An Assessment of the Roles and Effectiveness of Community-Based Organizations in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program

This USDA/FNS report details the results of a study that allowed six state SNAP agencies to receive waivers to implement Community Partner Interviewer demonstration projects between 2009 and 2010. The waivers allowed nonprofit organizations, such as food banks, to conduct SNAP interviews, collect verifications, and submit clients’ application materials to state SNAP agencies for eligibility determination. Overall, SNAP office directors and workers involved in the study cited improved access, better customer service, and satisfaction among applicants as the most significant successes of the demonstration projects. Challenges cited by SNAP representatives and community-based organization (CBO) workers included technology-related processing delays, keeping outreach workers up to date on frequent policy and procedural changes, and ensuring adequate training for all CBO workers who conducted SNAP interviews.