Despite major progress in recent years, fewer than half of all older adults eligible for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) are enrolled in the benefit.

The Elderly Simplified Application Project (ESAP)—a federal demonstration program currently operating in eight states–is a collection of policy and process changes that can dramatically streamline enrollment of low-income seniors into SNAP.

Benefits Data Trust (BDT) and NCOA collaborated to produce this advocate’s guide to educate state-based aging and anti-hunger advocates about the project and suggest ways they can engage their state agency leaders to create ESAPs.

The guide includes information about:

• The different process and policy changes that comprise ESAP
• Results to date regarding how ESAPs succeed in improving customer service, administrative efficiency, and SNAP participation rates
• Lessons learned by the states that have implemented the project
• A typical ESAP demonstration approval and renewal process, and areas where advocates are best positioned to contribute