Exploring the Role of Equity in SNAP Modernization and Access

The 2021 American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) authorized $1.14 billion in additional Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) administrative funding over three years to help state agencies meet community needs and advance equity for vulnerable populations during the COVID-19 pandemic.  

The Issue

While COVID-19 ARPA funding helped accommodate the nutrition needs of individuals enrolled in SNAP, focus groups with 10 state administrators revealed important timing and capacity building limitations that should be addressed in future grants aiming to improve equity.   

Key Findings

• Policies that increased SNAP benefits played an important role in keeping nearly 2.3 million people out of poverty during the COVID-19 pandemic.  
• State administrators used technology and process improvements—including updating outdated eligibility systems, implementing community feedback, and identifying areas where technology doesn’t exist—to improve access to SNAP.  
  
• Due to the short funding cycles and requirement to return unused funds, state administrators did not see ARPA funding as an opportunity to drive long-term equity improvements. 
  
• State administrators identified community voice as a crucial part of advancing equity. However, states found the long-term nature of community engagement challenging to incorporate into their ARPA projects.

Conclusion 

Longer proposal development periods, increased flexibility in timing and funding structure, and state capacity building were identified as recommendations for future grants hoping to improve equity. 

About the Author/Grantee

The nonprofit Urban Institute is dedicated to elevating the debate on social and economic policy. For nearly five decades, Urban scholars have conducted research and offered evidence-based solutions that improve lives and strengthen communities across a rapidly urbanizing world. Their objective research helps expand opportunities for all, reduce hardship among the most vulnerable, and strengthen the effectiveness of the public sector. Visit the Urban Institute’s Health Policy Center for more information specific to its staff and its recent research. 

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