Moving policies toward racial and ethnic equality: The case of the supplemental nutrition assistance program^*

We analyze the role played by Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) in alleviating or exacerbating inequality across racial and ethnic groups food expenditures resources needed to meet basic needs (the “food resource gap”). To do this, we propose a simple framework that decomposes differences SNAP benefit transfer levels into three components: eligibility, participation, generosity. This decomposition is then linked gap. Our results reveal among components, eligibility contribute most benefits differentials for Black Hispanic households relative White households. Given often target of policy changes, employ provide counterfactual analyses how selected changes can impact group and, ultimately, disparities The proposed be applied other safety net programs.