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Purpose: The Food Safety Outreach Program at NIFA was established to complement and expand the National Food Safety Training, Education, Extension, Outreach, and Technical Assistance Competitive Grants Program. That Program established regional centers to facilitate work across their regions to increase the understanding and adoption of established food safety standards, guidance, and protocols established under the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA). This year, the Food Safety Outreach Program will focus on delivery of customized training to members of the target audiences. New projects will focus on, but are not limited to, addressing knowledge and resource gaps for the target audience in the areas of pre- and post-harvest water testing and sampling, soil amendments, developing supply chain programs, and/or developing food safety plans. The program will continue to fund projects that develop bilingual and culturally appropriate training resources. Grant applications will be solicited directly from those in local communities - to include those from community-based organizations, non-governmental organizations, food hubs, farm cooperatives, extension, and other local groups.

Project Types and Funding Levels:

• Pilot Projects (Up to $50,000 per award) - Pilot Projects will support the development and implementation of new and potentially high-risk, high-impact food safety education and outreach programs in local communities that address the needs of small, specialized audiences from among the various target groups. Projects can be one year in duration.
• Community Outreach Projects (Up to $150,000 per award) - Community Outreach Projects will support the growth and expansion of already-existing food safety education and outreach programs currently offered in local communities. Projects can be two years in duration.
• Multistate Education and Training Projects (Up to $400,000 per award) - The Multistate Education and Training Projects will support the development of multicounty, state-wide, or multi-state food safety education and outreach programs. These projects will encourage collaborations among counties and states sharing common food safety concerns, even though they may not necessarily be located within the same region. Projects can be three years in duration.

Match: The grant recipient must match awarded USDA funds with cash and in-kind contributions on a dollar-for-dollar basis from non-federal sources.

Eligibility:

• The Cooperative Extension Service for a U.S. state or territory;
• Non-government organizations and/or community based organizations representing owners and operators of farms, small food processors, or small fruit and vegetable merchant wholesalers that has a commitment to public health and expertise in administering programs that contribute to food safety;
• Federal, State, local, or tribal agencies;
• An institution of higher education (as defined in Section 101(a) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001(a)) or a foundation maintained by an institution of higher education; or
• A collaboration of two or more eligible entities.

Grant awardees will be notified no later than September 30.

The full Request for Applications can be found here.

For more information on this grant or how to apply with Morrison's assistance, please contact the Morrison Grants Team by email at grants@morrisonco.net or call us at 530.893.4764.