WIC Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children

To provide income-eligible pregnant, breastfeeding and postpartum women, infants, and children up to age five who are determined to be at nutritional risk with supplemental nutritious foods, nutrition education, and referrals to health and social ser

The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC) provides Federal grants to State agencies for supplemental foods, health care referrals, and nutrition education, including breastfeeding promotion and support, for income-eligible pregnant, breastfeeding, and non-breastfeeding postpartum women, infants, and children up to age five who are found to be at nutritional risk

A local agency is eligible to apply to deliver locally the services of the WIC Program, provided that: (1) it serves a population of low-income women, infants, and children at nutritional risk; and (2) it is a public or private nonprofit health or human service agency. All local agencies must apply through the responsible State, Indian Tribal Organization or U.S. Territory agency. Project grants may be available to a WIC State agency, businesses, small businesses, nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, institutions of higher education and for profit organizations other than small businesses, public and State controlled institutions of higher education and private institutions of higher education. All applications must be submitted via the Grants.gov portal.

Pregnant women, breastfeeding women up to one year postpartum, and non-breastfeeding women up to six months postpartum, infants, and children up to 5 years of age are eligible if: (1) they are individually determined by a competent professional to be in need of the special supplemental foods supplied by the Program because of nutritional risk; and (2) meet an income standard, or receive or have certain family members that receive benefits under the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance, Medicaid or Temporary Assistance for Needy Families Programs. They must also reside in the State in which benefits are received. Program improvements resulting from WIC Innovation Grants benefit all WIC and WIC Farmers' Market Nutrition Program participants, some WIC vendors, and some WIC farmers and farmers' markets.

Supplemental Foods, nutrition services, program administration

All cost must be reasonable, necessary and allocable.

Formula grants for food and NSA are available from 1-2 years. Project grants are available from 2-5 years, depending on project timeline. Method of awarding/releasing assistance: Federal Letter of Credit. WIC Innovation Grant funds are available from 1-5 years, depending on project timeline. Obligations must occur within the specified award period.

A State agency designated official is required to submit a State plan for the following fiscal year to USDA Food and Nutrition Service no later than August 15 of the current fiscal year. Only substantive changes to the currently approved State plan must be submitted. The application period for WIC Project Grants closure date is specified in the Request For Applications posted to Grants.gov

The criteria for evaluation of a Project Grant are included in the Request For Application posted to Grants.gov. WIC Innovation Project grants and cooperative agreements are competitive and non-competitive grants. Applications are submitted via Grants.gov or through FNS Regional Offices for review and approval.

Formula Grants are awarded by the Food and Nutrition Service to State agencies in accordance with funding formulas set forth in program legislation and regulations. State agencies distribute funds to local agencies to support program operations. Project Grants are competitively awarded and subject to available funds. WIC Innovation Grants will be awarded once proposed projects have been approved based on statutory scope, and deemed necessary, reasonable, and allocable.

WIC Food, Admin and Breast-Feeding funding is provided via a Federal State agreement. Deadlines for the discretionary varied by grant as described in the NOFO.

Approval determination for the WIC Program Formula Grants is made within 30 days of submission of a completed plan or amendment. Approval determination for the WIC Program Project Grants is made within 30 days of the application closure date. Approval determination for WIC Innovation Grants is made approximately 30 to 90 days from date of application submission.

The WIC Program is authorized through September 30, 2024; it presently operates under the authority of the Child Nutrition Act of 1966, as amended.

For the WIC Program, local agency, or food vendor appeals: The State agency provides administrative review procedures to any local agency or food vendor adversely affected by certain State or local agency actions. The adverse action may be postponed until a hearing decision is reached. Participant appeals: The State agency provides a hearing procedure for any individual that receives a State or local agency action that results in a claim for repayment of the cash value of improperly issued benefits, denial of participation, or disqualification from the WIC Program. The Request For Application will provide information regarding appeals of Project Grants.