GRANTS FOR SIMPLE APPLICATION AND ELIGIBILITY DETERMINATION SYSTEMS AND IMPROVED ACCESS TO BENEFITS.

SEC. 4116. GRANTS FOR SIMPLE APPLICATION AND ELIGIBILITY DETERMINATION SYSTEMS AND IMPROVED ACCESS TO BENEFITS. (a) In General.—Section 11 of the Food Stamp Act of 1977 (7 U.S.C. 2020) (as amended by section 4115(a)) is amended by adding at the end the following: “(t) In General.—Grants for Simple Application and Eligibility Determination Systems and Improved Access to Benefits.— “(1) For each of fiscal years 2003 through 2007, the Secretary shall use not more than $5,000,000 of funds made available under section 18(a)(1) to make grants to pay 100 percent of the costs of eligible entities approved by the Secretary to carry out projects to develop and implement— “(A) simple food stamp application and eligibility determination systems; or “(B) measures to improve access to food stamp benefits by eligible households. “(2) Types of projects.—A project under paragraph (1) may consist of— “(A) coordinating application and eligibility determination processes, including verification practices, under the food stamp program and other Federal, State, and local assistance programs; “(B) establishing methods for applying for benefits and determining eligibility that— “(i) more extensively use— “(I) communications by telephone; and “(II) electronic alternatives such as the Internet; or “(ii) otherwise improve the administrative infrastructure used in processing applications and determining eligibility; “(C) developing procedures, training materials, and other resources aimed at reducing barriers to participation and reaching eligible households;116 STAT. 316 “(D) improving methods for informing and enrolling eligible households; or “(E) carrying out such other activities as the Secretary determines to be appropriate. “(3) Limitation.—A grant under this subsection shall not be made for the ongoing cost of carrying out any project. “(4) Eligible entities.—To be eligible to receive a grant under this subsection, an entity shall be— “(A) a State agency administering the food stamp program; “(B) a State or local government; “(C) an agency providing health or welfare services; “(D) a public health or educational entity; or “(E) a private nonprofit entity such as a communitybased organization, food bank, or other emergency feeding organization. “(5) Selection of eligible entities.—The Secretary— “(A) shall develop criteria for the selection of eligible entities to receive grants under this subsection; and “(B) may give preference to any eligible entity that consists of a partnership between a governmental entity and a nongovernmental entity.”. (b) Conforming Amendments.—Section 17 of the Food Stamp Act of 1977 (7 U.S.C. 2026) is amended— (1) by striking subsection (i); and (2) by redesignating subsections (j) and (k) as subsections (i) and (j), respectively.