USDA Awards Grants to Improve SNAP Processing, Technology

Washington, DC, Aug. 25, 2016 – The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) today awarded $5 million in grants to state agencies and community-based organizations to improve the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program and implement modernization initiatives. Organizations from seven states were selected for these competitive grants, including Delaware, Florida, Maryland, Missouri, Nebraska, California and Washington.

“SNAP is a vital program that helps millions of households put food on the table,” said Kevin Concannon, USDA Under Secretary for Food Nutrition and Consumer Services. “The forward-looking projects funded by grants announced today will help make applying for benefits and determining who is eligible more efficient.”

USDA sought grant proposals for projects designed to improve the quality and efficiency of SNAP operations and processes with a focus on initiatives that use new technologies or will examine office procedures to improve application processing timeliness for initial or recertification applications.

Awardees and grant amounts are:

• Delaware Department of Health and Social Services (Del.) – $667,618
• Florida Department of Children and Families (Fla.) – $447,282
• Info Line of San Diego 2-1-1 (Calif.) – $100,000
• Maryland Department of Human Resources (Md.) – $723,065
• Missouri Department of Social Services (Mo.) – $955,035
• Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services (Neb.) – $607,000
• Washington Department of Social and Health Services (Wash.) – $1,500,000

SNAP administering agencies in the 50 states, Guam, the Virgin Islands, the District of Columbia, and their community-based and faith-based partners were eligible to compete for the grants, which are funded for a three year period.

USDA's Food and Nutrition Service administers 15 nutrition assistance programs. In addition to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, these programs include Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children, the National School Lunch Program, and the Summer Food Service Program which together comprise America's nutrition safety net.