The FY 2024 TEFAP funding memorandum provides guidance on full-year food and administrative funding allocations.
States annually update Standard Utility Allowances (SUAs) to reflect changes in utility costs. When determining a household’s eligibility, states consider a household’s total shelter costs, including the cost of utilities. Since actual utility costs are often hard to determine, states can use SUAs, which are standard amounts that represent low-income household utility costs in the state or local area. SUAs may be used in lieu of the household's actual costs when determining eligibility and benefit amount.
FNS will collect and approve information from state agencies on how the various state SNAP agencies develop, update, change and implement options will be determined for SUAs for household.
The fiscal year 2023 TEFAP funding memorandum provides guidance on full-year FY 2023 TEFAP food and administrative funding allocations.
This information collection addresses the mandatory state agency information and burden estimates associated with the following state agency options under SNAP: establishing and reviewing standard utility allowances and establishing methodology for offsetting cost of producing self-employment income.
In FY 2023, the USDA anticipates an increase in TEFAP entitlement food funding, due to significant inflationary changes reflected in the June 2022 TFP.
Based on USDA’s re-evaluation, the Thrifty Food Plan is increasing by 21% and total national FY 2022 TEFAP entitlement food funding will increase by an estimated $57.75 million. We will be sharing additional details and final numbers after the budget is finalized.
The Agricultural Improvement Act of 2018 required USDA to re-evaluate the Thrifty Food Plan by 2022 and every 5 years thereafter based on current food prices, food composition data, consumption patterns and dietary guidance. By law, the June TFP is the basis for SNAP maximum allotments for the following fiscal year.
This memorandum provides the FY 2022 Cost-of-Living Adjustments to SNAP, income eligibility standards, and deductions for the 48 contiguous states and D.C., Alaska, Hawaii, Guam and the U.S. Virgin Islands. COLAs are effective as of Oct. 1, 2021.
FNS intends to issue updated SNAP – Emergency Allotments guidance to provide benefits to certain eligible households, including those receiving SNAP benefits at the statutory maximum, that were previously deemed ineligible for emergency allotments by USDA.