FNS Documents & Resources

The purpose of this memorandum is to provide funding allocation amounts for the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program for all state agencies for FY 2025, including information on funding requirements and deadlines, and a reminder of important program requirements.

Through ARPA, USDA received waiver authority to support WIC and FMNP outreach, innovation, and modernization. Waivers are currently available to support WIC online shopping and ARPA funded projects.

This memorandum provides the total funding amount available to FNS to distribute to state agencies, which is $252.6 million for FY 2024. This includes $219.6 million in new funds available under Section 19 of the National School Lunch Act, which is the prior year base amount adjusted for inflation, and an additional $33 million in unexpired carryover funds from previous years.

This policy memorandum provides guidance to improve outreach and streamline certification in WIC. It outlines current flexibilities and new policy for certification documentation options and aims to reduce WIC staff and participant burden.

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 request for approval of information collection is necessary to obtain input into the development of nutrition education interventions for population groups served by FNS. Collection of this information will increase FNS' ability to formulate nutrition education interventions that resonate with the intended target population, particularly low-income families.

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.

This guidance contains information to help WIC state agencies plan for meeting the needs of WIC participants and potential, newly-eligible WIC applicants prior to and during a disaster response. It can also be used to plan for continued WIC operations during emergencies or other situations of distress. The information is designed to assist headquarters and regional office staff, as well as WIC state and local agency staff in their development of an executable WIC disaster plan

The WIC Certification and Eligibility Resource and Best Practices Guide  is a compilation of existing regulations and best practices that WIC state and local agencies may choose to use when determining eligibility for the program.  This simple, 10-page document walks WIC personnel through the certification process.