Welcome to the USDA Food and Nutrition Service’s Household Certification Training course for the Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations. FDPIR is a federal program that provides USDA foods to low-income households living on Indian reservations, in designated areas near reservations, and in the State of Oklahoma. FNS developed the FDPIR Household Certification Training course to help Indian Tribal Organization (ITO) and state agency certification workers and their supervisors successfully administer the program.
On Dec. 27, 2020, the President signed into law the Consolidated Appropriations Act 2021. This Act excludes federal pandemic unemployment compensation payments authorized under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act from consideration as income for the purposes of determining FDPIR eligibility.
This memorandum includes questions and answers on flexibilities available to Indian Tribal Organizations and state agencies on the operations of FDPIR. These flexibilities may assist ITOs and state agencies that administer FDPIR in continuing to provide food to people in need during the novel COVID-19 public health emergency.
Consistent with the CARES Act, USDA will be allocating the $50 million for facility improvements and equipment upgrades to Indian Tribal Organizations and state agencies that administer FDPIR for program costs allowable under the law.
This memorandum provides revised policy guidance on certification periods pertaining to zero income households in FDPIR. FNS Handbook 501 provides that households who report zero income month after month must be asked as to how they sustain themselves and other household members.