Silver Linings Emerge in Federal Food Assistance Funding

At a moment when Congress considers significant cuts – potentially up to 20% – to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), food policy experts convening last week found hopeful signs of bipartisan progress in other areas of federal nutrition assistance.

Speaking at the Consumer Federation of America’s National Food Policy Conference, a panel highlighted a variety of promising initiatives that could significantly strengthen food security nationwide. Innovations like nutrition incentive programs, the expansion of online SNAP purchasing, and proposals allowing SNAP benefits to cover hot meals were identified as bright spots amid current challenges.

“2025 could turn out to be a significant year for our federal food assistance programs,” noted Stacy Dean, Carbonell Family Executive Director at George Washington University’s Global Food Institute, who moderated the discussion.

One notably positive development involves the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC). After nearly a decade of declining participation, the program has recently seen growth driven by significant benefit increases. Monthly WIC benefits have expanded dramatically, rising from just $9 per child and $11 per mother to $26 per child and between $47 and $52 per mother. Another key improvement has been the introduction of phone and video certification appointments, streamlining access for busy families.

“These changes remove significant barriers, making the program easier for families to access,” said Nell Menefee-Libey, Senior Public Policy Manager at the National WIC Association.

Another successful initiative highlighted during the panel was the SUN Bucks program, which provided monthly grocery assistance to over 20 million students last summer, offering each child $40 per month to help families afford food during summer break. The program, strongly supported by Stacy Dean during her tenure as Deputy Undersecretary at the USDA, continues to grow in popularity.

“More than 38 states are participating again this year, which is fantastic,” noted Nancy Dalton, Director of Amazon Access at Amazon. “Our goal is to see every state participating because this program is genuinely transformative for families.”

Reducing Barriers for Seniors and Streamlining Access

The panel also drew attention to the Elderly Simplified Application Process (ESAP), designed to address historically low SNAP enrollment among older adults. According to the National Council on Aging, only 30% of the nine million eligible seniors currently receive SNAP benefits. ESAP streamlines the application significantly, shortening paperwork, extending the certification period to three years, and removing mandatory re-certification interviews.

“ESAP enjoys strong bipartisan support, which is encouraging,” emphasized Salaam Bhatti, SNAP Director at the Food Research and Action Center (FRAC).

Additionally, the nonprofit mRelief has helped reduce SNAP application bureaucracy by offering an online screening tool that enables potential applicants to determine eligibility within three minutes. According to Dalton, mRelief’s simplified process has boosted benefit participation by more than 30%.

Momentum Toward Allowing Hot Foods under SNAP

Another area garnering bipartisan interest is the ongoing discussion around allowing SNAP recipients to purchase hot foods – an option currently only available during natural disasters through D-SNAP. Bhatti highlighted bipartisan commitment to exploring this option further.

“We’ve already seen how well this policy works during emergencies,” Bhatti said. “We’re moving toward broader implementation with bipartisan backing.”

Online Shopping Brings Convenience to SNAP and WIC Participants

Panelists also noted significant growth in online SNAP purchases, which skyrocketed from availability in only a few states pre-pandemic to covering more than 95% of SNAP households today. Now, online shopping is beginning to expand to WIC participants as well.

Menefee-Libey noted that setting up online purchasing for WIC is particularly complex due to specific purchasing restrictions on WIC products. “It requires additional backend work, but 15 state agencies are currently piloting online WIC shopping,” she said. “We expect it will expand more broadly in the coming years.”

Advocating Nutrition Incentives Over Restrictions

Nutrition incentive programs – such as Double Up Food Bucks, which increase access to fresh produce – received particular praise from panelists as an effective, bipartisan strategy to combat food insecurity. Jennie Norka, Senior Director at the American Frozen Food Institute, underscored their success: “These incentive programs are evidence-based, effectively reducing food insecurity and significantly increasing produce consumption among participants.”

Bhatti added that incentive-based approaches outperform restrictive measures that seek to control what SNAP recipients can purchase. “Nutrition incentives represent a bipartisan solution,” Bhatti said. “We’ve seen them succeed over recent years and should prioritize expanding these programs rather than complicating benefits.”

A Call for Unity Amid Proposed SNAP Cuts

Despite the bright spots, concerns persist regarding substantial proposed cuts to SNAP. Dean clarified that the House’s proposed budget resolution, calling for over $200 billion in SNAP reductions, contrasts sharply with the Senate’s significantly smaller $1 billion proposal. “They’ll need to find common ground, and it’s not guaranteed these cuts will occur,” she explained.

Drawing from her extensive federal policy experience, Dean emphasized the importance of standing firm against reductions that could harm vulnerable populations. “The proudest moments of my career have come when we held the line against extraordinary attacks on the programs that millions depend on,” she said. “Now is such a moment to unite and push back, safeguarding critical nutrition support for generations.”

For Dean and her fellow panelists, ongoing bipartisan progress offers genuine reasons for optimism – even amid ongoing budget uncertainties.