State, Local, or Tribal Government

Food and
Nutrition Service
1320 Braddock Place
Alexandria, VA
22314

MEMORANDUM
TO:

SNAP State Agencies

FROM: Jessica Shahin, Associate Administrator,
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)
DATE:

April 21, 2020

The attached is updated guidance to States in implementing Families First
Coronavirus Response Act of 2020, which provides for the issuance of
additional months of emergency allotments (supplements) based on a public
health emergency declaration by the Secretary of Health and Human Services
under section 319 of the Public Health Service Act related to an outbreak of
COVID-19 when a State has also issued an emergency or disaster declaration.
States should submit information regarding the emergency allotment
issuance date(s), and estimated number of impacted households and benefit
amount each month. This information should be submitted to the Food
and Nutrition Service (FNS) Regional SNAP contact no sooner than the
15th of each month for the subsequent month. States must await FNS
acknowledgement before sending the emergency allotment issuance file(s)
to their Electronic Benefits Transfer processor.
Please be advised that the contents of this document do not have the force and
effect of law and are not meant to bind the public in any way. This document
is intended only to provide clarity to the public regarding existing requirements
under the law or agency policies. Any questions should be directed to
Andrea Gold, Director, Retail Policy and Management Division.
Sincerely,

JESSICA
SHAHIN

Digitally signed by
JESSICA SHAHIN
Date: 2020.04.21
09:08:24 -04'00'

Jessica Shahin
Associate Administrator
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program
Attachment

USDA is an Equal Opportunity Provider, Employer and Lender

United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) Month-ToMonth Contingent Approval to Continue Issuing Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program
(SNAP) Emergency Allotments (EA) Benefits under the
Families First Coronavirus Response Act of 2020
Section 2302(a)(1) of the Families First Coronavirus Response Act of 2020, allows States to
request COVID-19 EA “for households participating in the supplemental nutrition assistance
program… to address temporary food needs.” The State must support its request with sufficient
data, as determined through FNS guidance. A household’s EA cannot increase the current
monthly household SNAP benefit allotment beyond “the applicable maximum monthly allotment
for the household size.” Accordingly, SNAP households that already receive the maximum
monthly allotment for their household size are not eligible for EA.
States that have already received FNS approval for EA issuance in March and April, or
April and May, are approved to continue issuing EA benefits each month. This approval to
extend these EAs will remain in place until such a time as the Secretary for Health and
Human Services rescinds the public health emergency declaration that was issued on
January 27, 2020, under section 319 of the Public Health Service Act or the State-issued
emergency or disaster declaration expires.
This approval is contingent upon the State submitting the information below to the FNS Region
no sooner than the 15th of each month for the subsequent month and awaiting FNS
acknowledgement before sending the Emergency Allotment issuance file(s) to their Electronic
Benefits Transfer processor.
Prior to each month of EA issuance, the State shall provide the following information to its
FNS Regional SNAP contact(s), who will acknowledge receipt:
State/Territory: _________________________
1. [Month] EA Issuance date(s):
____________________________________________________________
(Provide exact dates of planned EA issuance for the month or annotate above if the
State will be providing EA benefits in accordance with the State’s regular issuance
schedule.)
2. [Month] estimate of the number of households and estimated EA amount:
Number of households receiving emergency allotment benefits: _________________
Amount of emergency allotment benefits issued for one month: $________________
3. Confirmation that one or more of the following conditions exists due to
COVID-19. (Check all that apply):
 Residents of the State are confirmed to have contracted COVID-19
 Some or all areas of the State are containment or quarantine zones
 Businesses have closed or significantly reduced their hours
 The State’s residents have experienced economic impacts due to job
suspensions or losses

USDA is an Equal Opportunity Provider, Employer and Lender

Attachment
Page 2
 The State’s residents have been directed to practice social distancing
And
___ The State’s emergency or disaster declaration remains active.
All FNS requirements shall remain the same as listed in the initial State approval.
USDA reserves the right to withdraw or otherwise modify this approval subject to availability of
funding.

USDA is an Equal Opportunity Provider, Employer and Lender