Organization: U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)
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SNAP Keys to Application Processing Timeliness
On-time approval and delivery of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits are crucial to ensure food security, provide good customer service, and maintain trust.This document provides guidance on the most important strategies or “Keys” to achieving and maintaining acceptable timeliness rates.
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Automation + AI 
Framework for State, Local, Tribal, and Territorial Use of Artificial Intelligence for Public Benefit Administration
This framework outlines USDA’s principles and approach to support States, localities, Tribes, and territories in responsibly using AI in the implementation and administration of USDA’s nutrition benefits and services. This framework is in response to Section 7.2(b)(ii) of Executive Order 14110 on Safe, Secure, and Trustworthy Development and Use of Artificial Intelligence.
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Human-Centered Design 
Improving Access to Public Benefits and Customer Experience: Key Actions and Best Practices
Comprehensive and sustained improvement in benefits access and customer experience requires changes across policy, operations, technology, staffing, procurement, and more. This guide offers a collection of actions and best practices for states to apply.
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Data 
SNAP Community Characteristics Dashboard Congressional District Explorer
This exploratory tool was built to share information about SNAP participation, income, and household demographics within each congressional district. Users may select their own district, along with any other district of interest, and can compare two districts at once within a given state.
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Policy 
Evaluation of the USDA Summer EBT Demonstrations: Lessons Learned From More Than a Decade of Research
FNS conducted evaluations of multiple pilot programs to strengthen access to food during the summer when school is out of session. Evaluations found that Summer EBT reduces childhood food insecurity by a significant amount, including the most severe form of food insecurity; some eligible households do not redeem some or any of their benefits; and parents and caregivers have positive opinions of Summer EBT.
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Summer EBT Implementation Toolkit
The following documents serve as a resource to assist states, tribal organizations, and territories in preparing to implement Summer EBT in 2024.
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Summer EBT Outreach Toolkit
This toolkit helps implementing agencies (as well as other stakeholders and partners) promote the Summer EBT program, also known as SUN Bucks. These resources can help ensure families know about the new program and understand how to use their benefits.
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Automation + AI 
Use of Advanced Automation in SNAP
This memo provides state agencies with guidance on allowable use of advanced automation technologies. FNS encourages and supports state agencies’ use of advanced automation technologies to enhance the administration of SNAP and foster public trust, both in SNAP and in the state agencies’ systems, within the framework of statutory and regulatory requirements.
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SNAP State Options Report
SNAP statutes and regulations provide the state SNAP agency with certain options to tailor SNAP according to their respective operational considerations and policy preferences. This report summarizes 19 SNAP policy options (in effect as of Oct. 1, 2023) and waivers (implemented as of July 1, 2023) chosen by SNAP state agencies (50 states, the District of Columbia, Guam, and Virgin Islands) in federal fiscal year (FY) 2023.
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Automation + AI 
Analysis of Robotic Process Automation in SNAP: Three Case Studies
This study examines the use of robotic process automation (RPA) technologies by three state agencies—Georgia, New Mexico, and Connecticut—to administer the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). RPA is software that integrates with other programs to automatically complete repetitive processes that normally are performed by humans.
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Data 
WIC Policy Memorandum #2023-5: Data Sharing to Improve Outreach and Streamline Certification in the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC)
This policy memorandum from the Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) provides guidance on data sharing activities that support targeted outreach and streamlined certification processes aimed at increasing the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) participation and retention.
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Diversity, Equity + Inclusion 
USDA Equity Action Plan in Support of Executive Order (EO) 13985 Advancing Racial Equity and Support for Underserved Communities through the Federal Government
On January 20, 2021, the President issued EO 13985, which established that the Federal Government should pursue a comprehensive approach to advancing equity for all. USDA's Equity Action Plain details a subset of USDA actions to achieve this gaol.