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.
List of awarded grants for FY23 SNAP Process and Technology Improvement Grants.
As part of the WIC innovation and modernization efforts to be funded under ARPA, FNS is supporting planning and implementation projects focused on enhancements that improve the WIC participant experience, as evidenced by enhancing the WIC shopping experience, increasing participant enrollment, reducing unnecessary administrative burden for both participants and administrators, including through data matching to streamline enrollment, and retaining eligible participants while improving equity
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.
In FY 2022, FNS awarded $23,100,000.00 in grants to 66 WIC state agencies to support planning and implementation of projects to improve the WIC participant experience. State agencies each received $350,000.00 in funding to work on multiple types of projects.
FNS awarded grants to WIC state agencies to tackle the WIC shopping experience from every angle—from improving in store signage and cashier training, to working toward online shopping.
The Gus Schumacher Nutrition Incentive Program allows the Secretary to provide funding opportunities to conduct and evaluate projects providing incentives to increase the purchase of fruits and vegetables by low-income consumers.
Video of the FY2021 kickoff call for the Process and Technology Improvements Grants.
On Aug. 4, 2021, USDA awarded approximately $3.6 million in Data and Technical Assistance grants to five states. These grants are intended to support the full range of needs state agencies may have related to the development, collection, reporting, analysis and use of SNAP E&T participant outcome data.