Original Grant Announcement

The Rural Child Poverty Nutrition Center (RCPNC) at the University of Kentucky announced the availability of funding on July 24, 2015 for projects that used creative strategies to increase coordination among United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Food and Nutrition Services (FNS) Child Nutrition programs and other nutrition assistance programs.

USDA Nutrition Assistance Programs targeted for improved coordination include:

  • Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC)
  • Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)
  • School Breakfast Program (SBP)*
  • National School Lunch Program (NSLP)*
  • Summer Food Service Program (SFSP)*
  • Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP)*
  • Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations (FDPIR)

*USDA - FNS Child Nutrition Program

Government or non-profit organizations at the state or local (city or county) level located in the eligible counties (listed below) in 15 states with the highest number of persistently poor counties were eligible to apply for up to $100,000 to implement their project. Applicants submitted project proposals aimed at families with children who live in 324 persistently poor counties in the 15 states. The goal of the Center is to increase those families' participation in USDA-FNS Child Nutrition Programs and other nutrition assistance programs. Through the grant funding, communities will improve program coordination among various nutrition assistance programs, with the expectation of improving rates of program participation.

The RCPNC received a large volume of applications, which were reviewed externally and deliberated between the USDA-FNS and the RCPNC team.  An official statement was released on March 9, 2016, to announce that seventeen applications were accepted for funding. 

For a list of the grant recipients and summaries of their projects, visit the Grant Recipients & Funded Projects page at http://rcpnc.org/projects.shtml. 

Please note that the RCPNC is no longer accepting applications for funding at this time.

15 States with the Highest Number
of Persistently Poor Counties

Click on a state to see its eligible counties.