Posted On: July 11, 2017

New Options & Streamlined Application
for the SNAP EBT Equipment Program

The Free SNAP EBT Equipment Program, funded by USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) and administered by the Farmers Market Coalition (FMC), has provided equipment necessary to accept Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits (SNAP, formerly Food Stamps) to more than 1,300 farmers markets and direct marketing farmers across the country.

In response to applicant and market-community feedback, the SNAP EBT Equipment Program application has been streamlined to reduce the applicant paperwork burden and to provide a faster connection between the applicant and their selected service provider.  Applicants now select their service provider within the application (with the assistance of our Service Provider Comparison Table) and are no longer required to submit a W-9 form. There are exciting updates to share from our four preferred service providers as well:

TSYS has lowered their fees for SNAP transactions from $.10 per transaction to $.05 per transaction.

PaymentSpring has joined the program, and offers a no-cost, transaction fee-free, SNAP-only equipment option.

MerchantSource now offers two new hardware solutions: the Clover Mobile and the Clover Flex. Participants from Iowa who wish to take advantage of the state’s initiative to reimburse EBT transaction fees must use MerchantSource.

MarketLink has partnered with the Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources to offer the Healthy Incentives Program (HIP).  Massachusetts HIP is a state-wide program which enables SNAP shoppers to increase their purchasing power at market. Farmers markets and farmers in Massachusetts who wish to participate in the HIP program must use MarketLink as their service provider.

For information on eligibility requirements, visit FMC’s program page. To apply to the Free SNAP EBT Equipment Program, navigate to the application toolbox at FMCToolbox.org. To apply for SNAP authorization or learn about how the USDA is supporting farmers markets and SNAP shoppers, visit the USDA SNAP and Farmers Markets website.