Progress 09/01/23 to 08/31/24
Outputs
Target Audience:
Nothing Reported
Changes/Problems:One of the main barriers to achieving our GusNIP grant goals has been navigating the FNS permitting process. Through the USDA, there is minimal publicly available information detailing the specifics of this permit process across farmers markets, mobile markets, CSAs, farm stands, or pop-up food hub firms. Without clarification, it can be difficult to impossible for a firm to apply for and receive their FNS permit. This difficulty often deters local operators from wanting to participate as a FreshMatch partner through our GusNIP grant. Without guidance from the USDA FNS team, GusNIP grantees will face additional barriers to data tracking and reporting. In the most likely scenario, the validity and reliability of data reporting may decrease; expansion of participating firms may stagnate or outright decrease; and market staff will face challenges with supporting SNAP customers shopping at local farmers markets. More information on the policy being enforced and when it will go into effect would be of great benefit to not only GusNIP grantees but also our sub-awardees, farm direct firms, and our shoppers. Directly from the SMADC team, our sub-grantee had these challenges to share: Getting data reporting in a timely manner from market staff (the human capacity factor) Specifically, the datapoint of unique users is a challenge since this is a manual calculation because SNAP transactions may be at market or vendor level and transaction reports may or may not be easily available. It is especially very difficult to collect unique user data from vendor level transactions (farmers) Lag time in tracker functional updates from 3rd party database developer A considerable throughline in challenges experienced by FRESHFARM, our subawardee SMADC, and partner LEAP, is staff capacity. Funding for SNAP Incentives is easier to come by than funding for the staff capacity required to implement SNAP Incentives. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?As part of our GusNIP grant goals, FRESHFARM provides technical training and assistance to all partners upon request. This is specific to the process of applying for FNS permits; applying for the MarketLink grant; and how to operate SNAP/EBT point-of-sale (POS) systems. Training can be provided in-person or virtually depending on the partner's preference. Specifically, the FRESHFARM team guided our collaborators, Britepaths and City of Alexandria Human Services team members, through the process of applying for a FNS permit for several of their new firm locations. Additionally, the FRESHFARM Food Access team has developed an all-encompassing Incentives Training presentation. All market staff are required to attend one hour-and-a-half session of this interactive training--hosted in-person or virtually per the team members' preference. During this time, staff receive numerous educational matching and federal benefit programming resources. They are trained on how to operate multiple forms of federal benefits (SNAP/EBT, P-EBT, WIC/Senior FMNP, etc.) and matching incentives at firm locations, too. Overall, this training has improved staff morale and our customers' shopping experience by making the program easier to understand and access. It also provides an opportunity for the FRESHFARM Food Access team to gather input from staff and shoppers which is then incorporated into our GusNIP grant operations and program implementation. As this training continues to grow and develop, we anticipate it will help to increase federal benefits' shoppers visits to market and create a positive feedback loop between customers and all levels of customers. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?For partner outlets and organizations, SNAP and SNAP matching data has previously been made available to all markets upon request. Additionally, Asset Mapping Survey data was presented in a Coalition meeting to each jurisdiction before being formatted into a detailed analysis (PDF) and distributed to all partner outlets and organizations. For community members, FRESHFARM coordinated with our program evaluation team, Sharp Insight, to draft a one-page document summarizing our evaluation strategy and results. This document is planned for distribution to community members via digital channels in late 2024. In regards to our sub-grantee, SMADC shared these insights as to how they disseminate program information and evaluations to their community members: [SMADC] utilizes their and the Maryland Market Money social media channels (Instagram and Facebook) and invest in paid advertising through Meta and Google to reach a wide audience. The program is promoted in the SMADC Buy Local and Holiday Guides, which are featured in The Bay Net, Southern Maryland Chronicle, and Lancaster Farming. [SMADC] collaborates with community and state partners like the Maryland Department of Agriculture, Maryland DHS (including large-scale brochure mailings with SNAP redetermination and Maryland Benefits Review letters), and Maryland WIC, and engage in community outreach, events, and distribute marketing materials and signage at key access points. Additionally, our collaborators in Virginia, Virginia Fresh Match, shared these insights as to how they promote their SNAP and SNAP matching program: VFM provides a host of customizable marketing templates which firms use to promote their NI programs. The majority of firms use VFM-branded flyers, postcards, and onsite signage (banners, sandwich boards) to make sure shoppers know they can get free fruits and vegetables when they spend SNAP. Materials are distributed to local food pantries, Social Services offices, and community partners to help spread word. Firms were also provided digital templates and training support for social media engagement around their NI programs. In addition to templates, VFM provided over $10,000 in marketing funds to cover these advertising costs. At the state level, VFM maintains an online, searchable map showing all active firms and uses social media to uplift our firms. We issue a monthly newsletter and invite press to attend media events showing VFM in action. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?Due to ever-increasing demand for SNAP Incentives and limited grant funds, we must implement additional and even stricter SNAP Incentive distribution policies across all outlets in order to prolong the availability of SNAP Incentive funds for as long as possible. We are planning to submit an additional budget modification using new, outside salary funds that we fundraised to supplant GusNIP federal salary funds and allocate more GusNIP federal funds towards SNAP Incentives, to increase and extend the amount of SNAP Incentive funding we are able to offer to lower capacity, non-FF partner outlets. Programmatically, we will continue to refine our outreach and marketing efforts, which will be bolstered by support from a $49,257.78 Fair Food Network Capacity Building Innovation Fund grant award, allowing us to expand our highly effective Market Champion role to GusNIP activities.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
September 2023: Hosted Virginia, Maryland Coalition meetings virtually Created and presented Fundraising slides to discuss opportunities to support fundraising for SNAP matching at markets Received and reviewed Maryland survey responses (Asset Mapping Survey) Attended Virginia Fresh Match Financial Working Group (virtual) Distributed monthly reporting emails and reminder emails, texts (*this happened each month but will only be mentioned here due to character limit) October 2023: Closed loop on Crossroads transition from being housed within FRESHFARM's GusNIP grant to operating their own GusNIP grant, clearing up FS-425 issues with NTAE and USDA NIFA Planned for three individual Coalition luncheons--one each for DC, Virginia, and Maryland partners Developed and distributed Asset Mapping Survey results PDF to all Coalition partners Attended Virginia Fresh Match Financial Working Group (virtual) November 2023: Hosted one in-person luncheon per jurisdiction for Coalition partners in Washington, DC; northern Virginia; and Maryland Started FNS permit application for the new FRESHFARM Union Market District Farmers Market Completed FY23 GusNIP Data Analysis across all FRESHFARM and partner markets Attended Virginia Fresh Match Financial Working Group (virtual) December 2023 through February 2024: Brainstormed ideas around a FreshMatch "opt-in membership" to conceptualize potential for additional data tracking of FreshMatch shoppers Attended Virginia Fresh Match Financial Working Group (virtual) Attended two-day in-person Virginia Fresh Match Annual Retreat Attended in-person weeklong GusNIP Project Directors Meeting Updated FreshMatch financial policy Hosted conversations with City of Alexandria team to discuss onboarding two new northern Virginia locations--Del Ray Farmers Market and West End Farmers Market March 2024: Applied for various FNS permits for various farmers market, farm stand, and CSA sites including supporting Britepaths through the FNS and MarketLink process Completed transition of all northern Virginia FRESHFARM and partner firms from the management of FRESHFARM's GusNIP grant to Virginia Fresh Match's GusNIP grant April 2024: Completed analysis of GusNIP grant budget and projected spending for remainder of grant period Submitted Virginia Fresh Match Regional Lead Survey Completed review of FreshMatch website Onboarded Bloomingdale Farmers Market (under new ownership) May 2024: Completed NTAE capacity building grant application to support GusNIP grant goals and FreshMatch operations (in addition to other FRESHFARM programming) Finalized FreshMatch materials (report forms, spreadsheet trackers, email templates, reporting policies and procedures, agreements) Distributed 2024 FreshMatch Agreements Distributed 2024 Grant Data Collection Form to DC partners July 2024: Hosted several Coalition planning meetings to determine path forward for next two years of program Analyzed FRESHFARM's success in achieving current GusNIP grant's goals while also planning for next GusNIP grant applications updated data metrics and program goals Supported City of Alexandria Human Service team through the FNS permit process for two of their new firm locations August 2024: Implemented planning phase in advance of next GusNIP application period; began preparing development and communications materials in support of this process // FF Market Share CSA The Market Share program distributes hand-packed bags of seasonal fruit and veggies to customers in DC and Northern VA, sourced from our network of small--and mid-sized farmers in the Mid-Atlantic. Shares are sold at retail rates to customers paying with credit card and heavily discounted rates to customers paying with SNAP/EBT. In 2024, the Market Share program distributed a total of 949 Market Share bags at a discounted SNAP rate, for a total of $6,608 in SNAP purchased across 6 total sites, including household delivery in DC. Overall, 38 percent of Market Share participants are SNAP/EBT customers One of our new customers, who joined the Market Share program at the Columbia Heights market, shared her story of using the program to improve her high blood pressure and high cholesterol. She said, "I am so excited to be a part of this program, it's so very important to me. I am working on some health issues and am working on learning to eat different foods, and how to cook them. I bring the things I make with my share to my friends, and they can't even believe it--it's so good!" ?Reporting trends: Approximately 85% of MD firms report their data on time which is an incredible feat given that, historically, 75% of MD firms reported their data 1 month late 99% of DC firms report on time every month Over the course of the past year, SMADC has greatly improved their staffing and project capacity thanks to the growth of their team--doubled from two to four full-time employees. This is a huge success and greatly benefits the timeliness, validity, and reliability of the GusNIP reporting. Directly from the SMADC team, our sub-grantee had these successes to share: Y3 enhancements of Market View Links to the shared Data Tracker platform were well received by MMM access point administrators and eliminated questions from access point data entry staff because they could see their data entry in real time Directly from the VFM team, our grant collaborator had these successes to share: Data reporting in Year 3 operated smoothly. Good communication between FRESHFARM and LEAP ensured both parties were able to securely provide all necessary reports and helpful information. Coalition progress: Fall 2023: One meeting per jurisdiction (Maryland SMADC and Northern Virginia in July, DC in August) December 2023: One annual luncheon per jurisdiction (Maryland SMADC and Northern Virginia in July, DC in August) Accumulated and analyzed Asset Mapping Survey which actively engaged partners in the FreshMatch decision making process and began charting a path forward for current and future GusNIP grant goals. Focus group sessions are planned for Fall/Winter 2024 to further assess Asset Mapping Survey data as well SNAP and SNAP matching data (from FRESHFARM and partners); this data will lay out actionable steps to achieve current and future GusNIP grant goals FRESHFARM's sub-grantee, SMADC, shared these experiences regarding the influence of the Coalition on the SNAP matching program and collaborative DMV relationships: The experience has been an overwhelmingly positive partnership and fostered organizational and staff goodwill and collaboration. The standardization of program mechanisms with Coalition partners (ex: uniform daily match cap) has benefited access points and shoppers to eliminate confusion and ambiguity and created a consistency for shoppers crossing the DMV's porous borders. The relationship between Coalition partners has strengthened and we foresee the potential for future partnership and collaboration on projects. VFM's regarding the Coalition included this: The Coalition represents an ideal outcome for VFM's regional approach. By creating the Coalition, FRESHFARM created a regional identity and set of shared goals for VFM firms, which have been paired well with the standardized resources LEAP provides.
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Progress 09/01/22 to 08/31/23
Outputs
Target Audience:
Nothing Reported
Changes/Problems:Evaluation: Due to significant performance issues, FF was forced to change evaluation firms in Y2. Unfortunately, after multiple delays, GMU presented us with an unpolished and incomplete evaluation report that did not address the evaluation questions key to our GusNIP project. FF had to spend significant staff time editing the submitted report for readability, organization, and to re-focus on the original evaluation questions as set out with GMU at the beginning of the partnership. GMU's report not only displayed a lack of organizational clarity as a readable document, but also showed repeated disconnects between cited data or survey responses and the accompanying analysis- frequently a section summary or highlight would contradict or omit what was present in the cited survey responses or market data. FF then had to spend time recruiting and assessing new evaluation firm proposals, and ultimately signed an agreement with Sharp Insight in April 2023. As originally outlined, our project's evaluation firm was also supposed to complete an Asset Mapping survey of partner firms by the end of Y1. This was not possible for GMU, and so FF staff devised and distributed an Asset Mapping survey in July 2023 in Y2, for further analysis in Y3. *As the Asset Mapping survey dealt with the characteristics of partner firms, not human subjects, the Asset Mapping survey instrument was not included in our recent IRB application or approval. Incentive administration: In April 2023, due to budgetary constraints, FF had to institute a matching fund distribution cap on SNAP transactions at market, marking a significant change from COVID-era unlimited matching policy. This decision was necessary, but unfortunately very unpopular amongst all stakeholders and the portion of SNAP shoppers who consistently completed large SNAP transactions at market (>$50 per transaction). The SNAP fruit & vegetable incentive is still administered at a 1-to-1 ratio at farmers markets. Staffing Beginning May 2023, a staff member on our Food Access team, which implements our GusNIP activities, began to display uncharacteristic performance issues. As the situation developed over the next month, it became clear that the staff member in question was experiencing personal hardship that compromised their ability to perform their duties for FF. Our HR Senior Manager and the staff member, along with the Project Director, completed the necessary steps and the staff member was approved for DC Paid Family Leave, which officially started in August 2023. During this process we have also sought input from Laurel, our NTAE rep. Further details and information are available upon request. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?During the time period, continued training opportunities were provided for FF staff internally, improving financial management knowledge and data analysis skills. Our Program Manager was given the opportunity to represent FF and our GusNIP project at the Philly mini-convening. They have maintained a high quality of work since starting at FF. Their professional development has progressed accordingly and they will continue to be an asset for our project. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?Upon revision and completion, the evaluation report from George Mason was shared with the NTAE, the DC Department of Health, and our GusNIP partner firms. Regional SNAP and SNAP Incentive distribution and redemption data was shared out with all partner firms in their respective Coalition meetings. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?In Y3, FF plans to continue to invest in our effective staff and relationships throughout the region to bring our ambitious GusNIP goals to fruition. We seek to use future analysis of new and never-before collected data, such as the Asset Mapping results and regional SNAP transaction trend analysis, to quantify and communicate out the state of regional food access programming and the benefits of SNAP Incentives for farmers, market managers, and SNAP shoppers. We also seek to collect additional transaction data from our firms, to better understand the extent of SNAP shopper retention across the region. We also hope to use improved evaluation results from our new partnership with Sharp Insight to better understand how SNAP and SNAP Incentive programs can be improved across our firms and to better advocate for additional program support overall. These important steps will help us towards the goal of creating a regional Coalition database of SNAP Incentive program data to identify areas for improvement, better understand existing best practices, and provide replicable strategies for other grantees and evaluators. Overall, FF will continue to invest in our regional food access programming in order to increase redemption of SNAP and SNAP Incentives on fresh and local GusNIP fruits and vegetables, improve benefit redemption rates, and create new databases to spur forward increased appeals for support and innovation in the name of local food.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
Between 9/1/2022 and 8/31/2023, FreshFarm engaged with 100 SNAP and SNAP Incentive partner firms across Washington, DC, Maryland, and Northern Virginia (up from 86 in previous reporting period), offered technical assistance for new FNS permit applications and data collection and management improvement, connected the DC DHS SNAP office with FreshMatch marketing materials, and conducted never-before-done Asset Mapping surveying of firms across the region, quantifying the assets and challenges faced by FreshMatch incentive locations across the DMV region. Please see below for a general timeline of noteworthy activities and accomplishments over the reporting period, as well as further details about firm reporting, Coalition progress, and SNAP data trends. Throughout this time, our standard data collection, reporting, and reimbursement activities were maintained for the 100 firms each month. Additionally, we contracted with a new evaluation firm, Sharp Insight, in Spring 2023 (https://www.sharp-insight.com/). Sharp Insight brings extensive management capacity along with years of local and healthy food access program evaluation experience to the table. We applied for private IRB approval in June 2023 and received approval in August 2023. Problems and challenges with our original evaluation firm are detailed in the 'Problems/ Changes' section farther below. September 2022: FreshFarm (FF) coordinated with longtime partner Dreaming Out Loud (DOL; a Black-led DC-based non profit) to add new market firm locations to the GusNIP Coalition, bringing additional SNAP Incentive offerings to LILA tracts in Wards 7 and 8 in Washington, DC.; FF also began laying the groundwork to administer FreshMatch Incentives to DOL's Black Farm SNAP CSA (https://dreamingoutloud.org/about/). FF provided additional incentive program and management technical assistance, as well as marketing support, to the C.R.I.S.P Market hosted at TheARC, which is run by Building Bridges Across the River and also located in the significant LILA tract of Ward 8 in Washington, DC (https://bbardc.org/ and https://bbardc.org/csa/). FF was discussing a potential new brick & mortar SNAP Incentive partnership with Good Food Markets in DC and Prince George's County, MD with SMADC; unfortunately GFM was forced to significantly minimize store operations shortly thereafter: Opening: https://mayor.dc.gov/release/mayor-bowser-celebrates-grand-opening-good-food-markets-ward-8 Departure from grocery services: https://dcist.com/story/22/11/17/dc-good-food-markets-closes-ward-8-grocery-store/ October 2022: We worked with our Communications and Community Engagement teams to refresh our FreshMatch marketing materials, integrating new branding elements, creating new collateral designs, and incorporating SNAP shopper feedback into FreshMatch Rack Card design and language. November 2022: FF adopted the Cleveland Park Farmers Market into our market network, improving management capacity and bringing SNAP incentives to this firm location for the first time. FF re-engaged with the Loudoun Valley Homegrown Cooperative, a volunteer-run firm that has been an on-again-off-again FreshMatch partner in Virginia since around 2017; the Loudoun Valley Homegrown Cooperative serves a key need as the only SNAP Incentive farmers market firm present in Loudoun County, VA. December 2022 through February 2023: For this period, FF staff spent significant time working with GMU to finalize a presentable evaluation report about our Y1 GusNIP activities. More details are shared in the below 'Problems/ Changes' section. March 2023: Provided technical support to BritePaths (https://britepaths.org/) in order to successfully apply for and receive FNS approval to process SNAP at the Wakefield Farmers Market. By the end of March 2023, we were able to finalize the George Mason University evaluation report. Internally, FF updated the onboarding process for new SNAP Incentive partner firms, from recruitment to reimbursement. April 2023: Consolidated GusNIP data reporting procedures for VA and DC firms Two FF staff attended the Philly GusNIP Large Scale Project Mini-convening FF instituted a $30/ day matching cap for SNAP Incentives across Coalition markets, taking the significant step to move away from the COVID-era unlimited matching fund distribution policy. Compared to the rest of the country, a $30/ day SNAP Incentive distribution limit is very generous, yet instituting this policy change was very challenging to roll out, with significant pushback from some vocal SNAP shoppers. May 2023: Provided technical support to the City of Alexandria Department of Community and Human Services (https://www.alexandriava.gov/DCHS) in order to successfully apply for and receive FNS approval to process SNAP at the Southern Towers Farmers Market June 2023: FF internal Market Share CSA data tracking procedure updated July 2023: Initiated Coalition meetings for MD firm locations via SMADC and with Virginia locations Presented first ever grant-wide annual GusNIP program data per jurisdiction (Y1) data Drafted Asset Mapping survey content and collected 10 responses across DC and VA (MD survey to be administered later in the fall as a part of MMM application) August 2023: Presented FreshMatch Coalition marketing information to DC DHS via Incentive Program working group with DC Health FMNP and CSFP reps, DC Food Policy Council/ Office of Planning FF Market Share CSA In 2023, the Market Share program distributed a total of 1,547 Market Share bags at a discounted SNAP rates, for a total of $10,978 in SNAP. 320 unique customers registered for the SNAP MS program across 6 markets, Household Delivery in DC, and at 2 Childcare centers. Reporting: Overall, around 3/4s of MD firms report their data about 1 month late, which is an improvement over the previous reporting period 99% of VA and DC firms report on time every month Coalition progress: Summer 2023: One meeting per jurisdiction (Maryland SMADC and Northern Virginia in July, DC in August) September 2023: One meeting per jurisdiction Great buy-in amongst partners towards collective action and future fundraising efforts; it is also very clear that incentive firms appreciate being connected with one another, which FF's GusNIP Coalition uniquely facilitates. Additional Coalition meetings are planned for Fall 2023, in Y3. SNAP data trends The end of federal COVID emergency SNAP allotments in March 2023 had a devastating effect on SNAP households across the country, especially so for SNAP shoppers that frequent Freshfarm farmers markets across the region. The table below shows the drastic decrease in SNAP redemption across Freshfarm locations between 2022 and 2023, further underscoring the urgent and pervasive need for effective and widespread food access programming in our region and across the country: FF seeks to complete a detailed analysis of SNAP transactions across FF and partner firms in early 2024 to better understand the effects of federal benefit allotment changes on our SNAP constituents and their participation in local healthy eating incentive programs.
Publications
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Progress 09/01/21 to 08/31/22
Outputs
Target Audience:SNAP shoppers in Washington, DC, Maryland, and Northern Virginia. SNAP-authorized direct-to-consumer retail firms such as farmers markets, mobile markets, farm stands, and CSAsin Washington, DC, Maryland, and Northern Virginia. Changes/Problems:Changes Since the time of submitting our application, we've continued to see the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on rising food insecurity rates across the region. In our application, we proposed administering SNAP Incentives for F&V at a 2-to-1 ratio. However, between the time of our application submissions and when FF began to draw down on funds from award 2021-70030-35772 on 1/1/2022, more SNAP shoppers were spending more SNAP and SNAP Incentive funds at both FF and Coalition partner firms. Thus, operating the SNAP Incentive program at a 2-to-1 ratio would not be sustainable for the length of the grant period with the true demand expressed by our region's SNAP shoppers, and we must implement the SNAP Incentive at a 1-to-1 ratio. Problems As FF has spent more time working more closely with the Southern Maryland Agricultural Development Commission (SMADC), our grant partner and manager of the Maryland Market Money program (MMM), through which we administer GusNIP-funded SNAP incentives with more than 40 firms across the state, we discovered some hitherto unknown management and capacity constraints. The SMADC team is small, and a not insignificant number of Maryland Market Money firms are frequently quite late in their data reporting, which has made it difficult to accurately gauge incentive spending across these 40 plus firms. Consequently, we are unfortunately put into a position where we do not have as much real-time data insight as we would prefer for our budgeting needs. As also previously mentioned, we continue to see the continued and significant effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on food insecurity rates across the region, fueling SNAP and SNAP Incentive demand. The above, combined with increased SNAP allotments for shoppers through COVID-19 emergency funds and increased dissemination of P-EBT, appears to be putting pressure on our incentives budget, even before the 2022 market season closes. Compoundingly, because we have uneven insight into SNAP Incentive spending across our wide range of partner firms, we only know that we are dealing with an unknown increase in SNAP Incentive spending, and we are still missing summer data reports as of 8/31/2022. We will have to see how SNAP Incentive spending goes for the rest of the 2022 market season and respond accordingly. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?The project has provided many training opportunities for new FF staff as they acclimate to the Coalition setup and operation of farmers market SNAP incentive programs in general. FF staff have also attended webinars and sessions offered by the NTAE, and we have elected to meet with our NTAE representative monthly to discuss our project and approach. Professional development opportunities with local entities such as The Management Center (https://www.managementcenter.org/) have been targeted but not yet completed byFF staff. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?We have been working with the NTAE and our external evaluation partners to complete the required GusNIP survey administration with SNAP shoppers, as well as to complete additional focus group sessions and individual interviews with SNAP shoppers and SNAP-authorized Coalition partner retail firms in order to gain more understanding of the successes and barriers to entry in using SNAP and SNAP incentives for F&V faced by relevant stakeholders. Our evaluation partner is scheduled to deliver the complete Year 1 evaluation report to FF by the end of 2022 What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?FF will continue to build on the foundational accomplishments of our work from 1/1/2022 to 8/31/2022 to facilitate incentive reimbursement, mass data collection and analysis, and cooperative programmatic and marketing efforts across the direct-to-consumer SNAP firms in our Coalition in the coming grant years. This is a large project that seeks to coordinate and lead amongst many firms of varying capacity across the Coalition, and FF will need to simultaneously work with efficient and established firms to push programmatic goals forward while meeting other, lower capacity firms where they are, investing the needed time and resources to provide ample technical assistance for their unique situations and challenges. FF has been able to build off our previous working relationships with Coalition firms in Northern Virginia and Washington, DC in order to efficiently administer GusNIP incentives, receive data reports, and confer around project goals. We have been working with most of these firms for at least four years through previous NIFA awards, as manager of FINI award 2017-70025-26682 and as Northern Regional Lead for Virginia FreshMatch, managed by the Local Environmental Agriculture Project of Roanoke, VA (LEAP) through FINI award 2018-70025-28156. In the next reporting period, FF intends to leverage the groundwork established with Coalition firms and our evaluation findings in order to engage more deeply with partner firms and SNAP shoppers
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
FRESHFARM (FF) continued to spend down the remaining incentive and other funds from FINI award 2017-70025-26682 to close out the 2021 calendar year. Beginning on 1/1/2022, FF began to draw down on the incentive and other funds from GusNIP award 2021-70030-35772. Between 1/1/2022 and 8/31/2022, FF focused on laying the groundwork of the Coalition, prioritizing updating MOUs with partner firms, organizing and improving internal data collection and management and financial systems and procedures, and communicating the news and nuance of the new GusNIP award to partner firms. FF essentially quadrupled the number of firms we were collecting data from and reimbursing for incentive funds each month, and we needed to test and scale our internal financial systems and controls accordingly. By 8/31/2022, FF was collecting data from and reimbursing more than 75 firms across the region, firms that were not connected prior to this award. Over the course of the reporting period, all Coalition firms saw significant increases in SNAP redemption and SNAP incentives for F&V redemption, spending habits very likely driven by continued food insecurity exacerbated by lingering public effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and the increased about of SNAP funds made available to eligible individuals families through COVID-19 emergency funding increases and P-EBT. FF provided technical assistance to help the Annandale Farmers Market apply for an FNS number, acquire EBT processing equipment, and begin operating a SNAP and SNAP Incentive program for the first time ever.
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