Request for Applications

OMB No. 0581-0240

Local Food Promotion Program

Fiscal Year 2016 Request for Applications

Funding Opportunity Number: USDA-AMS-TM-LFPP-G-16-0001

Application Due Date: 11:59 PM Eastern Time on May 12, 2016

Program Solicitation Information
Funding Opportunity Title: Local Food Promotion Program (LFPP)
Funding Opportunity Number: USDA-AMS-TM-LFPP-G-16-0001
Announcement Type: Initial
Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 10.172
Dates: Applications must be received on or before 11:59 pm Eastern time on May 12, 2016, through
www.Grants.gov. Applications received after this deadline will not be considered for funding.
Executive Summary: The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS),
requests applications for the fiscal year (FY) 2016 Local Food Promotion Program (LFPP) to competitively
award grants to eligible applicants to plan or implement projects that assist in the development,
improvement, and/or expansion of intermediary local and regional food business supply chain activities
(e.g. activities that do not involve direct producer-to-consumer sales). Approximately $13 million is
available to fund applications under this solicitation.
LFPP planning grant award levels range from $25,000 to $100,000. LFPP implementation grant award
levels range from $100,000 to $500,000. An applicant is limited to one LFPP award in a funding year.
LFPP funding will be available for use beginning September 30, 2016. A 25 percent cash or in-kind
funding match is required.
This announcement identifies the eligibility criteria for LFPP projects and applicants, and the application
forms and associated instructions needed to apply for an LFPP award.
Stakeholder Input: The Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) seeks your comments about this Request
for Applications (RFA). We will consider the comments when we develop the next RFA for the program.
Submit written stakeholder comments by the deadline set forth in the DATES portion of this Notice via
e-mail to: USDALFPPQuestions@ams.usda.gov. (This e-mail address is intended only for receiving
comments regarding this RFA and not requesting information or forms.) In your comments, please state
that you are responding to the Local Food Promotion Program RFA.

2|Page

Highlights and Changes for 2016
This Fiscal Year 2016 Request for Applications has substantially changed from last year’s Request for
Applications. It is important that applicants carefully read and adhere to the guidance contained in this
Request for Applications when preparing their applications. Below are highlights of major changes to the
program since last year.
•

•

•

•
•

•
•

•

•

•
•

•

Applications from previous Farmers Market and Local Food Promotion Program recipients must
contain the same information that is required for new applications, as well as a description – via
the Project Narrative form – regarding how the newly proposed project will build on the
previous activities.
The award period durations have increased. Planning projects are awarded for up to 18 months
and should terminate by March 31, 2017. Implementation projects are awarded for up to 36
months and should terminate by September 29, 2019.
The minimum and maximum award size has increased. For planning projects, the minimum
grant award is $25,000 and maximum award is $100,000. For implementation projects, the
minimum grant award is $100,000 and maximum award is $500,000.
Applicants may submit project proposals to both FMPP and LFPP. If selected for both awards,
applicants may accept one FMPP and one LFPP award under the 2016 Request for Applications.
Each applicant must report on a set of standard performance measures. If an applicant is unable
to report on an item, the applicant should explain why they are unable to report on that
outcome indicator. The applicant is also required to develop at least one project-specific
outcome(s) and indicator(s). In addition, the applicant must explain how they will collect the
required data to report on each applicable outcome and indicator.
Applicants are required to show evidence of existing community support and engagement.
If applicable, applicants are required to submit evidence that critical resources and
infrastructure needed to initiate and complete of a project are in place at the time of proposal
submission.
For applicants partnering with Promise Zone Lead Applicant Organizations, these projects will
receive five priority points and must submit the Housing and Urban Development (HUD)
Promise Zone Certification Form
Unrecovered indirect costs can be used as part of cost sharing or matching. Unrecovered
indirect cost is the difference between the amount charged to the Federal award and the
amount that could have been charged to the Federal award under the potential recipient’s
approved negotiated indirect cost rate.
Project evaluation criteria have been revised to align with new application requirements.
All applicants must complete the Accounting System and Financial Capability Questionnaire to
assess the organization’s ability to account for the use of Federal funds and monitor the
performance associated with these monies.
Thorough guidance and specific timing requirements on how to apply through Grants.gov are
provided.

3|Page

TABLE OF CONTENTS
1.0 Funding Opportunity Description ..................................................................................................5
1.1 Legislative Authority............................................................................................. 5
1.2 Purpose ............................................................................................................... 5
1.3 Project Types ....................................................................................................... 6
1.4 Priority Areas ....................................................................................................... 8
2.0 Award Information .......................................................................................................................8
2.1 Type of Federal Assistance .................................................................................... 8
2.2 Type of Applications ............................................................................................. 8
2.3 Available Funding ................................................................................................. 9
2.4 Federal Award Period Duration ............................................................................. 9
2.5 Award Size ........................................................................................................... 9
3.0 Eligibility Information ...................................................................................................................9
3.1 Eligible Applicants ................................................................................................ 9
3.2 Partners and Collaborators ................................................................................. 11
3.3 Limit on Number of Applications ......................................................................... 11
3.4 Cost-Sharing and Matching ................................................................................. 12
3.5 Performance Measures ....................................................................................... 12
4.0 Application and Submission Information .....................................................................................14
4.1 Obtaining an Application Package ....................................................................... 15
4.2 Application Checklist .......................................................................................... 15
4.3 Content and Form of Application Submission ....................................................... 15
4.4 Submitted Application Qualification .................................................................... 24
4.5 Submission Date and Time .................................................................................. 24
4.6 Intergovernmental Review .................................................................................. 25
4.7 Funding Restrictions ........................................................................................... 25
4.8 Grants.gov Application Submission and Receipt Procedures and Requirements ...... 33
5.0 Application Review Information..................................................................................................37
5.1 Project Evaluation Criteria .................................................................................. 37
5.2 Review and Selection Process.............................................................................. 40
6.0 Award Administration Information .............................................................................................41
6.1 Award Notices .................................................................................................... 41
6.2 Unsuccessful Applicants ...................................................................................... 41
6.3 Administrative and National Policy Requirements ................................................ 41
6.4 Reporting ........................................................................................................... 43
7.0 Agency Contacts .........................................................................................................................44
8.0 Other Information ......................................................................................................................44
8.1 Equal Opportunity Statement .............................................................................. 44
8.2 Freedom of Information Act Requests ................................................................. 45
8.3 Prohibition on Using Funds under Grants and Cooperative Agreements with Entities
that Require Certain Internal Confidentiality Agreements .......................................... 45

4|Page

1.0 FUNDING OPPORTUNITY DESCRIPTION
1.1 LEGISLATIVE AUTHORITY
The Local Food Promotion Program (LFPP) is a component of the Farmer Marketing and Local Food
Promotion Program (FMLFPP), authorized by the Farmer-to-Consumer Direct Marketing Act of 1976, as
amended (7 U.S.C 3005).
1.2 PURPOSE
To increase domestic consumption of and access to locally and regionally produced agricultural
products, and to develop new market opportunities for farm and ranch operations serving local
markets, by:
•
•

Developing, improving, expanding, and providing outreach, training, and technical assistance to
Local and Regional Food Business Enterprises, or
Assisting in the development, improvement, and expansion of Local and Regional Food Business
Enterprises.

Local and regional Food Business Enterprises must process, distribute, aggregate, or store locally or
regionally produced food products.
1.2.1 LOCAL AND REGIONAL FOOD
A food product that is raised, produced, aggregated, stored, processed, and distributed in the locality or
region where the final product is marketed to consumers, so that the total distance that the product
travels between the farm or ranch where the product originates and the point of sale to the end
consumer is at most 400 miles, or both the final market and the origin of the product are within the
same State, territory, or tribal land.
LFPP recognizes that Local and Regional Food Business Enterprises may source or market some of their
food products outside of the defined locality or region. These enterprises are eligible to apply for LFPP,
but award recipients may only use Federal award funds to build a business enterprise’s capacity to
develop, improve, and/or expand local or regional supply chain activities, and may not use award funds
to support supply chain activities for food items originating from or being sold to areas outside the
defined locality/region.
1.2.2 LOCAL AND REGIONAL FOOD BUSINESS ENTERPRISE
Ultimately, project activities, including training and technical assistance, must carry out or support
intermediary supply chain activities of Local and Regional Food Business Enterprises to meet market
demand. Such activities must include one or more of the following:
•
•
•

Aggregation
Storage
Processing

5|Page

•

Distributing

1.3 PROJECT TYPES
LFPP awards both Planning and Implementation projects. An eligible entity may submit more than one
application type for competitive review. However, LFPP will make only one Federal award per eligible
applicant under this 2016 Request for Applications. Both planning and implementation projects require
a 25 percent match of cash or an in-kind contribution of the total cost of the project. See Section 4.3.7.
All projects must show targeted/intended economic impact.
1.3.1 PLANNING PROJECTS
Used in the planning stages of establishing, improving or expanding a Local and Regional Food Business
Enterprise that will:
•
•

Increase domestic consumption of and access to locally and regionally produced agricultural
products; and
Develop new market opportunities for farm and ranch operations serving local markets.

Such activities would include developing, improving, expanding, and providing outreach, training, and
technical assistance to, or assisting in the development, improvement and expansion of such business
enterprises. For example, market research, feasibility studies, business planning, and providing technical
assistance to produce such activities would be eligible.
Projects may include, but are not limited to:
•
•
•
•

Completing a feasibility study for a new food hub.
Hiring an expert(s) to provide technical assistance to implement a local/regional food
transportation system.
Hiring an expert(s) to provide training on managing a local/regional food storage or processing
facility.
Devising a business plan to implement such projects listed below.

1.3.2 IMPLEMENTATION PROJECTS
Used to establish a new Local and Regional Food Business Enterprise, or to improve or expand an
existing Local or Regional Food Business Enterprise that will:
•
•

Increase domestic consumption of and access to locally and regionally produced agricultural
products; and
Develop new market opportunities for farm and ranch operations serving local markets.

Such activities would include developing, improving, expanding, and providing outreach, training, and
technical assistance to, or assisting in the development, improvement and expansion of such business
enterprises. For example, recipients may fund training and technical assistance for the business
enterprise; outreach and marketing to buyers and consumers; and non-construction infrastructure
improvements to business enterprise facilities or information technology systems.
6|Page

Projects may include, but are not limited to:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•

Establishing and/or expanding the scope of local/regional food incubator programs.
Establishing expanding and/or diversifying the operation of existing community kitchens and
food processing facilities.
Instituting individual or group-based Good Agricultural Practice (GAP) certification for sellers of
local food into wholesale marketing channels.
Aggregating from producer to wholesale buyers through a website or virtual marketplace.
Exploring opportunities for food hubs/aggregators to create greater institutional and retail
market access for local food through joint business networks.
Cultivating new wholesale market channels for locally grown specialty and culturally appropriate
foods.
Helping urban farmers scale up production and increase their farm-based income by creating
new wholesale market opportunities.
Investigating and implementing more cost-effective means of transportation for local food
supply chains through backhaul, route optimization, and/or other operational efficiencies.
Providing training and/or technical assistance to accomplish any of, or related to, any of the
above activities.

If the applicant previously received an LFPP planning award that is directly related to the current
proposal, the applicant must indicate how the previous planning project contributed to the work
proposed in the current proposal. Applicants should explain this connection in their Project Narrative
(4.3.4 Project Narrative).
1.3.3 PROJECTS/ACTIVITIES NOT ELIGIBLE FOR FUNDING
Projects are not eligible for LFPP funding if the proposed activities:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•

Are not related to local and regional food activities.
Are to purchase or collect food or services to donate to other entities and/or individuals (see
section 4.7.3).
Are for production-related expenses, including the purchase of farm equipment, tools,
materials, supplies and other related costs (see section 4.7.3).
Depend on the purchase or lease-to-own purchase of a vehicle—vehicles can be leased, but not
leased-to-own or purchased (see section 4.7.3).
Benefit only one agricultural producer or individual.
Promote local/regional food consumption in general (not related to a specific product, good or
service) (see section 4.7.3).
Depend upon a critical component (such as land and structures) not in place at the time of
application submission (See Section 4.3.11).
Depend upon the completion of another project or the receipt of another Federal award.
Duplicate activities in a project that has received a Federal award from another Federal award
program, including the activities of another current FMLFPP project.

7|Page

1.4 PRIORITY AREAS
Priority consideration will be given to projects that benefit communities located in areas of
concentrated poverty with limited access to supermarkets, and projects that involve Promise Zone Lead
Applicant Organizations. LFPP will award at least 10 percent of its total funding to these projects.
LFPP does not require that submitted projects be implemented in designated priority areas or involve
Promise Zone partnerships. All applications, whether requesting consideration under the priority areas
or not, will be given equal consideration in the evaluation process. Promise Zone projects will be
evaluated equally during the peer review process as well, but will receive five priority points added to
the final score provided by reviewers.
1.4.1 LOW INCOME/LOW FOOD ACCESS
To be considered a limited access priority area, the project’s implementation address must be in a low
income/low food access (LI/LA) census tract as defined by the USDA. “Implementation address” refers to
the street address or census tract location within the targeted community (LI/LA census tract) at which
the applicant plans to conduct or deliver approved project activities.
The applicant is required to provide their census tract(s) for at least one LI/LA address (priority area). If
your organization or business is located in and/or primarily serves at least one LI/LA community (as
defined by one of the four major map layers on the ERS Food Access Research Atlas map), your
application will be considered under this priority area.
Further information on how to provide the required information can be found in the in 4.3 Content and
Form of Application Submission and the Project Narrative.

1.4.2 PROMISE ZONE(S)
For applicants partnering with Promise Zone Lead Applicant Organizations, identify the specific Promise
Zone area in which your project activities will be implemented. Then, include with your application, the
Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Promise Zone Certification Form, signed by the Promise Zone
Official authorized to certify that the project meets the qualifying criteria. Further information on how
to provide the required information can be found in the in 4.3 Content and Form of Application
Submission and the Project Narrative.
For more information on current Promise Zones, visit the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban
Development Website: https://www.hudexchange.info/programs/promise-zones/.
2.0 AWARD INFORMATION
2.1 TYPE OF FEDERAL ASSISTANCE
LFPP will use a Grant Agreement to provide a Federal award to successful LFPP applicants.
2.2 TYPE OF APPLICATIONS
8|Page

New application. All new applications will be reviewed competitively using the selection process and
evaluation criteria described in 5.0 Application Review Information.
Continuation application. These applicants have received prior FMLFPP funding, such as an LFPP
planning grant or a previous FMPP grant. Such applications must contain the same information that is
required for new applications, as well as a description – via the Project Narrative form – of how the
newly proposed project builds on previous activities. Continuation applications will be evaluated
according to the same evaluation criteria as new applications, in addition to considering the applicant’s
performance during the previous FMFLPP grants and their apparent ability to improve upon that work.
2.3 AVAILABLE FUNDING
Approximately $13 million will be available to fund applications in fiscal year 2016.
2.4 FEDERAL AWARD PERIOD DURATION
The official performance period must begin on September 30, 2016.
•
•

Planning projects are awarded for up to 18 months and are expected to be completed by March
31, 2017.
Implementation projects are awarded for up to 36 months and are expected to be completed by
September 29, 2019.

LFPP encourages potential recipients to complete their projects within the required timeframe. It is
acceptable to complete a project before the scheduled performance period end date, however LFPP
encourages applicants to take the full allowable grant period to allow ample time to complete projects.
The applicant must indicate the start date and end date on Block 17 of the SF-424 “Application for
Federal Assistance”.
2.5 AWARD SIZE
2.5.1 PLANNING PROJECTS
Minimum grant award is $25,000. Maximum award is $100,000.
2.5.2 IMPLEMENTATION PROJECTS
Minimum grant award is $100,000. Maximum award is $500,000.
3.0 ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION
3.1 ELIGIBLE APPLICANTS
All applicants must be domestic entities owned, operated, and located within the 50 United States, the
District of Columbia, Tribal Governments, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the United States Virgin
Islands, Guam, American Samoa, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands.
Eligible applicants include:
9|Page

Entity Type

Description

Agricultural Businesses

Business entities that provide, hold, deliver, transport, offer, or sell
agricultural products or services.

Agricultural Cooperatives

Group-owned or member-owned entities or businesses that
provide, offer, or sell agricultural products or services for the
mutual benefit of their members.

Producer Networks

Producer group- or member-owned organizations or businesses
that provide, offer, or sell agricultural products or services through
a common distribution system for the mutual benefit of their
members.

Producer Associations

Organizations or other businesses that assist, represent, or serve
producers or producer networks.

Community Supported
Agriculture (CSA) Networks

Formal groups of farms that work collectively to offer consumers
regular (usually weekly) deliveries of locally-grown farm products
during one or more harvest season(s) often on a subscription or
membership basis. Customers have access to a selected share or
range of farm products offered by the group of farmers based on
partial or total advance payment of a subscription or membership
fee.

CSA Associations

Organizations or other businesses that assist, serve or represent
CSAs or CSA networks.

Local Governments

Any unit of government within a state, including a county; borough;
municipality; city; town; township; parish; local public authority,
including any public housing agency under the United States
Housing Act of 1937; special district; school district; intrastate
district; council of governments, whether or not incorporated as a
nonprofit corporation under state law; and any other agency or
instrumentality of a multi-, regional, or intra-state or local
government.

Nonprofit Corporations

Any organization or institution, including nonprofits with State or
IRS 501 (c) status and accredited institutions of higher education,
where no part of the net earnings of which inure to the benefit of
any private shareholder or individual.

10 | P a g e

Entity Type

Description

Public Benefit Corporations

Corporations organized to construct or operate a public
improvement, the profits from which inure to the benefit of a
State(s) or to the people thereof.

Economic Development
Corporations

Organizations whose missions are to improve, maintain, develop
and/or market or promote a specific geographic area.

Regional Farmers Market
Authorities

Entities that establish and enforce regional, State, or county
policies and jurisdiction over State, regional, or county farmers
markets. State agencies are eligible if the State’s regulatory statutes
identify the specific State agency as a regional farmers market
authority. For example, the state of Alabama has a Farmers Market
Authority that is identified through the Alabama Administrative
Code.

Tribal Governments

Governing bodies or governmental agencies of any Indian tribe,
band, nation, or other organized group or community (including
any native village as defined in Section 3 of the Alaska Native Claims
Settlement Act, 85 Stat. 688 (43 U.S.C. § 1602)) certified by the
Secretary of the Interior as eligible for the special programs and
services provided through the Bureau of Indian Affairs.

3.2 PARTNERS AND COLLABORATORS
Applicants are required to show evidence of existing community support and engagement. LFPP will not
award grant funds for projects that solely benefit one individual or entity.
Support may come from public or private, nonprofit or for-profit entities, including but not limited to:
•
•
•
•
•
•

New and beginning farmers and ranchers (individuals or entities that have not operated a farm
or ranch for more than 10 years and substantially participate in the operation);
Academic institutions;
Community-based organizations;
Local government entities;
Promise Zone lead applicant/organization or implementation partners; and
USDA StrikeForce (www.usda.gov/strikeforce) area coordinators.

Only the applicant must meet the eligibility requirements. Project partners and collaborators need not
meet these eligibility requirements.
3.3 LIMIT ON NUMBER OF APPLICATIONS

11 | P a g e

An applicant may submit multiple LFPP project proposals. If selected for multiple awards, applicants will
only receive one LFPP award under this 2016 Request for Applications. This means that you may receive
one planning or one implementation grant, but not one of each during the 2016 award cycle. Program
staff will contact the applicant to discuss the situation, if applicable.
An applicant may submit project proposals to both FMPP and LFPP. If selected for both awards,
applicants may accept one FMPP and one LFPP award under the 2016 Request for Applications. Program
staff will contact the applicant to discuss the situation, if applicable.
Fiscal sponsors/agents may apply for an LFPP awards. By doing so, the sponsor/agent accepts all
financial and legal liabilities for that organization at the time the award is made. In the case of FMLFPP
applications, fiscal sponsors/agents would submit the application as the applicant organization, and the
Authorized Organizational Representative responsible for all grant decisions would be an employee of
the fiscal sponsor/agent. An applicant organization cannot accept an award and later transfer the award
to a fiscal sponsor/agent.
An organization that currently has an active (not closed-out) grant award from a previous year may
apply for another FMPP or LFPP grant if the project is a new project, not a continuation of the previous
award activities. If the proposed project will continue the previous award activities from 2015, the
applicant must complete all work by March 31, 2016, and submit the final report to LFPP staff by June
30, 2016, prior to receiving another FMPP or LFPP award.
AMS will evaluate the highest scoring applications to ensure there is no duplication of funding between
LFPP and FMPP and base final funding decisions on this information and communicate any issues to
recipients if applicable.
3.4 COST-SHARING AND MATCHING
LFPP requires a 25 percent in-kind and/or cash contribution on the total cost of the project (Federal
funds + match).
In-kind contributions are generally defined, when used as a cost share or match for a grant, as the value
of goods or services provided by a third party for the benefit of the grant program, where no funds
transferred hands. These contributions cannot satisfy a cost sharing or matching requirement for this
grant program if they are used towards satisfying a match requirement under any other Federal grant
agreement the applicant is party to.
In addition, applicants may not use Federal funds of any kind as a match. Cost sharing must be in the
form of allowable direct or indirect costs. Applicants should indicate how the match will specifically align
with their requested funding when completing the budget section of the Project Narrative.
The basis for determining the value of cash and in-kind contributions must be in accordance with 2 CFR
200.306. Refer to 4.3.5 Matching Funds for more information.
3.5 PERFORMANCE MEASURES

12 | P a g e

Each applicant must report (provide benchmarks and estimated targets) on all of the outcomes and
indicators below in the Project Narrative, with the exception of Outcome 4, which is only applicable to
projects that have a food safety component. These outcomes and indicators are the same for both LFPP
and FMPP because they are two components of FMLFPP. If an applicant is unable to report on an
indicator below an outcome, the applicant should explain why they are unable to report on that
outcome indicator in the Project Narrative. If an applicant receives an award, they will be required to
report on the applicable outcomes and indicators in Annual and Final Performance Reports.
The applicant is also required to develop at least one project-specific outcome(s) and indicator(s) in the
Project Narrative and must explain how data will be collected to report on each applicable outcome and
indicator.
OUTCOME 1: TO INCREASE CONSUMPTION OF AND ACCESS TO LOCALLY AND REGIONALLY
PRODUCED AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTS.
Indicators
1. Of the [insert total number of] consumers, farm and ranch operations, or wholesale buyers
reached,
a. The number that gained knowledge on how to buy or sell local/regional food OR
aggregate, store, produce, and/or distribute local/regional food
b. The number that reported an intention to buy or sell local/regional food OR aggregate,
store, produce, and/or distribute local/regional food
c. The number that reported buying, selling, consuming more or supporting the
consumption of local/regional food that they aggregate, store, produce, and/or
distribute
2. Of the [insert total number of] individuals (culinary professionals, institutional kitchens,
entrepreneurs such as kitchen incubators/shared-use kitchens, etc.) reached,
a. The number that gained knowledge on how to access, produce, prepare, and/or
preserve locally and regionally produced agricultural products
b. The number that reported an intention to access, produce, prepare, and/or preserve
locally and regionally produced agricultural products
c. The number that reported supplementing their diets with locally and regionally
produced agricultural products that they produced, prepared, preserved, and/or
obtained
OUTCOME 2: INCREASE SALES AND CUSTOMERS OF LOCAL AND REGIONAL AGRICULTURAL
PRODUCTS.
Indicator
1. Sales increased from $________ to $_________ and by ______ percent (n final – n initial/n initial
(100) =% change), as result of marketing and/or promotion activities during the project
performance period.

13 | P a g e

2.

Customer counts increased from [insert total number of] to [insert total number of] customers
and by _____percent (n final – n initial/n initial (100) =% change) during the project performance
period.

OUTCOME 3: DEVELOP NEW MARKET OPPORTUNITIES FOR FARM AND RANCH OPERATIONS
SERVING LOCAL MARKETS.
Indicators
1. Number of new and/or existing delivery systems/access points of those reached that expanded
and/or improved offerings of:
a. ______farmers markets.
b. ______roadside stands.
c. ______community supported agriculture programs.
d. ______agritourism activities.
e. ______other direct producer-to-consumer market opportunities.
f. ______local and regional Food Business Enterprises that process, aggregate, distribute,
or store locally and regionally produced agricultural products.
2. Number of local and regional farmers and ranchers, processors, aggregators, and/or distributors
that reported:
a. an increase in revenue expressed in dollars: _____
b. a gained knowledge about new market opportunities through technical assistance and
education programs: ______
3. Number of:
a. new rural/urban careers created (Difference between "jobs" and "careers": jobs are net
gain of paid employment; new businesses created or adopted can indicate new careers):
_______
b. jobs maintained/created:_______
c. new beginning farmers who went into local/regional food production: _____
d. socially disadvantaged famers who went into local/regional food production: ______
e. business plans developed:____
OUTCOME 4: IMPROVE THE FOOD SAFETY OF LOCALLY AND REGIONALLY PRODUCED
AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTS.
Indicator(s) – Only applicable to projects focused on food safety.
1. Number of individuals who learned about prevention, detection, control, and intervention
through food safety practices:_____
2. Number of those individuals who reported increasing their food safety skills and
knowledge:______
3. Number of growers or producers who obtained on-farm food safety certifications (such as Good
Agricultural Practices or Good Handling Practices): _______
4.0 APPLICATION AND SUBMISSION INFORMATION

14 | P a g e

4.1 OBTAINING AN APPLICATION PACKAGE
Applicants must apply for the LFPP at www.Grants.gov and can find the opportunity under either the
CFDA number “10.172,” or the LFPP Funding Opportunity Number “USDA-AMS-TM-LFPP-G-16-0001.”
4.2 APPLICATION CHECKLIST
The application checklist below provides the required, conditionally required, and optional documents
for an application package.
LFPP requires that all application packages include the following:
☐ SF-424 – Application for Federal Assistance (Grants.gov) (Requires DUNS number and SAM.gov
registration, which must be completed prior to submitting an application in Grants.gov. Refer to
section 4.8.1.)
☐ SF-424A – Budget Information – Non-Construction Programs (Grants.gov)
☐ SF-424B – Assurances for Non-Construction Programs (PDF)
☐ Project Narrative (limited to no more than 15 pages (excluding existing Project Narrative form
content)) (MS Word)
☐ Letters Verifying Matching Funds for EACH cash and/or in kind resource (PDF or MS Word)
☐ Letters of Commitment from Partner Organizations (PDF or MS Word)
☐ Accounting System and Financial Capability Questionnaire (PDF)
When applicable, application packages may be required to include the following documents:
☐ AD-3030 – Representations Regarding Felony Conviction and Tax Delinquent Status for
Corporate Applicants (Grants.gov)
☐ AD-3031 – Assurance Regarding Felony Conviction or Tax Delinquent Status for Corporate
Applicants (Grants.gov)
☐ HUD Form 50153 Promise Zone Certification Form (PDF)
☐ Letter(s) Stating Evidence of Critical Resources and Infrastructure (PDF or MS Word)
☐ Negotiated Indirect Cost Rate Agreement (PDF)
The SF-424, SF-424B, SF-424A, SF-424B, SF-424A, AD-3030, and AD-3031 are available through
Grants.gov. All other documents must be prepared outside of Grants.gov, then uploaded under SF-424
item #15. Select the “Add Attachments” button (do NOT use the “paperclip” icon in Adobe) and follow
the instructions on the form.
4.3 CONTENT AND FORM OF APPLICATION SUBMISSION
4.3.1 SF-424 APPLICATION FOR FEDERAL ASSISTANCE
15 | P a g e

Required. The SF-424 is available via the LFPP opportunity at Grants.gov. Most information blocks on
the required form are either self-explanatory or are adequately explained in the instructions. However,
for LFPP applications, you must use the following supplemental instructions associated with specific
blocks on form SF-424.

16 | P a g e

Block
#1 Type of Submission
#2 Type of Application
#4 through #7

#8c Organizational DUNS

#8d Address
#10 Name of Federal Agency
#11 Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance
Number
#12 Funding Opportunity Number
#13 Competition Identification Number
#14 Areas Affected by Project
#15 Descriptive Title of Applicant’s Project

Instructions
Application
New or Continuation
Not required
Applicant DUNS# for the Organization submitting the
application. See D&B Request a DUNS Number.
NOTE: Applicants that apply for an LFPP grant must be
capable of managing and monitoring federal funds and
project activities and outcomes. Recipients cannot
transfer the award to another recipient organization
once a grant is awarded (you may not apply under one
DUNS number and switch to another later). Refer to
4.8.2, a. DUNS Requirement of this RFA.
Enter the organization street address as it appears in
SAM.gov. P.O. Boxes will not be accepted. Enter a 9digit zip code.
AMS, USDA
10.172

USDA-AMS-TM-LFPP-G-16-0001
Not applicable
Enter cities, counties, states affected by project
Provide a short description of the project.
Enter the Congressional district where your main office
#16a Congressional Districts for Applicant
is located.
Enter the Congressional district where your project will
#16b Congressional Districts for
be implemented. Write “All” if the projects will be
Program/Project
implemented in more than one location.
Your performance period cannot be more than 18
months in length for planning projects and 3 years in
length for implementation projects. Planning projects
#17 Proposed Project Start Date and End Date
begin September 30, 2016, and be completed no later
than March 31, 2018. Implementation projects begin
September 30, 2016, and end September 29, 2019.
#18 Estimated Funding - Federal
Total LFPP Federal award requested.
#18b Estimated Funding - Applicant
Enter the amount of match or cost share from the
applicant organization and/or other partners.
This initiative is subject to intergovernmental review
#19 Is Applicant Subject to Review by State
Consult this website
Under Executive Order 12372 Process?
(https://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/grants_spoc) to
determine applicability in your State.
4.3.2 SF-424A BUDGET INFORMATION – NON-CONSTRUCTION PROGRAMS

17 | P a g e

Required. The SF-424A is available via the opportunity at Grants.gov. Most information blocks on the
required form are either self-explanatory or adequately explained in the instructions. However, the
following supplemental instructions associated with specific blocks on form SF-424A should be used for
LFPP applications. Do not use instructions found in Grants.gov or elsewhere on the internet.
Please fill in ONLY sections A, B and C. (Do not complete sections D, E and F)
Section A- Budget Summary
Row
Column
1.
(a) Grant Function or Activity
1.
1.

2.
2.
2.

5. Totals

Instructions
Type “LFPP-Federal” (This title will copy to column 1 on the
next page.)
(b) Catalog of Federal Domestic Type “10.172”
Assistance Number:
(e) Federal
Include the entire amount of funds requested from the
Federal government to complete the proposed project.
Note: The 1.(g) total is a prepopulated formula that will
automatically calculate the total amount of this line.
(a) Grant Function or Activity Type “LFPP - Non-Federal”
(b) Catalog of Federal Domestic Type “10.172”
Assistance Number:
(f) Non-Federal
Include the entire amount of cash and/or in-kind
contributions that your organization and/or partner
organization(s) will provide as a match during the proposed
project. The matching fund calculation is provided below
(4.3.5 Matching Funds).
(e), (f), and (g)
All of the boxes in this row have a prepopulated formula.

Section B- Budget Categories
Row
Column
6. a.
(1)
through j.
6. a.
(2)
through j.
6. k.

7.

18 | P a g e

(1), (2) & (5)

(1) Program Income

Instructions
Enter the total amounts of each Object Class Category for
which you are requesting federal funds. See 4.7.1 Indirect
Costs for information.
Enter the total amounts of each Object Class Categories for
which you or your partners will provide the matching
funds. See 4.7.1 Indirect Costs for information.
All of the boxes in this question have a prepopulated
formula. You should have totals in columns (1) and (2) and
(5).
Important: Verify that totals in Section A 5.(g) and Section B
6.(5) k. are the same.
Enter the estimated amount of income, if any, expected to
be generated from this project. There is a prepopulated
formula in box 7.(5).

Section C – Non-Federal Resources
Row
Column
9.
(b)
9.

(c)

9.

(d)

12.

(b), (c), (d) & (e)

Instructions
Enter the amount of any cash and/or in-kind contribution
that the applicant will bring as a match during the grant
period, if applicable.
Enter the amount of any cash and/or in-kind contribution
that the state will bring as a match during the grant period.
If the applicant is a state department and would like to
provide the match, should be reported in 9.(b) , if
applicable.
Enter the amount of any cash and/or in-kind contribution
that other sources (Example: Partners) will provide as a
match during the grant period, if applicable.
All of the boxes in this question have a prepopulated
formula, so the calculation will automatically appear if you
have entered information into the boxes above.
Important: Verify that totals in Section C 12(e), Section B
6.(2)k., and Section A 5.(f) are the same.

4.3.3 SF-424B ASSURANCES FOR NON-CONSTRUCTION PROGRAMS
Required. The SF-424B is available as a PDF via the LFPP opportunity at Grants.gov. This form must be
signed by the Authorized Organizational Representative (AOR).
4.3.4 PROJECT NARRATIVE
Required. LFPP requires each applicant to prepare a narrative using the Project Narrative form. This
form and instructions are on the LFPP website: http://www.ams.usda.gov/services/grants/lfpp.
All applicants must complete the form as a Microsoft Word document. DO NOT CONVERT TO PDF.
Handwritten applications will not be accepted. The narrative must be typed, single-sided, single-spaced,
in a 11-point font, not to exceed fifteen (15) 8.5 x 11 pages (excluding existing Project Narrative form
content). For example, if the Project Narrative form is 12 pages before you begin entering your project
information into the form, your narrative may be up to 27 pages (12 pages + 15 pages). Save and submit
the narrative in its current MS Word format (.doc, .docx). The supporting documents listed below do not
count against the 15-page limit. Prior to submitting your application to Grants.gov, make sure that it is in
final form (e.g. if you used the “track changes” function, accept all changes before submitting so that the
mark-up is not visible upon final submission).
In the Budget Justification section of the Project Narrative, provide a justification of projected project
costs included on the SF-424A, Budget Information – Non-Construction Programs. The matching fund
calculation is provided in Section 4.3.5 below.
4.3.5 MATCHING FUNDS AND LETTERS OF VERIFICATION

19 | P a g e

Required. Matching funds are required in the form of cash and/or in-kind contribution in an amount
equal to 25 percent of the total cost of the project (requested funds (direct + indirect costs) + matching
funds). Committing more than the required 25 percent match will not convey any advantage to the
application in terms of evaluation and scoring during the review process. Refer to 2 CFR § 200.306 for
additional Federal requirements and definitions.
All matching contributions must be committed or in place when the proposal is submitted to LFPP, and
prior to accepting the award. Additional anticipated matching funds not in place by the time the project
commences cannot be counted toward the matching requirement.
Applicants may not use anticipated program income as a match. The time devoted to the project by
unspecified individuals or groups is not an acceptable match. For example, time and travel expenses of
producers who will attend trainings or conferences are not an acceptable match. Federal awards from
other Federally-financed programs do not qualify as a match.
Indirect costs may count toward your match. Refer to 4.7.1 Indirect Costs for more information.
The total amount of funds your organization will bring as a match must be noted on the SF-424A Budget
Worksheet. To calculate the required 25 percent match, use the following formula:
Step 1: Determine the Total Project Cost

Example:

𝑹𝑹𝑹𝑹𝑹𝑹𝑹𝑹𝑹𝑹𝑹𝑹𝑹𝑹𝑹𝑹𝑹𝑹 𝑭𝑭𝑭𝑭𝑭𝑭𝑭𝑭𝑭𝑭𝑭𝑭𝑭𝑭 𝑭𝑭𝑭𝑭𝑭𝑭𝑭𝑭𝑭𝑭 ($)
= 𝑻𝑻𝑻𝑻𝑻𝑻𝑻𝑻𝑻𝑻 𝑷𝑷𝑷𝑷𝑷𝑷𝑷𝑷𝑷𝑷𝑷𝑷𝑷𝑷 𝑪𝑪𝑪𝑪𝑪𝑪𝑪𝑪 ($)
𝑭𝑭𝑭𝑭𝑭𝑭𝑭𝑭𝑭𝑭𝑭𝑭𝑭𝑭 𝑺𝑺𝑺𝑺𝑺𝑺𝑺𝑺𝑺𝑺 (%)

Step 2: Determine Applicant Match

$500,000
= $666,667
75%

𝑻𝑻𝑻𝑻𝑻𝑻𝑻𝑻𝑻𝑻 𝑷𝑷𝑷𝑷𝑷𝑷𝑷𝑷𝑷𝑷𝑷𝑷𝑷𝑷 𝑪𝑪𝑪𝑪𝑪𝑪𝑪𝑪 ($) − 𝑹𝑹𝑹𝑹𝑹𝑹𝑹𝑹𝑹𝑹𝑹𝑹𝑹𝑹𝑹𝑹𝑹𝑹 𝑭𝑭𝑭𝑭𝑭𝑭𝑭𝑭𝑭𝑭𝑭𝑭𝑭𝑭 𝑭𝑭𝑭𝑭𝑭𝑭𝑭𝑭𝑭𝑭 ($) = 𝑨𝑨𝑨𝑨𝑨𝑨𝑨𝑨𝑨𝑨𝑨𝑨𝑨𝑨𝑨𝑨𝑨𝑨 𝑴𝑴𝑴𝑴𝑴𝑴𝑴𝑴𝑴𝑴 ($)

Example:

$666,667 − $500,000 = $166,667

Using this formula and based on this example, an applicant requesting $500,000 in LFPP funds will be
required to provide matching funds in the amount of $166,667, which is 25 percent of the total cost
($666,667) of the project.
Each LFPP application requires written verification of match commitment from the LFPP applicant
and/or any third party who will contribute cash and/or in-kind matching non-Federal resources. Letters
may be submitted in either PDF or MS Word formatting.
Submit one letter verifying the match for EACH cash and/or in-kind resource signed by the matching
organization.

20 | P a g e

AMS has posted A SUGGESTED MATCH VERIFICATION TEMPLATE LETTER on the LFPP application
website. We highly-encourage you to use this template. If you do not use this template, your letter must
minimally include the following:
•
•
•
•

•

Project Applicant
Project Title
Cash Commitment per year (if applicable) and Total Cash Match
In-kind Contribution per year (if applicable) and Total In-kind Match. Break down items into
categories as applicable:
o Salaries (employee name, title, duties, pay rate/hr, amount matched per year)
o Items/Activities (fair market value per unit, how value determined (provide
documentation), and amount matched per year)
Explain how each type of match will correspond to the budget, or be used by the Applicant.

Submit Match Verification Letters on letterhead and address them to the LFPP Applicant (i.e. Project
Director). Clearly indicate at the top of the documents that they are MATCH VERIFICATION LETTERS.
Letters must accompany the proposal at the time of application. Unsigned letters will not be accepted.
4.3.6 LETTERS OF COMMITMENT FROM PARTNER ORGANIZATIONS
Required. Applicants must provide letters of commitment (in MS Word or PDF) from all partner
organizations stating they agree to the project management plan presented in the Project Narrative. The
“Commitment from Partner Organization” letters are different than the matching form letters, in that
they illustrate general community support for the project rather than simply showing financial/activity
support.
AMS has posted A SUGGESTED PARTNER ORGANIZATION TEMPLATE LETTER on the LFPP application
website. We highly-encourage you to use this template. If you do not use this template, your letter must
minimally include the following:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•

Project Applicant
Project Title
A short introduction describing the partnering organization’s mission and its interest in LFPP
development.
What the organization commits to participating in and supporting.
The time period of the partnership
Roles of the participating individuals, as applicable, and any individual time commitment.
A statement these individuals and the organization agree to abide by the management plan
contained in the application.

Submit Letters of Commitment on letterhead and address them to the LFPP Applicant (i.e Project
Director). Clearly indicate at the top of the documents that they are PARTNER ORGANIZATION LETTERS.
Letters must accompany the proposal at the time of application. Unsigned letters will not be accepted.
PLEASE NOTE: LFPP does not require Congressional letters of support nor do they carry any weight
during the evaluation process.
21 | P a g e

4.3.7 ACCOUNTING SYSTEM AND FINANCIAL CAPABILITIES QUESTIONNAIRE
Required. Applicants must maintain adequate accounting systems that meet the criteria outlined in 2
CFR §200 Standards for Financial and Program Management. AMS uses the Accounting System &
Financial Capability Questionnaire to assess your risk in handling Federal funds. This form is also
available on the LFPP website and must be submitted in PDF with final signatures.
4.3.8 AD-3030, REPRESENTATIONS REGARDING FELONY CONVICTION AND TAX
DELINQUENT STATUS FOR CORPORATE APPLICANTS
Required if the applicant is a corporation. A corporation includes, but is not limited to, any entity that
has filed articles of incorporation in one of the 50 States, the District of Columbia, or the U.S. territories.
Corporations can include both for-profit and non-profit entities. AD-3030 is a self-certification form. It is
the responsibility of the applicant to determine if the AD-3030 needs to be completed and submitted.
The applicant must submit the version of the form in Grants.gov. Most information blocks on the
required form are self-explanatory; however, FMLFPP is providing further clarification below.
Block

Instructions

#1 Applicant’s Name

Enter the name of the individual or authorized
representative that is submitting the application on
behalf of the applicant organization.

#2 Applicant’s Address

Enter the address of the applicant organization.

#3 Tax ID No.

Enter the last four digits of the applicant organization’s
Tax Identification number.
Address these questions by checking the Yes or No
boxes.
For question 4B, see below for what is meant by “acting
on behalf of.”

#4A, 4B, 4C Questions

If the action of the official or agent resulted in a benefit
to the corporation, then the official or agent was
“acting on behalf” of the corporation. If the action of
the official or agent resulted in a benefit to the official
or agent, then the official or agent was not acting on
behalf of the corporation.

#5A Applicant’s Signature (By)

The individual or authorized representative that is
submitting the application on behalf of the applicant
organization must sign the form.

#5B Title/Relationship of the Individual if
Signing in a Representative Capacity

Enter the title of the individual or authorized
representative that is submitting the application on
behalf of the applicant organization.

#5C Date Signed

Date the form

22 | P a g e

4.3.9 AD-3031, ASSURANCE REGARDING FELONY CONVICTION OR TAX DELINQUENT
STATUS FOR CORPORATE APPLICANTS
Required if the applicant is a corporation. A corporation includes, but is not limited to, any entity that
has filed articles of incorporation in one of the 50 States, the District of Columbia, or the U.S. territories.
Corporations can include both for-profit and non-profit entities.
The applicant must submit the version of the form in Grants.gov. AD-3031 is a self-certification form. It
is the responsibility of the applicant to determine if the AD-3031 needs to be completed and submitted.
4.3.10 HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT (HUD) PROMISE ZONE CERTIFICATION FORM
Required if proposal involves a Promise Zone Implementation Partner. If the proposal involves a
Promise Zone Implementation Partner, the HUD Promise Zone Certification Form must accompany the
proposal at the time of application. This form is also available on the LFPP website. Unsigned forms will
not be accepted.
4.3.11 EVIDENCE OF CRITICAL RESOURCES AND INFRASTRUCTURE
Required if critical resources and/or infrastructure are necessary for the completion of the proposed
project. Applicants are required to submit evidence (as PDFs or MS Word) that critical resources and
infrastructure that depend on the initiation and completion of a project are in place at the time of
proposal submission. Land, structures, and other critical resources must be in place and committed prior
to submitting an application to LFPP. The letter must indicate the critical resources that are necessary
for initiation and completion of the project and certify that they are in place and committed prior to the
start date of the project.
AMS has posted A SUGGESTED EVIDENCE OF CRITICAL RESOURCES AND INFRASTRUCTURE TEMPLATE
LETTER on the LFPP application website. We highly-encourage you to use this template. If you do not
use this template, your letter must minimally include the following:
•
•
•
•

Project Applicant
Project Title
A statement about committing/approving/granting permission, etc. of the critical resource or
infrastructure to the project for the time period
Describe the approved use of the critical resource or infrastructure approved for the project,
any costs associated with its use, and any qualifying circumstances for its use.

Submit Evidence of Critical Resources and Infrastructure on letterhead and address them to the LFPP
Applicant (i.e Project Director). Clearly indicate at the top of the documents that they are EVIDENCE OF
CRITICAL RESOURCES AND INFRASTRUCTURE. The evidence must accompany the proposal at the time
of application. PLEASE NOTE: Do not include letters of support in place of this document.
4.3.12 NEGOTIATED INDIRECT COST RATE AGREEMENT (NICRA)
Required if the applicant’s budget requests more than the 10 percent de minimis rate. Refer to 4.7.1
Indirect Costs for more information. The NICRA must be in PDF format.
23 | P a g e

4.4 SUBMITTED APPLICATION QUALIFICATION
Your application will not be accepted if it:
•
•
•

•

Is received by Grants.gov after the submission deadline.
Is submitted via any method other than through www.Grants.gov.
Is incomplete. This includes proper uploading of all required attachments (use the “Add
Attachments” button under SF-424 item #15—do NOT use the “paperclip” icon in Adobe). Does
not follow the requirements for formatting, length, and submission.
Does not fit the scope of the LFPP.

AMS will also not accept an application (after submission or prior to award) if LFPP confirms that:
•
•

•
•
•

An applicant or recipient has not fulfilled all the terms and conditions of a previous Federal
award.
An applicant or recipient has committed fraud, including inclusion of materially misleading or
incorrect information on the application (such as misrepresentation of DUNS registration or
false identity statements).
An applicant or recipient has mismanaged Federal funds.
The LFPP proposal is funding the same activities as another Federal grant program.
An applicant is found to be ineligible for a Federal award.

AMS will use the Federal Do Not Pay system, SAM.gov, and the Federal Awardee Performance and
Integrity Information System (FAPIIS) to verify that applicants are in good standing.
If AMS anticipates that the total Federal share of the LFPP award will be greater than the simplified
acquisition threshold (currently $150,000 - see 2 CFR §200.88 Simplified Acquisition Threshold) over the
grant period of performance:
•

•

•

AMS will review and consider any information about the applicant that is in the designated
integrity and performance system accessible through SAM (currently FAPIIS) (see 41 U.S.C.
2313);
The applicant, at its option, may review information in the designated integrity and performance
systems accessible through SAM and comment on any information about itself that a Federal
awarding agency previously entered;
AMS will consider any comments by the applicant, in addition to the other information in the
designated integrity and performance system, in making a judgment about the applicant's
integrity, business ethics, and record of performance under Federal awards.

4.5 SUBMISSION DATE AND TIME
The deadline for submitting FY 2016 applications is 11:59 pm Eastern Time, May 12, 2016. Applications
must be submitted electronically through Grants.gov. Ensure that all components of the application are
complete before submission. Allow enough time for the application process, as it may take more than
one attempt before your application is successfully submitted. AMS suggests that you plan to submit
24 | P a g e

your application at least 2 weeks prior to the application deadline to ensure all certifications and
registrations are met. Only applications submitted and validated by 11:59 pm EDT on May 12, 2016 to
Grants.gov will be accepted—deadline extensions will not be considered. See Section 4.8.1.
4.6 INTERGOVERNMENTAL REVIEW
LFPP is subject to Executive Order 12372, “Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs.” Refer to
https://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/grants_spoc.
4.7 FUNDING RESTRICTIONS
4.7.1 INDIRECT COSTS
Indirect costs (also known as “facilities and administrative costs”—defined at 2 CFR §200.56) represent
the expenses of doing business that are not readily identified with a particular grant, contract, project
function or activity, but are necessary for the general operation of the organization and the conduct of
activities it performs.
The maximum allowed indirect costs (10 percent) may be claimed under the Federal portion of the
award budget or, alternatively, the maximum allowed indirect costs may be offered as a matching
contribution (if no indirect costs are requested on the Federal portion of the budget).
A recipient may split the allocation between the Federal and non-Federal portions of the budget only if
the total percentage of indirect costs under the project does not exceed the maximum allowed indirect
costs of ten percent. For example, for a standard grant, indirect costs are capped at 10 percent, so the
recipient may request 5 percent of the indirect costs on both the Federal portion of the budget for the
award and as a matching contribution. Alternatively, the recipient may request any other, similar
percentage combination that, when combined, does not exceed the maximum indirect cost rate of ten
percent. Refer to 2 CFR §200.413 and 414 for additional information on determining if costs charged to
the award are direct or indirect.
As stated in the regulations (2 CFR §200.413 and 414) any recipient that has never received a negotiated
indirect cost rate (except State and Local Government and Indian Tribe Indirect Cost Proposals), may
elect to charge a de minimis rate of 10 percent of modified total direct costs which may be used
indefinitely. As described in 2 CFR §200.403, costs must be consistently charged as either indirect or
direct costs, but may not be double charged or inconsistently charged as both. If chosen, this
methodology once elected must be used consistently for all Federal awards until such time as a recipient
chooses to negotiate for a rate, which the recipient may apply to do at any time.
Most LFPP applicants will fall under the 10 percent de minimis rate. To calculate the rate, use this
formula, applicable only to the Federal amount of the grant, not the total amount (Federal share plus
matching fund):
𝑃𝑃𝑃𝑃𝑃𝑃𝑃𝑃𝑃𝑃𝑃𝑃𝑃𝑃𝑃𝑃𝑃𝑃 𝐷𝐷𝐷𝐷𝐷𝐷𝐷𝐷𝐷𝐷𝐷𝐷 𝐶𝐶𝐶𝐶𝐶𝐶𝐶𝐶𝐶𝐶 ($) ∗ 𝑀𝑀𝑀𝑀𝑀𝑀𝑀𝑀𝑀𝑀𝑀𝑀𝑀𝑀 𝐼𝐼𝐼𝐼𝐼𝐼𝐼𝐼𝐼𝐼𝐼𝐼𝐼𝐼𝐼𝐼 𝐶𝐶𝐶𝐶𝐶𝐶𝐶𝐶 𝑅𝑅𝑅𝑅𝑅𝑅𝑅𝑅 𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴 (%) =
𝐻𝐻𝐻𝐻𝐻𝐻ℎ𝑒𝑒𝑒𝑒𝑒𝑒 𝑃𝑃𝑃𝑃𝑃𝑃𝑃𝑃𝑃𝑃𝑃𝑃𝑃𝑃𝑃𝑃 𝐼𝐼𝐼𝐼𝐼𝐼𝐼𝐼𝐼𝐼𝐼𝐼𝐼𝐼𝐼𝐼 𝐶𝐶𝐶𝐶𝐶𝐶𝐶𝐶𝐶𝐶 ($)

𝑃𝑃𝑃𝑃𝑃𝑃𝑃𝑃𝑃𝑃𝑃𝑃𝑃𝑃𝑃𝑃𝑃𝑃 𝐷𝐷𝐷𝐷𝐷𝐷𝐷𝐷𝐷𝐷𝐷𝐷 𝐶𝐶𝐶𝐶𝐶𝐶𝐶𝐶𝐶𝐶 ($) + 𝑀𝑀𝑀𝑀𝑀𝑀𝑀𝑀𝑀𝑀𝑀𝑀𝑀𝑀 𝐼𝐼𝑛𝑛𝑛𝑛𝑛𝑛𝑛𝑛𝑛𝑛𝑛𝑛𝑛𝑛 𝐶𝐶𝐶𝐶𝐶𝐶𝐶𝐶𝐶𝐶 ($) = 𝑅𝑅𝑅𝑅𝑅𝑅𝑅𝑅𝑅𝑅𝑅𝑅𝑅𝑅𝑅𝑅𝑅𝑅 𝐹𝐹𝐹𝐹𝐹𝐹𝐹𝐹𝐹𝐹𝐹𝐹𝐹𝐹 𝐹𝐹𝐹𝐹𝐹𝐹𝐹𝐹𝐹𝐹 ($)

25 | P a g e

Planning Project Example
$90,909 ∗ 10% = $9,091

$90,909 + $9,091 = $100,000

Using this formula based on this example, an applicant who has $90,909 in direct costs could have up to
$9,091 in indirect costs, and a total of $100,000 as “Federal Funds Requested.”
Implementation Project Example
$454,546 ∗ 10% = $45,454

$454,546 + $45,454 = $500,000

Using this formula based on this example, an applicant who has $454,546 in direct costs could have up
to $45,454 in indirect costs, and a total of $500,000 as “Federal Funds Requested.”
Direct charging of indirect-type costs may be appropriate when:
1. Administrative or clerical services are integral to a project or activity;
2. Individuals involved can be specifically identified with the project or activity;
3. Such costs are explicitly included in the budget or have the prior written approval of the Federal
awarding agency; and
4. The costs are not also recovered as indirect costs.
If an applicant has a negotiated indirect cost rate greater than the 10 percent de minimis rate, the
applicant must submit a copy of their approved Indirect Cost Rate Proposal along with their application
to substantiate the organization’s request to establish an indirect cost rate above 10 percent. If an
applicant chooses to negotiate a rate, the applicant must contact their cognizant agency. The cognizant
agency is determined by calculating which Federal agency provides the most grant funding. For
assignments of cognizant agencies see the following:
(a) For Institutions of Higher Education (IHEs): Appendix III to Part 200—Indirect (F&A) Costs
Identification and Assignment, and Rate Determination for Institutions of Higher Education,
paragraph C.11.
(b) For nonprofit organizations: Appendix IV to Part 200—Indirect (F&A) Costs Identification and
Assignment, and Rate Determination for Nonprofit Organizations, paragraph C.12.
(c) For state and local governments: Appendix V to Part 200—State/Local Government-wide Central
Service Cost Allocation Plans, paragraph F.1.
(d) For Indian tribes: Appendix VII to Part 200—States and Local Government and Indian Tribe
Indirect Cost Proposal, paragraph D.1.
4.7.2 SUBAWARD RESTRICTION
The applicant is expected to perform the major portion of the project, however, subawards or
subcontracts with partners, collaborators, and/or other parties that provide additional knowledge,
expertise, or resources for the purposes of the proposed project that are not otherwise available within
26 | P a g e

the applicant organization are allowable. Using grant funds to competitively “re-grant” in mini-grant
programs or similar endeavors is unallowable.
4.7.3 ALLOWABLE AND UNALLOWABLE COSTS AND ACTIVITIES
The following information discusses allowable and unallowable costs in common LFPP proposal budget
categories. This section is not intended to be all-inclusive. The applicant should reference Subpart E-Cost
Principles of 2 CFR part 200 for the complete explanation of the allowability of costs. Applicants that
have questions concerning the allowability of costs after reviewing the associated cost should contact
LFPP staff.
Note that the allowable costs listed below may also be cost-shared or brought as part of the required
match. Unallowable costs cannot be brought as a match.
Item

Description

Buildings and Land Construction

Unallowable for the acquisition of buildings, facilities, or land or to make
additions, improvements, modifications, replacements, rearrangements,
reinstallations, renovations or alterations of an existing building or facility
(including site grading and improvement, and architecture fees). This also
includes construction and construction-related materials, which may include,
but are not limited to the purchase of building materials such as wood, nails,
concrete, asphalt, roofing, gravel, sand, paint, insulation, drywall, or plumbing.
Allowable for rental costs of land. However, lease agreements to own (i.e.,
lease-to-own or rent-to-own) are not allowable. The lease or rental agreement
must terminate at the end of the grant cycle.
A building is any permanent structure designed or intended for support,
enclosure, shelter or protection of people, animals or property having a
permanent roof supported by columns or walls.
Greenhouses and hoop houses are unallowable.

Conferences

Unallowable if the project solely consists of conference/workshop costs as
defined in 2 CFR 200.432. A conference must be part of a larger project. The
applicant should clearly indicate the purpose and target audience for any
conference or workshop, and explain how the activity will be funded. Also
indicate if registration fees will be collected and if so, show the fees as program
income on the SF-424A and project narrative form.
Allowable to rent a building or room for training; however, where appropriate,
AMS encourages the use of technologies such as webinars, teleconferencing, or
videoconferencing as an alternative to renting a building or a room. If renting a
building or a room is necessary, the most cost-effective facilities such as State
government conference rooms should be utilized.

27 | P a g e

Item

Description
Unallowable for meal costs (breakfast, lunch and dinner) unless the applicant
justifies that to do so would otherwise impose arduous conditions on the
continuity of a meeting and its participants. Breakfasts for conference
attendees are usually considered unallowable as it is expected that individuals
will have sufficient time to dine on their own before the conference begins.
Allowable for meals consumed while in official travel status. They are
considered per diem expenses.

Contingency
Provisions

Unallowable for miscellaneous and similar rainy-day funds for events the
occurrence of which cannot be foretold with certainty as to the time or
intensity, or with an assurance of their happening. Unallowable for working
capital for activities/items not already in place.

Contributions or
Donations

Unallowable for contributions or donations, including cash, property, and
services, made by the recipient to other entities.
Unallowable to purchase food or services to donate to other entities and/or
individuals.

Electronic Benefit
Transfer (EBT)
Machines

Entertainment Costs

Unallowable for the purchase/lease of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance
Program (SNAP) EBT equipment.
The USDA Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) has existing funding to expand the
availability of SNAP EBT equipment and services at farmers markets to the
Farmers Market Coalition (FMC) and State SNAP agencies. Please review the
below options to determine which is most appropriate for your purpose.
•

FMC provides SNAP-authorized farmers markets and direct marketing
farmers. You can find more information at
http://farmersmarketcoalition.org/programs/freesnapebt/.

•

State SNAP agencies offer free SNAP EBT equipment to newly
authorized farmers markets and direct marketing farmers. Contact your
State’s SNAP agency or farmers market association to learn more.

Allowable for costs related to the project. Entertainment costs as defined in 2
CFR 200.438 must not represent all or a majority of the project costs.
Unallowable entertainment costs include amusement, diversion, and social
activities and any costs directly associated with such costs (such as tickets to
shows or sporting events and gratuities), regardless of their apparent
relationship to project objectives.

28 | P a g e

Item

Description

Equipment

Unallowable for acquisition costs of general purpose equipment.
Allowable for rental costs of general purpose equipment. Vehicles may be
leased, but not purchased. The lease or rental agreement must terminate at the
end of the grant cycle.
Unallowable for equipment lease agreements to own (i.e., lease-to-own or rentto-own).
Unallowable for the purchase of trucks that are commercially available for rent.
An example of an unallowable truck purchase includes a refrigerated truck that
can be rented as-is (without making modifications or retrofitting). This truck is
considered general purpose equipment and can be rented, but not purchased.
For vehicle and equipment leases or rentals with an acquisition cost that equals
or exceeds $5,000, rates should be in light of such factors as rental costs of
comparable vehicles and equipment, if any; market conditions in the area;
alternatives available; and the type, life expectancy, condition, and value of the
vehicle or equipment leased.
Allowable for acquisition costs and rental costs of special purpose equipment
provided the following criterion is met:
1) Necessary for the research, scientific, or other technical activities of the
grant award;
2) Not otherwise reasonably available and accessible;
3) The type of equipment is normally charged as a direct cost by the
organization;
4) Acquired in accordance with organizational practices;
5) Must only be used to meet the legislative purpose of the grant program
and objectives of the grant award;
6) More than one single commercial organization, commercial product, or
individual must benefit from the use of the equipment;
7) Must not use special purpose equipment acquired with grant funds to
provide services for a fee to compete unfairly with private companies
that provide equivalent services; and
8) Equipment is subject to the full range of acquisition, use, management,
and disposition requirements under 2 CFR part 200.313 as applicable.
Equipment is defined as tangible personal property (including information
technology systems) having a useful life of more than one year and a per-unit

29 | P a g e

Item

Description
acquisition cost which equals or exceeds the lesser of the capitalization level
established by the recipient for financial statement purposes, or $5,000.
Acquisition cost means the cost of the asset including the cost to ready the asset
for its intended use. Acquisition cost for equipment, for example, means the net
invoice price of the equipment, including the cost of any modifications,
attachments, accessories, or auxiliary apparatus necessary to make it usable for
the purpose for which it is acquired.
General Purpose Equipment means equipment that is not limited to technical
activities. Examples include office equipment and furnishings, modular offices,
telephone networks, information technology equipment and systems, air
conditioning equipment, reproduction and printing equipment, and motor
vehicles.
Special Purpose Equipment is equipment used only for research or technical
activities. LFPP examples include specialized equipment for mobile markets;
cooler storage units, mobile slaughter unit components, and other equipment
that requires modification that is not already available and readily usable in its
current form.

Farm, Gardening, and
Production Activities
and Supplies

Unallowable for farm, gardening, and production activities, materials, supplies,
and other related costs. Example items may include soil, seeds, shovels, and
gardening tools. Additionally, greenhouses and hoop-houses are unallowable.

Fines, Penalties,
Damages and Other
Settlements

Unallowable for costs resulting from violations of, alleged violations of, or
failure to comply with, Federal, state, tribal, local or foreign laws and
regulations.

Fundraising and
Investment
Management Costs

Unallowable for organized fundraising, including financial campaigns,
solicitation of gifts and bequests, and similar expenses incurred to raise capital
or obtain contributions, regardless of the purpose for which the funds will be
used. This includes salaries of personnel involved in activities to raise capital.

Goods or Services for
Personal Use

Unallowable for costs of goods or services for personal use of employees
regardless of whether the cost is reported as taxable income to the employees.

Indirect Costs Unrecovered

Allowable to use unrecovered indirect costs as part of cost sharing or matching.
Unrecovered indirect cost means the difference between the amount charged
to the Federal award and the amount that could have been charged to the
Federal award under the potential recipient’s approved negotiated indirect cost
rate.

30 | P a g e

Item

Description

Insurance and
Indemnification

Allowable as indirect costs for insurance and indemnification.

Memberships,
Subscriptions, and
Professional Activity
Costs

Unallowable for costs of membership in any civic or community organization.

Organization Costs

Allowable for organization costs per 2 CFR 200.455.

Allowable for costs of membership in business, technical, and professional
organizations.

Unallowable for costs of investment counsel and staff and similar expenses
incurred to enhance income from investments.
Participant Support
Costs

Allowable for support costs for items such as stipends or subsistence
allowances, travel allowances, and registration fees paid on behalf of lead
conferences or training session organizers.

Pre-Award Costs

Allowable, if such costs are necessary for efficient and timely performance of
the scope of the project work. Such costs are allowable only to the extent that
they would have been allowable if incurred after the date of the Federal award.
A potential recipient may incur pre-award costs 90 calendar days before award.
These costs and associated activities must be included in the applicant’s Project
Narrative and budget justification. All costs incurred before the award are at the
potential recipient’s risk. The incurrence of pre-award costs in anticipation of an
award imposes no obligation on AMS to award funds for such costs.

Rearrangement and
Reconversion Costs

Rearrangement and reconversion costs are those incurred in restoring or
rehabilitating the recipient’s facilities to approximately the same condition
existing immediately before the start of the grant agreement, less costs related
to normal wear and tear.
Allowable as indirect costs incurred for ordinary and normal rearrangement and
alteration of facilities.
Allowable as direct costs for special arrangements and alteration costs incurred
specifically for the award.

Selling and Marketing
Costs

31 | P a g e

Allowable with conditions (see specific costs below) for marketing activities
directly related to the funded project. Includes general marketing of a service,
but not specifically marketing/advertising a product to consumers.

Item

Description

Selling and Marketing
Costs – Coupons,
Incentives or Other
Price Discounts

Unallowable for costs of coupon/incentive redemptions or price discounts.
Costs associated with printing, distribution, or promotion of coupons/tokens or
price discounts (i.e., a print advertisement that contains a clip-out coupon) are
allowable only if they solely promote the locally and regionally produced
agricultural products rather than promote or benefit a program or single
organization.

Selling and Marketing
Costs – Food for
Displays, Tastings,
Cooking
Demonstrations

Unallowable for the purchase of food for cooking demonstrations.

Selling and Marketing
Costs – General
Marketing Costs

Unallowable for general marketing of the health value of food products. (e.g.
“Vegetables keep you healthy!”)
Unallowable for costs designed solely to promote the image of an organization,
general logo, or general brand rather than locally and regionally produced
agricultural products.

Selling and Marketing
Costs – Sponsorships

Unallowable for costs associated with sponsorships. A sponsorship is a form of
advertising in which an organization uses grant funds to have its name and/or
logo associated with certain events and where the organization does not
necessarily know how the funds associated with sponsorship costs will be used.
These costs also only benefit the organization offering funding. This limits the
beneficiaries to the sponsor organization.

Travel Costs

Allowable for domestic travel costs when travel costs are limited to those
allowed by formal organizational policy; in the case of air travel, the lowest
reasonable commercial airfares must be used.
Applicants that do not have formal travel policies and for-profit applicants’
allowable travel costs may not exceed those established by the Federal Travel
Regulation, issued by GSA, including the maximum per diem and subsistence
rates prescribed in those regulations. This information is available at
http://www.gsa.gov. If an applicant organization has no formal travel policy,
those regulations will be used to determine the amount that may be charged
for travel costs.

32 | P a g e

Item

Description
Applicants are strongly encouraged to take advantage of discount fares for
airline travel through advance purchase of tickets if travel schedules can be
planned in advance.
Consideration should be given to the use of alternative technologies such as
teleconferencing or videoconferencing if they are available, appropriate for the
project, and less costly.
Unallowable for travel costs of government officials per 2 CFR 200.444.
Unallowable for international travel.

4.8 GRANTS.GOV APPLICATION SUBMISSION AND RECEIPT PROCEDURES AND
REQUIREMENTS
The Grants.gov Initiative provides a single site on which to find and apply to funding opportunities, and
AMS requires applicants to submit their applications electronically through the system. Grants.gov
provides step-by-step instructions on how to apply for opportunities on its website:
http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/apply-for-grants.html.
When you reach the site, use the “apply” feature to begin, and read the five “Get Registered” steps.
Registration instructions are found at: http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/organizationregistration.html.
Read the instructions on the Grants.gov website carefully and completely to ensure proper
submission. Applications not submitted properly by the deadline will not be accepted regardless of the
circumstances.
The website also contains registration checklists to guide you through the process. AMS recommends
that you download the checklists and prepare the information requested BEFORE beginning the
registration process to alleviate last-minute searches for required information.
Grants.gov provides customer support 24 hours a day, 7 days a week (closed on federal holidays) via a
toll-free number (1-(800)-518-GRANT) or email (support@grants.gov). For questions related specifically
to the LFPP RFA requirements (not the Grants.gov website), contact FMLFPP staff at 202-720-2731.
4.8.1 TIMING REQUIREMENTS
Organizations must fully upload their application and Grants.gov must successfully receive it by the
deadline (11:59 p.m. [Eastern Time] May 12, 2016). Many of the registration steps may take multiple
days or even weeks to complete.
It is imperative that you REGISTER EARLY in Grants.gov to provide your organization ample time to
complete the application process—DO NOT WAIT UNTIL THE DEADLINE! If you hit the submit button by
the deadline, your application is not necessarily submitted and/or accepted. The rate of transmission,
the size of your application, your internet connection, and firewalls within your organization may delay
33 | P a g e

or impede a successful transmission. In some cases, the system may look like it is “spooling (i.e. it
appears nothing is happening)—do not abort your transmission if this is the case! The system may need
time to process the application, especially if you are uploading and transmitting many and/or large files.
Electronic forms with associated XML schemas take time to for Grants.gov to process.
4.8.2 COMPONENTS OF THE GRANTS.GOV APPLICATION
a. DUNS Requirement
All entities applying for funding, including renewal funding, must have a Dun and Bradstreet Universal
Data Numbering System (DUNS) number. The DUNS number must be included in the data entry field
labeled "Organizational DUNS" on the SF-424 form. It takes approximately 1-2 days to obtain a DUNS
number.
Instructions for obtaining a DUNS number are located at:
http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/organization-registration/step-1-obtain-dunsnumber.html. Authorized Organizational Representatives (see below) will need to know the
organizational DUNS number to complete the application submission process.
Applicants that apply for an LFPP grant must be capable of managing and monitoring federal funds and
project activities and outcomes. Recipients cannot transfer the award to another recipient organization
once a grant is awarded (you may not apply under one DUNS number and switch to another later).
Please consider the status of your organization’s identity prior to submitting your application.
b. System for Award Management (SAM.gov) Registration
Applicants applying through Grants.gov must register with the Federal System for Award Management
(SAM.gov). In addition to maintaining your organization’s registration as a Federal recipient, SAM.gov is
also how you will enter financial information necessary to be paid (by EFT) should your organization be
awarded. Failure to register with SAM.gov will delay and/or prevent your application from Grants.gov
submission.
NOTE: SAM.gov registration is FREE. Some websites exist that look like SAM and claim to offer their
services for a fee. If you are asked to pay a fee to register with SAM.gov, you are at the wrong website.
Additionally, any communication regarding your SAM.gov account will come directly from the website.
Be suspicious if you receive unsolicited email notifications regarding your account (i.e. check the email
address and/or call SAM.gov (866-606-8220) to verify that the communication is legitimate).
To create a SAM.gov account, you will need to designate your organization’s E-Biz Point of Contact (E-Biz
POC). This individual is the main contact for your organization in the SAM.gov system. The E-Biz POC
may be the same person as the Authorized Organizational Representative (AOR). See below for more
information.
SAM.gov can take 7-10 days to create an active account, with an additional 1-2 days for Grants.gov to
recognize the information. Immediately register your organization in SAM.gov (i.e. before your entire

34 | P a g e

Grants.gov application is ready) to ensure you are able to submit your application to Grants.gov on time.
Step-by-step instructions for registering with SAM are located at:
http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/organization-registration/step-2-register-with-sam.html
NOTE: Each organization must have a Taxpayer ID Number (TIN/EIN) and taxpayer name. If your
organization does not have a TIN/EIN, allow an additional 2 weeks to request and obtain an EIN from
the IRS (visit their website for details on obtaining this important piece of information.
Additionally, each applicant must ensure that their respective organization’s SAM.gov registration is upto-date and active. SAM.gov accounts must be updated annually, and your organization must have an
active SAM.gov account to submit your application to Grants.gov.
c. Authorized Organizational Representative (AOR) Authorization
To apply through Grants.gov, an AOR must create a username, password and profile. The AOR is the
individual who is able to make legally-binding commitments for the applicant organization. The AOR
may be the same person as the E-Biz POC. See “NOTE” below for more information. For detailed
instructions about creating a profile on Grants.gov, visit:
http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/organization-registration/step-3-usernamepassword.html.
At any time, you can track your AOR status on the Grants.gov website:
http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/organization-registration/step-5-track-aor-status.html
NOTE: This next step is often missed and it is crucial for valid submission. After creating a profile on
Grants.gov, the E-Biz Point of Contact (i.e. the E-Biz POC listed as your contact in SAM.gov) will receive
an email granting the AOR permission to submit applications on behalf of your organization. The E-Biz
POC will then log on to Grants.gov and approve the applicant as the AOR, thereby giving him or her
permission to submit applications. You will be able to submit your application online any time after AOR
authorization.
Organizations cannot usually complete the profile and AOR authorization registration process in a single
day. Applicants that are not already registered should allow at least 2 weeks to complete this onetime process. DO NOT WAIT UNTIL THE DAY OF THE APPLICATION DEADLINE TO REGISTER. The
validation time depends upon the responsiveness of your e-Biz point of contact.
To learn more about AOR Authorization, visit:
http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/organization-registration/step-4-aor-authorization.html
d. Electronic Signature
Applications submitted through Grants.gov are considered electronically signed. The registration and
account creation process, with the E-Biz POC approval, establishes the AOR authorization needed for the
electronic signature. When you submit the application through Grants.gov, your AOR’s name will be
inserted into the signature line of the application.
35 | P a g e

4.8.3 HOW TO SUBMIT AN ELECTRONIC APPLICATION TO AMS VIA GRANTS.GOV
Grants.gov allows applicants to download the application package, instructions and forms from the AMS
website in order to work offline. The forms are provided in a variety of formats including Microsoft
Office products and fillable Adobe PDFs.
Grants.gov supports Adobe Reader version 9.0.0 and higher. Adobe Reader forms can be downloaded
and saved to your hard drive, network drive(s), or to a flash or external drive. Visit the Adobe Software
Compatibility page to download the latest version of the software:
http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/adobe-software-compatibility.html.
Once you complete the SF-424 form in Grants.gov, the system will transfer much of your information to
subsequent forms, such as the applicant name, address and DUNS number, on all subsequent Adobe
Reader forms. Some fields will appear with a background color—these fields are mandatory and must be
completed to successfully submit your application.
4.8.4 TIMELY RECEIPT REQUIREMENTS AND PROOF OF TIMELY SUBMISSION
After you submit your application to Grants.gov, you will receive an automatic notification of receipt
from the system that contains a Grants.gov tracking number. This notification ONLY indicates receipt by
Grants.gov and does not indicate receipt by AMS. Grants.gov may also send you an error message if your
application was not submitted correctly.
AMS will retrieve your application from Grants.gov, triggering a second electronic acknowledgment of
receipt sent to the AOR. This email, which will be triggered shortly after the application deadline,
indicates that the application was submitted successfully to AMS. This notification means that AMS
received the application; it does NOT mean that AMS accepted the application. If you do not receive this
second notification, you did not successfully upload your organization’s application—contact Grants.gov
to identify the issue if it is not already apparent.
AMS will send a third email to inform applicants that either:
a) Their application was successfully submitted and will be forwarded to the peer reviewers for
evaluation.
b) Their application did not meet the basic requirements and therefore will not undergo peer
review.
All applications must be submitted through Grants.gov. AMS will not accept applications packages by
fax, email or postal mail. AMS cannot waive these submission requirements. Applications received by
Grants.gov after the established due date for the program will be considered late and will not be
considered for funding by AMS.
4.8.5 TIPS FOR APPLICANTS
•

Register and submit applications early. DO NOT WAIT UNTIL THE DAY OF THE APPLICATION
DEADLINE.

36 | P a g e

•

Thoroughly read this Requests for Applications and follow all of the instructions provided by
AMS.

•

Make sure you have the most recent copy of Adobe Reader installed on your computer and that
it is compatible with Grants.gov software. Grants.gov supports Adobe Reader version 9.0.0 and
higher.

•

Limit Application File Size/ File Name Characters (50 or less).

•

When uploading attachments, click the “Add Attachments” button (do NOT use the “paperclip”
icon in Adobe Reader)

•

Do not password-protect your documents and make sure all tracked-changes are “accepted”.

•

Avoid Special Characters in File Names ($, %, &, *, Spanish "ñ", etc.).

•

Input the correct DUNS number on the SF-424 cover page.

•

Review the Grants.gov Applicant User and Registration Guides:
http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/applicant-tools-and-tips.html and FAQs:
http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/applicant-faqs.html

4.8.6 TIMING TO OBTAIN AND SUBMIT GRANTS.GOV REQUIRED ELEMENTS
Required Action
AMS Deadline to receive final application
and all supporting materials
Obtaining Your Organization’s DUNS Number
(if you do not already have one)
Establishing an Active SAM.gov Account
(if you do not already have one)
Obtaining an TIN/EIN (if you do not already have one)
Creating your Grants.gov profile
and registering your AOR authorization

Timing to Obtain/Submit
May 12, 2016 – 11:59 p.m.
[Eastern Time]
1-2 business days
7-10 business days
Up to 2 weeks
Up to 2 weeks

5.0 APPLICATION REVIEW INFORMATION
5.1 PROJECT EVALUATION CRITERIA
Each application will be reviewed competitively using the following criteria and scoring:
Alignment and Intent

15 Points

The proposed project’s goals align with LFPP’s purpose as stated in 1.2 Purpose, directly benefiting farm
and ranch operations, and establishes:
•

A clear and concise description of the specific issue, problem, or need, and objectives for the
project.

37 | P a g e

•

•

How the project increases domestic consumption of and access to locally and regionally
produced agricultural products and develops new market opportunities for farm and ranch
operations serving local markets, by:
o

Developing, improving, expanding, and providing outreach, training, and technical
assistance to; or

o

Assisting in the development, improvement and expansion of Local and Regional Food
Business Enterprises that process, distribute, aggregate, or store locally or regionally
produced food products.

The intended and number of beneficiaries and how they will benefit from the project.

Technical Merit

25 Points

The proposed project provides a work plan/approach that is well designed, ready to be implemented at
the time of the award, and consistent with the expectations described in the RFA. The project proposal
must establish:
•

A clear and well-conceived overall methodology to fulfilling the goals and objectives of the
proposed project.

•

A work plan including a timeline that is sound, feasible, incorporates the listed partners and
collaborators, and clearly outlines how the applicant will meet the intended goals and objectives
to successfully impact its stated beneficiaries.

•

A comprehensive plan to disseminate the project’s results (both positive and negative)
electronically and in person to target audiences, stakeholders, and interested parties.

•

Outcomes and indicator(s) is/are appropriate for the scale and scope of the project.

Achievability

25 Points

The proposed project’s likelihood of success in fulfilling the project’s goals, objectives, and selected
performance measures (see 3.5 Performance Measures) given the originality of the project and its
intended beneficiaries. The project proposal must:
•

Include a robust evaluation plan, using recent research and data in addition to the data
collected through the project’s implementation, with a clear means to collect feedback to
evaluate and achieve each relevant Outcome indicator, including the project-specific Outcome
Indicator.

•

Illustrate that the project goals, objectives, activities, and expected outcomes can be easily
adaptable to other regions, communities, and/or agricultural systems.

•

Describe the potential challenges and how they will be addressed.

•

If the project and/or entity was previously funded, provide a concise and straightforward
depiction of the previous project’s results that includes what was learned from the past

38 | P a g e

project(s), what can be improved upon, and how those lessons and improvements are being
incorporated into this application to make the ongoing project more effective and successful at
meeting program goals.
Expertise and Partners

20 Points

The proposed project has a clearly articulated management plan and plan for administration of the
proposed project and its maintenance and partnerships. The project’s key participants (internal
applicant personnel and external partners and collaborators) are knowledgeable on matters associated
with local and regional agricultural products, have a previous performance that illustrates that they are
capable of fulfilling their obligations, and demonstrate an active participation in the development of the
project, willingness to fulfill the project’s activities and outcomes, and commitment to communicating
the results of the project. The project proposal must:
•

Represent a substantial and effective diverse array of relevant partnerships and cooperative
linkages to accomplish the project’s goals and objectives and meet the needs of the intended
beneficiaries.

•

Illustrate that the organization, its staff, and its partners and collaborators have sufficient overall
experience to successfully implement the proposed project, including relevant experience and
success in developing and operating projects similar to those to be conducted under the
proposed project.

•

Demonstrate the commitment and sustainability of the project’s partnerships and
collaborations and how they will extend beyond the life of the grant.

Fiscal Plan and Resources

15 Points

The proposed project’s budget, cost-sharing and match, and Evidence of Critical Resources and
Infrastructure, if applicable, demonstrate that the applicant has assigned sufficient resources. The
project proposal must:
•

Illustrate that the planned expenditures in the budget are clearly described; allowable,
reasonable, and necessary (see 4.7 Funding Restrictions) for the success of the project’s goals
and objectives as well as the fulfillment of its expected outcomes and indicators.

•

Provide the Evidence of Critical Resources and Infrastructure, if necessary, for the initiation and
completion of the proposed project, which are available at the time of proposal submission.
Remember that any critical resources and/or infrastructure mentioned in the application must
be in place at the time of the submission of the application to FMLFPP.

•

Demonstrate the applicant's or its partners/collaborators contribution of non-Federal cash
resources or in-kind contributions are available and obtainable for the project as evidenced
through the submitted Matching Funds and Letters of Verification
. In cases of in-kind contributions, the project proposal must also adequately demonstrate how
the values of those contributions were established.

•

39 | P a g e

5.2 REVIEW AND SELECTION PROCESS
Step 1: Initial Qualification Screening
To meet the basic eligibility requirements, each submitted LFPP proposal must contain the properly
completed, required documentation listed in Section 4.2. Projects that do not meet this requirement
will not proceed to Step 2 (below).
Step 2: Technical Review
Each LFPP application (project), including the Proposal Narrative and budget, Verification of Matching
Funds, Evidence of Critical Resources and Infrastructure, and other supporting documentation, is
evaluated by peer reviewers. To eliminate bias, AMS assigns reviewers to projects that are not in their
geographic area or associated with their business in any way. Each reviewer also signs a conflict of
interest and confidentiality agreements regarding any assigned proposals. The reviewers are not
permitted to apply for LFPP grant funds, or receive financial benefit from any submitted application
during the year on which they serve on the review panel.
Selected peer reviewers will have a diverse expertise, representing agricultural businesses, cooperatives,
producer networks, producer associations, CSA networks and associations, local governments, nonprofit corporations, public benefit corporations, economic development corporations, regional farmers
market authorities and tribal governments, and others with knowledge of non-direct producer-toconsumer marketing activities.
The peer review panel evaluates each proposal using instructions prepared by AMS officials. Individual
reviewers evaluate and score their assigned proposals and then confer with other team members to
derive a consensus score. The consensus review serves as the basis for awarding and allocating LFPP
grant funds and focuses on strengths and weaknesses of each proposal.
Step 3: Federal Assistance Regulations Review
LFPP will conduct a final administrative evaluation of each review panel’s top rankings and
recommendations. In addition to the scores, AMS reviews each award to ensure that potential
recommended projects align with the LFPP scope, allowability of budget items, and available funding.
Projects that do not score high enough to make the final evaluation will not undergo final Federal
Assistance Regulation Review.
LFPP staff will work with top-ranked applicants to negotiate any revisions if necessary and possible. AMS
will also assess your organization’s ability to account for the use of Federal funds and monitor the
performance associated with these monies. This assessment will consider your organization’s:
1. Financial stability—LFPP staff will use the Accounting System and Financial Capabilities
Questionnaire (part of the application package) as a basis to evaluate top-ranked applicants;
2. Financial verification in SAM.gov, the Treasury Department’s Do Not Pay website; and the
Federal Awardee Performance and Integrity Information System (FAPIIS) if applicable;

40 | P a g e

3. Recent history of performance with AMS grant programs (any open grants and grants closed
within last three years); and
4. Reports and findings from audits performed under Subpart F—Audit Requirements of 2 CFR 200
or the reports and findings of any other available audits.
6.0 AWARD ADMINISTRATION INFORMATION
6.1 AWARD NOTICES
Upon announcement of the federal awards, LFPP will prepare and send a Notice of Award and Grant
Agreement to each recipient for signature by the appropriate official. Grant Agreements consist of a 1page Agreement Face Sheet (AMS-33) that will be signed by AMS and the AOR.
The Grant Agreement sets forth pertinent information about the federal award, including, but not
limited to, the following:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•

Federal Agreement Identification Number (FAIN) or “agreement number;”
Statutory authority for the award and any applicable program regulations;
Name of Recipient organization;
Name of the Recipient Project Coordinator;
Approved period of performance start and end dates;
Amount of Federal funds authorized for obligation by the recipient;
Amount of matching resources brought to the project by the recipient and partners;
Name of the Federal Agency Project Manager; and
Terms and Conditions of Award, by either reference or inclusion.

Once your organization signs this agreement, you will not be allowed to transfer the grant to another
organization. Should there be an issue for which the organization cannot carry out the remainder of the
grant work, the recipient authorized representative must contact the assigned LFPP grant specialist to
terminate the grant early.
6.2 UNSUCCESSFUL APPLICANTS
Unsuccessful applicants will be contacted by LFPP via email as soon as possible after the LFPP awards
are announced to inform them of the results. LFPP will email unsuccessful applicants anonymous review
panel consensus comments regarding their proposals as feedback.
6.3 ADMINISTRATIVE AND NATIONAL POLICY REQUIREMENTS
Several federal statutes and regulations apply to grant applications considered for review and to Federal
awards under this program. These include, but are not limited to the ones listed below.
2 CFR part 25 – System for Award Management and Universal Identifier Requirements
2 CFR part 170 – Reporting Subaward and Executive Compensation Information

41 | P a g e

2 CFR part 175 – Award Term for Trafficking in Persons, which is the implementation of the Trafficking
Victims Protection Act of 2000, as amended (22 U.S.C. 7104(g))
2 CFR part 180 and part 417 – OMB Guidelines to Agencies on Government-Wide Debarment and
Suspension (Nonprocurement) and USDA Nonprocurement Debarment and Suspension
2 CFR part 200 – Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for
Federal Awards
2 CFR part 400 – USDA implementation of 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 Requirements for Grants and Cooperative
Agreements to State and Local Governments
2 CFR part 418 – USDA implementation of Restrictions on Lobbying - Imposes prohibitions and
requirements for disclosure and certification related to lobbying on recipients of federal contracts,
grants, cooperative agreements, and loans.
2 CFR part 421 – USDA Implementation of Government-wide Requirements for Drug-Free Workplace
(Financial Assistance)
7 CFR part 1, subpart A – USDA implementation of the Freedom of Information Act
7 CFR part 1b – USDA procedures to implement the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, as
amended
7 CFR part 3 – USDA implementation of OMB Circular No. A-129 regarding debt collection
7 CFR part 15, subpart A – USDA implementation of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended
7 CFR part 331 and 9 CFR part 121—USDA implementation of the Agricultural Bioterrorism Protection
Act of 2002
37 CFR part 401 – Rights to Inventions made by Nonprofit Organizations and Small Business Firms under
Government Grants, Contracts, and Cooperative Agreements. The implementation of the Bayh Dole Act
(35 U.S.C. 200 et seq.) controlling allocation of rights to inventions made by employees of small business
firms and domestic nonprofit organizations, including universities, in federally-assisted programs.
41 CFR part 301-10.131 to 301-10.143 – Use of United States Flag Air Carriers, which implements the Fly
America Act (49 U.S.C. 40118)
48 CFR part 25 – Foreign Acquisition, which implements the Buy American Act (41 U.S.C. Ch. 83)
48 CFR subpart 31.2 – Contracts with Commercial Organizations
44 U.S.C. 3541 et seq. (Pub. L. 107-347) – Federal Information System Security Management Act of 2002
(FISMA), an Act designed to improve computer and network security within the Federal Government.
Applies to recipients if it will collect, store, process, transmit, or use information on behalf of AMS.
42 | P a g e

Motor Vehicle Safety –
•
•
•
•
•
•

Highway Safety Act of 1966, as amended (23 U.S.C. 402 & 403);
Government Organization and Employees Act, as amended (5 U.S.C. 7902 (c));
Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, as amended (29 U.S.C. 668);
Federal Property and Administrative Services Act of 1949, as amended (40 U.S.C. 101, et seq.);
Increasing Seat Belt Use in the United States (E.O. 13043);
Federal Leadership on Reducing Text Messaging While Driving (E.O. 13513)

Federal statutes and regulations found on the SF-424B “Assurances –Non-Construction Programs” (this
form is submitted through Grants.gov with your application package)
6.4 REPORTING
Recipients are required to submit interim reports throughout the grant’s period of performance as well
as one final report.
6.4.1 ANNUAL PERFORMANCE REPORTS
The Annual Performance Report, along with an annual SF-425 “Federal Financial Report”, is due within
90 calendar days after each one-year period of performance.
For 2016 Planning Awards, the 18-month period of performance begins September 30, 2016, and ends
March 31, 2017. Recipients will submit one Annual Performance Report:
Annual Report
Number
1

One-Year Marker
(Report Due w/in 90 Days of this Date)
September 30, 2017

Due Date
December 29, 2017

For 2016 Implementation Awards, the 3-year period of performance begins September 30, 2016, and
ends September 29, 2019. Recipients will submit two Annual Performance Reports:
Annual Report
Number
1
2

One-Year Marker
(Report Due w/in 90 Days of this Date)
September 30, 2017
September 30, 2018

Due Date
December 29, 2017
December 31, 2018

6.4.2 AWARD CLOSEOUT
To officially close out an LFPP award, the following items are due within 90 days following the award’s
period of performance (no later than June 29, 2018, for planning grants; no later than December 29,
2019, for implementation grants):
1.
2.
3.
4.

Final Performance Report
Final Payment Request (SF-270), if applicable
Final SF-425, “Federal Financial Report” and if applicable, payment of unobligated balance
Tangible Personal Property Report, if applicable

43 | P a g e

5. A refund of any unused LFPP grant funds (checks made out to the Agricultural Marketing
Service), if applicable.
Recipients should submit these items to LFPP as required in the LFPP Award Terms and Conditions. Once
the project is successfully closed, LFPP will issue a closeout letter as the Agency’s official notification.
7.0 AGENCY CONTACTS
Applicants and other interested parties are encouraged to contact the LFPP staff by e-mail at
USDALFPPQuestions@ams.usda.gov or by phone at 202-720-2731.
Mailing Address:
Local Food Promotion Program
USDA, Agricultural Marketing Service
1400 Independence Avenue, SW
Room 4534-South Building, Mail Stop 0264
Washington, DC 20250-0264

Website address:
http://www.ams.usda.gov/services/grants/lfpp

8.0 OTHER INFORMATION
8.1 EQUAL OPPORTUNITY STATEMENT
In accordance with Federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights
regulations and policies, the USDA, its Agencies, offices, and employees, and institutions participating in
or administering USDA programs are prohibited from discriminating based on race, color, national
origin, religion, sex, gender identity (including gender expression), sexual orientation, disability, age,
marital status, family/parental status, income derived from a public assistance program, political beliefs,
or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity, in any program or activity conducted or funded by
USDA (not all bases apply to all programs).
Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication for program information
(e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language, etc.) should contact the responsible
Agency or USDA's TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TTY) or contact USDA through the
Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339. Additionally, program information may be made available in
languages other than English.
To file a program discrimination complaint, complete the USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form,
AD-3027, found online at How to File a Program Discrimination Complaint and at any USDA office or
write a letter addressed to USDA and provide in the letter all of the information requested in the form.
To request a copy of the complaint form, call (866) 632-9992. Submit your completed form or letter to
USDA by: (1) mail: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, 1400
Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, D.C. 20250-9410; (2) fax: (202) 690-7442; or (3) email:
program.intake@usda.gov.

44 | P a g e

USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender.
8.2 FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT REQUESTS
The Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) of 1966 (5 U.S.C. 552) and the Privacy Act of 1974 (5 U.S.C.
552a), as implemented by USDA’s regulations (7 CFR part 1, Subpart A) govern the release or
withholding of information to the public in connection with this Federal award. The release of
information under these laws and regulations applies only to records held by AMS and imposes no
requirement on the recipient or any subrecipient to permit or deny public access to their records.
FOIA requests for records relating to this federal award may be directed to USDA, Agricultural Marketing
Service, FOIA/PA Officer, Room 3943-S, Mail Stop 0202, 1400 Independence Ave., SW, Washington, DC
20250-0273, Telephone: (202) 720-2498; or email: AMS.FOIA@usda.gov.
8.3 PROHIBITION ON USING FUNDS UNDER GRANTS AND COOPERATIVE AGREEMENTS
WITH ENTITIES THAT REQUIRE CERTAIN INTERNAL CONFIDENTIALITY AGREEMENTS
By submission of its proposal or application, the applicant represents that it does not require any of its
employees, contractors, or subrecipients seeking to report fraud, waste, or abuse to sign or comply with
internal confidentiality agreements or statements prohibiting or otherwise restricting those employees,
contractors, or subrecipients from lawfully reporting that waste, fraud, or abuse to a designated
investigative or law enforcement representative of a Federal department or agency authorized to
receive such information. Note that: (1) the basis for this representation is a prohibition in sections 743,
744 of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2016, Pub. L. 114-113, (Division E, Title VII, General
Provisions Government-wide) and any successor provisions of law on making funds available through
grants and cooperative agreements to entities with certain internal confidentiality agreements or
statements; and (2) section 744 states that it does not contravene requirements applicable to Standard
Form 312, Form 4414, or any other form issued by a Federal department or agency governing the
nondisclosure of classified information.

45 | P a g e

According to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, an agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to a
collection of information unless it displays a valid OMB control number. The valid OMB control number for this information collection is 05810240. The time required to complete this information collection is estimated to average 4 hours per response, including the time for reviewing
instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and completing and reviewing the collection of
information.

USDA’s Nondiscrimination Statement (effective 2015)
In accordance with Federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, the USDA, its
Agencies, offices, and employees, and institutions participating in or administering USDA programs are prohibited from discriminating based on
race, color, national origin, religion, sex, gender identity (including gender expression), sexual orientation, disability, age, marital status,
family/parental status, income derived from a public assistance program, political beliefs, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity, in
any program or activity conducted or funded by USDA (not all bases apply to all programs). Remedies and complaint filing deadlines vary by
program or incident.
Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication for program information (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, American
Sign Language, etc.) should contact the responsible Agency or USDA’s TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TTY) or contact USDA
through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339. Additionally, program information may be made available in languages other than English.
To file a program discrimination complaint, complete the USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form, AD-3027, found online at
http://www.ascr.usda.gov/complaint_filing_cust.html and at any USDA office or write a letter addressed to USDA and provide in the letter all of
the information requested in the form. To request a copy of the complaint form, call (866) 632-9992. Submit your completed form or letter to
USDA by:
1) mail: U.S. Department of Agriculture Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights 1400 Independence Avenue, SW Washington,
D.C. 20250-9410;
2)

fax: (202) 690-7442; or

3)

email: program.intake@usda.gov.
USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender.