Community Food Projects Competitive Grant Program | USDA NIFA CFP 009982

Opportunity Information: Apply for USDA NIFA CFP 009982

The Community Food Projects Competitive Grant Program (CFPCGP) is a discretionary grant opportunity run by the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) to support local, community-driven efforts that reduce food insecurity and strengthen food systems, especially in communities with low incomes. The notice lays out the program goals, the required application materials and forms, eligibility rules for both projects and applicants, and the key deadlines. For FY 2024, NIFA plans to fund two main grant types: Planning Projects (PP), which help communities design, coordinate, and prepare for a larger initiative, and Community Food Projects (CFP), which support implementation of on-the-ground activities that directly address community food needs and build longer-term capacity.

The program is geared toward practical community food work with clear public benefit, often connected to small and medium-sized farms and to improving how food moves from producers to people who need it. Competitive applications typically align with one or more of the core experience areas the program expects applicants to have: community food work that expands food access in low-income communities while also developing new markets for agricultural producers; job training and business development tied to food-related activities in low-income communities; or direct efforts to reduce food insecurity such as food distribution, improving access to services, and coordinating programs. Beyond describing what an applicant wants to do, the program emphasizes whether the applicant has the track record, partnerships, and systems in place to carry the work out responsibly and measure results.

Eligibility is limited to specific organization types: public food program service providers, tribal organizations, and private nonprofit entities (including gleaners). Applicants must meet all eligibility requirements by the application deadline, because missing criteria can lead to being excluded from consideration or make NIFA unable to issue an award. A private nonprofit entity is defined in a fairly standard federal way as a nongovernmental organization operated primarily for scientific, educational, service, charitable, or similar public-interest purposes; not organized primarily for profit; and using net proceeds to maintain, improve, or expand operations. To prove nonprofit status, applicants must provide acceptable documentation, such as a current IRS tax exemption certificate, a state certification of nonprofit status, or incorporation documents clearly establishing nonprofit status. If applying as a local affiliate of a parent nonprofit, the application can use the parent organization documentation along with a signed statement from the parent confirming the affiliate relationship.

In addition to being an eligible type of organization, applicants must show they can actually manage a federal award and deliver outcomes. That includes demonstrating competency to implement the project, maintain fiscal accountability, collect data, and prepare required reports and documentation. The notice also expects recipients to be willing to share information with researchers, practitioners, and other interested parties, reinforcing that funded work should contribute to broader learning and replication. Another key expectation is collaboration: applicants must work with one or more local partner organizations and use one or more action steps identified by Congress toward the broader goal of helping create "hunger-free communities." In practice, this means the project should not be a standalone effort; it should be coordinated with local stakeholders and designed to fit into a wider community strategy.

A notable administrative requirement is the use of a Fiscal Agent when needed. If the applicant organization cannot accept federal funds directly, it must designate a Fiscal Agent that will manage the financial responsibilities of the award on the applicant's behalf. In that situation, the application must include a letter stating that any award funds will be administered through the Fiscal Agent. The letter must identify the agent and be countersigned by an authorized representative of the Fiscal Agent organization. It also needs to include basic contact details (point of contact, address, phone, fax, and email) and be uploaded in the application under the "Other Attachments" field. If the project is recommended for funding, NIFA will later request complete management information from both the applicant and the Fiscal Agent to ensure the award can be properly administered.

The opportunity is listed under Funding Opportunity Number USDA NIFA CFP 009982 and CFDA (Assistance Listing) 10.225, with an original closing date of 2023-12-14. The award ceiling shown is $400,000. The funding instrument is a grant, the activity category is agriculture, and the eligible applicant category is listed as "Others," which aligns with the program's focus on nonprofits, tribal organizations, and public food program service providers rather than only traditional academic institutions. Overall, the CFPCGP is designed for organizations that can demonstrate both community-rooted experience and the organizational capacity to manage federal funds while delivering measurable, collaborative food security improvements.

• The National Institute of Food and Agriculture in the agriculture sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Community Food Projects Competitive Grant Program" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 10.225.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2023-08-01.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2023-12-14. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $400,000.00 in funding.
• Eligible applicants include: Others.

Apply for USDA NIFA CFP 009982

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