Resource type
Research and Data
Research Reports
Research type
Assessing/Improving Operations
Demonstrations
Impacts/Evaluations
SNAP Benefit Use
Resource Materials
Final Report (432.71 KB)
To explore the suitability of off-line electronic benefits transfer (EBT) as an alternative to paper issuance and on-line EBT issuance systems, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) has supported the Ohio Department of Human Services (ODHS) in expanding off-line EBT issuance to all Food Stamp Program (FSP) recipients in the state.
A pilot project in Dayton, Ohio and a demonstration of a combined WIC-EBT off-line system in Wyoming have clearly established the technical feasibility of off-line EBT for FSP benefit issuance. Both the Ohio and Wyoming pilot projects, however, were small in scale, and both incurred higher administrative costs than the paper coupon issuance systems they replaced.