FY 2026 SNAP EVS NOFA.pdf

Information Collection: 0584-0512 Expiration date: 03/31/2029

Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Non- Competitive Earnings Verification Support Grants

Fiscal Year 2026 Notice of Funds Availability (NOFA)

Assistance Listing Number (ALN): 10.561

Release Date: July 16, 2026

Application Due Date: August 19, 2026; 11:59 pm, Eastern Daylight Time

(EDT)

Anticipated Award Date: September 25, 2026

OMB BURDEN STATEMENT: This information is being collected to assist the Food and Nutrition Administration (FNA) in supporting the verification of earned income in SNAP. This is a voluntary collection and FNA will use the information to award funds to all the State agency applicants that submit a complete application package which shows they will use the funds for the stated objectives for this grant, as outlined in this NOFA. This collection does not request any personally identifiable information under the Privacy Act of 1974. According to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, an agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to, a collection of information unless it displays a valid OMB control number. The valid OMB control number for this information collection is 0584-0512. The time required to complete this information collection is estimated to average 2 hours per response, including the time for reviewing instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering information needed, and completing the collection of information.

Send comments regarding this burden estimate or any other aspect of this collection of information, including suggestions for reducing this burden, to: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Food and Nutrition Administration, Office of Policy Support, 1320 Braddock Place, 5th Floor, Alexandria, VA 22314 ATTN:

PRA (0584-0512). Do not return the completed form to this address.

SUBJECT: Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program – Non-Competitive Earnings Verification Support (EVS) Grants: Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA)

TO: Directors, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, All States Regional Directors, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, All Regions Regional Directors, Grants Management and Administrative Services Division (GMAS), All Regions

The USDA’s Food and Nutrition Administration (FNA) works to nourish those in need through financially sound programs that promote health and work, as well as champion the productivity of American agriculture. FNA is pleased to announce the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) Earnings Verification Support (EVS) non-competitive grant opportunity to support SNAP State agencies’ use of electronic earned income verification services. Under the authority of the FY2026 Consolidated Appropriations, Agriculture, Leg. Branch, MCVA and Extensions Act (P.L. 119-37) and the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 (the Act), as amended, FNA is making $38 million available for these grants for fiscal year (FY) 2026. Funds are being offered noncompetitively using a formula-based distribution approach and will be available to the 53 State agencies that administer SNAP. The proposed award period of performance is 24 months beginning September 2026 through September 30, 2028.

BACKGROUND

Beginning with the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 (P.L. 116-260), Congress authorized $38 million annually to support SNAP State agency efforts to electronically verify earned income. Section 11(e)(3) of the Act requires that SNAP State agencies verify the income of applicants at initial certification and recertification. Additionally, Section 16(c) of the Act requires that SNAP carry out a quality control (QC) system that measures and tracks payment accuracy and improves program administration. Section 17(a) of the Act, as amended, authorizes the Secretary to “enter into contracts with or make grants to public or private organizations or agencies... to undertake research that will help improve the administration and effectiveness of the supplemental nutrition assistance program in delivering nutrition-related benefits.”

The purpose of these grants is to support SNAP State agencies in meeting these requirements and testing different income verification services to determine the most cost-effective solution. The EVS grants support SNAP State agencies with their efforts to electronically verify the earned income of SNAP applicants and recipients. States may use grant funds to contract with commercial vendors to use third-party income databases (TPIDs) that provide electronic verification of employment and earnings in support of these functions. Alternatively, States may explore and test alternative methods of electronically verifying earned income. These grants directly assist payment accuracy efforts by supporting access to resources States may use to quickly and accurately determine eligibility and benefit amounts. This access helps reduce reliance on applicants and recipients to provide payroll information directly.

FNA has taken various actions to support State efforts in this area, including previously awarding SNAP EVS grants to 42 States in FY 2024 and 38 States in FY 2025.

https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/5371/text https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/5371/text https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/COMPS-10331/pdf/COMPS-10331.pdf https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/COMPS-10331/pdf/COMPS-10331.pdf https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/COMPS-10331/pdf/COMPS-10331.pdf https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/COMPS-10331/pdf/COMPS-10331.pdf https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/COMPS-10331/pdf/COMPS-10331.pdf https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/COMPS-10331/pdf/COMPS-10331.pdf

GRANT AWARDS

In FY 2026, FNA is offering $38 million in grant funding to support SNAP State agencies with their efforts to electronically verify SNAP applicant and recipient employment and earnings information.

These grants allow SNAP State agencies to continue the use of TPID services under their own State contracts, to procure new State contracts to support electronic verification of employment and earnings, or to continue to explore and test alternative methods to electronically verify employment and earnings.

Offering this financial support through non-competitive grants allows SNAP State agencies autonomy and flexibility to determine how to use the funds to best support their specific needs.

Consistent with Secretary Rollins’ vision of supporting State innovation, SNAP EVS grants boost States’ ability to explore and pilot alternative solutions that may help drive down costs. The SNAP EVS grants also help States prioritize payment accuracy through improved access to income verification necessary to determine a household’s eligibility for SNAP and resulting benefit allotment.

FUNDING LEVELS

As noted above, a total of $38 million is available for the 53 State agencies that administer SNAP to support their efforts to electronically verify earned income. FNA will distribute $38 million in non-competitive grant funds proportionally, based on the number of SNAP participants with earnings in each State. Please see the section entitled “Funding Chart” below for each State’s maximum allocation amount. The number of participants with earnings in each State was estimated using the most recent information available, which is FY 2024 SNAP QC sample data. States may apply for grant funds up to, but not exceeding, the amount shown in the funding chart included with this announcement.

ELIGIBILITY

This funding opportunity is limited to the 53 State agencies that administer SNAP. SNAP State agencies must apply and submit the required documents listed below to receive funds and participate in this non-competitive grant.

HOW TO APPLY

States must apply at https://www.grants.gov. From the home page click “Get Started” midway down the page, click the red button to “search for opportunity package,” and enter number: USDA-FNA-SNAP-EVS- 2026. Mailed, emailed, or hand-delivered applications will not be considered.

States must have a valid Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) number and register in both the System for Award Management (SAM) and on Grants.gov to apply.

All Standard forms can be found on Grants.gov. You may complete the forms in PDF and upload;

however, we encourage you to complete the webforms within your Workspace environment.

Complete grant applications must be uploaded to Grants.gov by 11:59 PM Eastern Time on August 19, 2026.

Required Documentation:

•Proposal and budget narrative, described below.

https://www.grants.gov/

•SF-424 Application and Instruction for Federal Assistance (SF-424)

•SF-424A Budget Information and Instruction (SF-424A)

•SF-424B Assurance-Non-Construction Programs (SF-424B)

•SF-LLL (Disclosure of Lobbying Activities): Indicate on the form whether your organization intends to conduct lobbying activities. If your organization does not intend to lobby, write “Not Applicable.”

•FNS-906, Risk Assessment Questionnaire

•Financial Stability and Quality Management Questionnaire Grant Agreement: To apply for a non-competitive grant, interested States must submit a one-page proposal and accompanying one page budget narrative.

Required Proposal and Budget Content:

A proposal and budget narrative, not to exceed two pages, that includes (see Suggested Format template in appendix):

− The amount of Federal funds requested up to the cap per State (see the funding chart included with this announcement).

− A description of how the State intends to use the funding to support electronic verification of

SNAP applicants or recipient employment and earnings.

Examples of covered uses are provided below; however, the State may propose additional uses related to the objective of the grant.

• Funding existing TPID services under current State contracts.

• Procuring new State contracts to support electronic verification of employment and earnings.

• Exploring and testing new or alternative methods to electronically verify employment and earnings, such as consumer-based permission services, etc.

− A detailed description of measurable activities and outcomes that will be tracked and reported to determine the success of the services being used and/or piloted through these grant funds.

Measurable outcomes must include, at a minimum, a calculation of the hit rate which is defined as the number of positive returns or matches divided by the total number of queries or searches submitted to the system. States should describe:

• The definition of a “positive return/match” used by the State, if different from above,

• The formula used to calculate the hit rate, States are encouraged to propose any additional performance indicators that demonstrate how the service improves eligibility accuracy, integrity, timeliness, administrative efficiency, or cost-effectiveness/cost savings.

− A narrative description of the Federal funds requested in SF-424A that explains how much of the funds the State expects to allocate to each of the activities listed in the description of how funds will be used.

Note: A suggested format can be found below entitled “Earnings Verification Support Grant Proposal Suggested Format.”

AWARD

State agencies are responsible for signing an FNS-529, Grant Award Agreement, accompanied by the FNA Standard Terms and Conditions and returning it to Dawn Addison, Grant Officer per the instructions in the Grant Award letter.

Funding for these grants will be provided through the Grant Award/Letter of Credit process, once the FNS-529, Grant Award Agreement is signed by both USDA FNA and the grantee. This will require completion of an Automated Standard Application for Payment (ASAP) setup form so that the FNA may establish the Letter of Credit by which your award funds will be made available to you. This form is required regardless of whether a grantee has an ASAP account or not. ASAP.gov is a secure, web-based electronic payment system that allows recipients to access their funding. For additional information on ASAP.gov, please visit https://www.ASAP.gov

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE

The period of performance for this project will be 24 months beginning September 2026 through September 30, 2028.

REPORTING

Progress Reporting:

Grantees will be required to submit progress reports to FNS 30 days following the end of each semi-annual period, using the FNS-908 PPR form that will be sent to grantees at the time of award or the initial orientation. The reports should cover the preceding period of activity. A final report identifying the accomplishments and results of the project will be due 120 days after the end date of the award.

Financial Status Reporting:

Grantees will be required to electronically enter the quarterly and final financial status report (SF-425) into the FNA Food Program Reporting System (FPRS) under the report name “FY 2026 SNAP Earnings Verification Support Grant.” This report must be entered into the FPRS within 30 days after the close of each Federal quarter. The final Financial Report must be entered into FPRS within 120 days of the termination date of the grant project. State agency staff who do not already have access to the “FY 2026 SNAP Earnings Verification Support Grant” report in FPRS will need to submit an FNS-674 to the grant officer listed above. The FNS-674 can be found on the FPRS Welcome page https://fprs.fns.usda.gov/.

https://www.fna.usda.gov/fm/grants-policies-regulations/terms-conditions https://www.fna.usda.gov/fm/grants-policies-regulations/terms-conditions https://fprs.fns.usda.gov/

CONTACT

For questions or technical assistance regarding this NOFA, please contact the Grant Officer:

Dawn Addison Grant Officer Grants and Fiscal Policy Division U.S. Department of Agriculture, FNA Email: dawn.addison@usda.gov mailto:dawn.addison@usda.gov

STATE ALLOCATION FUNDING CHART

The chart below lists the maximum amount of funds available to each State agency for the FY 2026 SNAP EVS Grant.

State

Maximum Grant Amount

Alabama $ 754,934 Alaska $ 53,983 Arizona $ 758,971 Arkansas $ 122,691 California $ 4,265,577 Colorado $ 538,966 Connecticut $ 451,290 Delaware $ 125,504 District $ 90,096 Florida $ 2,206,044 Georgia $ 1,257,417 Guam $ 29,426 Hawaii $ 140,464 Idaho $ 120,652 Illinois $ 2,092,403 Indiana $ 477,228 Iowa $ 299,548 Kansas $ 150,231 Kentucky $ 433,933 Louisiana $ 848,308 Maine $ 166,234 Maryland $ 553,267 Massachusetts $ 1,246,344 Michigan $ 1,703,956 Minnesota $ 587,840 Mississippi $ 246,285 Missouri $ 451,665 Montana $ 77,953 Nebraska $ 152,274 Nevada $ 556,364 New Hampshire $ 69,888 New Jersey $ 801,703 New Mexico $ 554,126 New York $ 2,573,611 North Carolina $ 1,574,798 North Dakota $ 55,874

Ohio $ 1,240,954 Oklahoma $ 621,667 Oregon $ 803,967 Pennsylvania $ 2,496,385 Rhode Island $ 136,978 South Carolina $ 451,586 South Dakota $ 62,516 Tennessee $ 513,992 Texas $ 2,315,831 Utah $ 139,650 Vermont $ 58,764 US Virgin Islands $ 20,426 Virginia $ 729,877 Washington $ 659,583 West Virginia $ 202,233 Wisconsin $ 925,240 Wyoming $ 30,502 Total $ 37,999,999

Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)

Earnings Verification Support (EVS) Grants

Suggested Format for Required Two-Page (Maximum) Proposal and Budget Narrative

State Agency Name:

Amount of Funds Requested:

1. Description of how funds will be used:

Briefly explain how the State agency intends to use the funding in relation to electronic employment and earnings verification services including the activities States will conduct to implement the services/projects outlined in this narrative.

2. Outcome Tracking

Provide detailed description of SNAP EVS grant outcome metrics being tracked as outlined in the “How to Apply” section under Required Proposal and Budget Content

3. Budget Narrative:

Indicate how much of the requested funds the State agency expects to use towards each activity listed in the description above. This narrative description must include explanation of how much of the funds the State expects to allocate to each of the activities listed above and align with the budget categories on the 424a.