The WIC Food Cost-Containment Practices Study describes the voluntarily approaches state agencies used in 2018 to reduce food costs when selecting and authorizing WIC foods. This study is the second of its kind; the first was conducted by the USDA Economic Research Service in 2003. This report examines how six types of food cost-containment practices are associated with food costs and WIC participant satisfaction, benefit redemption, and food consumption in 12 state agencies. 

This Community Eligibility Provision Characteristics study is the first comprehensive study since CEP became available nationwide in SY 2014-15. The study was designed to provide USDA with information about the impact of CEP and includes both an implementation and impact component.

This study examines the experience of states in developing and operating special-purpose savings account programs for low-income households. The Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) is interested in the use of special-purpose accounts for the low-income population--especially for households receiving food stamps--as a means of promoting self-sufficiency . These accounts enable low-income persons to accumulate savings for specified purposes such as education, home purchase, home improvement, and business start-up. In many program initiatives, the account holder qualifies for matching funds to enable a more rapid accumulation of savings, as long as the account balances are used for the specified purposes. Such matched accounts are typically called a individual development accounts or IDAs.