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Resource | Research and Data | Assessing/Improving Operations Enhancing Completion Rates for SNAP Quality Control Reviews

National completion rates for SNAP QC reviews have generally declined since peak levels in the 1980s, and State-level completion rates vary widely. This study examines the factors contributing to incomplete reviews of cases and describes best practices associated with high SNAP QC completion rates.

01/11/2016
Resource | Research and Data | Participation Rates Reaching Those in Need: State SNAP Participation Rates in 2007

This report – the latest in an annual series – presents estimates of the percentage of eligible persons, by state, who participated in SNAP during an average month in FY 2007 and in the two previous fiscal years. This report also presents estimates of state participation rates for eligible “working poor” individuals (persons in households with earnings) over the same period. 

11/01/2009
Resource | Research and Data | Assessing/Improving Operations Analysis of Verification Summary Data SY 2007-08

This report summarizes the results of the school year 2007-08 application verification process for the National School Lunch Program and School Breakfast Program. 

10/20/2009
Resource | Research and Data | Payment Accuracy and Program Integrity Direct Certification in the NSLP: State Implementation Progress - Report to Congress

This report responds to the legislative requirement of PL 110-246 to assess the effectiveness of state and local efforts to directly certify children for free school meals. Under direct certification, children are determined eligible for free school meals without the need for household applications by using data from other means-tested programs. 

10/01/2009
Resource | Research and Data | Demonstrations CACFP Improper Payments Data Collection Pilot Project

The purpose of this pilot was to test possible methods that could lead to valid estimations of the number of meals served by family day care homes. The estimated number of meals served can be used to develop estimates of over- and under-counts of meal claims that result in erroneous payments.

09/23/2009
Resource | Research and Data | Participation Rates Trends in SNAP Participation Rates: 2000 to 2007

This report is the latest in a series on SNAP participation rates. Estimates are based on the March 2008 Current Population Survey and program administrative data for FY 2007. 

06/01/2009
Resource | Research and Data | Payment Accuracy and Program Integrity CACFP Assessment of Sponsor Tiering Determinations 2007

The Improper Payments Information Act of 2002 requires all federal agencies to calculate the amount of erroneous payments in federal programs and to periodically conduct detailed assessments of vulnerable program components. This is the third wave of a program assessment of the Family Day Care Home component of USDA's Child and Adult Care Food Program. 

05/05/2009
Resource | Research and Data | Payment Accuracy and Program Integrity Results of the Feasibility Study of Estimating the Risk of Meal Claiming Error in the CACFP

FNS proposed to select a random sample of sponsoring organizations and, from each, use a random selection of the sponsor’s monitoring visits of family day care homes. Using these data, FNS would compare the number of meals claimed with the number of children observed at the time of the visit.

05/01/2009
Resource | Research and Data The Reaching the Working Poor and Poor Elderly Study: What We Learned and Recommendations for Future Research

To increase its understanding of the reasons for nonparticipation, the Food and Nutrition Service(FNS) of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) contracted with Mathematica Policy Research, Inc. (MPR) to conduct a study of nonparticipation by low-income working and elderly households, entitled Reaching the Working Poor and Poor Elderly. This report summarizes what was learned and offers recommendations for how a national survey of the reasons for nonparticipation in the FSP should be designed and fielded.

12/01/1999
Resource | Research and Data | Participation Rates Trends in FSP Participation Rates: Focus on September 1997

The Food Stamp Program helps needy families purchase food so that they can maintain a nutritious diet. Families are eligible for the program if their financial resources fall below certain income and asset thresholds. However, not all eligible families participate in the program. Some choose not to, while others do not know they are eligible. The participation rate—the ratio of the number of participants to the number of eligibles—reveals the degree to which eligible families participate.

11/01/1999
Page updated: September 16, 2025