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ITOs to consult with policy and program staff in consideration of CalFresh E&T services for Tribal communities. These consultations include quarterly Tribal Advisory Committee meetings, quarterly Tribal TANF Administrators meetings, and annual participation in the Tribal Consultation Summit each September where tribal leaders across California are invited to participate. Discussions center around program eligibility, design, data reporting requirements, and opportunities for CDSS to assist in ITO program pilots. Ongoing consultations with ITOs across California through the OTA has established awareness of the unique benefits available to ITOs that choose to offer a CalFresh E&T program. ITOs raised concerns about the administrative barriers to offering the program, such as participants residing in rural locations with limited transportation options, a low federally approved indirect cost rate to be charged to the program, and challenges to verifying participant eligibility. Continued strategies to support ITO engagement in overcoming these barriers in FFY 2026 include: • Smaller workgroup consultations, in addition to the larger Tribal Consultation Summit, Tribal Advisory Council and Tribal TANF Administrator meetings • ITO State Partner opportunities • Seed and pilot program funding and other supports CDSS has met with OTA the following dates: November 7th, and December 13th of 2024, and February 20th, March 7th, June 2nd, June 13th, and July 9th of 2025. California met with Minnesota SNAP E&T leadership in June 2025 to leverage insights into the methods and outcomes of tribal consultation practices within the state. These conversations provided fruitful 1/28/26, 11:04 AM State Plan CA FY26 - Original Submission https://dam-fns.usda.gov/sites/default/files/microsite/snapet-cafy26stateplan//index.html 23/286