GusNIP Grantees Announced
By: Ethel Recinos Posted On: November 12, 2020
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) recently announced the recipients of the 2020 Gus Schumacher Nutrition Incentive Program (GusNIP) grants. More than $32 million was awarded to 30 grantees operating across 22 states. The awarded programs included increasing the fruit and vegetable purchasing power of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) shoppers through nutrition incentives or produce prescription programs. This funding is critical at a time when food insecurity, exacerbated by COVID-19, is at an all-time high.
The Nutrition Incentive Hub, a national coalition of partners created by the GusNIP National Training, Technical Assistance, Information, and Evaluation Center (NTAE), works with GusNIP grantees across the country to maximize the effectiveness and efficiency of GusNIP projects as well as to articulate impact through robust and comprehensive evaluation in four priority areas:
- Increasing fruit and vegetable consumption among program participants
- Improving the nutrition and health status of participating households
- Reducing individual and household food insecurity
- Reducing health care use and associated costs
Farmers Market Coalition is a proud partner of the Nutrition Incentive Hub. Funded by the USDA, the Hub is a new national resource supporting Gus Schumacher Nutrition Incentive Program (GusNIP) grantees. Collaboratively, Hub partners provide training, technical assistance, evaluation, and reporting for those that want to launch or expand SNAP incentives or produce prescription programs across the country. These efforts help families experiencing food insecurity purchase and consume more fruits and vegetables.
Farmers Market Coalition, alongside Michigan Farmers Market Association (MIFMA) and Ecology Center are providing technical assistance to farm direct practitioners. Farmers Market Coalition is excited to congratulate all the recipients of the 2020 Gus Schumacher Nutrition Incentive Program (GusNIP) award and extend a warm welcome to the organizations who are using this opportunity to extend and implement nutrition incentives in farm direct operations, such as farmers markets, Community Supported Agriculture programs and farm stands. We look forward to working with you in the mission to increase fruit and vegetable consumption in your communities.
We’ll be featuring GusNIP grantees on the FMC blog throughout the year, we look forward to sharing their hard work in their communities!
Click here to see the full list of GusNIP grant awardees and project descriptions.