Appendix G1 - Focus Group Advance Letter

APPENDIX G1 - Focus Group Advance Letter

OMB No. 0584-XXXX

Expiration Date: XX/XX/XXXX

955 Massachusetts Avenue, Suite 801

Cambridge, MA 02139

Telephone (617) 491-7900

Fax (617) 491-8044

www.mathematica-mpr.com

[DATE]

[NAME]

[TITLE]

[ADDRESS]

Dear [Salutation, NAME]:

Thank you for agreeing to participate in a focus group about the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) [Insert state name for program]. This focus group will be on [DATE from TIME to TIME at LOCATION located at ADDRESS].

As was discussed on the phone, Mathematica Policy Research is conducting this study with funding from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Food and Nutrition Service (FNS). You were selected because you applied for SNAP, but did not receive benefits. About 8 to 10 other SNAP applicants will participate in this focus group. We will ask for your opinions about your experience with applying for SNAP and why you were denied for benefits. We will use the information collected in this focus group to learn about people’s experiences and perceptions about SNAP, and how it can be improved.

As a token of appreciation for your time and effort, we will give you $30 at the end of the session. Should you incur any transportation costs getting to and from the focus group location, we will return you for that as well. This incentive will not affect your potential eligibility for SNAP benefits in the future. Please make sure to bring any glasses or other corrective lenses you may need to read, and plan to arrive about 15 minutes early to meet the other participants and have some light refreshments.

Please let us know immediately (by calling [Focus Group coordinator] at [TOLL-FREE NUMBER]) if you are no longer able to join us so that we may find a replacement.

We would like to thank you in advance for your important contribution to this research. We look forward to speaking with you.

Sincerely,

Scott Cody

Study Director

Mathematica Policy Research

cc: Gretchen Rowe

Rosemarie Downer

According to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, no persons are required to respond to a collection of information unless it displays a valid OMB 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 3 minutes 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.

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