Through ARPA, USDA received waiver authority to support WIC and FMNP outreach, innovation, and modernization. Waivers are currently available to support WIC online shopping and ARPA funded projects.
Recorded webinar explaining a grant opportunity to facilitate data sharing activities that support targeted outreach and streamlined certification processes aimed at increasing the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children participation and retention.
As part of the WIC innovation and modernization efforts to be funded under ARPA, FNS is supporting planning and implementation projects focused on enhancements that improve the WIC participant experience, as evidenced by enhancing the WIC shopping experience, increasing participant enrollment, reducing unnecessary administrative burden for both participants and administrators, including through data matching to streamline enrollment, and retaining eligible participants while improving equity
The American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 provided USDA with $390 million, available through FY 2024, to carry out outreach, innovation, and program modernization efforts to increase participation and redemption of benefits for both the WIC program and the WIC Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program.
On March 3, 2023 FNS held a stakeholder briefing about the proposed rule to remove barriers to online ordering and internet-based transactions in WIC.
In FY 2022, FNS awarded $23,100,000.00 in grants to 66 WIC state agencies to support planning and implementation of projects to improve the WIC participant experience. State agencies each received $350,000.00 in funding to work on multiple types of projects.
FNS awarded grants to WIC state agencies to tackle the WIC shopping experience from every angle—from improving in store signage and cashier training, to working toward online shopping.
On Nov. 1, 2022, FNS held a celebration and briefing of the ARPA funded WIC and FMNP outreach, innovation and modernization efforts.