Coordinating SNAP and Nutrition Supports (CSNS)

About CSNS

Coordinating SNAP & Nutrition Supports (CSNS) is a cohort program funded by Share Our Strength, No Kid Hungry, and administered by the American Public Human Services Association (APHSA). Its goal is to align the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) with other federal, state, and local nutrition supports to combat hunger for children and families.

Cohort 2

CSNS 2.0 sites are drawing on lessons learned, experience, and relationships built in the first cohort to leverage real-time data, couple language justice with cultural humility, and innovate the delivery of services to meet participants where they are, with the goal of increasing access to SNAP and connected nutrition supports. The selected sites will also participate in cohort learning, sharing best practices and opportunities for policy and practice changes that promote equity and reduce hunger. The selection process and grant administration for cohort 2 are guided by APHSA’s Community Impact Council, a group of six individuals with lived expertise navigating the human services benefit system.

Case Studies

Reports & Resources

Cohort 1

CSNS 1.0 sites worked to reduce cross-departmental silos, facilitate partnerships with community organizations, improve the experience of families accessing nutrition supports, and leverage data and technology to address systemic barriers and promote equitable access to nutrition benefits. The projects varied in approach and were customized to the vision and challenges of each agency. Project activities ranged from designing automated data exchanges between SNAP and the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC) to enable targeted outreach to eligible families, using data analytics to understand gaps in food access better, and engaging people with lived expertise to inform the human-centered design of food security programs.

Case Studies

Impact Reports

Reports & Resources

Cohort 1 of the CSNS project was supported by an Advisory Council with diverse expertise in strengthening access to nutrition support through the redesign of public programs. The members include:

Learn More

Find out how the CSNS project has influenced policy.

CSNS Project Staff

The CSNS project is led by a strategic partnership between Share Our Strength as the funder and APHSA as the grant administrator. To center community voice, this project is guided by APHSA’s Community Impact Council–a group of six individuals with lived expertise navigating the benefits system. The Community Impact Council evaluated proposals for cohort 2 through a customer-centered lens, complementing APHSA and Share Our Strength’s proposal reviews and continues to guide APHSA’s administration of the grant.