SNAP in 2025: What Mayors Need to Know

Insights from Dr. Sara Bleich, Professor of Public Health Policy, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health  & former USDA Director of Nutrition Security and Health Equity

I. The Problem

The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), the nation’s largest anti-hunger program, is facing $186 billion in budget cuts through 2034 – a 20% reduction that threatens food access for millions of Americans with low income. Additionally, stricter work requirements will increase red tape and prevent many eligible people from receiving benefits. SNAP supports over 40 million Americans each year – nearly half of them children – and plays a crucial role in reducing poverty, improving health outcomes, and stimulating local economies. Mayors have an important role to play in connecting individuals to work, clarifying eligibility, simplifying enrollment and renewal, and documenting the impact of cuts. With local economies, public health, and millions of residents at stake, here is how cities can help in ensuring that those not working receive the necessary opportunities and training, and simplifying compliance for those who are working or volunteering. 

Every $1 in SNAP benefits produces up to $1.50 in local economic activity. 

Nearly 40% of SNAP recipients are children.

Participation in SNAP is linked to $1,400 lower healthcare costs per year for adults with low income.

II. Why it Matters

• Stricter eligibility & work requirements. These changes increase administrative and reporting burdens as well as a need for easier methods to connect aspiring workers to training. Already, about 1 in 4 households lose SNAP benefits at renewal due to paperwork – not ineligibility. Minimizing this “churn” will help preserve access.
• Collateral impacts. For families on SNAP, all enrolled children automatically qualify for free school meals; when children lose SNAP benefits, they can then lose access to food at school.
• Food pantries aren’t sufficient. Facing rising demand and reduced funding, demands on already-strained food banks will increase.

III. What You Can Do: A Roadmap for Mayors

1. Use the bully pulpit to...
   1. Clarify SNAP changes in practical, fact-based terms; do not underestimate confusion over complex rule changes.
   2. Conduct outreach to encourage families that are still eligible to continue to apply and maintain enrollment.
   3. Engage employers, who can play a role in helping residents meet new requirements – for instance, scheduling employees for 20 hours/week to reach the new threshold.
2. Reduce harm via policy changes
   1. Be proactive to minimize churn. Simplify the certification process and extend renewal periods. Join the 31 states already using simplified reporting, which reduces the number of changes a household must report when renewing.
   2. Simplify the UX. Streamline enrollment paperwork and provide navigation services to help with the process.
   3. Leverage technology to improve access. Consider using AI and automatic enrollment systems to ensure seamless access to multiple assistance programs.
3. Document and elevate impacts
   1. Collect and publicize stories from residents, grocers, schools, faith-based organizations, and nonprofits about the effects of federal budget cuts.
   2. Use this evidence to advocate for policy change at the local and state level.
4. Invest in local food action strategies
   1. Pair physical & financial access: Subsidize grocery store development and support creative distribution models, like mobile food vendors, to ensure residents have nearby places with healthy foods to spend SNAP benefits.
   2. Develop strategically: Consider providing grants, zoning incentives, or creating public-private partnerships to scale innovative approaches.

Bottom Line for Mayors

This is a tough moment: historic budget cuts and stricter work requirements will reduce SNAP access, but city leadership can soften the blow. By connecting more residents to training or work, clarifying policies, streamlining paperwork, and documenting local impacts, mayors can protect their most vulnerable residents at highest risk for losing benefits while positioning their cities for long-term health and economic resilience.

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