From: Wright, Demia S. (CDC/ONDIEH/NCCDPHP)
Sent: Thursday, May 07, 2015 08:26 AM
To: Kaniewski, Margaret (CDC/ONDIEH/NCCDPHP); Wright, Demia S. (CDC/ONDIEH/NCCDPHP)
Subject: FW: Farmers' Markets SNAP Support Grants (FMSSG) Funding Opportunity

Healthier Food Retail Colleagues:

Please see this important funding announcement below from USDA FNS regarding funds to increase SNAP accessibility and participation at farmers’ markets. Per the grant announcement, eligible grant uses include, but are not limited to:

·      Salaries and benefits for time spent on SNAP activities, including:

o   Operating SNAP-EBT machines at market(s);

o   Completing SNAP accounting and reporting tasks for market(s);

o   Creating/operating systems (such as scrip, accounting, record-keeping) necessary to make SNAP operational at market(s); and

o   Training and technical assistance to farmers’ market volunteers, vendors, and employees on SNAP.

·      Creating SNAP outreach and educational materials and performing outreach to current SNAP participants to inform them they may use their SNAP benefits at farmers’ markets; outreach must be conducted in accordance with the Farm Bill prohibitions on recruiting, advertising, and collaboration with foreign governments.

·      Miscellaneous equipment, other than SNAP-EBT equipment -- such as scrip, wifi hotspots, accounting software, etc. – necessary for SNAP-EBT equipment to operate at farmers’ markets.

Regards,
Demia Wright


From: Carrasco, Rogelio - FNS
Sent: Wednesday, May 06, 2015 3:53 PM
Subject: Farmers' Markets SNAP Support Grants (FMSSG) Funding Opportunity

Greetings,

Please disseminate this information as widely and as soon as possible.

On May 5, 2015, the United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) published a Request for Applications (RFA).  The RFA announces the availability of $3.3 million in competitive funds to be awarded through Farmers’ Market SNAP Support Grants (FMSSG) in fiscal year (FY) 2015.  FMSSG funds are intended to increase SNAP accessibility and participation at farmers’ markets, and support the establishment, expansion, and promotion of SNAP/Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) services at farmers’ markets.  Please see the Press Release regarding this opportunity here: http://www.fns.usda.gov/pressrelease/2015/012315.

To read the actual RFA and other grant-related documents, please go to www.grants.gov<http://www.grants.gov>.  There are various ways to search for this opportunity on that site, but an easy way to find it is enter “FMSSG” in the grant.gov<http://grant.gov> search box.  Alternatively, you may find the documents at: http://www.fns.usda.gov/ebt/learn-about-snap-benefits-farmers-markets.

We hope you find this information useful.

Sincerely,

Rogelio Carrasco