Double Up Food Bucks

Growing better access to better food.

Double Up Food Bucks is a national model for healthy food incentives active in 28 states and growing. Double Up’s track record of positive and proven impact for families and farmers in communities across the nation helped make federal support for incentives a permanent part of future farm bills.

Good for our community.

Double Up Food Bucks helps those in need get access to good, nutritious food.

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Good for our farmers.

Double Up Food Bucks helps local farmers pursue their purpose as well as their profitability.

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The Opportunity

Double Up matches SNAP, or food stamps, spent on fruits and vegetables.

SNAP represents the largest federal investment in our food and farm system—at more than $70 billion dollars a year. In communities that are low-wealth this is a major portion of the local food economy. What if we could harness even a small percentage of those dollars toward fresh, healthy, locally grown food?

The Model

A decade ago, Fair Food Network collaborated with five Detroit farmers markets to field test the idea of healthy food incentives through a pilot program called Double Up Food Bucks.

Double Up matches food stamp dollars spent on fresh fruits and vegetables. It’s a win-win-win: more healthy food for families, better business for farmers, and a boost for local economies

Uniform Design, Brand
Double Up is defined by its uniform design and brand, supporting strong customer awareness and streamlined implementation.

outlets
Diverse Outlets
Double Up is proven to work in all the places people buy food in their communities from farmers markets to grocery stores.

Local Agriculture
No matter the retail setting, Double Up maintains strong local sourcing and remains a win for family farmers.

Results

Double Up is an investment in good food that gets great results.

Across The Nation

Click a state for more information

Active Double Up program

Fair Food Network supporting healthy food incentive work

Bring Double Up to your community.

Today Double Up is active in 28 states and growing. We continue to partner with communities where we can make the biggest difference, applying our years of on-the-ground experience so they can hit the ground running.

Double Up is a complete package, ready to be adopted by partners nationwide. Our program toolkit includes all resources partners need to bring Double Up in their communities–from a record keeping and evaluation frameworks to branded outreach and marketing materials. Plus, Fair Food Network is on-hand to help partners get started and succeed with individualized coaching, cross-site networking, and ongoing insights from our work in Michigan and other Double Up communities.

We are also growing a nationwide community of practice through the Nutrition Incentive Hub–sharing tools, lessons learned, and innovations to ensure Double Up remains a win for families, farmers, local markets, and grocers it serves.

To learn more about our Nutrition Incentive Hub or explore bringing Double Up to your community, email us at info@doubleupfoodbucks.org.

Download our National Impact Overview for more results.

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Michigan

Where Double Up began.

We continue to grow and innovate the Double Up model to bring healthy food to more families, through more farmers, in more locations. Our flagship Michigan program remains a statewide success story and proving ground for innovation.

Statewide Success
A decade ago, Fair Food Network collaborated with five Detroit, Michigan farmers markets to field test the idea of healthy food incentives in farmers markets. The program quickly grew statewide to 250+ farmers markets and grocery stores powered by federal, state, and philanthropic support.

In 2007, before Double Up began, less than $16,000 in SNAP benefits were distributed at Michigan farmers markets. In 2019, sales of SNAP and Double Up topped $15 million in farmers markets and grocery stores.

Grocery Game Changer
Fair Food Network led the expansion of incentives into grocery stores in 2013 through one of the first pilots in the nation. Double Up is a proven game changer in the grocery setting, helping stores distinguish themselves in the marketplace, attract new customers while encouraging loyalty. Local agriculture remains a key feature in the grocery setting with participating stores committing to strong local sourcing.

Proving Ground
The Michigan Double Up program remains a proving ground for innovation, pushing the field forward with a focus on grocery expansion, technology innovations, and farmer-to-grocer connections. New innovations seeded in Flint, Michigan are allowing shoppers to carry earned Double Up benefits with them across participating locations, plus shifting physical tokens to electronic and mobile processing.

Download our Michigan impact overview for more results.

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Double Up is making a difference in communities nationwide. See the big impact we’re having in one community Flint, Michigan, in the wake of the city’s water crisis.

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