Opportunity Information: Apply for USDA NIFA FINI 011905
The Gus Schumacher Nutrition Incentive Program (GusNIP) Nutrition Incentive (NI) grant opportunity, administered by USDA's National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA), funds and evaluates projects that help people who participate in SNAP and related Nutrition Assistance Program (NAP) block grant programs buy more fruits and vegetables. The core idea is to provide a financial incentive at the point of purchase, so that when eligible participants shop, they receive an added benefit that makes fruits and vegetables more affordable and more likely to be purchased. The program is designed to operate across all 50 states plus the District of Columbia, Guam, and the U.S. Virgin Islands, and it also includes NAP block grant participants in Puerto Rico, American Samoa, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. In the notice, "SNAP/NAP" is used as a combined term to refer to both SNAP and the NAP block grant programs.
Eligibility to apply is limited to two main types of applicants: governmental agencies and nonprofit organizations. The applicant organization must meet all eligibility and application requirements described in the Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) by the deadline; otherwise, the application can be rejected or become ineligible for an award. NIFA also points applicants who are newer to federal funding toward its "About Grants" resources to better understand expectations around federal financial assistance, compliance, and the overall award process.
While the eligible applicant must be a government agency or nonprofit, the program strongly supports partnerships and collaboration. Applicants can team up with public or private entities, nonprofits or for-profits, and academic institutions (including Tribal colleges and universities) to strengthen the project and bring in additional capacity or expertise. The NOFO also allows GusNIP-NI applicants to partner with or issue subgrants to a wide range of organizations that may be needed to deliver incentives effectively in real-world food retail settings. Examples named include emergency feeding organizations, agricultural cooperatives, producer networks or associations, community health organizations, public benefit corporations, economic development corporations, farmers markets, community-supported agriculture programs, buying clubs, SNAP/NAP-authorized retail food stores, and Tribal, state, territorial, or local agencies. Subgrants are subject to NIFA approval, and subaward arrangements must follow the restrictions and requirements laid out in the NOFO.
A key administrative point is that only the primary applicant must meet the eligibility requirements to apply directly. However, partner organizations receiving subawards still need to be eligible to receive federal assistance, must maintain an active registration in the System for Award Management (SAM), and cannot be listed as excluded in SAM. The NOFO notes that ineligible organizations are identified in SAM by "Exclusion Type," and applicants are expected to pay attention to those status indicators when building a project team and budget that includes subawards.
The NOFO also addresses situations where a nonprofit cannot accept federal funds directly. In those cases, the application must include a fiscal agent letter stating that, if an award is made, funds will be administered through a designated fiscal agent organization. The fiscal agent must be identified, and the letter must be countersigned by an authorized representative of the fiscal agent. The letter must include basic contact and organizational information (point of contact, address, telephone number, fax number, and email) and must be attached in the application package in the specified location (Field 12, Other Attachments). If the application is recommended for funding, NIFA will request complete management information from both the applicant and the fiscal agent, and the applicant will need to provide documentation confirming nonprofit status as part of that follow-up.
There are also submission limits and other restrictions applicants need to plan around. Only one application may be submitted per eligible entity, defined as an autonomous organization. Organizations that have multiple locations or offices under a larger system generally must submit a single application through the main office or governing system. The NOFO also signals that applicants who want broader reach and scale are encouraged to build coalitions and submit a single coordinated application that covers a larger geography (for example, multi-county, territory-wide, statewide, Tribal Nation, or regional projects) rather than fragmented, overlapping proposals. Separately, USDA notes it will not accept applications involving dangerous gain-of-function research as defined in Section 8 of Executive Order 14292, which is included as a general eligibility and acceptability condition.
From a funding and administrative standpoint, this is a mandatory grant opportunity under CFDA 10.331, with an opportunity number listed as USDA NIFA FINI 011905. The application closing date is June 16, 2026. The maximum award amount (ceiling) is $15,000,000, and NIFA expects to make about 15 awards. Overall, the program is structured to support large, partnership-driven efforts that can demonstrate measurable increases in fruit and vegetable purchases among SNAP/NAP participants, while also meeting federal requirements for eligibility, subawards, and grants management.Apply for USDA NIFA FINI 011905
- The National Institute of Food and Agriculture in the agriculture sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "The Gus Schumacher Nutrition Incentive Program" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 10.331.
- This funding opportunity was created on 2026-05-13.
- Applicants must submit their applications by 2026-06-16. (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 $15,000,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 15 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Others.
[Watch] Creating a grant proposal using the step-by-step wizard inside the applicant portal:
GusNIP Nutrition Incentive (NI) Grant Opportunity FAQs
1) What is the Gus Schumacher Nutrition Incentive Program (GusNIP) Nutrition Incentive (NI) grant?
The GusNIP Nutrition Incentive (NI) grant opportunity, administered by USDA's National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA), funds and evaluates projects that help people participating in SNAP and related Nutrition Assistance Program (NAP) block grant programs buy more fruits and vegetables through financial incentives at the point of purchase.
2) What is the main goal of GusNIP-NI projects?
The core goal is to make fruits and vegetables more affordable for eligible participants by providing a financial incentive at the point of purchase, with the intent of increasing the likelihood that fruits and vegetables are purchased.
3) How do incentives work under this opportunity?
The program is designed around a point-of-purchase financial incentive. When eligible SNAP/NAP participants shop, they receive an added benefit that increases purchasing power for fruits and vegetables.
4) Who does "SNAP/NAP" refer to in this Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO)?
In the NOFO, "SNAP/NAP" is used as a combined term referring to both the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and the Nutrition Assistance Program (NAP) block grant programs.
5) Where can GusNIP-NI projects operate?
The program is designed to operate across all 50 states plus the District of Columbia, Guam, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. It also includes NAP block grant participants in Puerto Rico, American Samoa, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands.
6) What types of organizations are eligible to apply as the primary applicant?
Eligibility to apply directly is limited to two types of applicants: governmental agencies and nonprofit organizations. The primary applicant must meet all eligibility and application requirements in the NOFO by the deadline.
7) What happens if an applicant does not meet NOFO requirements by the deadline?
If the applicant organization does not meet all eligibility and application requirements described in the NOFO by the deadline, the application can be rejected or become ineligible for an award.
8) Can for-profit organizations apply as the primary applicant?
Based on the information provided, only governmental agencies and nonprofit organizations are eligible to apply as the primary applicant. However, the program supports partnerships that can include private entities and for-profits as partners or (where allowed) as subrecipients, consistent with NOFO requirements.
9) Are partnerships encouraged under GusNIP-NI?
Yes. While the eligible applicant must be a government agency or nonprofit, the program strongly supports partnerships and collaboration to strengthen projects and add capacity or expertise.
10) What kinds of partners can be involved in a GusNIP-NI project?
Applicants may collaborate with public or private entities, nonprofits or for-profits, and academic institutions, including Tribal colleges and universities.
11) Can applicants use subgrants or subawards to deliver incentives?
Yes. The NOFO allows GusNIP-NI applicants to partner with or issue subgrants to a wide range of organizations needed to deliver incentives effectively in real-world retail settings, subject to NIFA approval and the NOFO's restrictions and requirements.
12) What are examples of organizations that may receive subgrants under GusNIP-NI?
Examples named in the NOFO include emergency feeding organizations, agricultural cooperatives, producer networks or associations, community health organizations, public benefit corporations, economic development corporations, farmers markets, community-supported agriculture programs, buying clubs, SNAP/NAP-authorized retail food stores, and Tribal, state, territorial, or local agencies.
13) Does every partner organization need to meet the same eligibility rules as the primary applicant?
No. Only the primary applicant must meet the eligibility requirements to apply directly. However, partner organizations receiving subawards still must be eligible to receive federal assistance and must meet certain federal requirements described in the NOFO (including SAM registration and exclusion status checks).
14) What System for Award Management (SAM) requirements apply to subaward recipients?
Organizations receiving subawards must maintain an active registration in SAM and cannot be listed as excluded in SAM.
15) How are ineligible organizations identified in SAM?
The NOFO notes that ineligible organizations are identified in SAM by "Exclusion Type," and applicants are expected to pay attention to these status indicators when planning project teams and subaward budgets.
16) What if a nonprofit cannot accept federal funds directly?
If a nonprofit cannot accept federal funds directly, the application must include a fiscal agent letter stating that, if an award is made, funds will be administered through a designated fiscal agent organization.
17) What must be included in the fiscal agent letter?
The fiscal agent letter must identify the fiscal agent and be countersigned by an authorized representative of the fiscal agent. It must include basic contact and organizational information: point of contact, address, telephone number, fax number, and email.
18) Where should the fiscal agent letter be attached in the application?
The letter must be attached in the application package in the specified location: Field 12, Other Attachments.
19) What happens if the application is recommended for funding when a fiscal agent is used?
If recommended for funding, NIFA will request complete management information from both the applicant and the fiscal agent. The applicant will need to provide documentation confirming nonprofit status as part of that follow-up.
20) How many applications may an eligible entity submit?
Only one application may be submitted per eligible entity, defined as an autonomous organization.
21) How does the one-application limit work for organizations with multiple locations?
Organizations with multiple locations or offices under a larger system generally must submit a single application through the main office or governing system.
22) Does USDA encourage coordinated, larger-scale applications?
Yes. Applicants seeking broader reach and scale are encouraged to build coalitions and submit a single coordinated application covering a larger geography (such as multi-county, territory-wide, statewide, Tribal Nation, or regional projects) rather than fragmented, overlapping proposals.
23) Are there any general restrictions on what kinds of applications USDA will accept?
USDA will not accept applications involving dangerous gain-of-function research as defined in Section 8 of Executive Order 14292, which is included as a general eligibility and acceptability condition.
24) What is the funding type and program identifier for this opportunity?
This is described as a mandatory grant opportunity under CFDA 10.331, with opportunity number USDA NIFA FINI 011905.
25) What is the application deadline?
The application closing date is June 16, 2026.
26) What is the maximum award amount for a single GusNIP-NI grant?
The maximum award amount (ceiling) is $15,000,000.
27) How many awards does NIFA expect to make?
NIFA expects to make about 15 awards.
28) What is NIFA signaling about the size and structure of competitive projects?
Based on the described funding level and emphasis in the NOFO, the program is structured to support large, partnership-driven efforts that can demonstrate measurable increases in fruit and vegetable purchases among SNAP/NAP participants while meeting federal requirements related to eligibility, subawards, and grants management.
29) Where can applicants learn more about federal grant expectations and compliance?
NIFA points applicants who are newer to federal funding toward its "About Grants" resources to better understand expectations around federal financial assistance, compliance, and the award process.
30) Who administers this grant opportunity?
The opportunity is administered by USDA's National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA).
Browse more opportunities from the same category: Agriculture
Next opportunity: YSEALI Summit 2026
Previous opportunity: Inspire Grants for Small Museums (2026)
Applicant Portal:
Are you interested in learning about about how to apply for this government funding opportunity? You can create a free applicant account and receive instant access to our applicant portal that many business owners like you have benefited from.
Apply for USDA NIFA FINI 011905
Applicants also applied for:
Applicants who have applied for this opportunity (USDA NIFA FINI 011905) also looked into and applied for these:
| Funding Opportunity |
|---|
| Special Research Grants Program for Aquaculture Research Apply for USDA NIFA SRGP 011856 Funding Number: USDA NIFA SRGP 011856 Agency: National Institute of Food and Agriculture Category: Agriculture Funding Amount: $300,000 |
Grant application guides and resources
It is always free to apply for government grants. However the process may be very complex depending on the funding opportunity you are applying for. Let us help you!
Apply for Grants
Inside Our Applicants Portal
Access Applicants Portal
- Grants Repository - Access current and historic funding opportunities with ease. Thousands of funding opportunities are published every week. We can help you sort through the database and find the eligible ones to apply for.
- Applicant Video Guides - The grant application process can be challenging to follow. We can help you with intuitive video guides to speed up the process and eliminate errors in submissions.
- Grant Proposal Wizard - We have developed a network of private funding organizations and investors across the United States. We can reach out and submit your proposal to these contacts to maximize your chances of getting the funding you need.
Premium leads for funding administrators, grant writers, and loan issuers
Thousands of people visit our website for their funding needs every day. When a user creates a grant proposal and files for submission, we pass the information on to funding administrators, grant writers, and government loan issuers.
If you manage government grant programs, provide grant writing services, or issue personal or government loans, we can help you reach your audience.
Learn More
Request more information:
Would you like to learn more about this funding opportunity, similar opportunities to "USDA NIFA FINI 011905", eligibility, application service, and/or application tips? Submit an inquiry below:
Don't forget to subscribe to our grant alerts mailing list to receive weekly alerts on new and updated grant funding opportunities like this one in your email.