Opportunity Information: Apply for USDA FNS SNAP SEMTAC FY22
The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) Modernization Technical Assistance Center (SEMTAC) opportunity is a USDA Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) cooperative agreement designed to speed up and broaden SNAP modernization, with a strong focus on helping retailers accept SNAP benefits for online purchasing. The legal authority comes from Section 703 of the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021, which directs USDA to competitively fund technical assistance that educates retailers on the steps, processes, and technical requirements needed to take SNAP EBT payments online. In practical terms, the grant is meant to create or strengthen a technical assistance capability that can guide retailers through what it takes to launch and operate SNAP online purchasing in a compliant, secure, and workable way.
A central goal of the program is expanding online SNAP purchasing nationwide so participants have more ways to access food, especially when traditional in-store shopping is difficult. FNS frames this as a customer service and access issue: reducing barriers, encouraging innovation, and making it easier for households to use benefits in ways that match how people increasingly shop. The emphasis is not only on convenience; it is also about equity and access for communities that face structural hurdles. Online purchasing can be particularly important in rural areas where grocery options are limited, in places where local stores have smaller selections of healthy foods, and for participants who may have disabilities, lack reliable transportation, or face other obstacles that make in-person shopping difficult. The program also recognizes the continuing impacts associated with COVID-19, which increased demand for remote and contact-minimized shopping options and highlighted the value of resilient, flexible benefit access.
While online purchasing is the primary focus, SEMTAC also sets aside part of its funding to support a mobile payments pilot for SNAP retailers in five states (the states were still to be determined in the announcement). That piece of the work is aimed at helping retailers that will participate in the pilot understand and implement the technical approach for mobile payment acceptance under FNS testing conditions. In addition, the opportunity anticipates further EBT issuance modernization initiatives over time and includes support for education and training connected to any new modernization efforts that may emerge. It is also made clear that separate funding provided by the American Rescue Plan (PL-117-2) for SNAP issuance-related modernization is not handled under this solicitation, and would be addressed through future, separate contracts or grants.
Administratively, the opportunity is categorized as discretionary funding and uses a cooperative agreement model, meaning awardees should expect substantial involvement from the federal agency compared with a more hands-off grant structure. The program is listed under CFDA 10.580 (Food and Nutrition Service programs). The announcement projected up to five awards, with an award ceiling of $5,000,000. The funding opportunity was created July 7, 2022, with an original closing date of September 6, 2022. Eligibility is listed broadly as "Others" with additional clarifications referenced in the full notice, signaling that the program is not limited only to state governments and may be open to a wider range of qualified entities capable of providing nationwide or multi-state technical assistance, training, and implementation support.
Taken together, SEMTAC is essentially an investment in the "how-to" infrastructure of SNAP modernization: building expert capacity to help retailers navigate compliance, technical integration, and operational steps needed for online SNAP acceptance, while also supporting emerging payment approaches like mobile payments through targeted pilots. The underlying public benefit is improved access to food purchasing options for SNAP households, especially those for whom traditional grocery access is constrained by geography, transportation, disability, or public health disruptions.Apply for USDA FNS SNAP SEMTAC FY22
- The Department of Agriculture, Food and Nutrition Service in the food and nutrition sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) Modernization Technical Assistance Center (SEMTAC)" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 10.580.
- This funding opportunity was created on Jul 07, 2022.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Sep 06, 2022. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $5,000,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 5 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).
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FAQs: SNAP EBT Modernization Technical Assistance Center (SEMTAC)
1) What is the SEMTAC grant opportunity?
SEMTAC is a USDA Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) cooperative agreement intended to speed up and broaden SNAP Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) modernization. Its main purpose is to build or strengthen technical assistance capacity that helps retailers accept SNAP benefits for online purchasing in a compliant, secure, and practical way.
2) What is the primary focus of SEMTAC funding?
The central focus is expanding SNAP online purchasing nationwide by providing technical assistance that educates retailers on the steps, processes, and technical requirements needed to accept SNAP EBT payments online.
3) What does SEMTAC mean by "technical assistance" for retailers?
Based on the description, technical assistance under SEMTAC is "how-to" support that can guide retailers through compliance, technical integration, and operational steps required to launch and operate SNAP online purchasing. This includes helping retailers understand technical requirements and implement SNAP online acceptance in a secure and workable manner.
4) What legal authority supports the SEMTAC program?
The opportunity is supported by Section 703 of the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021, which directs USDA to competitively fund technical assistance that educates retailers on the steps, processes, and technical requirements needed to take SNAP EBT payments online.
5) Why is FNS prioritizing SNAP online purchasing expansion?
FNS frames online purchasing as a customer service, access, and equity issue. The goal is to reduce barriers, encourage innovation, and make it easier for households to use benefits in ways that match how people increasingly shop, while expanding access for communities facing structural hurdles.
6) How does SEMTAC relate to equity and access?
The opportunity highlights that online SNAP purchasing can be especially important for participants in rural areas with limited grocery options, in places where stores may have smaller selections of healthy foods, and for people who face barriers to in-person shopping such as disability or lack of reliable transportation.
7) Does the program mention COVID-19 impacts?
Yes. The description notes that COVID-19 increased demand for remote and contact-minimized shopping options and underscored the value of resilient and flexible benefit access. This context supports the emphasis on expanding online purchasing capabilities.
8) Is online purchasing the only modernization activity covered by SEMTAC?
No. While online purchasing is the primary focus, the opportunity also sets aside funding to support a mobile payments pilot for SNAP retailers in five states and anticipates additional EBT issuance modernization initiatives over time, including education and training related to new modernization efforts as they emerge.
9) What is the mobile payments pilot mentioned in the opportunity?
SEMTAC reserves part of its funding to support a mobile payments pilot for SNAP retailers in five states. The work is intended to help retailers participating in the pilot understand and implement the technical approach for mobile payment acceptance under FNS testing conditions.
10) Are the five pilot states identified in the announcement?
No. The announcement states the pilot would occur in five states, but the states were still to be determined at the time described.
11) What does it mean that SEMTAC is a cooperative agreement?
The opportunity uses a cooperative agreement model, which means awardees should expect substantial involvement from the federal agency compared with a more hands-off grant structure.
12) What type of funding is SEMTAC categorized as?
SEMTAC is categorized as discretionary funding.
13) What is the program listing or CFDA number for SEMTAC?
The program is listed under CFDA 10.580 (Food and Nutrition Service programs).
14) How many awards were anticipated?
The announcement projected up to five awards.
15) What was the maximum award size (award ceiling)?
The award ceiling listed in the description is $5,000,000.
16) When was the funding opportunity created and when did it close?
The opportunity was created July 7, 2022, with an original closing date of September 6, 2022.
17) Who is eligible to apply based on the information provided?
Eligibility is listed broadly as "Others," with additional clarifications referenced in the full notice. This signals the program is not limited only to state governments and may be open to a wider range of qualified entities capable of providing nationwide or multi-state technical assistance, training, and implementation support.
18) Is SEMTAC limited to supporting a single state or locality?
The description suggests the intended capability may be nationwide or multi-state in scope, since it references entities capable of providing nationwide or multi-state technical assistance, training, and implementation support.
19) What kinds of outcomes is SEMTAC trying to achieve for SNAP participants?
The public benefit emphasized is improved access to food purchasing options for SNAP households, particularly when traditional grocery access is constrained by geography, transportation, disability, or public health disruptions.
20) Does SEMTAC include SNAP issuance-related modernization funded by the American Rescue Plan?
No. The opportunity makes clear that separate funding provided by the American Rescue Plan (PL-117-2) for SNAP issuance-related modernization is not handled under this solicitation and would be addressed through future, separate contracts or grants.
21) What does SEMTAC imply about future modernization work?
The opportunity anticipates further EBT issuance modernization initiatives over time and includes support for education and training connected to any new modernization efforts that may emerge.
22) Who is the federal sponsor/agency associated with SEMTAC?
The SEMTAC opportunity is associated with USDA Food and Nutrition Service (FNS).
23) How is SEMTAC best described in plain terms?
SEMTAC is an investment in the practical "how-to" infrastructure of SNAP modernization: building expert capacity to help retailers navigate compliance, technical integration, and operational requirements for accepting SNAP benefits online, while also supporting emerging approaches like mobile payments through targeted pilots.
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