Grants for State governments - Food and Nutrition

The purpose of the SNAP Fraud Framework Implementation Grant Program is to support State agency efforts to improve and expand recipient fraud prevention, detection, and investigation efforts using the procedures, ideas and practices outlined in the SNAP Fraud Framework.Organizational Management: This objective aims to help States establish and communicate priorities, organize employees, and manage both large-scale and day-to-day processes. Many of the concepts described in this component are the foundation for successful program integrity initiatives.Performance Measurement: This objective offers recommendations encouraging States to consistently capture and analyze their own performance.Recipient Integrity Education: This objective provides targeted integrity education initiatives to help ensure recipients have the necessary information and tools to use SNAP benefits as intendedpreventing fraud before it occurs. When producing recipient integrity education materials, States are encouraged to educate the public and applicants about SNAP fraud, rather than emphasize the consequences as a deterrent to applying.Fraud Detection: Here, the SNAP Fraud Framework stresses the importance of proactively detecting fraud from the application process and continuing throughout the recipients time in the Program.Investigations and Dispositions: This objective aims to provide states with tools and suggestions to improve fraud case management from initial fraud referral through disposition.Analytics and Data Management: This objective details the necessary people, processes, and technology to launch and maintain an analytics capability. Data analytics can play a valuable role in preventing, detecting, and investigating SNAP fraud.Learning and Development: The final objective contains recommendations for States to invest in training and professional development opportunities to promote employee engagement and to ensure employees are aware of new and emerging trends in fraud.Please read the entire request for applications (RFA) for additional information.

Fiscal Year 2024 Key Objectives Application proposals must include at least one of the following three objectives identified below. Proposals may contain more than one objective. As noted in Section 4, applicants must map their proposed activities and indicators measuring success to the objective(s) using the Activities/Indicators Tracker. If awarded, grantees will be required to use the FNS-908 Performance Progress Report to report on progress towards activities that align with the required objective(s) listed on the Activities/Indicators Tracker. Carefully considering proposed activities and indicators will prepare grantees for their performance progress reporting requirements if awarded. The project examples aligned with each objective listed below are only suggestions. A PTIG project may assist State agencies in making investments in systems to improve efficiency, provide excellent customer service, and meet Federal standards as they face unprecedented operational challenges. FNS welcomes other projects that support these objectives and encourages applicants to propose innovative ideas to solve both common and unique problems associated with SNAP application and eligibility processes. 1. Modernize SNAP customer service and client communication to improve accessibility, transparency, and responsiveness in processing applications and determining eligibility. 2. Improve administrative infrastructure and day-to-day SNAP operations in processing applications and determining eligibility. 3. Invest in technology and systems to encourage cross collaboration and cross enrollment between SNAP and other Federal, State, and local assistance programs. Please read the full announcement for additional details.

Summer Meal Program Expansion Grant Applications for the new Summer Meal Program Expansion Grant program are now open through May 7! Program Overview: The Iowa Department of Education has received $900,000 to support the enhancement and expansion of summer meal programs in currently underserved and eligible areas. Program Details: Funding Source: $900,000 from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Purpose: Enhance and expand summer meal programs in underserved areas. Target Audience: Iowa children ages 18 and under. Programs Supported: Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) and Seamless Summer Option (SSO). Grant Opportunity: Provides additional revenue source for summer meal programs beyond federal meal reimbursement. Allowable Expenses: Enhancing meal quality, incorporating locally grown foods, updating program equipment, conducting program outreach, and operational/administrative personnel expenses not fully covered through meal reimbursement. Eligible Sites for Expansion: Possible new meal site locations include: Schools Community buildings Libraries Apartment complexes Parks Swimming pools Splash pads Churches Other public sites where children gather Non-Congregate Distribution: Non-congregate distribution may be an option for State agency approved sponsors in rural areas unserved by a congregate meal service. Application Deadline: May 7 Don't miss this opportunity to expand summer meal programs and ensure Iowa children have access to healthy meals during the summer break! Apply now!

The purpose of this Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) is to solicit grant applications from neutral, independent institutions and/or organizations to support meetings (e.g., conferences, workgroups, roundtables) that convene a broad range of multiple stakeholders, including those with relevant expertise, to explore, research, and address issues related to medical products, policy, and surveillance methods and systems. Support includes, but is not limited to the design, planning, execution, synthesis, summary, and communication of findings from these forums to a broad range of organizations and individuals.

In this grant program, the Jonathan and Barbara Silver Foundation’s goal is to encourage and support sculptors, whether emerging or established, and writers about sculpture. Donor Name: The Jonathan and Barbara Silver Foundation State: All States County: All Counties Type of Grant: Grant Deadline: 05/31/2024 Size of the Grant: $10,000 to $100,000 Grant Duration: 2 Years Details: The writing grant is specifically for a writer who generates fresh writing and thinking on the history, aesthetics, purposes, imagination or situation of sculpture. Supported categories of writing include essays and books. Essays: magazine essays, catalogue essays, book essays Books: research or manuscripts currently in process or nearing completion. Funding Information The JBSF offers one $20,000 grant per year. The JBSF grant program operates on a 2-year cycle with alternating grants that support writing in even years and sculpture in odd years. Eligible Expenses  Writer’s fee (amount incurred by creating time to write) Research Travel (airfare, car rental, ground transportation, lodging, meals, per diem) Living expenses (including childcare) Fees for image permission Reproduction and copying costs Costs relating to editing, transcription, or translation Expenses relating to the following are NOT eligible and your application will be rejected if your budget proposes to use the grant funds for any of these: loans or other debts: reimbursement of payments already incurred; purchase of land or building; tuition expenses; fees paid to third parties for promotion, marketing, or sale of work; commissioning work by others; health-related expenses (dentistry, hospitalization, etc.). Eligibility Criteria  You are eligible to apply for the grant in writing on sculpture if you meet the following requirements: You are an individual. You are a citizen or permanent resident of the United States, or you hold an O-1 Visa. At least one example of your writing has been published for the first time within the last five years (between January 1, 2019, and the present). Types of eligible work: Books, essays, memoirs. Minimum requirements for submitting writing samples: Up to three published writings from magazines, literary journals, or other publications (including online). The samples can originate from the same publication (although submitting samples from diverse publications is encouraged). No sample should be longer than 2,500 words. If the original text exceeds 2,500 words, the sample can be an excerpt from it. The samples should demonstrate your strength as a writer and their relevance to your project proposal. The following types of work are NOT eligible: pre-publication material, such as proofs; work that has appeared in a publication for which you are the publisher or editor; collaborative writing; news reporting; letters to the editor; social media posts; essays on one’s own art or writing practice; student publications (including dissertations-theses). You are not eligible if you are an employee, consultant, or board member of the Jonathan and Barbara Silver Foundation, or an immediate family member of such a person. Guidelines The Application consists of the following sections: Personal Information Project Proposal (2 parts) Budget Proposal CV upload Bio (optional) References (2) Writing sample uploads (up to 3). For more information, visit JBSF.

Through the support of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), UIHI launched a nationwide initiative to not only enhance evidence-based culturally rigorous chronic disease prevention programs, but also enhance public health infrastructure among urban Indian organizations. Donor Name: Urban Indian Health Institute State: All States County: All Counties Type of Grant: Grant Deadline: 06/28/2024 Size of the Grant: $1000 to $10,000 Grant Duration: 1 Year Details: In this upcoming grant cycle, Sweetgrass funds will focus on Indigenous approaches to initiatives that address the following areas in preventing chronic diseases: Obesity Prevention, Commercial Tobacco Use Prevention and Cessation, Type 2 Diabetes, and Heart Disease and Stroke. Priority Approaches  Funding that you receive may be used for expanding previous projects related to obesity prevention, commercial tobacco use prevention and cessation promotion, type 2 diabetes prevention, and heart disease and stroke prevention. The Community Grants Program Request for Applications (RFA) (RFA – Community Grants) encourages the use of AI/AN traditional, cultural, and regional knowledge in developing, implementing, and/or supporting chronic disease education, prevention, and management initiatives amongst urban Indian communities. Examples include chronic disease prevention and education, and/or management activities that: use cultural or regional adaptations of chronic disease prevention education program components, curriculums, toolkits, etc.; reclaim traditional knowledge of nutrition and use of first foods; promote access to or use of physical activity and other lifestyle modifications; engage Native youth and/or elders; address perceptions and beliefs and promote traditional values; or promote activities that emphasize community-driven planning for chronic disease prevention and control such as community needs assessments. Funding Information Funding Amount: $10,000. Funding Period: September 30, 2024–September 29, 2025. Geographic Diversity UIHI wants to have a broad reach across the United States. Eligibility Requirements To be eligible for funding under this application, the organization must be one of the following: An Urban Indian Organization (UIO) – a Title V program as defined by the Indian Health Service; A member of the National Urban Indian Family Coalition (NUIFC); A not-for-profit urban Indian organization whose leadership and board are made up of a majority of urban Indians, and whose mission is to provide public health services to urban Indians may be eligible to apply on a case-by-case basis. Applicants must also participate in performance measurement, evaluation activities, and a chronic disease community of practice (includes annual webinar-based trainings and optional technical assistance services) to be coordinated by UIHI. For more information, visit UIHI.

This grant provides funding for clinicians to conduct independent clinical trials and develop their research skills through mentorship, focusing on patient-oriented studies that directly involve human subjects.

This grant provides funding to support clinicians in developing their research careers focused on patient-oriented studies, allowing them to gain skills and experience while working closely with human subjects.

The MassDEP Reduce, Reuse, Repair Micro-Grant program provides grants of up to $10,000 to for-profit and non-profit organizations, regional authorities, eligible municipalities, and schools/colleges, for short-term waste reduction projects. Donor Name: Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP) State: Massachusetts County: All Counties Type of Grant: Grant Deadline: 05/15/2024 Size of the Grant: $100,000 to $500,000 Grant Duration: Grant Duration Not Mentioned Details: Projects must focus on reducing waste generation and prolonging the lifespan of products via donation, rescue, reuse and/or repair in Massachusetts. Funding Information Individual Micro-Grants have a maximum award of $10,000, with a total available budget up to $125,000. MassDEP reserves the right to award more or less than the full budget available for this program. Eligible Expenses Grant funds may be used for costs associated with developing and implementing the proposed project such as, equipment, signage, outreach/education, event space rental fees, event marketing/promotion, professional services (e.g., legal, engineering, design) and new personnel (consultants, contractors, or staff that will dedicate additional hours to the proposed project for a specified and finite period of time). Eligible Projects  Eligible projects include but are not limited to: Purchase inventory technology or other software to increase operational efficiencies. Examples include inventory management systems, online market-place platform development, environmental benefits calculators, and reporting systems. Develop or expand programs to collect and redistribute reusable clothing, footwear, bedding, electronics, home goods, and other items via social service agency networks, furniture banks, schools, and institutions. Develop reusable transport packaging systems that replace limited-life packaging used in manufacturing, transportation and/or distribution with durable alternatives designed for many years of use. Examples include the replacement of cardboard boxes with reusable hand-held plastic totes or crates and switching to reusable pallet wraps instead of using disposable plastic film used to secure loads onto pallets. Convert from single-use to reusable food service ware at schools, food service businesses, or institutional cafeterias (e.g., dishwashers, electrical, plumbing, minor kitchen modifications and/or reusable dishware). Note: Purchase of food service ware for establishing a new program/new construction is excluded. Install bulk dispensing systems in commercial, retail and/or hospitality settings for food, beverages, personal care products (soap, shampoo, lotion), or cleaning products. Projects must replace single-use packaging. Develop or expand programs to repair used furniture, appliances, electronics, bicycles, or durable household goods for resale or distribution. May include purchase of tools and supplies and/or set-up of training program. Develop textile/clothing/footwear repair programs, at or in conjunction with a second-hand goods retailer or distributor. Creation or expansion of food donation collection, storage, and distribution programs (e.g., purchase of community fridge or pantry at a community center for food rescue distribution). Develop community repair training or apprenticeship program for home goods, textiles, clothing, footwear, electronics, bicycles, etc. Develop and host trainings on deconstruction techniques targeting the construction industry, tech/carpentry schools, or individuals engaged in building and renovation work. Conduct a deconstruction pilot program involving one or more buildings (municipal or private). Promote recovery and resale of used building materials in remodel, renovation, and new construction projects to close the loop and reduce waste. Develop/expand and promote community tool-lending libraries or Library of Things. Develop and/or promote statewide community repair or fix-it events for the general public; set up a community repair space. Eligible Applicants An organization or business (for-profit or non-profit) properly licensed to do business in Massachusetts. A regional entity, such as a solid waste management district, solid waste/recycling cooperative or regional planning authority, as long as the entity is recognized as a governmental body under Mass General Laws. An individual Massachusetts city or town, or a MA municipality acting as a lead for a multi-town regional initiative. Pre-K-12 schools, as well as colleges and universities, both public and private. For more information, visit MassDEP.

This funding opportunity supports U.S. institutions in developing educational programs that provide undergraduate and early-stage graduate students with hands-on research experiences in kidney technology development and entrepreneurship.

The objective of this Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) is to invite new and renewal applications for the Rare Diseases Clinical Research Consortia (RDCRC) that comprise the Rare Diseases Clinical Research Network (RDCRN). The RDCRCs are intended to advance and improve diagnosis, management, and treatment of numerous, diverse rare diseases through highly collaborative, multi-site, patient-centric, translational and clinical research. Special emphasis will be placed on the early and timely identification of individuals with rare diseases and clinical trial readiness.

The three-phase $2.25 million Silicon Carbide (SiC) Packaging Prize—launched by the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) Office of Electricity—invites competitors to propose, design, build, and test state-of-the-art SiC packaging prototypes that move the industry beyond its current state. Donor Name: U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) State: All States County: All Counties Type of Grant: Grant Deadline: 08/31/2024 Size of the Grant: $100,000 to $500,000 Grant Duration: Grant Duration Not Mentioned Details: This prize establishes a final goal of developing 10-kV, 2,000-A rated SiC power modules that expand the state of the art in semiconductor packaging. Silicon carbide devices have become prime candidates for future high-performance power electronics due to their high breakdown voltage, low switching loss, and high-temperature operation. However, conventional packaging techniques limit the performance of SiC power modules because of parasitic inductance and heat dissipation issues. To enable grid-based applications, SiC power module capabilities need to be expanded to handle higher voltage and higher current than commercially available products. Toward this end, the DOE Office of Electricity established the American-Made SiC Packaging Prize as a three-phase contest to achieve the goals stated above. Program Goal Requirements Only submissions relevant to the goals of this program are eligible to compete. The Prize Administrator must conclude that all the following statements are true when applied to your submission: The proposed solution is related to the SiC Semiconductor packaging industry. The majority of activities that are described in and support the submission package are performed in the United States and have the potential to benefit the U.S. market. The proposed solution represents an innovation that will move the industry beyond its current state. The proposed solution is not dependent on new, pending, or proposed federal, state, or local government legislation, resolutions, appropriations, measures, or policies. The proposed solution does not involve the lobbying of any federal, state, or local government office The proposed solution is based on fundamental technical principles and is consistent with a basic understanding of the U.S. market economy The submission content sufficiently confirms the competitor’s intent to commercialize early-stage technology and establish a viable U.S.-based business in the near future with revenues that do not solely depend on licensing fees of intellectual property Phases and Prizes Phase 1 – Design Study Competitors will describe their team, their plan to make progress toward SiC packaging, showcase their current prototypes, and provide evidence of their current metrics that are in alignment with the goals of the prize. The goal of this phase is to develop a set of design documents for a Phase 2 prototype which adheres to the requirements set. Prizes- Up to 10 winners of $50,000 each Phase 2 – Initial Demonstration In Phase 2, winners from Phase 1 will showcase and demonstrate the advancements made during the prize competition in packaging solutions for SiC modules, meeting, exceeding, or making progress toward the Phase 2 performance metrics as outlined in the rules. This phase is designed to act as a milestone towards achieving the Phase 3 target with the goal of innovating towards an improvement over state-of-the-art packaging and creating transformative solutions. Prizes- Up to 4 winners of $250,000 each Phase 3 – Final Demonstration Competitors will demonstrate an advancement in packaging solutions for SiC modules, meeting or exceeding the Phase 3 performance metrics as outlined in the rules. The goal of the final phase is to achieve the high voltage and high current targets, while continuing to innovate towards an improvement over state-of-the-art packaging and creating transformative solutions. Prizes- Up to 1 winner of $750,000 Eligibility Criteria The competition is open only to private entities (for-profits and nonprofits); nonfederal government entities such as states, counties, tribes, and municipalities; academic institutions; and individuals, subject to the following requirements: Private entities must be incorporated in and maintain a primary place of business in the United States. Academic institutions must be based in the United States. An individual prize competitor or group of competitors who are not competing as part of an incorporated private entity must all be U.S. citizens or legal permanent residents. Individuals competing as part of an incorporated private entity may participate if they are legally allowed to work in the United States. DOE employees, employees of sponsoring organizations, members of their immediate families (e.g., spouses, children, siblings, or parents), and persons living in the same household as such persons, whether or not related, are not eligible to participate in the prize. Individuals who worked at DOE (federal employees or support service contractors) within 6 months prior to the submission deadline of any contest are not eligible to participate in any prize contests in this program. Federal entities and federal employees are not eligible to participate in any portion of the prize. DOE national laboratory employees cannot compete in the prize. Entities and individuals publicly banned from doing business with the U.S. government such as entities and individuals debarred, suspended, or otherwise excluded from or ineligible for participating in federal programs are not eligible to compete. Individuals participating in a foreign government talent recruitment program1 sponsored by a country of risk2 and teams that include such individuals are not eligible to compete. Entities owned by, controlled by, or subject to the jurisdiction or direction of a government of a country of risk are not eligible to compete. Phase 2 Eligibility  Only winners of Phase 1 are eligible to compete in Phase 2. Phase 3 Eligibility  Only winners of Phase 2 are eligible to compete in Phase 3. For more information, visit DOE.

This Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) requests applications to explore human pancreatic tissues and the immune compartment for the discovery of specific signaling or processing pathways that may contribute to the asymptomatic phase of T1D, the discovery of early biomarkers of T1D pathogenesis, the development of diagnostic tools for the detection and staging of early T1D in at-risk or recently-diagnosed individuals, and/or the identification and biological validation of therapeutic targets for the development of preventative or early treatment strategies. Successful applicants will join the Consortium on Beta Cell Death and Survival (CBDS), whose mission is to better define and detect the mechanisms of beta cell stress and destruction central to the development of T1D in humans, with the long-term goal of protecting the residual beta cell mass in T1D patients as early as possible in the disease process, and of preventing the progression to autoimmunity. The CBDS is part of a collaborative research framework, the Human Islet Research Network (HIRN, https://hirnetwork.org/), whose overall mission is to support innovative and collaborative translational research to understand how human beta cells are lost in T1D, and to find innovative strategies to protect and replace functional beta cell mass in humans. This NOFO will only support studies with a primary focus on increasing our understanding of human disease biology (as opposed to rodent or other animal models). This NOFO will not accept applications proposing a clinical trial.

The main objective of this NOFO is to foster development and testing of technologies adaptable to aging-related changes in older adults (aged 65 years or older) with T1D to improve diabetes management and quality of life. Older adults may have increased vulnerability to hypoglycemia, cognitive impairment and/or multiple co-morbidities which may affect the risks and benefits of these technologies in this population. Projects will be funded to a) develop and test new technologies and b) to adapt and test existing technologies. It is expected that aging-adaptive diabetes technologies that address barriers for use among older adults with T1D will improve usability, adoption and adherence decreasing the risk of hypoglycemia (and hypoglycemia unawareness) while enhancing glycemic control, facilitating better diabetes management, and improving quality of life for these individuals and their caregivers.

This Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) invites applications for Diabetes Research Centers (DRCs) that are designed to support and enhance the national research effort in diabetes, its complications, and related endocrine and metabolic diseases. The purpose of this Centers program is to bring together basic and clinical investigators to enhance communication, multidisciplinary collaboration, and effectiveness of ongoing research in Diabetes Research Center topic areas. By providing shared access to specialized technical resources (research cores) and supporting a Pilot and Feasibility Program (P and F), DRCs are intended to create an environment that provides the capability for accomplishments greater than those that would be possible by individual research project grant support alone. New Center programs that bring in diverse perspectives, propose unique scientific themes, or provide innovative resources are encouraged. Emphasis will be placed on Center programs that propose enhanced synergies with other NIDDK-funded programs as well as providing a rich mentoring environment for future diabetes researchers. This NOFO requires a Plan for Enhancing Diverse Perspectives (PEDP), which will be assessed as part of the scientific and technical peer review evaluation. Applications that fail to include a PEDP will be considered incomplete and will be withdrawn. Applicants are strongly encouraged to read the NOFO instructions carefully and view the available PEDP guidance material.

This funding opportunity provides financial support for researchers developing innovative, non-opioid treatments for various types of pain, with a focus on early-stage studies and collaboration with underrepresented populations.

This program provides financial assistance to low-income families to improve their home's energy efficiency, helping them save on energy costs while ensuring their health and safety.

This funding opportunity supports innovative pilot research projects that explore the biological, behavioral, and social factors influencing HIV-related health issues, particularly those affecting kidney and digestive diseases.

Notice of Funding Opportunity Description Background The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) protects the public health by ensuring that medical products intended to be marketed in the United States are safe and effective for their intended use. FDA stakeholders are exploring innovative ways to produce scientific evidence in support of regulatory submissions, including the development of new data sources, study designs, methodologies, and technologies. FDA encourages and facilitates the use of such innovative approaches while ensuring that the scientific evidence supporting marketing approvals meet our high evidentiary standards. The Prescription Drug User Fee Act VII (PDUFA VII) commitment letter represents the product of discussions between the FDA, regulated industry, and public stakeholders, as mandated by Congress. The performance and procedural goals and other commitments specified in the PDUFA VII commitment letter apply to aspects of the human drug review program that are important for facilitating timely access to safe, effective, and innovative new medicines for patients. The commitment letter includes goals relating to the use of digital health technologies (DHTs) to support drug development and review. A DHT is a system that uses computing platforms, connectivity, software, and/or sensors, for health care and related uses. DHTs for remote data acquisition in clinical investigations can include hardware and/or software to perform one or more functions. DHTs may rely on or work with other technologies that support their operation, such as general-purpose computing platforms (e.g., smartphones) and communication networks. Among other activities relating to the use of DHTs, FDA has established a Framework for the Use of DHTs in Drug and Biological Product Development to guide the use of DHT-derived data in regulatory decision-making for drugs (hereinafter Framework ). The Framework highlights FDA’s DHT efforts including workshops and demonstration projects; engagement with stakeholders; establishment of internal processes to support the evaluation of DHTs for use in drug development; promotion of shared learning and consistency regarding DHT-based policy, procedure, and analytic tool development; and publication of guidance documents. In addition, FDA’s webpage DHTs for Drug Development (available at: https://www.fda.gov/science-research/science-and-research-special-topics/digital-health-technologies-dhts-drug-development) provides an overview of the ongoing DHT efforts, including demonstration projects. A variety of project types are welcomed under this NOFO, applicable to drugs and biologics (not devices). FDA is particularly interested in projects that evaluate the use of DHTs in drug development. Project Objectives The overarching goal of this notice of funding opportunity (NOFO) is to explore the role of DHTs (e.g., actigraphy, photography, environmental sensors) in the evaluation of new drugs. These projects may involve engagement with researchers from academia, the biopharmaceutical industry, patient groups, and other stakeholders. The objectives of these projects are to advance DHTs for clinical drug development, expand the ability to capture early manifestations of chronic diseases, determine outcomes in populations with unmet medical needs and enhance convenience for trial participants by allowing for remote data acquisition in clinical investigations. The scope includes, but is not limited to, projects that focus on: Comparing digital measurements to traditional measurements in clinical trials to evaluate drugs Developing and evaluating novel endpoints using DHTs to address unmet needs for drug clinical trials (e.g., use of environmental sensors to capture apnea in pediatric patients) Comparing metrics to evaluate continuous measurements (e.g., maximum activity and stamina) Capturing early manifestations of chronic diseases (e.g., dementia) through the use of DHTs

Notice of Funding Opportunity Description The Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Office of Regulatory Affairs (ORA)is announcing the availability of up to $1,125,000 in FY 2024 to be awarded under Limited Competition to State animal food regulatory programs. The intended outcome of this NOFO is to advance efforts for a nationally integrated animal food safety system through the implementation and advancement of the Animal Food Regulatory Program Standards (AFRPS) by State animal food regulatory programs. Applicants must refer to the Eligibility section of this NOFO to determine which funding track they should apply for: AFRPS Development or AFRPS Maintenance. Applicants should take sustainability into account when designing projects proposed under this cooperative agreement to maximize the longevity of resulting outcomes, resources, and program infrastructure beyond the end of the project period. The AFRPS allows for the development of risk-based animal food safety programs by establishing a uniform basis for measuring, evaluating, and improving the performance of State animal food regulatory programs in the Unites States. By achieving and maintaining implementation of these program Standards, Federal and State food regulatory programs can better direct their regulatory activities toward preventing animal food safety hazards, that can cause illness or injury to animals or humans, in facilities that manufacture, process, pack, or hold animal food materials/supplies. Consequently, the safety and security of the United States animal food supply and protection of human public health will improve. The AFRPS are comprised of eleven Standards (See link below in Program Goals Section) which establish foundations for the critical elements that serve as an objective framework to evaluate and improve components of a State animal food program. These elements cover the State animal food program's regulatory foundation, training, inspection program, auditing, animal food-related illness or death and emergency response, enforcement program, outreach activities, planning and resources, laboratory services, sampling program, and assessment and improvement of Standard implementation. Achieving and maintaining implementation of the program Standards will require comprehensive self-assessment on the part of a State program and will encourage continuous improvement and innovation. FDA recognizes that the time required for achieving full implementation of the AFRPS will vary between States. However, all State animal food regulatory programs will be expected to implement improvement plans to ensure continuous improvement and demonstrate that they are moving towards full implementation. State animal food regulatory programs receiving funds under this cooperative agreement will be expected to achieve and maintain full implementation within 5 total year or less of funding under an AFRPS Cooperative Agreement(s). Grantees will achieve and maintain implementation with the AFRPS (most recent published version). For the purpose of this funding opportunity, "full implementation" is defined as the State animal food regulatory program having all elements, systems, and programs, as required in the Program Elements and Documentation sections of the AFRPS; and can demonstrate the use of those elements, systems, or programs. If implementation is not achieved by the end of funding year 5, the State program will provide a detailed improvement plan on how the remaining AFRPS elements and documentation requirements will be fully implemented and demonstrated. The improvement plan will include: A detailed timeline including what needs to be accomplished to implement the element and/or documentation requirement, and when the work will be completed. The outcomes of the work provided under this cooperative agreement are as follows: 1. State animal food regulatory programs will take significant steps to achieve and maintain implementation of the AFRPS, which is recognized as a critical element to creating a national, fully integrated food safety system. 2. State animal food regulatory programs will contribute to the continuous improvement of the AFRPS through attendance at an annual face-to-face meeting, active participation in committees, and other initiatives supporting the AFRPS. 3. Develop strategies for achieving and maintaining implementation of the AFRPS that can be replicated or leveraged across state programs to promote national consistency. 4. Provide a foundation for supporting advisory/regulatory action based upon findings of regulatory activities conducted by State animal food regulatory programs. Only the following State animal food programs will be eligible to apply: State animal food regulatory programs with current FDA animal food safety inspection contracts (providing funding to State animal food regulatory programs) and are also enrolled in the AFRPS, or those that apply for an FDA animal food safety inspection contract and enroll in the AFRPS, are eligible to apply for funding under this cooperative agreement. An animal food safety inspection contract must be executed prior to this cooperative agreement being awarded. A condition of the award will be maintaining a current FDA animal food safety inspection contract in satisfactory condition throughout the cooperative agreement project period. The FDA will provide one year of funding for this project with the hopes of making another NOFO in FY 2025 to help align project objectives, outputs, reporting, terms and conditions, and project periods for all AFRPS project awardees, and to provide continued funding for awardees under this project to achieve the objectives of the project. The anticipated release of another NOFO in FY2025 will also help align project periods for awardees under this NOFO as well as those currently awarded under PAR-20-132 (for which the project period and funding will end on 6/30/2025). For AFRPS, it is anticipated that full implementation of the AFRPS will be achieved within 5 total funding years under an AFRPS Cooperative Agreement(s), based on a verification audit of your program to ensure the elements have been implemented.