A lead applicant must get a Unique Entity ID from the federal System for Award Management (SAM.gov) and provide this ID as part of their application. An individual is eligible to get a UEI and submit a MN LFPA application on behalf of a community collaboration if desired. Please see additional information about requirements for lead applicants in Question 2 of this Q&A section (Applicant Eligibility).
Groups that are not formally organized may also choose to work in partnership with formally organized groups. Partnerships can include fiscal sponsorship. If you are in need of someone to work with as a lead applicant, or are in search of other potential partnerships or collaborations, one option is to advertise to the public via an online directory form and find potential contacts by viewing the public responses.
A lead applicant must get a Unique Entity ID from the federal System for Award Management (SAM.gov) and provide this ID as part of their application. An individual is eligible to get a UEI and submit a MN LFPA application on behalf of a community collaboration if desired. Please see additional information about requirements for lead applicants in Question 2 of this Q&A section (Applicant Eligibility).
Groups that are not formally organized may also choose to work in partnership with formally organized groups. Partnerships can include fiscal sponsorship. If you are in need of someone to work with as a lead applicant, or are in search of other potential partnerships or collaborations, one option is to advertise to the public via an online directory form and find potential contacts by viewing the public responses.
When providing an example as part of your application to demonstrate previous work sharing power, the example does not have to involve all proposed partners. It can involve the lead applicant or partner(s) as applicable and can be an example from non-food distribution related work. There does not need to be an example provided for each partner.
When providing an example as part of your application to demonstrate previous work sharing power, the example does not have to involve all proposed partners. It can involve the lead applicant or partner(s) as applicable and can be an example from non-food distribution related work. There does not need to be an example provided for each partner.
No, a nonprofit organization is not considered an individual for this question. Nonprofits should answer “no.”
No, a nonprofit organization is not considered an individual for this question. Nonprofits should answer “no.”
A typed name on a letter of support is fine.
A typed name on a letter of support is fine.
Food safety training is not required MN LFPA eligibility, but food safety training and/or practices are encouraged, as evidenced by the MN LFPA scoring rubric. Food safety training is not an eligible expense for the grant, however.
If participants are interested in food safety-related training, appropriate trainings will vary depending on the foods being purchased and handled as a part of the project. Projects that are purchasing and aggregating food from multiple suppliers may be required to be licensed and may have accompanying training requirements. For example, entities that have a food handler license may be required to have someone from their operation complete certified food protection manager (CFPM) training. The Minnesota Department of Health maintains a list of approved CFPM courses. Please contact the MDA Food and Feed Safety Division’s Licensing Liaison (651-201-6081) if you are unsure whether your project needs a license.
The University of Minnesota Extension offers virtual and in-person Good Agricultural Practices (GAPs) trainings for produce farmers. These optional courses focus on on-farm food safety practices, and include some information on best practices for post-harvest handling and storage. Courses are typically available in the wintertime but can also be made available by request to Annalisa Hultberg (hultb006@umn.edu). Individuals/organizations that purchase produce are also welcome to participate in GAPs trainings. Additional information for buyers on how to talk to produce farmers about their food safety practices is available on the Extension “Food safety for farm to school programs” webpage.
Food safety training is not required MN LFPA eligibility, but food safety training and/or practices are encouraged, as evidenced by the MN LFPA scoring rubric. Food safety training is not an eligible expense for the grant, however.
If participants are interested in food safety-related training, appropriate trainings will vary depending on the foods being purchased and handled as a part of the project. Projects that are purchasing and aggregating food from multiple suppliers may be required to be licensed and may have accompanying training requirements. For example, entities that have a food handler license may be required to have someone from their operation complete certified food protection manager (CFPM) training. The Minnesota Department of Health maintains a list of approved CFPM courses. Please contact the MDA Food and Feed Safety Division’s Licensing Liaison (651-201-6081) if you are unsure whether your project needs a license.
The University of Minnesota Extension offers virtual and in-person Good Agricultural Practices (GAPs) trainings for produce farmers. These optional courses focus on on-farm food safety practices, and include some information on best practices for post-harvest handling and storage. Courses are typically available in the wintertime but can also be made available by request to Annalisa Hultberg (hultb006@umn.edu). Individuals/organizations that purchase produce are also welcome to participate in GAPs trainings. Additional information for buyers on how to talk to produce farmers about their food safety practices is available on the Extension “Food safety for farm to school programs” webpage.
