SNAP programs are essential to helping families across the U.S. put food on the table, but many states face the risk of funding cuts. New federal rules require states with SNAP payment error rates above 6% to repay a portion of federal benefit costs, increasing pressure to reduce errors. SNAP error rates measure how often a state makes mistakes when deciding who qualifies for benefits and how much help they should receive. These mistakes include giving people too little or too much assistance. 

A share of these errors is driven by unclear, overly technical, or contradictory notices that confuse beneficiaries and create avoidable administrative burden.

In partnership with SNAP programs in New Mexico and Oregon, we are developing an AI-powered tool to streamline notice generation. State eligibility systems are difficult to update, and agencies often lack the capacity to redesign notices while managing backlogs and complex policies. Our tool will enable staff to create and update notices more quickly and easily. By improving clarity, actionability, and accessibility, this tool aims to reduce confusion, lower administrative errors, and create a smoother experience for families.

We will develop and pilot our tool throughout 2026, with implementation and scaling completed by fall 2027. Moving forward, we plan to expand this work to other state partners and apply our methods to additional benefit programs beyond SNAP.

Interested in partnering with us? Reach out at info@publicpolicylab.org.