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The Food Stamp Program is a federal entitlement that provides a monthly allotment to supplement the food budgets of low-income families and individuals. Participants receive their benefits on electronic debit cards, which then can be used at many grocery stores, some farmers' markets and other retail sites to purchase eligible food items. Food Stamp benefits are 100 percent federally funded, and administrative costs are shared by federal and state governments. The federal government also provides states with matching funds for Food Stamp Outreach, Food Stamp Nutrition Education and Food Stamp Employment and Training.
Eligibility
Eligibility for the Food Stamp Program is based upon household income and resources. A household is considered a person or group of people who are living together, but who are not necessarily related, who purchase and prepare food together. For most households, except for those with an elderly or disabled member, gross income cannot exceed 130 percent of the poverty level. All households must show that their monthly net income does not exceed 100 percent of the poverty level. Net income reflects gross income minus certain deductions. Household resources, such as cash on hand or in a bank account, cannot exceed $2,000. Households that include senior citizens or disabled individuals can have resources up to $3,000. States have the option to decide whether and how to count vehicles as resources. Certain groups, such as legal immigrants and able-bodied adults without dependents, face additional eligibility requirements.
For information on eligibility for legal immigrants see NCSL's Chart of Immigrant Eligibility for Federal Programs.
To check eligibility, see the USDA's Pre-Screening Eligibility Tool.
Issues for States
Administration, Quality Control Reviews and Error Rates
State food stamp agencies are required to conduct quality control reviews of randomly selected food stamp cases. Reviews are conducted on active cases to determine if the household is eligible and is receiving the correct benefit allotment and on negative cases to verify that the decision to deny, suspend or terminate the household from the Food Stamp Program was correct. An error is counted against the state when an incorrect benefit allotment is made (payment error) or when a household is found to have been incorrectly denied, suspended or terminated from the program (negative error).
Outreach
Food Stamp Program outreach involves providing information on eligibility and benefits to potentially eligible people with the goal of increasing participation. Since Food Stamp benefits are 100 percent federally funded, outreach can be a key way for states to increase the amount of benefits coming into the state, thus increasing the purchasing power of low-income individuals and enabling them to contribute to the local economy. Program outreach can include general public education and direct assistance to individuals (prescreening, gathering documentation).
A 50 percent federal match is available to states to support Food Stamp outreach activities. To receive the federal match, a state agency must submit to the Food and Nutrition Service at the USDA an outreach plan identifying outreach activities, targeted populations and geographic areas and partner organizations.
For more information, see the USDA's webpage on Food Stamp Outreach. Publications
Tool Kit: Food Stamp Program
The Hunger and Nutrition Partnership's publication, "Addressing Hunger and Nutrition: A Tool Kit for Positive Results" includes a section on the Food Stamp Program.
Food Stamp Access for Immigrants
This report explores state approaches in food stamp access and outreach after the restoration of the restoration of food stamps to legal immigrants in the 2002 Farm Bill.
Updated October 2005
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