CSFP: Additional Caseload Assignments Memorandum (321.80 KB)
| DATE: | April 23, 2021 | |
| SUBJECT: | Commodity Supplemental Food Program (CSFP): Additional Caseload Assignments for the 2021 Caseload Cycle | |
| TO: | Regional Directors Special Nutrition Programs MARO, MPRO, MWRO, NERO, SERO, SWRO, and WRO |
State Directors CSFP State Agencies All Current and New States |
On March 11, 2021, President Biden signed the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (PL 117-2), which provided additional funding for the Commodity Supplemental Food Program (CSFP). Section 1104 of the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 provides a total of $37 million in additional supplemental funding for CSFP. Based on this funding increase, the Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) is increasing 2021 national caseload by 24,524 slots to 760,634.
This increase is sufficient to meet all unmet 2021 additional caseload requests from currently participating CSFP state agencies and to add the Wichita and Affiliated Tribes to the program.
Amended Final Caseload Assignments
On February 19, 2021, FNS announced a final national caseload allocation of 736,110 for the 2021 caseload cycle (Jan. 1 to Dec. 31, 2021), see Caseload Assignments for the 2021 Caseload Cycle and Administrative Grants. At that time, due to limited resources, 23 state agencies did not receive their full additional caseload request. With the increased funding provided in Section 1104 of the American Rescue Plan Act, FNS is now able to increase national caseload sufficiently to fulfill all remaining 2021 additional caseload requests from currently participating CSFP states agencies. The attached chart, Attachment A, displays the amended final 2021 caseload assignment for each state agency.
New Indian Tribal Organization
In accordance with CSFP regulations, FNS assigns caseload, to the extent resources are available, in the following order: 1) to meet base caseload for currently participating states, 2) to meet additional caseload requests of currently participating states in amounts that FNS determines is needed and can be efficiently utilized, and 3) to each state agency, including ITOs, requesting to begin participation in the program with an approved state plan. With this funding increase, resources are sufficient to meet all outstanding 2021 requests from currently participating state agencies. Accordingly, FNS is also allocating 200 caseload slots to Wichita and Affiliated Tribes, which is the only ITO with an approved state plan but not currently participating in CSFP.
Caseload Use in 2021
States that are receiving caseload increases should work to increase participation levels immediately. Per CSFP regulations, caseload assignments in 2022 will depend on each state’s caseload use this year. FNS recognizes that, for those states that are receiving additional caseload, the increase is coming unusually late in the calendar year. FNS will take that into account during the 2022 caseload allocation process to the greatest extent possible.
Administrative Grant per Assigned Caseload Slot
The Agriculture and Consumer Protection Act of 1973 (PL 93-86), as amended, mandates an administrative grant per assigned caseload slot to be adjusted each fiscal year to reflect inflation. The mandatory grant per assigned caseload slot for fiscal year 2021 is $82.43. Accordingly, those state agencies receiving caseload at this time will receive an additional allocation of CSFP administrative funds from the American Rescue Plan Act.
Wichita and Affiliated Tribes’ administrative grant per assigned caseload slot is prorated to account for the fact that the ITO did not have a caseload assignment for the first quarter of FY 2021. As a result, Wichita and Affiliated Tribes’ prorated administrative grant per caseload slot is $61.83.
The attached chart, Attachment A, displays the additional administration grant per caseload allotment for each state. FNS will notify state agencies when these funds are available. Additionally, state agencies will need to separately report on these administrative funds apart from their normal reporting for regular CSFP administrative funds. Further guidance on reporting will follow.
CSFP state agencies should address questions to their FNS regional offices, which may in turn contact Katie Treen or Gregory Walton.
Laura Castro
Director
Food Distribution Division