Opportunity Information: Apply for USDA FNS WSP 19
The WIC Special Project Innovation Grant (WSPI) is a discretionary cooperative agreement offered by the USDA Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) under CFDA 10.557. The opportunity is designed to fund one lead organization, either an academic institution or an eligible non-profit, to serve as the central manager of a national innovation effort for the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC). Rather than directly funding multiple clinic-level projects itself, USDA intends for the selected recipient to operate a structured sub-grant program that will award and oversee funding to State and local WIC agencies.
At the core of the WSPI model is the idea that modernization and service improvements are best tested and refined where WIC services are delivered: in clinics and local administrative environments. The lead grantee is expected to solicit, select, and administer sub-grants that help WIC agencies develop interactive tools and practical technical resources, redesign or modernize clinic processes, and pilot other innovative program enhancements. These projects are meant to improve customer service in WIC clinics and, importantly, to strengthen the certification and eligibility determination experience while staying within existing WIC program rules. In practical terms, that could include better intake and appointment systems, improved participant communications, streamlined workflows, or tools that help staff and participants navigate documentation and eligibility steps more efficiently.
A major emphasis of the opportunity is learning from participant experience and using that insight to shape service delivery. Sub-grant projects are expected to contribute to a stronger understanding of the diverse experiences, perceptions, and attitudes of people who are eligible for WIC services. This participant-centered focus is not just descriptive research; it is meant to inform concrete changes in how services are delivered so that customer service improves in ways that reflect what participants actually encounter and value. The overall intent is to make the WIC clinic experience more responsive, more respectful of participants time and circumstances, and more effective at getting eligible families through certification and into benefits smoothly.
Evaluation is a required through-line of the work. The strategies and solutions funded through sub-grants should be suitable for real-world implementation and testing, and they will be assessed for measurable impact. The announcement specifically highlights outcomes such as clinic wait time and participant satisfaction, along with other customer-service-related metrics. That means the lead grantee is not only distributing funds but also helping ensure projects are designed in a way that can produce credible evidence about what works, under what conditions, and with which participant populations.
Because this is a cooperative agreement, USDA anticipates an active partnership role rather than a hands-off grant. The selected grantee will be expected to work directly with WIC State and local agencies as they develop, implement, and evaluate innovations. The recipient essentially functions as a national hub for these special projects (formerly referred to as WIC Special Project Grants), providing program management, coordination, and support so that local innovations can be launched, monitored, and learned from in a consistent way.
Key administrative details from the opportunity listing include: Funding Opportunity Number USDA FNS WSP 19, with a posting date of June 20, 2019, and an original closing date of August 20, 2019. The award ceiling is listed as $8,000,000, and the listing notes expected awards of 5, although the narrative description also states USDA intends to select one academic or non-profit organization to establish the WSPI. Eligible applicants include public and state-controlled institutions of higher education, private institutions of higher education, and 501(c)(3) non-profits other than institutions of higher education, with additional eligibility clarification referenced in the full announcement. Overall, the funding is aimed at building a coordinated pipeline of clinic-tested innovations that measurably improve the WIC participant experience, especially in the certification and eligibility determination process.Apply for USDA FNS WSP 19
- The Department of Agriculture, Food and Nutrition Service in the food and nutrition sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "WIC Special Project Innovation Grant (Cooperative Agreement)" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 10.557.
- This funding opportunity was created on Jun 20, 2019.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Aug 20, 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 $8,000,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 5 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Private institutions of higher education, Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).
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FAQs: WIC Special Project Innovation Grant (WSPI)
What is the WIC Special Project Innovation Grant (WSPI)?
The WIC Special Project Innovation Grant (WSPI) is a discretionary cooperative agreement offered by the USDA Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) under CFDA 10.557. It is designed to fund a lead organization to manage a national innovation effort for the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC).
What is the main purpose of this grant opportunity?
The purpose is to create a structured, national pipeline for testing and refining WIC service improvements where services are delivered (clinics and local administrative settings). The lead grantee will run a sub-grant program that funds State and local WIC agencies to develop, pilot, and evaluate innovations that improve the participant experience.
Who is expected to receive the WSPI award?
USDA intends to select one lead organization, either an academic institution or an eligible non-profit, to establish and operate the WSPI model as a central manager of the national innovation effort.
What type of organization can apply as the lead grantee?
Eligible applicants include public and state-controlled institutions of higher education, private institutions of higher education, and 501(c)(3) non-profits other than institutions of higher education. The listing notes that additional eligibility clarification is referenced in the full announcement.
What is the funding mechanism (grant vs. cooperative agreement)?
This opportunity is a cooperative agreement. That means USDA anticipates an active partnership role with the selected recipient, rather than a more hands-off relationship typical of some grants.
What does it mean that WSPI is a "discretionary" cooperative agreement?
Based on the listing, WSPI is described as discretionary, meaning it is awarded through a competitive funding opportunity process rather than being a formula-based entitlement.
What is CFDA 10.557 in this context?
CFDA 10.557 is the program identifier referenced in the opportunity description for this USDA FNS cooperative agreement related to WIC special projects and innovation work.
What will the lead organization do with the funding?
The lead organization is expected to serve as a national hub by designing, soliciting, selecting, and administering sub-grants to State and local WIC agencies, and by coordinating implementation support and evaluation across those projects.
Does USDA plan to fund clinic-level projects directly?
No. Rather than directly funding multiple clinic-level projects itself, USDA intends for the selected recipient to operate a structured sub-grant program that awards and oversees funding to State and local WIC agencies.
Who will receive sub-grants under WSPI?
Sub-grants are intended for State and local WIC agencies. The lead grantee will solicit and select sub-grant recipients and then oversee their work.
What kinds of projects are sub-grants expected to support?
Sub-grants are expected to support practical innovations such as developing interactive tools and technical resources, redesigning or modernizing clinic processes, and piloting other program enhancements that improve customer service in WIC clinics.
What WIC service areas are emphasized for improvement?
The opportunity highlights improving customer service in WIC clinics and strengthening the certification and eligibility determination experience, while staying within existing WIC program rules.
Are projects allowed to change WIC program rules?
No. The description emphasizes that service improvements should strengthen certification and eligibility determination while staying within existing WIC program rules.
What are examples of innovations mentioned in the opportunity?
Examples described include better intake and appointment systems, improved participant communications, streamlined workflows, and tools that help staff and participants navigate documentation and eligibility steps more efficiently.
Why does the opportunity focus on clinics and local administrative environments?
The WSPI model is built on the idea that modernization and service improvements are best tested and refined where WIC services are delivered, meaning in clinic settings and local administrative environments.
What does "participant-centered" mean for WSPI projects?
Sub-grant projects are expected to learn from participant experience and use those insights to shape service delivery. The focus is on understanding the diverse experiences, perceptions, and attitudes of people eligible for WIC and using that understanding to inform concrete service improvements.
Is research alone the goal of the participant experience emphasis?
No. The participant-centered focus is described as not just descriptive research. It is meant to inform concrete changes in service delivery so customer service improves in ways that reflect what participants actually encounter and value.
What outcomes or metrics are specifically highlighted for evaluation?
The announcement specifically highlights outcomes such as clinic wait time and participant satisfaction, along with other customer-service-related metrics.
Is evaluation required?
Yes. Evaluation is described as a required through-line of the work, and funded strategies and solutions are expected to be suitable for real-world implementation, testing, and assessment for measurable impact.
What is the intended end result of funding these innovations?
The overall intent is to build a coordinated pipeline of clinic-tested innovations that measurably improve the WIC participant experience, especially making certification and eligibility determination more responsive, more respectful of participants time and circumstances, and more effective at enrolling eligible families smoothly.
What is the Funding Opportunity Number for this listing?
The Funding Opportunity Number is USDA FNS WSP 19.
When was the opportunity posted and when did it close?
The posting date is June 20, 2019, and the original closing date is August 20, 2019.
What is the award ceiling?
The award ceiling listed is $8,000,000.
How many awards are expected?
The listing notes expected awards of 5, although the narrative description also states USDA intends to select one academic or non-profit organization to establish the WSPI. The information provided contains both statements.
What does it mean that the lead grantee is a "national hub" for special projects?
It means the recipient will provide program management, coordination, and support so that local innovations can be launched, monitored, and learned from in a consistent way across participating WIC agencies.
How is WSPI connected to WIC Special Project Grants?
The opportunity describes the lead recipient as functioning as a national hub for these special projects, which were formerly referred to as WIC Special Project Grants.
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