Opportunity Information: Apply for USDA NIFA FINI 011907
The Gus Schumacher Nutrition Incentive Program Produce Prescription Program (GusNIP-PPR), Assistance Listing 10.331, is a USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) grant opportunity designed to connect the healthcare system with the food system to test and document how prescribing fresh fruits and vegetables (and only fresh fruits and vegetables) can improve nutrition and health outcomes for participating households. The program is structured around building practical partnerships between clinical providers and food access organizations so that a "produce prescription" can be implemented in real-world settings and its results can be measured.
The central purpose of GusNIP-PPR is demonstration and evaluation. Funded projects are expected to show, with credible data and evaluation methods, whether providing medically connected access to fresh produce leads to three main outcomes: (1) improved dietary health through increased fruit and vegetable consumption, (2) reduced individual and household food insecurity, and (3) reduced healthcare utilization and related healthcare costs. In other words, the program is not only about distributing produce; it is about testing an intervention that sits at the intersection of nutrition support and healthcare, and then evaluating its impact on both health and economic measures.
Eligibility to apply as the lead applicant is limited to governmental agencies and nonprofit organizations, and applicants must meet the eligibility requirements described in 7 U.S.C. 7517 and the program's Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO). Notably, the Veterans Health Administration and components of its healthcare system (including VA hospitals and clinics) qualify as eligible governmental agencies, which signals that projects serving veterans and being implemented within VA healthcare settings are explicitly within scope.
A healthcare partner is required, and the healthcare partner must fall into one of four categories: (1) a hospital, (2) a federally qualified health center, (3) a hospital or clinic operated by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, or (4) a healthcare provider group. Applications must clearly state which of these categories the healthcare partner meets. The NOFO also allows an organization to serve as both the eligible entity (lead applicant) and the healthcare partner if it meets both definitions, but even in that case the application still needs a formal letter of support from the healthcare partner. That letter must describe the partner's role in implementing the produce prescription model and in evaluating the project, making it clear that clinical operations and evaluation responsibilities are not an afterthought but a required part of the design.
Beyond the required healthcare partner, the program encourages broader collaboration across sectors. Applicants may build partnerships with public or private organizations, nonprofits or for-profits, and may involve academic institutions, community-based organizations, Tribal nations, and local government entities. The NOFO lists examples such as Tribal health centers, public health departments, pharmacies, school nurses, and public or private health insurance agencies, reflecting the expectation that successful projects often need multiple touchpoints for participant identification, referral, produce distribution, and outcome tracking. Applicants may also partner with or issue subgrants to a wide range of implementation organizations, including emergency feeding organizations, agricultural cooperatives, producer networks, 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. Importantly, only the lead applicant must meet the federal eligibility standard; partners and subrecipients do not need to be independently eligible to apply, as long as they are necessary to carry out the project and the arrangement complies with the NOFO's funding restrictions.
The NOFO also addresses a practical administrative issue: if a nonprofit cannot accept federal funds directly, it may still apply, but it must include a letter stating that any resulting award will be managed through an identified fiscal agent. That letter must be countersigned by an authorized representative of the fiscal agent and must include standard contact details (point of contact, address, phone, fax, and email). The fiscal agent documentation is submitted as an attachment within the application package, and NIFA may request additional information if the proposal is recommended for funding.
From the funding and logistics standpoint, this is a mandatory grant opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number USDA NIFA FINI 011907) in the agriculture funding activity category. The application deadline listed is July 16, 2026. The maximum award amount (ceiling) is $500,000, and NIFA anticipates making approximately 12 awards. Applicants who do not meet eligibility requirements by the deadline risk being ruled out before award decisions are made, and NIFA points new applicants to its "About Grants" resources to help organizations navigate federal grant requirements and processes.Apply for USDA NIFA FINI 011907
- The National Institute of Food and Agriculture in the agriculture sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "The Gus Schumacher Nutrition Incentive Program Produce Prescription 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 2026-06-16.
- Applicants must submit their applications by 2026-07-16. (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 $500,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 12 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Others.
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Gus Schumacher Nutrition Incentive Program Produce Prescription Program (GusNIP-PPR) FAQs
What is the GusNIP Produce Prescription Program (GusNIP-PPR)?
GusNIP-PPR (Assistance Listing 10.331) is a USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) grant opportunity focused on connecting the healthcare system with the food system to test and document whether prescribing fresh fruits and vegetables can improve nutrition and health outcomes for participating households.
What is the main purpose of this grant opportunity?
The central purpose is demonstration and evaluation. Funded projects are expected to implement a real-world produce prescription model and generate credible data to measure its outcomes.
What foods can be provided through a GusNIP-PPR produce prescription?
Only fresh fruits and vegetables are in scope for the produce prescription intervention described for GusNIP-PPR.
What outcomes are funded projects expected to measure?
Projects are expected to evaluate whether the intervention leads to: (1) improved dietary health through increased fruit and vegetable consumption, (2) reduced individual and household food insecurity, and (3) reduced healthcare utilization and related healthcare costs.
Is this program just about distributing produce?
No. While produce distribution is part of implementation, the program is explicitly about testing a healthcare-connected nutrition intervention and evaluating its health and economic impacts using credible evaluation methods.
Who is eligible to apply as the lead applicant?
Eligibility to apply as the lead applicant is limited to governmental agencies and nonprofit organizations, and applicants must meet the eligibility requirements described in 7 U.S.C. 7517 and the program Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO).
Are Veterans Health Administration (VA) entities eligible lead applicants?
Yes. The Veterans Health Administration and components of its healthcare system (including VA hospitals and clinics) qualify as eligible governmental agencies, indicating that projects serving veterans within VA healthcare settings are within scope.
Is a healthcare partner required?
Yes. A healthcare partner is required as part of the project structure.
What types of organizations qualify as the required healthcare partner?
The healthcare partner must fall into one of four categories: (1) a hospital, (2) a federally qualified health center, (3) a hospital or clinic operated by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, or (4) a healthcare provider group.
Does the application need to specify the healthcare partner category?
Yes. Applications must clearly state which of the four allowable categories the healthcare partner meets.
Can the lead applicant also serve as the healthcare partner?
Yes. The NOFO allows an organization to serve as both the eligible entity (lead applicant) and the healthcare partner if it meets both definitions.
If the lead applicant is also the healthcare partner, is a letter of support still required?
Yes. Even if one organization fills both roles, the application still needs a formal letter of support from the healthcare partner.
What must be included in the healthcare partner letter of support?
The letter must describe the partner's role in implementing the produce prescription model and in evaluating the project, showing that clinical operations and evaluation responsibilities are built into the design.
Are partnerships beyond the healthcare partner encouraged?
Yes. The program encourages collaboration across sectors to support participant identification, referral, produce distribution, and outcome tracking.
What kinds of additional partners does the NOFO suggest?
Examples listed include Tribal health centers, public health departments, pharmacies, school nurses, and public or private health insurance agencies.
Who can be a partner or subrecipient on the project?
Applicants may partner with public or private organizations, nonprofits or for-profits, and may involve academic institutions, community-based organizations, Tribal nations, and local government entities. The NOFO also notes that applicants may partner with or issue subgrants to a range of implementation organizations.
What are examples of implementation organizations that may be involved through partnerships or subgrants?
Examples include emergency feeding organizations, agricultural cooperatives, producer networks, community health organizations, public benefit corporations, economic development corporations, farmers markets, community-supported agriculture (CSA) programs, buying clubs, SNAP/NAP-authorized retail food stores, and Tribal, state, territorial, or local agencies.
Do partners and subrecipients need to meet the same eligibility requirements as the lead applicant?
No. Only the lead applicant must meet the federal eligibility standard. Partners and subrecipients do not need to be independently eligible to apply, as long as they are necessary to carry out the project and the arrangement complies with the NOFO's funding restrictions.
What if a nonprofit organization cannot accept federal funds directly?
The NOFO states that a nonprofit may still apply, but it must include a letter explaining that any resulting award will be managed through an identified fiscal agent.
What must the fiscal agent letter include?
The letter must be countersigned by an authorized representative of the fiscal agent and must include contact details, including point of contact, address, phone, fax, and email.
How is the fiscal agent documentation submitted?
The fiscal agent documentation is submitted as an attachment within the application package.
Can NIFA request additional fiscal agent information?
Yes. NIFA may request additional information if the proposal is recommended for funding.
What is the Funding Opportunity Number for this grant?
The Funding Opportunity Number listed is USDA NIFA FINI 011907.
What type of grant is GusNIP-PPR?
This is described as a mandatory grant opportunity in the agriculture funding activity category.
What is the application deadline?
The listed application deadline is July 16, 2026.
What is the maximum award amount?
The maximum (ceiling) award amount is $500,000.
How many awards does NIFA expect to make?
NIFA anticipates making approximately 12 awards.
What happens if an applicant does not meet eligibility requirements by the deadline?
Applicants who do not meet eligibility requirements by the deadline risk being ruled out before award decisions are made.
Where can new applicants find help understanding federal grant requirements?
NIFA points new applicants to its "About Grants" resources to help organizations navigate federal grant requirements and processes.
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