Opportunity Information: Apply for USDA FNS WIC ENROLLMENT 2023
The FY23 WIC Enrollment via State-Level Referral Data Matching with SNAP and Medicaid opportunity is a USDA Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) discretionary funding announcement focused on closing the gap between WIC eligibility and actual participation. Even though more than 6 million people participate in WIC nationwide, the notice highlights that about 43 percent of eligible women, infants, and children are not enrolled. The grant is built around the idea that states can boost enrollment and retention by using smarter, state-level data sharing and matching, particularly by connecting WIC systems with Medicaid and SNAP enrollment data so eligible families can be identified more efficiently and contacted with targeted outreach.
Funding is provided through a one-time cooperative agreement, meaning the awardee is expected to work closely with USDA/FNS rather than operating entirely independently. The award can be up to $20,000,000, supported by American Rescue Plan Act (ARP) funding (specifically Section 1106 of Subtitle B, Title I). USDA anticipates making a single award, and the selected organization becomes the central hub for distributing resources and support to multiple WIC State agencies. In practice, this awardee is not simply running its own project; it is standing up an organized national effort that enables states to implement or expand referral data matching and outreach workflows, with participant consent when required.
The core purpose of the project is to facilitate data sharing activities that lead to two practical outcomes: targeted outreach to potentially eligible participants and streamlined certification processes that reduce administrative friction for families trying to enroll and stay enrolled. Referral data matching in this context generally means using information from SNAP and Medicaid (programs that already serve many WIC-eligible households) to generate referrals into WIC, allowing WIC agencies to proactively reach out to families who are likely eligible but not participating. The emphasis on consent reflects that states have different legal and policy frameworks for sharing and using client data, so the approach must be adaptable and privacy-aware.
The successful applicant must carry out three major sets of activities. First, it must conduct at least two competitive subgrant award programs, implemented in phases, that make funding available to multiple WIC State agencies. This structure is designed to support more than a single pilot; it encourages scaling across states while also allowing learning and refinement between phases. Second, the awardee must provide technical assistance before and after subgrant awards. Pre-application support helps WIC State agencies prepare strong subgrant proposals and think through data matching, privacy, operational readiness, and outreach plans. Post-award support continues for the full life of subgrant projects and includes guidance to help states implement effectively, troubleshoot issues, and align with broader WIC modernization efforts. The awardee is also expected to collaborate with the FNS team working on WIC modernization and innovation, so this initiative complements other federal efforts to improve program access and service delivery.
Third, the awardee must develop and apply an implementation and evaluation framework that measures how the overall initiative performs. This includes process measures (how data sharing and outreach are implemented), short-term outcomes (immediate outputs like referrals generated or contacts made), and intermediate-term outcomes (notably changes in enrollment and participation). A specific evaluation priority is quantifying changes in WIC enrollment and participation rates among individuals already enrolled in Medicaid and SNAP, since those populations offer a clear benchmark for assessing whether referral matching and outreach are actually translating into increased WIC uptake and retention.
In terms of eligibility, the opportunity is open to public and state-controlled institutions of higher education, private institutions of higher education, and nonprofits with 501(c)(3) status (excluding IHEs under that category). It is cataloged under CFDA (now commonly referred to as Assistance Listing) 10.557, aligns with the Agriculture, Food and Nutrition activity category, and was posted April 27, 2023 with an original closing date of June 28, 2023. Overall, the grant is essentially a national capacity-building and implementation vehicle: one organization is funded to run a structured subgrant program for states, provide hands-on technical support, and produce credible evaluation results showing whether state-level data matching with SNAP and Medicaid can meaningfully increase WIC participation.Apply for USDA FNS WIC ENROLLMENT 2023
- The Department of Agriculture, Food and Nutrition Service in the agriculture, food and nutrition sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "FY23 WIC Enrollment via State-Level Referral Data Matching with SNAP and Medicaid" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 10.557.
- This funding opportunity was created on Apr 27, 2023.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Jun 28, 2023. (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 $20,000,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Private institutions of higher education.
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FAQs: FY23 WIC Enrollment via State-Level Referral Data Matching with SNAP and Medicaid
What is the FY23 WIC Enrollment via State-Level Referral Data Matching with SNAP and Medicaid opportunity?
This is a USDA Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) discretionary funding opportunity focused on increasing participation in WIC by helping states use state-level data sharing and matching. The central strategy is to connect WIC systems with Medicaid and SNAP enrollment data so WIC agencies can identify likely-eligible families more efficiently and conduct targeted outreach, while also reducing barriers in certification and retention.
What problem is this grant trying to solve?
The announcement highlights a gap between WIC eligibility and actual participation. Although more than 6 million people participate in WIC nationwide, about 43 percent of eligible women, infants, and children are not enrolled. The grant is designed to help close that gap by improving how states identify and reach eligible but unenrolled families.
What is the main approach the project funds?
The funded effort centers on state-level referral data matching and related outreach workflows. In practice, this generally means using information from Medicaid and SNAP (programs that already serve many WIC-eligible households) to generate referrals into WIC so agencies can proactively contact potentially eligible participants and support enrollment and continued participation.
What does "referral data matching" mean in this context?
Referral data matching generally refers to using Medicaid and SNAP enrollment data to identify individuals and households who are likely eligible for WIC but not participating, then creating a referral pathway so WIC agencies can reach out and connect them to WIC services.
What outcomes is the project expected to produce?
The opportunity emphasizes two practical outcomes: (1) targeted outreach to potentially eligible participants, and (2) streamlined certification processes that reduce administrative friction for families trying to enroll in WIC and stay enrolled.
Is participant consent part of the expected approach?
Yes. The opportunity notes that outreach and data sharing must account for varying state legal and policy frameworks. The approach is intended to be adaptable and privacy-aware, including obtaining participant consent when required.
What type of funding mechanism is this?
This is a one-time cooperative agreement. That means the awardee is expected to work closely with USDA/FNS rather than operating fully independently.
How much funding is available?
The award can be up to $20,000,000.
What is the funding source for this award?
The funding is supported by the American Rescue Plan Act (ARP), specifically Section 1106 of Subtitle B, Title I.
How many awards does USDA anticipate making?
USDA anticipates making a single award.
If only one organization is funded, how do states benefit?
The selected organization functions as a central hub that distributes resources and support to multiple WIC State agencies. Rather than running only one standalone project, the awardee stands up a coordinated national effort that enables states to implement or expand referral data matching and outreach workflows.
What are the required major activities for the successful applicant?
The opportunity describes three major sets of activities:
- Conduct at least two competitive subgrant award programs, implemented in phases, to fund multiple WIC State agencies.
- Provide technical assistance to WIC State agencies before and after subgrant awards, continuing through the life of the subgrant projects.
- Develop and apply an implementation and evaluation framework that measures process, short-term outcomes, and intermediate-term outcomes, including enrollment and participation changes.
What does it mean that subgrants must be "competitive" and "phased"?
The awardee must run at least two competitive subgrant programs and implement them in phases. This structure is intended to support multiple WIC State agencies, encourage scaling beyond a single pilot, and allow learning and refinement between phases.
What kinds of technical assistance are expected before states apply for subgrants?
Pre-application technical assistance is expected to help WIC State agencies prepare strong subgrant proposals and think through key considerations such as data matching design, privacy, operational readiness, and outreach plans.
What kinds of technical assistance are expected after states receive subgrants?
Post-award technical assistance is expected to continue for the full life of subgrant projects. This includes implementation guidance, troubleshooting support, and help aligning state work with broader WIC modernization efforts.
Is the awardee expected to coordinate with other federal work on WIC?
Yes. The awardee is expected to collaborate with the FNS team working on WIC modernization and innovation so this initiative complements broader efforts to improve access and service delivery.
What is required on evaluation and performance measurement?
The awardee must develop and apply an implementation and evaluation framework that measures:
- Process measures (how data sharing and outreach are implemented)
- Short-term outcomes (immediate outputs like referrals generated or contacts made)
- Intermediate-term outcomes (notably changes in enrollment and participation)
What is a specific evaluation priority called out in the opportunity?
A specific priority is quantifying changes in WIC enrollment and participation among individuals already enrolled in Medicaid and SNAP. Those groups provide a clear benchmark to assess whether referral matching and outreach are leading to increased WIC uptake and retention.
Who is eligible to apply for this opportunity?
Eligibility is open to:
- Public and state-controlled institutions of higher education (IHEs)
- Private institutions of higher education
- Nonprofits with 501(c)(3) status (excluding IHEs under that category)
Are WIC State agencies the direct applicant for the main award?
The opportunity is structured so that one organization receives the main cooperative agreement and then conducts competitive subgrant programs for multiple WIC State agencies. Based on the description, states primarily participate through subgrants administered by the awardee rather than as the single direct recipient of the main award.
What is the Assistance Listing (CFDA) number for this funding?
The opportunity is cataloged under Assistance Listing (CFDA) 10.557.
What activity category does this opportunity fall under?
It aligns with the Agriculture, Food and Nutrition activity category.
When was the opportunity posted and what was the original closing date?
It was posted on April 27, 2023, with an original closing date of June 28, 2023.
In plain terms, what is this grant designed to build?
It is designed as a national capacity-building and implementation vehicle. One organization is funded to run a structured subgrant program for states, provide hands-on technical support, and produce credible evaluation results on whether state-level data matching with SNAP and Medicaid can meaningfully increase WIC participation.
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