Produce Perks Midwest Inc

**AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** PRODUCE PERKS MIDWEST PROPOSES A GUSCRR LARGE-SCALE PROJECT THAT EXPANDS THE SCOPE OF WORK OF OUR ACTIVE FINI AWARD, DIRECTLY ALIGNS WITH THE GOALS OF GUSNIP, AND PROVIDES IMMEDIATE RESPONSE AND RELIEF FOR OHIO'S FOOD INSECURE. FOOD INSECURITY HAS MORE THAN DOUBLED IN OHIO DURING THE PANDEMIC AND UTILIZATION OF PRODUCE PERKS (PP) HAS INCREASED BY 96%. COMITTING 75% OF FUNDS TO DIRECT INCENTIVES, THIS PROJECT WILL GENERATE OVER $4,300,000 INFRUIT/VEGETABLE PURCHASES, EXPAND PROGRAMMING TO 140 GROCERY-RETAIL AND DIRECT-TO-CONSUMER (DTC) MARKETS IN 42+ COUNTIES; REACHING 100,000+ SNAP CONSUMERS.GOALS: 1) EXPAND AND DEEPEN REACH OF PP TO A MINIMUM OF 37 NEW SITES (10 DTC / 27 GROCERYRETAIL) IN 42+ COUNTIES (7 NEW), PRIORITIZING OPPORTUNITY ZONES AND HIGH-NEED COMMUNITIES; 2) INVEST IN PROVEN STRATEGIES FOR EFFECTIVE AND EFFICIENT PROGRAMMING TO BUILD CAPACITY AND RESILIENCE OF OHIO'S FOOD SYSTEMS; 3) EXPAND MARKETING/AWARENESS OF PP VIA ENHANCED MESSAGING; 4) MEASURE AND EVALUATE IMPACT OF EXPANSION STRATEGIES IN COMPLIANCE WITH NTAE REGULATIONS.ACTIVITIES INCLUDE UTILIZING INNOVATIVE STRATEGIES AT DTC/GROCERY-RETAIL INCLUDING ONLINE ORDERING, DELIVERY AND CURBSIDE PICKUP; EXPANDING POS SYSTEM SOLUTIONS AND BUILDING CAPACITY AT DTC/GROCERY-RETAIL; AND BROADENING MARKETING CHANNELS VIA TEXT MESSAGING, A CUSTOMERENGAGEMENT APP, CONSUMER-INFORMED MESSAGING, DIRECT MAILERS AND STATE AGENCY PARTNERSHIPS. OUR EXPANDED GOALS ARE FIRMLY ANCHORED IN LESSONS LEARNED UNDER OUR ORIGINAL FINI PROJECT AND ACADEMIC RESEARCH, AND SUPPORTED BY OUR 16-MEMBER STATEWIDE COALITION (OHIO NUTRITION INCENTIVE NETWORK). OUR GOALS EXPAND PROGRAMMING TO COMMUNITIES MOST IMPACTED BY THE PANDEMIC, PROVIDING RELIEF TO OHIO'S NEARLY 2 MILLION SNAP BENEFICIARIES.

** AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** PRODUCE PERKS MIDWEST AND THE OHIO NUTRITION INCENTIVE NETWORK WILL COMPLETE A TWO-YEAR NUTRITION INCENTIVE PROJECT AIMED AT DEVELOPING EQUITABLE APPROACHES TO STATEWIDE EXPANSION AND IMPACT OF PRODUCE PERKS, OHIO'S SNAP-MATCHING NUTRITION INCENTIVE PROGRAM. LOSSES IN SNAP BENEFITS AND A SIGNIFICANT RISE IN FOOD COSTS HAVE AFFECTED OHIO'S 1.3 MILLION SNAP RECIPIENTS. IN RESPONSE, THIS PROJECT AIMS TO DEEPEN THE IMPACT WITHIN UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES, ENSURING EQUITABLE ACCESS AND PARTICIPATION.THE PROJECT WILL GENERATE $2.7M IN FRUIT AND VEGETABLE PURCHASES, ENGAGE 15 BIPOC-OWNED FOOD BUSINESSES, EXPAND TO 25 NEW SITES, INCREASE INCENTIVE TRANSACTIONS BY 20% AND REDEMPTION RATES BY 45%, AND ESTABLISH COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT PRACTICES.GOALS INCLUDE:1) DEVELOP COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT PRACTICES TO NURTURE LASTING, AUTHENTIC COMMUNITY RELATIONSHIPS AND INCREASE BENEFICIARY SATISFACTION;2) EQUITABLY DEEPEN IMPACT WITHIN UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES AND UNDERUTILIZED SITES;3) INCREASE EQUITY WITHIN PROGRAM IMPACT, WITH A SPECIFIC FOCUS ON ENHANCING RACIAL EQUITY AND IMPROVING ACCESS TO PROGRAMMING FOR UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES; 4) INCREASE CROSS-AGENCY COLLABORATION AND RESOURCE SHARING FOR STATEWIDE INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT AND EVENTUAL TRANSITION TOWARDS TECHNOLOGY ADVANCEMENTS.ACTIVITIES INCLUDE ESTABLISHMENT OF A COMMUNITY ADVISORY GROUP, DEVELOPMENT OF A STEPS-TO-SUCCESS TOOL TO BOOST PROGRAM UTILIZATION AT LOWER PERFORMING SITES, IMPLEMENTATION OF COMMUNITY-INFORMED OUTREACH STRATEGIES TO INCREASE AWARENESS AND REPEAT USERS, PARTNERSHIP BUILDING WITH BIPOC-OWNED FOOD BUSINESSES, AND STATE AGENCY PARTNERSHIP BUILDING AND JOINT NEEDS ASSESSMENTS.THIS PROJECT REPRESENTS A CONCERTED EFFORT AMONG OHIO STAKEHOLDERS TO ADDRESS FOOD INSECURITY AND BUILD A MORE EQUITABLE FOOD SYSTEM FOR ALL OHIOANS.?

OHIO PRODUCE PERKS: HARVESTING HEALTH IN THE HEARTLAND THROUGH STATEWIDE NUTRITION INCENTIVE PROGRAM EXPANSION

**AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** PRODUCE PRESCRIPTION: EXPLORING PARTICIPANT ENGAGEMENT AND RETENTION IN VOUCHER VS. HOME DELIVERY INCENTIVE DISTRIBUTION MODELS