The key to improving SNAP delivery is data

In 2024, the Government Accountability Office found that an estimated 67% of potentially eligible college students arenʼt enrolled in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program SNAP — thatʼs about 2.2 million students who may be missing out on much needed support. 

And coverage gaps arenʼt limited to college students; AARP estimates that 59% of eligible adults over 50 did not claim SNAP benefits in 2022. Regardless of age, many Americans are not accessing the benefits theyʼre eligible for.

GAO recently followed up with another study focused on actions federal agencies can take to help connect college students with SNAP benefits. Its suggestions include better data sharing practices to aid in outreach and enrollment, and improved communications to ensure students understand SNAP eligibility requirements.

Though laudable, this report begs an important question — what can state agencies do to connect all eligible people to SNAP benefits? Based on our experience, we believe that GAOʼs recommendations for federal agencies can help state agencies target populations beyond students.

GAOʼs recommendation to improve data sharing practices can help states connect eligible people to SNAP while reducing administrative burden and preventing fraud. Long term, data can help facilitate integrated eligibility and enrollment, or processes that enable people to apply and get approved for several benefit programs in one place at the same time.

Integrated eligibility can help eliminate administrative burden and increase speed and efficiency for applicants and caseworkers, so that applicants could use a single application to enroll in all the programs they are eligible for. Maximum efficiency would require data sharing and interoperability across agencies and programs, standalone rules engines that are decoupled from applications, and strong data safeguards and governance to ensure accuracy, and protect privacy.

Often, means-tested programs require applicants to submit the same or similar income data to verify their eligibility. This means someone who participates in Medicaid has likely already provided income data essential to determining SNAP eligibility. That Medicaid beneficiary is also likely eligible for SNAP.

States can use this data to identify people who are likely eligible for SNAP and conduct targeted outreach to educate them on available benefits. When reaching out to people, clear, plain language messaging — particularly through the digital channels people already use — can make a real difference in closing the SNAP gap.

Once an individual applies for SNAP, states can leverage existing income data to help verify their eligibility. This is important because SNAP eligibility requirements are notoriously confusing. Typically, SNAP requires applicants to upload documentation to verify their income. Administrative burdens like this can be confusing and may even prevent people from accessing benefits.

In New Mexico, a project that leveraged data sharing to simplify the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children income verification process helped thousands of people enroll in WIC. The project team developed an online tool that exchanges data between the stateʼs SNAP, Medicaid, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families and WIC agencies. The tool led to an 18% increase — nearly 11,000 people — in the stateʼs WICʼs caseload between May 2022, when the project began, and February 2023.

Another option is for employers to share real-time payroll data with benefit agencies to easily verify applicantsʼ eligibility. New Jersey is trying a similar tactic with their unemployment insurance program — the state now requires employers to report separation and wage information rather than gathering this information from applicants.

Not only can data sharing help identify potentially eligible individuals and facilitate faster eligibility determinations; it can also help prevent erroneous applications by enabling state SNAP agencies to rely on pre-verified income information. Because the SNAP benefit amount is based on an applicantʼs net income, any small mistake in income reporting can lead to an inaccurate benefit calculation. If someone erroneously reports their income, correcting the application demands time and resources from state SNAP agencies and may lead to overpayments.

Notably, data sharing can help flag bad actors before they enter systems. When an agency identifies a fraudster and adds them to a do not pay database, data sharing can enable them to notify other state agencies of the bad actor before they attempt to obtain benefits.

The advantages of data sharing are undeniable, but building and operating technology systems that support data sharing can be tricky. Application programming interfaces, or technology that allows disparate systems to communicate with one another, are key to streamlining data sharing and ultimately improving experiences with SNAP. For example, APIs can enable swift and secure transfer of applicant data, allowing agencies to determine applicantsʼ adjunctive eligibility for benefits. This reduces administrative burden for those applying for benefits and for those administering them.

However, APIs alone cannot enable an integrated benefits experience. API standards, or shared, well-defined formats for accessing and interacting with data, can ensure a consistent experience across government programs. Likewise, data sharing agreements, or contracts that detail what data will be shared and why, are essential to maximizing the efficacy of APIs within the parameters set by state and federal law. Together, API standards and DSAs will help create an ecosystem where APIs comprise the foundation of benefits delivery, resulting in government infrastructure thatʼs resilient, adaptable, and human-centered.

Infrastructure built on well-defined APIs can help states work toward a future of integrated eligibility and enrollment. An API-first approach enables states to build modular software components — such as a document uploader tool or a benefit application — that are loosely coupled by APIs. When states need to modernize one software component, they donʼt need to rip-and-replace their entire system. This is crucial to IE&E systems, which involve several benefit programs and thousands of moving parts.

Vermont used an API-first approach to help integrate the enrollment and eligibility processes for all of its 37 healthcare and financial benefit programs. In a matter of months, the state reduced the number of days it took staff to provide an eligibility determination to SNAP applicants by 44%.

API infrastructure poses promising solutions for the future of SNAP delivery. State agencies can leverage this technology to identify potentially eligible populations and proactively conduct outreach, ensuring people understand SNAPʼs many requirements before applying. 

Income data transmitted via APIs can also help states determine applicantsʼ adjunctive eligibility for benefits, reducing the likelihood that someone will incorrectly submit income information. Perhaps most importantly, systems built on APIs are more secure and resilient in the face of fraud, helping SNAP fulfill its intended purpose of keeping our country healthy.

Jodi Leo is chief delivery officer at Nava.