Source: LIVE WELL COLORADO submitted to
DOUBLE UP FOOD BUCKS COLORADO: DEEPENING REACH AND EXPANDING ACCESS PROJECT
Sponsoring Institution
National Institute of Food and Agriculture
Project Status
ACTIVE
Funding Source
OTHER GRANTS
Reporting Frequency
Annual
Accession No.
1031478
Grant No.
2023-70415-41071
Cumulative Award Amt.
$2,455,439.00
Proposal No.
2023-05806
Multistate No.
(N/A)
Project Start Date
Sep 15, 2023
Project End Date
Sep 14, 2025
Grant Year
2023
Program Code
[FLSP]- FINI Large Scale Project
Project Director
Sweaney, D.
Recipient Organization
LIVE WELL COLORADO
1490 LAFAYETTE ST
DENVER,CO 80218
Performing Department
(N/A)
Non Technical Summary
Through the Double Up Food Bucks Colorado (Double Up): Deepening Reach and Expanding Access Project, Nourish Colorado (Nourish CO) proposes to continue to expand access to fresh fruits and vegetables and support communities statewide by: 1) Sustaining available incentives for SNAP shoppers to purchase fresh Colorado-grown produce, 2) Increasing fruit and vegetable consumption and long-term healthy eating among SNAP shoppers, 3) Deepening reach to more SNAP shoppers and increase program participation through innovative outreach and promotion that is geographically, linguistically, and culturally relevant and accessible, 4) Increasing Colorado-grown fruits and vegetables in retail sites offering Double Up so local farmers are able to sell their produce to more customers and increase their income, and 5) Expanding retail partnerships to include a second large grocery chain and being present in at least half of Colorado's counties. Needs and challenges. Food costs continue to increase with inflation and prices have a significant influence on diets and contribute to many of the social inequities of health (Darmon & Drenowski, 2015). Over 90% of under-resourced Coloradans do not eat the recommended servings of produce (CDPHE, 2017). Today, 33% of Coloradans report food insecurity, with 43% of non-white and Latinx Coloradans reporting that they struggle to put food on the table (Hunger Free Colorado, 2021). Federal food assistance programs, like the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), help to address food insecurity, but do not provide enough assistance for families to purchase the healthy food they need: most SNAP shoppers do not receive enough money to buy food for an entire month (Carlson et al, 2021).1 Additionally, grocery bills have increased by nearly 11% in the past year (Williams, 2022). The cost to eat the USDA recommended servings of fruits and vegetables per day is $2-2.50, which totals nearly $70/month (Stuart, 2017). Our current structures and systems do not support the most vulnerable in achieving the benefits of a healthy diet--nor local food systems and small under-represented growers and farmers, whose businesses support resilient food systems and recirculate dollars in local communities (Gallo, 2019). Double Up has been an important point of increased access to Colorado-grown fruits and vegetables since 2016. In a 2021 survey, 80% of SNAP shoppers reported eating more fruits and vegetables because of Double Up. Customers have shared, "A direct, personal connection with farmers and local food systems positively impacted my mental wellbeing and connection to community" (Colorado Blueprint to End Hunger, 2023). The program has documented how critical these dollars are for supporting the sustainability of direct markets and small and beginning farmers in Colorado. With sharp increases in food insecurity, supply chain issues, and inflation, a stronger and deeper Double Up program is needed now more than ever. Capabilities and Assets. Double Up includes nearly 77 partners at over 90 Double Up sites and over 300 partner organizations have helped reach and engage these participants. Nourish CO has built and strengthened significant program assets, including program outreach and coordination through a strong network of partners throughout the state, which assists us in planning, developing, and implementing a program that provides produce incentives in locally tailored, participant-driven ways. As the program has matured, we continue to engage participants and partners through the Nourish Advisory Board (NAB) and annual regionalconversations with shoppers, partners, and farmers. These structured conversations shift marketing, impact program expansion goals, and inform resources. Double Up also provides new sales for small farmers and keeps food dollars circulating in local communities. In six years, Double Up participants have spent over $8 million at participating markets and retailers in SNAP and Double Up dollars. Double Up has supported small, beginning fruit and vegetable farmer viability through increased revenue from produce sales (participating farmers have reported an increase in revenue by an average of nearly 70% over six years). The network of farmers supported by Double Up, through strong locally tailored support and program promotion, offers Nourish CO the opportunity to further scale and support farm revenue in the state. Addressing needs and building upon assets. Because of the strength of our relationships and our commitment to bring SNAP shoppers, growers, market managers, county agencies, and state partners together, the Double Up program is adept at identifying new challenges and addressing them with local solutions. The activities proposed in this project will allow Double Up to deepen and expand the program to bring it to more SNAP shoppers while increasing farmer and market viability throughout the state.
Animal Health Component
(N/A)
Research Effort Categories
Basic
100%
Applied
(N/A)
Developmental
(N/A)
Classification

Knowledge Area (KA)Subject of Investigation (SOI)Field of Science (FOS)Percent
70460993020100%
Knowledge Area
704 - Nutrition and Hunger in the Population;

Subject Of Investigation
6099 - People and communities, general/other;

Field Of Science
3020 - Education;
Goals / Objectives
1) Sustaining available incentives for SNAP shoppers to purchase fresh Colorado-grown produce, 2) Increasing fruit and vegetable consumption and long-term healthy eating among SNAP shoppers, 3) Deepening reach to more SNAP shoppers and increase program participation through innovative outreach and promotion that is geographically, linguistically, and culturally relevant and accessible, 4) Increasing Colorado-grown fruits and vegetables in retail sites offering Double Up so local farmers are able to sell their produce to more customers and increase their income, and 5) Expanding retail partnerships to include a second large grocery chain and being present in at least half of Colorado's counties.
Project Methods
Evaluation: Nourish CO developed the Double Up evaluation program with faculty members in the Department of Agricultural Economics at Colorado State University (CSU). Nourish CO and the CSU team created assessment tools and protocols, including surveys of SNAP shoppers, customer surveys, market manager surveys, customer reports, vendor reports, and market environment reports. For this project, we will build on this evaluation program working with Dr. Morgan Clennin at the Kaiser Permanente Institute of Health Research (KP IHR). The market manager at each Double Up site is provided with training by the Program Manager each spring on how to utilize the tools and protocol. Uniform, consistent data collection is critical to rigorous evaluation across all sites--urban, rural, and suburban, as well as a variety of retail, farmers market, and farm settings. In addition, the KP IHR team will assess data collected in real time such that, to the extent there is a potential problem with data, the evaluation team will catch it early enough to ask the market manager to make any changes. Process Evaluation. In order to understand barriers to utilizing the program, the KP IHR evaluation team will work with Nourish CO and other statewide partners to either assess data for all SNAP shoppers on purchases or conduct a survey of SNAP shoppers to better understand how SNAP shoppers shop, how they spend their food dollars, and awareness of the Double Up program. In this way, will will gather a baseline of the barriers to participation among the entire eligible population. The evaluation team will also analyze data collected from customer, vendor, and market manager surveys to understand the experience of participants in the program. Finally, Nourish CO will host a "listening tour" across the state to gather qualitative feedback on the program via focus groups. Collectively, these data are aggregated and analyzed to determine larger trends in barriers to accessing the Double Up program and healthy eating in general. The data also help Nourish CO understand the wide variety of barriers that can limit access across the state. By identifying the root causes of these barriers and working with partners to address them, Nourish CO seeks to increase the number of Double Up participants and access to healthy food for SNAP shoppers. Outcome evaluation. Market managers are trained by the Project Manager to complete customer and vendor reports, which track Double Up dollars matched by the market and thenspent with a vendor. This allows Nourish CO to track the use of Double Up dollars, as well as providing the primary data to more accurately estimate the economic impact for the local vendors on surrounding communities. Market managers also track: Number of unique SNAP shoppers, number of children in each household, SNAP fruit and vegetable purchases and the distinction between those and incented SNAP fruit and vegetable purchases, incentive funds distributed at each site, and incentives used per purchase. Nourish CO uses customer surveys to better determine if the program has resulted in behavior change, specifically an increase in purchasing and consuming fruits and vegetables and overall improvement in diet (rather than incentives merely serving as new moneys that allow them to substitute away from total food purchases. Further, through a broader survey of SNAP shoppers, the KP IHR evaluation team will be able to more clearly track differences in fruit and vegetable acquisition of those individuals (households) that participate in the Double Up program and those that do not.

Progress 09/15/23 to 09/14/24

Outputs
Target Audience: Food costs continue to increase with inflation and prices have a significant influence on diets and contribute to many of the social inequities of health (Darmon & Drewnowski, 2015). Over 90% of under-resourced Coloradans do not eat the recommended servings of produce (CDPHE, 2017). Today, 33% of Coloradans report food insecurity, with 43% of non-white and Latinx Coloradans reporting that they struggle to put food on the table (Hunger Free Colorado, 2021). Federal food assistance programs, like the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP, help to address food insecurity, but do not provide enough assistance for families to purchase the healthy food they need: Most SNAP shoppers do not receive enough money to buy food for an entire month (Carlson et al, 2021). Additionally, grocery bills have increased by nearly 11% in the past year (Williams, 2022). The cost to eat the USDA recommended servings of fruits and vegetables per day is $2-2.50, which totals nearly $70 per month (Stuart, 2017). Our current structures and systems do not support the most vulnerable in achieving the benefits of a healthy diet--nor do they support resilient food systems by recirculating dollars in local communities. Double Up has been an important point of increased access to Colorado-grown fruits and vegetables since 2016. In a 2021 survey, 80% of SNAP shoppers reported eating more fruits and vegetables because of Double Up. Customers have shared, "A direct, personal connection with farmers and local food systems positively impacted my mental wellbeing and connection to community (Colorado Blueprint to End Hunger, 2023). The program has documented how critical these dollars are for supporting the sustainability of direct markets and small and beginning farmers in Colorado. With share increases in food insecurity, supply chain issues, and inflation, a stronger and deeper Double Up program is needed now more than ever.? Changes/Problems: One of the major challenges we encountered through the past year is enhancing value chain coordination between small retailers and local farmers is a critical component of expanding access to fresh, healthy, locally grown produce through programs like Double Up Food Bucks (Double Up). While challenges such as profit margins, logistical issues, and lack of connections make this difficult, there are viable solutions. By fostering cooperatives, improving logistics, building trusting relationships, and offering technical assistance, both small retailers and local farmers can benefit from a more coordinated and efficient supply chain. Ultimately, these efforts will help create a more sustainable, equitable food system that benefits both the local economy and the health of low-income communities. Rural areas of Colorado face a unique set of challenges when it comes to food access. While urban centers have seen significant improvements in terms of grocery store options, farmers' markets, and community health programs, rural Coloradans still struggle with limited food access and nutritional inequities. The Double Up program and similar initiatives are working to bridge this gap, but several challenges remain. These include geographic isolation, transportation barriers, infrastructure limitations, and economic factors that make it difficult to extend nutrition incentives to rural areas. We continue to build relationships and creating channels for the program to have a presence in these areas. While Double Up has been a successful initiative, funding challenges are a consistent concern. Securing funding for the required match requires diversifying funding sources, strong partnerships, evidence of program impact, and advocacy for supportive policies. Nourish Colorado is actively working on this and focusing on building relationships with government agencies, philanthropic foundations, local businesses, and the community at large, Double Up can create a sustainable financial model that ensures its long-term success and continued expansion.? What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided? During this project, several opportunities for training and professional development have been provided to enhance both individual and team growth, contributing to the overall success of the initiative. Here are some examples and the benefits these opportunities have offered: Coursera Courses on Participatory, Community-Led Research: One of the most valuable training opportunities was the use of Coursera to deepen knowledge about participatory and community-led research methodologies. This learning experience not only enhanced the ability to engage communities more effectively, but it also allowed our team members to contribute meaningfully as a consultant on a USDA RFSP grant. The skills gained through these courses have empowered them to design more inclusive, community-driven research frameworks, ultimately benefiting the program's impact and reach. Duolingo, Speechify, and Pimsleur for Language Learning: Several team members utilized language learning platforms like Duolingo, Speechify, and Pimsleur to build language skills, particularly in Spanish. This development is crucial for engaging diverse, multilingual communities, ensuring that all participants feel included and supported. By improving our communication with Spanish-speaking populations, the team has been able to expand our outreach, making nutrition programs like Double Up more accessible to a wider audience. Course on Sizeism/Fat Phobia in Food Systems: A course focused on sizeism and fat phobia in food systems was another significant opportunity. This training has had a profound impact on how we approach food justice and equity within our work. Understanding the role of body size and weight bias in food access has helped the team create more inclusive, non-discriminatory programming that ensures people of all sizes can participate in and benefit from nutrition programs. Management and Leadership Development through Coursera: For those transitioning into management roles, Coursera's management courses were instrumental in preparing us for leadership responsibilities. These courses provided a deeper understanding of team dynamics, conflict resolution, and strategic planning, which proved essential for the shift from manager to senior manager roles. As a result, team members are better equipped to lead with confidence, making more effective decisions and driving the organization's mission forward. Rural Grocery Conference in Alabama: The Rural Grocery Conference in Alabama provided a transformative learning experience, particularly for those working in rural food access. Attendees gained invaluable insights into the unique challenges faced by rural grocery stores and how we can apply those lessons to expand the Double Up program in rural Colorado. Networking with professionals in rural food systems also led to new partnerships and ideas for overcoming logistical and economic barriers. Colorado Fruit and Vegetable Growers Conference: The Colorado Fruit and Vegetable Growers Conference allowed the team to connect directly with local producers, deepening our understanding of the challenges and opportunities faced by farmers. This knowledge is critical as we continue to improve value chain coordination between small retailers and local farmers, ensuring that our programs are not only beneficial to consumers but also sustainable for producers.? How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?The results of the research we did with the PELC have been disseminated to communities of interest through a multi-faceted approach. We hosted both a virtual listening and feedback session and an in-person session to ensure we captured diverse perspectives and needs. These calls gathered survey respondents as well as partner organizations, convening over 80 attendees between them. These findings have been actively incorporated into our work by creating clearer, more accessible, place-based flyers and posters for the program. Currently, we are updating the program website to reflect the feedback received, making it more user-friendly and accessible. Additionally, we are planning to convene a work group, funding-dependent, to further refine our approach and integrate the findings into our broader strategies. We have also embedded accessible outreach practices into our training for community food navigators and community health workers to enhance their capacity to engage effectively with the communities they serve.? What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals? To address the challenges we have encountered over the past year and to accomplish our goals, we plan to focus on the following key actions during the next reporting period: Strengthening Value Chain Coordination: We will continue to prioritize building trust and fostering stronger relationships between small retailers and local farmers. This will include hosting regular networking events, workshops, and establishing cooperative models that encourage collaboration and shared resources. To address logistical barriers, we will work with local partners to develop and implement more efficient supply chain solutions. This might involve exploring community-driven transportation options or utilizing shared distribution hubs to reduce costs and improve delivery timeliness. We will also offer targeted technical assistance to farmers and retailers, providing training on best practices in inventory management, product handling, and marketing, with the goal of creating a more efficient and sustainable food system. Expanding Access in Rural Communities: We will focus on expanding the Double Up program's presence in rural areas by working closely with local farmers, retailers, and community organizations to identify opportunities for program integration. This will include developing partnerships with rural food hubs and transportation providers to mitigate geographic isolation and logistical challenges. We will engage with local governments and community leaders to ensure that the program's benefits are well-understood and supported at the local level, ensuring that rural Coloradans can access fresh, healthy produce more easily.?

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? Sustain incentives for SNAP shoppers to purchase fresh Colorado-grown produce. Pilot period (Oct. - Dec. 2023): $172,775.88 of incentives were redeemed on fresh, Colorado-grown produce, including $4,426.88 at Safeway stores (Goal: $100,000 of incentives are redeemed on fresh, Colorado-grown produce, including $50,000 in a pilot project at two Safeway stores). During this period, we were piloting the program with only two Safeway stores and experienced technology challenges. 2024: $750,588.60 of incentives were redeemed on fresh, Colorado-grown produce (Goal: $1.42 million of incentives redeemed). Increase fruit and vegetable consumption and long-term healthy eating among SNAP shoppers. 66% of Double Up participants report an increase in fruit and vegetable consumption (Goal: 80%). Nutrition education messaging is integrated into Double Up outreach, including 12 Facebook posts and 12 website recipes per year (Goal: 12 Facebook posts, 12 website recipes per year). Integrated nutrition education into Double Up implementation by offering market or retail tours to 19% of all Double Up sites in 2024. Reach more SNAP shoppers and increase participation through innovative outreach. In 2024, the Double Up team shifted from mailers to separate English and Spanish flyers, including some bilingual English and Spanish place-based flyers. We distributed 40,000 flyers, 20,000 Double Up locator flyers, 4,000 "What's Eligible for Double Up" flyers, and over 40 retractable vinyl banners for partners, 500 posters, and about 12,000 branded bags, spatulas, measuring cuts, etc. (Goal: 176,000 mailers, 50,000 bilingual flyers, 1,000 posters, and 10,000 branded materials). All county human services offices (100%) participated in quarterly Double Up trainings and the Outreach Manager presents information to county human services staff members during regularly scheduled calls. About 10 offices actively ordered materials, but every partnering agency office is equipped with digital toolkit. (Goal: 30 county human services offices actively ordered Double Up materials and promoted the program to SNAP shoppers). Hosted one community gathering at a partnering retailer, one in-person feedback gathering. Arranged for Double Up to have presence at over 50 community events across the state, focusing on places with high SNAP participation and/or limited healthy food access sites and distributed promotional materials and nutritional education (Goal: 15). Expanded Regional Community Navigator Program to five total regions, with 10 total Navigators (Goal: 2 regions, 4 total Navigators). Focused on hiring Navigators who represent the communities where we need to establish deeper connections, including Native American Navigators in southwest Colorado and bilingual Navigators throughout Colorado, with at least one Navigator in each region being bilingual and/or a member of the community, including. Trish Yazzie, Indigenous navigator in southwest Colorado: attended the Colorado Food Summit and started working at Fort Lewis College full time. Karimme Quintana, Spanish-speaking Navigator in Denver metro: got full time job with CBO (Un Mano, Una Esperanza) Antonio Rangel, Spanish-speaking Navigator in Denver metro: got full time job with CSU Extension working with nutrition education. Andrea Loudd, elder BIPOC Navigator in Denver metro: established career in community organizing, has free farmers market stands in Denver and Jefferson counties. Nourish Colorado also provided ongoing 1:1 support on technology and computer use. When we moved to region-specific, place based, all areas have a bilingual Navigators, and in addition, in northeast Colorado we have a Navigator that speaks several East African languages and provides outreach to that community. We also partnered with Sinergia to do targeted outreach with Spanish speakers in Denver metro, as well as Kaizen (they provide outreach and engagement in Spanish, Vietnamese, Arabic, etc. and engage with the Vietnamese Church in Edgewater and Islamic Center in Lakewood). Overall, we have moved to partnering with community-based organizations that are building bridges in communities we've historically had a hard time reaching. Increase Colorado-grown fruits and vegetables in retail sites offering Double Up. Increased 20% over the baseline in Colorado-grown produce stocked at large retailers (Goal: 5-10%). Increased 25% over the baseline in Colorado-grown produce stocked in small- to mid-sized corner stores and retailers (Goal: 15%). Expand reach with new retail partnerships and be present in at least half of Colorado's counties. Expanded to provide Double Up in 10 Safeway stores (Goal: three). Continued providing Double Up at three Save-A-Lot stores located in the Front Range, and Whole Foods Market and Ideal Market in Boulder. Provided Double Up in 30 counties (Goal: 30).?

Publications