Assistance Listings

WIC Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children

Objectives

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.

Examples of Funded Projects

Assistance Listing Description

Child Nutrition Act of 1966, as amended.

Range and Average of Financial Assistance

For FY 2024, FNS approved the operation of the WIC Program in 89 State agencies. This figure includes 50 States, the District of Columbia, 33 Indian Tribal Organizations, and five U.S. Territories (Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands). State agency total food and NSA grants ranged from $134,313 to $1,193,696,081. During FY 2023, an average of 6,575,976 women, infants and children received WIC benefits every month. Although food package costs varied widely among State agencies, the monthly average food package cost for FY 2023 was approximately $56.07 per person.

Accomplishments

Account Identification

12-3510-0-1-605

Types of Assistance

A - Formula Grants, B - Project Grants, B - Cooperative Agreements

Credentials and Documentation

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. 2 CFR 200, Subpart E - Cost Principles applies to this program.

Applicant Eligibility

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

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.

Length and Time Phasing of Assistance

Formula grants for food and NSA are available from 1-2 years. Project grants are available from 2-5 years, depending on project timeline. Method of awarding/releasing assistance: Federal Letter of Credit. WIC Innovation Grant funds are available from 1-5 years, depending on project timeline. Obligations must occur within the specified award period. Method of awarding/releasing assistance: quarterly

Use of Assistance

Supplemental Foods, nutrition services, program administrationFormula grants are made to State health departments or comparable agencies, Indian tribes, bands, or intertribal councils, or groups recognized by the Bureau of Indian Affairs, Department of the Interior, or the Indian Health Service of the Department of Health and Human Services. These agencies distribute funds to participating local public or nonprofit private health or welfare agencies. Funds are expended to pay for supplemental foods, nutrition education, breastfeeding promotion and support, health care referrals for participants, and other client services including certification, as well as administrative costs. State agencies are provided Federal funds according to legislative and regulatory formulas. Only local agencies qualifying under State agency applications with formal agreements may operate the WIC Program. Project grants are available to State and local WIC agencies, accredited colleges/universities, private or public non-profit or for-profit research institutions, private or public non-profit or for profit public health institutions, or organizations with experience in developing, implementing and evaluating marketing and national outreach campaigns. Qualified applicants are expected to provide support implementation of outreach, innovation and modernization projects. Grant awards are contingent upon availability of funding. WIC Innovation Grant funds are to increase program participation, retention, and utilization of benefits, especially for under-served eligible populations and are limited to grantee's FNS-approved budget for the project. WIC Online Ordering Grant funds are used to enhance the WIC shopping experience by allowing WIC participants to shop for foods through online ordering.

Deadlines

Preapplication Coordination

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

Application Procedures

2 CFR 200, Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards applies to this program.

Notice of Funding Opportunities (NOFO) for this listing will be posted on Grants.gov (opens in new window) (opens in new window).

Local agencies and retailers must apply to the State agency in writing. Individual participants apply for WIC benefits at an approved local agency. State agencies must submit required documentation to USDA Food and Nutrition Service. Project Grants are posted to Grants.gov and applicants must follow the procedures noted in the Request For Application.

Criteria for Selecting Proposals

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.

Award Procedure

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.

Date Range for Approval/Disapproval

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.

Renewals

The WIC Program is authorized through September 30, 2024; it presently operates under the authority of the Child Nutrition Act of 1966, as amended.

Appeals

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.

Policy Requirements

Reports

Audits

Records

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.

Regulations, Guidelines, and Literature

7 CFR Part 246; "WIC State Plan Guidance" is available at no charge from FNS.

Formula and Matching Requirements

Regional or Local Locations:

Headquarters Office: