State plans are formal, written agreements between a state and the federal government regarding the administration of a federally funded program. A state plan describes the nature and scope of the program and is the state’s agreement that it will conform to the requirements of the fund. State plans are required in order for the state to qualify for and receive the identified federal funding.
Additionally, State Plans can:
- Provide assurances that a state will abide by federal rules in order to claim federal funding;
- Indicate which groups, services, or programs the state has chosen to cover or implement within the funding; and
- Describe the state-specific standards to determine eligibility, methodologies, and processes to administer the program.
Plan changes are submitted by the state to the applicable U.S. federal departments as amendments. These amendments are then reviewed in order to determine whether the changes meet federal requirements and policies.