FY_19_TIG_Grant | USDA FNS TIG 2019

Opportunity Information: Apply for USDA FNS TIG 2019

FY_19_TIG_Grant is a USDA Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) competitive grant opportunity created to help modernize the technology States use to run and oversee the Child Nutrition Programs (CNPs). The funding authority comes from the 2018 Consolidated Appropriations Act (Public Law 115-141, enacted March 23, 2018), which set aside money for grants aimed at developing or improving automated information systems that support CNP operations and management. For fiscal year 2019, FNS indicated there was about $15 million available in total for this initiative, with the intent of funding a limited number of strong proposals that demonstrate practical, innovative technology upgrades.

The core purpose of the opportunity is to push States toward technology solutions that make program administration more accurate, transparent, and measurable. The request for applications emphasizes improvements in program accountability and data accuracy, better tools for program performance measurement, and stronger capacity to identify and target error-prone areas. That includes pinpointing problem locations or functions across CNP activities, whether at the State level or at the level of Local Educational Agencies (LEAs) and Sponsor Organizations (SOs). In practice, that means proposals should focus on systems and workflows that reduce administrative errors, strengthen oversight, and produce cleaner data that can be used to monitor compliance and performance across programs like the National School Lunch Program, School Breakfast Program, Child and Adult Care Food Program, and Summer Food Service Program.

This opportunity is offered as a discretionary cooperative agreement, meaning recipients should expect ongoing federal involvement or collaboration consistent with that instrument type, rather than a hands-off award. The program is listed under CFDA 10.541 (Food and Nutrition), and the agency administering the opportunity is the Department of Agriculture, Food and Nutrition Service. The funding opportunity number is USDA FNS TIG 2019, with a creation date of November 28, 2018, and an original application closing date of March 5, 2019.

A key structural feature of FY_19_TIG_Grant is that it supports two different grant tracks: Planning Grants and Implementation Grants. Planning Grants are designed for States that need to scope, design, and prepare for a future technology effort, such as conducting needs assessments, defining requirements, developing project plans, or preparing for procurement and deployment. Implementation Grants are intended for States that are ready to build, deploy, or significantly enhance technology solutions and integrate them into real program operations. Importantly, the solicitation restricts applicants to choosing only one track under this 2019 competition: a State may apply for either a Planning Grant or an Implementation Grant, but not both.

The available award details signal a mid-sized, competitive portfolio rather than a high-volume program. The notice anticipates about 8 awards, with an award ceiling of $2,000,000 per award. Taken together with the approximately $15 million total funding level mentioned in the description, this suggests FNS aimed to fund a small set of projects that are substantial enough to produce measurable systems improvements, while still allowing variation in project scope across States depending on readiness and needs.

Eligibility, as described in the narrative, is targeted to State agencies that administer the Child Nutrition Programs, since the goal is to upgrade statewide systems that support CNP oversight and administration. The source data also lists eligible applicants as county governments, which can appear in federal listings for administrative or technical reasons; however, the program description repeatedly frames the intended applicants as State agencies responsible for CNP administration. Overall, the opportunity is best understood as a technology modernization grant for child nutrition program administration, with an emphasis on innovation that strengthens accountability, improves the quality and usability of program data, and helps administrators find and address the specific points in the system where errors are most likely to occur.

• The Department of Agriculture, Food and Nutrition Service in the food and nutrition sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "FY_19_TIG_Grant" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 10.541.
• This funding opportunity was created on Nov 28, 2018.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Mar 05, 2019. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $2,000,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 8 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: County governments.

Apply for USDA FNS TIG 2019

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