§ 1061.50-1 Applicability.

This subpart is applicable to all grants and contracts and cooperative agreements funded under section 222(a)(1) of the Economic Opportunity Act of 1964, as amended, when the assistance is administered by the Community Services Administration.

§ 1061.50-2 Definitions.

(a) Program. The provision of federal funds and administrative direction to accomplish a prescribed set of objectives through the conduct of specific activities. Example: CSA's Community Food and Nutrition Program.

(b) Project. The implementation level of a program where resources are used to produce an end product that directly contributes to the objectives of the program. Example: The School Breakfast Expansion Campaign of the Milwaukee CAP.

(c) Limited Purpose Agency. An organization or agency funded under section 221 or 222 of the Act to conduct a specific project or projects, rather than the broad spectrum of projects conducted by a CAA. Limited purpose agencies are not subject to the requirements for local government designation and comprehensive community representation applicable to CAA's.

(d) Un-capped Area. An un-capped area is any geographical area not officially served by a community action agency. An area officially served by a CAA is that area designated by the local government and recognized as such by CSA.

(e) Catalytic Activity. According to the dictionary, a catalyst is "a person or thing acting as a stimulus in bringing about or hastening a result. In this rule, catalytic activity means an activity which, through a modest investment of CFNP staff time and money, sets in motion a process or series of events which results, for low-income persons, in benefits that are far-reaching and whose value significantly exceeds the cost of the original investment (see Appendix A, for further clarification).

(f) Direct Service Delivery. One-on-one activity (for example, outreach activity) whose purpose is to provide goods or services directly to low-income individuals or families. The provision of

services can be catalytic or non-catalytic activity. It is catalytic if it triggers a process that is carried forward by the individual, either on his own or with the assistance of groups or agencies other than the CFNP project. (See Appendix A, for additional clarification.)

(g) Advocacy. According to the dictionary, an advocate is “one who pleads the cause of another" or "defends or maintains a cause or proposal." In this rule, advocacy means a type of catalytic activity which is directed at institutions or at the general public on behalf of low-income individuals in order to insure that, in the area of food and nutrition, the views of such individuals are heard, their rights are observed, the benefits to which they are entitled are provided, and their needs are met (to the extent possible) by the institutions which have the ability or responsibility to meet those needs. Successful advocacy can bring about either "institutional change (a change in a law, regulation, policy, procedure, behavior or attitude affecting the lowincome population) or a “mobilization of additional resources (whether they be dollars or in-kind services) from public or private sources to support food and nutrition programs for the low-income population. (See Appendix A, for further clarification.)

(h) Monitoring. Monitoring is a variety of advocacy. To monitor is to "observe critically". To monitor a program operated by another federal or state agency means to "observe critically that program; to gather relevant information about its operations in order to make sure that it is adhering to relevant statutes and regulations in its delivery of services to low-income families and individuals; and where there are problems, to bring them to the attention of the administering agency and to assist that agency in finding a solution. (See Appendix A, for further clarification.)

(i) Anti-hunger Coalition. An anti-hunger coalition is an alliance of various individuals, groups and organizations whose purpose is to serve as an advocate for the poor in addressing (1) a broad range of problems and issues in attempting to alleviate hunger and malnutrition among the poor or (2) a

́narrow range of such problems and issues (e.g., the operation of the WIC program) over a wide area (e.g., throughout a whole state). A coalition may include such groups as: Community Action Agencies, Community Food and Nutrition grantees, the poor (or other organizations representing them), churches, foundations, private organizations serving the poor, etc.

1061.50-3 Purpose of subpart.

This subpart sets forth CSA's policy for the Community Food and Nutrition Program (CFNP) authorized under section 222(a)(1) of the Economic Opportunity Act of 1964, as amended. It discusses the purposes and categories of activities, participant and applicant eligibility criteria, application procedures and reporting requirements. The Appendices provide additional information relating to the meaning of certain terms, general policy, rating and ranking criteria, and addresses and names of key contact persons for CSA Regional Offices and migrant conduits.

§1061.50-4 Introduction.

(a) Section 201(a)(1) of the Economic Opportunity Act of 1964 as amended states that the basic purpose of all Title II programs including the Community Food and Nutrition Program, is "*** to stimulate a better focusing of all available local, State, private and Federal resources upon the goal of enabling low-income families and lowincome individuals ✶ ✶ ✶ to become fully self-sufficient" (emphasis added).

(b) This statement sums up CSA's historic mission which has been to serve as a stimulator or catalyst of activities conducted by other public and private institutions rather than as a provider of services in competition with these institutions. CSA's limited funds make it necessary, in any event, for CFNP projects to limit their involvement in non-catalytic direct service delivery and to function primarily as advocates and catalytic agents.

(c) A second important point made in the statement quoted above is that the catalytic activity of Title II programs, including the CFNP, should be directed to helping the poor escape the cycle of poverty. The relevance of the CFNP to this objective is underscored by a re

port entitled "Dietary Goals for the United States" (2nd Edition) issued in February 1978, by the U.S. Senate's Select Committee on Nutrition and Human Needs. According to the report, an inadequate diet is a principal cause of six of the leading killer diseasesthe six being diabetes, strokes and hypertension, heart disease, some cancers, arteriosclerosis and cirrhosis of the liver. An inadequate diet is also one of the factors which leads to unemployability and chronic dependence on public assistance programs. Hence the importance of a centrated attack on the problem of malnutrition among the poor.

§ 1061.50-5 Policy.

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(a) Section 222(a)(1) of the Economic Opportunity Act authorizes:

A program to be known as Community Food and Nutrition designed to provide, on an emergency basis, directly or by delegation of authority pursuant to the provisions of Title VI of this Act, financial assistance for the provision of such supplies and services, nutritional food-stuffs, and related services as may be necessary to counteract conditions of starvation or malnutrition among the poor. Such assistance may be provided by way of supplement to such other assistance as may be used to extend and broaden such programs to serve economically disadvantaged individuals and families where such services are not now provided.

(b) In its effort to "supplement and extend and broaden" other Federal food programs, the CFNP must not lose sight of the essentially catalytic nature of CSA's mission referred to in §1061.50-4 of this subpart. Funds should be used primarily as seed money or in ways that have a multiplier effect, not for duplicative or long-term feeding programs. The emphasis on catalytic activity does not preclude the use of CFNP funds, in emergency situations, for the direct delivery of foodstuffs and related services (e.g., food vouchers or food boxes) so individual families within CSA poverty guidelines who are insufficiently served or not served at all by other programs (see §1061.50-7(d)(4) of this part). Benefits received under the CFNP shall not be considered as income for purposes of determining eligibility for other federal programs.

(c) Each CFNP project will be expected to include advocacy as an essen

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tial and integral element of both its design and implementation. While an applicant may select the program category (Access, Self-Help, Food Supply, Crisis Relief, and Nutrition and Consumer Education) which best meets the needs of the poor in the community served, the element of advocacy should always be a part of whatever category is selected. Advocacy efforts should focus upon articulating the views and needs of the poor to the public at large but, more particularly, to those institutions and organizations which have the ability or responsibility to serve the poor. Advocacy efforts should not only include speaking on behalf of the poor, but helping the poor to articulate their own needs and to participate in activities which are designed to assure that the benefits to which the poor are entitled are provided. Advocacy should be aimed at initiating new programs to benefit the poor as well as improving and expanding existing ones.

(d) All CFNP projects will be expected to conform to as many of the purposes of Title II programs as possible (listed below in §1061.50-6 of this subpart). Subpart §1067.4 of this chapter requires that each project contribute to the achievement of one or more purposes. CSA is requiring that CFNP grantees meet at least three general purposes and one specific purpose of Title II programs. Applicants are advised that the rating criteria (see Appendices B through F) include three of the six purposes.

§ 1061.50-6 Purpose of the program.

(a) The following are the purposes of Title II programs, including the CFNP, found in sections 201(a) and 222(a) of the Economic Opportunity Act of 1964 as amended and reflected in CSA's general standards of effectiveness:

(1) Planning and Coordination. Strengthened community capabilities for planning and coordination so as to insure that available assistance related to the elimination of poverty can be more responsive to local needs and conditions;

(2) Improvement of Service Delivery. Better organization of services related to the needs of the poor;

(3) Maximum Feasible Participation. Maximum feasible participation of the

poor in the development and implementation of all projects designed to serve the poor;

(4) Mobilization of Resources. Broadened resource base of programs directed to the elimination of poverty so as to include all elements of the community able to influence the quality and quantity of services to the poor;

(5) Innovative Approaches. Greater use of new types of services and innovative approaches in attacking causes of poverty, so as to develop increasingly effective methods of employing resources;

(6) Maximum employment Opportunities. Employment of the poor, including opportunity for further occupational training and career development, in the programs and projects administered to serve the poor.

(b) The following are legislativelymandated purposes of the Community Food and Nutrition Program (Specific Standards of Effectiveness):

(1) Improvement in the nutritional status of the target population.

(2) Reduction in hunger among the target population.

§ 1061.50-7 Program categories.

The categories eligible for funding under the Community Food and Nutrition Program are described below and are listed in priority order.

(a) Access. Access activities are focused on the public sector and are aimed at improving the opportunities for low-income people to gain access to, and participate in, food and nutrition programs sponsored by the federal, state and local governments and at making sure that these programs operate effectively, efficiently and fairly. They also seek to involve the poor in shaping public policies which have an effect upon the nutritional status of the poor. Activities eligible for funding under the "access" category include, but are not limited to:

(1) The monitoring of programs conducted by other agencies and in particular monitoring the implementation by USDA and state and local governments of the Food Stamp Act of 1977, in order to insure compliance with relevant federal and state statutes and regulations;

(2) Seeking changes in Federal and state statutes and regulations to insure a more equitable distribution of food and nutrition benefits to the poor; (3) Stimulating through consultation with parents, school administrators and other officials, the establishment or expansion of various federally funded food programs such as; the School Breakfast and School Lunch Programs, the WIC Program, the Summer Food Service Program for Children, the Nutrition Program for the Elderly, etc.

(4) Participating with a state in the development of state plans, certification manuals, etc., for food and nutrition programs;

(5) Building coalitions to make possible community input into the improvement and implementation of programs which improve the nutritional status of low-income persons;

(6) Initiating, or stimulating the formation of, community education programs aimed at apprising low-income persons of their entitlements under federal and non-federal food programs;

(7) Stimulating efforts to provide the poor with assistance in prescreening and application procedures and with adequate representation in administrative hearings, etc.;

(8) Initiating or stimulating the formation of feeding programs (e.g., Meals on Wheels) which are urgently needed and are not being provided in the community, on the condition that significant mobilization of other resources and early spin-off of the project to a more appropriate agency is included in the application;

(9) Designing and carrying out strategies for obtaining matching funds for new and existing projects supported from CFNP funds, and for spinning off such projects to other agencies (e.g. projects funded under HEW and USDA such as Title XX or food stamp outreach);

(10) Catalyzing an expanded and more effective outreach program on the part of other agencies; (See discussion on outreach in Appendix A).

(b) Self-Help. Self-Help activities are those which are aimed at improving the ability of low-income people to produce, preserve, purchase or market their own foodstuffs. These foodstuffs may and often do supplement those

provided by federal feeding programs or by private sector institutions.

NOTE: Applicants for Self-Help projects which by design should ultimately become self-sustaining, e.g., food co-ops, buying clubs, and canneries, should include in their applications specific plans for the eventual phase-out of CFNP funding.

Activities eligible for funding under this category include but are not limited to:

(1) Conservation, distribution and utilization of foodstuffs, such as:

(i) Organizing family and community gardens;

(ii) Organizing food co-ops and buying clubs (See discussion in Appendix A on the National Consumer Cooperative Bank);

(iii) Establishing greenhouses, canneries, etc.;

(iv) Organizing food gleaning campaigns (Note: A number of states have passed legislation providing a tax benefit for small unincorporated farmers who donate excess produce to organizations serving the low-income population, while similar legislation is being proposed in Congress).

(v) Organizing efforts in which the food produced by small local farmers is purchased and utilized in other federal feeding programs, e.g, School Breakfast, School Lunch, Day Care, WIC, Summer Feeding, etc.;

(vi) Initiating "farmer to market" projects in which the food produced by small farmers is made available to the poor at lower prices;

(vii) Undertaking efforts to allow small farmers and food co-ops to accept, and non-profit organizations serving the poor to issue, food stamps;

(2) Activities which support self-help projects such as:

(i) Mobilizing the resources of state agriculture departments, land grant colleges, co-op extension services, USDA (e.g., the Agricultural Stabilization and Conservation Service), VISTA, CETA, etc., for obtaining seeds, plants, land, water and information;

(ii) Cooperating with land grant and other colleges to provide more assistance to small-scale (even part-time) growers, etc.;

(iii) Promoting the utilization of unused federal, state, and local land for food production by the poor.

(c) Food Supply. The category of Food Supply denotes activities aimed at the private sector whose purpose is to involve the poor more directly in the food distribution process, to encourage the food industry and other elements of the private sector to become more involved in and supportive of efforts to help solve the nutritional problems of the poor, and to make more nutritious food available at lower prices. Activities eligible for funding under this category include, but are not limited to:

(1) Developing and seeking to get adopted innovative proposals to increase the amount of food available to the poor;

(2) Seeking changes in laws and regulations that impede the involvement of the poor in food production, processing, distribution, etc.;

(3) Organizing consumer action relating to public and private sector food policies and food sales, e.g., mobilizing public and private support for the elimination of food sales taxes;

(4) Establishing food banks which serve as clearinghouses for food donated by private industry for redistribution to the poor and encouraging food producers, processors, wholesalers and retailers to contribute food to such banks;

(5) Encouraging food retailers to join with city governments and community-based groups to bring supermarkets back to the inner-city through mutual development ventures, special tax and/or other municipal incentives;

(6) Enlisting food retailers in conducting training programs to sensitize food store employees to the needs and problems of food stamp shoppers so as to reduce the intimidation and inconvenience often caused such persons;

(7) Encouraging food wholesalers and retailers to hire the poor;

(8) Encouraging industry to help limit unnecessary cost to consumers by adopting more responsible packaging and advertising practices, such as:

(i) Making available a variety of inexpensive, quality, foods in order to promote optimum nutrition among the poor;

(ii) Making available food in smaller packages at more reasonable prices for the elderly, single and single parent households;

(9) Getting retailers to adopt and support innovative approaches to marketing, such as mobile markets, transporation to existing outlets for those who need it, stocking locally-produced foods, etc.;

(10) Enlisting the support of retailers for the establishment of consumer monitoring and advisory panels which reflect the needs and opinions of all sectors of the community.

(d) Crisis Relief. To improve community crisis relief mechanisms. Activities eligible for funding under this category include but are not limited to: (1) Organizing food pantries emergency food box projects;

and

(2) Negotiating for improvement in public welfare systems for distributing, in natural disasters and widespread emergency circumstances, Emergency Food Stamps, WIC packages or vouchers, USDA commodities, local food bank resources, etc. Among federal agencies the U.S. Department of Agriculture, in conjunction with the Federal Disaster Assistance Administration, is responsible for the delivery of foodstuffs to needy households in disasters and other wide-spread emergencies.

(3) Assisting communities to improve their crisis relief programs so that those most in need will receive swift relief;

(4) Providing foodstuffs directly and/ or issuing food vouchers, but only if at least one of the following conditions is satisfied:

(i) There is a temporary individual or family emergency and timely help is not forthcoming from other agencies or,

(ii) The provision of relief is a catalytic effort which includes a plan to establish a community-based entity which will provide such services in the future, or a plan to transfer the activities, within a specified period of time, to an agency which already has an assigned responsibility for providing foodstuffs, vouchers, etc. to the poor. A commitment from such an agency to take over the project should be included in the application, if possible.

(e) Nutrition and Consumer Education. To improve, through catalytic activity in the area of nutrition and consumer education, the ability of low-income