Summer EBT Outreach and Communications Pilots Evaluation Report

Summer EBT (also known as SUN Bucks) provides grocery benefits to eligible families when school is out. In summer 2025, Share Our Strength partnered with state agencies and campaign partners in six states to pilot coordinated outreach strategies. This report draws on surveys, stakeholder debriefs, campaign metrics, and administrative data to describe what was implemented, what worked, and what conditions supported effective outreach, along with recommendations for future years. 

Key findings: schools were the most trusted and most common source of program information for families; approved applications more than doubled in states with available data; and early timing paired with ready-to-use materials made the biggest difference in outreach adoption and effectiveness.