Individual and Household Responsive

Appendix N.4.

Study description for WIC participants

Public Burden Statement

This information is being collected to assist the Food and Nutrition Service to better understand the implementation and impact of the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) modernization efforts on WIC State and local agencies, WIC vendors and WIC participants. This is a voluntary collection and FNS will use the information to monitor and strengthen WIC program modernization efforts. This collection does not request any personally identifiable information under the Privacy Act of 1974. According to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, an agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to, a collection of information unless it displays a valid OMB control number. The valid OMB control number for this information collection is 0584-[xxxx]. The time required to complete this information collection is estimated to average .0167 hours/1 minute per response, including the time for reviewing instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and completing and reviewing the collection of information. Send comments regarding this burden estimate or any other aspect of this collection of information, including suggestions for reducing this burden, to: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Food and Nutrition Service, Evidence, Analysis, and Regulatory Affairs Office, 1320 Braddock Place, 5th Floor, Alexandria, VA 22306, ATTN: PRA (0584-xxxx). Do not return the completed form to this address.

WIC Modernization Evaluation

What is the WIC Modernization Evaluation?

The WIC Modernization Evaluation is a study about if and how recent changes to WIC are improving program participation and the experience of WIC participants. The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) is conducting this study with research organizations Mathematica, MEF Associates and the Nutrition Policy Institute. For more information about WIC modernization, you can visit this website: WIC Modernization | Food and Nutrition Service (usda.gov)

Who is participating?

All WIC agencies nationwide! This includes WIC participants like you, WIC agency staff, and vendor staff.

How can you be a part of it?

We want to hear from YOU! As a WIC participant, you can participate in a survey, focus group or both!

• Participant experience survey: If you are selected to participate in this survey, this 10-minute, web-based survey will ask about your background with WIC, experience applying to the program, and what it’s like to use the program’s new technology. You will receive $10 for completing the participant survey.

• Participant focus groups: If your local WIC site is selected for a case study and you are selected for a focus group, the study team will ask about your experience with WIC communications and support, getting your benefits, and using new WIC technologies. We expect focus groups to take about 90 minutes and you will receive $50 for participating in the focus group.

What will happen with the information collected from the study?

The study team wants to know how we can keep improving WIC so it works for today’s families. We will use your important feedback to continue to make the program better! We will share the findings with WIC program leaders and the public.

When does everything happen?

• Data collection: Fall 2025 to Fall 2027 (surveys, case studies, and focus groups)

• Reporting: Early 2025 to Fall 2028

Thank you for supporting this study!