USDA Food Stamp Award $$$ Available to Local Districts

October 1, 2007

Author: Cathy Roberts

OTDA recently received a $9.8 million performance bonus award from USDA for payment accuracy improvements in the Food Stamp Program.

OTDA is passing along $7 million of the award to local districts, on the condition that they use the funds to improve food stamp access and/or maintain program accuracy.  The awards are being divvied up based on caseload size, with a minimum allocation of $25,000.

Districts do not have to accept the funds, but if they do, they must tell OTDA how the plan to use the money.  Districts who opt out will have their funds reallocated.  07 LCM-14 and its attachments list the allocations by district, and the 2-page plans that districts must file with OTDA.  The LCM also contains suggested uses for the money, including:  hiring of staff, training of staff and community partners, purchases of hardware/software which support modernization efforts, short term contracts with outreach providers, and local media/outreach expenditures.  Plans are due to OTDA by November 15, 2007.

You can get the LCM at http://www.otda.state.ny.us/main/directives/2007/ by scrolling down to the Local Commissioners Memorandum section.  The LCM should soon be available on the Online Resource Center, too.  If you have suggestions for your local district, now is the time to let them know.  We would be interested in learning how districts are planning to use the money, so it would be great if you could pass along any info you may get.  Contact Cathy Roberts.