NAP increases eligibility and benefit levels

The Nutrition Assistance Program has been approved to increase its income eligibility standards and the maximum monthly benefit allotments that will take effect today, Feb, 1.

In a statement, NAP administrator Walter Macaranas said Saipan’s benefit allotment will increase 41.5% for a household of four. This will be equal to Guam’s Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program for fiscal year 2021 maximum benefit allotment.

Macaranas stated that this increment will remain available through Sept. 30, 2021. “This is an increase of 41.5% from $708 to $1,002 for a household size of four on Saipan. Tinian’s maximum allotment will be higher than Saipan by 5.7%, while Rota and Northern Islands will be 21.7% above Saipan allotments,” said Macaranas.

Ongoing NAP households who have been certified for February 2021 will see their benefits increase automatically. The approved income eligibility standards will be equal to the SNAP fiscal year 2021 100% poverty level used by 48 states, Washington, D.C., Guam, and the U.S. Virgin Islands for the SNAP net income test. This is an increase of approximately 35.7% from the level previously authorized level for fiscal year 2021, an increase from $1,610 to $2,184.

Macaranas said that they were able to get the increase because of the Consolidated Appropriations Act 2021, which became law on Dec. 27, 2020, which provided additional funding to the CNMI.

“Section 704 of the Act provided $614 million to the [CNMI], Puerto Rico, and American Samoa for nutrition assistance in response to the COVID-19 public health emergency, of which $14 million shall be available to the CNMI,” said Macaranas.

Income eligibility standards, also known as the maximum income guidelines, is the threshold that sets limits for eligibility for a household’s monthly gross income according to the number of persons residing with the applicant household.

Macaranas stated that the maximum monthly benefit levels are the maximum amount of benefit dollars a household may receive in a month based on the household’s income and the number of eligible members in the household

The maximum income guidelines for a household are the following:
• 1 person: $1,064,
• 2 persons: $1,437
• 3 persons: $1,810
• 4 persons: $2,184
• 5 persons: $2,557
• 6 persons: $2,930
• 7 persons: $3,304
• 8 persons: $3,677
• 9 persons: $4,051
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Maximum monthly benefit levels for Saipan:
• 1 person: $300
• 2 persons: $551
• 3 persons: $789
• 4 persons: $1,002
• 5 persons: $1,190
• 6 persons: $1,428
• 7 persons: $1,579
• 8 persons: $1,804
• 9 persons: $2,030
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Maximum monthly benefit levels for Tinian:
• 1 person: $317
• 2 persons: $582
• 3 persons: $834
• 4 persons: $1,059
• 5 persons: $1,257
• 6 persons: $1,509
• 7 persons: $1,668
• 8 persons: $1,906
• 9 persons: $2,144
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Maximum monthly benefit levels for Rota and Northern Islands:
• 1 person: $365
• 2 persons: $670
• 3 persons: $960
• 4 persons: $1,219
• 5 persons: $1,448
• 6 persons: $1,737
• 7 persons: $1,920
• 8 persons: $2,194
• 9 persons: $2,468