The Indian Health Service (IHS) is accepting applications for a cooperative agreement for the Produce Prescription Pilot Program.
Donor Name: Indian Health Service (IHS)
State: All States
County: All Counties
Type of Grant: Grant
Deadline: 06/08/2023
Size of the Grant: $500,000
Grant Duration: 5 years
Details:
The purpose of this program is to help establish Produce Prescription Programs through collaborations with stakeholders from various health care and food industries in Tribal communities. The Produce Prescription Pilot Program (P4) will help increase access to fruits, vegetables, and healthy traditional foods for American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) people by allowing eligible individuals to receive a fruit and vegetable voucher from a participating health care provider to redeem at a local market. The goal of this pilot is to demonstrate and evaluate the impact of Produce Prescription Programs on AI/AN people and their families, specifically by:
- Reducing food insecurity
- Improving overall dietary health by increasing fruits, vegetables, and traditional food consumption; and
- Improving health care outcomes.
Required Activities
All recipients must implement a P4 in their communities, by:
- Developing the infrastructure to implement and maintain a Produce Prescription Program that fosters ongoing collaboration with one or more Tribal, Federal, or urban health care facilities and local markets/ organizations/services that provide fresh fruits and vegetables and/or traditional foods (stores, markets, farmers, mobile unit, etc.);
- Identifying an eligible AI/AN population or Urban Indian Organization (e.g., people with diabetes or individuals with Body Mass Index (BMI)>30) that can be significantly impacted. Indicating how many eligible individuals and their families can be served with the current budget and services available. (i) Using the U.S. Adult Food Security Survey Modulel to identify eligible participants to be enrolled in this program. Participants must be food insecure at baseline to participate, as defined by the U.S. Adult Food Security Survey Module.
- Implementing a nutrition education program that teaches program participants about proper nutrition and the impact it has on disease risk reduction and overall health. A nutrition education program should include information on cultivation and preparation for consumption of traditional foods; and
- Developing an evaluation plan that tracks and trends data to demonstrate the impact P4 has on the community. Data must show:
- Measurement of food insecurity over time using the U.S. Adult Food Security Survey Module. Did food insecurity rates decrease, increase, or remain unchanged by participating in P4?
- Participant’s use of services offered by the program. How is the implementation of P4 measured? What percentage of participants redeem the produce vouchers? How is consumption of produce measured and what percentage of participants consume the produce? How much fruit and vegetables are consumed at baseline and how did that amount change over time, in comparison to the number of vouchers prescribed by the health care provider? Did the participants attend the education program?
- Evidence of improvement in health outcomes. Are healthcare facility records available and accessible, in accordance with privacy laws, to track changes in participant’s clinical parameters such as A1C and lipid levels? Are anthropometric measures also available through the healthcare facility or measured in separate facilities and made available for analysis?
- Changes in access to healthy and traditional foods.
Recipients must:
- Consult with and accept guidance from the IHS Division of Diabetes Treatment and Prevention (DDTP), the IHS Division of Grants Management (DGM), and their Federal Program Officer(s) and/or designated assignee(s);
- Attend quarterly conference calls established by DDTP, and provide update on the progress of P4 implementation;
- Respond promptly to requests for information;
- Provide short presentations on their processes and successes, as requested;
- Keep DDTP informed of emerging issues, developments, and challenges that may affect the recipient’s ability to comply with the award Terms and Conditions and/or any requirements;
- Have an officially approved Project Director (approved by the Grants Management Officer in consultation with the Program Official) to plan/ initiate and maintain the P4, who has the following qualifications:
- Relevant health or wellness education and/or experience;
- Experience with award program management, including skills in program coordination, budgeting, reporting, and staff supervision; and
- Working knowledge of nutrition and nutrition challenges in AI/AN communities.
- Complete and submit an annual progress report to the IHS by attaching it as a Grant Note in GrantSolutions. Instructions, template(s), and other information will be provided;
- Submit baseline, semi-annual, and annual/final data to the IHS; and
- Participate in trainings provided by DDTP.
Funding Information
- Estimated Total Program Funding: $2,500,000
- Award Ceiling: $500,000
- Award Floor: $50,000
Period of Performance
The project period is for 5 years.
Eligible Applicants
- Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized)
Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments)
Additional Information on Eligibility
To be eligible for this funding opportunity, an applicant must be one of the following as defined under 25 U.S.C. 1603:
- A federally recognized Indian Tribe as defined by 25 U.S.C. 1603(14). The term “Indian Tribe” means any Indian Tribe, band, nation, or other organized group or community, including any Alaska Native village or group, or regional or village corporation, as defined in or established pursuant to the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act (85 Stat. 688) [43 U.S.C. 1601 et seq.], which is recognized as eligible for the special programs and services provided by the United States to Indians because of their status as Indians.
- A Tribal organization as defined by 25 U.S.C. 1603(26). The term “Tribal organization” has the meaning given in section 4 of the Indian Self Determination and Education Assistance Act (25 U.S.C. 5304(l)): “Tribal organization” means the recognized governing body of any Indian Tribe; any legally established organization of Indians which is controlled, sanctioned, or chartered by such governing body or which is democratically elected by the adult members of the Indian community to be served by such organization and which includes the maximum participation of Indians in all phases of its activities: provided that, in any case where a contract is let or grant made to an organization to perform services benefiting more than one Indian Tribe, the approval of each such Indian Tribe shall be a prerequisite to the letting or making of such contract or grant. Applicants shall submit letters of support and/or Tribal Resolutions from the Tribes to be served.
- An Urban Indian organization, as defined by 25 U.S.C. 1603(29). The term “Urban Indian organization” means a nonprofit corporate body situated in an urban center, governed by an Urban Indian controlled board of directors, and providing for the maximum participation of all interested Indian groups and individuals, which body is capable of legally cooperating with other public and private entities for the purpose of performing the activities described in 25 U.S.C. 1653(a). Applicants must provide proof of nonprofit status with the application, e.g., 501(c)(3).
For more information, visit Grants.gov.
