At Vimo, we understand the immense challenges SNAP administrators face today. With the government shutdown, states have been warned that federal SNAP benefits may not be distributed on November 1st, leaving state agencies to navigate the possibility of millions temporarily losing access to food assistance.
But even before the shutdown, SNAP agencies faced a demanding, changing program landscape. SNAP administrative costs are rising across the board, and with H.R. 1, a new and significant financial risk is on the horizon: states with SNAP error rates of 6% or higher will soon be required to cover a portion of their own benefit costs for the very first time. While agencies work to manage the immediate disruptions presented by the shutdown, the ability to maintain compliance with evolving requirements is quickly becoming more essential than ever for state budgets.
For states looking to improve SNAP compliance, Vimo’s SNAP Express Support solution offers rapid, measurable benefits. Designed for all around program optimization, SNAP Express Support streamlines workflows, reduces error rates, and delivers the operational agility and consumer support tools states need to navigate program changes and hurdles – all while remaining in compliance with federal and state policies.
In 2024, the national SNAP average error rate was 10.93%, and fewer than ten states had error rates under 6%. If error rates continue at this pace into 2027, many states will likely be responsible for paying a portion of their SNAP benefits.
What SNAP Compliance Looks Like: Accuracy and Timeliness
SNAP compliance involves both payment accuracy and timeliness, and it has long been tied to financial repercussions and rewards. Now, with impending H.R. 1 changes, the stakes are even higher. At Vimo, we’ve worked with over 20 states to enhance SNAP and safety-net program compliance; below is a closer look at some of the outcomes we deliver.
We help states improve accuracy rates and avoid penalties. We do this by assessing and diagnosing areas for improvement within programs, determining appropriate solutions, and rapidly implementing them – offering changes in as little as 30 days. Our partnerships have quickly boosted SNAP accuracy rates by upwards of 5% for our state clients without requiring additional staff. With improvements such as these, we’ve helped numerous states avoid financial sanctions and fines.
We also help states achieve compliance through enhanced timeliness. Vimo has helped states across the country increase SNAP timeliness, including reducing application processing times by significant amounts. In one partnership, for example, we raised overall SNAP timeliness from 57% to 99% in just two years, moving the state from 53rd to 5th nationally. In another state, we helped decrease the time required to process SNAP applications from roughly a month (30 days) to just over a week (8 days). Like the accuracy improvements noted above, gains like these have helped our state partners avoid penalties and fines related to compliance.
SNAP Compliance Requires Capacity, Not Staff Increases
It may be easy to assume that improvements in accuracy or timeliness require more staff, but many states we’ve worked with have achieved impressive results even amid budget cuts and hiring freezes. In the last example noted above, we didn’t just reduce application processing times by more than 20 days – we did so while working to mitigate a caseload increase of over 125% across all programs, compounded by staffing losses of 300 positions. These results show that dramatic gains are possible even in the face of resource constraints.
So, if not more staff, what does improving SNAP accuracy and timeliness require? In our experience, it requires unlocking staff capacity and modernizing business processes. And at Vimo, this is our specialty. Below is a quick look at the services and outcomes we offer through our SNAP Express Support solution, including our modern contact center, processing support from our Change & Innovation Agency (C!A) consultants, and quality automation services. These features and tools improve not only compliance, but also staff capacity and consumer support.
SNAP Modern Contact Center
Deliver faster, more accurate service with 24/7 support and seamless client access.
- Virtual agents handle routine inquiries at any time, freeing up staff for other needs.
- Omnichannel access (phone, chat, text) and live assistance ensure clients get help how and when they need it.
- First-call resolution strategies help staff complete as much work as possible during the initial interaction.
SNAP Processing Support
Boost capacity and accelerate processing through workflow redesign and flexible staffing.
- Business process redesign streamlines workflows, removing unnecessary steps.
- Flexible staff assignments allow teams to be used where they’re needed most.
- Policy consulting and waiver support unlock capacity, including waivers that allow non-merit staff to process SNAP applications.
SNAP Quality Automation
Reduce errors and ensure compliance with AI-powered monitoring and support tools.
- AI-powered quality and capacity services automate repetitive tasks and flag errors before they become costly.
- Enhanced quality control reviews and automated case notes reduce manual effort and improve accuracy.
- Real-time guidance for staff enables focus on high-value work and consistent, error-free processing.
The results above speak for themselves. With SNAP Express Support, states can achieve sustainable, lasting improvements in accuracy and timeliness without increasing staff headcounts. With the features above, states can also streamline and elevate consumer communication and support – and free up staff time for the interactions that most need a human agent.
Improving SNAP Compliance and Consumer Support Today
The new SNAP policy landscape makes accuracy and timeliness more important and financially consequential than ever before. Meanwhile, the government shutdown demands increased consumer communication and assistance. As we move into the future, states that proactively strengthen SNAP processes, leverage proven technology, and unlock staff capacity will be best positioned to avoid penalties and ensure families receive the support they need.
If you’re ready to make meaningful improvements to your SNAP program metrics, implement tools to help with spikes in consumer communication demands, and avoid costly surprises before H.R. 1 changes take full effect – now is the time to act. Reach out to our team of change agents to discuss how our experience, technology, and hands-on support can help your agency meet these new challenges with confidence.
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