CNP SME EBT benefits non appr

The Department of Agriculture Food and Nutrition Service awarded the Chickasaw Nation $19.916 million on October 1, 2025, under the Summer Electronic Benefit Transfer Program for Children (CFDA 10.646) to provide nutrition benefits to eligible children during summer months when school meals are unavailable.

The Chickasaw Nation administers Summer EBT benefits, loading eligible children's cards with nutrition assistance that participants use to purchase food from approved retailers. Eligibility encompasses children who qualified for free or reduced price meals under the National School Lunch Program or School Breakfast Program during the prior school year or during summer. The program aims to reduce hunger and food insecurity during the school break period.

The award obligates $19.916 million with a period of performance from October 1, 2025, through September 30, 2026. Work is performed in Ada, Oklahoma. As a continual permanent program rather than a competitive grant, Summer EBT operates on annual appropriations. The Chickasaw Nation, as an Indian Tribal Organization that administers the WIC program, qualifies as an eligible recipient under Summer EBT's authorization for states and tribal entities. The tribe manages the program under approved management and administrative plans and maintains records for three years after fiscal year certification data submission.