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93.571 COMMUNITY SERVICES BLOCK GRANT FORMULA AND DISCRETIONARY AWARDS COMMUNITY FOOD AND NUTRITION PROGRAMS

FEDERAL AGENCY
ADMINISTRATION FOR CHILDREN AND FAMILIES, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

AUTHORIZATION
Community Opportunities, Accountability, Training, and Educational Services Act of 1998, Section 681; Public Law 97-35, 42 U.S.C. 9910.

OBJECTIVES
To provide for community-based, local, statewide and national programs which: (1) Coordinate private and public food assistance resources to better serve low-income populations, whenever such coordination is determined to be inadequate; (2) assist low-income communities to identify potential sponsors of child nutrition programs and initiate such programs in underserved or unserved areas; and (3) develop innovative approaches at the State and local level to meet the nutrition needs of low-income individuals.

TYPES OF ASSISTANCE
Direct Payments for Specified Use; Formula Grants.

USES AND USE RESTRICTIONS
(1) States receive Community Food and Nutrition funds for Statewide Community Food and Nutrition initiatives, which must be subgranted to eligible agencies. (2) Federal funds are competitively-awarded to eligible agencies for statewide program activities which address one or more of the above objectives and also include outreach and public education efforts designed to inform low-income individuals and displaced workers of the nutrition services available to them under the various federally-assisted nutrition programs. Of the amounts appropriated, 60 percent is for allotment by statutory formula to eligible agencies for statewide programs, and 40 percent is available for competitive awards to eligible agencies for local and statewide programs. (3) Projects must result in direct benefits targeted toward low-income individuals as defined in the most recent "Annual Update of Poverty Income Guidelines," published in the Federal Register and www.grants. gov. (4) Projects are normally funded for 1 year and each project will have an expiration date; however, at the Director's discretion, competitively-awarded grants may support projects for shorter or longer periods, i.e., up to 17 months. (5) States may not use their formula grant supplement for State-level administrative costs.

Applicant Eligibility
(1) Formula Grants: Formula grants are awarded to Community Services Block Grant recipients in each of the 50 States, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, Guam, the Virgin Islands, American Samoa, and the Northern Mariana Islands. (2) Direct Grants: The Secretary of Health and Human Services is authorized to make direct grants to State and local public and private nonprofit agencies with a demonstrated ability to successfully develop and implement nutrition-related program activities.

Beneficiary Eligibility
A project must be targeted to address the needs of a specific segment of low-income individuals or families. The official poverty line, as established by the Department of Health and Human Services is used as a criterion of eligibility.

Credentials/Documentation
Formula grant awards are made to Community Services Block Grant recipients.

Preapplication Coordination
(1) Formula Grants: States are required to submit an annual application for the formula grant awards. (2) Direct Grants: The competitively-awarded grants are subject to the provisions of Title 45 CFR 74 and 92 and E.O. 12372. This program is eligible for coverage under E.O. 12372, "Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs." An applicant should consult the office or officials designated as the single point of contact in his or her State for more information on the process the State requires to be followed in applying for assistance, if the State has selected the program for review. Applicants for funds are subject to the clearance procedures and requirements established by the States in which their projects will be conducted. Clearance action through the appropriate State clearinghouses must be initiated prior to or at the same time of submission of proposals to the Office of Community Services (OCS).

Application Procedure
(1) Formula Grants: grant awards, are made as supplements to the existing Community Services Block Grant awards. If the intended use of funds is not consistent with a State's current block grant application, the State must submit an appropriate plan revision to OCS. All information and forms required to prepare a grant are published in the Federal Register. Copies of the program announcement are available from OCS Operations Center, 1515 Wilson Blvd., Suite 100, Arlington, VA 22209, telephone 1800/281-9519, ocs@lcgnet.com. In addition, this announcement is accessible for reading or downloading at: http://www.acf. hhs.gov/programs/ocs. All applications for assistance under this program component must contain: (1) SF-424, Application for Federal Assistance; (2) SF-424A, Budget Information; (3) a program narrative, submitted in accordance with the following format: (a) analysis of need; (b) project design/work program; (c) organizational experience in program area; (d) management history; (e) staffing and resources; and (f) staff responsibilities; (4) SF-424B, Assurances-Non-Construction Programs; (5) Certification Regarding Drug Free Work place Requirements; (6) Certification Regarding Debarment, Suspension, and Other Responsibility Matters; (7) Certification Regarding Lobbying; and certification regarding environmental tobacco smoke.

Award Procedure
(1) Formula Grants: OCS determines the amount to be awarded to States in accordance with the formula set forth in the Community Services Block Grant Act, as amended. (2) Direct Grants: The Director, Office of Community Services, Administration for Children and Families, DHHS, will make the final decision on all grant awards. Selection of applicants will be determined based on the review and rating criteria outlined in the Program Announcement.

Deadlines
(1) Formula Grants: None is applicable for formula grants. Grants are awarded anytime during the fiscal year in which the recipient submits his or her application. (2) Direct Grants: Applications must be submitted within the time frame published in the Federal Register and www.grants.gov.

Range of Approval/Disapproval Time
(1) Formula Grants: Not applicable. (2) Direct Grants: From 60 to 90 days from the application deadline.

Appeals
Not applicable.

Renewals
Not applicable.

Formula and Matching Requirements
(1) Formula Grants: Section 681 of the Community Services Block Grant (CSBG) Act, as amended (Public Law 97-35, as amended, 42 U.S.C. 9910) prescribes that, from 60 percent of the amount appropriated shall be awarded to eligible agencies for Statewide programs in each State in an amount which bears the same ratio to 60 percent of such appropriations as the low-income and unemployed populations of such State bear to the low-income and unemployed population of all the States. There is no matching requirement. (2) Direct Grants: Section 681 of the CSBG Act, as amended, provides that 40 percent of the amount appropriated be awarded as direct grants to eligible agencies for local and statewide programs. These awards are made on a competitive basis. There is no matching requirement.

Length and Time Phasing of Assistance
(1) Formula Grants: Formula grant awards are made for a specific grant period in the fiscal year; amounts unobligated by the State at the end of a grant period are not available for obligation after the expiration of the established grant period. (2) Direct Grants: Financial assistance made available under the competitive grant component will normally be for a 1-year period and each project will have an expiration date. However, at the discretion of the Director, Office of Community Services, Administration for Children and Families, shorter or longer project periods, i.e., up to 17 months, may be established.

Reports
(1) Formula Grants: States must prepare a final report on the use of formula grants of Community Food and Nutrition funds 90 days after the end of the grant period. (2) Direct Grants: Competitively-awarded direct grant recipients are required to file semi-annual financial and program progress reports and a final narrative report summarizing the activities and accomplishments of the project in relation to the work program approved by OCS.

Audits
In accordance with the provisions of OMB Circular No. A-133 (Revised June 27, 2003)" Audits of States, Local Governments and Non-Profit Organizations," Non-Federal entities that expend $300,000 ($500,000 for fiscal years ending after December 31, 2003) or more in a year in Federal awards shall have a single or program-specific audit conducted for that year in accordance with the provisions of this part. Non-Federal entities that expend less than $300,000 ($500,000 for fiscal years ending after December 31, 2003) a year in Federal awards are exempt from Federal audit requirements for that year, except as noted in section .215(a), but records must be available for review or audit by appropriate officials of the Federal agency, pass-through entity, and General Accounting Office (GAO).

Records
(1) Formula Grants: States receiving formula grants are required to keep records sufficient to permit preparation of required reports and to permit tracing of funds to a level of expenditure adequate to insure that funds have not been spent unlawfully. (2) Direct Grants: Recipients of competitively-awarded direct grants are required to keep all financial and program reports necessary for program review and audit to insure that funds have been expended in accordance with grant terms and conditions. Records must be kept on file for at least 3 years.

Account Identification
75-1504-0-1-506.

Obligations
(Grants and Contracts) FY 07 $ estimate not available; FY 08 $ estimate not available; FY 09 $ estimate not available.

Range and Average of Financial Assistance
(1) Formula Grants: $715 to $363,440; $182,078; (2) Direct Grants: $50,000.

PROGRAM ACCOMPLISHMENTS
None.

REGULATIONS, GUIDELINES, AND LITERATURE
(1) Formula Grants: the CSBG Act, as amended, and internal Information Memorandum. (2) Direct Grants: Office of Community Services, Program Announcement, notice of availability published in the Federal Register.

Regional or Local Office
Not applicable.

Headquarters Office
(1) Formula Grants: Marianna RayNor-Hill, Program Manager, Division of State Assistance,braynor@acf.hhs.gov, Telephone: 202)401-9343; (2) Direct Grants: Catherine Beck, cbeck@acf.hhs.gov, Telephone: (202)401-9352, Division of Community Discretionary Programs, Office of Community Services, Administration for Children and Families, Department of Health and Human Services, 370 L'Enfant Promenade, SW., Washington, 20447.

Web Site Address
http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/ocs

RELATED PROGRAMS
93.568, Low-Income Home Energy Assistance; 93.569, Community Services Block Grant; 93.570, Community Services Block Grant_Discretionary Awards; 93.600, Head Start; 93.045, Special Programs for the Aging_Title III, Part C_Nutrition Services.

EXAMPLES OF FUNDED PROJECTS
Not applicable.

CRITERIA FOR SELECTING PROPOSALS
(1) Formula Grants: Based on a complete application which addressed the objectives contained in this submission. (2) The rating criteria for competitively-awarded direct grants are as follows: (a) analysis of needs (target area/population to be served, nature and extent of problem adequately described and documented); (b) adequacy of work program (specific, measurable goals appropriately related to needs, adequately described activities appropriately related to goals); (c) significant and beneficial impact (significantly improved or increased nutrition services for low-income individuals, significant leverage or mobilization of funds, the enhancement of existing outreach activity, and either addresses a one-time problem or can be continued with nonfederal resources); (d) implementation coordinated with other organizations to avoid duplication and improve service delivery; (e) ability of applicant to perform (successful past experience in operation nutrition-related activities, and quality of staff); and (f) adequacy of the proposed budget.


General Services Administration
Office of Chief Acquisition Officer
Regulatory and Federal Assistance Division (VIR)