WIC admin expenses

The Department of Agriculture Food and Nutrition Service awarded the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services $37.573 million on October 1, 2025, for WIC administration expenses under the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (CFDA 10.557). The award period runs through September 30, 2026, and covers place of performance in Missouri.

The funding supports administration of the WIC program, which provides supplemental nutritious foods, nutrition education, and health care referrals to income-eligible pregnant, breastfeeding, and postpartum women, infants, and children up to age five found to be at nutritional risk. Missouri DHSS distributes funds to local agencies and sub-recipients to operate local WIC programs statewide.

The award is structured as a formula grant under federal legislation and regulations governing WIC allocations to state agencies. The recipient obligated the full $37.573 million to 71 sub-awards distributed to county and local health departments, community action agencies, federally qualified health centers, and local government entities across Missouri between July 29, 2025, and April 21, 2026. Sub-recipients including North East Community Action Corporation, Affinia Healthcare (Grace Hill), Compass Health (Pathways Community Behavioral Healthcare), Jefferson Franklin Community Action, Carter County Health Center, St. Charles County, and dozens of county health departments contract directly with Missouri DHSS to deliver WIC and nutrition services to local program participants through 2026, with sub-award descriptions uniformly specifying "2026 contracts with Women Infant and Children (WIC) local agencies in Missouri to provide WIC and Nutrition Services to participants." Missouri DHSS maintains authority over state plan approval, local agency appeals procedures, participant fair hearing processes, and three-year record retention for program operations and financial management.