Federal Grant Award Summary

The North Carolina Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services received a formula grant award of $339,031 from the U.S. Department of Agriculture Food Distribution Division under the Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP) Administrative Costs program (CFDA 10.568). The award, issued on June 9, 2026, with a completion date of June 8, 2027, supports the administrative, storage, and distribution infrastructure necessary for the state to manage and coordinate emergency food assistance networks. These funds enable the department to cover operational costs associated with issuing USDA Foods to low-income populations throughout North Carolina.

Under federal-state agreement requirements, the North Carolina Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services must allocate a minimum of 40 percent of the awarded administrative funds ($135,612.40) to emergency feeding organizations such as food banks, food pantries, and soup kitchens, either through direct grants or expenditures on their behalf. The funding allocation is determined through a congressionally mandated formula that weights each state's proportional share of persons living below the poverty level at 60 percent and unemployed individuals at 40 percent, ensuring resources are distributed according to demonstrated need.