WIC Grants To States (WGS)
Program Funding
Annual program obligations reported to SAM.gov.
Who has received this funding
Organizations awarded under CFDA 10.578 (USAspending.gov).
- Utah Department Of Health And Human Services $6,750,000
- Health And Human Services, Maine Department Of $6,685,401
- Health, New Jersey Department Of $6,215,843
- Virgin Islands Department Of Health $6,193,746
- Va State Board Of Health $5,300,000
- Trustees Of Tufts College $4,935,795
- Board Of Regents Of Nevada System Of Higher Education $4,039,185
- Standing Rock Sioux Tribe $3,635,850
- State Of Georgia Department Of Public Health $3,592,261
- Department Of Public Health Connecticut $3,550,000
Funded Projects
Examples of what this program has supported.
Program Objective
To assist WIC State agencies, through grants and cooperative agreements, in making improvements and/or enhancements to the delivery of program benefits and services to participants. These grants and cooperative agreements include the following:
1. WIC Breastfeeding Peer Counseling Grants (discretionary) are provided to WIC State agencies to implement or maintain effective breastfeeding peer counselor programs. Combining peer counseling with the on-going breastfeeding promotion and support efforts in WIC agencies has the potential to significantly impact breastfeeding rates among WIC participants. The Food and Nutrition Service’s long-range vision is to institutionalize peer counseling as a core service in WIC. A portion of these funds may be used to award breastfeeding performance bonuses. These incentives build upon WIC’s longstanding efforts to promote and support breastfeeding and are intended to recognize and award State agencies that have demonstrated successful breastfeeding promotion and support efforts.
2. WIC Infrastructure Grants (discretionary) are provided to WIC State agencies for infrastructure projects that support national and regional priorities to improve the delivery of program benefits and services to participants.
3. WIC Technology Grants which include WIC Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) and Management Information System (MIS) Grants were provided to WIC State agencies for the implementation of WIC EBT systems and/or to transfer a viable MIS. These grants included: (1) WIC EBT Implementation (non-competitive) Grants to support EBT planning or implementation projects through the Advanced Planning Document (APD) process; (2) WIC State Agency Model (SAM) Amendments (non-competitive) Grants to support WIC State agencies in the SAM Users Group; (3) WIC SAM Transfers Grants (non-competitive) to complete planning activities and have an approved Alternatives Analysis document justifying a SAM as their choice of system transfer; (4) WIC Management Information Systems (MIS) Implementation (non-competitive) Grants to implement a transfer MIS or are upgrading or enhancing their current MIS; (5) WIC SAM Product Management Office (PMO) (non-competitive) and SAM Maintenance and Enhancement (M&E) Grants for the support and management of the SAM change control process, including prioritization of enhancements, User Group governance, and maintenance and operation of the State agency MIS core code.
Eligibility
Eligible Applicants
- U.S. State Government
- U.S. Territory Government
- Tribal Government (other)
State agencies that administer the WIC Program are eligible to apply for WIC Grant to States funds. States may apply individually or as a coalition of States for WIC EBT and MIS technology funds. States may apply individually for WIC Breastfeeding Peer Counseling, Special Project, Innovation, and Infrastructure grants.
How to Apply
Award Procedure
FNS reviews all WIC technology project documentation to determine if the project meets all FNS Handbook 901 requirements. Funding is provided if the WIC State agency meets all documentation requirements, if outlined spending is necessary and reasonable, and if funding is available.
WIC Breastfeeding Peer Counseling grants are provided to State agencies administering the WIC Program based on an FNS approved plan and the number of pregnant and breastfeeding women participating in the program. Breastfeeding performance bonuses are funded with Breastfeeding Peer Counseling grants. Bonus awards are based upon State agencies that have the highest percentage of fully breastfed infants and/or those that have the greatest improvement of the percentage of fully breastfed infants over the last fiscal year.
WIC Infrastructure Grants will be awarded by FNS to State agencies administering the WIC program once proposed projects have been approved based on established evaluation criteria, and deemed necessary, reasonable, and allocable.
Approval of a State agency’s large MIS and/or EBT project can take up to a year for initial approval.
Approval determination for WIC Breastfeeding Peer Counseling grant is made within 30 days of submission of a completed plan or amendment.
Approval determination for the WIC Infrastructure grants is made approximately 90 days from date of submission.
Program details & compliance
Description
Grants and cooperative agreements provided to improve the delivery of program benefits and services to WIC participants. Funding supports improvements and/or enhancements to State agencies’ EBT and MIS technology projects; implementation or maintenance of effective WIC breastfeeding peer counselor programs; and innovation and infrastructure projects to improve program access and the customer experience.
Mission Categories
Primary: Food and Nutrition for Children
Other categories:
Food and Nutrition for Individual and Families
Use of Funds
Allowed Uses
WIC Technology Grant funds are used to plan, develop, and implement projects for WIC MIS updates/transfers and EBT processing. Grant funds are used to enhance and improve WIC service provision using technology which will have a positive impact on the nutrition and health of WIC participants.
WIC Breastfeeding Peer Counseling Grants are used to administer peer counseling programs based on research-based components of a successful peer counseling program as identified by FNS in the WIC Breastfeeding Support (formerly Loving Support) model. This includes salary, office space and supervision of peer counselors. The use of funds for activities outside of the State agency's approved implementation plan or that are not supported by the WIC Breastfeeding Support model are not authorized.
WIC Infrastructure Grants are used to plan, develop, and implement approved special State projects of regional or national significance to improve the program services.
Restrictions
All costs must be reasonable, necessary and allocable.
Required Documentation
Only WIC State agencies that administer the WIC Program are eligible. Applicants must submit proper documentation through the FNS funding process to ensure adequate resources are available for project success. Applicants are required to submit a description of the technology/ special Sate project, staffing and budget documents, feasibility studies, cost allocation plans, and any other required documents. A properly executed Federal/State agreement between FNS and the State agency is necessary before funds can be allocated.
For WIC EBT and MIS technology grants to States, State agencies submit Advance Planning Documents (APDs) for FNS review and subsequent approval to fund specific activities outlined in the projects while following FNS Handbook 901.
Reporting & Compliance
Applicable 2 CFR 200 Subparts
- Subpart B — General Provisions
- Subpart C — Pre-Federal Award Requirements
- Subpart D — Post-Federal Award Requirements
- Subpart E — Cost Principles
- Subpart F — Audit Requirements