Opportunity Information: Apply for USDA FNS SNAP SFMMA 2023
The USDA Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) grant opportunity titled "Mobile Application Cooperative Agreement, SNAP Farmers and Markets" (USDA FNS SNAP SFMMA 2023) is a three-year cooperative agreement designed to expand and simplify SNAP acceptance in direct-to-consumer farm sales. The central goal is to help direct marketing farmers (DMFs) and farmers markets (FMs) evaluate, with little to no financial burden, whether accepting SNAP is worthwhile for their operations, while also increasing SNAP participants' access to fresh food sold through farmers markets and other direct marketing channels such as roadside stands and pick-your-own farms. In practical terms, the program aims to remove cost and technical barriers that often prevent smaller or decentralized sellers from offering SNAP transactions, and to make it easier for SNAP shoppers to use their benefits in more places where local food is sold.
Funding is capped at 4,000,000 total over the performance period, with FNS anticipating up to four awards. The funding instrument is a cooperative agreement, meaning the selected recipient should expect substantial involvement or partnership-like engagement with FNS compared to a typical grant. The work is situated within the Food and Nutrition funding activity area and is associated with CFDA number 10.545. The application window referenced in the posting opened around July 6, 2023 and closed September 5, 2023.
A major feature of this opportunity is its emphasis on implementation and scaling of secure mobile transaction processing rather than building a brand-new product from scratch. The cooperator is expected to use a secure SNAP Mobile Transaction Processing Application (referred to as "The App") as a core tool to support transaction processing for eligible sellers. The agreement is explicitly not intended to fund development of an untested SNAP mobile application. Instead, it focuses on helping DMFs and farmers markets become SNAP-authorized (where needed), supporting day-to-day transaction processing, and providing the outreach and technical assistance required for successful adoption. That includes guiding vendors through SNAP authorization steps, troubleshooting operational issues, training staff, promoting vendor participation, and helping ensure that transactions can be conducted securely and correctly in real-world market environments.
While new, unproven SNAP app development is not the objective, the opportunity does allow for collaboration or coordination with the existing App provider to add features that could enable transaction processing for other federal nutrition assistance programs. This signals an interest in interoperability and expanding functionality over time, but only as an enhancement to an established platform rather than as a primary development project.
Eligibility is limited primarily to nonprofit organizations and institutes of higher education. Specifically listed eligible applicants include 501(c)(3) nonprofits (other than higher education institutions), public and state-controlled institutions of higher education, and certain housing authorities (public housing authorities and Indian housing authorities). The overall intent is to place the work with mission-driven organizations or academic institutions capable of coordinating outreach, training, compliance support, and technical assistance at scale, while partnering with an existing secure mobile transaction solution to increase SNAP acceptance across farmers markets and direct marketing farm businesses.Apply for USDA FNS SNAP SFMMA 2023
- The Department of Agriculture, Food and Nutrition Service in the food and nutrition sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Mobile Application Cooperative Agreement, SNAP Farmers and Markets" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 10.545.
- This funding opportunity was created on Jul 06, 2023.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Sep 05, 2023. (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 $4,000,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 4 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, Public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities, Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education.
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FAQs: USDA FNS Mobile Application Cooperative Agreement, SNAP Farmers and Markets (USDA FNS SNAP SFMMA 2023)
1) What is the purpose of the USDA FNS "Mobile Application Cooperative Agreement, SNAP Farmers and Markets" opportunity?
The purpose is to expand and simplify SNAP acceptance in direct-to-consumer farm sales by reducing cost and technical barriers that keep smaller or decentralized sellers from offering SNAP. The program aims to help direct marketing farmers (DMFs) and farmers markets (FMs) evaluate whether accepting SNAP makes sense for their operations with little to no financial burden, while improving SNAP participants' access to fresh food sold through farmers markets and other direct marketing channels.
2) What types of sellers and sales channels does this opportunity focus on?
It focuses on direct marketing farmers (DMFs) and farmers markets (FMs), including direct marketing channels such as roadside stands and pick-your-own farms, along with farmers markets and similar direct-to-consumer settings.
3) What is the overall performance period and type of funding instrument?
The opportunity is a three-year cooperative agreement. A cooperative agreement indicates substantial involvement by USDA FNS, with an expectation of partnership-like engagement compared to a typical grant.
4) How much funding is available, and how many awards are anticipated?
Total funding is capped at $4,000,000 over the performance period. USDA FNS anticipates making up to four awards.
5) What does it mean that this is a cooperative agreement rather than a standard grant?
It means the selected recipient should expect substantial involvement from USDA FNS, with active coordination or engagement during implementation, rather than a more hands-off grant relationship.
6) What is the central implementation tool referenced in the opportunity?
The agreement centers on using a secure SNAP Mobile Transaction Processing Application ("The App") as the core tool to support transaction processing for eligible sellers.
7) Is this opportunity intended to fund development of a brand-new SNAP mobile application?
No. The opportunity is explicitly not intended to fund development of an untested SNAP mobile application. The emphasis is on implementing and scaling secure mobile transaction processing using an established secure application.
8) If new app development is not the goal, what kinds of activities are supported?
Supported activities include implementing and scaling secure mobile SNAP transaction processing; helping DMFs and farmers markets become SNAP-authorized where needed; supporting day-to-day transaction processing; and providing outreach and technical assistance such as training, troubleshooting operational issues, promoting vendor participation, and supporting secure and correct transaction execution in real market environments.
9) What does "helping vendors become SNAP-authorized" involve in this context?
Based on the opportunity description, it involves guiding vendors through SNAP authorization steps where needed, as part of the broader effort to increase SNAP acceptance at farmers markets and direct marketing farm operations.
10) Does the opportunity include training and technical assistance requirements?
Yes. The cooperator is expected to provide outreach and technical assistance required for adoption, including staff training, troubleshooting operational issues, and supporting vendors in real-world market environments so transactions can be conducted securely and correctly.
11) Is improving SNAP participant access to fresh local food an explicit objective?
Yes. A stated goal is to increase SNAP participants' access to fresh food sold through farmers markets and other direct marketing channels.
12) Does the opportunity allow adding features to support other federal nutrition assistance programs?
Yes, it allows collaboration or coordination with the existing App provider to add features that could enable transaction processing for other federal nutrition assistance programs. This is framed as an enhancement to an established platform, not a primary new product development effort.
13) Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is limited primarily to nonprofit organizations and institutes of higher education. Specifically listed eligible applicants include 501(c)(3) nonprofits (other than higher education institutions), public and state-controlled institutions of higher education, and certain housing authorities (public housing authorities and Indian housing authorities).
14) Are for-profit entities listed as eligible applicants?
No for-profit eligibility is stated in the provided opportunity summary. The listed eligible categories are nonprofit organizations, certain higher education institutions, and certain housing authorities.
15) What USDA program area and assistance listing is this opportunity associated with?
It is situated within the Food and Nutrition funding activity area and associated with CFDA number 10.545.
16) When did the application window open and close (as referenced in the posting)?
The posting references an application window that opened around July 6, 2023 and closed September 5, 2023.
17) How does this opportunity reduce barriers for smaller or decentralized sellers?
It aims to remove cost and technical barriers by scaling a secure mobile transaction processing approach, paired with outreach, authorization support, training, troubleshooting, and operational assistance to help sellers offer SNAP transactions effectively.
18) What is the intended outcome for DMFs and farmers markets in terms of decision-making?
The opportunity is designed so DMFs and farmers markets can evaluate, with little to no financial burden, whether accepting SNAP is worthwhile for their operations.
19) What is meant by "implementation and scaling" in this opportunity?
It refers to deploying and expanding use of a secure SNAP mobile transaction processing application across eligible sellers, focusing on real-world adoption, operations, and support rather than creating an untested application.
20) What role does vendor outreach play in the project?
Vendor outreach is part of the expected work, including promoting vendor participation and providing the guidance needed for successful SNAP acceptance and secure transaction processing.
21) What kinds of operational support are envisioned during day-to-day use?
The description highlights day-to-day transaction processing support, troubleshooting operational issues, and ensuring transactions can be conducted securely and correctly in real-world market environments.
22) Why does the opportunity emphasize using an existing secure app?
The stated emphasis is on reducing risk and barriers by focusing on implementation of secure mobile transaction processing rather than funding development of an untested SNAP mobile application.
23) Does the opportunity appear to prioritize scalability and broader adoption?
Yes. The opportunity repeatedly emphasizes implementation and scaling, suggesting a focus on expanding SNAP acceptance across multiple direct marketing sellers and farmers markets.
24) What is the official title and short identifier of the opportunity?
The title is "Mobile Application Cooperative Agreement, SNAP Farmers and Markets" and the identifier referenced is USDA FNS SNAP SFMMA 2023.
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