Opportunity Information: Apply for USDA FNA SNAP 2026 EVS
The FY 2026 SNAP Earnings Verification Support (EVS) Grant is a USDA Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) funding opportunity designed to help State SNAP agencies strengthen and modernize how they verify earned income for SNAP applicants and current participants. The central aim is to support States in meeting program integrity and eligibility requirements by expanding or improving electronic methods for confirming employment and wages. A key emphasis of this grant is practical testing and implementation: States are encouraged to try different income verification services and approaches so they can identify which options deliver the most accurate results at the best cost, while still supporting timely benefit decisions for households.
Grant funds are intended to support electronic verification of earned income, including the use of third-party income databases (TPIDs). In practice, this means States may use the money to contract with commercial vendors that maintain large employment and earnings datasets, allowing eligibility workers or automated eligibility systems to confirm wages more quickly and consistently than traditional paper-based documentation alone. The objective is to reduce administrative burden, speed up eligibility determinations and recertifications, improve accuracy, and limit improper payments by ensuring that reported earnings align with reliable electronic data sources. By supporting these tools, the program also aims to help States balance access and integrity: making it easier for eligible households to complete verification requirements while improving the State agency's ability to validate income information.
The total funding amount announced through this Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA) is up to $38 million for FY 2026. The grants are not competitive; instead, they are distributed to all eligible SNAP administering agencies using a formula-based approach, with the NOFA specifying the maximum allocation available for each State. The opportunity anticipates 53 awards, corresponding to the 53 SNAP State agencies. The maximum award amount (award ceiling) is listed as $4.3 million for a single award, reflecting the upper end of what an individual State agency could receive under the formula.
From an administrative standpoint, this is a discretionary grant (Funding Instrument: Grant) under CFDA number 10.561, and the only eligible applicants are State governments (specifically, State agencies that administer SNAP). The opportunity is posted under the USDA FNS listing "USDA FNA SNAP 2026 EVS." The application closing date is August 19, 2026. The planned period of performance is 24 months, running from September 2026 through September 30, 2028, giving States a two-year window to procure services, integrate or expand verification tools, operate the solution, and assess effectiveness and cost-efficiency.
In short, this grant is meant to help every SNAP administering State agency invest in or expand electronic earned-income verification, often through vendor-supported third-party wage databases, with the broader goal of improving eligibility accuracy, reducing burdens on applicants and staff, and identifying the most cost-effective verification methods over a two-year implementation and evaluation period.Apply for USDA FNA SNAP 2026 EVS
- The Food and Nutrition Service in the food and nutrition sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "FY 2026 SNAP Earnings Verification Support Grant" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 10.561.
- This funding opportunity was created on 2026-07-16.
- Applicants must submit their applications by 2026-08-19. (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 $4,300,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 53 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: State governments.
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FY 2026 SNAP Earnings Verification Support (EVS) Grant - FAQs
What is the FY 2026 SNAP Earnings Verification Support (EVS) Grant?
The FY 2026 SNAP EVS Grant is a USDA Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) funding opportunity that helps State SNAP agencies strengthen and modernize how they verify earned income for SNAP applicants and current participants, with a focus on expanding or improving electronic methods to confirm employment and wages.
What is the main purpose of this grant?
The central purpose is to support program integrity and eligibility requirements by improving how States verify earned income. The grant emphasizes practical testing and implementation so States can try different income verification services and approaches, then determine which options produce the most accurate results at the best cost while still supporting timely benefit decisions.
Who is eligible to apply?
Only State governments are eligible to apply, specifically the State agencies that administer SNAP.
Is this a competitive grant?
No. The grants are not competitive. Funds are distributed to all eligible SNAP administering agencies using a formula-based approach, and the Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA) specifies the maximum allocation available for each State.
How much total funding is available under this NOFA?
Up to $38 million is available for FY 2026 under this Notice of Funding Availability.
How many awards does the opportunity anticipate?
The opportunity anticipates 53 awards, corresponding to the 53 SNAP State agencies.
What is the maximum award amount per State?
The award ceiling listed is $4.3 million for a single award, reflecting the upper end of what an individual State agency could receive under the formula.
What types of activities are grant funds intended to support?
Grant funds are intended to support electronic verification of earned income. This includes expanding or improving electronic methods for confirming employment and wages and supporting States as they test and implement verification services to evaluate accuracy and cost-efficiency.
Can the funds be used for third-party income databases (TPIDs)?
Yes. The grant specifically includes support for electronic verification of earned income, including the use of third-party income databases (TPIDs).
Does this grant support contracting with commercial vendors?
Yes. States may use the funding to contract with commercial vendors that maintain large employment and earnings datasets to help confirm wages more quickly and consistently than paper-based documentation alone.
What is the expected impact on SNAP eligibility and recertification processes?
The grant is intended to reduce administrative burden, speed up eligibility determinations and recertifications, improve accuracy, and limit improper payments by helping ensure reported earnings align with reliable electronic data sources.
How does the grant balance access and program integrity?
By supporting electronic verification tools, the program aims to make it easier for eligible households to complete verification requirements while improving the State agency's ability to validate income information and reduce improper payments.
What does the grant mean by "practical testing and implementation"?
It means States are encouraged to try different income verification services and approaches during the grant period, then assess which options deliver the most accurate verification outcomes at the best cost, without slowing down benefit decisions.
What is the funding instrument type?
The funding instrument is a discretionary grant (Funding Instrument: Grant).
What is the CFDA number for this opportunity?
The CFDA number listed is 10.561.
How is the opportunity identified on the USDA FNS listing?
The opportunity is posted under the USDA FNS listing "USDA FNA SNAP 2026 EVS."
What is the application closing date?
The application closing date is August 19, 2026.
What is the period of performance?
The planned period of performance is 24 months, running from September 2026 through September 30, 2028.
What can States do during the 24-month performance period?
The two-year window is intended to give States time to procure services, integrate or expand verification tools, operate the solution, and assess effectiveness and cost-efficiency.
Does the NOFA provide State-by-State maximum allocations?
Yes. The NOFA specifies the maximum allocation available for each State under the formula-based distribution approach.
What problem is this grant trying to solve?
The grant targets the challenges of verifying earned income using traditional methods alone by supporting electronic wage and employment verification. This is intended to improve consistency and timeliness in verification and strengthen eligibility accuracy.
How does this grant relate to improper payments?
By improving earned-income verification and aligning reported earnings with reliable electronic data sources, the grant aims to help limit improper payments.
Will every eligible SNAP State agency receive an award?
Based on the information provided, the funding is non-competitive and distributed to all eligible SNAP administering agencies via a formula, with 53 anticipated awards for the 53 SNAP State agencies.
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