FNS Documents & Resources

Policy guidance, lessons learned, and toolkits to operate a successful D-SNAP program.

USDA is committed to providing nutrition assistance to hard-hit families across the country due to the coronavirus pandemic. In support of President Biden’s call to action on hunger, USDA announced that it is increasing the Pandemic EBT benefit by approximately 15 percent, providing more money for low-income families and millions of children missing meals due to school and child care closures.

Here are some resources to find out more about SNAP ABAWDs and related information. 

This memo reiterates and extends the guidance, “Use of Virtual Disaster SNAP (D-SNAP) Operations in Remainder of Fiscal Year (FY) 2021 and FY 2022,” issued on Aug. 2, 2021. This memo provides lessons learned and best practices for D-SNAP operations with virtual components.

State agencies have faced unprecedented challenges during the last two fiscal years while operating a D-SNAP with a virtual component. This memo clarifies the following D-SNAP policies for virtual, hybrid or in person environments: food loss alone for D-SNAP eligibility, 72-hour timeliness requirement and needs assessment.

USDA has issued guidance to states in implementing FFCRA of 2020 which provides for the issuance of emergency allotments based on a public health emergency declaration by the Secretary of HHS under the Public Health Service Act related to an outbreak of COVID-19 when a state has also issued an emergency or disaster declaration.

The American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 provided USDA with $390 million, available through FY 2024, to carry out outreach, innovation, and program modernization efforts to increase participation and redemption of benefits for both the WIC program and the WIC Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program.

This guidance outlines an additional $471.5 million being provided by FNS to enhance local school districts’ ability to purchase foods for school meals by offering resources needed to address supply chain challenges directly to schools and school districts.

As part of the WIC innovation and modernization efforts to be funded under ARPA, FNS will provide non-competitive grants to WIC state agencies for planning and implementation of technology enhancements that improve the WIC participant experience, as evidenced by increasing participant enrollment, reducing unnecessary administrative burden for both participants and administrators, and retaining eligible participants while improving equity.

As part of the WIC innovation and modernization efforts to be funded under ARPA, FNS will fund non-competitive grants to WIC State agencies to complete projects aimed at improving the WIC shopping experience, which is a well-documented pain point for WIC participants. The primary goal of funded projects must be to improve the shopping experience, as evidenced by increasing the redemption of WIC benefits, improving customer satisfaction, and/or improving participant access to vendors, including for underserved communities and individuals.