WIC Special Project Grants FY 2014

The purpose of the WIC Special Project Grants is to help WIC state agencies develop, implement, and evaluate new or innovative methods of service to meet the changing needs of WIC participants. Section 17(h)(10)(III) of the Child Nutrition Act authorizes funding of special state projects of regional or national significance to improve WIC services. The WIC Special Project Grants are intended to encourage innovative and creative projects that improve the delivery of WIC services and that:

• Demonstrate national or regional significance;
• Produce results which have a demonstrable impact and are sustainable in the absence of special funding;
• Are transferrable to other WIC Programs in the region or nationally;
• Can be evaluated with measurable results; and
• Can be replicated by other WIC Programs.

Critical Dates for 2014 WIC Special Project Grants

Who May Apply

State agencies that administer the WIC Program may apply. Grants may be awarded to individual WIC state agencies or to a consortium of WIC state agencies, as long as one of the agencies is the designated lead agency.

Funding and Duration

FNS expects to have approximately $2,000,000 in fiscal year (FY) 2014 available for Special Project Grants to WIC state agencies. These grant awards are contingent upon the availability of funding. These projects will be awarded as cooperative agreements.

There are three types of WIC Special Project Grants: Full Grants, Mini Grants, and Concept Paper Development Grants:

Full Grants - FNS anticipates awarding up to four (4) Full Grants for $300,000-$400,000 each, depending on the number and quality of applications received and requested budget amounts. The performance period will be from the date of the award through Sept. 30, 2018. (Note: While all major project activities must be completed by Sept. 30, 2017, Grantees will be required to present project findings to FNS in spring 2018. See Grant Requirements in the Request for Application below for more information.)

Mini Grants - FNS anticipates awarding up to ten (10) Mini Grants for up to $50,000 - $75,000 each, depending on the number and quality of applications received and requested budget amounts. The performance period will be from the date of the award through March 30, 2016. (Note: While all major project activities must be completed by March 30, 2016, Grantees will be required to present project findings to FNS in summer 2016. See Grant Requirements in the Request for Application below for more information.)

Concept Paper Development Grants – FNS anticipates awarding up to four (4) grants for up to $24,500 each depending on the quality of the application(s), the availability of funds, and how much of the FY 2014 funds are used to fund the FY 2014 WIC Special Project Full and Mini Grants.

Application Due Date

The completed application package must be uploaded on www.grants.gov at or before 11:59 PM Eastern Daylight Time (EDT) on Sept. 15, 2014.

Submission of Application

FNS will not accept applications sent via U.S. Mail, e-mail, or fax.

1. Submit application by www.grants.gov - This is a government-wide web site designed for electronic submission of applications/proposals. We advise that you allow ample time to familiarize yourself with the system's requirements. You will need both a Data Universal Number (DUNS) and a Contract Registry Number (CCR) to access the system. You can contact Dun and Bradstreet at 1-800-234-3867 to obtain a DUNS number if you do not have one already. Applicants should verify their CCR status and renew registration if needed. Please be aware that the Grants.gov system provides several confirmation notices; you need to be sure that you have confirmation that the application was accepted.
2. Late applications will not be considered in this competition. We will not consider additions or revisions to applications once they are received.
3. Applications submitted without all the required supporting documents, forms, certification, and signatures will not be considered for competition.
4. Applications should clearly indicate submission of a Full Grant, Mini Grant or Concept Paper Development Grant.

All questions regarding the application should be referred to Leslie Byrd via e-mail at leslie.byrd@fns.usda.gov.