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You are here: Home > Research > ORA >Demos/Grant Projects
Demos/Grant Projects

Reaching Underserved Elderly and Working Poor in SNAP

Frequently Asked Questions

QUESTION: What does it mean that the State agency can apply on behalf of a local SNAP agency? Can a local SNAP agency apply through the State without any significant involvement of the State agency? Does this mean the State SNAP agency will have no role in the pilot's management and no justifiable claim on the grant funds?

ANSWER: A local SNAP agency can develop a proposal for submittal by the State agency but the State agency has a distinct and important role in the operation of the pilot and proposals cannot be submitted without their involvement at some stage in the development of the application.

The RFA is very clear that the State Agency is the grantee and it will have specific responsibilities for managing the pilot. The State is responsible for overseeing the project and ensuring that all the requirements of the cooperative agreement are met. These include:

  • Submitting financial reports, progress reports, and the final report,

  • Applying for waivers and monitoring SNAP benefit costs (see cost neutrality discussion in RFA), and

  • Cooperating with the independent evaluation in all respects, including attending meetings at FNS headquarters, identifying staff to work with the independent evaluator to identify comparison sites, provide data, and assist in site visits.

The grant funds will go to the State and the use of these funds must conform to State financial rules and follow State reimbursement procedures. Since FNS expects State staff involvement in the project, it will be appropriate for the State to fund these services through the grant funds. States may choose not to fund some staff activities such as consultations with experts within the agency. Partners will receive payments from the State for their defined role(s) in the pilot. The application for the pilot must include a budget narrative that describes how all expenditures (labor and non-labor) from all sources relate to the project goals, objectives and proposed activities.

Ideas for a pilot need not originate in the State SNAP agency. They may come from local SNAP agencies, other State agencies, non-profits, and other business entities. For example, a county SNAP agency that serves a relatively large number of potential clients from one of the target groups could assemble a team of local agencies (e.g., on aging or employment assistance) to provide new ways of engaging and helping potentially eligible elderly or working poor clients apply for SNAP. It is possible that a local SNAP agency has already initiated some of the services that would be the core of the pilot and would like to improve and expand this approach. However, even in this situation, the State agency must be engaged in the preparation of the proposal in order to ensure that the proposed pilot satisfies the intent of the RFA - projects that reach a sizeable portion of the eligible population and could be expanded and sustained by the State SNAP agency-and to affirm the State agency's willingness to meet the requirements of the cooperative agreement.

There must be explicit buy-in from all partners and this includes the State and local SNAP agencies. Pilots that are not supported by State and locally involved SNAP agencies will not be awarded a grant.

Last modified: 06/22/2009