USDA-FNS-Hunger Free

The Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has $5 million available in Fiscal Year (FY) 2010 for a Hunger-Free Communities grant competition. The Hunger-Free Communities grants will be awarded under authority provided by the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008, Section 4405, 7 U.S.C. 8701 which authorizes the Secretary of Agriculture to award grants to meet the Hunger-Free Communities goals described in the H. Con. Res. 302 (102nd Congress). These goals are listed in this section, under Background.Section 4405 of the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 authorizes Hunger-Free Communities Collaborative Grants and Hunger-Free Communities Infrastructure Grants. The entire $5 million will be used for Hunger-Free Collaborative Grants since the FY2010 Agriculture Appropriations Act separately provided $6 million for The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP) infrastructure grants, which have a similar purpose to that of the Hunger-Free Communities infrastructures.The purpose of this grant is to establish hunger-free communities and learn more about effective strategies to reduce hunger in the United States. There are two models of grants: planning and assessment grants and implementation grants. A community may only apply for one model of grant as part of this grant solicitation; however, those communities receiving a planning and assessment grant may apply for an implementation grant in a future year if additional funds are made available to continue this program.