(P26-014-23) Mapping the Reach of the Gus Schumacher Nutrition Incentive Program (GusNIP) Using Geographic Information Systems

Objectives: The Gus Schumacher Nutrition Incentive Program (GusNIP) provides funding for grantees to develop and conduct projects that distribute financial incentives to consumers with low income for fruit and vegetable (FV) purchases and FV prescriptions. This research aimed to map the GusNIP nutrition incentive (NI) and produce prescription (PPR) project locations to identify spatial gaps and priority areas to expand program reach.

Methods: The GusNIP Nutrition Incentive, Training, Technical Assistance, Evaluation, and Information (NTAE) Center utilized geographic information systems (GIS) with ArcGIS software to map GusNIP locations between September 2021 and August 2022 in conjunction with base layers of interest. The location data included latitude, longitude, site type (e.g., farm direct, brick and mortar), and site category (e.g., farmers market) and was imported into ArcGIS. The base layers for the maps were obtained from publicly available sources, including Esri’s ‘Living Atlas’ and poverty status data using American Community Survey 2020 5-year estimates.

Results: The existing maps include 1,514 brick and mortar sites, 1,797 farm direct sites, and 177 clinics that operated in the third year of the GusNIP program mapped on to base layers. 2,818 of these firms operated with NI projects and 904 of these firms operated with PPR projects. The priority areas identified through spatial gaps included parts of New England and the Midwest for NI site locations and large portions of the Midwest, Mountain West, Northeast, and South for PPR site locations.

Conclusions: These maps highlight spatial gaps in GusNIP project reach and provide visual guidance on equitable expansion. The use of publicly available data provides the opportunity to create maps that can demonstrate program reach across many demographic groups, such as communities of color, LGBTQIA+ identity, and veteran status. By using a similar workflow, researchers can create visually appealing, accessible maps that display program reach and identify spatial gaps for maximum public health impact.

Funding Sources: The Nutrition Incentive Program Training, Technical Assistance, Evaluation, and Information Center (NTAE) is supported by Gus Schumacher Nutrition Incentive Program grant no. 2019-70030- 30415/project accession no. 1020863 from the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture.