SNAP E&T is a program of the United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) designed to provide unemployed and underemployed SNAP recipients with training and education that will help them find good jobs. Funding covers education and training, as well as critical wrap around services and supports that many other federal programs do not cover. By providing participants with tailored services and supports that address barriers, they can focus on their training, job preparation and transition into employment.
Potential Service Providers
HOW DOES IT WORK?
FUNDING
RI SNAP E&T provides an opportunity to access significant and sustainable resources for workforce development. Funding available to Rhode Island service providers is through 50% reimbursements for nonfederal spending on approved E&T services. RI SNAP E&T can leverage existing investments in employment and training services. FNS will reimburse 50% of the costs of providing E&T appropriate services to eligible SNAP recipients. As an example, RI SNAP E&T can overlay onto existing funded services, such as the State’s Real Jobs grants (but in this example, only those Real Jobs services funded from the State’s Job Development Fund would be eligible for reimbursement).
RI SNAP E&T 50% reimbursements are not capped. The reimbursement funds are considered cash once the State receives them and may be used as the nonfederal funds to provide additional E&T services for additional 50% reimbursement. This is called recycling E&T funds.
Rhode Island’s E&T program operates via a third party reimbursement model. This means that contracted E&T service providers, rather than the State, furnish the required nonfederal funds and receive the reimbursements. LISC retains 5% of all 50% reimbursements to support management of the program. As a result, the actual reimbursement a service provider receives is 45%.
Reimbursement funds must be used to enhance and/or expand employment and training services for SNAP recipients. They can be used:
- To build capacity to offer higher quality and/or more intensive services
- To expand/diversify programming
- To serve greater numbers of SNAP recipients
- Recycled for additional reimbursement
Nonfederal Funds
Any source of nonfederal funds can be used to provide E&T services as long as the funds are nonfederal and unmatched. Examples include:
- State funding that is not federal pass-through
- Foundations and Corporations
- Individual Donations
- Unrestricted organizational revenue
- CDBG (workforce)
E&T PROVIDER MINIMUM ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS
- Must be a 501(c)3 in good standing, a Rhode Island trade association, college, State agency, or local workforce investment board
- Provide comprehensive employment and training services
- Have funds to cover 100% of the costs to deliver the proposed RI SNAP E&T services and certify that funds are non-federal to the source and unmatched
- Be able to demonstrate sufficient organizational capacity (financially and programmatically) to operate a program that meets both state and federal requirements
Agencies and organizations interested in applying to be approved as an E&T service provider must contact LISC prior to submitting an application. Funding follows the federal fiscal year (October 1). New provider applications will be received on a rolling basis. If approved, contracting will be dependent on the availability of funding and other factors.