SNAP Online Grant

Before you gather any information, please complete our Eligiblity Assessment to determine if you are eligible for the grant. Here are some general information needed for the assessment: 

• A working email address and phone number – this is how the MarketLink team will contact you 
• Basic information about you farm or farmers market, including: name, location of farm/market, mailing address, website and/or social media handles 
• If your farm or market is already authorized to accept SNAP with the USDA, it’s a good idea to locate your SNAP Retailer Permit and FNS number (if you need help locating this, contact us and we can help you out). 
• If your business is not yet authorized to accept SNAP with the USDA, see the section below for general requirements. 

Estimated time to complete the Elibility Assessment: 10 minutes

The requirements for the USDA SNAP Retailer Application can depend on how your business is structured. However, in general, these are the most common requirements:  

1. Information about your farm or market:

a. Date the business opened under the current ownership or intended opening date if it is a new farm or market. 

b. Your business’ official name (the name you use on legal documents, such as leases, contracts, incorporation documents, etc.), mailing address, and address where the market is conducted (if different from the mailing address). 

c. Actual sales data from your business’ most recent IRS business tax return, if it has been open under current ownership longer than one year. If not, an estimate of the market’s annual sales. 

d. Your business’ operating schedule (i.e., months of the year it is open, days of the week it is open, and hours of day it is open). 

2. Identify a Responsible Official(s) and have their name, home address, social security number, and date of birth handy.

This person/people will need to provide their social security number and identification cards. Responsible officials may be an owner, corporate officer, board member, market manager, or person operating in a position of authority that can sign legal documents on behalf of the farm or market. You may have more than one Responsible Official; if there is more than one listed these documents are required for every person listed. 

Note: Farmers’ Markets applying as a government agency, 501c3 nonprofit organization, or a publicly owned corporation are exempt from providing their social security number. 

3. Collect all the following documents for each responsible officer(s) and scan them or take a photo of them so that you have electronic versions: 

• Color copy of Valid Photo ID (such as a License or Passport) for all person(s) listed on the application (front and back if license is used) 
• Copy of Social Security Number Card for all person(s) listed on the application. (see exemptions above). 
• If you are applying as a nonprofit, a copy of the 501c3 determination letter from the IRS. 
• IF your city or state requires you to operate with a  Business License, then you MUST also submit a copy(ies) – if not, then you can skip this documentation. 

Note: our Regional Representatives can complete the FNS application on your behalf and securely transmit your documents. If you’re interested in this option, fill out the Eligibility Assessment and you will get an automated email with instructions on how to set up an appointment. If you’ve already filled out the MarketLink Eligibility Assessment, email info@marketlink.org to set up an appointment. 

To complete the Novo Dia Group application to receive your grant funded one year subscription to Totilpay Go and free bluetooth card reader equipment you will need: 

• Your MarketLink approval number – the number you should receive when you apply for the MarketLink grant, sent in an automated email 
• Your FNS number and a copy your SNAP Retailer Permit 
• If you need help locating this, contact us at info@marketlink.org 
• Basic information about your farm or market: name, address, mailing address, business structure, and contact information 
• Banking information from the account you would like the SNAP transactions to be deposited into: Bank name, routing number, account number, and a voided check . 

If you’re determined eligible for the grant, your next step is to apply to become a “SNAP Authorized Retailer” with the USDA. Once approved, your business will receive a “SNAP Permit”, and an active “FNS number”, which is required to accept SNAP in-person and online.  

The MarketLink team provides free technical assistance with the SNAP Retailer Application. Here’s how we can help:  

Option A: Submit the application on your own using our Direct Marketing Farmer SNAP Retailer Application Guide.  

1. Download our SNAP Retailer Application Guide (see below). The guide includes a direct link to the application website and walks you through the entire process step by step. If you get stuck at any point, reach out to us at our contact information below for assistance. 
2. If you complete the application without any questions, then let us know when your application gets approved. We will send you further instructions for both the “SNAP Equipment” and “SNAP Online” grants.  

Option B: One of our Regional Representatives can fill out the application on your behalf over the phone, and guide you through the whole process.  You can prepare for your technical consultation with us by:

1. Reviewing the SNAP Retailer Application Guide to understand what you will need to prepare for the meeting. Use the buttons below to download the appropriate guide for your business type.
2. Booking an appointment with one of our Regional Representatives to get started.  

Once you receive your FNS number from step 2, you’ll need to create an account with GrownBy, which is developed by the Farm Generations Cooperative.

When you set up your farm store’s online inventory, make sure to create your products with zero inventory so that it cannot be mistakenly purchased. We highly recommend you schedule a marketplace demo with GrownBy or join their weekly meeting to familiarize yourself with the platform. There are no startup costs to establish your online site.

Once you complete step 1-3, notify us of your completion so we can add your farm to the queu for the Internet Retailer Authorization Process. We are currently submitting SNAP Online Authorizations applications in batches based on when they applied for MarketLink and if they have a GrownBy account already. There is currently a waitlist, but we are working through them as quickly as possible.

​​​When we are ready to work with you on the application, you’ll be asked to complete several forms that comprise your farm’s SNAP Online application and registration with Worldpay, a third-party EBT payment processor.

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