Non Technical Summary
Audiences in rural and urban Nebraska (NE) face many food access challenges regarding fresh fruits and vegetables (FFV), including affordability, autonomy to choose, proximity to retailers that consistently carry FFV, and sometimes skills to use FFV. To address these challenges, the goal of Double of Food Bucks, a point-of-purchase FFV incentive program, is to reduce financial barriers (increase purchases of FFV), improve diet quality and health of NE Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) customers (increase consumption of FFV), and support established and new sites to expand programming (increase reach). We will continue to offer one of three effective and efficient redemption options (checks, shopper cards, register coupons) to meet retailer needs and point of sale technology. DUFB provides the following to retailers and SNAP customers: retailer support to stock/promote FFV (local as appropriate); dollar-for-dollar FFV matches to increase recipient affordability and economic viability of retailers; training, tools, and resources for retail environments; on-site nutrition education, food sampling, and promotional marketing to help customers choose and use FFV; and reporting/evaluation technical assistance. Activities will increase community engagement through a network of established partners and collaborators. Program evaluation will occur at customer, retailer, and financial level, complying with all relevant SNAP regulations and operating requirements. Project goals will help enhance the understanding of project components contributing to increased FFV purchases, consumption, and expansion as well as best practices for integrating nutrition incentive programs into various communities, which is relevant to and aligns with the goals of GusNIP.

Classification

Knowledge Area (KA)	Subject of Investigation (SOI)	Field of Science (FOS)	Percent
703	6099	1010	100%

Knowledge Area
703 - Nutrition Education and Behavior;

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

Field Of Science
1010 - Nutrition and metabolism;

Goals / Objectives
The goal of this project is to reduce financial barriers (increase FFV purchases) for NE SNAP-Ps by expanding DUFB to sites in previously unserved market areas (increase program reach). DUFB will continue to offer one of three effective and efficient redemption options (paper checks, shopper cards, register coupons) to meet retailer needs. Program evaluation will occur at customer, retailer, and financial levels, complying with all relevant SNAP regulations and operating requirements. NMEP and its partners will be in compliance with the rules and regulations set forth by USDA, NIFA, FNS, and GusNIP.These goals will be acheived through the following objectives (Obj.) - Obj. 1: Increase SNAP-Ps FFV purchases.Obj. 2: Increase SNAP-Ps FFV consumption.Obj. 3: Increase geographical and participant reach of DUFB.Obj. 4: Implement effective and efficient redemption technology options for participants(retailers and customers).

Project Methods
Nebraska Extension (NebExt)will lead evaluation for this project to assist NIFA in fulfilling the GusNIP program purpose. This project, in compliance with all USDA requests, will provide NIFA evaluation of an incentive program using three technologies (paper checks, shopper cards, register coupons) capable of tracking required metrics. Information will be collected over the course of the project to improve outcomes and provide results in the NIFA and NTAE annual reports. NebExt has strong evaluation experience. NebExt, FFN, and Gretchen Swanson Center for Nutrition have coordinated since 2017 on DUFB evaluation, and NMEP will use NTAE.UNL's Bureau of Sociological Research will assist NebExt as needed with evaluation of project processes and outcomes across NE. These entities will work collaboratively to ensure findings are available and aggregated for reporting to NTAE. Current DUFB evaluation tools to be adapted for this project include: 1) surveys (customer, cashier, vendor, market managers, and store owners), 2) customer logs (financial and transactional), 3) site visit rubrics (FMs and B&M sites), and 4) feedback of program materials (FAQs, incentive calculation sheets, fliers, website). Communications to be evaluated for reach and effectiveness include a current program phone line and email address, postcards, healthcare referrals, and fliers/posters. Evaluation of on-site nutrition education will be conducted with the Food Demonstration Activity Evaluation form.