Advancing Food and Childcare Systems in Rural Georgia: Childcare Access and Nutrition Systems (CANS) Grant Program

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The Southeast Crescent Regional Commission (SCRC) is publishing this Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA) to solicit applications for grants under the FY 2025 Childcare Access and Nutrition Systems (CANS) Grant Program. This program is being conducted in partnership with the U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development (USDA RD), through the Rural Business-Cooperative Service (RBCS). The NOFA provides an overview of the CANS Grant Program and outlines specific requirements needed to complete the application process. Access to the application and additional information can be found on scrc.gov. Important Dates Full Application Portal Opens ……………. November 1, 2024 Letter of Interest Due Date (Required)………………… November 8, 2024 Full Application Due Date ………………….. November 22, 2024 SCRC Notification of Awards ……………. December 6, 2024 Anticipated Project Start Date ............ January 6, 2025 Funding Overview The Childcare Access and Nutrition Systems (CANS) Grant Program is funded through a cooperative agreement between the U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development (USDA RD) and the Southeast Crescent Regional Commission (SCRC). USDA Rural Business Cooperative Service provided the funding to SCRC to advance regional food and childcare systems in the distressed-identified rural counties of Dougherty and Upson, Georgia. The SCRC geographic area stretches from the Tidewater part of eastern Virginia southward through the Carolinas along Interstate 95, west through Georgia and lower Alabama, and northwesterly to the Mississippi Delta. According to a recent Wallet Hub economic study, Georgia is the sixth most financially distressed state in the country and has the ninth most people with accounts in distress and the 10th highest average number of accounts in distress across the United States. Georgia’s Southeast Crescent region is mostly rural, offering natural beauty, a distinct cultural heritage and relative proximity to metropolitan Atlanta, which is the leading economic driver of the state. While most counties in Georgia are economically distressed, the changing demographics of the region, ranging from high-growth areas to those that are losing population, require special interventions and policies to help close the region’s development and economic growth gap. This grant program will support rural Georgia communities’ economic development efforts and maintain and improve a healthy Georgia population by leveraging funding assistance from the USDA RD to key Administration priorities, such as advancing racial equity place-based growth, and opportunity by ensuring rural residents in the most distressed communities in Georgia have equitable access to RD programs and benefit from RD funded projects. Funding Strategy • Target Multiple Sectors: The strategic investment in childcare will support an increase in workforce participation. Comparable investment in food production and sustainable farming ends food insecurity and supports sustainability, while positively contributing to multiple facets of rural life. • Increase Local Food Production: By engaging local farms and food related businesses, and encouraging sustainable food system practices, these projects will support job creation, economic growth, and better health outcomes. Local food production can improve regional self-sufficiency and contribute to long-term economic stability. • Leverage Employer and Community Partnerships: Through employer and community partnerships, these projects will encourage local support, thus ensuring that both businesses and communities have a stake in the success of the project and its broader implications. • Scalable Impact: Funded projects will offer an investment in local communities while impacting a broader audience. By expanding access to stronger local food systems and improving access to childcare services, these projects address immediate infrastructure needs, building a foundation for long-term community resilience. Link to Application Portal