Calculating the SNAP Program Access Index: A Step-By-Step Guide for 2012

The Program Access Index (PAI) is one of the measures the USDA Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) uses to reward States for high performance in the administration of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). The Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 (also known as the 2002 Farm Bill) directed USDA to establish a number of indicators of effective program performance and to award bonus payments to States with the best and most improved performance. The PAI is designed to indicate the degree to which low-income people have access to SNAP benefits.

Data and Resources

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metadata_created 2025-11-22T16:35:01.837080
metadata_modified 2025-11-22T16:35:01.837083
notes The Program Access Index (PAI) is one of the measures the USDA Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) uses to reward States for high performance in the administration of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). The Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 (also known as the 2002 Farm Bill) directed USDA to establish a number of indicators of effective program performance and to award bonus payments to States with the best and most improved performance. The PAI is designed to indicate the degree to which low-income people have access to SNAP benefits.
num_resources 1
num_tags 13
title Calculating the SNAP Program Access Index: A Step-By-Step Guide for 2012