Community Food Assistance Provider Grant Program

The act combines the food pantry assistance program and the food bank assistance program into a single program named the community food assistance provider grant program (grant program) in the department of human services (state department). The purpose of the grant program is to provide grants to procure and distribute nutritious foods that meet the needs of eligible entities' clientele. The state department may contract with a third-party vendor to solicit, vet, award, and monitor grants. The state department shall include information regarding the grant program at its "SMART Act" hearing. The act allows a recipient of the supplemental nutrition assistance program (recipient) to receive fuel assistance payments through the same payment mechanism that the recipient uses to receive other cash assistance benefits. For the 2024-25 state fiscal year, the act appropriates $3,000,000 from the general fund to the state department for the use by the office of economic security for the grant program. APPROVED by Governor April 18, 2024 EFFECTIVE July 1, 2024(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)