EFAP Section 3

All WSDA FA EFAP forms and publications listed in this section are found here.

The current Lead Agency for each county is required to hold a meeting (or multiple meetings) before the start of the new biennium to determine how EFAP will be implemented at the local level.

1. The key purposes of the meeting are to:
   1. Give participating Food Pantries an opportunity to vote and voice their opinion on how the funds would best serve their county, or multi-county region.
   2. Select the Lead Agency, Food Bank (if applicable), and any new Food Pantries – by vote.
      1. This includes presentations by eligible organizations that do not currently participate in EFAP.
2. The current Lead Agency’s primary responsibilities for the pre-planning of the Biennial Meeting includes:
   1. Setting the date of the Biennial Meeting.
      1. More than one meeting may be needed.
      2. Please notify Food Assistance (FA) of the meeting date(s) and time(s) once they are set and let us know if you need a FA team member to attend.
   2. Sending Biennial Meeting invitations and other applicable forms out to current EFAP providers and Interested Parties.
      1. Provide the EFAP Biennial Meeting Handout (AGR6-2503-011). Note: All organizations participating in the Biennial Meeting must receive this handout in advance of the scheduled meeting. This ensures a like-level of understanding for all participating organizations. 
      2. Provide interested parties with the EFAP Biennial Meeting Presentation Guidelines for Interested Parties (AGR6-2503-010).
      3. Provide any other information that is relevant for organizations to know prior to the Biennial Meeting.
      4. Maintain an RSVP list.
   3. Determining eligibility of new Food Banks and Food Pantries that are interested in being considered for participation in EFAP prior to the Biennial Meeting. See Section 2.4, Interested Parties and Section 5, Eligibility Criteria.
      1. FA determines the eligibility of new Lead Agencies that are interested in being considered for participation in EFAP.
      2. FA will provide the current Lead Agency with contact information for any eligible organizations that have notified FA of their interest to be considered for a Lead Agency role.
   4. Review the Application Instructions prior to the Biennial Meeting. See Section 4, Applications and Agreements.
   5. Review the EFAP Biennial Meeting Minutes Tool (AGR-2396).
   6. Have an internal pre-planning meeting to determine the EFAP Biennial Meeting agenda and assign roles to your team members so the meeting runs as smoothly as possible.
3. Action Steps:

If any of these steps are determined to have been skipped, any party, including FA, the current Lead Agency or Food Bank, Interested Parties, or participating Food Pantries, may request of FA that another meeting be held to reconsider any of the votes.

Action By:	Action Steps:
Food Assistance	FA will notify current Lead Agencies by email of upcoming EFAP Biennial Application's dates to remember, including submission deadline. Forms will be posted on the FA Forms and Publications webpage. FA must maintain a list of Interested Parties. FA will send all parties interested in being the Lead Agency information on the EFAP Biennial Application process.
Current Lead Agency	The Lead Agency must maintain a list of participating Food Pantries, past and present Interested Parties, including agencies that have directly contacted the Lead Agency, and send all parties interested in being a Sub Agency information on the EFAP Biennial Application process. The current Lead Agency will schedule and host an EFAP Biennial Meeting for their service area. The Lead Agency must notify Interested Parties and current participating providers by email of the scheduled EFAP Biennial Meeting 30 days prior to the scheduled meeting date (exceptions may apply). Lead Agency will provide at a minimum EFAP Biennial Meeting Handout (AGR6-2503-011) to all current and prospective participants. Lead Agencies who serve multiple counties may host separate Biennial Meetings for each county if two-thirds of voting agencies (Lead and Sub Agencies) from a county would prefer to do so. Counties who wish to clarify and/or change their voting structure should attempt to do so by vote in advance of the scheduled Biennial Meeting. These should be discussed and voted upon in advance of the Biennial Meeting.
Current Lead Agency and Participating Food Pantries	If a current Lead Agency or participating Sub Agency is contacted by an agency wishing to be considered for Lead Agency, the former must tell that prospective Lead Agency to notify FA immediately of its interest by emailing foodassistance@agr.wa.gov.
Interested Party	If interested in becoming the Lead Agency, an Interested Party must notify FA immediately by sending an email to foodassistance@agr.wa.gov a minimum of 2 weeks, preferably 30 days, prior to the Biennial Meeting being held in its desired county or multi-county service area. If interested in becoming a Sub Agency, the interested party must notify the current Lead Agency prior to the Biennial Meeting to determine eligibility. Typically, current Lead Agencies prefer a minimum of 30 days advance notice (exceptions apply due to the Biennial Meeting date). Note: Biennial meetings are typically held April – June in odd years. If an agency is interested in any of the aforementioned positions, it is advised that they notify WSDA FA or the Lead Agency as soon as possible.
Food Assistance	FA will determine eligibility as a potential Lead Agency. FA will notify the Interested Party and current Lead Agency of its eligibility status in writing prior to the scheduled Biennial Meeting.
Interested Parties and Participating Sub Agencies	All biennial meeting attendees must email or call to RSVP to their Lead Agency if planning on attending the meeting. Attendance at the Biennial Meeting is mandatory.
Current Lead Agency	Lead Agency must follow up with participating Sub Agencies and Interested Parties prior to the meeting to confirm their planned attendance if it has not received RSVPs from them.

 

4. Biennial meeting presentation preparation for Interested Parties.

To ensure consistency and transparency in the application process statewide, FA requires all Lead Agencies to provide all Interested Parties with the minimum required information to present at the EFAP Biennial Meeting for consideration prior to voting. Please see the EFAP Biennial Meeting Presentation Guidelines for Interested Parties (AGR6-2503-010) for more detail.
 

1. Each county or multi-county region must have an EFAP Biennial Meeting.
   1. The current Lead Agency is responsible for conducting the EFAP Biennial Meeting prior to the due date for the EFAP Application. See Section 3.1, Preparing for EFAP Biennial Meetings.
      1. The current Lead Agency must organize and conduct the meeting for its current service area and notify Food Assistance (FA) of the date, time, and place.
      2. Every attempt must be made to schedule this meeting when all Food Pantries can attend.
      3. Attendance is mandatory for all Food Pantries and Food Banks that receive, or wish to receive, funding and/or services supported with EFAP funding. If the director cannot be present, they should appoint another person such as a board member or the next highest-ranking staff or volunteer to attend.
         1. Absentee ballot voting allowed (conditions apply).
            1. Participating Food Pantries may be excused from having a representative present at the meeting only in extreme cases. The Lead Agency has the authority to make this determination.
            2. An absentee ballot must be returned to the Lead Agency calling the meeting.
            3. The ballot, at a minimum, must specifically state how the Food Pantry votes on the issues of Lead Agency, Food Bank, Food Pantry, and allocation of funds.
   2. The current Lead Agency schedules and starts the EFAP Biennial Meeting. If a new Lead Agency is selected, the new Lead Agency may conduct the remainder of the meeting.
   3. The agenda for the EFAP Biennial Meeting may vary but at a minimum it needs to include the requirements set forth in the EFAP Biennial Meeting Handout (AGR6-2503-010).
   4. Here is a sample agenda:
      1. Welcome and Introductions.
         1. Good meeting etiquette is an expectation of all those in attendance.
      2. Review of voting structure and procedures.
      3. Presentations by eligible Food Pantries wishing to participate in EFAP for the first time.
         1. See the EFAP Biennial Meeting Presentation Guidelines for Interested Parties (AGR6-2503-010).
         2. Interested, eligible food pantries must be given the option to present in advance of the duplication of service vote.
         3. Allow time for questions and discussion.
      4. Vote to select new Food Pantries.
         1. Written justification is required for each vote of duplicative services by the individual voting organization.
         2. FA provides an EFAP Biennial Meeting Ballot Tool (AGR-2397) that Lead Agencies may provide to their voting Sub Agency Food Pantries in order to assist with the collection of written justification should duplication of service be determined.
         3. The Lead Agency must include vote counts, and all provided justifications for duplicative services in their Biennial Meeting minutes.
      5. Presentations by eligible agencies wishing to be the Lead Agency and/or the current Lead Agency.
         1.  See the EFAP Biennial Meeting Presentation Guidelines for Interested Parties (AGR6-2503-010).
         2. Allow time for questions and discussion.
      6. Vote to select the Lead Agency.
      7. Presentations by eligible agencies wishing to be an EFAP Food Bank.
         1. More than one agency may be selected to be a Food Bank.
         2. Interested, eligible food banks must be given the option to present in advance of the vote for food bank.
         3. Allow time for questions and discussion.
      8. Vote to select the Food Bank(s).
      9. Funding allocations are discussed and voted on.
      10. Optional decisions and voting.
      11. Final wrap-up.
          1. Make sure you have all the information needed from the Sub Agencies for the Application.
   5. The Lead Agency selected at the meeting must submit detailed meeting minutes with the Application, using the EFAP Biennial Meeting Minutes Tool (AGR-2396) or an alternate format that contains all of the information that is required in the Biennial Meeting Minutes Tool. This includes a listing of attendees, details of the discussions, the vote count for each decision, and the justification for any votes where duplication of service was determined.
   6. EFAP Application: After the Biennial Meeting is complete, the Lead Agency must complete the EFAP Application for the county(ies) they will be serving, incorporating decisions made at the Biennial Meeting. See Section 4, Applications and Agreements.
2. Process when a group cannot arrive at a decision on one or more issues.
   1. Groups that cannot arrive at a two-thirds vote for the selection of Lead Agency, Food Bank and/or allocation of funds must select a local, objective mediator to assist the group at another meeting in reaching a decision(s).
   2. The current Lead Agency must notify FA by email that the mediation option is being exercised.
      1. The notice must include when and where the meeting is scheduled, who the mediator is, and what issues are in question.
   3. When the meeting is completed, the Lead Agency has the responsibility to inform FA of the outcome. The group will have 30 days from the date of the original meeting to arrive at its decision(s). Exceptions may apply.
   4. The Lead Agency may request that a FA representative be present at the meeting.
3. FA vote when insufficient number of agencies prevents a two-thirds Lead Agency vote.
   1. If there are not enough eligible voters for determining a two-thirds majority for Lead Agency, then FA may cast deciding vote (i.e., there are less than three votes in the county).
4. Voting by Lead Agency and Sub Agency Food Pantries.
   1. The selection process is conducted at the EFAP Biennial Meeting. Only Food Pantries who will be entering into an Agreement with the Lead Agency are allowed to vote. Food Bank(s) are not allowed to vote.
   2. The Lead Agency (which might also serve as a Food Bank) may vote on everything other than who should be the Lead Agency. If the Lead Agency is also a voting Food Pantry, then they are permitted one vote to determine Lead Agency.
   3. For all other votes, if the Lead Agency is also a Food Pantry with a single vote, then they may only get one vote.
5. Food Pantry Selection.
   1. Any agency that meets the Food Pantry eligibility criteria should contact the Lead Agency to verify eligibility and request to present at the Biennial Meeting.
      1. Prospective agencies must contact the Lead Agency prior to the scheduled Biennial Meeting (preferably 30 days) to determine eligibility requirements.
   2. Prospective Food Pantries will have the opportunity to make presentations prior to the vote.
   3. The participating Food Pantries and Lead Agency vote to determine if there is a duplication of service with the requesting Food Pantry. The requesting Food Pantry may be denied only if at least two-thirds of the existing group of EFAP Food Pantries and Lead Agency can substantiate and provide justificiation that the new Food Pantry provides services that are duplicative to that of current EFAP supported pantries. 
   4. The only reason for denying an eligible Food Pantry at the Biennial Meeting is because of duplication of service (written justification required).
6. Lead Agency selection.
   1. Any agency that meets the eligibility criteria may vie to be the Lead Agency.
      1. Prospective agencies must contact FA a minimum of two weeks (preferably 30 days) in advance of the scheduled Biennial Meeting. Agencies should email a letter of interest and interested parties checklist to foodassistance@agr.wa.gov. And anticipate a minimum capacity/requirements analysis, which typically includes an onsite visit. See Section 2.4, Interested Parties for more details. 
   2. Prospective Lead Agencies will have the opportunity to present their proposals for providing services to the group prior to the voting.
   3. Each county can only have one Lead Agency, except for King County, which can have up to three.
   4. An agency may be the Lead Agency for more than one county, but each county must vote separately for their Lead Agency.
   5. The eligible participating voting Food Pantries must elect a Lead Agency with at least a two-thirds vote. Lead Agencies who are also participating Food Pantries may vote.
   6. If multiple counties have selected the same Lead Agency in the past, that does not preclude any of the counties from selecting a different Lead Agency than the other counties for future Agreements.
7. Food Bank selection.
   1. Any agency that meets the criteria may vie for Food Bank.
      1. Prospective agencies must contact the Lead Agency prior to the scheduled Biennial Meeting (preferably 30 days) to determine eligibility requirements.
   2. Prospective Food Banks will have the opportunity to present their proposals for providing services to the group prior to the voting.
   3. A county may select more than one Food Bank to fund.
   4. The eligible participating voting Food Pantries and new Lead Agency elect a Food Bank(s) with at least a two-thirds vote.
   5. If a Lead Agency is also a participating Food Pantry with a single vote, they only have one vote.
   6. The Lead Agency may also serve as the Food Bank if it has that capacity.
8. Lead Agency and Food Pantries allocation of EFAP funds.
   1. All eligible participating Food Pantries and the Lead Agency have the responsibility of deciding how to allocate the EFAP funds among the Food Pantries, Food Bank, equipment, food purchases, essential non-food items, and membership dues to the WA Food Coalition or other anti-hunger groups.
      1. At least two-thirds of the voting eligible participating Food Pantries and Lead Agency must agree on the allocation of funds.
      2. If a Lead Agency is also a participating Food Pantry with a single vote, they only have one vote.
      3. Funds may be allocated to any category the Food Pantries consider the most beneficial for their area, from one of the categories to all of them.
   2. The Lead Agency alone decides if it will take 20 percent of the county award total for administrative costs before the remaining funds are allocated.
   3. See additional details in Section 7, Fiscal Management and Reporting.
      • Examples of a few possible funding decisions:

        Example #1	Example #2
        20% Lead Agency admin	20% Lead Agency admin
        1% for WA Food Coalition dues	65% Food Bank #1
        35% Food Bank	10% Food Bank #2
        44% Food Pantries	5% Equipment
        Example #3	Example #4
        15% Lead Agency admin	20% Lead Agency admin
        74% Food Pantries	41.4% Food Pantries
        10% Shared equipment/funding reserve	32.9% Food Bank
        1% for WA Food Coalition dues	0.7% WA Food Coalition dues
        	5% Equipment
        Example #5	Example #6
        20% Lead Agency admin	20% Lead Agency admin
        80% Food Pantries	75% Food Bank
        30% Sub Agency A	35% Bulk Buy Program
        32% Sub Agency B	40% Food Bank Operations
        18% Sub Agency C	5% Equipment

   4. A multi-county area with the same Lead Agency may make decisions on how the funding is allocated as individual counties or as a combined multi-county vote. In the latter case, at least two-thirds of all the Food Pantries involved must vote to do so. This would involve pooling all of the counties’ funding into one single allocation for the combined counties and would be considered as a single allocation in computing the combined area’s percentages to the various budget categories.
      1. If any county’s Food Pantries would receive less money with this method, they have the option of not being included in the multi-county vote. The other counties may continue to vote as a multi-county group.
1. Funding allocation options. EFAP funding is flexible in how it can be used in each county. EFAP is a locally driven program. The Lead Agency and Food Pantries within a county or multi-county service area, shall determine how to spend their EFAP funds at the Biennial Meeting. See the EFAP Biennial Meeting Handout (AGR6-2503-011) for additional information.
   1. The county Food Pantries and the Lead Agency may choose to fund any one or combination of the following:
      1. Allocate funds for each Food Pantry to use as they wish on allowable expenditures.
      2. Allocate funds for a Food Bank to provide food to Food Pantries.
      3. Allocate funds to pay for equipment to benefit all of the participants such as a walk-in freezer where all can store food or a truck that all can use to transport food.
      4. Allocate funds to pay for capital improvement projects needed for EFAP organizations.
      5. Allocate funds for dues to an organization, up to 1 percent of the allocation, that focuses on anti-hunger or nutrition issues.
10. Allocating funds for equipment and capital improvements. As a county or region, the group must discuss any equipment purchases or capital improvement projects that benefit the entire service area.
    1. The shared equipment allocation must be decided by a two-thirds vote of the eligible participating Food Pantries and Lead Agency.
    2. An individual Food Pantry, Food Bank, or Lead Agency has the authority to decide on its own if it wishes to purchase equipment or undertake a capital improvement out of its own allocation. The FA purchase or project approval processes must still be followed.
11. Allocating funds in the Food Pantry category.
    1. If funds are allocated to the Food Pantry category, the Lead Agency and participating Food Pantries must collaborate and try to reach a consensus in determining how to allocate those funds, including the data used to set the formula. This may be done by each county or as a multi-county vote.
    2. The formula for allocation must be based on the substantiated need documented by the participating Food Pantries. Considerations could include:
       1. Service counts figures – new and/or returning clients, total visits, or a combination.
       2. Census tract poverty data.
       3. Pounds of food distributed.
       4. Adjusted backpack figures.
       5. Sub Agency funding base.
       6. Geographical distribution area as determined by Lead Agency.
       7. Distance between distribution sites, geographical isolation (water, mountains), tribal lands.
       8. A combination of measurements and factors is recommended.
    3. The group must try to reach consensus. If this is not possible, at least two-thirds must agree on the allocation formula.
12. Allocating funds in the Food Bank category.
    1. If the group elects to allocate funds to a Food Bank(s), the Lead Agency and eligible participating Food Pantries must select their Food Bank(s) with a two-thirds vote either by county or as a multi-county vote.
    2. The group will also work cooperatively in determining the conditions of the Food Bank Agreement. These may include details such as delivery schedules, approximate percentages of food each Food Pantry will receive, and the kinds of food and essential non-food items will be procured on behalf of the Food Pantries.
       1. Food Banks may use their funds for Food Banking costs and expenses related to soliciting, purchasing, storing, and transporting food and other essential non-food products that they will make available to Food Pantries.
    3. The group may elect to allocate funds to more than one Food Bank.
    4. The Lead Agency may serve as the Food Bank if elected to do so.
13. Using funds for targeted purchases.
    1. The Lead Agency and participating Food Pantries may allocate funds for the purchase of specific foods to benefit clients with special needs such as:
       1. Baby foods and formula.
       2. Nutritional supplements (Boost, Glucerna, Ensure).
       3. Gluten-free products.
       4. Diabetic specific items.
       5. Dairy-free foods.
       6. Low salt/low-fat foods.
       7. Fresh produce and dairy.
       8. Culturally familiar.
14. Optional Decisions and Voting.
    1. This is an opportunity to discuss any other decisions that need to be made for your county. Addressing any concerns at the meeting can eliminate the need to vote throughout the year and allow for easier management of the EFAP Agreement for both the Lead Agency and Sub Agencies. Some examples include:
       1. How funds will be redistributed during or at the end of the state fiscal year if funds are taken away, a pantry closes, funds are returned, or an allocation is not completely spent out. Possible votes could include:
          1. Redistribution of funds to closest Food Pantry.
          2. Redistribution of funds to Food Pantries that show largest increase in clients in the following month.
          3. Redistribution of funds to a Food Bank level bulk buy program.
          4. Redistribution of funds equally to all participating Food Pantries.
          5. Redistribution of funds equitably to all participating Food Pantries and Food Bank, based on the funding formula used to originally allocate funds. 
          6. Redistribution to the Lead Agency to determine where funds can best utilized and ensure spenddown (most common when reallocation occurs at the end of the fiscal year).
    2. Other votes could include:
       1. Alternatives to in-person meetings that require a vote during the course of the biennium (electronic voting, conference call, web meetings, etc.).
       2. An agreed upon spend out procedure. Example: 90 percent of funds must be spent by May billing.
       3. An additional vote to confirm final allocation levels if EFAP actual funding varies considerably from estimated figures. Initial allocation estimates are provided to each EFAP Lead Agency prior to Biennial Meetings. Once the budget is final then an EFAP allocation fund table will be provided to each EFAP Lead Agency. Keep in mind that EFAP may be funded through state and federal sources.
       4. Approval of a process for determining the use of future funding increases mid-biennium should funds be made available.
       5. The Lead Agency may hold a vote at the Biennial Meeting to decide voting methods for other procedural items relevant to their county that may come up throughout the year such as electronic voting, conference call or web-based meetings, etc. However, all voting methods must include the two-thirds vote requirement of the eligible Food Pantries and Lead Agency, as applicable.

1. After the Biennial Meeting is complete, the selected Lead Agency must:
   1. Send a copy of the meeting minutes to all participating EFAP food pantries.
   2. Complete the EFAP Application for the county(ies) they will be serving, incorporating decisions made at the EFAP Biennial Meeting. See Section 4, Applications and Agreements.

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EFAP Procedures Manual Table of Contents
Section 2	Section 4
Revision History
Section 3 Revision 2025-09-30