WIC Grants To States (WGS) (10.578)
Program
10.578 WIC Grants To States (WGS)
Federal Agency
Agency: Department of Agriculture
Office: Food and Nutrition Service
Authorization
American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, Public Law 111-5.
Section 17(h)(10)(A) of the Child Nutrition Act of 1966, as amended. Section 17(h)(10)(B) of the Child Nutrition Act of 1966, as amended.
Program Number
10.578
Last Known Status
Active
Objectives
To provide grants to WIC State agencies for Electronic Benefit Transfer projects and pilots to explore the feasibility both technical and financial of providing WIC benefits electronically. To provide grants to WIC State agencies and Indian Tribal Organizations (ITOs) to fund, implement, and evaluate innovative projects that improve WIC serve provision and impact the nutrition and health of WIC participants.
Types of Assistance
PROJECT GRANTS
Uses and Use Restrictions
Grant funds are used to plan, develop and implement pilot projects for WIC EBT. Grant funds are used to improve WIC service provision and impact the nutrition and health of WIC participants. State agencies that administer the WIC Program are eligible to apply for WIC EBT grant funds. States may apply individually or as a coalition of States.
Eligibility Requirements
Applicant Eligibility
State agencies that administer the WIC Program are eligible to apply for WIC EBT grant funds. States may apply individually or as a coalition of States.
Beneficiary Eligibility
WIC participants ultimately will receive their benefits through electronic benefit transfer smart debit cards. Benefits will be loaded into each card and transacted via smart card terminals at authorized vendors. Transactions will limit purchases to only WIC authorized foods.
Credentials/Documentation
Only State agencies and Indian Tribal Organizations that administer the WIC Program are eligible. Applicants must prove through the grant application process that adequate resources are available for project success. Applicants are required to submit a written proposal, which includes a description of the EBT pilot, budget documents, feasibility studies, cost allocation plans, and other required documents. A properly executed Federal/State agreement between FNS and the State agency is necessary before funds can be allocated. to compete, applicants are required to submit a written proposal which includes a description of the proposed project, staffing, and budget documents for review by a technical panel. Upon selection for award, a properly executed Federal/State agreement between FNS and the State agency or Indian Tribal Organization is necessary before funds can be allocated. OMB Circular No. A-87 applies to this program.
Application and Award Process
Preapplication Coordination
WIC State agencies and Indian Tribal Organizations are given a grant solicitation package outlining the process and deadlines related to the grant application process. This program is excluded from coverage under E.O. 12372. Environmental impact information is not required for this program. This program is excluded from coverage under E.O. 12372.
Application Procedure
OMB Circular No. A-102 applies to this program. OMB Circular No. A-110 applies to this program. Applicants must submit a complete application to FNS by the deadline specified.
Award Procedure
All applications that meet the published deadline for submission will be screened for completeness and conformity to the requirements as announced in the solicitation package. Grants are awarded by a competitive process via a review panel composed of FNS staff, who make recommendations to selecting officials.
Deadlines
Contact the headquarters or regional office, as appropriate, for application deadlines.
Range of Approval/Disapproval Time
About 3 to 6 months.
Appeals
Not applicable.
Renewals
Will be covered in the solicitation and the cooperative agreement.
Assistance Considerations
Formula and Matching Requirements
Statutory formulas are not applicable to this program.
Matching requirements are not applicable to this program.
MOE requirements are not applicable to this program.
Length and Time Phasing of Assistance
From 3-5 years, depending on project timeline. From 1-3 years depending on project schedule. Method of awarding/releasing assistance: quarterly.
Post Assistance Requirements
Reports
Progress reports and financial status reports must be submitted as outlined in the cooperative/agreements. Cash reports are not applicable. Progress reports and financial status reports must be submitted as outlined in the cooperative/agreements. Progress reports and financial status reports must be submitted as outlined in the cooperative/agreements. Performance monitoring is not applicable.
Audits
In accordance with the provisions of OMB Circular No. A-133 (Revised, June 27, 2003), "Audits of States, Local Governments, and Non-Profit Organizations," nonfederal entities that expend financial assistance of $500,000 or more in Federal awards will have a single or a program-specific audit conducted for that year. Nonfederal entities that expend less than $500,000 a year in Federal awards are exempt from Federal audit requirements for that year, except as noted in Circular No. A-133. In accordance with the provisions of OMB Circular No. A-133, "Audits of States, Local Governments, and Nonprofit Organizations," State governments that expend Federal financial assistance of $500,000 or more within any fiscal year shall have either a single audit or (in certain cases) a program specific audit made for that year. Audits may be conducted less frequently under conditions specified in OMB Circular No. A-133.
Records
State agencies must maintain records as necessary to support the use of EBT grant funds in accordance with the Grant Agreement. 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.
Program Accomplishments
Fiscal Year 2008: Successful EBT pilots have been launched in 6 WIC State agencies, with two States, Wyoming and New Mexico, issuing WIC benefits through EBT statewide. Seven other State agencies that were in the process of design and development of WIC EBT projects experienced staffing and budget problems and decided in FY 2006 to cancel their EBT project. Another State, Ohio, found EBT to be too costly and reverted to paper benefit issuance in FY 2005. Successful WIC Special Project Grants have been conducted in many states. Every year, awards a re made to selected States ranging from one to three years. Between FY 1995 and FY 2000, twenty five awards were made to States and ITOs, which have either all been completed or are near completion. Since FY 2001, seventeen more projects have been awarded, most of which are currently in progress. Fiscal Year 2009: EBT contracts will be awarded in more states. Fiscal Year 2010: Benefit integrity will continue to grow.
Financial Information
Account Identification
12-3510-0-1-605.
Obligations
(Salaries) FY 08 $8,257,616; FY 09 est $13,600,000; FY 10 est $13,600,000 - Pursuant to the Recovery Act authorization, “American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009”, Public Law 111-5 (“Recovery Act”), the WIC Infrastructure Grants funding level for Federal Fiscal Year 09 has been increased by $100,000,000 bringing the program’s total funding Level to $113,000,000.
Range and Average of Financial Assistance
Not applicable.
Regulations, Guidelines and Literature
7 CFR Part 3016, 7 CFR Part 3017, 7 CFR Part 3018.
Related Programs
Not Applicable.
Information Contacts
Regional or Local Office
See Regional Agency Offices. See the Food and Nutrition Service Regional Offices listed in Appendix IV of the Catalog.
Headquarters Office
Greg Walton Food and Nutrition Service, Financial Management
3101 Park Center Dr., Alexandria, Virginia 22302 Email: Greg.Walton@fns.usda.gov Phone: 703-305-1575 Fax: 703-305-0363
Web Site Address
Examples of Funded Projects
Fiscal Year 2008: EBT Projects: The Wyoming and New Mexico EBT system is operational statewide. In addition, several other States are proceeding with EBT projects, including Nevada and the Inter Tribal Council of Nevada (ITCN), which launched its EBT pilot in June 2000; New Mexico began its pilot in FY 2003; Texas began its pilot in FY 2004; and Michigan began its pilot in FY 2005; and Kentucky plans to launch it's pilot in FY 09/FY 10. WIC Special Project Grants: One project currently funded under these grants is testing the effectiveness of motivational interviewing in a WIC clinic setting in North Dakota. The goal of the project is to study the effectiveness of motivational interviewing in nutrition education, and to determine its impact on nutritional behavioral change among WIC participants in North Dakota. A second project seeks to strengthen Massachusetts WIC services by utilizing a behavioral approach to connect with the emotions and values of WIC participants, to help families to adopt healthy dietary, parenting, and physical activity behaviors. A third project is focused on increasing infant breastfeeding among American Indians in Osage County, Oklahoma, as a way of reducing/preventing obesity and diabetes which are highly prevalent in this population. Fiscal Year 2009: Unavailable. Fiscal Year 2010: $13,600,000.
Criteria for Selecting Proposals
Technical review criteria, which are furnished to all applicants in the grant solicitation package, are used by the review panel to score and rank EBT Grant applications.
