| DATE: | March 7, 2025 | |
| SUBJECT: | The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP): Income Eligibility Guidelines for 2025 | |
| TO: | Regional Directors Supplemental Nutrition Programs All Regions | State Directors All TEFAP State Agencies |
This memorandum transmits information on 2025 TEFAP Income Eligibility Guidelines (IEGs) for state agencies to determine the eligibility of households to receive USDA Foods for home consumption in TEFAP.
Per 7 CFR 251.5(b), each TEFAP state agency must establish uniform statewide criteria for determining eligibility for USDA Foods for home consumption. This eligibility criteria must include maximum income-based standards at or between 185 percent to 300 percent of the U.S. Federal Poverty Guidelines (Poverty Guidelines) published annually by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). State agencies may propose use of income-based standards above 300 percent of the Poverty Guidelines with supporting rationale, subject to approval by FNS. FD-120, Participant Eligibility in TEFAP, provides additional information on this process.
TEFAP state agencies should update their income standards to reflect the 2025 Poverty Guidelines upon receipt of this memorandum. For state agency reference, the attached tables contain the Poverty Guidelines and annual household income limits at 185 percent of the Poverty Guidelines. To establish annual income limits of 185 percent, the Poverty Guidelines are multiplied by 1.85, and the results are rounded up to the next whole dollar. From these results, weekly and monthly income limits are calculated. State agencies may use a similar process to determine income limits at their established thresholds. The first table includes the income limits for households residing in the 48 contiguous states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico. Separate income limits for Alaska and Hawaii are established and published annually by HHS, reflected in the second and third tables.
State agencies should direct any questions they may have regarding the 2025 TEFAP IEGs to their respective FNS regional offices.
Sara Olson
Director
Policy Division
Supplemental Nutrition and Safety Programs