In 2020, nearly 9.5 million (or about 8 percent of) adults ages 50 and older were food-insecure, meaning they had limited or uncertain access to adequate food. 1 The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is the nation's largest antihunger program and helps millions of people who are at risk for food insecurity. SNAP provides financial assistance to many lowincome individuals and families to help buy the food they need. The program may also improve health and lower health care costs. Research shows that SNAP enrollment among older adults is associated with fewer hospital and emergency room visits and long-term care admissions. 2 Despite the program's potential benefits, eligible older adults have historically had much lower participation in SNAP than those in other age groups. The U.S. Department of Agriculture reports that in fiscal year 2018, only 48 percent of eligible adults ages 60 and older participated in the program under federal rules. 3 The percentage is substantially lower when calculated using state-specific eligibility rules. Although using federal eligibility rules is useful for state comparisons, using state-specific eligibility rules (which vary widely) better reflects the actual number of older adults eligible by state. Using that measure, we estimate a substantially lower participation rate of 29 percent among this age group.Qualitative research has identified common reasons for low participation in SNAP, such as a confusing and burdensome application process, stigma, and discomfort with technology. 4 Quantitative data help us understand who is not enrolling in SNAP and is important for addressing low program enrollment, yet little is known about the characteristics of eligible older nonparticipants. Using estimates from Mathematica, this Spotlight examines that question.

This case study discusses two federal grant initiatives and the evaluation technical assistance (ETA) provided to the grantees. One program is a multiphase program funded by the Children’s Bureau (CB) within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families. The program funded communities interested in preventing homelessness among youth and young adults with child welfare histories. The funder, grantees, and ETA provider call it Youth At-Risk of Homelessness (YARH). Six federal agencies—the U.S. Departments of Education, Health and Human Services, and Labor, the Corporation for National and Community Service, and the Institute for Museum and Library Services—supported the second initiative known as Performance Partnership Pilots for Disconnected Youth (P3). We discuss the programs together as they share common features including a focus on building evidence, a focus on disconnected youth, use of liaisons to work with grantees who are developing interventions and planning or conducting evaluations at the same time, and having the same liaisons provide ETA to both the grantee/service providing group and the local evaluator. The article discusses (1) the grant programs, (2) details about ETA including its funding and provision, (3) details about the success and utilization of ETA, (4) benefits of ETA, and (5) balancing program or initiative requirements and evaluation needs and concludes with (6) thoughts on how to make ETA successful.

SSI provides monthly payments to adults and children who have low income and resources and who are blind or disabled. † The TANF program provides payments to low-income individuals and families to help them pay for food, housing, and other essentials. ‡ Although households with older individuals do not need to meet the gross income limit for SNAP under federal eligibility policies, some state BBCE policies apply a gross income test that applies to households with older individuals.

This is the second of three AARP Public Policy Institute Spotlights analyzing SNAP participation among older adults. This state-level analysis of SNAP access rates-or the share of lower-income people receiving SNAP-finds access rates are overall low but vary by state, age, household size, and income.

In 2020, nearly 9.5 million (or about 8 percent of) adults ages 50 and older were food-insecure, meaning they had limited or uncertain access to adequate food. 1 The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is the nation's largest antihunger program and helps millions of people who are at risk for food insecurity. SNAP provides financial assistance to many lowincome individuals and families to help buy the food they need. The program may also improve health and lower health care costs. Research shows that SNAP enrollment among older adults is associated with fewer hospital and emergency room visits and long-term care admissions. 2 Despite the program's potential benefits, eligible older adults have historically had much lower participation in SNAP than those in other age groups. The U.S. Department of Agriculture reports that in fiscal year 2018, only 48 percent of eligible adults ages 60 and older participated in the program under federal rules. 3 The percentage is substantially lower when calculated using state-specific eligibility rules. Although using federal eligibility rules is useful for state comparisons, using state-specific eligibility rules (which vary widely) better reflects the actual number of older adults eligible by state. Using that measure, we estimate a substantially lower participation rate of 29 percent among this age group.Qualitative research has identified common reasons for low participation in SNAP, such as a confusing and burdensome application process, stigma, and discomfort with technology. 4 Quantitative data help us understand who is not enrolling in SNAP and is important for addressing low program enrollment, yet little is known about the characteristics of eligible older nonparticipants. Using estimates from Mathematica, this Spotlight examines that question.