RIDGE 2024. Join us for a day of research presentations and conversation about the economics of federal nutrition assistance programs! Highlights include research presentations from our 8 grantees whose projects are completed this year, reflections from USDA officials offering insight into the program and policy context, and a conversation with Professor Norbert Wilson of Duke University, director of the Duke World Food Policy Center and a recent past president of the Agricultural and Applied Economics Association (AAEA).

Conference information. The RIDGE conference will be held in Alexandria, VA, at the FNS building located at 1320 Braddock Pl, Alexandria, VA 22314. 8am-4pm eastern time. Program (.pdf).

Registration. For both in-person and online participants, please use this Google registration form. For in-person participants, this form includes a field asking you to upload this USDA building entry form. It is important to upload that form so that USDA security can admit you on Oct 7.  Please complete registration by Sep 23. For remote viewers, see this Teams link on the day of the event.

Research Projects Funded in 2024

For the 2024 cycle, the RIDGE Partnership is pleased to announce six research awards, reflecting a wide range of nutrition assistance program topics.

Four grants are for standard research projects (up to $75,000 each): 

• Dr. Katherine Michelmore. The effect of subsidized meals on student outcomes: Evidence from Medicaid direct certification. University of Michigan. Area of focus: Child Nutrition Programs
• Dr. Namrata Sanjeevi. Impact of Cash Value Benefits increase on perinatal health and child’s dietary intake: A quasi-experimental study. Washington State University. Area of focus: WIC.
• Dr. Katherine Yewell. Assessing household spillover effects of universal free meals. Florida State University. Area of focus: Child Nutrition Programs
• Dr. Benjamin Chrisinger. Does welfare generosity affect SNAP food environments? A longitudinal assessment of retailer responses to changes in income supports? Tufts University School of Arts & Science. Area of focus: SNAP.

Two grants are for dissertation research (up to $25,000 each): 

• Peter Anderson. PhD Candidate.The WIC infant formula subsidy, childhood obesity, and societal welfare. University of Virginia. Area of focus: WIC 
• Elaine Beulick. PhD Candidate. Understanding utilization of the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) among refugee, immigrant, and migrant (RIM) families: a dual examination of data and frontline intentions. Saint Louis University. Area of focus: WIC/SNAP

All proposals were reviewed for their significance, quality of the research methods and data, and policy relevance. Additional consideration was given to the mix of topics and USDA research priority areas. Award decisions were based on the expert reviews and input from USDA’s Economic Research Service. Additional information about the program is available online at ridge.nutrition.tufts.edu.

RFP for the 2024 Cycle

The RIDGE Partnership is pleased to invite proposals for new research on the economics of federal nutrition assistance programs. Proposals are due January 31, 2024. The Request for Proposals (.pdf) provides an overview, describes the topic areas, explains the submission process, provides our detailed evaluation criteria, and summarizes key dates. Detailed information is provided on our Information for Applicants page.

With support from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), the Research Innovation and Development Grants in Economics (RIDGE) Partnership seeks to encourage innovative economic research on domestic nutrition assistance programs and to broaden a network of researchers applying their expertise to USDA topics.

See our archives for past announcements.