---
kind: "section"
citation: "42 U.S.C. § 9922"
title: "42"
title_heading: "The Public Health and Welfare"
number: "9922"
heading: "Community food and nutrition programs"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/42/9922"
units:
  - "Chapter 106 — Community Services Block Grant Program"
---

# §9922. Community food and nutrition programs

- (a) **Grants—** The [Secretary](/usc/42/9902.md?p=4) may, through grants to public and private, [nonprofit](/usc/42/300s–3.md?p=3) [agencies](/usc/42/8262.md?p=1), provide for community-based, local, statewide, and national programs—
  - (1) to coordinate private and public food assistance resources, wherever the grant recipient involved determines such coordination to be inadequate, to better serve low-income populations;
  - (2) to assist low-income communities to identify potential sponsors of child nutrition programs and to initiate such programs in underserved or unserved areas; and
  - (3) to develop innovative approaches at the [State](/usc/42/9902.md?p=5) and local level to meet the nutrition needs of low-income individuals.
- (b) **Allotments and distribution of funds—**
  - (1) **Not to exceed $6,000,000 in appropriations—** Of the amount appropriated for a fiscal year to carry out this section (but not to exceed $6,000,000), the [Secretary](/usc/42/9902.md?p=4) shall distribute funds for grants under [subsection (a)](#a) as follows:
    - (A) **Allotments—** From a portion equal to 60 percent of such amount (but not to exceed $3,600,000), the [Secretary](/usc/42/9902.md?p=4) shall allot for grants to eligible [agencies](/usc/42/8262.md?p=1) for statewide programs in each [State](/usc/42/9902.md?p=5) the amount that bears the same ratio to such portion as the low-income and unemployed population of such [State](/usc/42/9902.md?p=5) bears to the low-income and unemployed population of all the [States](/usc/42/9902.md?p=5).
    - (B) **Competitive grants—** From a portion equal to 40 percent of such amount (but not to exceed $2,400,000), the [Secretary](/usc/42/9902.md?p=4) shall make grants on a competitive basis to eligible [agencies](/usc/42/8262.md?p=1) for local and statewide programs.
  - (2) **Greater available appropriations—** Any amounts appropriated for a fiscal year to carry out this section in excess of $6,000,000 shall be allotted as follows:
    - (A) **Allotments—** The [Secretary](/usc/42/9902.md?p=4) shall use 40 percent of such excess to allot for grants under [subsection (a)](#a) to eligible [agencies](/usc/42/8262.md?p=1) for statewide programs in each [State](/usc/42/9902.md?p=5) an amount that bears the same ratio to 40 percent of such excess as the low-income and unemployed population of such [State](/usc/42/9902.md?p=5) bears to the low-income and unemployed population of all the [States](/usc/42/9902.md?p=5).
    - (B) **Competitive grants for local and statewide programs—** The [Secretary](/usc/42/9902.md?p=4) shall use 40 percent of such excess to make grants under [subsection (a)](#a) on a competitive basis to eligible [agencies](/usc/42/8262.md?p=1) for local and statewide programs.
    - (C) **Competitive grants for nationwide programs—** The [Secretary](/usc/42/9902.md?p=4) shall use the remaining 20 percent of such excess to make grants under [subsection (a)](#a) on a competitive basis to eligible [agencies](/usc/42/8262.md?p=1) for nationwide programs, including programs benefiting Indians, as defined in [section 9911 of this title](/usc/42/9911.md), and migrant or seasonal farmworkers.
  - (3) **Eligibility for allotments for statewide programs—** To be eligible to receive an allotment under paragraph [(1)(A)](#b-1-A) or [(2)(A)](#b-2-A), an eligible [agency](/usc/42/8262.md?p=1) shall demonstrate that the proposed program is statewide in scope and represents a comprehensive and coordinated effort to alleviate hunger within the [State](/usc/42/9902.md?p=5).
  - (4) **Minimum allotments for statewide programs—**
    - (A) **In general—** From the amounts allotted under paragraphs [(1)(A)](#b-1-A) and [(2)(A)](#b-2-A), the minimum total allotment for each [State](/usc/42/9902.md?p=5) for each fiscal year shall be—
      - (i) $15,000 if the total amount appropriated to carry out this section is not less than $7,000,000 but less than $10,000,000;
      - (ii) $20,000 if the total amount appropriated to carry out this section is not less than $10,000,000 but less than $15,000,000; or
      - (iii) $30,000 if the total amount appropriated to carry out this section is not less than $15,000,000.
    - (B) **Definition—** In this paragraph, the term “[State](/usc/42/9902.md?p=5)” does not include Guam, American Samoa, the United States Virgin Islands, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands.
  - (5) **Maximum grants—** From funds made available under paragraphs [(1)(B)](#b-1-B) and [(2)(B)](#b-2-B) for any fiscal year, the [Secretary](/usc/42/9902.md?p=4) may not make grants under [subsection (a)](#a) to an eligible [agency](/usc/42/8262.md?p=1) in an aggregate amount exceeding $50,000. From funds made available under [paragraph (2)(C)](#b-2-C) for any fiscal year, the [Secretary](/usc/42/9902.md?p=4) may not make grants under [subsection (a)](#a) to an eligible [agency](/usc/42/8262.md?p=1) in an aggregate amount exceeding $300,000.
- (c) **Report—** For each fiscal year, the [Secretary](/usc/42/9902.md?p=4) shall prepare and submit, to the Committee on Education and the Workforce of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Labor and Human Resources of the Senate, a report concerning the grants made under this section. Such report shall include—
  - (1) a list of grant recipients;
  - (2) information on the amount of funding awarded to each grant recipient; and
  - (3) a summary of the activities performed by the grant recipients with funding awarded under this section and a description of the manner in which such activities meet the objectives described in [subsection (a)](#a).
- (d) **Authorization of appropriations—** There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section such sums as may be necessary for each of fiscal years 1999 through 2003.

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 97–35, title VI, § 681, as added Pub. L. 105–285, title II, § 201, Oct. 27, 1998, 112 Stat. 2752.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### Prior Provisions

A prior section 681 of Pub. L. 97–35 was classified to section 9910 of this title, prior to the general amendment of this chapter by Pub. L. 105–285.

### Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### Change of Name

Committee on Labor and Human Resources of Senate changed to Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions of Senate by Senate Resolution No. 20, One Hundred Sixth Congress, Jan. 19, 1999.