Progress 04/01/15 to 03/31/18
Outputs
Target Audience:Target Audience Market Match Target Audiences: California Market Match is designed to serve three target audiences: 1) California SNAP shoppers, 2) California direct marketing specialty crop farmers, and, 3) California farmers' market operators and supporting agencies that provide the nutrition incentives (Implementing Contractors). California SNAP Shoppers: Market Match provided nutrition incentives to 296,501 California SNAP customers (non-unique.) According to FNS, in 2013 California had: (i) the largest number of monthly SNAP participants in the country, 4,159,031; (ii) the second largest number of SNAP households nationally, 1,905,869, and (iii) was distributing the largest overall pool of SNAP dollars totaling $7,558,348,393. California Market Match serves SNAP shoppers from every region of the state, living in urban, suburban, and rural environments. While the demographics served vary widely from county to county, according to the USDA's Food and Nutrition Services 2013 data on the characteristics of California SNAP households, CA's SNAP shoppers are approximately 57% White, 12.91% African-American, 7.52% Asian, 1.44% American Indian/ Alaska Native, and.48% Hawaiian/other. Of these households, 49.43% are of Hispanic or Latino origin (of any race). Our evaluators at the Sol Price School of Public Policy at the University of Southern California developed and distributed customer surveys in English, Spanish, and Chinese to all Implementing Contractors (ICs). Of the 2,351 customers surveyed, 34.2% identified as Caucasian, 32.7% Latino/Latina, 13.6% Asian, 7.5% African-American, 12% "other minority" or of "mixed racial background." Among shoppers interviewed, 78.1% identified as female, 20.7% as male, and 1.2% as other. Direct Marketing Specialty Crop Farmers: California Market Match has the goal of serving each of California's 2,200 small, independent, sustainable, fruit and vegetable growers that sell at California Farmers' Markets (CFMs) and other farm-direct outlets. Unlike other sales outlets, CFMs have low barriers to entry, and 100% of the revenue goes directly to the farmer. As a result, many beginning, and socially disadvantaged farmers participate in CFMs and directly benefit from this project's improvements to direct sales. Market Match served 1,907 farmers at 304 sites. Implementing Contractors: Implementing Contractors offered Market Match incentives at sites across the state. As the lead organization, the Ecology Center considers them to be both the contractors utilized to execute the program, as well as stakeholders we serve. Together, we develop systems that improve implementation practices and procedures and decrease administrative costs and operational barriers. By contracting with local entities, the Ecology Center can efficiently offer Market Match in stable, consistent locations attuned to the local community. Most are farmers' market associations that have been operating for many years and have key local relationships, staffing that reflects the local community, and valuable knowledge of the community's history. Many of the service providers are small independent operators that would not otherwise be able to offer this program to SNAP customers and family farmers without support from the Ecology Center. We facilitate participation from market operators and support agencies that vary in size and scope from small volunteer and farmer-run efforts to huge not-for-profit agencies. In the selection of contractors, The Ecology Center takes size, potential impact, geography, and other factors into consideration to ensure that a diverse and broad cross section of California farmers and shoppers will be served. Many of the newest outlets, including mobile markets, Community Supported Agriculture (CSA), and farm stands operate in areas that are unable to support a full farmers' market. At the end of the grant, Market Match served 42 Implementation Contractors offering the program at 304 sites in 31 counties. Changes/Problems:
Nothing Reported
What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?Training and Professional Development: The Ecology Center staff held 14 training webinars for the California Market Match Consortium. We were pleased to have participation from lead employees of the Market Match Implementation Partners representing farmers' markets and farmers from 31 counties in California. Webinars covered program updates, media campaign coordination, technology pilot updates, outreach best practices, customer survey administration, Westat data reporting training, budget adjustment procedures, and other critical contractual components educating contractors on how to manage their efforts effectively within federal requirements. For many operators, including new Implementation Contractors added in early spring 2016 and 2017, this was their first exposure to the Code of Federal Regulations, allowable costs, and required documentation. The approval by Office of Management and Budget (OMB) of Westat's evaluation plan necessitated extensive webinar training with both new and veteran Market Match Implementation Contractors. In some cases, the FINI grant provided a unique opportunity for low-capacity and small-scale farmers' markets and organizations to access a complex federal grant and build skills and organizational capacity. Ecology Center support and training has been critical to developing their capacity, ensuring grant compliance, and establishing Market Match in low- capacity, high-need communities. Ecology Center staff spent additional time providing ongoing one-on-one support via video conference, phone, and in-person sessions. Areas of focus include budget and budget justification creation, grant tracking, invoicing, tracking allowable non-federal match, program evaluation and survey administration, and overall federal grant compliance. In the winter of 2016 and 2017, we held annual, two-day, in-person Face-to-Face meetings in Oakland, California to train, build program cohesion across the state, share best practices, and ensure grant compliance. Topics of training at this event included innovative outreach and promotional campaigns; Farm Bill basics, including SNAP and FINI; a report from California Department of Food & Agriculture on the newly formed California Nutrition Incentive Program (CNIP) funding; incentives in grocery; social media marketing strategies for promoting Market Match, a "show and tell" of FM Tracks tablet tracking technology; best practices from veteran Market Match operators; and more. Through our outreach efforts, some customers and farmers have received media training to develop participant spokespeople that can engage effectively with the press. Farmers and vendors have also received significant training from market managers on how to use the program and what products are eligible. Finally, as part of our grant compliance and fiduciary responsibilities, our staff has received training on the single audit and negotiated indirect cost rate calculations. As a result, we received for the first time a Federally Negotiated Indirect Cost Rate and made changes to our financial systems to apply this rate according to federal guidelines. We also completed our first Single Audit and passed with flying colors and with no findings or recommendations. This FINI award has increased the Ecology Center's own capacity to apply for and manage large federal and state grants. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?Dissemination of Results: Each Implementation Contractor uses its own local outreach strategies. These include partnerships with local SNAP and WIC offices and promoting the program through other social service organizations. The Ecology Center developed customizable materials for fliers, posters, and market signage. We also provided large format market banners announcing Market Match to shoppers. The Market Match website (www.marketmathc.org) has a large user section requiring a login for implementing contractors containing a large body of information, tools, and data to refine the dissemination of information about the program to local audiences. In June of 2016, Ecology Center engaged Kathleen Russell Consulting as the Customer Recruitment Contractor to assist with a Market Match earned media campaign. Cumulative views / circulation / impressions totaled over 100 million. We garnered significant news coverage related to the second year of the FINI program implementation and Governor Brown's approval of $5 million in state funds for healthy food incentives, like Market Match, as a non-federal match for future FINI funds. This included coverage in major local and statewide news outlets like the San Jose Mercury News, AgNet West Radio Network, Farm City News Day, the East Bay Times, CDFA's Planting Seeds blog, Messenger Publishing Group, and others. The story was also picked up by national/international outlets with millions of readers including Daily Kos (1 million) and Huffington Post (89 million). See http://marketmatch.org/news/. When posting to social media platforms, we used the #NIFAImpacts hashtag extensively. In 2016, in partnership with the Alameda County County Department of Social Services, under separate federal funding, we produced and began mailing a trifold, multi-lingual brochure to all 72,000 SNAP households in Alameda County. The full-color brochure informs recipients about EBT at Farmers' markets and Market Match. It describes how to use the program, what the benefits are and how to find participating markets through our www.FMFinder.org website. Between 8/1/16 - 6/30/17, we reached approximately 62,000 SNAP households in Alameda County, and we expect to reach all households twice by 9/30/18. Market Match outreach materials distributed by Implementation Contractors in their local communities total approximately 1.2M pieces/views. The Ecology Center also received requests from numerous state, county or local agencies and Community Based Organizations, for Market Match-related outreach and educational materials to share with their clients and stakeholders. Some of those groups include California Food Policy Advocates, Los Angeles Department of Public Health, UCLA Center for Health Policy Research, Santa Clara County Public Health Department, Stanford Medical Center, San Francisco General Hospital, and the Food Bank of Contra Costa and Solano Counties. Ecology Center has disseminated general program information and data at the following conferences and seminars: Food Insecurity Nutrition Incentive (FINI) Program Project Director Meetings, August 2016 and 2017, Washington DC. This was a plenary presentation on California Market Match program. The presentation gave updates on Period 1 accomplishments, highlighted the importance of Direct Marketing outlets for incentive programs, and raised polemic questions regarding expansion into large-scale retail and the limited benefits to farmers and rural economies such programs provide. Proposed rule change for supermarkets to be able to offer discounts to SNAP shoppers for fruits and vegetables by right, instead of seeking to fund incentives at that scale. Led roundtable discussion on program sustainability and seeking non-federal government support. The Future of SNAP Symposium, UC Berkeley, May 2015. This one-day gathering of top national SNAP advocates and officials posed fundamental questions and sought to advance the field in thinking about SNAP as a health program and SNAP as a poverty alleviation program. The Ecology Center introduced the idea that SNAP-to-Farm purchasing driven by incentives can also improve health and reduce poverty for food producing communities, not just consumers. http://ecologycenter.org/blog/ecology-center-and-the-future-of-snap/. Childhood Obesity Conference, San Diego CA June 2015. Presented the benefits of Market Match to national public health officials and health foundation officers. Closing the Hunger Gap Conference, Portland OR September 2015. Presented on benefits of nutrition incentive programs among anti-hunger and food security advocates Farmers' Market Coalition Meeting, Washington, DC, October 2015. http://ecologycenter.org/blog/ecology-center-in- washington-dc-connecting-tech-innovators-with-farmers-markets-for-food-stamp-access/ FNS Western Regional Office State SNAP Director Meeting, December 2015. Transforming Food Access Summit, Wholesome Wave, Atlanta January 2016. Ecology Center presented on technology innovation, operating statewide incentive programs, and acquiring state funding for incentive programs. Annual in-person Face-to-Face market Match meeting was held in Oakland, California February, 2016. City of Auburn SNAP Sign-up event, April 2016. These SNAP sign-up events, coordinated in partnership with USDA FNS, were geared towards educating farmers' market operators on Market Match, providing EBT assistance, and recruiting potential new Market Match partners. We provided EBT assistance under separate funding. Fresno County SNAP Sign-up event, April 2016. Los Angeles County SNAP Sign-up event, May 2016. Making Healthy Food More Affordable Panel at SPUR San Jose, July 2016. Presented on a panel of three speakers to an audience of 15-20 community members and partner organizations. Soil Not Oil Conference Presentation on Market Match, August 2016. NAFMNP conference "North to the Future," Juneau Alaska, September 2016. CalFresh Training at the Alameda County Community Food Bank, November 2016. Shared Market Match Program information with CalFresh enrollment and outreach workers. Foundation for Food and Agriculture Research Convening "Our Healthy Purpose," presented on Code For America Report, Washington DC, November 2016. Tabling at the CalFresh Forum hosted by the California Food Policy Advocates, February 2017. More than 200 people attend this event. Annual in-person Face-to-Face market Match meeting was held in Oakland, California February, 2017. Riverside SNAP Sign-up event, February 2017. Westat National FINI Grantee Webinar, February 2017. Presented to fellow FINI Grantees, regarding Market Match and Ecology Center's grant innovations, on national FINI evaluator, Westat's, quarterly webinar. Los Angeles County Department of Public Social Services, CalFresh Awareness Month Internal Kick-off Convening, March 2017. Presented on the Market Match program and how to use SNAP benefits at farmers' markets to over 200 SNAP outreach and enrollment workers. Martin Bourque will present results from the Market Match two year longitudinal study at the American Public Health Association's Annual Conference November 10th to 14th, 2018 in San Diego CA: "Creating the Healthiest Nation: Health Equity Now." What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?
Nothing Reported
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
Summary of Impacts: California Market Match has simultaneously improved the health of California's low-income shoppers and stimulated the farm economy. Impacts of this award are evidenced by the results of customer surveys and the direct purchase of approximately $7.11 million worth of fruit and vegetables from small independent farmers by SNAP shoppers. Even assuming $0.40 per serving (more than twice USDA's national weighted average for both fresh fruits and vegetables), this represents nearly 18 million servings. The award stimulated significant growth, allowing Market Match to expand between 2014 to 2017 from 153 concurrent sites to 288, and from 59,493 annual customer transactions to 213,573. During this grant, Market Match delivered over $2.6M million of nutrition incentives to 296,501 shoppers at a total of 304 locations in 31 counties. 71.4% of shoppers surveyed said that they purchase more fruits and vegetables as a result of the program and 71.5% report that their family's health has improved. For farmers, the impact is even greater. The USDA Food Assistance National Input-Output Multiplier (FANIOM) is reported at $1.79 of economic benefit resulting from each SNAP dollar spent. If applied to the total of SNAP and Market Match spending, the resulting economic benefit to farming communities is over $12.7 million. Additionally 50% of shoppers surveyed planned to spend an average of $18 additional dollars at the market resulting in an estimated $2.7 million more for market vendors. Cumulatively, this was enough to stimulate 37% of farmers to report new hires, acreage expansion, investment in equipment, and/or expanded crop production. Of the farmers surveyed, 74% report making more money, and 84%% report selling more fruits and vegetables. According to the National Farmers Union Farmer's Share Report, in traditional retail environments, only 17.4 cents of every retail dollar goes back to the farmer, over 80% goes to marketing, distribution, and retail operators. Thus, over the two year grant period, Market Match at farmers' markets put $5.57 million more into farmers' pockets than the same sales at a national grocery chain would have. Finally, Market Match produced economic benefits for the communities and businesses near farmers' markets. 31.9% of shoppers reported spending an average of $30.83 per visit in businesses outside the farmers' markets resulting in an estimated $2.9 million in additional economic benefit for businesses near participating markets. All told, if we add the SNAP, Market Match, estimated at-market cash spending, and estimated near-market purchases we have a total of $12.7 million in economic activity, which is nearly double the economic impact of SNAP alone based on the FANIOM multiplier. Achieving Our Goals: GOAL 1: Increase Farm Direct SNAP Purchases of Fruits and Vegetables. During the grant, FINI funding enabled California Market Match to distribute $2,661,602 worth of healthy food incentives accompanying 296,501 SNAP transactions. This drove an additional $4,454,375 in SNAP purchasing at farmers' markets and other farm-direct sites, for a total of $7,115,977 in SNAP and incentive-to-farm purchases. GOAL 2: Develop and Test Technological Innovations. In Period 1, the Ecology Center and Implementing Contractor, Pacific Coast Farmers' Market Association, (PCFMA) developed and tested a barcoded scrip system designed to improve benefit redemption and scrip tracking. PCFMA rolled the system out at dozens of markets and based upon its success, in Period 2, extended it to all 50 farmers' markets at which PCFMA offered Market Match. Over the course of the grant, PCFMA scanned 2,150,000 pieces of CalFresh and Market Match scrip through the system. PCFMA reports that for their purposes, the system has been excellent. The barcoded scrip system offers important benefits in fiscal controls and scrip tracking for larger operators with many markets.. The most notable drawback is that the scrip has to be manually scanned with a handheld barcode scanner wand. This is very slow. No off-the-shelf options exist to scan scrip automatically, and specialized scanners are still prohibitively expensive. GOAL 3: Pilot Market Match at New Farm Direct Venues. The Ecology Center and Implementing Contractor, Fresh Approach, continued to operate their pilot Market Match program at their Mobile Markets in Contra Costa County. Over the grant period they expanded into Alameda, San Mateo, and Santa Clara counties as well. Since Period 1, operations increased from five days a week, serving 14 sites weekly, to seven days a week, serving 22 sites weekly in Period 2. Over the course of the grant, an aggregate total of 36 Mobile Market stops offered incentives, non-concurrently. Between June 2015 and June 2017, aggregated across all sites, SNAP sales increased by 800% monthly, the amount of Market Match distributed grew dramatically by 1700%, and SNAP transactions rose by 533%. With Implementation Partners, Phat Beets and Alchemist CDC, Market Match was offered at 17 Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) pick-up sites and four farm stands, including three community produce stands through a partnership with the Oakland Unified School District. GOAL 4: Evaluate customer and farmer impacts. Ecology Center undertook a two-year longitudinal evaluation of the impacts of Market Match on SNAP shoppers, farmers, and market operators. Dr. Howard Greenwald of the Price School of Public Policy at the University of Southern California conducted the evaluation. The study included 2,351 customer surveys, 91 farmer interviews, 68 implementer interviews, and direct observation at 36 markets. The study also relied on 4,450 monthly site reports tracking 21 data points for each Implementation Contractor, and 90 day second intensive interviews with 34 SNAP shoppers. The results showed significant benefits for shoppers, farmers, neighboring businesses, rural communities and market operators. The evaluation and summary findings are included as products in this report. The Ecology Center identified and disseminated numerous best practices through bi-monthly webinars, one-on-one calls and communications, through in-depth interviews with both customers and market operators, and conferences. Through the course of the grant we learned a great deal about how to implement incentive programs to improve and replicate systems and program structures effectively and efficiently. Lessons Learned from Scrip and Single Point of Sale Pilots: Wood or plastic tokens are cheap but bulky and take time to count; they are perfect for small market with small numbers of SNAP transactions. Metal tokens and coin counters are more expensive, but timesaving, and make sense in large markets with high volume. Paper scrip with barcodes is the most costly and complicated system but offers an option for an expiration date, stronger inventory controls, and tracking by market, making it a valuable system for Implementation Contractors that run Market Match at many locations. Single Point Of Sale (SPOS) sites have proven important to the communities they serve. Best practices include offering additional community programming in order to draw diverse shoppers; providing clear, visible signage.
Publications
- Type:
Other
Status:
Other
Year Published:
2018
Citation:
CALIFORNIA MARKET MATCH PROGRAM FOOD INSECURITY NUTRITION INCENTIVE GRANT: EVALUATION FINAL REPORT. Howard P. Greenwald, Ph.D., Sol Price School of Public Policy, University of Southern California, March 31, 2018
|
Progress 04/01/16 to 03/31/17
Outputs
Target Audience:Market Match Target Audiences: California Market Match is designed to serve three target audiences: 1) California SNAP shoppers, 2) California direct marketing specialty crop farmers, and, 3) California farmers' market operators and supporting agencies that provide the nutrition incentives (Implementing Contractors). California SNAP Shoppers: In Period 2, Market Match provided nutrition incentives to 160,179 California SNAP customers (non-unique.) According to FNS, in 2013 California had: (i) the largest number of monthly SNAP participants in the country, 4,159,031; (ii) the second largest number of SNAP households nationally, 1,905,869, and (iii) was distributing the largest overall pool of SNAP dollars totaling $7,558,348,393. California Market Match serves SNAP shoppers from every region of the state, living in urban, suburban, and rural environments. While the demographics served vary widely from county to county, according to the USDA's Food and Nutrition Services 2013 data on the characteristics of California SNAP households, CA's SNAP shoppers are approximately 57% White, 12.91% African-American, 7.52% Asian, 1.44% American Indian/ Alaska Native, and.48% Hawaiian/other. Of these households, 49.43% are of Hispanic or Latino origin (of any race). During Period 2, our evaluators at the Sol Price School of Public Policy at the University of Southern California developed and distributed customer surveys in English, Spanish, and Chinese to all Implementing Contractors (ICs). Of the 1231 customers surveyed, 35.2% identified as Caucasian, 30.9% Latino/Latina, 13.6% Asian, 7.5% African-American, the remainder identified as "other minority" or of "mixed racial background." Among shoppers interviewed, 77.7% identified as female, 21.2% as male, and 1.1% as other. Direct Marketing Specialty Crop Farmers: California Market Match has the goal of serving each of California's 2,200 small, independent, sustainable, fruit and vegetable growers that sell at California Farmers' Markets (CFMs) and other farm-direct outlets. Unlike other sales outlets, CFMs have low barriers to entry, and 100% of the revenue goes directly to the farmer. As a result, many beginning, and socially disadvantaged farmers participate in CFMs and directly benefit from this project's improvements to direct sales. During Period 2, Market Match served 1,907 farmers at the 270 sites. Implementing Contractors: Implementing Contractors offered Market Match incentives at sites across the state. As the lead organization, the Ecology Center considers them to be both the contractors utilized to execute the program, as well as stakeholders we serve. Together, we develop systems that improve implementation practices and procedures and decrease administrative costs and operational barriers. By contracting with local entities, the Ecology Center can efficiently offer Market Match in stable, consistent locations attuned to the local community. Most are farmers' market associations that have been operating for many years and have key local relationships, staffing that reflects the local community, and valuable knowledge of the community's history. Many of the service providers are small independent operators that would not otherwise be able to offer this program to SNAP customers and family farmers without support from the Ecology Center. We facilitate participation from market operators and support agencies that vary in size and scope from small volunteer and farmer-run efforts to huge not-for-profit agencies. In the selection of contractors, The Ecology Center takes size, potential impact, geography, and other factors into consideration to ensure that a diverse and broad cross section of California farmers and shoppers will be served. Many of the newest outlets, including mobile markets, Community Supported Agriculture (CSA), and farm stands operate in areas that are unable to support a full farmers' market. In Period 2, Market Match served 43 Implementation Contractors offering the program at 270 sites in 31 counties. Changes/Problems:Challenges: We were slightly behind schedule on delivering incentives under this award due to the late roll out in 2015. We requesed and received a non-financial extension and will have no difficulty meeting the major deliverables in the extra months. The Agricultural Institute of Marin's (AIM) Mobile Market rollout continues to be delayed due to a recall on vehicle airbags for their Mobile Market vehicle. A new launch date is predicated on the availability of parts and service to replace the defective airbags. In the meantime, AIM continues to foster community relationships. AIM continues to attend monthly Marin Food Policy Council meetings to discuss the needs of the community and build partnerships with organizations that would benefit from the Mobile Market services. We compensated for these locations by adding additional farmers' market locations. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?Training and Professional Development: During Period 2, the Ecology Center staff held five training webinars for the California Market Match Consortium. We were pleased to have participation from lead employees of the Market Match Implementation Partners representing farmers' markets and farmers from 31 counties in California. Webinars covered program updates, media campaign coordination, technology pilot updates, outreach best practices, customer survey administration, Westat data reporting training, budget adjustment procedures, and other critical contractual components educating contractors on how to manage their efforts effectively within federal requirements. For many operators, including new Implementation Contractors added in early spring 2016, this was their first exposure to the Code of Federal Regulations, allowable costs, and required documentation. The approval by Office of Management and Budget (OMB) of Westat's evaluation plan necessitated extensive webinar training with both new and veteran Market Match Implementation Contractors. In some cases, the FINI grant provided a unique opportunity for low-capacity and small-scale farmers' markets and organizations to access a complex federal grant and build skills and organizational capacity. Ecology Center support and training have been critical to developing their capacity, ensuring grant compliance, and establishing Market Match in low-capacity, high-need communities. Ecology Center staff spent additional time providing ongoing one-on-one support via video conference, phone, and in-person sessions. Areas of focus include budget and budget justification creation, grant tracking, invoicing, tracking allowable non-federal match, program evaluation and survey administration, and overall federal grant compliance. In February 2017, we held the annual, two-day, in-person Face-to-Face meeting in Oakland, California to train, build program cohesion across the state, share best practices, and ensure grant compliance. Topics of training at this event included innovative outreach and promotional campaigns; Farm Bill basics, including SNAP and FINI; a report from California Department of Food & Agriculture on the newly formed California Nutrition Incentive Program (CNIP) funding; incentives in grocery; social media marketing strategies for promoting Market Match, a "show and tell" of FM Tracks tablet tracking technology; best practices from veteran Market Match operators; and more. Through our outreach efforts, some customers and farmers have received media training to develop participant spokespeople that can engage effectively with the press. Farmers and vendors have also received significant training from market managers on how to use the program and what products are eligible. Finally, as part of our grant compliance and fiduciary responsibilities, our staff has received training on the single audit and negotiated indirect cost rate calculations. As a result, we received for the first time a Federally Negotiated Indirect Cost Rate and made changes to our financial systems to apply this rate according to federal guidelines. We also completed our first Single Audit and passed with flying colors and with no findings or recommendations. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?Dissemination of Results: Each Implementation Contractor uses its own local outreach strategies. These include partnerships with local SNAP and WIC offices and promoting the program through other social service organizations. The Ecology Center developed customizable materials for fliers, posters, and market signage. We also provided large format market banners announcing Market Match to shoppers. In June of 2016, Ecology Center engaged Kathleen Russell Consulting as the Customer Recruitment Contractor to assist with a Market Match earned media campaign. Cumulative views / circulation / impressions totaled over 100 million. We garnered significant news coverage related to the second year of the FINI program implementation and Governor Brown's approval of $5 million in state funds for healthy food incentives, like Market Match, as a non-federal match for future FINI funds. This included coverage in major local and statewide news outlets like the San Jose Mercury News, AgNet West Radio Network, Farm City News Day, the East Bay Times, CDFA's Planting Seeds blog, Messenger Publishing Group, and others. The story was also picked up by national/international outlets with millions of readers including Daily Kos (1 million) and Huffington Post (89 million). See http://marketmatch.org/news/. When posting to social media platforms, we used the #NIFAImpacts hashtag extensively. In partnership with the Alameda County County Department of Social Services and with seperate federal funding, we produced and began mailing a trifold, multi-lingual brochure to all 72,000 SNAP households in Alameda County. The full-color brochure informs recipients about EBT at Farmers' markets and Market Match. It describes how to use the program, what the benefits are and how to find participating markets through our www.FMFinder.org website. As of 3/31/17, we have reached approximately two-thirds of SNAP households in Alameda County, and we expect to reach all households by 7/31/17. Market Match outreach materials distributed by Implementation Contractors in their local communities total approximately 1.2M pieces/views. The Ecology Center also received requests from numerous state, county or local agencies and Community Based Organizations, for Market Match-related outreach and educational materials to share with their clients and stakeholders. Some of those groups include California Food Policy Advocates, Los Angeles Department of Public Health, UCLA Center for Health Policy Research, Santa Clara County Public Health Department, Stanford Medical Center, San Francisco General Hospital, and the Food Bank of Contra Costa and Solano Counties. After reviewing and dissemineating the technology analysis completed by Code for America developed in the previous grant period and the presentations at USDA's Food Insecurity Nutrition Incentive (FINI) Program Project Director Meeting, in August 2016, the Ecology Center has focused on ways technology can reduce administrative tracking needs rather than performing financial transactions. Ecology Center staff engaged with Darcy Freedman, Associate Director, Prevention Research Center for Healthy Neighborhoods, from Case Western University and Julia Pon from Wholesome Wave to develop a partnership to roll out FM Tracks on a digital table platform to interested contractors in Market Match in the future. This plan was included in the CDFA 2016 submission to NIFA as part of the California FINI proposal. If funded, roll out will begin in the fall of 2017, and results will be disseminated under that grant. Additionally, Ecology Center has disseminated general program information and data at the following conferences and seminars: Food Insecurity Nutrition Incentive (FINI) Program Project Director Meeting, August 2016, Washington DC. This was a plenary presentation on California Market Match program. The presentation gave updates on Period 1 accomplishments, highlighted the importance of Direct Marketing outlets for incentive programs, and raised polemic questions regarding expansion into large-scale retail and the limited benefits to farmers and rural economies such programs provide. Proposed rule change for supermarkets to be able to offer discounts to SNAP shoppers for fruits and vegetables by right, instead of seeking to fund incentives at that scale. Led roundtable discussion on program sustainability and seeking non-federal government support. Auburn SNAP Sign-up event, April 2016. These SNAP sign-up events, coordinated in partnership with USDA FNS, were geared towards educating farmers' market operators on Market Match, providing EBT assistance, and recruiting potential new Market Match partners. We provided EBT assistance under separate funding. Fresno SNAP Sign-up event, April 2016. Los Angeles SNAP Sign-up event, May 2016. Making Healthy Food More Affordable Panel at SPUR San Jose, July 2016. Presented on a panel of three speakers to an audience of 15-20 community members and partner organizations. Making Healthy Food More Affordable Panel at SPUR Oakland, July 2016. Presented on a panel of three speakers to an audience of 15-20 community members and partner organizations. Soil Not Oil Conference Presentation on Market Match, August 2016. NAFMNP conference "North to the Future," Juneau Alaska, September 2016. CalFresh Training at the Alameda County Community Food Bank, November 2016. Shared Market Match Program information with CalFresh enrollment and outreach workers. Foundation for Food and Agriculture Research Convening "Our Healthy Purpose," presented on Code For America Report, Washington DC, November 2016. Tabling at the CalFresh Forum hosted by the California Food Policy Advocates, February 2017. More than 200 people attend this event. Riverside SNAP Sign-up event, February 2017. Westat National FINI Grantee Webinar, February 2017. Presented to fellow FINI Grantees, regarding Market Match and Ecology Center's grant innovations, on national FINI evaluator, Westat's, quarterly webinar. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?Period 3 Activities: NIFA approved a non-financial extension of the grant term to finalize the grant goals and objectives. In the additional months resulting from this grant extension, we will: Meet the outstanding incentives, customer service, market location, non-federal match grant goals and requirements; Complete the evaluation and report production grant components with the USC Price School of Public Policy; Close our all of the Implementation Contractors' subcontractors and finalize all administrative and financial requirements; Provide final financial and programmatic reporting on the grant.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
Summary of Impacts: California Market Match has simultaneously improved the health of California's low-income shoppers and stimulated the farm economy. Market Match impacts are evidenced by the results of customer surveys and the direct purchase of approximately $3.55 million worth of fruit and vegetables from small independent farmers by SNAP shoppers. In Period 2, Market Match delivered nearly $1.4 million of nutrition incentives to 160,000 shoppers at 270 locaions in 31 counties. Even assuming $0.40 per serving (more than twice USDA's national weighted average for both fresh fruits and vegetables), this represents 8.9 million servings in Period 2 alone. Additionally, 71.4% of shoppers surveyed said that they purchase more fruits and vegetables as a result of the program and 71.5% report that their family's health has improved. For farmers, the impact is even greater. The USDA Food Assistance National Input-Output Multiplier (FANIOM) is reported at $1.79 of economic benefit resulting from each SNAP dollar spent. Thus, the resulting economic benefit to farming communities resulting from Market Match is over $6.35 million. This was enough to stimulate 46% of farmers to report new hires, acreage expansion, investment in equipment, and/or expanded crop production. According to the National Farmers Union Farmer's Share Report, in traditional retail environments, only 17.4 cents of every retail dollar goes back to the farmer, over 80% goes to marketing, distribution, and retail operators. Accordingly, Market Match at farmers' markets put nearly $3 million more into farmers' pockets than the same sales at a national grocery chain. Of the farmers surveyed, 73.1% report making more money, and 76.9% report having more customers. Additionally, Market Match produced economic benefits for the communities and businesses near farmers' markets. 31.9% of shoppers reported spending an average of $30.83 per visit in businesses outside the farmers' markets resulting in an estimated $1.6 million in additional economic benefit for businesses near participating markets. Achieving our Goals: California Market Match has four primary goals: (1) increase the purchase of farm-direct, additive-free, fresh, dried, or canned fruits and vegetables by SNAP consumers; (2) develop and test technological innovations that improve incentive redemption systems; (3) pilot Market Match offerings in new retail contexts; and (4) evaluate diet, health, economic, and other impacts. GOAL 1: Increase Farm Direct SNAP Purchases of Fruits and Vegetables. During Period 2, FINI funding enabled California Market Match to distribute $1,369,181 worth of healthy food incentives accompanying 160,179 SNAP transactions. This drove an additional $2,184,403 in SNAP purchasing at farmers' markets and other farm-direct sites, for a total of $3,553,584 in SNAP and incentive-to-Farm purchases. Market Match incentives were available at 270 locations in 31 counties, including 223 farmers' markets, where Market Match has been extensively field tested, and 47 pilot sites at mobile markets, Community Supported Agriculture outlets, and farm stands. GOAL 2: Develop and Test Technological Innovations. In Period 1, the Ecology Center and Implementing Contractor, Pacific Coast Farmers' Market Association, (PCFMA) developed and tested a barcoded scrip system designed to improve benefit redemption and scrip tracking. During period 2, Ecology Center finalized the database system and rolled it out at our three weekly markets. PCFMA rolled the system out at dozens of markets. During Period 2, PCFMA scanned 1,604,945 pieces of CalFresh and Market Match scrip through the system. PCFMA reports that for their purposes, the system has been excellent. The barcoded scrip system offers important benefits. The system allows market managers to track easily how much scrip moves between the different markets, and it allows operators to see how long each individual scrip is in circulation. The most notable drawback is that the scrip has to be manually scanned with a handheld barcode scanner wand. This is very slow. No off-the-shelf options exist to scan scrip automatically, and specialized scanners are still prohibitively expensive. Through this pilot project we have learned a great deal about handling scrip and are better able to advise individual operators on which method will best meet their markets' needs and constraints. Where many markets are under one management organization and where redemption is a problem, this barcoded scrip seems worth the extra processing time. GOAL 3: Pilot Market Match at New Farm Direct Venues. The Ecology Center and Implementing Contractor, Fresh Approach, continued to operate their pilot Market Match program at their Mobile Markets in Contra Costa County. Since Period 1, operations increased from five days a week, serving 14 sites weekly, to six days a week, serving 20 sites weekly. During the reporting period, an aggregate total of 26 Mobile Market stops offered incentives, non-concurrently. Between April 2016 and March 2017, SNAP sales increased by 157%, the number of SNAP transactions grew by 150%, and SNAP sales dramatically rose by 300%. With Implementation Partners, Phat Beets and Alchemist CDC, Market Match was offered at 17 Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) pick-up sites and four farm stands in Period 2, including three community produce stands through a new partnership with the Oakland Unified School District. GOAL 4: Evaluate Customer and Farmer Impacts. Process Outcomes: Ecology Center collected baseline impact and process data throughout Period 2 measuring the number of locations, SNAP customers served, farmers served, incentives distributed, total purchasing of fruits and vegetables, and more. In fact, Market Match tracks 21 data points for each Implementing Contractor. Best Practices: The Ecology Center worked with Implementing Contractors to understand, document and share best practices. We identify best practices through bi-monthly webinars, one-on-one calls and communications, through in-depth interviews with both customers and market operators, and conferences. Relationship to Helath, Benefits, and Farm Econmies: Evaluators at the University of Southern California administered 1,231 interviews of farmers' market shoppers, 38 interviews of shoppers (followups to initial Period 1 interviews), 25 interviews of farmers, 15 in-depth interviews with program managers, and four interviews of market managers. Results and analysis will be presented in Period 3. Challenges and Opportunities of New Pilots: Through interviews, site visits, meetings, and webinars, the Ecology Center has learned that the various scrip and redemption systems can be optimized for different contexts. For example, plastic tokens are cheap but bulky and take time to count; they are fine in a small market with small numbers of SNAP transactions. Metal tokens and coin counters are more expensive, but timesaving, and make sense in large markets with high volume. Paper scrip with barcodes is the most costly and complicated system but offers an option for an expiration date, stronger inventory controls, and tracking by market, making it a valuable system for Implementation Contractors that run Market Match at many locations. The non-farmers' market pilot sites, or Single Point Of Sale (SPOS) sites, while distributing a relatively small dollar amount of incentives, have proven important to the communities they serve. Some best practices and lessons learned by the evaluation team include: offering additional community programming at SPOS (such as gardening) in order to draw diverse shoppers; Implementation Contractors finding innovative ways to reduce travel burden for low-income shoppers; and the importance of providing clear, visible signage.
Publications
|
Progress 04/01/15 to 03/31/16
Outputs
Target Audience:Market Match Target Audiences: California Market Match is designed to serve three target audiences: 1) California SNAP shoppers, 2) California direct marketing specialty crop farmers, and, 3) California farmers' market operators and supporting agencies that provide the nutrition incentives (Implementing Contractors). California SNAP Shoppers: In Period 1, Market Match provided nutrition incentives to 116,581 California SNAP customers. According to FNS, in 2013 California had: (i) the largest number of monthly SNAP participants in the country, 4,159,031; (ii) the second largest number of SNAP households nationally, 1,905,869, and (iii) was distributing the largest overall pool of SNAP dollars totaling $7,558,348,393. California Market Match serves SNAP shoppers from every region of the state, living in urban, suburban, and rural environments. While the demographics served vary widely from county to county, according to the USDA's Food and Nutrition Services 2013 data on the characteristics of California SNAP households, CA's SNAP shoppers are approximately 57% White, 12.91% African American, 7.52% Asian, 1.44% American Indian/ Alaska Native, and.48% Hawaiian/other. Of these households, 49.43% are of Hispanic or Latino origin (of any race). During the course of Period 1, our evaluators at the Sol Price School of Public Policy at the University of Southern California, developed and distributed customer surveys in English, Spanish, and Chinese to all 39 Implementing Contractors (ICs). Of the 844 customer shoppers surveyed, 33.8% identified as Caucasian, 32.1% Latino/Latina, 15.9% Asian, 7.1% African-American, with the remainder identified as "other minority" or of "mixed racial background." Among shoppers interviewed, 80.7% identified as female,18.2% as male, and 1.1% as other. Implementing Contractors: Implementing Contractors offered Market Match incentives at sites across the state. As the lead organization, the Ecology Center considers them to be both the contractors utilized to execute the program, as well as stakeholders we serve. Together, we develop systems that improve implementation practices and procedures, and decrease administrative costs and operational barriers. By contracting with local entities, the Ecology Center is able to efficiently offer Market Match in stable, consistent locations attuned to the local community. Most are farmers' market associations that have been operating for many years and have key local relationships, staffing that reflects the local community, and valuable knowledge of the community's history. Many of the service providers are small independent operators that would not otherwise be able to offer this program to SNAP customers and family farmers without support from the Ecology Center. We facilitate participation from market operators and support agencies that vary in size and scope from small volunteer and farmer run efforts to very large not-for-profit agencies. The Ecology Center in its selection of contractors takes scale, potential impact, geography, and other factors into consideration to ensure that a diverse and wide cross section of California farmers and shoppers will be served. Many of the newest outlets, including mobile markets, Community Supported Agriculture (CSA), and farm stands operate in areas that are unable to support a full farmers' market. Market Match served 39 Implementation Contractors offering the program at 252 sites in 31 counties. Direct Marketing Specialty Crop Farmers: California Market Match has the goal of serving each of California's 2,200 small, independent, sustainable, fruit and vegetable growers that sell at California Farmers' Markets (CFMs) and other farm-direct outlets. Unlike other sales outlets, CFMs have low barriers to entry and 100% of the revenue goes directly to the farmer. As a result, many beginning, and socially disadvantaged farmers participate in CFMs and directly benefit from this project's improvements to direct sales. During Period 1, Market Match served 1,636 farmers at the 252 sites. Changes/Problems:
Nothing Reported
What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?Training and Professional Development: Ecology Center staff held eight training webinars for the California Market Match Consortium. Lead employees from the 39 Market Match Implementation Partners participated representing farmers' markets and farmers from 31 in California. Initial webinars covered program logistics, operations, contract compliance, invoicing, and other critical contractual components educating contractors on how to manage their efforts under federal requirements effectively. For many operators, this was their first exposure to the Code of Federal Regulations, allowable costs, and required documentation. Subsequent webinars offered training on promotions, communications, farmer and customer outreach, community relations, integration with SNAP-ED programs, evaluation tools, methodology, and other best practices. In some cases, the FINI grant provided a unique opportunity for low-capacity and small-scale farmers' markets and organizations to access a complex federal grant and build skills and organizational capacity. Ecology Center support and training have been critical to developing their capacity, ensuring grant compliance, and establishing Market Match in low-capacity, high-need communities. Ecology Center staff spent additional time providing ongoing one-on-one support via video conference, phone, and in-person sessions. Areas of focus include budget and budget justification creation, grant tracking, invoicing, allowable non-federal match, program evaluation and survey administration, and overall federal grant compliance. In February 2016, the annual, two-day, in-person Face-to-Face meeting was held in Oakland, California to train, build group cohesion across the state, share best practices, and ensure grant compliance. Pieces of training at this event included media relations and storytelling, Farm Bill basics and how FINI was funded, SNAP at farmers' markets from FNS Western Regional Office, best practices from veteran Market Match operators, and more. Through our outreach efforts, some customers and farmers have received media training to develop participant spokespeople that can engage effectively with the press. Farmers have also received significant training from market managers on how to use the program and what products eligible for sale. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?Dissemination of Results: Each Implementation Contractor uses their own local outreach strategies. These include partnerships with local SNAP and WIC offices and promoting the program through other social service organizations. The Ecology Center developed customizable materials for fliers, posters, and market signage. We also provided large format market banners announcing Market Match to shoppers. In June of 2015, Ecology Center engaged Kathleen Russell Consulting as the Customer Recruitment Contractor to assist with a Market Match earned media campaign. Cumulative views / circulation / impressions totaled over 2 million. We garnered significant news coverage on the release of the FINI funds and program launch in the major statewide news outlets like the LA times and Sacramento Bee, as well as great local press in farming communities like the Modesto Bee, and in rural areas like the Lake County News. We also got excellent coverage in SNAP dense areas like the East Bay Express in Oakland. See http://marketmatch.org/news/. We received positive coverage in the food press and through social media and blogs like Civil Eats and Edible East Bay. When posting to social media platforms, we used the #NIFAImpacts. In partnership with Los Angeles County Department of Public Social Services (LADPSS) and First 5 Los Angeles, we produced and mailed a trifold, multi-lingual brochure to all 580,000 SNAP households in Los Angeles County. The full-color brochure informed recipients about Market Match, how to use the program, what the benefits are, and how to find participating markets through our www.FMFinder.org website. The Ecology Center disseminated the commissioned Code for America market research white paper titled "Technology for the Delivery of Farmers Market Incentive Programs" to key constituents, presenting this work and other information on technology innovation at Wholesome Wave's Transforming Food Access Summit and by individual inquiry. Additionally, Ecology Center has disseminated general program information and data at the following conferences and seminars: 1. The Future of SNAP Symposium, UC Berkeley, May 2015. This one-day gathering of top national SNAP advocates and officials posed fundamental questions and sought to advance the field in thinking about SNAP as a health program and SNAP as a poverty alleviation program. The Ecology Center introduced the idea that SNAP-to-Farm purchasing driven by incentives can also improve health and reduce poverty for food producing communities, not just consumers. http://ecologycenter.org/blog/ecology-center-and-the-future-of-snap/. 2. Childhood Obesity Conference, San Diego CA June 2015. Presented the benefits of Market Match to national public health officials and health foundation officers. 3. Closing the Hunger Gap Conference, Portland OR September 2015. Presented on benefits of nutrition incentive programs among anti-hunger and food security advocates 4. Farmers' Market Coalition Meeting, Washington, DC, October 2015. http://ecologycenter.org/blog/ecology-center-in-washington-dc-connecting-tech-innovators-with-farmers-markets-for-food-stamp-access/ 5. FNS Western Regional Office State SNAP Director Meeting, December 2015. 6. Transforming Food Access Summit, Wholesome Wave, Atlanta January 2016. Ecology Center presented on technology innovation, operating statewide incentive programs, and acquiring state funding for incentive programs. 7. In February 2016, the annual in-person Face-to-Face meeting was held in Oakland, California. This two-day meeting included presentations from the Ecology Center's lead Evaluator Dr. Howard Greenwald on preliminary evaluation results; Ecology Center staff on 2015 Market Match metrics; and Implementing Partner presentations on innovative approaches, and best practices. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?Period 2 Activities: Period 2 will comprise a full market year and allow the program to grow organically and through planned interventions. While impressive, Period 1 only included 10 months of operation, and for many new markets it was their first foray into incentive programming. With a full complement of 263 sites in Period 2, and nearly a year of operation for beginning markets we believe we will achieve our initial goal of distributing $2.6 million in incentives. To increase incentive and SNAP distribution during Period 2, the Ecology Center will: 1. Incorporate 7 additional Implementing Contractors, representing 19 new farmers' market locations during Period 2; 2. Work in close collaboration with all Implementing Contractors to increase outreach and promotional activities. Some activities already planned include direct mailings to 550,000 SNAP households, text/email recruitment campaigns, and forging new community partnerships; 3. Consider, as appropriate, raising the per visit incentive cap for select Implementing Contractors; and 4. Continue to seek local press for the program which has proven to be one of the best ways to generate new shoppers. While the implementation of the bar-coded scrip systems was delayed due to the need for additional field testing, by the end of Period 2, the system will be rolled out at 63 sites as originally planned. Period 2 will also include significant additional efforts on evaluation. We will continue to collect surveys, and there will be ongoing interviews with participants in the longitudinal, intensive customer study. Evaluators will produce a final report on their findings over the two periods.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
Summary of Impacts: California Market Match has simultaneously improved the health of California's low-income shoppers, and stimulated the farm economy. Market Match impacts are evidenced by the results of customer surveys and the direct purchase of nearly $2.5 million worth of fruit and vegetables from small independent farmers. Even assuming $0.40 per serving (more than twice USDA's national weighted average for both fresh fruits and vegetables) this represents 10 million servings in Period 1 alone, and over nine servings purchased by each participating market visitor. Additionally, 74.1% of shoppers surveyed said that they purchase more fruits and vegetables as a result of the program and 79.7% report that their family's health has improved. For farmers, the impact is even greater. The USDA Food Assistance National Input-Output Multiplier (FANIOM) is reported at $1.79 of economic benefit resulting from each SNAP dollar spent. Thus, the resulting economic benefit to farming communities resulting from Market Match is over $4.4 million. This was enough to stimulate 38.6% of farmers to report new hires, acreage expansion, investment in equipment, and/or expanded crop production. According to the National Farmers Union Farmer's Share Report, in traditional retail environments only 17.4 cents of every retail dollar goes back to the farmer, over 80% goes to marketing, distribution, and retail operators. Accordingly, Market Match at farmers' markets put nearly $2.1 million more into farmers' pockets than the same sales at a national grocery chain. Of the farmers surveyed, 73.9% report making more money, and 82.6% report having more customers. Additionally, Market Match produced economic benefits for the communities and businesses near farmers' markets. 64.4% of shoppers reported spending an average of $37.08 per visit in businesses outside the farmers' markets resulting in an estimated $1.2 million in additional economic benefit for businesses near participating markets. Achieving Our Goals: California Market Match has four main goals: (1) increase the purchase of farm-direct, additive-free, fresh, dried, or canned fruits and vegetables by SNAP consumers; (2) develop and test technological innovations that improve incentive redemption systems; (3) pilot Market Match offerings in new retail contexts; and (4) evaluate diet, health, economic, and other impacts. GOAL 1: Increase Farm Direct SNAP Purchases of Fruits and Vegetables. During Period 1, FINI funding enabled California Market Match to distribute $880,371 worth of healthy food incentives accompanying 109,227 SNAP transactions. This drove an additional $1,616,866 in SNAP fruit and vegetable purchasing for a total of $2,497,257 in SNAP-to-Farm purchases. Market Match incentives were available at 252 locations in 31 counties, including 220 farmers' markets, where Market Match has been extensively field tested, and 32 pilot sites at mobile markets, Community Supported Agriculture outlets, and farm stands. Ecology Center provided eight webinar trainings for staff of the 39 Market Match Implementing Contractors. In February 2016, the Ecology Center held an annual, two-day, Face-to-Face mini-conference in Oakland, California in order to train, build group cohesion across the state, share best practices, and ensure grant compliance. This included presenters from the USDA FNS Western Regional office and others. The conference had over 80 participants. GOAL 2: Develop and Test Technological Innovations. Ecology Center and Implementing Contractor, Pacific Coast Farmers' Market Association, (PCFMA) developed and tested a bar-coded scrip system designed to improve benefit redemption and scrip tracking. This system was extensively field-tested and run through beta testing and improvement cycles including opportunities for feedback from market managers and back office staff. The current version will be rolled out and piloted in Period 2. Ecology Center also worked with Code for America in order to research and assess existing technologies used for incentive scrip redemption in order to determine the success and constraints of these technologies. The results of this research and assessment were reported in the white paper titled "Technology for the Delivery of Farmers' Market Incentive Programs" (http://bit.ly/297VKx6). GOAL 3: Pilot Market Match at New Farm Direct Venues. Ecology Center and Implementing Contractor, Fresh Approach, piloted Market Match at their Mobile Market and increased operations from three days a week, serving nine sites weekly, to five days a week, serving 14 sites weekly. Between June 2015 and April 2016, SNAP sales increased by 82% and SNAP customer participation increased by 233%. The Agricultural Institute of Marin'sMobile Market rollout has been delayed until Period 2. Market Match was offered at 13 Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) pick-up sites and 5 farm stands in Period 1, including 3 community produce stands through a new partnership with the Oakland Unified School District. Ecology Center staff and USC evaluators are observing and evaluating these pilots closely to learn from the new Single Point Of Sale (SPOS) models and will report on them in the Final Report. GOAL 4: Evaluate Customer and Farmer Impacts. Process Outcomes: Baseline impact and process data were collected through Period 1 measuring outcomes in terms of number of locations, SNAP customers served, farmers served, incentives distributed, total purchasing of fruits and vegetables, and more. In fact, Market Match tracks 21 data points for each Implementing Contractor. Best Practices: The Ecology Center worked with Implementing Contractors to understand, document and share best practices. Best practices are identified through bi-monthly webinars, one-on-one calls and communications, through in-depth interviews of both customers and market operators, and conferences. Evaluate Relationships and Impacts: Evaluators at the University of Southern California have developed methodology, survey tools, gathered data, and compiled preliminary survey results. They amassed 844 customer surveys and 70 farmer surveys, and completed 26 in-depth market manager interviews, 30 IC program manager interviews, and 33 intensive customer interviews. An initial report has been produced of Period 1 results. Evaluate Redemption Systems: Ecology Center and USC Evaluators used direct observation and interviews to assess needs regarding redemption systems. Efficient distribution of scrip clearly depends on adequate staff with sufficient training. Findings show there are not significant problems with distribution of incentives. Some farmer participants reported delays in reimbursement for scrip they received. Program managers have expressed concern with reimbursement structure requiring after-the-fact billing. These issues are under consideration and it is expected that technology to be piloted in the forthcoming project year will address some of these issues at some markets. Evaluate Challenges and Opportunities of New Pilots: Through interviews, site visits, meetings, and webinars, the Ecology Center has learned that the various scrip and redemption systems can be optimized for different contexts. For example, plastic tokens are cheap but bulky and take time to count; they are fine at a small market with small numbers of SNAP transactions. Metal tokens and coin counters are more expensive, but timesaving, and make sense at large markets with high volume. Paper scrip with bar codes is the most expensive and complex system, but offers an option for an expiration date, stronger inventory controls, and tracking by market, making it a valuable system for Implementation Contractors that run Market Match at many locations. New types of programs observed thus far in the evaluation include a mobile market facility and community produce stands located at public schools.
Publications
|
|