Community Food Projects Competitive Grants Program:  On September 24, 2009 the U.S. Department of Agriculture Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service announced the availability of funding for the Community Food Projects Competitive Grants Program (Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance number 10.225). The purpose of this program is to meet the food needs of low-income individuals; increase the self-reliance of communities in providing for the food needs of the communities; promote comprehensive responses to local food, farm, and nutrition issues and meet specific State, local or neighborhood food and agricultural needs including needs relating to infrastructure improvement and development; planning for long-term solutions; or the creation of innovative marketing activities that mutually benefit agricultural producers and low-income consumers. The application deadline is November 19, 2009.  Eligible applicants include private non-profit organizations that have experience in the area of community food work, particularly concerning small and medium-size farms, including the provision of food to people in low-income communities and the development of new markets in low-income communities for agricultural producers or job training and business development activities for food-related activities in low-income communities; demonstrate competency to implement a project, provide fiscal accountability, collect data, and prepare reports and other necessary documentation and demonstrate a willingness to share information with researchers, evaluators, practitioners and other interested parties, including a plan for dissemination of results. To request an application package, visit www.grants.gov. For further information, contact Dr. Elizabeth Tuckermanty, National Program Leader, Community Food Projects Competitive Grants Program, Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service, USD, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW, Mail Stop 2241, Washington, DC 20250-2241, (202) 205-0241, etuckermanty@csrees.usda.gov.