An Examination of Organizational and Statewide Needs to Increase Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) Participation

Abstract

This study examined Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) outreach efforts among representatives of community organizations, as well as local and statewide needs for increasing SNAP participation. We conducted qualitative interviews with 34 SNAP outreach workers across 27 states; participants reported working at food banks, social services agencies, antihunger nonprofits, legal aid agencies, faith-based nonprofits, and health clinics. Four major needs emerged as themes for community-level organizations: increased personnel, increased funding, improved application process, and increased community awareness. For broader, statewide needs, 3 themes emerged: increased staffing of state caseworkers, decreased stigma and negative perceptions, and improved application processing capacity and infrastructure. The findings of this qualitative study suggest that community organizations and state SNAP-administering offices should work together more closely to share best practices, improve SNAP application-related technology, and develop tailored outreach plans.