Could Text Message Reminders Increase SNAP Enrollment?

North Texas Food Bank and University of Notre Dame’s Lab for Economic Opportunities are working to find out.

Could a simple text message reminder to finish your Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) application be enough to boost enrollment in the food assistance program? That’s the question North Texas Food Bank’s Social Services Assistance team is working to answer in conjunction with University of Notre Dame’s Lab for Economic Opportunities (LEO) during a yearlong research project.

Launched in the fall of 2024, the project is being led by LEO affiliated researcher Craig Gundersen, Snee Family Endowed Chair and a professor of economics at Baylor University, and Bill Evans, LEO cofounder.

For its part, NTFB’s team is continuing to assist neighbors in applying for or reauthorizing their SNAP applications. Of those served, one group is being reminded via a text message to submit any pending documents needed to complete their application. The other group is not receiving the text.

“Part of the reason why we’re so excited about these text messages is, if they work, and we can show that they work, it’s a very low cost intervention,” Craig said, speaking to LEO’s policy and impact team.

In Texas, only seven out of every 10 eligible individuals participate in SNAP, one of the lowest rates in the country. The program supports qualified children, older adults and working families in purchasing the food they need. It is a critical anti-poverty tool because for every one meal a food bank can provide, SNAP unlocks nine.

At LEO, the goal of research is to equip service providers, like North Texas Food Bank, with the knowledge they need to make an impact.

“These nonprofit groups, one of the things that they do is they’re really kind of a group that’s saying to people, ‘we love you enough to care about you, and we want to help you out in whatever way we can,’” Craig said.

By investing time in researching the best ways to deliver programs, Craig said LEO can help nonprofits ensure they’re stewarding their resources well and working as effectively as possible.