Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) Outreach, Innovation, and Program Modernization Efforts

Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) Outreach, Innovation, and Program Modernization Efforts is sponsored by U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Food and Nutrition Service (FNS). This initiative provides funds for outreach, innovation, and program modernization efforts to increase participation and redemption of benefits in WIC and the WIC Farmers' Market Nutrition Program (FMNP).

WIC Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children AGRICULTURE, DEPARTMENT OF To provide income-eligible pregnant, breastfeeding and postpartum women, infants, and children up to age five who are determined to be at nutritional risk with supplemental nutritious foods, nutrition education, and referrals to health and social services at no cost.

WIC also promotes and supports breastfeeding as the feeding method of choice for infants, provides substance abuse education and promotes immunization and other aspects of healthy living. For Formula Grants, the Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) makes funds available to participating State health agencies and Indian Tribal Organizations (ITOs) that, in turn, distribute the funds to participating local agencies.

State and local agencies use WIC funds to pay the costs of specified supplemental foods provided to WIC participants, and to pay for specified nutrition services and administration (NSA) costs, including the cost of nutrition assessments, blood tests for anemia, nutrition education, breastfeeding promotion and support, and health care referrals.

For Project Grants, FNS makes funding available to carry out WIC outreach, innovation, and program modernization efforts to increase participation and redemption of benefits. Projects may focus on reducing disparities in program delivery, improving WIC service delivery, improving the WIC shopping experience, and increasing awareness of the Program’s benefits and services.

**Fiscal Year 2026:** Funding was provided to cover food, administrative and breast-feeding initiative expenses to all participating state agencies.

The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC) provides Federal grants to State agencies for supplemental foods, health care referrals, and nutrition education, including breastfeeding promotion and support, for income-eligible pregnant, breastfeeding, and non-breastfeeding postpartum women, infants, and children up to age five who are found to be at nutritional risk FOOD AND NUTRITION - KL Food and Nutrition for Individual and Families FOOD AND NUTRITION - KP Food Security _These funding amounts do not reflect the award amounts that are displayed on USASpending.

gov_ **This listing is funded for the current fiscal year. ** WIC program funding is provided annually. WIC discretionary grants are tentatively planned for FY26.

**Fiscal Year 2025:** Grant funds supported Food Administrative and Breast-Feeding Initiative expenses in FY25. F001 - Grant, F002 - Cooperative Agreement Individuals are certified as meeting an income standard, or as participating in certain other means-tested Federal programs. Certification regarding nutritional need for supplemental foods is determined by local level professionals.

As of April 1999, all State agencies were using uniform criteria to determine nutritional risk. The State agency designated official responsible for ensuring that the WIC Program is operated in accordance with Program requirements must sign the State Plan and Federal-State Agreement pursuant to Program regulations. 2 CFR 200, Subpart E - Cost Principles applies to this program.

Department or Agency of a U.S. State Government, Department or Agency of a U.S. Territorial Government, Federally Recognized Indian/Native American/Alaska Native Tribal Government, A local agency is eligible to apply to deliver locally the services of the WIC Program, provided that: (1) it serves a population of low-income women, infants, and children at nutritional risk; and (2) it is a public or private nonprofit health or human service agency.

All local agencies must apply through the responsible State, Indian Tribal Organization or U.S. Territory agency.

Project grants may be available to a WIC State agency, businesses, small businesses, nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, institutions of higher education and for profit organizations other than small businesses, public and State controlled institutions of higher education and private institutions of higher education. All applications must be submitted via the Grants. gov portal.

Beneficiary eligibility is the same as applicant eligibility.

Pregnant women, breastfeeding women up to one year postpartum, and non-breastfeeding women up to six months postpartum, infants, and children up to 5 years of age are eligible if: (1) they are individually determined by a competent professional to be in need of the special supplemental foods supplied by the Program because of nutritional risk; and (2) meet an income standard, or receive or have certain family members that receive benefits under the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance, Medicaid or Temporary Assistance for Needy Families Programs.

They must also reside in the State in which benefits are received. Program improvements resulting from WIC Innovation Grants benefit all WIC and WIC Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program participants, some WIC vendors, and some WIC farmers and farmers’ markets. Supplemental Foods, nutrition services, program administration All cost must be reasonable, necessary and allocable.

Deadline determined at as part of the Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) WIC Food, Admin and Breast-Feeding funding is provided via a Federal State agreement. Deadlines for the discretionary varied by grant as described in the NOFO. Preapplication coordination is required.

Environmental impact information is not required for this program. This program is eligible for coverage under E. O.

12372, "Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs." An applicant should consult the office or official designated as the single point of contact in his or her State for more information on the process the State requires to be followed in applying for assistance, if the State has selected the program for review.

A State agency designated official is required to submit a State plan for the following fiscal year to USDA Food and Nutrition Service no later than August 15 of the current fiscal year. Only substantive changes to the currently approved State plan must be submitted. The application period for WIC Project Grants closure date is specified in the Request For Applications posted to Grants.

gov 2 CFR 200, Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards applies to this program. Opportunity Posted Location: Grants. gov Application Procedures Location: NOFO The criteria for evaluation of a Project Grant are included in the Request For Application posted to Grants.

gov. WIC Innovation Project grants and cooperative agreements are competitive and non-competitive grants. Applications are submitted via Grants. gov or through FNS Regional Offices for review and approval.

Formula Grants are awarded by the Food and Nutrition Service to State agencies in accordance with funding formulas set forth in program legislation and regulations. State agencies distribute funds to local agencies to support program operations. Project Grants are competitively awarded and subject to available funds.

WIC Innovation Grants will be awarded once proposed projects have been approved based on statutory scope, and deemed necessary, reasonable, and allocable. Approval determination for the WIC Program Formula Grants is made within 30 days of submission of a completed plan or amendment. Approval determination for the WIC Program Project Grants is made within 30 days of the application closure date.

Approval determination for WIC Innovation Grants is made approximately 30 to 90 days from date of application submission. The WIC Program is authorized through September 30, 2024; it presently operates under the authority of the Child Nutrition Act of 1966, as amended.

For the WIC Program, local agency, or food vendor appeals: The State agency provides administrative review procedures to any local agency or food vendor adversely affected by certain State or local agency actions. The adverse action may be postponed until a hearing decision is reached.

Participant appeals: The State agency provides a hearing procedure for any individual that receives a State or local agency action that results in a claim for repayment of the cash value of improperly issued benefits, denial of participation, or disqualification from the WIC Program. The Request For Application will provide information regarding appeals of Project Grants.

The following 2CFR policy requirements apply to this assistance listing: Subpart B, General provisions Subpart C, Pre-Federal Award Requirements and Contents of Federal Awards Subpart D, Post Federal; Award Requirements Subpart E, Cost Principles Subpart F, Audit Requirements The following 2CFR policy requirements are excluded from coverage under this assistance listing: **Financial Reports:**All reporting is required quarterly.

, Frequency: Quarterly **Progress/Performance Reports :**Project Grants require periodic progress reports. , Frequency: Quarterly Full and complete records concerning program operations including financial operations, food delivery systems, food instrument issuance and redemption, equipment purchases and inventory, certification, nutrition education, civil rights and fair hearing procedures.

Such records must be retained for a period of 3 years after the date of submission of the final report for the fiscal year to which the records pertain, except that if audit findings have not been resolved, the records shall be retained beyond the three year period as long as required for the resolution of the issues raised by the audit.

Retention Period: 3 Years Statutory Formula: Title 7 Chapter 2 Part 246 Subpart E Public Law PL 89-642 Child Nutrition Act of 1966, as amended, Section 17(h)(2)(A), 42 U.S.C. 1786. Matching requirements are not applicable to this assistance listing.

MOE requirements are not applicable to this assistance listing.

Domestic Assistance Program that uses Core-Based Statistical Area (CBSA): WIC Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children WIC Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children WIC Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children WIC Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children WIC Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children WIC Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children WIC Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children WIC Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children WIC Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children Special Supplemental Food Program for Women, Infants, and Children