FY18 Center for Food Safety Research in Child Nutrition Programs | USDA FNS FS KSU 2019

Opportunity Information: Apply for USDA FNS FS KSU 2019

The FY18 Center for Food Safety Research in Child Nutrition Programs grant opportunity is a discretionary funding announcement from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Food and Nutrition Service (FNS), aimed at re-competing and continuing a national Center of Excellence focused on food safety in federally supported child nutrition settings. Through this competition, FNS intends to carry forward the work under a slightly updated name, continuing it as the Center for Food Safety in Child Nutrition Programs. The overall purpose is to strengthen leadership, research capacity, and practical implementation of food safety practices across the nutrition assistance programs that FNS administers, including the National School Lunch Program (NSLP), School Breakfast Program (SBP), Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP), Summer Food Service Program (SFSP), and other related efforts.

At its core, the Center is expected to serve as a hub that advances food safety research and translates that research into real-world improvements for program operators and stakeholders. The opportunity emphasizes not just conducting studies, but also making sure the findings reach the people who can use them. That means the Center must use innovative dissemination techniques to share results effectively, so that school food authorities, childcare meal providers, summer meal sponsors, state administering agencies, and other partners can adopt evidence-based practices that reduce risk and improve food handling, preparation, and service in child nutrition environments.

A major theme of the announcement is collaboration and interdisciplinary work. The Center is intended to be staffed and guided by an interdisciplinary team, reflecting the reality that food safety in child nutrition programs touches multiple fields and roles, such as nutrition, food science, public health, operations, training, compliance, and communications. Beyond internal expertise, the Center is expected to promote collaboration among stakeholders, supporting shared learning and the spread of best practices across different program types and geographic areas. The goal is to create coordinated leadership that improves consistency and effectiveness of food safety approaches across the broader child nutrition system.

Administratively, this is a grant-funded project (Funding Instrument Type: Grant) under the Food and Nutrition activity category (CFDA/Assistance Listing 10.585). The funding opportunity number is USDA FNS FS KSU 2019, with an original posting/creation date of August 22, 2019, and an original closing date of September 7, 2019. FNS anticipated making a single award (Expected Awards: 1), with a maximum award amount (ceiling) of $600,000. Eligibility is listed as "Others" with additional clarification referenced in the full announcement materials, indicating the applicant pool is defined in more detail in the eligibility section beyond standard categories.

In practical terms, the awardee would be responsible for providing national-level leadership in food safety for child nutrition programs by identifying needs, generating applied research, and converting research outcomes into tools, guidance, training approaches, or other communication products that stakeholders can actually use. The Center is positioned as a bridge between evidence and practice, designed to help child nutrition operators manage food safety risks more effectively through research-informed best practices and coordinated dissemination.

• The Department of Agriculture, Food and Nutrition Service in the food and nutrition sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "FY18 Center for Food Safety Research in Child Nutrition Programs" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 10.585.
• This funding opportunity was created on Aug 22, 2019.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Sep 07, 2019. (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 $600,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).

Apply for USDA FNS FS KSU 2019

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