The Secretary may, through grants to public and private, nonprofit agencies, provide for community-based, local, statewide, and national programs—

(1) to coordinate private and public food assistance resources, wherever the grant recipient involved determines such coordination to be inadequate, to better serve low-income populations;

(2) to assist low-income communities to identify potential sponsors of child nutrition programs and to initiate such programs in underserved or unserved areas; and

(3) to develop innovative approaches at the State and local level to meet the nutrition needs of low-income individuals.

Of the amount appropriated for a fiscal year to carry out this section (but not to exceed $6,000,000), the Secretary shall distribute funds for grants under subsection (a) as follows:

Of the amount appropriated for a fiscal year to carry out this section (but not to exceed $6,000,000), the Secretary shall distribute funds for grants under subsection (a) as follows:

(A) Allotments From a portion equal to 60 percent of such amount (but not to exceed $3,600,000), the Secretary shall allot for grants to eligible agencies for statewide programs in each State the amount that bears the same ratio to such portion as the low-income and unemployed population of such State bears to the low-income and unemployed population of all the States.

(B) Competitive grants From a portion equal to 40 percent of such amount (but not to exceed $2,400,000), the Secretary shall make grants on a competitive basis to eligible agencies for local and statewide programs.

Any amounts appropriated for a fiscal year to carry out this section in excess of $6,000,000 shall be allotted as follows:

(A) Allotments The Secretary shall use 40 percent of such excess to allot for grants under subsection (a) to eligible agencies for statewide programs in each State an amount that bears the same ratio to 40 percent of such excess as the low-income and unemployed population of such State bears to the low-income and unemployed population of all the States.

(B) Competitive grants for local and statewide programs The Secretary shall use 40 percent of such excess to make grants under subsection (a) on a competitive basis to eligible agencies for local and statewide programs.

(C) Competitive grants for nationwide programs The Secretary shall use the remaining 20 percent of such excess to make grants under subsection (a) on a competitive basis to eligible agencies for nationwide programs, including programs benefiting Indians, as defined in section 9911 of this title, and migrant or seasonal farmworkers.

(3) Eligibility for allotments for statewide programs To be eligible to receive an allotment under paragraph (1)(A) or (2)(A), an eligible agency shall demonstrate that the proposed program is statewide in scope and represents a comprehensive and coordinated effort to alleviate hunger within the State.

From the amounts allotted under paragraphs (1)(A) and (2)(A), the minimum total allotment for each State for each fiscal year shall be—

(A) In generalFrom the amounts allotted under paragraphs (1)(A) and (2)(A), the minimum total allotment for each State for each fiscal year shall be— (i) $15,000 if the total amount appropriated to carry out this section is not less than $7,000,000 but less than $10,000,000; (ii) $20,000 if the total amount appropriated to carry out this section is not less than $10,000,000 but less than $15,000,000; or (iii) $30,000 if the total amount appropriated to carry out this section is not less than $15,000,000.

(B) Definition In this paragraph, the term “State” does not include Guam, American Samoa, the United States Virgin Islands, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands.

(5) Maximum grants From funds made available under paragraphs (1)(B) and (2)(B) for any fiscal year, the Secretary may not make grants under subsection (a) to an eligible agency in an aggregate amount exceeding $50,000. From funds made available under paragraph (2)(C) for any fiscal year, the Secretary may not make grants under subsection (a) to an eligible agency in an aggregate amount exceeding $300,000.

For each fiscal year, the Secretary shall prepare and submit, to the Committee on Education and the Workforce of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Labor and Human Resources of the Senate, a report concerning the grants made under this section. Such report shall include—

(1) a list of grant recipients;

(2) information on the amount of funding awarded to each grant recipient; and

(3) a summary of the activities performed by the grant recipients with funding awarded under this section and a description of the manner in which such activities meet the objectives described in subsection (a).

There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section such sums as may be necessary for each of fiscal years 1999 through 2003.

(Pub. L. 97–35, title VI, § 681, as added Pub. L. 105–285, title II, § 201, Oct. 27, 1998, 112 Stat. 2752.)