FFWR Eligibility & Requirements

Eligibility

Workers that are eligible for relief payments are those in frontline farming activities, grocery stores, or meatpacking* who incurred expenses due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This work should have been performed in the United States or certain U.S. territories (Guam, American Samoa, or Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands) between January 27th, 2020, and May 11th, 2023. Applicants must self-certify they have not received this relief from another grantee.

Below is the eligibility criteria presented as a list.

  • First-time Applicant: You are applying for this program for the first time.
  • COVID-19 Expenses: You have incurred expenses due to the COVID-19 pandemic. (The program does not require receipts for these expenses.) Examples are listed below:
    • Face masks
    • Hand sanitizer
    • Loss of income due to illness
  • Type of Work: You are or were a frontline worker in farming activities.* Examples are listed below:
    • Planting, tending, or harvesting crops
    • Tending livestock
    • Milking cows
  • Date of Work: You performed this work at some point between January 27th, 2020, and May 11th, 2023.
  • Location of Work: You performed this work in the United States** or one of the following U.S. territories.
    • Guam
    • American Samoa
    • Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands

*The UFW Foundation is only approved to assist farm workers. Meatpacking or grocery store workers may refer to the list of authorized organizations.

**California Applicants: As of June 30th, the UFW Foundation has closed phone applications for the Farm and Food Worker Relief (FFWR) for those who live in the state of California. For more information, click here.

 

Immigration status is not one of the eligibility criteria under this program. While assertions and/or documentation regarding citizenship status are not required, workers must provide proof of identity and proof of employment.

 


Requirements

The USDA requires proof of identity and proof of employment to apply for this program.

  • Proof of Identity
    • To prove your identity, you have two (2) options:
      • Option 1: The recommended option is to provide one (1) official document that contains your full name and photo. Examples are listed below:
        • State ID/Driver's License
        • UFW Foundation ID
        • Employer-issued ID
        • Consular ID
      • Option 2: The alternative option is to provide two (2) documents that contain your full name. Examples are listed below:
        • Utility Bill
        • Insurance Card
        • Vehicle Registration
  • Proof of Employment
    • To prove you meet the eligibility criteria for employment, you must provide one (1) employment-related document that includes your name and date between January 27th, 2020, and May 5th, 2023. Examples are listed below:
      • W-2 Tax Form
      • Paystub
      • Employer Letter
      • Employer Contract
  • Photographing Your Documents
    • Acceptable photos of your documents are:
      • Clear
      • Legible, and
      • Showing all four (4) corners.
    • Unacceptable photos of your documents are:
      • Blurry
      • Illegible, or
      • Hiding corners.
    • False or tampered documents will not be accepted.

 

 

USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender. 
fns.usda.gov/es/civil-rights/usda-nondiscrimination-statement-other-fns-programs