Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, Process and Technology Improvement Grants

The purpose of these grants is to support efforts by State agencies and their community-based and faith-based partners to develop and and implement projects that use technology to improve the quality and efficiency of SNAP application and eligibility determination systems. FY2024 grantees focus on one or more of the following priority areas: 1) Modernize SNAP customer service and client communication; 2) Improve administrative infrastructure and day-to-day SNAP operations; or 3) Invest in technology and systems to encourage cross collaboration and cross enrollment.

State agencies that administer the SNAP, State or local governments; agencies that provide health or welfare services; public health or educational entities and private nonprofit entities such as community-based or faith-based organizations, food banks, or other emergency feeding organizations.

Note: An eligible entity that received a Process and Technology Improvement Grant award in the prior two fiscal years is ineligible to apply in the current fiscal year. This only applies to the lead entity on the award (i.e. the recipient whose name appears in block 9 of the awarded project’s FNS-529) and not to partner organizations or government agencies on a particular project

The entities eligible to receive grants under this competition are: - The 53 State agencies that administer the SNAP; - State or local governments, including tribal governments; - Agencies providing health or welfare services; -Indian Tribal Organizations; - Public health or educational entities; and - Private non-profit entities such as community-based or faith-based organizations, food banks, or other emergency feeding organizations.

State agencies and State and local governments should have the necessary approvals of state officials (such as councils or legislatures) of funding prior to submitting the application. Applicants should also acknowledge in their application that all necessary approvals for funding have been obtained.

Non-profit organizations are required to submit a copy of the IRS Determination Letter, form 501(c)(3) or proof of application for exempt status under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, a list of their Board of Directors if applicable, and their most recent audited financial statements signed by the Treasurer or the Treasurer of the board. Educational entities are also required to submit their most recent financial statements signed by the Treasurer or Treasurer of the board. Applications submitted without these will be considered non-responsive and eliminated from consideration. All corporations, including non-profit corporations are required to complete the attached representation regarding felony convictions and tax delinquency.

Following the initial screening process, FNS will assemble a peer panel group to review and determine the technical merits of each application. The peer panel will evaluate the proposals based on how well they address the required application components. The peer panel members will recommend applications for consideration for a grant award based on the evaluation scoring. The selecting official reserves the right to award a grant to meet agency priorities, program balance, geographical representation, or project diversity.

The selecting official will consider the panel recommendations. In general, awards will be based on rank funding order. However, FNS reserves the right to fund out of rank order to achieve agency priorities (such as to grant an award to an entity that includes a joint effort between a State agency and a community-based or faith-based organization, demographic, or socioeconomic diversity, etc.). If the panel review indicates that FNS has received few or no technically acceptable proposals, the selecting official may determine that FNS will make no awards, or commit less than the $5 million set aside for this purpose.

FNS will award the grants through a competitive process and will notify selected grantees of the grant award no later than September 15, 2024.