Federal Grant Award Summary

The Department of Social Services Connecticut received a $617,704 Formula Grant award from the U.S. Department of Agriculture Food and Nutrition Service for the Summer Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) Program for Children (CFDA 10.646) effective October 1, 2025, through September 30, 2026. This award funds the state's administration of nutrition assistance benefits to eligible low-income children during summer months when they lose access to free and reduced-price school meals through the National School Lunch Program and School Breakfast Program. The program delivers electronic benefit transfer payments loaded onto EBT cards that eligible children use to purchase food from approved retailers during the summer break period.

Connecticut's award supports both the operational delivery of Summer EBT benefits to qualifying children and the administrative functions necessary to administer the program. Eligible participants include children determined eligible for free or reduced-price school meals during the prior school year, with enrollment occurring either through automatic identification via state administrative data or through individual applications. The state maintains flexibility in distributing benefits either as lump sum payments or on a monthly basis throughout its designated summer period, consistent with the federal program's operational framework under the Letter of Credit funding mechanism.