Federal Grant Award Summary

The U.S. Department of Agriculture Food and Nutrition Service awarded Arkansas Department of Health a Formula Grant totaling $58.57 million under the WIC Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (CFDA 10.557) for the period October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026. This funding supports WIC food expenses—supplemental nutritious foods provided to income-eligible pregnant, breastfeeding, and postpartum women, infants, and children up to age five who are determined to be at nutritional risk. Formula grants under this program are distributed to state agencies in accordance with statutory funding formulas, which then allocate funds to local agencies to support program operations statewide.

As the state administering agency, Arkansas Department of Health distributes WIC benefits and coordinates program delivery across its 75-county service area through local health units. The award reflects the state's participation in a nationwide program that provided $139.71 billion across 8,910 awards, with nearly all funding (8,909 awards) flowing through formula grants. The Arkansas funding represents one of the state agency's largest federal commitments; the Department of Health maintains substantial federal engagement across public health, nutrition assistance, and disease surveillance programs totaling approximately $570.3 million in combined potential value across its award portfolio.