FNS Documents & Resources

This is a new information collection for the contract of the study titled “How Have SNAP State Agencies Shifted Operations in the Aftermath of COVID–19? (SNAP COVID study)”.

FNS is required to develop standards for identifying major changes in the operations of state agencies that administer SNAP. State agencies must notify the Department when planning to implement a major change in operations and to collect any information required by the Department to identify and correct any adverse effects on program integrity or access, including access by vulnerable households.

This is a new information collection request. SNAP and Medicaid serve similar populations, which provides opportunities for state agencies administering the programs to coordinate policies and processes to improve efficiency, customer service, and program access. This study will conduct case studies in up to five states to understand the challenges with improving program coordination and highlight the best practices that could be shared with other states.

This is a revision to a currently approved collection, to prevent a lapse in OMB approval of data collection. This collection allows for Food Distribution Programs, such as the National School Lunch Program, the Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations, the Commodity Supplemental Food Program, and The Emergency Food Assistance Program, to run effectively.

This is a revision of a currently approved collection that consists of several components of state agency reporting and/or recordkeeping: State Plan of Operations, Puerto Rico Plan of Operations, Territory Memorandums of Understanding (MOUs), a budget projection statement, a program activity report, waiver requests submitted via the Waiver Information Management System (WIMS), card skimming reporting, and other plans and submissions such as advance planning documents for information systems and for electronic benefit transfer (EBT) systems.

The information contained in SNAP-Ed state plans and annual reports is used by FNS to determine whether SNAP-Ed program resources are being maximized, and whether state SNAP agencies have produced  persuasive and data-driven needs evaluations.

FNS requires states agencies to issue a warning notice to withhold replacement electronic benefit transfer (EBT) cards or a warning notice for excessive EBT card replacements for individual members of a SNAP household requesting four EBT cards in a 12-month period. These notices are being issued to educate SNAP recipients on use of the EBT card and to deter fraudulent activity.

State agencies are required to operate a SNAP E&T program and have considerable flexibility to determine the services they offer and populations they serve. FNS seeks to ensure the quality of the services and activities offered through SNAP E&T programs by investing resources and providing technical assistance to help states build capacity, create more robust services, and increase engagement in their programs.

The LEP study will provide FNS with actionable insights about how states and territories operate language access policies and requirements. The study will gather detailed data from all 53 state SNAP agencies via a web-based survey, the three territories that operate NAP via in-depth interviews, and will conduct case studies in four states. The study will provide FNS with a comprehensive summary of findings on policies and practices related to LEP access.

Through this data collection effort, FNS seeks to understand the interrelated factors that lead to household food insecurity. Data will be collected in six counties experiencing persistent intergenerational poverty through a study titled Understanding the Relationship Between Poverty, Well-Being, and Food Security.