GRANTS TO IMPROVE FOOD STAMP PARTICIPATION.

SEC. 1759. GRANTS TO IMPROVE FOOD STAMP PARTICIPATION. Section 17 (7 U.S.C. 2026) (as amended by section 1758 of this Act) is further amended by adding at the end the following new subsection: “(j) (1) (A) Subject to the availability of funds specifically appropriated to carry out this subsection and subject to the other provisions of this subsection, during each of fiscal years 1992 through 1995, the Secretary shall make grants competitively awarded to public or private nonprofit organizations to fund food stamp outreach demonstration projects (hereinafter in this subsection referred to as the ‘projects’) and related evaluations in areas of the United States to increase participation by eligible low-income households in the food stamp program. The total amount of grants provided during a fiscal year may not exceed $5,000,000. Funds appropriated to carry out this subsection shall be used in the year during which the funds are appropriated. Not more than 20 percent of the funds appropriated to carry out this subsection shall be used for evaluations. “(B) The Secretary shall make a grant under this paragraph only to an entity that demonstrates to the Secretary that the entity is able to conduct the outreach functions described in this subsection. “(2) Outreach projects under this subsection shall be targeted toward members of rural, elderly, and homeless populations, low-income working families with children, and non-English speaking minorities (hereinafter in this subsection collectively referred to as ‘target populations’). “(3) (A) The Secretary shall appoint an advisory panel (hereinafter in this subsection referred to as the ‘panel’) composed of representatives of the target populations as well as individuals with expertise in the area of program evaluation. The panel shall not be subject to the Federal Advisory Committee Act (5 U.S.C. App. 2). “(B) The Secretary shall select recipients for grants, taking into consideration any recommendations from the panel concerning criteria that should be used in selecting recipients, to carry out projects under this subsection based on the appropriateness of the methods proposed for the projects to reach target populations. Appropriate methods shall include— “(i) the production of electronic media campaigns (with the total amount allocated for the campaigns in the aggregate not to exceed 15 percent of the total amount of funds specified in paragraph (1)(A)); “(ii) utilization of local outreach workers and volunteers; “(iii) development of solutions to transportation and access problems; “(iv) in-service training for those capable of referring households to the program; “(v) community presentations and education; “(vi) pre-screening assistance for program eligibility; “(vii) individualized client assistance; “(viii) consultation and referral for benefit appeals; and 104 STAT. 3803 “(ix) recruitment of authorized representatives for applicants unable to appear for certification or at authorized food stores. “(C) In selecting grant recipients, the Secretary shall take into consideration the ability of the applicants to produce useful data for evaluation purposes. “(D) In selecting grant recipients from among applicant public agencies, preference shall be given to those applicants that propose to involve nonprofit organizations in projects to be carried out with the grants. “(E) The Secretary shall provide at least one grant equal to 50 percent of the cost of the development of outreach materials aimed at the general food stamp eligible population as well as the specific target populations, including written materials and public service announcements, so that the materials may be used or adopted by other grant recipients, as appropriate. To be eligible to receive any such grant, a recipient shall provide matching funds equal to 50 percent of the cost of the development of materials described in the preceding sentence. In carrying out this subparagraph, the Secretary shall give preference to applicants that demonstrate the ability to disseminate the materials through other public and private nonprofit organizations. Not to exceed $500,000 of the funds provided under this subsection for any fiscal year shall be used for the grant. “(4) (A) The Secretary shall evaluate a sufficient number of projects to be able to determine the effectiveness of the projects and the techniques employed by the projects with respect to— “(i) success in reducing barriers to participation; “(ii) increasing overall program participation including participation among target populations; “(iii) administrative effectiveness; “(iv) program efficiency; and “(v) adequacy of administrative resource levels to conduct the activities effectively. “(B) The Secretary shall provide an interim report on the results of the evaluation carried out under subparagraph (A) not later than 1 year after a sufficient number of projects have begun and a final report not later than 3 years after a sufficient number of projects have begun to the Committee on Agriculture of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry of the Senate. “(C) The Secretary shall also examine and report on previous research regarding reasons for nonparticipation and effective methods to conduct outreach and to reduce barriers to participation. “(5) The Secretary shall— “(A) within 180 days after funds are appropriated, publish such notice as may be necessary to implement this subsection; “(B) accept proposals from organizations for projects under this subsection for 90 days following the date the notice is published; and “(C) begin to award grants under this subsection beginning no later than 180 days following the date the notice is published.”.