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WINI Nutrition Incentives Full Toolkit 2026

table of contents

What is SNAP/EBT?

What are Nutrition Incentives?

What is Double Up Food Bucks Wisconsin?

Printable Toolkit Pages (PDF)

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What is SNAP/EBT/Foodshare?

SNAP stands for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. SNAP provides food benefits to families with limited income to supplement their grocery budget. After
submitting proof of eligibility, SNAP recipients get an EBT card that has money added to it monthly.

FoodShare is the term for the Wisconsin SNAP program. Previously known as food stamps, FoodShare improves food access & reduces hunger & poverty for over 650,000 people.

EBT stands for Electronic Benefits Transfer. In Wisconsin, EBT allows FoodShare participants to shop with their
QUEST Card, which is like a debit card for FoodShare benefits.

“The market allows us to use SNAP benefits to
support the local community.”
-FoodShare participant from Wausau

How to Start FoodShare at your Farmers Market

Identify bank account & responsible party
A bank account separate from your market business account. An EIN or SSN is required.

Become a SNAP Authorized Retailer
Apply through USDA for FNS Authorization. Process usually takes 4-6 weeks.

Issue FoodShare Scrip
Issue wooden/plastic tokens or printed/digital coupons to facilitate FoodShare sales.

Choose your Equipment & Check Connectivity
Decide on point-of-sale equipment (MarketLink); ensure good internet connection.

Set Up an Accounting System
Organize a system for tracking FoodShare transactions & vendor redemption.

Marketing
Order supplies such as signs and banners. Ensure your customers know where they can swipe their QUEST card. Plan ahead for language translations.

Recruit & Train Vendors
Get your team on board & train them on the how & why of market FoodShare programs.

Promotion
Share with your community! Try social media, local groups, signs and word of mouth!

Hire & Train Staff
FoodShare booth management needs compassion, consistency, and organization.

Sustainability & Evaluation
Create a plan to evaluate and ensure program longevity.

Resources

EBT Equipment & Support

SNAP Authorized Retail, 1-877-823-4369

Wooden Tokens Purchasing

Creating a Successful EBT Guide

FoodShare At Farmers Markets

Farmers Market Coalition Resource

Plastic Tokens Purchasing

What are Nutrition Incentives?

The Basics

What do the terms Double Up Bucks, Double Dollars, Market Bucks, & Market Match all have in common? These programs are all nutrition incentives and encourage customers with limited incomes to shop at the farmers market.

Nutrition incentives provide financial incentives, like bonus dollars or discounts, to encourage consumers with limited resources, often FoodShare recipients, to buy more fruits and vegetables.

Common names for nutrition incentives:

Double Up Bucks
Double Up Food Bucks
Double Dollars
Market Bucks
Market Match
Healthy Food Incentive

Why?

Nutrition incentives improve health by focusing on the foods most lacking in American diets, and improving fresh food access (1)

Nutrition incentives improve the local food system by increasing spending at farmers markets & neighboring businesses (2)

The Customer Experience

Basic Steps

Market Manager swipes the customer’s QUEST Card and procides FoodShare scrip + Double Up Bucks (2 different currencies, usually tokens or vouchers). In WI, most markets will match up to $20 per FoodShare user per week.

Customer shops the market, using FoodShare scrip for FoodShare-eligible items and Double Up Bucks for whole or cut fruits & vegetables (fresh, frozen, dried, canned in water or 100% juice) without added ingredients.

Vendors collect FoodShare scrip and Double Up Bucks for eligible items and return the currencies to the Market Manager for reimbursement.

How to Start a Nutrition Incentive Program

Market Manager’s quick implementation guide

Farmers market information booth
Many markets have paid or volunteer staff, or rotate vendors into this role.

Clear system for scrip/token management
Many markets use tokens or paper vouchers for nutrition incentives. Ensure that the incentive is visually different from FoodShare or other market currencies, and that customers and vendors know how to spend and redeem it.

Marketing for customers and vendors
The most effective nutrition incentive programs have consistent, clear marketing, and include all languages spoken at the market. Consider: handouts, display posters, signage, banners, social media and websites.

Education for everyone at the market
Teach shoppers, vendors, staff, customers and volunteers at the market about your incentive program. All market staff and volunteers should be confident in program basics, as well as their ability to create a non-judgmental and welcoming environment. Consider: culturally sensitive training for staff and/or offering farmers market tours for FoodShare shoppers

Partnerships and collaborations
Connect to work that is already helping those experiencing food insecurity. Team up with food pantries, shelters, health departments, universities, educators, etc. to get the word out to customers about your new program. Consider: E-newsletter cross promotions, handouts on pantry pick up days, and/or sharing volunteer networks.

How to Fund a Nutrition Incentive Program

Market Manager top 5 tips to maintain and fund your program

Nutrition Incentive Fund Tracking System
Track your incentive funding to ensure you maintain a healthy bank account, set funding goals, show program impact, & report back results to stakeholders. Track all the market currencies you reimburse to vendors with a secure customer ID system.

Regular and Ongoing Evaluation
Complete regular evaluation on program operations as well as customer and vendor experience. Consider questions like: How many people use the program? How much funding is disbursed on average per market? How impactful is the program on shoppers? Share results with market vendors, potential funders, and community members.

Timing and Organization
Start asking for sponsorships and soliciting funding 4-6 months prior to your market start date. Create systems for easy donating: online portals, sharing where the check should be mailed, etc. directly in your ask letters.

Multiple Funding Streams
While a state source, like Double Up Food Bucks Wisconsin, may be able to fund some of your program, diverse funding streams contribute to sustainable program success.

Ongoing Funding
Create a long-term plan for soliciting funds for your program: consider grants, creating sponsorship levels, partnering with a non-profit, local food co-op, local health department, or food access organizations.

Imagine your funding like a 4-legged stool: Keep your program budget balanced with several different funding sources.

Local fundraising & partnerships (Eg. local business sponsorships)
Grants (Eg. local community foundations)
City/County funding (Eg. County Budget Appropriations)
State funding (Act 201 → Double Up Food Bucks Wisconsin)

What is Double Up Food Bucks Wisconsin?

Many markets and retail locations across Wisconsin have offered nutrition incentives for years, including Dane County Double Dollars, Milwaukee Market Match and Green Bay Double Your Bucks. So how is Double Up Food Bucks Wisconsin (Double Up WI) different?

Timeline

12-month pilot (Feb 2026 – Jan 31, 2027)

Legislation

Program funding from Healthy Incentive Program, through DHS under Act 201

Site Eligibility

1) low income access
2) rural access
3) existing incentive program

Incentives

$20 in “Double Up Bucks” provided per week per FoodShare participant at eligible sites

Locations

65 sites across 60 counties

Retailer Types

Farmers markets, Co-ops, local grocery stores and online, local grocery box

Regional Hubs for Double Up Food Bucks WI

Regional Hubs work directly with farmers markets and retail stores to distribute nutrition incentive funding directly to eligible sites.

Northern: Central Wisconsin Farmers Market Collaborative / Wood County Health
Northeastern: Wello
Western: UW-Eau Claire and Menomonie Market Food Co-op
Southern: Community Action Coalition for South Central Wisconsin (CAC)
Southeastern: Feeding America Eastern Wisconsin (FAEW)
Statewide: FairShare CSA Coalition & Wisconsin Food Hub
Administration: Feeding America Eastern Wisconsin (FAEW)

What Items are Eligible for Purchase with Double Up Bucks?

Whole or cut fruits & vegetables (fresh, frozen, dried, canned in water or 100% juice) without added ingredients.

Fresh or frozen fruits & vegetables

Dried fruits & vegetables without added sugar or salt

100% juice

Canned fruit or vegetables, with no added sugar, salt or flavoring

Double Up Food Bucks Wisconsin Timeline

How We Got Here

December 2023: WINI & American Heart Association collaborate on leglation: WI Healthy Food Incentive*

March 2024: Act 201* passes, requires Department of Health Services (DHS) to administer program

Summer 2024: DHS applied and denied GusNIP

December 2024: DHS releases Request for Applications (RFA) for non-profit to administer Act 201

June 2025: DHS Healthy Food Incentive RFA released again; application was approved for Double Up Food Bucks Wisconsin*

February 2026: 12-month Double Up Food Bucks Wisconsin (Double Up WI) Pilot project launches

*Name changes: Act 201 → WI Healthy Food Incentive Program → Double Up Food Bucks WI

Where We’re Going

YEAR 1: build trust and create best practices

YEAR 2-4: secure additional funding & expand reach

YEAR 5+: establish Double Up Food Bucks Wisconsin as permanent program focused on growing local food systems through: increased access to local fruits and vegetables for low-income families and expanded opportunities for local growers

What to Buy at the Farmers Market With FoodShare & Double Up WI

Eligible FoodShare Purchases

Fruits and Vegetables: Fresh, dried or canned such as: apples, carrots, green beans, raisins, pickles & applesauce

Breads and Cereals: Bread, pasta, rice, oats, & breakfast cereals

Protein: Fresh, frozen, canned or dried such as: beans, meat & eggs

Seeds and Plants: For growing food at home, like veggie seeds or herb plants

Cheeses, Pasteurized Milk, & other Dairy Products: Milk, cheese, yogurt, & non-dairy alternatives

Miscellaneous: Other items includes jam, honey, bottled drinks, etc.

Non-Eligible FoodShare Purchases

Prepared food meant to be eaten at the market

Body care products like soaps or lotions

Vitamins, herbal remedies, or medicines

Think: “Is this item served HOT or COLD?“ Iced coffee, juice in a to-go container, ready-made salads, eggrolls etc. are meant to be eaten right away, and therefore not eligible for FoodShare.

Eligible Double Up WI Purchases

Whole or cut fruits & vegetables (fresh, frozen, dried, canned in water or 100% juice) without added ingredients.

Fresh or frozen fruits & vegetables

Dried fruits & vegetables without added sugar or salt

100% juice

Canned fruit or vegetables, with no added sugar, salt or flavoring

Switching your FoodShare Incentive to Fruit & Vegetable Only

Most nutrition incentive programs in Wisconsin are FoodShare incentives, meaning the tokens or vouchers can be spent on any FoodShare-eligible items. However, many programs across the state are making the switch to fruit and vegetable incentives.

Why Make the Switch?

To gain access to state and federal funding streams

Federal programs, such as the Gus Schumacher Nutrition Incentive Program (GusNIP), and the state Healthy Food Incentive Program (also known as Double Up Food Bucks Wisconsin) require programs to only match FoodShare purchases with fruits and vegetables in order to be eligible for funding.

To improve community health

Fruits and vegetables are the most common foods that are missing in the American diet. By limiting the incentive to only fruits and vegetables, we encourage families to eat more fruits and vegetables.

How to Talk to Vendors About the Switch

Clarify: Initial FoodShare purchase can always go towards any FoodShare-eligible item; it is only the incentives (or the doubled amount) that are limited to fruits and vegetables.

Have one-on-one conversations with meat and dairy vendors that you are concerned may feel left out from this funding stream. Listen to their concerns and provide follow-up.

Emphasize the funding sustainability gained by having a regular stream of financial support and how it takes the pressure off market managers/board members to chase funding.

Emphasize funding increase by switching to Double Up Food Bucks Wisconsin; all programs will start with a $20 matching amount.

Provide examples from other programs in Wisconsin, such as Dane County Double Dollars, which sustained its success across 8 farmers markets when switching from a SNAP incentive to a fruit and vegetable incentive in 2024.

Share further data and research if vendors show interest.

Communicating with Shoppers about Nutrition Incentives

FoodShare shoppers are savvy and good at stretching their food dollars. Nutrition incentives offer a great way to encourage shoppers that the farmers market or local
food co-op is a delicious and affordable way to purchase food for their families.

Say this:

“Our market offers a double up program. That means that for every dollar you spend with your QUEST Card, we will match it with an extra dollar to spend on fruits and vegetables, up to $20.”

“Use your FoodShare tokens to purchase bread, eggs, cheese, meat, bakery, or any other FoodShare eligible item, use your Double Up Bucks for fruits and vegetables.”

“We are so glad that you shop at our farmers market and we want you to keep coming back so let us know if there are any other resources we can support you with.”

How to Talk to Shoppers about Program Changes

Clearly explain: Initial FoodShare purchase can always go towards any FoodShare-eligible item, it is only the incentives (or the doubled amount) that are limited to fruits and vegetables.

Show examples of your market’s scrip (such as tokens, paper vouchers, or coupons) used in each transaction when educating, doing promotional videos, or creating brochures/handouts.

Treat all customers with respect. Make your farmers market a place where all peoplecan shop without judgment or needing to explain themselves.

Emphasize savvy shopping by giving recipe ideas, pointing out what’s new at the market this week, or who might have bulk discount deals due to in season produce.

Be open to feedback, and provide opportunities for shoppers to share their experiences and suggest improvements.

Share additional resources and opportunities such as recipes, tours, tasting events, etc.

Nutrition Incentive Programs Data Collection Basics

Data collection is essential for grant reporting, assessing farmers market impact, and tracking nutrition incentive balances in your bank account. Having streamlined data collection practices early in your program will benefit you in the long run.

WINI Annual Survey and Report

Since 2024, WINI has been collecting statewide data on farmers market’s accessibility to FoodShare and their nutrition incentive program’s effects. This data tells the story of nutrition incentives statewide. WINI organizes this data into an annual report that is useful for writing grants and sharing impact with community members.