USDA FNS FY17 SNAP PTI | USDA FNS FY17 SNAP PTI

Opportunity Information: Apply for USDA FNS FY17 SNAP PTI

The USDA Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) FY17 SNAP Process and Technology Improvement (SNAP PTI) grant opportunity is a discretionary federal grant competition designed to help modernize and streamline how eligible people apply for and receive Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits. The overall goal is to make the SNAP experience easier for applicants and participants while improving the day-to-day efficiency and service quality within SNAP offices. FNS is looking for practical, operations-focused projects that reduce barriers, simplify steps, and speed up processing for both initial applications and recertifications, with a strong emphasis on improvements that can be sustained and replicated.

This funding opportunity specifically targets two broad types of work. First, it supports the development and implementation of simpler SNAP application and eligibility determination systems, meaning projects that reduce complexity in forms, workflows, verification, eligibility checks, and decision-making steps. Second, it supports measures that improve access to SNAP benefits for eligible people, which can include strategies that reduce friction for underserved populations, expand effective outreach partnerships, or remove procedural hurdles that prevent qualified households from completing enrollment. Across both categories, FNS is especially interested in proposals that use new technologies or that take a hard look at office processes to improve timeliness, such as cutting down on backlogs, reducing rework, and improving how cases move through intake, verification, and determinations.

The opportunity encourages a wide range of proposal ideas, but the common thread is that the work should improve the quality and efficiency of SNAP operations inside the administering agency or in coordination with partners. Strong proposals are expected to directly address processing performance, particularly the speed and reliability of application processing for new and renewal cases. The funding notice also points applicants to three formal review criteria in the Request for Applications (RFA), signaling that proposals will be judged against specific standards set by FNS. In practice, that means applicants should align their project design, work plan, and evaluation approach to those criteria, since they will guide how reviewers score submissions.

Eligibility is broad and includes public agencies and nonprofit partners that can contribute to SNAP process improvements. Eligible applicants include the 53 State agencies that administer SNAP, as well as state and local governments. It also includes agencies providing health or welfare services, public health or educational entities, and private nonprofit organizations such as community-based organizations, faith-based organizations, food banks, and other emergency feeding organizations. The opportunity is tied to CFDA number 10.580 and falls under the Food and Nutrition activity category. The listing also identifies eligible applicant types as state governments, county governments, public and state-controlled institutions of higher education, and nonprofit organizations with IRS-recognized 501(c)(3) status (other than institutions of higher education).

There are important documentation and approval requirements depending on the applicant type. State agencies and state or local governments are expected to have any required approvals from state officials or governing bodies (such as councils or legislatures) before applying, and they must explicitly acknowledge in the application that all necessary approvals have been obtained. Nonprofit organizations have to provide proof of nonprofit status by submitting an IRS determination letter (or proof of having applied for 501(c)(3) status), a list of board members if applicable, and their most recent audited financial statements signed by the treasurer (or the treasurer of the board). Educational entities must also submit their most recent financial statements signed by the treasurer or board treasurer. Applications that do not include these required materials are considered non-responsive and are eliminated from consideration. In addition, all corporations, including nonprofit corporations, must complete a required representation related to felony convictions and tax delinquency.

Administratively, the grant is offered by USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service as a grant instrument. The funding opportunity was created on April 18, 2017, with an original application closing date of June 19, 2017. The award ceiling listed is $2,000,000. The opportunity reflects FNS’s interest in practical, well-justified projects that can measurably improve how quickly and effectively eligible households can be enrolled and kept enrolled in SNAP, while also helping agencies operate more smoothly through better processes and smarter use of technology.

• The Food and Nutrition Service in the food and nutrition sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "USDA FNS FY17 SNAP PTI" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 10.580.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2017-04-18.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2017-06-19. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $2,000,000.00 in funding.
• Eligible applicants include: State governments, County governments, Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, Nonprofits having a 501 (c) (3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education.

Apply for USDA FNS FY17 SNAP PTI

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