USDA is committed to providing nutrition assistance to hard-hit families across the country due to the coronavirus pandemic. In support of President Biden’s call to action on hunger, USDA announced that it is increasing the Pandemic EBT benefit by approximately 15 percent, providing more money for low-income families and millions of children missing meals due to school and child care closures.
On Sept. 30, 2023, President Biden signed into law the Continuing Appropriations Act, 2024 and Other Extensions Act, funding the federal government through Nov. 17, 2023. This memorandum is intended to clarify the impact of the continuing resolution on upcoming SNAP benefit issuance.
This communication is intended to provide states with information about a change in the FNS accounting process for obligating SNAP funds.
This is a new collection for the contract Assessment of Mobile Technologies for Using Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Benefits (Mobile Payment Pilot evaluation). The purpose of the Mobile Payment Pilot evaluation is to assess the effects of five pilot projects that will allow SNAP participants to use mobile payments to purchase food as an alternate option to a physical electronic benefit transfer card.
On Jan. 30, 2023, the administration announced the end of the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency on May 11, 2023. This action has significant implications for the administration of P-EBT activities for fiscal year 2023 and 2024. This letter is intended to outline those impacts and identify ways in which FNS intends to assist state partners with the issuance of final P-EBT benefits and the orderly conclusion of the P-EBT activities.
Electronic Benefits Transfer is an electronic system that allows a SNAP participant to pay for food using SNAP benefits. When a participant shops at a SNAP authorized retail store, their SNAP EBT account is debited to reimburse the store for food that was purchased. EBT is in use in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands and Guam.
FNS is releasing new guidance today to assist states in the development of Pandemic EBT (P-EBT) plans for the summer of 2023. The guidance consists of a Q&A document and a summer P-EBT plan template.
FNS is providing a comprehensive list of SNAP resource materials and policy memos to equip state agencies with key information to prepare for the end of the COVID-19 public health emergency.
In preparation for the end of the COVID-19 public health emergency, FNS is sharing critical decision points and important resources state agencies should reference as they plan to reinstate the ABAWD time-limit.
To help SNAP state agencies prepare for the lifting of the COVID-19 federal public health emergency (PHE) declaration on May 11, 2023, FNS is sharing the enclosed table summarizing the timelines for ending PHE flexibilities. These flexibilities include waivers of SNAP regulations, adjustments of the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008, temporary changes to eligibility criteria for ABAWDs and students, and the issuance of EAs during the PHE.