The Food and Nutrition Service is excited to announce a new option for SNAP online purchasing. FNS is dedicated to enhancing access to nutritious food for all Americans, and this expansion of SNAP online purchasing is another step forward in achieving that goal.

New Retailers Added

FNS is happy to introduce that we are piloting two online-only retailers in SNAP, Thrive and DashMart. Over the last several years, more than 200 SNAP authorized retailers, representing thousands of storefront locations, have offered online purchasing to SNAP participants. The addition of Thrive and DashMart marks the first inclusion of online-only retailers without a brick-and-mortar presence. FNS is piloting these retailers prior to expanding approvals to additional online-only retailers, ensuring that each retailer’s unique business model is in alignment with SNAP eligibility requirements before granting any additional approvals.

Millions of SNAP participants across all 50 states and the District of Columbia already use their benefits to buy food online every month. FNS is committed to continuing to expand options for shopping online, bringing a more diverse range of grocers online and further empowering SNAP participants to shop with ease and convenience.

Empowering SNAP Participants

This further expands options for SNAP participants, especially those who live in areas with limited access to food, allowing them the same convenience and variety of options enjoyed by all Americans when it comes to grocery shopping. We believe that online grocery shopping is a vital resource for increasing food access and improving the overall well-being of SNAP participants and their families.

Our Commitment to Modernizing SNAP

Modernizing SNAP program delivery is a top priority for USDA. We recognize that SNAP modernization efforts have the potential to significantly improve customer service and ensure that SNAP participants have access to the resources they need to thrive. We look forward to improving program delivery as we work towards a more inclusive and accessible food system for all.

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USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender. 

The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is the nation's largest domestic food and nutrition assistance program for low-income Americans. USDA's Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) is committed to enhancing the program and aiding participants. As part of these efforts, FNS is pleased to announce the release of the 2024 Fraud Framework Implementation Grant (FFIG) request for applications, aimed at curbing recipient fraud.

USDA and the Biden-Harris Administration share a common goal to improving program integrity in SNAP, and safeguarding nutrition assistance for low-income Americans.

SNAP Fraud Framework Implementation Grant (FFIG)

The SNAP FFIGs offer up to $5 million in grants to empower state agencies to advance projects aligned with the seven components of the SNAP Fraud Framework. With a focus on combating emerging threats like card skimming schemes, state agencies are encouraged to submit proposals geared towards prevention, detection, and mitigation of benefit theft.

SNAP anticipates awarding between $150,000 and $750,000 each to up to 9 awardees in August 2024.

Last year's grant awards showcased innovative projects and impactful initiatives to combat recipient fraud. Review the summary of last year's grant awards for more information.

Application Details

The application period for the SNAP FFIG opens on April 23, 2024, and closes on June 24, 2024.

We encourage all eligible state agencies to explore this opportunity and submit applications to help strengthen SNAP operations and ensure eligible individuals and families receive the vital food assistance they need.

For more information and to apply, please visit Grants.gov.

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USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender. 

Summary

The purpose of the SNAP Fraud Framework Implementation Grant Program is to support state agency efforts to improve and expand recipient fraud prevention, detection, and investigation efforts using the procedures, ideas and practices outlined in the SNAP Fraud Framework.

1. Organizational Management: This objective aims to help states establish and communicate priorities, organize employees, and manage both large-scale and day-to-day processes. Many of the concepts described in this component are the foundation for successful program integrity initiatives.
2. Performance Measurement: This objective offers recommendations encouraging states to consistently capture and analyze their own performance.
3. Recipient Integrity Education: This objective provides targeted integrity education initiatives to help ensure recipients have the necessary information and tools to use SNAP benefits as intended—preventing fraud before it occurs. When producing recipient integrity education materials, states are encouraged to educate the public and applicants about SNAP fraud, rather than emphasize the consequences as a deterrent to applying.
4. Fraud Detection: Here, the SNAP Fraud Framework stresses the importance of proactively detecting fraud from the application process and continuing throughout the recipient’s time in the Program.
5. Investigations and Dispositions: This objective aims to provide states with tools and suggestions to improve fraud case management from initial fraud referral through disposition.
6. Analytics and Data Management: This objective details the necessary people, processes, and technology to launch and maintain an analytics capability. Data analytics can play a valuable role in preventing, detecting, and investigating SNAP fraud.
7. Learning and Development: The final objective contains recommendations for states to invest in training and professional development opportunities to promote employee engagement and to ensure employees are aware of new and emerging trends in fraud.

Eligibility

County or state governments. This grant opportunity is only open to state agencies that administer SNAP, consistent with the SNAP regulatory definition of “State agency” at 7 CFR 271.2. 

For state agencies that are county-administered, a county agency that submits an application must include a letter of commitment or letter of endorsement from the relevant SNAP agency with the application package to be considered for funding. 

States that are county-administered include: California, Colorado, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Virginia, and Wisconsin. FNS will consider only one application per state agency.

Past Awards

For reference, the press release for SNAP Fraud Framework awards made in previous fiscal years can be found at the following links:

• FY 2023 Awards
• FY 2021 Awards
• FY 2020 Awards
• FY 2019 Awards

The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is the nation's largest domestic food and nutrition assistance program for low-income Americans. USDA's Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) is committed to enhancing the program and aiding participants. As part of these efforts, FNS is pleased to announce the release of the 2024 SNAP Process and Technology Improvement Grants Program (PTIG) request for applications, aimed at supporting efforts by state agencies and their community-based and faith-based partners to develop and implement projects that use technology to improve the quality and efficiency of SNAP application and eligibility determination systems. These grants are particularly timely as many states are struggling to meet critical customer service standards of timely and accurate benefits.

SNAP Process and Technology Improvement Grants Program

PTIGs offer up to $5 million in grants to support projects focused on modernizing SNAP customer service and client communication, improving administrative infrastructure and day-to-day operations, or investing in technology to encourage cross-collaboration and cross-enrollment between SNAP and other assistance programs. SNAP anticipates awarding between $20,000 and $2,000,000 each to up to 12 awardees in August 2024.

Last year's grant awards showcased innovative projects and impactful initiatives. View a summary of last year's grant awards.

Application Details

The application period for the SNAP PTIG opened on April 19, 2024, and closes on June 18, 2024.

Eligible applicants include SNAP state agencies, state or local governments, health or welfare service agencies, public health or educational entities, indian tribal organizations (ITOs), private non-profit organizations (such as community-based or faith-based organizations, food banks, or other emergency feeding organizations).

We encourage all eligible entities to explore this opportunity and submit applications to help strengthen SNAP operations and ensure eligible individuals and families receive the vital food assistance they need.

For more information and to apply, please visit Grants.gov.

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USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender.

Purpose

The Process and Technology Improvement Grant (PTIG) program supports efforts by state agencies and their community-based and faith-based partners to develop and implement projects that use technology to improve the quality and efficiency of SNAP application and eligibility determination systems. The FY 2024 Request for Applications (RFA) is available on Grants.gov.

Please visit the PTIG webpage for more information on the program and to view past years' awardees.

Critical Dates

Who May Apply

• The 53 state agencies that administer SNAP;
• State or local governments;
• Agencies providing health or welfare services;
• Public health or educational entities; and
• Private nonprofit entities such as community-based or faith-based organizations, food banks, or other emergency feeding organizations.

Any entity that received a Process and Technology Improvement Grant award in either of the last two fiscal years (FY 2022 or FY 2023) is ineligible to apply this fiscal year (FY 2024). This restriction only applies to the lead entity on the award (i.e., the recipient whose name appears in block 9 of the awarded project’s FNS-529) and not to partner organizations or government agencies on a particular project.

Funding and Duration

Contingent on the availability of funds, FNS intends to award up to $5 million in SNAP Process and Technology Improvement Grants once each fiscal year. FNS awards these grants through a competitive process. Grantees are allowed to use the grant funds for the duration of the three-year project period. FNS anticipates awarding between 6 and 12 Process and Technology Improvement Grants.

FNS reminds applicants that the submission of a proposal does not guarantee funding. Funding for approved grants will be provided through the Grant Award/Letter of Credit process, in the same manner as other funds, upon receipt of a properly executed Grant Agreement and subject to the availability of funding. All SNAP Process and Technology Improvement Grant funds must be obligated and all activities under the grant must be completed by end of the project period, Sept. 1, 2024 through Sept. 30, 2027.

If the activities funded under this grant are part of a larger eligibility system project with total projected costs exceeding $6 million, an Advance Planning Document (APD) must be submitted and approved prior to the expenditure of these grant funds.

• APD Guidance Process

If the proposed project funded with this grant benefits other programs in addition to SNAP, then the costs must be allocated appropriately between all of the benefiting programs. This grant funding can only be used for SNAP’s share of the costs.

Application for Federal Assistance Forms

The following forms can be found on Grants.gov:

• SF-424 Application for Federal Assistance
• SF-424A Budget Information
• SF-424B Assurances - Non-Construction Programs
• SF-LLL Disclosure of Lobbying Activities