06.09.23 WA SNAP-Ed Weekly Update

Important Dates for all WA SNAP-Ed!

• June 16: Friday Forum on Breastfeeding/Chestfeeding Resources
• June 16: Workplan(s) and Budgets due
• June 29: Health & Intellectual Disability 101 Training (see below for more info)
• July 14: Working with Farmers Market Programs in WA SNAP-Ed
• August 9, 16, & 23: NEW! Community Engagement Training Series (see below for more info)

General Updates from DSHS for all WA SNAP-Ed

• Mid-Year Amendment: All supplemental budget requests made in the FY23 Mid-Year Amendment have been approved by FNS. Programs that requested additional funds are free to begin spending.
• SNAP-Ed FY24 Guidance Released: The FY24 SNAP-Ed Plan Guidance is now available to view and download from the SNAP-Ed Connection website! This document provides guidance to DSHS for planning and implementing SNAP-Ed. LIAs are encouraged to read through the Guidance and use it as a tool for program planning.

Updates from DOH IA

Important DOH Dates

• June 12^th, 3pm Open Office Hours
• June 16^th, 5pm Workplan(s) and Budget due to snap-ed@doh.wa.gov for all FFY24 DOH contractors (non-WSU agencies)
• June 22^nd, 1:30pm FVIP CoP Monthly Meeting https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83623283911?pwd=RnZ6N0FnOStmUkNXN1lyUFBGYk45Zz09
• July 17^th, Q3 Reports due to DOH

Updates from WSU Region 3 IA

Important Dates – Mark Your Calendars!

• June 14:  Region 3 Monthly Meeting, 9-10am
• June 16:  FY23-24 Budgets and Program Plans due to IA

Updates from Region 1 IA

Important Dates from DSHS:

• June 12^th 3:00pm: DOH open office hours
• June 16^th: FFY24 Workplans and budgets due to FFY24 IA
• July 17^th: Q3 PEARS data entry: *Applies to those contracting with DSHS directly
• August 1^st: Quarter 3 Reports due to DSHS *Applies to those contracting with DSHS directly*

Important Dates WSU only:

• July 21^st Q3 PEARS entry is due by
• July 21^st Q3 Report due, send to lvananrooy@spokanecounty.org

FFY24 Planning Timeline:  WSU and DOH IAs have released work plan and budget templates. The submission due date for work plans and budgets is June 16^th. Please submit them to whichever IA you will be contracting with in FFY24. You may also contact your FFY24 IA with questions or concerns.

DOH Open Office Hours: On June 12^th at 3:00pm, the Department of Health IA will be hosting optional Open Office Hours for LIAs who will be contracting with them in FFY24.
Meeting link: Click here to join the meeting; Meeting ID: 216 511 553 694; Passcode: r3Xbis.
For more information, reach out to DOH IA at Snap-Ed@doh.wa.gov

Updates from Statewide Projects

CTW

• NEW: Save the Date! August 9, 16, and 23 from 10am-1pm Community Engagement Training Series (registration coming soon): This series will promote a foundational understanding of racial/ethnic health disparities, build common language, and propel the implementation of the SNAP-Ed Agency Priorities through a co-design framework with and for the communities SNAP-Ed serves. Comprehensively, this workshop series will address the following priorities from the WA SNAP-Ed State Plan:
  • Address Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities
  • Address Rural Health Disparities
  • Embrace Whole Family Approach
  • Promote Engagement
• REMINDER: Friday Forum for June: Please join us for June’s Friday Forum: Resources for Breastfeeding/Chestfeeding on June 16^th at 9:30 (previously scheduled for June 9^th). To join the Zoom, click on the link on the Friday Forum page of the provider’s site. Friday Forums | Washington State SNAP-Ed Providers (wasnap-ed.org)
• REMINDER: Health & Intellectual Disability 101 Training: We are excited to share that Special Olympics Washington (SOWA) will be hosting a Health and Intellectual Disability 101 training for WA SNAP-Ed. In the training, you will learn about the background, history, and health disparities of people with intellectual disabilities. You will also learn about the benefits to including people with intellectual disabilities in your work and best practices for accessibility and inclusion. Along with learning, the goal of the training is for you to identify opportunities and action steps for inclusion that you can take to apply your learning to your work. The training will be held June 29^th from 10-11:30 AM. You can  register using the link on the training page of the provider site Training | Washington State SNAP-Ed Providers (wasnap-ed.org)
• RESOURCE POSTED: The PowerPoint and recording from the WUW on June 7 about FFY24 SNAP-Ed Guidance are available on the providers site here

Evaluation

• No updates this week.

WSFMA

Washington State Farmers Market Association (WSFMA) Food Access at Farmers Markets

• If you ordered a “Regional Farmers Market Food Access Directory” in English, Spanish, Vietnamese, and/or Russian, they should be shipped directly to you in June. The “Greater Spokane Farmers Market Directories” (in English) are already being distributed. In all, over 60,000 copies were ordered. Thank you for your help getting these to SNAP eligible shoppers in your community! Missed the order form?  Please email info@wafarmersmarkets.org.
• The WSFMA’s “2023 WA State Farmers Market Directory,” a single, statewide directory is also available. Please email info@wafarmersmarkets.org with your address and the amount you’d like to order a batch or pick one up at your local farmers market’s Info Booth.
• Find current farmers markets info through WSFMA’s online directory “Find A Market.” PDFs of the “Regional Directories” by language and region will be posted to this page soon.
• The WSFMA estimates 165-170 farmers markets in WA. Of these, 133 will accept FMNP this year, 120 accept SNAP, and 109 accept SNAP Market Match in 2023. In 2022, these three food access programs represented $4.8 million in sales at farmers markets, with FMNP being the largest of the three.
• The WSFMA has an updated webpage dedicated to the Transition to e-FMNP. The audience for this webpage is farmers market organizers and growers. It may also be of interest to partners working with farmers markets to support FMNP and the WIC “Fruit and Vegetable Benefits” (aka CVB). Please do not send shoppers to the WSFMA website other than the “Find A Market” online directory.
• As always, please reach out to the WSFMA and our Regional Leads for support with any food access/SNAP-Ed projects at farmers markets.

Readings and Resources

Public Works Board Now Accepting Loan Applications

$13.5 million available for broadband construction
The Washington State Public Works Board (PWB) has approximately $13.5 million available for broadband construction loans to acquire, install, or construct last and middle mile infrastructure to unserved areas of the state.
Eligible applicants
•Local governments
•Tribes
•Nonprofit organizations
•Cooperative associations
•Multiparty entities
•Limited liability corporations (LLCs), incorporated businesses and partnerships

Important dates
•Pre-applications are due by 11:59 p.m. PT, July 18, 2023.
•A 30-day objection period will follow, and final applications are due October 4, 2023.
•The PWB may award funds to projects passing threshold ratings based on a competitive ranking process. The Board anticipates awarding funds at its December 2023 meeting.
Visit the Public Works Board broadband financing webpage for more information.
Go to ZoomGrants online application.
________________________________________
Virtual application workshops
The PWB encourages participation in an optional application workshop. No registration is required and attendance is NOT required to submit an application for funding,
•Wednesday, June 7, 1-2 p.m.
Zoom link for June 7 workshop
•Wednesday, August 23, 10:30 – 11:30 a.m.
Zoom link for August 23 workshop
Workshops will be recorded and posted later on pwb.wa.gov.
________________________________________
Contacts
Sheila.Richardson@commerce.wa.gov, Broadband Programs Director, 564-999-1927
Karin.Berkholtz@commerce.wa.gov, Public Works Board Executive Director, 360-688-0313

Child Nutrition Program Operations During the COVID-19 Pandemic, March Through September 2020

The Families First Coronavirus Response Act gave FNS authority to issue nationwide waivers of CN program requirements. This data collection fulfills states’ reporting requirements and describes trends in program participation during the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic, March through September 2020. It is part of an ongoing study series examining CN program operations, repurposed to collect waiver reports from all states. Full Report

Job Opportunities

Recruitment Announcement:

We are recruiting for an Administrative Assistant position that will support the SNAP-Ed Evaluation team, SNAP-Ed IA team, and WIC Data and Epi Team in the Office of Nutrition Services. Please see the following posting for details and share with those who you think might be interested in this opportunity.

Administrative Assistant 2 (AA2) – DOH7360

Office of Nutrition Services

Tumwater, WA (Flexible/Hybrid)

Closing: June 12, 2023
Recruitment Announcement:

CTW is hiring! The Extension Coordinator Specialist is responsible for developing and conducting statewide training in direct education, Policy Systems and Environment and other topics pertaining to the Washington State SNAP-Ed (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) Curriculum, Training, and Website project. This position is responsible for performing program related duties including providing assistance with the leadership,, management, and coordination of the SNAP-Ed Program. In conjunction with the SNAP-Ed CTW Assistant Director, the position develops training materials for statewide SNAP-Ed program implementation as well as content for two statewide websites. Please see the posting below for more information.

SNAP-Ed CTW Specialist

Puyallup, WA (Flexible/Hybrid)

Closing: June 16, 2023