrations as well as register on Grants.gov. Generally, the registration process takes between 3-5 business days.

If you are a new user, please ensure that your organization’s Point-of-Contact (POC) has designated you as an Authorized Organization Representative (AOR). If you are not designated as an AOR, you will be unable to submit your application package through the Grants.gov.

Allow your entity ample time to complete the necessary steps, for the submission of your grant application package, on Grants.gov.

Please be aware that the Grants.gov system provides several confirmation notices; applicants should ensure receipt of confirmation that the application was accepted.

All applicants MUST follow Grants.gov guidance on file naming conventions. To avoid submission issues, please follow the guidance provided in the Grants.gov

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ):

“Are there restrictions on file names for any attachment I include with my application package?

File attachment names longer than approximately 50 characters can cause problems processing packages. Please limit file attachment names. Also, do not use any special characters (example: &,–,*, %, /, #’, -), this includes periods (.), spacing followed by a dash in the file and for word separation, use underscore (example: Attached_File.pdf) in naming the attachments. “

Please note that if these guidelines are not followed, your application will be rejected. FNS will not accept any application rejected from Grants.gov due to incorrect naming conventions.

8. Special Instructions

1. Late applications will not be considered. FNS will not consider additions or revisions to applications once they are submitted.

2. Applications must be submitted via the Grants.gov web portal. Mailed, e-mailed or hand-delivered application packages will not be accepted.

3. FNS reserves the right to use this solicitation and competition to award additional grants in the subsequent fiscal years should additional funds be made available. Grant awards are subject to the availability of Federal funds.

4. Cost sharing/matching is not required for this grant.

5. Pre-award costs will not be awarded for this grant project.

8. Submission Dates and Times

1. Letter of Intent (See Attachment A)

The eligible applicant that intends to submit an application should submit a Letter of Intent notice by April 3, 2017. This notice does not obligate the applicant to submit an application but provides FNS with useful information in preparing for the review and selection process. The notice should include the potential applicant’s name and address, organization’s name, telephone number, and e-mail address of the primary point of contact. The applicant can send the letter via the mail or e-mail to the FNS Grants Officer identified below:

Anna Arrowsmith, Grant Officer

Grants and Fiscal Policy Division

U.S. Department of Agriculture, FNS

3101 Park Center Drive, Room 740

Alexandria, VA 22302

E-mail: [email protected]

2. Application Due Date

The complete application package must be uploaded on Grants.gov on or before Monday, May 22, 2017, no later than 11:59 PM Eastern Time. Applications received after the deadline date and/or time will be deemed ineligible and will not be reviewed or considered. FNS WILL NOT consider any additions or revisions to applications once they are received.

FNS will not accept mailed, e-mailed, or hand-delivered applications.

Applicants experiencing difficulty submitting applications to Grants.gov should contact the grants officer listing above for further instructions.

3. Pre-Application Assessment Questions

Applicants must also respond to the pre-application assessment questions listed below to allow FNS to evaluate aspects of the applicant’s financial stability, quality of management systems, and history of performance, reports and findings from audits. A questionnaire containing these questions has been provided to facilitate the process. (See Appendix G, Grant Program Accounting System & Financial Capability Questionnaire) Applicants must answer all the pre-application questions. While answering “yes” may be an indicator of risk, the consideration and evaluation of these questions is only an indicator of potential risk and may or may not result in an additional oversight requirements or special conditions be placed on an award should an award be made. Decisions regarding additional oversight requirements will take into consideration the total number of risks identified.

1. Has your organization received a Federal award within the past 3 years?

Yes_____ No_____

2. Does your organization utilize accounting software to manage your financial records?

Yes_____ No_____

3. Does your accounting system identify the receipt and expenditure of program funds separately for each grant?

Yes_____ No_____

4. Does your organization have a dedicated individual responsible for monitoring organizational funds, such as an accountant or a finance manager?

Yes_____ No_____

5. Is there a separation of duties for staff handling the approval of transactions and the recording and payment of funds?

Yes_____ No_____

6. Does your organization have the ability to specifically identify and allocate employee effort to an applicable program?

Yes_____ No_____

7. Does your organization have a property/inventory management system in place to track the location and value of equipment purchased under the award?

Yes_____ No_____

8. Has your organization been audited within the last 5 fiscal years?

Yes_____ No_____

9. If the answer to question number 8 is yes, was this report issued under the Single Audit requirement? If no, a hyperlink or copy of the report will be required.

Yes_____ No_____

10. If answer to question 8 is yes, was there a “Qualified Opinion” or “Adverse Opinion”?

Yes_____ No_____

11. If answer to question 8 is yes, is there a material weakness disclosed?

Yes_____ No_____

12. If answer to question 8 is yes, is there a significant deficiency disclosed?

Yes_____ No_____

VI. APPLICATION REVIEW INFORMATION

A. Review Criteria

The following selection criteria will be used to evaluate applications under this competition. The maximum score for all criteria is 100 points. Each criterion has a maximum score as indicated in parentheses. Scores will be impacted if an application does not include all required information.

FNS reserves the right to award a FY 2017 Team Nutrition Training Grant to any State agency that did not receive any Team Nutrition Training Grants in fiscal years 2014, 2015, and 2016.

1. Project Design: (40 points)

• Proposal provides justification of the project(s) and activities being proposed, including needs assessment findings.

• Proposal selects one of the two Team Nutrition Training Grant Objectives.

• Proposal has relevant project goals and objectives that are specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, and appropriate for the target audience.

• Project activities incorporate all three of the Team Nutrition behavior-focused strategies the six Team Nutrition communications channels.

• Proposal activities include a description of how materials and tools will be used. All tools and curricula need to be (or have been pretested) for reliability and validity.

• Proposal describes State agency’s use of Team Nutrition and ChooseMyPlate.gov resources, and names these resources specifically. Proposal includes adequate justifications if a portion of the grant funds will be used to develop or purchase needed materials. If new materials are developed they need to meet the accessibility requirements of the Section 508 of the Rehabilitation act of 1973, as amended.

• If sub-grants are to be awarded, proposal includes a description of the sub-grant application criteria; allowable costs; and, promotional activities proposed to encourage eligible applicants to apply. The timeline for the sub-grantee must include the award process implementation; data collection; and the State agency’s plan for technical assistance, monitoring, and oversight.

• Proposal adequately describes the tasks and activities with realistic and specific timelines, including appropriate time.

• Proposal includes a detailed chronological timeline with realistic and specific benchmarks that include key personnel; appropriate time for planning, hiring, approving, processing; pretesting and validating materials; reporting; and contingency plan development when appropriate. The timeline describes when tasks will take place including a detailed outline of when evaluation activities will occur.

• Proposal demonstrates a comprehensive planning process.

• Proposal includes a plan for sustainability and transferability after the grant period has ended.

• Reviewers were able to clearly identify all required components of the following: introductory materials; abstract; project design and implementation; sustainability and transferability; and appropriate appendices.

2. Grant Evaluation (25 points)

• Proposal adequately describes how the State agency will collect the performance measures specified in this Request for Applications and how the agency will evaluate the effectiveness and usefulness of training approaches, programs, and proposed activities. Proposal specifies criteria for success and how success will be measured. Costs associated with evaluation activities are included in the budget and budget narrative.

• The evaluation methods, measures, and measurement tools presented in the proposal are appropriate for the type of activities being funded and will be (or have previously been) pre-tested to indicate reliability and validity.

• A social scientist with public health evaluation experience leads the evaluation component of the project. Any potential conflicts of interest (actual or perceived) that might prevent an independent and objective assessment of the implementation, impact, or benefits of the proposed project, are identified.

• Proposal clearly describes timeframes for data collection and how baseline data will be collected prior to implementation of training activities.

• Proposal clearly explains how planned activities and participation (duplicated and unduplicated counts) will be documented.

• Proposal describes how the State agency will document and report on the number of targeted audiences reached, as well as best practices and lessons learned as result of the grant activities.

• Reviewers were able to clearly identify all required components of project evaluation and appropriate appendices.

3. Qualification of Project Personnel, Project Management, and Organizational Experiences (15 points)

• Project Director (PD) is clearly identified. Time commitment for the grant is clearly stated as a percentage of a full time equivalent (FTE). If there will be two PDs, each should be clearly identified and the percent FTE given for each.

• Proposal describes the qualifications of the PD and other key personnel. Resumes must demonstrate that they have the appropriate educational, technical, and experiential backgrounds for the proposed roles. The PD, or one of the Project Co-Directors, must have a four-year degree in nutrition/dietetics, public health, health education, or other related field.

• Proposal describes the qualifications of the social scientist. Resume must demonstrate the appropriate educational, technical, and experiential backgrounds for the proposed role. The social scientist must have a demonstrated track record in performing research and program evaluation.

• Proposal includes the following information, in an appendix, for key personnel positions that are currently vacant and must be filled in the course of the project,: 1) position title; 2), a detailed position description with required qualifications, skills, and knowledge; 3) a description of specific roles and duties on the project, making reference back to the project or evaluation narrative; 4) an anticipated date of hire; and 5) what arrangements will be made if the position is not filled in a timely manner.

• Proposal includes an organizational chart that indicates chain of command

• Proposal discusses how the Project Director will be held accountable to keep the project on time and within budget.

• Proposal clearly discusses and demonstrates that effective communication will exist among staff.

• Proposal describes how and by whom quarterly, annual and final reports to FNS will be prepared.

• Proposal discusses how and by whom relationships with all personnel outside of the State agency will be managed (e.g., personnel from partner agencies or outside entities, other State agencies, universities, consultants, contractors).

• Proposal describes State agency’s commitment to provide financial and administrative oversight for the grant. If part of proposal funding is used for local sub-grants to school districts/schools and/or child care sites, criteria for funding and plans for oversight must be provided.

• Letters of commitment are provided by PD, PD’s supervisor, and key personnel including the social scientist.

• Identify any potential conflicts of interest (actual or perceived) that might prevent an independent and objective assessment of the implementation, impacts, or benefits of the proposed project (e.g. having a contractor both develop and assess a project). If any conflicts are identified for key personnel (especially evaluation personnel or organizations), provide a discussion of what steps the State agency will take to ensure an objective and complete evaluation

• Reviewers were able to clearly identify all required components of the following: key personnel, management plan and appropriate appendices.

4. Budget Appropriateness and Efficiency (20 points)

• Budget narrative describes how funds will be spent, by whom, and in what budget categories. It is also limited to three typed pages, single-spaced, with a one-inch margin.

• Budget is detailed and sufficiently itemizes costs within each budget category and line item.

• Budget demonstrates consistency with project objectives and specific activities/tasks planned. Budget line items are linked to specific grant objectives.

• The level of funding requested is economical and reasonable in relation to the proposed scope and effort of the project.

• Anticipated contracts are described, and whether the procurement will be competitive or sole source. If sole source procurement is planned, a written request for an exception with the name of the proposed contractor; a brief explanation of why the state has decided to award this contract as sole source; and a description of how the state determined the proposed cost of the contract to be fair and reasonable is included.

• Reviewers were able to clearly identify all required components of the following: budget, budget narrative, and appropriate appendices.

2. Review and Selection Process

Following the initial screening process, FNS will assemble a peer panel group to review and determine the technical merits of each application. The peer panel will evaluate the proposals based on how well they address the required application components. The peer panel members will recommend applications for consideration for a grant award based on the evaluation scoring. The selecting official reserves the right select out of rank order to award a grant to meet agency priorities, program balance, geographical representation, project diversity or confidence in a prospective grantee's ability to perform grant requirements satisfactorily based on the past TN Training Grant performance. FNS reserves the right to use this solicitation and competition to award additional grants in the subsequent fiscal years should additional funds be made available.

FNS reserves the right to request additional information not clearly addressed in the initial application.

3. Determination of Grant Awards

FNS will review all applications that meet the published deadline for submission to ensure that they meet the requirements of this announcement. Application packages are required to be complete upon submission. Under no circumstances, will FNS consider additions or revisions to applications once they are received. Applications that are fully responsive will be reviewed competitively and scored based upon the five evaluation criteria and weights listed above. One or more review panels may be comprised of United States Department of Agriculture staff, other federal agency staff, and other individuals committed to furthering the goals of the Team Nutrition initiative. The review panel will evaluate each grant application on how well it addresses each grant evaluation criteria. The resulting scores will provide a ranking of applications according to technical merit for use by the selecting official.

The selecting official will consider panel recommendations and may consider additional factors, such as geographic distribution; specific FNS/USDA priorities; and confidence in a prospective grantee's ability to perform grant requirements satisfactorily based on the past Team Nutrition Training Grant performance. USDA reserves the right to not fund an application based on any of the aforementioned factors.

3. Determination of Award Amounts

If a State agency’s application has been selected and approved for funding, is well-justified, and the budget submission is realistic and well-supported, the application will be funded at the level requested. USDA reserves the right to fund applications out of rank order and at a lesser dollar amount if it is judged that the application can be implemented with fewer Federal dollars, or if Federal funding is not sufficient to fully fund all applications that merit awards.

VII. FEDERAL AWARD ADMINISTRATION INFORMATION

1. Federal Award Notice

Unless an applicant receives a signed award document with terms and conditions; any contact from a FNS grants or program officer should not be considered as a notice of a grant award. No pre-award or pre-agreement costs incurred prior to the effective start date are allowed unless approved and stated on FNS’ signed award document.

The Government is not obligated to make any award as a result of this RFA. Only the recognized FNS authorized signature can bind the USDA, Food and Nutrition Service to the expenditure of funds related to an award’s approved budget.

B. Administrative and National Policy Requirements

1. Confidentiality of an Application

When an application results in an award, it becomes a part of the record of FNS transactions, available to the public upon specific request. Information that the Secretary determines to be of a confidential, privileged, or proprietary nature will be held in confidence to the extent permitted by law. Therefore, any information that the applicant wishes to have considered as confidential, privileged, or proprietary should be clearly marked within the application. The original copy of an application that does not result in an award will be not released to the public. An application may be withdrawn at any time prior to the final action thereon.

2. Safeguarding Personally Identifiable Information

Personally Identifiable Information (PII) is any information that can be used to distinguish or trace an individual’s identity, such as name, social security number, date and place of birth, mother’s maiden name, or biometric records, and any other information that is linked or linkable to an individual, such as medical, educational, financial, and employment information (National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) SP 800-122, Guide to Protecting the Confidentiality of Personally Identifiable information, April 2010).

Applicants submitting applications in response to this RFA must recognize that confidentiality of PII and other sensitive data is of paramount importance to the USDA Food and Nutrition Service. All federal and non-federal employees (e.g., contractors, affiliates, or partners) working for or on behalf of FNS are required to acknowledge understanding of their responsibilities and accountability for using and protecting FNS PII in accordance with the Privacy Act of 1974; Office of Management and Budget Memorandum M-06-15, Safeguarding Personally Identifiable Information; M-06-16, Protection of Sensitive Agency Information; M-07-16, Safeguarding Against and Responding to the Breach of Personally Identifiable Information; and the NIST Special Publication (SP) 800-122, Guide to Protecting the Confidentiality of Personally Identifiable Information.

By submitting an application in response to this RFA, applicants are assuring that all data exchanges conducted throughout the application submission and pre-award process (and during the performance of the grant, if awarded) will be conducted in a manner consistent with applicable Federal laws. By submitting a grant application, applicants agree to take all necessary steps to protect such confidentiality, including the following: (1) ensuring that PII and sensitive data developed, obtained or otherwise associated with UDSA FNS funded grants is securely transmitted. Transmission of applications through Grants.gov is secure; (2) ensuring that PII is not transmitted to unauthorized users, and that PII and other sensitive data is not submitted via email; and (3) Data transmitted via approved file sharing services (WatchDox, ShareFile, etc.), CDs, DVDs, thumb drives, etc., must be encrypted.

3. Conflict of Interest and Confidentiality of the Review Process

The agency requires all panel reviewers to sign a conflict of interest and confidentiality form to prevent any actual or perceived conflicts of interest that may affect the application review and evaluation process. Names of applicants, including States and tribal governments, submitting an application will be kept confidential, except to those involved in the review process, to the extent permitted by law. In addition, the identities of the reviewers will remain confidential throughout the entire process. Therefore, the names of the reviewers will not be released to applicants.

3. Administrative Regulations

1. Federal Tax Liabilities Restrictions

None of the funds made available by this or any other Act may be used to enter into a contract, memorandum of understanding, or cooperative agreement with, make a grant to, or provide a loan or loan guarantee to, any corporation that has any unpaid Federal tax liability that has been assessed, for which all judicial and administrative remedies have been exhausted or have lapsed, and that is not being paid in a timely manner pursuant to an agreement with the authority responsible for collecting the tax liability, where the awarding agency is aware of the unpaid tax liability, unless a Federal agency has considered suspension or debarment of the corporation and has made a determination that this further action is not necessary to protect the interests of the Government.

2. Felony Crime Conviction Restrictions

None of the funds made available by this or any other Act may be used to enter into a contract, memorandum of understanding, or cooperative agreement with, make a grant to, or provide a loan or loan guarantee to, any corporation that was convicted of a felony criminal violation under any Federal law within the preceding 24 months, where the awarding agency is aware of the conviction, unless a Federal agency has considered suspension or debarment of the corporation and has made a determination that this further action is not necessary to protect the interests of the Government.

3. Debarment and Suspension 2 CFR Part 180 and 2 CFR Part 417

A recipient chosen for an award shall comply with the non-procurement debarment and suspension common rule implementing Executive Orders (E.O.) 12549 and 12669, “Debarment and Suspension,” codified at 2 CFR Part 180 and 2 CFR Part 417. This common rule restricts sub-awards and contracts with certain parties that are debarred, suspended or otherwise excluded from or ineligible for participation in Federal assistance programs or activities. The approved grant recipient will be required to ensure that all sub-contractors and sub-grantees are neither excluded nor disqualified under the suspension and debarment rules prior to approving a sub-grant award by checking the System for Award Management (SAM) at www.sam.gov.

4. Universal Identifier and Central Contractor Registration 2 CFR Part 25

Effective October 1, 2010, all grant applicants must obtain a Dun and Bradstreet (D&B) Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number as a universal identifier for Federal financial assistance. Active grant recipients and the direct sub-recipients of a sub-grant award also must obtain a DUNS number. To request a DUNS number, visit (http://fedgov.dnb.com/webform).

The grant recipient must also register its DUNS number in the new Systems for Award Management (SAM). If you were registered in the CCR, your company’s information is already in SAM and you will just need to set up a SAM account. To register in SAM you will need your entity’s DUNS and your entity’s Tax ID Number (TIN) and taxpayer name (as it appears on your last tax return). Registration should take 3-5 days. If you do not receive confirmation that your SAM registration is complete, please contact SAM.

5. Reporting Sub-award and Executive Compensation Information 2 CFR Part 170

The Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act (FFATA) of 2006 (Public Law 109–282), as amended by Section 6202 of Public Law 110–252 requires primary grantees of Federal grants and cooperative agreements to report information on sub-grantee obligations and executive compensation. FFATA promotes open government by enhancing the Federal Government’s accountability for its stewardship of public resources. This is accomplished by making Government information, particularly information on Federal spending, accessible to the general public.

Primary grantees, including State agencies, are required to report actions taken on or after October 1, 2010, that obligates $25,000 or more in Federal grant funds to first-tier sub-grantees. This information must be reported in the Government-wide FFATA Sub-Award Reporting System (FSRS). A primary grantee and first-tier sub-grantees must also report total compensation for each of its five most-highly compensated executives. Every primary and first-tier grantee must obtain a DUNS number prior to being eligible to receive a grant or sub-grant award. Additional information will be provided to grant recipients upon award.

6. Duncan Hunter National Defense Authorization Act of Fiscal Year 2009, Public Law 110-417

Section 872 of this Act requires the development and maintenance of a Federal Government information system that contains specific information on the integrity and performance of covered Federal agency contractors and grantees. The Federal Awardee Performance and Integrity Information System (FAPIIS) was developed to address these requirements. FAPIIS contains integrity and performance information from the Contractor Performance Assessment Reporting System, information from the CCR database, and suspension and debarment information from the EPLS. FNS will review and consider any information about the applicant reflected in FAPIIS when making a judgment about whether an applicant is qualified to receive an award.

7. Code Of Federal Regulations And Other Government Requirements

The grant program will be awarded and administered in accordance with the following Federal regulations. The Code of Federal Regulations can be found at (http://www.gpoaccess.gov/cfr/index.html), and from the Grants Officer, upon request.

8. Government-wide Regulations

• 2 CFR Part 25: “Universal Identifier and Central Locator Contractor Registration”

• 2 CFR Part 170: “Reporting Sub-award and Executive Compensation Information”

• 2 CFR Part 175: “Award Term for Trafficking in Persons”

• 2 CFR Part 180: “OMB Guidelines to Agencies on Government-wide Debarment and Suspension (Non-Procurement)”

• 2 CFR Part 200: “Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards”

• 2 CFR Part 415: USDA “General Program Administrative Regulations”

• 2 CFR Part 416: USDA “General Program Administrative Regulations for Grants and Cooperative Agreements to State and Local Governments”

• 2 CFR Part 417: “Office of the Chief Financial Officer: Department of Agriculture Implementation of OMB Guidance on Non-Procurement Debarment and Suspension”

• 2 CFR Part 418: USDA “New Restrictions on Lobbying

• 2 CFR Part 421: USDA “Requirements for Drug-Free Workplace (Financial Assistance)”

• 41 U.S.C. Section 22: “Interest of Member of Congress”

General Terms and Conditions of the award may be obtained electronically. Please contact the Grants Officer:

Anna Arrowsmith, Grant Officer

Grants and Fiscal Policy Division

U.S. Department of Agriculture, FNS

3101 Park Center Drive, Room 740

Alexandria, VA 22302

E-mail: [email protected]

D. Reporting

1. Financial Reporting

The award recipient will be required to enter the SF-425, Financial Status Report data into the FNS Food Program Reporting System (FPRS) on a quarterly basis. In order to access FPRS, the grant recipient must obtain USDA e-authentication certification and access to FPRS. More detailed instructions for reporting will be included in the FNS Federal financial assistance award package.

2. Progress Reporting

The recipient will be responsible for managing and monitoring the progress of the grant project activities and performance. Grantees will be required to submit quarterly progress reports within 30 days of the end of each quarter. A template with questions to be answered in the quarterly progress report can be found in Attachment E. Grantees must also be willing to participate in quarterly conference calls to discuss the quarterly progress reports with FNS.

Grantees will also be required to complete the FY 2017 Team Nutrition Training Grants: Performance Measures Annual Report (see Attachment F) within 30 days after the end of each year of the grant periods (i.e., 10/31/2018, 10/31/2019, and 10/31/2020). Grantees understand that data submitted in this report will be compiled by FNS and will be publicly available. Note that grantees should include any high-resolution photographs from grant-related activities and all associated photograph releases in the annual reports (grant funds can be used to purchase technology for purposes of gathering these high-resolution photographs, see page 17 of this Request for Applications).

3. Final Report

Within 90 days after the end of the grant period (i.e., 12/31/2020), grantees will be required to submit a Final Report to FNS. In order to promote transparency of grant-funded work, FNS reserves the right to publish grantees’ Final Reports on the FNS Web site and/or on the FNS Healthy Meals Resource System.

At a minimum, this Final Report will include the following:

1. An introductory section that includes, but is not limited to:

   • the FY 2017 Team Nutrition Training Grant Objective selected

   • why the grantee undertook this project

   • relevant findings from the State-wide needs assessment(s)

2. A methodology section that includes, but is not limited to:

   • a full project description including how tasks and activities incorporated the three Team Nutrition behavior-focused strategies and six communication channels

3. An explanation of the benefits of collaborating with the SNAC or a similar type of collaboration activity to maximize coordinated nutrition education efforts

4. A timeline of all grant-funded activities; curricula used; and a corresponding description of how these activities helped accomplish the selected FY 2017 Team Nutrition Training Grant Objective

5. A description of the evaluation methodology and how performance measures were collected and assessed.

6. A description of the tested tools or survey instruments used to capture the performance measures

7. A results section that includes, but is not limited to, an analysis of all required performance measures (e.g., the total number of unduplicated participants and total encounters reached over the three year grant period)

8. A discussion section that includes, but is not limited to:

   • conclusions drawn from evaluation results

   • challenges encountered and solutions developed

   • best practices garnered from the project

   • information on how the project will be sustained and future implications within the State agency

   • project transferability (i.e., discuss how learnings from this project could be applied to other States)

9. List of references

10. Budget and budget narrative

11. Appendices including copies of materials developed by and used in the project (e.g., notices, brochures, instructions, lesson plans, software, press releases, and data collection instruments)

VIII. FEDERAL AWARDING AGENCY CONTACTS

For questions regarding this solicitation, please contact the Grants Officer:

Anna Arrowsmith, Grant Officer

Grants and Fiscal Policy Division

U.S. Department of Agriculture, FNS

3101 Park Center Drive, Room 740

Alexandria, VA 22302

E-mail: [email protected]

IX. OTHER INFORMATION

1. Debriefing Requests

Non-selected applicants may request a debriefing to discuss the strengths and weaknesses of submitted proposals. This information may be useful when preparing future grant proposals. Additional information on debriefing requests will be forwarded to non-selected applicants.

2. Application and Budget Reminders

1. Review the following to ensure the items below are addressed in the application. The budget and budget narrative must align with the proposal project description (statement of work) bona fine need. FNS reserves the right to request information not clearly addressed.

• Double check that you have included all information requested in “V. CONTENT AND FORM OF APPLICATION SUBMISSION” (pages 18 - 27).

• Thoroughly review the section “VI. APPLICATION REVIEW INFORMATION” (pages 27- 32) to be familiar with the selection criteria that will be used to evaluate applications under this competition.

• Assume the reviewers know nothing about your organization and its work. Will the reviewers have a clear picture of your organization and the proposed project after reading your proposal?

• The complete application package must be uploaded in Grants.gov on or before Monday, May 22, 2017, no later than 11:59 PM Eastern Time.

2. The budget and budget narrative must align with the proposal project description and bona fine need. FNS reserves the right to request information not clearly addressed.

Personnel

• All employees paid for by this grant under this heading

• Employees identified by name and position title

• Percentage of time the Project Director and Social Scientist will devote to the project in full-time equivalents (FTE)

Fringe Benefits

• Organization’s fringe benefit amount along with the basis for the computation

• Type of fringe benefits to be covered with Federal funds

Travel

• Travel expenses itemized and justified (origination/destination points, number and purpose of trips, number of staff traveling, mode of transportation and cost of each trip)

• Travel expenses included for the Team Nutrition Training Grantee Annual Meeting

Equipment

• Need for the equipment justified in the narrative

• Types of equipment, unit costs, and the number of items to be purchased listed in the budget

• Basis for the cost per item or other basis of computation stated in the budget

Supplies

• Types of supplies, unit costs, and the number of items to be purchased reflected in the budget

• Basis for the costs per item or other basis of computation stated

• If an “Other” heading is included, list all items to be covered under this heading along with the methodology on how the costs were derived to be charged to the program

Contractual (FNS reserves the right to request information on all contractual awards and associated costs after the contract is awarded.)

• Need clearly identified in the project narrative

• Justification for cost of contract or sub-grant expense(s) in the budget

• Justification for all a sole-source contract provided in the budget narrative

Consultant Services

• Justification for cost of consultant services is clearly identified and includes: description of service; the consultant’s name; itemized list of all direct cost and fees; number of personnel including the position title (specialty and specialized qualifications as appropriate to the costs); number of estimated hours; hourly wages; and all expenses and fees directly related to the proposed services to be rendered to the project.

Indirect Costs

• A copy of the most recent, signed Negotiated Indirect Cost Rate Agreement (NICRA) from a Federal Agency is provided

• If no negotiated agreement exists, the basis and the details of the indirect cost rate to be requested should is reflected in the budget

FOR GRANT APPLICANT USE ONLY

DO NOT RETURN THIS FORM WITH THE APPLICATION

Attachment A - Letter of Intent

If you intend to submit an application for a FY 2017 Team Nutrition Training Grant, please complete the section below and return this form by April 3, 2017. This intent does not obligate a State agency in any way, but will provide useful information to us as we prepare for the review and selection process. The intent may be e-mailed or faxed. Thank you for your interest. Please submit your Letter of Intent to:

Anna Arrowsmith, Grant Officer

Grants and Fiscal Policy Division

U.S. Department of Agriculture, FNS

3101 Park Center Drive, Room 740

Alexandria, VA 22302

E-mail: [email protected]

FY 2017 Team Nutrition Training Grant

Intent to Submit an Application

Applicant (State agency name and address): _____________________________________

_____________________________________

_____________________________________

Check the Objective your proposal will address: ☐ Objective 1 Schools

☐ Objective 2 Childcare Sites

Project Director or Contact Person _________________________________

Telephone __________________________

E-mail ______________________________________

State Child Nutrition Director _____________________________

Telephone ____________________________

E-mail ______________________________________

Attachment B – Cover Sheet

Cover Sheet

FY 2017 Team Nutrition Training Grant

State: ______________________

CFDA: #10.574

State Child Nutrition Director: _____________________________________

E-mail address: ___________________________

Phone: _________________________

Grant Application Contact Person/Project Director: ______________________________

Job Title: ________________________________________________________

Mailing Address: _________________________________________________

_________________________________________________

_________________________________________________

E-mail address: ___________________________

Phone: _________________________

The complete application package must be uploaded on Grants.gov on or before Monday, May 22, 2017, no later than 11:59 PM Eastern Time. Applications received after the deadline date and/or time will be deemed ineligible and will not be reviewed or considered. FNS WILL NOT consider any additions or revisions to applications once they are received.

FNS will not accept mailed or hand-delivered applications.

Attachment C – Guidance for Interpreting Cost Principles for Grants and Sub-Grant Awards

This is brief guidance for Cost Principles of Team Nutrition Training Grants. For the complete Cost Principle requirements, refer to 2 CFR Part 170 and 2 CFR Part 200.

State agencies that award Team Nutrition Training Grants in the form of sub-grants are expected to:

• Provide oversight to these sub-grant recipients to ensure that expenditures authorized under the sub-grants are allowable, allocable, and reasonable.

• Ensure that all expenditures are consistent with all local, State, and Federal policies, regulations, and procedures.

• Ensure that the expenditure does not exceed that which would be incurred by a prudent person under similar circumstances and would qualify as a sound business practice.

• Ensure that schools that receive sub-grants are enrolled as Team Nutrition Schools. Visit (http://www.fns.usda.gov/Team Nutrition/join-team-become-team-nutrition-school) to enroll.

• Ensure that Team Nutrition sub-grant funds support one or more of the Team Nutrition strategies and deliver Team Nutrition messages of healthy eating and being physically active. Team Nutrition strategies and nutrition messages must be part of the objectives and work plan of the sub-grant recipient.

The three Team Nutrition behavior-oriented strategies include:

• Provide training and technical assistance to child nutrition professionals to enable them to prepare and serve nutritious meals that appeal to children.

• Increase nutrition education through multiple communication channels to help children have the knowledge, skills, and motivation to make healthy food and physical activity choices as part of a healthy lifestyle.

• Build support for healthy school and child care environments that encourage nutritious food choices and physically active lifestyles.

• Ensure that all activities and expenses specified in the sub-grants support and promote children’s participation in the Child Nutrition programs.

Allowable Costs for Team Nutrition Training Grants: General guidance of selected items under the Cost Principles

Evaluation

Team Nutrition Training Grant funds may be used to support costs associated with evaluation activities.

The evaluation methods and measurement tools in the proposal must be appropriate for the grant objectives and will be (or have previously been) pre-tested to indicate reliability and validity.

Food Cost

Team Nutrition Training Grant funds may be used to pay for food if the food is part of a specific educational activity. For example, conducting a classroom taste test of specific fruits or vegetables, or demonstrating the making of simple, healthy snacks, is a reasonable request. The use of the food must be related to nutrition education activities specified under objectives of the sub-grant proposal or work plan. Team Nutrition Training Grant funds may not be used to purchase a meal for anyone. The total expenditure of food purchases may not exceed five percent of the total the grant awarded. For each sub-grant, the food expenditures may not exceed ten percent of the funds awarded.

Food and Nutrition Equipment

Team Nutrition Training Grant funds may not be used to purchase foodservice operation equipment, such as salad bar equipment, refrigerators, food processors, etc. However, portable kitchen equipment used for classroom food preparation, cooking demonstrations, or hands-on food (i.e. demonstration tables) experiences may be permissible if such activities are part of the integrated nutrition education lessons specified under objectives of the proposed grants. Examples of allowable equipment include: electric skillets, portable induction burners, food demonstration tables, salad spinners, colanders, baking sheets, mixing bowls, graters, rolling utility cart, measuring cups and spoons, blenders, and pot holders. Teachers’ commitment to teach nutrition in the classroom and share the use of the purchased mobile kitchen equipment among other teachers within the same building, if applicable, should be clearly indicated in the sub-grant proposal.

Gardening

It is recognized that some of the Team Nutrition materials promote activities related to gardening, and gardening is an excellent way to involve the entire school, parents, and the community in a Team Nutrition activity. If the plans submitted by the sub-grant recipient(s) specify a gardening activity, the proposal must include a nutrition education component and show a clear link between the garden and the Child Nutrition program at the school or child care site. The proposal must also describe how the garden will be sustained beyond the grant period.

Schools and child care sites are encouraged to partner with local gardening supply sources for creating sustainability of the gardening project after the Team Nutrition Training Grant period. Schools may also contact the local Cooperative Extension office to see if there is a Master Gardener program that can provide assistance with the gardening project. The FNS Farm to School Web site (http://www.fns.usda.gov/farmtoschool/farm-school) contains several resources, including links to funding opportunities to supplement the Team Nutrition funds used for school or child care gardens. Child care sites can coordinate efforts with other child care centers to partner on Farm to Preschool activities.

Team Nutrition Training Grant funds may be used to purchase a reasonable amount of supplies (e.g., seeds/seedlings, grow lights, potting soil and starter pots) for classroom gardening projects. Applicants whose proposals clearly show a strong indication of sustainability beyond the grant period may receive start-up funds for moderately sized, in-ground gardens, including structural supplies for building the garden. Proposals that describe activities that will not be sustained beyond the grant period may only be funded for smaller, classroom-sized, container gardens.

Medical Equipment

Team Nutrition funds may not be used to purchase medical equipment or health services related to health assessments, such as obtaining clinical data on nutritional status, chronic disease, or chronic disease risk assessment. Therefore, measurement of height, weight, skin fold thickness, blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood glucose and iron levels are not allowable costs under the Team Nutrition grant. Although the Body Mass Index (BMI) concept may still be part of the nutrition education component for the age-appropriate students, obtaining the height and weight status should come from the school nurse’s office, students’ health care providers, or the individual student's knowledge.

Physical Activity

Eating healthy and being physically active are desired behavior outcomes of Team Nutrition. States are encouraged to coordinate with community, youth and recreational organizations, and others whose primary mission is to make regular opportunities for physical activity accessible to children. Educational and program materials developed or purchased with Team Nutrition Training Grant funds to promote and reinforce physical activity for all target audiences must include messages that link nutrition and physical activity, such as “balance your day with food and play” (Eat Smart. Play Hard.). It might be permissible to use sub-grant funds to purchase posters, pamphlets, audiovisuals, and small, consumable supplies, such as a few classroom jump ropes or hula hoops, to help teachers promote life-long physical activity habits as part of a classroom nutrition education activity. However, Team Nutrition Training Grant funds are not intended to purchase pedometers or award pins, or to subsidize the regular physical education program in the school. The costs associated with physical activities should not detract significantly from funds for promoting healthy eating.

Team Nutrition Training Grant funds may not be used to purchase playground equipment, exercise or sports equipment, or sports lessons (swimming, skating, etc.), or to pay for the services of a for-profit physical fitness organization. Children should not be given the message that they must belong to a health club in order to be physically active. Schools are encouraged to look to other funding sources for physical activity such as forming partnerships with local non-profit organizations such as the YMCA, YWCA, Sierra Club, 4-H, and others in providing the kind of resources that might continue to supplement this type of activity when the Team Nutrition Training Grant funds are no longer available at the school.

Promotional Items

The purpose of the Team Nutrition Training Grants is to promote the messages of the 2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans and MyPlate and to assist Child Nutrition programs in meeting regulatory requirements for meals and snacks. Any promotional item or should promote one or more of the Team Nutrition messages of the 2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans or MyPlate or refer the target audience to the Team Nutrition Web site (https://www.fns.usda.gov/tn/team-nutrition ). Any cost associated with such promotions must be reasonable in comparison to the sub-grant funding. A total expenditure of promotional items should not exceed 5 percent of the total sub-grant awarded.

Staff Development and/or Substitute Pay

If adequate funding is available and acceptable to the State agency, Team Nutrition funds may be used to hire a substitute for a teacher, child care provider, school or child care administrator, Local School Wellness Policy representative, or school foodservice staff representative to attend training, participate in planning sessions, or other avenues for staff development in nutrition education. For accounting purposes, a record of who attended the session, how long it lasted, and the purpose of the session is required.

Stipends

Stipends may be used to reimburse for local travel to a Team Nutrition grant activity and/or for staff time while attending an activity. If additional costs need to be covered, a sub-grant with a clear application award process and oversight should be in place.

Summary

There is limited funding to accomplish Team Nutrition’s important goal of improving children’s lifelong eating and physical activity habits. State agencies will want to ensure that the best use of the limited funding is achieved. Expenditures and purchases need to contribute to a sustainable program or activity. In approving sub-grant requests, a positive answer should always be sought to the following questions:

1. Is the cost applicable to my grant and the sub-grant’s objectives?

2. Is the cost allowable according to program cost principles?

3. Is the cost reasonable and appropriate?

Attachment D – Letter of Agreement

As an applicant for a FY 2017 Team Nutrition Training Grant, __________________ ____ (insert State agency) understands its responsibility to participate fully in the Team Nutrition Training Grant program’s evaluation and to cooperate fully with the FNS’s evaluation staff and its designated agents in all aspects of the evaluation, including but not limited to:

• Developing and implementing, in cooperation with the FNS’s evaluation staff, procedures and materials to ensure legally effective and prospectively obtained informed consent from participants in the evaluation sample.

• Implementing a random assignment process to create treatment and control groups, designed by and supported with technical assistance from the FNS’s evaluation staff.

• Providing data on participants (parents, teachers/staff, providers, and students from schools and child care centers); completed evaluation tools, when appropriate; and outcomes (such as those reported in the FY 2017 Team Nutrition Training Grants: Performance Measures Annual Report).

• Providing access (including all necessary approvals) to administrative records maintained by the State agency.

• Facilitating access (including updated contact information) for FNS’s evaluation staff interviews or site visits with evaluation sample participants, agency staff, and other partners or stakeholders.

• Providing copies of relevant grant program documents, such as meeting notes, memoranda, and procedural manuals.

• Working in cooperation with FNS’s evaluation staff to troubleshoot; resolve issues; and, refine procedures to the extent feasible.

• Making all efforts to maintain the integrity of the evaluation and ensure the quality of the data provided to the FNS’s evaluation staff.

__________________________________ __________________________________

(Signature of representative with authority to (Printed name)

Obligate the State Agency to this agreement)

Attachment E – Quarterly Progress Report Form

FY 2017 Team Nutrition (TN) Training Grant

Quarterly Progress Report

Name of State: __________________________________________________

For the reporting period of ___________________ to ___________________

NOTE: This report may be required to be submitted through an electronic platform.

Use additional space as needed to answer each question.

1. Briefly describe what the planned activities were for the report period.

2. Describe major accomplishments for each activity. Include the: activity; date; audience; participation numbers (unduplicated and duplicated); evaluation methods and pre-tested measurement tools. Provide copies of developed materials, if applicable.

3. Describe any deviations from proposed plan; discuss difficulties encountered and solutions developed.

4. Briefly discuss the budget impact and /or costs associated with in this reporting period. Are the actual expenditures (dollars and /or percentage) this quarter in line with what you had planned, per your grant timeline? If not, explain why.

5. List key activities planned for next quarter.

6. Any other unique aspects that you would like to share.

7. Other Comments?

Attachment F –Performance Measures Annual Report

NOTE: This report may be required to be submitted through an electronic platform.

Per the FY 2017 Team Nutrition Training Grant requirements, each grantee is required to submit performance measures on an annual basis. Deadlines for completion will be:

• October 31, 2018 (Annual Report 1- 10/1/17-9/30/18)

• October 31, 2019 (Annual Report 2 -10/1/18-9/30/19 )

• October 31, 2020 (Annual Report 3- 10/1/19-9/30/20)

Please note that a final report capturing data from the entire grant cycle (October 1, 2017 through September 30, 2020) will also be required. This final report will be submitted to FNS via email or postal mail by December 31, 2020.

SECTION 1: General Information - All Grantees complete

Please provide:

1. State name

2. Entity or organization name

3. Annual report period

4. The first and last name of the person completing this survey

5. The email address of the person completing this survey (in case further information is needed)

6. The Project Director’s first and last name

7. The Project Director’s email address

8. The social scientist’s/evaluation lead’s name

9. The social scientist’s/evaluation lead’s email address

10. How many FTEs are currently involved with the project? (Please provide a numeric answer, such as 0.5 or 1.0.)

SECTION 2: This section is only applicable to grantees funded under Objective 1

Assist schools/districts administering NSLP and SBP programs in providing: 1) appealing and nutritious school meals, 2) nutrition education, and 3) school environments that promote healthy eating; ultimately encouraging students to follow healthy eating patterns that align with the recommendations set forth in the 2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans.

1. Team Nutrition Training Grant Objective 1: Process Evaluation Data

When completing this section, count only unduplicated trainings and unduplicated individuals for this reporting period (i.e., do not count trainings and individuals more than once). Do not count trainings and individuals from previous annual reports.

During this reporting period:

11. How many grant-funded activities or trainings were offered to SCHOOL NUTRITION PROFESSIONALS (e.g., foodservice staff, managers, child nutrition directors)?

12. How many HOURS of grant-funded activities or trainings were offered to SCHOOL NUTRITION PROFESSIONALS (e.g., foodservice staff, managers, child nutrition directors)? (Please round your answer to the nearest quarter hour).

13. How many SCHOOL NUTRITION PROFESSIONALS (e.g., foodservice staff, managers, and child nutrition directors) completed the grant-funded activities or trainings?

14. During this reporting period, how many grant-funded activities or trainings were offered to NON-FOODSERVICE SCHOOL STAFF (e.g., teachers, principals, administrators)?

15. How many HOURS of grant-funded activities or trainings were offered to NON-FOODSERVICE SCHOOL STAFF (e.g., teachers, principals, administrators)? (Please round your answer to the nearest quarter hour)

16. How many NON-FOODSERVICE SCHOOL STAFF (e.g., teachers, principals, and administrators) completed the grant-funded activities or trainings?

17. How many grant-funded activities or trainings were offered to STUDENTS?

18. How many HOURS of grant-funded activities or trainings were offered to STUDENTS?

19. How many STUDENTS completed the grant-funded activities or trainings?

20. How many grant-funded activities or trainings were offered to PARENTS?

21. How many HOURS of grant-funded activities or trainings were offered to PARENTS? (Please round your answer to the nearest quarter hour)

22. How many PARENTS completed the grant-funded activities or trainings?

2. Team Nutrition Training Grant Objective 1: Outcome Measures: Students’ nutrition knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors.

During this reporting period:

23. How many students participated in grant-funded activities or nutrition education programs that were intended to increase the nutrition knowledge?

24. How many of the students noted in the previous question, how many students actually demonstrated increases in nutrition knowledge after participating in the activities?

25. What tool/survey/instrument(s) did you use to assess students’ nutrition knowledge? (Please provide a hyperlink or file attachment to the tool(s) used.)

26. How many students participated in grant-funded activities or nutrition education programs that were intended to improve the attitudes towards fruits and vegetables?

27. Of the students noted in the previous question, how many students actually reported more favorable attitudes toward fruits and vegetables?

28. What tool/survey/instrument did you use to assess students’ attitudes toward fruits and vegetables? (Please provide a hyperlink or file attachment to the tool(s) used.)

29. How many students participated in grant-funded activities or nutrition education programs that were intended to improve the recognition of MyPlate and the associated food groups?

30. Of the students noted in the previous question, how many students actually improved the recognition/identification of MyPlate and the associated food groups?

31. What tool/survey/instrument did you use to assess students’ recognition/identification of MyPlate and the associated food groups? (Please provide a hyperlink or file attachment to the tool(s) used.)

32. What is the number of new schools that have enrolled as a Team Nutrition school? Provide the number of Team Nutrition Schools in the State at the beginning of this reporting period and at the end of this reporting period.

33. How many schools participated in activities that were designed to increase the servings of vegetables (from the Dark-Green, Red and Orange and Beans and Peas subgroups) selected by students as measured by changes in foodservice production records?

34. Of the schools noted in the previous question, how many schools actually demonstrated an increase in the servings of vegetables (from the Dark-Green, Red and Orange and Beans and Peas subgroups) selected by students as measured by changes in foodservice production records?

35. How many schools participated in grant-funded activities that were intended to improve School Breakfast Program participation rates?

36. Of the school noted in the previous question, how many schools increased the School Breakfast participation rates after the grant-funded activities?

37. How many schools participated in grant-funded activities that were intended to improve National School Lunch Program participation rates?

38. Of the school noted in the previous question, how many schools increased the National School Lunch Program participation rates after the grant-funded activities?

3. Team Nutrition Training Grant Objective 1: Food Environment and Wellness Policy Data

During this reporting period:

39. How many schools demonstrated an increase in the Smarter Lunchrooms Self-Assessment Score Card score after participating in grant-funded activities?

40. How many schools demonstrated an increase in the School Health Index score for Module 2 Health Education; question N.1 (Essential topics on healthy eating)? (Please note that this question may not be applicable if it has been less than one year since the grant-funded activities or trainings occurred.)

41. How many schools demonstrated an increase in the School Health Index score for Module 8 Family and Community Involvement, question N.1 (Student and family involvement in the school meals programs and other foods and beverages sold, served, and offered on school campus)? (Please note that this question may not be applicable if it has been less than one year since the grant-funded activities or trainings occurred.)

SECTION 3: This section is only applicable to grantees funded under Objective 2

Improve the nutritional content of meals and snacks offered in child care centers and family day care homes participating in the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) to be consistent with the updated CACFP meal patterns and to assist participating young children with following healthy eating patterns that align with the recommendations set forth in the 2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans.

A. Team Nutrition Training Grant Objective 2: Process Evaluation Data

When completing this section, count only unduplicated trainings and unduplicated individuals for this reporting period (i.e., do not count trainings and individuals more than once). Do not count trainings and individuals from previous reports.

During this reporting period:

42. How many child care providers participated in grant-funded activities that were intended to increase knowledge of CACFP meal pattern requirements?

43. Of the child care providers noted in the previous question, how many child care providers demonstrated increases in knowledge of CACFP meal pattern requirements?

44. What tool/survey/instrument(s) did you use to assess child care providers’ knowledge of CACFP meal pattern requirements? (Please provide a hyperlink or file attachment to the tool(s) used.)

45. How many child care providers participated in grant-funded activities that were intended to improve the number of healthy food and beverage offerings to children at the sites?

46. Of the total child care providers noted in the previous question, how many child care providers improved the number of healthy food and beverage offerings to children at the sites?

47. What tool/survey/instrument(s) did you use to assess child care providers’ healthy food and beverage offerings to children at the sites? (Please provide a hyperlink or file attachment to the tool(s) used.)

48. How many child care providers participated in grant-funded activities that were intended to teach them how to implement Team Nutrition curricula at the sites?

49. Of the total child care providers noted in the previous question, how many child care providers implemented Team Nutrition curricula at the sites?

50. What tool/survey/instrument(s) did you use to assess child care implementation of Team Nutrition curricula at the sites? (Please provide a hyperlink or file attachment to the tool(s) used.)

4. Team Nutrition Training Grant Objective 2: Outcome Measures: Food Environment and Wellness

During this reporting period:

51. How many child care centers and family day care homes were represented at grant-funded activities that were intended to improve the healthfulness of child care food environments?

52. Of the child care centers and family day care homes noted in the previous question, how many centers and homes actually improved the healthfulness of the child care food environments?

53. What tool/survey/instrument(s) did you use to assess the food environments of child care centers and family day care homes? (Please provide a hyperlink or file attachment to the tool(s) used.)

SECTION 4: Overall Grant Progress – All Grantees complete

54. Attach/upload the 10 highest-quality, high-resolution photographs taken during this grant period. When appropriate, include before/after photos, and photos of individuals participating in the grant-funded activities. (Use the following naming convention for each photo: FY17 TNTG_ State Abbreviation Annual Report #_Photo# (e.g. FY17TNTG_NC1_Photo1). If you have more than 10 photographs to submit, send them via email to the TN Training Grant Program Officer.)

55. Attach/upload signed photo releases from all individuals pictured in the photographs submitted in question #71. (Use the following naming convention for each photo release: FY17 TNTG_ State Abbreviation Annual Report #_Photo# Release #) (e.g. FY17TNTG_NC1_Photo1_Release 3). Submit as many releases per photograph as there are individuals in the photograph. If you email the Program Officer with additional photographs, be sure to include the photo releases in the email.)

56. Check all of the Team Nutrition materials you used during activities and trainings during this reporting period.

☐ A Guide to Smart Snacks in Schools

☐ Best Practices for Healthy School Fundraisers

☐ Blast Off Game

☐ CACFP Promotional Flyer

☐ CACFP Provider Handbook: Nutrition and Wellness Tips for Young Children

☐ Crediting Handbook for the Child and Adult Care Food Program

☐ Dig In! Standards-Based Nutrition Education from the Ground Up

☐ Discover MyPlate: Nutrition Education for Kindergarten

☐ Discover MyPlate: Emergent Readers (e-books only)

☐ Empowering Youth with Nutrition & Physical Activity

☐ Feeding Infants: A Guide for Use in the Child Nutrition Programs

☐ Food Buying Guide for Child Nutrition Programs

☐ Food Buying Guide for School Meal Programs

☐ Fruits & Vegetables Galore: Helping Kids Eat More

☐ Grow It, Try It, Like It! Nutrition Education Kit Featuring MyPlate

☐ Guide to Professional Standards for School Nutrition Programs

☐ Healthier Middle Schools: Everyone Can Help

☐ Local School Wellness Policy Outreach Toolkit

☐ Local School Wellness Policy Summary of the Final Rule

☐ Maximizing the Message: Helping Moms and Kids Make Healthier Food Choices

☐ MyPlate for Kids: Make Half Your Plate Fruits and Vegetables Poster

☐ MyPlate Guide To School Breakfast

☐ MyPlate Guide To School Lunch

☐ MyPlate Posters (Please name the specific poster)

☐ Nibbles for Health: Nutrition Newsletters for Parents of Young Children

☐ Nutrition Voyage: The Quest To Be Our Best

☐ Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Electronic Media Use in CACFP

☐ Power Panther

☐ Offering Healthy Summer Meals That Kids Enjoy

☐ Professional Standards for School Nutrition Program Employees

☐ Recipes for Healthy Kids: Cookbook for Child Care Centers

☐ Recipes for Healthy Kids: Cookbook for Homes

☐ Recipes for Healthy Kids: Cookbook for Schools

☐ Serving Up MyPlate: A Yummy Curriculum (Grades 1-2)

☐ Serving Up MyPlate: A Yummy Curriculum (Grades 3-4)

☐ Serving Up MyPlate: A Yummy Curriculum (Grades 5-6)

☐ Summer Food, Summer Moves

☐ Take a Healthy Summer Break Infographic

☐ Team Nutrition Elementary School Posters

☐ Team Nutrition Middle School Posters

☐ Team Nutrition Popular Events Idea Booklet

☐ The Great Garden Detective Adventure: A Standards-Based Gardening Nutrition Curriculum for Grades 3 and 4

☐ The Two-Bite Club (English)

☐ The Two-Bite Club (Spanish)

☐ The Two-Bite Club (e-readers)

☐ This Summer, Eat Smart to Play Hard: A Parent’s Guide

☐ USDA Recipes for Child Care

☐ USDA Recipes for Schools

☐ USDA Standardized Recipes

☐ What's Shaking? Sodium Reduction Infographic for School Nutrition Professionals

☐ Whole Grain Resource for the National School Lunch and School Breakfast Programs

☐ Other Team Nutrition materials (Please describe and provide links to these other materials.)

Thank you for completing this annual report; we appreciate your time and dedication!

Attachment G – Grant Program Accounting System & Financial Capability Questionnaire

Recipients of Federal funds must maintain adequate accounting systems that meet the criteria outlined in 2 CFR §200.302 Standards for Financial and Program Management (http://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/retrieveECFR?gp=&SID=988467ba214fbb07298599affd94f30a&n=pt2.1.200&r=PART&ty=HTML%20-%20se2.1.200_1205#sg2.1.200.d.sg1 ). The responses to this questionnaire are used to assist in the Food and Nutrition Service Agency’s (FNS) evaluation of your accounting system to ensure the adequate, appropriate, and transparent use of Federal funds. Failure to comply with the criteria outlined in the regulations above may preclude your organization from receiving an award. This form applies to FNS’ competitive and noncompetitive grant programs. Please return this questionnaire with your application package to us.

Organization Information

Legal Organization Name:
DUNS Number:

Financial Stability and Quality of Management Systems

Requirement	Yes	No
Has your organization received a Federal award within the past 3 years?	☐	☐
Does your organization utilize accounting software to manage your financial records?	☐	☐
Does your accounting system identify the receipt and expenditure of program funds separately for each grant?	☐	☐
Does your organization have a dedicated individual responsible for monitoring organizational funds, such as an accountant or a finance manager?	☐	☐
Does your organization separate the duties for staff handling the approval of transactions and the recording and payment of funds?	☐	☐
Does your organization have the ability to specifically identify and allocate employee effort to an applicable program?	☐	☐
Does your organization have a property /inventory management system in place to track location and value of equipment purchased under the award?	☐	☐

Audit Reports and Findings

Requirement	Yes	No
Has your organization been audited within the last 5 fiscal years? (If the answer is “Yes” and this report was issued under the Single Audit Act please note this in the box below marked “Additional Information” and if not issued under the “Single Audit Act”, please attach a copy or provide a link to the audit report in the hyperlink space below).	☐	☐
If your organization has been audited within the last 5 fiscal years, was there a “Qualified Opinion” or an “Adverse Opinion”?	☐	☐
If your organization has been audited within the last 5 fiscal years, was there a “Material Weakness” disclosed?	☐	☐
If your organization has been audited within the last 5 fiscal years, was there a “Significant Deficiency” disclosed?	☐	☐
Hyperlink (if available):
Additional information including expanding on responses in previous sections:

Applicant Certification

I certify that the above information is complete and correct to the best of my knowledge.

Authorized Representative’s Signature and Date
Name:
Phone:
Email:

1 Please see Attachment F for a copy of the FY 2017 Team Nutrition Training Grants: Performance Measures Annual Report. This report will be completed by grantees on an annual basis and will capture the performance measures described in Table 3.

2 Any materials developed with Team Nutrition Grant funds should be submitted in electronic format and be subject to other requirements specified in the Grant Agreement.

Team Nutrition Training Grant RFA FY 2017 Page 12 of 66