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Basic page Income Eligibility Guidelines

The Department's annual adjustments to the Income Eligibility Guidelines (IEGs), are used in determining eligibility for free and reduced price meals or free milk.

02/09/2023
Resource | Federal Register Documents Information Collection: SNAP Reporting of Lottery and Gambling and Resource Verification

This is a revision of a currently approved collection and existing burden in use without a valid OMB control number in SNAP. This information collection captures the burden associated with the requirement that states make ineligible SNAP participants with substantial lottery or gambling winnings and establish cooperative agreements with gaming entities within their states to identify SNAP participants with substantial winnings. 

04/07/2022
Resource | History Summer Food Service Program History

History of the Summer Food Service Program from 1968 - 2010.

03/31/2019
Resource | Policy Memos | FNS-GD-2011-0055 SUA Annual Review and Adjustment - Option to Postpone Annual Adjustment

This memorandum provides a policy option to states to help soften the impact that reduced SUAs might have on SNAP households in certain state.

09/21/2011
Resource | Policy Memos | FNS-GD-2011-0024 Transmission of Household Income Information by Tier II Family Day Care Homes in the CACFP

The purpose of this memorandum is to provide guidance on the implementation of the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010.

CACFP17-2011
04/07/2011
Resource | Research | Assessing/Improving Operations Feasibility of Wider Implementation of Direct Verification With Medicaid

To ensure program integrity, school districts must sample household applications certified for free or reduced-price meals, contact the households, and verify eligibility. This process (known as household verification) can be burdensome for both school officials and households. Direct verification uses information from certain other means-tested programs to verify eligibility without contacting applicants. Potential benefits include: less burden for households, less work for school officials, and fewer students with school meal benefits terminated because of nonresponse to verification requests.

10/26/2010
Resource | Policy Memos | FNS-GD-2009-0021 SNAP - Whether Verification of Sponsor's Income is Required to Determine Indigence

The purpose of this memorandum is to clarify FNS policy on whether verification of a sponsor's income and resources is needed to determine if an immigrant is indigent for SNAP purposes.

03/06/2009
Resource | Policy Memos | FNS-GD-2004-0018 Exclusion of the Housing Allowance for Military Households in Privatized Housing - Reauthorization 2004: Implementation Memo CN 1

In accordance with the Child Nutrition and WIC Reauthorization Act of 2004, the housing allowance for military personnel living in privatized housing will be permanently excluded from income when determining household eligibility for free and reduced price meals or free milk in all of the child nutrition programs.

Reauthorization 2004: Implementation Memo CN 1
07/01/2004
Page updated: October 14, 2021