SNAP E&T Review: States Can Now Request SNAP to Skills Technical Assistance! Here’s How.

USDA Food and Nutrition Service sent this bulletin at 01/12/2022 12:36 PM EST

Winter 2021-22 SNAP E&T Review Header

 

States Can Now Request SNAP to Skills Technical Assistance! Here's How.

FNS is now accepting requests for SNAP to Skills (S2S) technical assistance (TA) from all State SNAP agencies interested in growing and improving their SNAP E&T programs. These requests should meet the following requirements:

  • Targeted in scope: TA will be directed to the completion of a specific project and/or targeted to meet well-defined needs and objectives.
  • Limited in duration: TA can generally be completed in 1-3 months.

States may request TA support any time from now until September 2023 by completing a simple TA Request Form. FNS will review all submissions and may request more information before moving forward. While there are no deadlines to apply, FNS can only support up to 30 State requests, so we encourage you to think about potential projects and apply early!  

Listen to the SNAP to Skills TA Information Session recording HERE.

Read more about the current SNAP to Skills project HERE.

 

Testimonials from FY20 SNAP E&T National Training Partnership Grant Projects

In September 2020, USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) awarded $6.7 million in three-year SNAP E&T National Training Partnership Grants to four nonprofit organizations. The purpose of these grants is to “support new organizational capacity to provide to network members or affiliates training and other technical assistance so that network members or affiliates may become third-party SNAP E&T providers.”

Read below some of the progress from this initial round of grant projects at their one-year mark.

  • The American Public Human Services Association (APHSA) is partnering with the Association of Community College Trustees (ACCT) and National Community Action Partnership (NCAP) to build the capacity of community colleges and Community Action Agencies to become SNAP E&T third-party partners through intensive technical assistance, tools, and resources. 
    • Brandy Whisman, SNAP E&T Project Associate: "Throughout this process, we've made robust, intentional efforts to share our learnings both within our own membership networks as well as those in the broader workforce development system to effectively spread the message that SNAP E&T is a valuable tool for building economic mobility and economic recovery.”
  • The National Association of Workforce Boards (NAWB) is partnering with SJI and Third Sector Capital to work with members of its network of more than 500 workforce boards. Cohorts of workforce boards will receive intensive SNAP E&T technical assistance training and one-on-one coaching to assist them in becoming SNAP E&T providers or intermediaries.
    • Nyzuria Conner, NAWB Program Manager: “With our technical assistance, 15 workforce development boards across 10 States were able to assess if SNAP E&T was a good fit for their organization, define goals and plans to pursue SNAP E&T contracts, and develop plans to increase engagement in current SNAP E&T programs. NAWB is currently in the process of planning for the second group of cohort participants, and we look forward to increasing SNAP E&T program knowledge and engagement across our membership.”
  • Goodwill Industries International (GII), supported by Goodwill of North Georgia, is providing intensive technical assistance to cohorts of Goodwill organizations to become SNAP E&T third-party partners or intermediaries or expand their existing E&T programs.
    • Kamala Kannan, Goodwill Industries SNAP E&T Program Manager: “The investment from USDA has played a crucial role in helping Goodwill® organizations expand their SNAP E&T programs and provide valuable career training pathways for families receiving SNAP benefits. In partnership with Goodwill of North Georgia, we are in the process of training 30 local Goodwill organizations to become SNAP E&T third-party partners. Our approach has resulted in 55% of our first cohort members achieving new third-party contracts and expanding current partnerships.
  • REDF is partnering with Center for Employment Opportunities (CEO) and SJI to provide technical assistance to the 400 employment social enterprises (ESEs) within its network. The partnership will offer a webinar series on SNAP E&T fundamentals and build a Resource Platform that will be a repository of E&T best practices that can be accessed by network members. It will also provide specialized training, technical assistance, and peer mentorship for up to 40 participating ESEs.
    • Kalen Cornelious, REDF Manager, Government Partnerships & Policy: “Our innovative capacity-building program has increased the knowledge of SNAP E&T across the Employment Social Enterprise (ESE) sector through training, technical assistance, and peer learning. As a result, the program has educated hundreds of ESE and non-profit employees through our six-part training webinar series. The twenty-two ESE organizations participating in our technical assistance cohort have a greater understanding of how to become effective third-party partners."

In FY21, FNS awarded two additional grants to Local Initiative Support Corporation (LISC) and Network of Jewish Human Services Agencies (NJHSA). These projects began in September 2021.

More information about the SNAP E&T National Training Partnership Grant projects can be found on the FNS website HERE.

Upcoming Events, Important Dates & Resource Links

S2S Highlighted Resource: SNAP E&T Operations Handbook: Newer SNAP E&T Review readers may be unfamiliar with the wealth of tools and resources offered on the SNAP to Skills website to support efforts to develop high-quality SNAP E&T programs. The SNAP E&T Operations Handbook: A Step-by-Step Guide to Developing, Implementing, and Growing a SNAP E&T Program (2018) provides a “soup to nuts” guide for States on how to build a SNAP E&T program using third-party partners to deliver services. It outlines a “Plan, Implement, Grow” framework that States can use to thoughtfully plan their E&T program growth.

Access the Handbook HERE.

Grant Opportunity: Department of Commerce Good Jobs Challenge: The U.S. Department of Commerce Economic Development Administration (EDA) recently announced the creation of the “Good Jobs Challenge”, a funding opportunity aimed at strengthening systems and partnerships that bring together employers who have hiring needs with entities who train workers with in-demand skills that lead to good-paying jobs. EDA is allocating $500 million to this initiative and encourages efforts to reach historically underserved populations facing labor market barriers. Eligible applicants include States, institutions of higher education, Indian tribes, district organization of an EDA-designated Economic Development District, and others. The application deadline is January 26, 2022.

Learn more about this opportunity and other recently announced EDA funding opportunities HERE. 

Webinar Recording: Re-Engaging Parents in the Workforce: A Tribal TANF Perspective: In response to the devastating effects the COVID-19 pandemic has had on the livelihoods, finances, and well-being of millions of individuals in Indian Country, the Office of Family Assistance in HHS/ACF hosted a webinar on October 27th to provide insights on Federal and State resources that can assist parents transitioning into employment. The webinar also shared innovative practices from the Tribal Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program, childcare, and community organizations to support low-income families. State SNAP agencies are required to consult with Indian Tribal Organizations (ITOs) as part of their development of the SNAP E&T annual state plan at the SNAP State Plan of Operations.

Access the webinar recording HERE.

About the SNAP to Skills Project

Launched in October of 2015, SNAP to Skills (S2S) is a Project of USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) to provide States the tools and resources they need to develop job-driven SNAP E&T programs that help SNAP participants find jobs and work toward self-sufficiency. The Project seeks to help advance SNAP E&T programs in all States through these tools and resources, while also providing multiple States the opportunity to benefit from individualized technical assistance to advance their programs. In Federal Fiscal Years 22 – 23, any State may apply to receive technical assistance on a rolling basis to support specific, short-term projects to advance their E&T programs.

Previous editions of the SNAP E&T Review are accessible HERE.

Contact

SNAP to Skills Project
SNAPtoSkillsProject@seattlejobsinit.com


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