WIC Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children

Objective

To provide income-eligible pregnant, breastfeeding and postpartum women, infants, and children up to age five who are determined to be at nutritional risk with supplemental nutritious foods, nutrition education, and referrals to health and social services at no cost. WIC also promotes and supports breastfeeding as the feeding method of choice for infants, provides substance abuse education and promotes immunization and other aspects of healthy living. For Formula Grants, the Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) makes funds available to participating State health agencies and Indian Tribal Organizations (ITOs) that, in turn, distribute the funds to participating local agencies. State and local agencies use WIC funds to pay the costs of specified supplemental foods provided to WIC participants, and to pay for specified nutrition services and administration (NSA) costs, including the cost of nutrition assessments, blood tests for anemia, nutrition education, breastfeeding promotion and support, and health care referrals. For Project Grants, FNS makes funding available to carry out WIC outreach, innovation, and program modernization efforts to increase participation and redemption of benefits. Projects may focus on reducing disparities in program delivery, improving WIC service delivery, improving the WIC shopping experience, and increasing awareness of the Program’s benefits and services.

Who Can Apply

• Department or Agency of a U.S. State Government
• Department or Agency of a U.S. Territorial Government
• Federally Recognized Indian/Native American/Alaska Native Tribal Government
• Nonprofit Organization

A local agency is eligible to apply to deliver locally the services of the WIC Program, provided that: (1) it serves a population of low-income women, infants, and children at nutritional risk; and (2) it is a public or private nonprofit health or human service agency. All local agencies must apply through the responsible State, Indian Tribal Organization or U.S. Territory agency. Project grants may be available to a WIC State agency, businesses, small businesses, nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, institutions of higher education and for profit organizations other than small businesses, public and State controlled institutions of higher education and private institutions of higher education. All applications must be submitted via the Grants.gov portal.

Who Benefits

Pregnant women, breastfeeding women up to one year postpartum, and non-breastfeeding women up to six months postpartum, infants, and children up to 5 years of age are eligible if: (1) they are individually determined by a competent professional to be in need of the special supplemental foods supplied by the Program because of nutritional risk; and (2) meet an income standard, or receive or have certain family members that receive benefits under the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance, Medicaid or Temporary Assistance for Needy Families Programs. They must also reside in the State in which benefits are received. Program improvements resulting from WIC Innovation Grants benefit all WIC and WIC Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program participants, some WIC vendors, and some WIC farmers and farmers’ markets.

Assistance Types

• Grant
• Cooperative Agreement
• Grant
• Grant

Program Contact

maryrose.conroy@usda.gov
7033052746