Urban Institute
A map showing the average gap between maximum SNAP benefit and average cost of a modestly priced meal.
Source
Summary
“The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is America’s first line of defense against hunger. Each year, around 42 million people turn to SNAP to help meet their food needs. However, the Trump administration has recently suggested rolling back SNAP benefits nationwide, and recent congressional policy proposals would require significant cuts to the program. While many of these proposals would narrow eligibility and participation, reaching the proposed $230 billion funding reduction would require further cuts, including eliminating the 2021 update to the Thrifty Food Plan.
Urban analysis shows that if the Thrifty Food Plan update is rolled back, SNAP benefits will fail to cover the cost of a modestly priced meal in every county in the US.
As a result, families who receive SNAP benefits would have to cut back on the amount of food they eat or turn to cheaper, less healthy options. These rollbacks would be particularly hard on the nearly 4 in 10 SNAP recipients who qualify for the maximum benefit because of very limited resources. In the wake of steep cuts, food insecurity and financial hardship will increase and health outcomes will worsen.
Below, select a state to see how eliminating the 2021 update to the Thrifty Food Plan, the model used to determine SNAP benefits, would create deficits between the maximum benefit and the cost of a modestly priced meal in every state and county.”
Related Grant Opportunity: Child health research grants
