TEFAP Rules for Food Pantries in North Dakota
In North Dakota, TEFAP (The Emergency Food Assistance Program) is run by ND Dept of Public Instruction, Child Nutrition & Food Distribution. This page sets out what a food pantry or other distribution site has to do: who qualifies, what each household declares, what you record at each visit, how long you keep it, how complaints are handled and what you report. Where North Dakota's own documents disagree, that is said plainly rather than smoothed over.
North Dakota's TEFAP agency and official documents
- ND Dept of Public Instruction, Child Nutrition & Food Distribution — the State agency's own TEFAP page (checked 2026-10-10).
Who qualifies: the income limit
Household income at or below 200% of the federal poverty guidelines (official table: Great Plains Food Bank table effective 2/10/2026). Households in these programs qualify without an income test:
- Fuel Assistance
- SSI
- SNAP
- TANF
| Household size | Per year | Per month |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $31,920 | $2,660 |
| 2 | $43,280 | $3,607 |
| 3 | $54,640 | $4,553 |
| 4 | $66,000 | $5,500 |
| 5 | $77,360 | $6,447 |
| 6 | $88,720 | $7,393 |
| 7 | $100,080 | $8,340 |
| 8 | $111,440 | $9,287 |
| Each additional person | +$11,360 |
The eligibility declaration
Form: TEFAP Application or equivalent (signed or initialed). How often: not set by state. Clients self-declare; proof of income is not required.
What to record at each visit
- name
- household_size
- date
- basis
Client signature at every pickup: Not published by the State (or not found in its public documents). Electronic signatures: Yes. Required system: Great Plains Food Bank: Service Insights by end of FY2027.
Proxies
Not published by the State (or not found in its public documents).
What you must not collect
- ID cannot be required to receive TEFAP food.
How long to keep records
3 years — 3 years from close of FFY (SOP); state plan says 3 + current FY; GPFB says 4.
Civil rights
Complaints: no local forwarding deadline is published — forward promptly to USDA-FNS Mountain Plains Regional Office. Anyone may complain, in writing or verbally, without giving a name. Training: annual, client-facing staff (completion forms to the state).
Posted or handed out:
- AD-475-A
- Written Notice of Beneficiary Rights
Reporting
monthly to Great Plains Food Bank on PWW / Service Insights.
- households
- children <18
- adults 18-59
- seniors 60+
- pounds
Age bands: 0–17 / 18–59 / 60+.
Storage temperatures
Refrigerated 36–40°F, frozen at or below 0°F, dry 50–70°F. Temperature log: daily when on site (GPFB).
Also
- How often households must be able to come: monthly (recommended)
Where the sources disagree
- Retention: SOP 3 years vs plan 3+current FY vs GPFB 4 years.
Ask your food bank which one they monitor against.
Sources
- www.nd.gov/dpi/sites/www/files/documents/ChildNutrition/CSFP/TEFAPStandardOperationalManualFebruary2025.pdf
- greatplainsfoodbank.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/2026-Partner-Handbook-.pdf
TEFAP in nearby States
TEFAP in Minnesota · TEFAP in Montana · TEFAP in South Dakota · all States